Watches NEWS
Introducing The Green/Black AP Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chrono
The Beast, the Royal Oak Offshore, officially turns 30 this year, and as if the relatives were scarce to fill the room for celebration, Audemars Piguet brings another specimen into the family, a cool-coloured Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph presented in a black ceramic case with green anodized elements. Jokes aside, this new watch is a fine addition to the new generation of the Royal Oak Offshore collection, much like the original version launched in 2021, but with an even more futuristic look.The new AP ROO Flying Tourbillon Chronograph version is everything the inaugural reference was. Still, the choice of material for the 43mm case and green hues to colour elements on the dial side make all the difference. This year, for the first time in the 43mm ROO collection, the watch features a full ceramic case with a ceramic caseback. Multiple finishing techniques are used to bring out the best of the case design, with updated, enlarged polished bevels on the edges. AP mastered cer
The History of the Ferrari V12 Engine, The Heat of Summer Classic Rallies and The Mid-Engine 'Vette - Monochrome Watches
Saturday means another kind of mechanics here, at MONOCHROME. As every week, we share with you our second passion: cars (like real cars, those that smell and make some noise). This week’s Petrolhead Corner is a “best of the web”, with some of the coolest stories we found. One of the most legendary engines explained, the fun of the summer rallies and the latest (and controversial) version of an iconic car. Fasten your seatbelts and start your engine (… coffee machine).The History of the Ferrari V12 EngineThere are legendary cars… Many of them! However, when it comes to the most important part of a car (real car), its engine, only two names come to my mind: Flat 6 and Colombo. The first is deeply linked to the iconic Porsche 911. The second created the legend surrounding Italian brand Ferrari. Without the intervention of engine designer Gioacchino Colombo, and the creation of the V12 engine that bears his name, Ferrari wouldn’t be Ferrari. It goes as f
First Look: The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon
From the brand with the most explosive named collection in watch history comes the loud, eye-popping Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon. Upholding the brand’s preference for fusing disparate materials on board its bold, shaped cases, Hublot offered Chinese artist Chen Fenwan the Spirit of Big Bang as a blank canvas to exercise her creativity. Using the millenary Chinese art form of paper cutting, Chen Fenwan’s original paper design has been interpreted on the multi-layered dial and snaking marquetry bracelet that come to life with the dynamic forms of the dragon.In the Chinese Zodiac, 2024 marks the Year of the Dragon; to be precise, the Year of the Wood Dragon. Unlike the fire-breathing and destructive dragons of Western mythology, Chinese dragons were originally revered as imperial icons and are associated with wisdom, strength, prosperity and immortality. Another difference with Western dragons is the more snake-like contours of Eastern dragons’ bodies, known as lo
Case study about the Chronometer - the Zenith Calibre 135 - Monochrome Watches
In a previous article, we explained you a bit more about what is a chronometer, why they were so important and why the chronometry contests had been so crucial for the evolution of the industry, for the innovation. A chronometer (in the noble way, meaning a watch created with?one single goal, being as precise as possible) is certainly one of the most complicated type of movement to create for a watchmaker, certainly more complicated than a tourbillon or a perpetual calendar – and precision is difficult path to achieve. In order to illustrate our words, and after the first explaining article, here is a case study, applied on the Zenith Calibre 135.The Zenith Calibre 135Ephrem Jobin was the brains and hands behind the Zenith Calibre 135. Introduced in 1948 at the height of a battle to achieve increased precision fought among several watch manufacturers in the Observatory competitions, Caliber 135 included several innovative technical features that enabled it to win numerous prestig
Introducing The Rado Captain Cook x Marina Hoermanseder
Most of us associate Rado with high-tech ceramic watches and sleek contemporary lines. Rado’s Captain Cook resurfaced in 2017, a dive watch based on an automatic model from 1962. Offered in different case sizes and materials, including trendy bronze with ceramic bezels, the vintage vibe and resilient 300m water-resistance of the Captain Cook was a hit. Named after the famous British explorer, the original 37mm Captain Cook featured a concave dial with an inward sloping bezel and a domed crystal. Other hallmark features included the prominently painted indices, the XL arrow-shaped minute hand and the rotating anchor logo at 12 o'clock to animate the dial. For 2021, Rado’s Captain Cook changes tack and sails into feminine waters. Reinterpreted for women by Marina Hoermanseder, a French-Austrian designer whose career began with an internship at Alexander McQueen, the new Rado Captain Cook is decked out in attractive dusty pink with rose gold coloured accents.Pretty in pinkThe