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,

SIHH 2019 Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Collection (Live Photos, Specs & Price)
This is the big one for SIHH 2019! Here's an early hands-on article to what will most likely be one of the most discussed watches of the fair – and a crucial event for the brand, CODE 11.59 by Audemars Piguet. Very simply because there has been no product launch of this magnitude over the past 20 years for the brand. Picture this, 13 new references, 6 news models, 3 brand new calibres – including the much awaited in-house integrated chronograph! The ambition: to write a new page in the brand's history, creating a new pillar in the collection next to the Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore, Royal Oak Concept and Millenary.Why a new collection?Somehow, nobody had anticipated a launch of these dimensions from Audemars Piguet. The Royal Oak is an established icon and one of the most successful watches today on the market. Some brands just stick to what they do well. Having such a strong product is a unique asset but putting all your eggs in one basket has its risks. Yesterday’s

First Look: The Travis Scott x AP Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked "Cactus Jack"
Collaborations and watches inspired by pop and street culture are, without a doubt, an important part of Audemars Piguet‘s recent history. No other brand on the haute horlogerie scene has fostered such creative synergies with different universes. Sport, pop culture, art, fashion and entertainment… It looks at things from a different perspective, like it or not. This year, Audemars Piguet unveils a new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked limited edition in collaboration with brand and label Cactus Jack, founded by American hip-hop artist Travis Scott. And yes, it is indeed “The Chocolate AP,” as Travis Scott likes to call it in his latest album. Yet another polarizing collaboration with a slightly controversial artist, but one that truly looks spectacular.?AP x CollabsAs most of you might know, this new model isn’t the first time the Swiss watchmaker ventured into the world of music and sport, and specifically hip-hop and basketball culture. Far from th

Alpina AlpinerX Launches on Kickstarter and it's Selling Like Hotcakes - Monochrome Watches
Smart watches, quartz watches, digital watches… that’s nothing for MONOCHROME. You know us, we cover high-end mechanical watches (and a value proposition once in a while), because the beauty of mechanics is what gets us going. The other day, however, Alpina launched their latest creation on Kickstarter and I think that’s rather novel. A big and established brand launching their latest watch on a digital platform mostly used by new-comers.It’s not the watch that we’re interested in, it’s the business aspects of this rather unusual move from Frederique Constant / Alpina that got our attention. Big brands usually do not launch online. Maybe a handful of?pieces will be sold exclusively online like for instance Jaeger-LeCoultre did with the Geophysic?True Second Limited Edition and, during SIHH 2018, with the Polaris Memovox. It happens, but only scarcely and in limited quantities. Until now that is! A full online launch of Alpina’s newest piece, a

URWERK UR-CC1 - 2 Unique Pieces for Marcus Watches in London - Monochrome Watches
Marcus Watches in London had something to celebrate and that lead to them to create the Marcus Anniversary Exhibition. This is the kind of exhibition you definitely want to visit! Visit London, sent your wife/girlfriend over to Harrod’s, tell her she’s got the entire afternoon for herself, then head over to Marcus Watches…. to indulge yourself in a true watch heaven.?You’ll find the most exquisite timepieces and not only that, Marcus Watches has ‘a few’ special editions and piece unique, specially made for Marcus Watches and your chance to get yourself something unique! Like the two unique URWERK UR-CC1’s we show you today, one of my favorite timepieces ever made. Ad - Scroll to continue with article One of them is in 18 carat white gold (see photo above) and the other one comes in an 18 carat white gold case with black