Introducing a new IWC Portuguese Automatic Edition BJIFF 2015 with a striking Panda dial - A Future Collectable - Monochrome Watches
Last Friday we told you about the new IWC Ingenieur Automatic Edition Laureus, with a very nice blue dial. Today we can show you yet another limited edition that we just need to tell you about. Why? Well, because of the dial. The new IWC?Portuguese Automatic Edition BJIFF 2015 (which stands for Beijing International Film Festival 2015) has a so-called panda dial and it?looks just so incredibly good. Limited to just 50 pieces, so again one that will become very collectible.First a bit of history. Back in 1996 IWC introduced the Portuguese Rattrapante, which was the first of the (than new) IWC Portuguese Chronograph collection. First to be introduced were a platinum version with a silver/white dial and a white gold version with a black dial and white sub dials. The latter had the so-called inverse panda dial, which later also appeared in the “regular” Portuguese Chronograph in stainless steel. In 2007 IWC introduced a limited edition for the Japanese market, with a proper pan

Swatch Groups Powermatic Movement, a Powerful Entry-Level Engine - Monochrome Watches
Have you ever wondered how Swatch Group brands like Tissot, Certina, Hamilton and Mido can make reliable, robust and accurate mechanical watches of good quality at very reasonable prices? Take a look inside the cases and you'll see the answer ticking there: the movement that seriously raises the bar for the entire industry. Its name: Powermatic. Entry-level, yes, but without being cheap.MONOCHROME is more about the high-end segment of the watchmaking industry; the complicated movements, the perpetual calendars, the chiming watches, the exotic regulators, the independent watchmakers who create the most complex indications or tell the time in unusual ways. But this time, we dive deeper into one of the workhorses that drive Swatch Group growth, the Powermatic movement.ETA’s headquarter in Biel (Bienne), where Swatch Group produces most of its standard movements (mechanical and quartz)The predecessor – ETA 2824-2The Powermatic movement, or ETA calibre C07.111 as it is officiall

Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver Padi Samurai SRPB99J1 - Review (Specs & Price)
Back in 2017, Seiko treated us to a nice surprise by reintroducing one of its most iconic watches: the Samurai. Praised by many enthusiasts, tested and certified as a reliable dive watch, updated for 2017 with slight evolutions and new colours, there was not much to complain about… Except maybe for the lack of a PADI edition. Well, the brand has come through for fans and the “warrior” can now be ordered in the super-cool blue and red combination dear to PADI editions. Meet the?Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver “PADI Samurai” SRPB99J1.Author’s note: the Seiko SRPB99J1 in the article is my personal watch, purchased a few days ago. I deliberately chose to wear it on a NATO strap instead of the steel bracelet delivered with the watch. I’ll explain why later, but for the record, this?“PADI Samurai” SRPB99J1 is normally delivered with a bracelet. Ad - Scroll to continue with article

Petrolhead Corner - The one-off Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato
Few names get car people going as much as Alfa Romeo. The Italian carmaker has a storied history and has created some of the most advanced and amazing machines ever conceived. Cars like the legendary Alfa Romeo 6C and 8C, the beautiful Giulia and Giulietta, the wild Bertone B.A.T. cars… the list is truly endless. Relying on prolific design ateliers such as Bertone, Giugiaro and Pininfarina, today’s very special Alfa Romeo comes from the house of Zagato. This one-off beauty is based on the Giulia, Alfa’s 5-door saloon car but is transformed into a sumptuous sporty coupe that packs a mighty punch.?Alfa Romeo & ZagatoThe history between the Milanaise design firm of Zagato, and the Turin-based car manufacturer Alfa Romeo goes back a little over a century. The first ever car built in collaboration between the two was the 1921 Alfa Romeo G1 Corsa Zagato, a two-seater race car of which only one is said to remain today. The Zagato name, however, comes from Ugo Zagato, who

We found the original of Vacheron Constantin's new Historique American 1921 Boutique New York - Monochrome Watches
Vacheron Constantin releases three special edition to celebrate their first boutique in the US. One the three is a New York Limited Edition of the Historiques American 1921… and we found the original version of this gorgeous re-edition!Earlier Vacheron Constantin already launched the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Chronograph, exclusively for boutiques. Yesterday we received news they launch three limited editions, exclusively for the new Vacheron Constantin Boutique in New York, located on the corner of Madison and 64th Street.?The Historiques American 1921 Boutique New York model is limited to… you already guesed it, 64 pieces. Ad - Scroll to continue with article We already wrote extensively about the first re-issue of the Historique American 1921 that was released in 2008?and one of the original 12 pieces of the Historique American 1921? that one of