Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Automatic Steel Blue Dial - Hands-On Specs & Price
The luxury sports watch segment is one of the most dynamic categories of the industry. Many brands have given us their take on the genre with successes and failures. The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo is, without a doubt, one of the defining watches of the last decade and has secured an?impressive series of world records for thinness. But it would be reductive to think that the success of the Octo Finissimo is limited to breaking records. More than anything else, the Octo Finissimo is a style statement. Fabrizio Buonamassa and the Bvlgari watch design team created a modern icon, whose ultra-thin profile broke into the market in muted monochrome attire. However, the model now reveals its versatility. Introduced in Dubai in January, the Steel Satin-Polished version of the Octo Finissimo Automatic drastically changed this already great watch. And there's now a blue dial version coming.There was already a lot to love about the grained lacquered black dial steel satin-polished version of the Octo F

De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius - Pimp your Constellation - Monochrome Watches
De Bethune’s DB25 Starry Varius is a beautiful tribute to the firmament housed in a smaller, 42mm titanium case with an interesting customisation proposal.? Every watch is a unique, one-off model offering you the possibility of customising the night sky to your heart's desire. After a somewhat unsettled period for the brand, Pierre Jacques is back as CEO, there is a new private equity investor on board, and master watchmaker and co-founder Denis Flageollet can exercise his creativity in the integrated manufacturing facility the brand has in L'Auberson. And if the DB27 Titan Hawk V2 and the DB25 Starry Varius are any indication of the shape of things to come, De Bethune is well on its way to writing the next successful chapter in its watchmaking saga.A Stradivarius on the wristAs an unconditional fan of De Bethune's dream machines that evoke the mysterious beauty of our celestial sphere, I was delighted to meet the new DB25 Starry Varius watch. And yes, the name Starry Varius allu

IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition SFTI IW389104
Today, IWC Schaffhausen releases its Pilot's Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition SFTI. The watch – an extension to the company's Pilot's Chronograph TOP GUN model – is also the civilian version of a timepiece created in honour of the US Naval Aviation Community back in 2018. The Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor watch, which was exclusive to the wrists of TOPGUN graduates, was produced as a collaborative effort between the Swiss watch manufacturer and Naval Air Station Lemoore-based instructors in California. It equipped graduates of the Navy Fighter Weapons School with a reliable tool for soaring through the skies in supersonic jets whilst subject to extreme G-forces. Limited to 1,500 pieces worldwide, the new Pilot's Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition SFTI faithfully follows many design codes of the TOP GUN series. The robust instrument is geared towards flying officers responsible for handling tortuous manoeuvres whilst seated at the cockpit of aircraft like the F/A-18 Supe

First Look: The Edouard Koehn Legacy Rattrapante Chronograph
Himself a watchmaker and at one time the co-owner of Patek, Philippe & Cie, the name Edouard Koehn (1839-1908) resurfaced in the modern watchmaking scene in 2020 thanks to Bernard F. Fleury, a seasoned veteran in the industry known for his work as the CEO of Vulcain in the early 2000s. The latest Edouard Koehn watch we reviewed at MONOCHROME was the World Heritage II, a rare combination of world time and alarm functions. Now, the brand returns to its roots with a true classic in both style and function, an elegant split-second chronograph inspired by one of its antique pocket watches. Meet the Edouard Koehn Legacy Rattrapante Chronograph.Edouard Koehn is an independent watchmaking brand based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, paying homage to the watchmaker (1839-1908) of the same name. The brand was revitalized a few years ago by industry veteran Bernard Fleury, who had previously made a name as CEO of Vulcain in the early 2000s. Fleury’s journey with Edouard Koehn began when he discove

Hands-On Bell & Ross Vintage BR V2-92 Steel Heritage (Specs & Price)
For several years, Bell & Ross was mainly known for its square, pilot-inspired watches. But not everybody wanted to wear such a large and bold 46mm watch (the BR-01) and what became a true icon of modern watchmaking could have become a trap for the brand. Bell & Ross had to evolve. This was the mission of the “Vintage Collection”. Entirely redesigned in 2017, this year the brand?adds a few vintage elements to make this collection even cooler, with the Steel Heritage. Today, we take a closer look at the?BR V2-92 Steel Heritage.A watch brand simply cannot rely on one single watch/collection, at least when it has the ambition to sell more than just a few thousand pieces a year. If having a true identity shared by all models is a necessity, a single concept/design is dangerous – think Panerai, for instance. Diversity coupled with consistency is key. Knowing that the BR-01 and BR-03 watches – what B&R calls the “instrument collection” –