Recap: The Best Chronograph Watches of 2023
The end of the year is near, so it's time for the MONOCHROME team to sit down and look back at everything that happened during what was objectively a rich year for new models There was a lot, with so many new watches launched in all categories and all price ranges. Today, we kick off a series of buying guides representing our selection of what we think are the best watches in each category, starting with one of our all-time favourite functions and probably one that so many watch enthusiasts appreciate: the chronograph. From classic to innovative, vintage or ultra-modern According to the MONOCHROME team, here are the Best Chronograph Watches of 2023.We have compiled over 250 articles under the “chronograph” tag this year. Narrowing down this selection to a handful of models wasn’t easy, believe me. Some will be missed, but the process involved a team vote, and we had to make some concessions. And the result is these five watches… Objectively and historically, all

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock (Price)
Born in the mid-1970s and relaunched a few years ago, the Laureato is GP's answer to the growing market of the luxury sports watch. This classic watch has been joined recently with a bolder, sportier edition, the Laureato Absolute. With this new 100-piece limited edition, the design of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato is reinforced by an unusual material. Indeed, the Laureato Absolute Crystal Rock is crafted from carbon glass. A sandwich-style dial sits above a Manufacture self-winding chronograph movement held inside a case that weighs just 94 grams. Overview.Signatures of the sports watchWhen we think of the steel sports watch craze of the 1970s, we instantly recall Gerald Genta's recognizable Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch design, identified by a unique, trendsetting octagonal-shaped bezel and a portal-inspired aesthetic that collectors far and wide just couldn't resist. Girard-Perregaux developed its own take on a steel sports watch a few years later. Released with a cushion-shaped c

Hands On With The L.U.C Time Traveler One, Chopards First Worldtimer - Monochrome Watches
This week in London, auction house Philips played host to a special exhibition commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the creation of Chopard's first in-house movement; the calibre L.U.C 1.96. It was also the perfect setting for the introduction of two new series into Chopard's L.U.C family; the L.U.C GMT One and the L.U.C Time Traveler One. Today we're taking a closer look at the latter.For as long as I can remember I've loved travelling. Experiencing new places, meeting new people, trying new foods, I can't get enough of it. So I try and travel as often as I can. I'm no member of the jet-set mind you but I get around. There's just something about waking up in a different time zone that gets my motor running.?Fortunately these days travelling is a lot easier than it used to be, although my recent experience at Santorini airport might suggest otherwise but I digress. Just about the last thing most people worry about is getting on the right time-zone when you arrive at your destination.

IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic Edition Laureus - Limited Edition for Charity - Monochrome Watches
Every year IWC selects one watch from their collection, usually a new model, that will be introduced with a beautiful deep blue dial and with a closed and engraved case back. There’s a good reason for this, that goes further than just a striking blue dial. These blue dial models are ?limited editions that IWC introduces (every year) for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. This year it is the Portuguese Chronograph Classic Edition “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation” and it’s limited to 1,000 pieces.?This is the?eighth time that IWC is supporting the good work carried out across the globe by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation with a limited-edition timepiece in characteristic Laureus blue. Last year it was the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph and in 2011 it was the very beautiful Ingenieur Automatic.At Monochrome-Watches we love the combination of high-end watchmaking and charity! We’re supporting the Polio Watch initiative and we’ve got some gr

Longines Heritage Military Marine Nationale - Review, Price
Longines' highly successful Heritage collection welcomes another golden oldie. The latest model reporting for duty in the Heritage collection is the 5774 model created by Longines exclusively for the French Navy in 1947, designed for shallow diving missions. The Heritage Military Marine Nationale captures the look and feel of the original Longines 5774 convincingly, underscored by the simple, legible dial and no-frills, robust nature of the piece. Slightly larger in size than the original to cater to contemporary tastes, the re-edition is not a 1:1 replica, but it's pretty close.Heritage Collection – The real dealThe popularity of vintage-inspired watches shows no signs of abating, and countless brands have jumped on the bandwagon. Longines has an entire collection dedicated to this genre and with its long history (founded in 1832) has no shortage of historic models to inspire recreations. Taking a stroll through the Heritage collection – with dozens visible at the brand