TAG HEUER introduces its New In-house Movement, Calibre 1969 - Monochrome Watches
Heuer had a great history in chronographs, especially with the Calibre 11, and seems to be moving towards a great future. After the presentation in 2009 of its first in-house movement since decades, the calibre 1887, TAG Heuer comes back with a very interesting offer in the market of in-house, self-winding chronograph movements. After all the debates around the calibre 11, and after the discussions about the calibre 1887 and whether or not it is a proper in-house movement, this 1969 could be the one to bring everyone into agreement. Let's see why.?We here at Monochrome are big chronograph enthusiasts, whether vintage or modern, like the Omega Speedmaster for its historical importance, or the Lange & Sohne Double Split for its perfection (we reviewed it for you here). The announcement a few days ago by TAG Heuer of a new movement had, of course, attracted our curiosity. And let's be clear about it; we’re looking at an impressive engine compared to TAG's previous standards. But

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Rose Gold // Introducing, Price
While the time-only automatic model, the shockingly thin tourbillon automatic and the recently presented chronograph have been at centre stage in the Octo Finissimo collection, we shouldn’t forget one of the earliest watches presented in this saga of world records… The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater. First introduced in matte titanium, and followed by a bold carbon edition, a new version has been presented at the LVMH Watch Week, a luxurious and warm rose gold model. Quick look.We might repeat ourselves, but Bvlgari has all the attributes of a legitimate high-end, highly respectable watchmaker. Don’t be fooled by its history in jewellery and fashion-oriented watches. Since the acquisition of Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta, the brand has engaged in a long-term strategy to become one of the most important watchmakers on the scene – without forgetting its innate Italian design codes. The way to achieve this seemed simple (on paper), creating some of the thinn

Checking out the edgy Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon
Ulysse Nardin has quite a comprehensive portfolio of collections and is primarily known for its background in marine chronometry but is also regarded as one of the most innovative watchmaking companies. With collections like the Marine, the brand’s naval heritage is kept very much alive, paying homage to the precision marine instruments that made the company famous in the second half of the 19th century. On the other end of the spectrum are far more outspoken collections, with very interesting design and technical features. One can’t ignore the significance of the Ulysse Nardin Freak for instance, which broke new grounds in 2001. One of the latest concepts to emerge from Ulysse Nardin is the Blast collection. Modern, edgy and highly technical, these watches are all about “Xploration of the Xtremes”, as UN puts it (not a typo!). So let’s see just how extreme Ulysse Nardin gets, as we’ve recently had some time with the Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Wh

Introducing The Ulysse Nardin Blast Moonstruck (Specs & Price)
February the 1st marks the advent of the lunar New Year, an event celebrated in China and other countries in Asia and Southeast Asia. Ulysse Nardin also wants to mark the occasion by releasing a new version of its Moonstruck Worldtimer in a more contemporary and lightweight case from the Blast collection. Representing the Moon’s rotation and the apparent movement of the Sun around the globe as observed from Earth, the Blast Moonstruck offers world time, dual time and a graphic and highly accurate representation of the Moon’s waxing and waning and its effect on tides.Time and Tide wait for no manDuring Rolf Schynder’s tenure as CEO of Ulysse Nardin (1983-2011), the brand developed a trilogy of astronomical or celestial watches with master watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin, beginning in 1985 and culminating in 2009 with the Moonstruck, a watch with a sophisticated display of the tides worldwide. Given the brand’s close links to marine chronometers, the concept of a globa

Hands-On With The New Chanel Monsieur Tourbillon Meteorite
Chanel pulled a surprising rabbit out of its chapeau in 2016 with the presentation of its first watch for men. Although the J12 has played it both ways for decades, and the Boyfriend has certain masculine traits, the Monsieur de Chanel marked two firsts for the brand: it was explicitly conceived for men, and it was the first to receive an in-house mechanical movement. Seven years later, this gorgeous new model with a flying tourbillon joins the sublimely elegant Monsieur de Chanel models with jumping hours and retrograde minutes. Housed in a black ceramic case with a meteorite dial, the tourbillon is ferociously guarded by Gabrielle Chanel's mascot and powered by a manual-winding manufacture movement.round & roundThe dark, brooding looks of the watch are produced by the marriage of a matte black ceramic with a dark-grey meteorite dial. Combining highly resistant black ceramic with a steel bezel, crown and caseback, the round 42mm case offers enticing views on both sides. Like the j