The Elections... for the Watch of the Year and the GPHG that is! - Monochrome Watches
While the race for presidency in the USA is going on until the last minute, we’ll of course focus… on watches! And in the world of watches, we also have elections. Just two weeks ago I attended the gala award ceremony for the election of the Watch of the Year, organised by our friends of Chronos24 in Poland. And this Thursday, when we finally know who’s going to?be the new?tenant of?the White House, is the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve – a.k.a the 2016 Edition of the GPHG. While the first becomes a bit international due to several international jury members – including yours truly –?the latter can best be compared to the Oscars in the world of movies.In Warsaw, Poland, the good folks of Chronos24 hosted the Watch of the Year 2016 gala event together with partners like Esquire Poland, Porsche,?the Polish Business Roundtable Club, Manager MBA Magazine, and the Polish Watch and Clocks Collectors Club. In the months before the event, the jury,

Omega Reintroduces the Iconic Column-Wheel Chronograph Calibre 321
What came a few minutes ago in our email boxes was totally out of the blue – but by far the best piece of news Speedmaster fans could have dreamed of. Omega is about to relaunch one of the most iconic chronograph movements ever, the movement that actually went to the Moon on the wrist of Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, the movement that equipped the first generations of Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch until moving to the cam-operated Calibre 861. Yes, that’s right, Omega will restart the production of the Calibre 321 with column-wheel. And that is pretty cool (to say the least).An image of the original calibre 321 found in all Speedmaster watches before the end of the 1960s / beginning of the 1970s.On the whole we tend to talk about ‘iconic’ watches, but there are movements that have gained an equally cult status. Think Valjoux 7750 or Valjoux 72/92. Another one is actually based on a Lemania ebauche and was renamed Calibre 321 by Omega. Yes, this is the movement th

Timor Heritage Field - Dirty Dozen WWW Re-Edition // Value Proposition
If you have any interest in vintage watches, and specifically military-issued pieces, the terms ‘Dirty Dozen‘ and ‘WWW’ should be familiar to you. Among the twelve brands that supplied the British MoD (Ministry of Defense) with watches during WWII was Timor Watch Company… which was re-incorporated in the United Kingdom in 2019, with something pretty cool in mind. And the result is out today, with the Timor Heritage Field, a faithful and accessible reissue of the ‘WWW’ field watch, now launching on Kickstarter.Reminder – the ‘Watch Wristlet Waterproof’ and the ‘Dirty Dozen’While we’ve already covered the ‘Dirty Dozen’ topic on multiple occasions, specifically since another brand (Vertex) decided to relaunch with modern watches inspired by the past, a short reminder will help you understand what Timor and the WWW are all about.The 12 watches that compose the so-called “Dirty Dozen” ̵

The Mido Multifort Patrimony Collection (Specs & Price)
Mido is a brand that sometimes flies under the radar, at least here in the United States. Brands like Hamilton, Tissot and Longines seem to garner more attention in the USD 1,000 race, but Mido has both a storied history and portfolio that shouldn't be overlooked. The brand's Multifort line has been in production since 1934 and was the first Mido with an automatic movement. The watches were anti-magnetic, shock and water-resistant, offering a rare combination of robustness at an impressive price to quality ratio. The same holds true today with the new Multifort Patrimony collection, featuring a retro design, top mechanics and attainable prices. As part of the Swatch Group, Mido benefits from the conglomerate's resources, and its latest trio of Multifort Patrimony timepieces continue their legacy of style, innovation and function. Let's take a closer look.BACKGROUNDMido was founded in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland by George G. Schaeren in 1918. Initial watches featured shaped cases with colo

Talking to Sylvain Dolla, Tissot's CEO - Monochrome Watches
Tissot is one of the oldest brands in the portfolio of Swatch Group. Founded in 1853 by Charles-Felicien Tissot and his son, Charles-emile Tissot, it was acquired by Swatch Group in 1998 and positioned as a manufacturer of robust yet affordable watches with a sporting soul. Hugely benefitting from the Group’s resources, Tissot relies on its extensive archives to create appealing watches at accessible prices. In recent years we’ve seen some strong offerings, like the Heritage 1973 Chronograph, the Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic 80, and the smash-hit PRX Powermatic 80. All the more reason to sit down with CEO Sylvain Dolla.Sylvain Dolla, CEO of TissotXavier Markl, MONOCHROME – You took the helm at Tissot as CEO a few months ago. What surprised you at Tissot?Sylvain Dolla, CEO for Tissot – When I arrived at Tissot, I was amazed by the amount of archives the brand has been collecting since its beginning in 1853 and how it has taken advantage of these to releas