Watches NEWS
Industry Massive Shakeups at Richemont, Abolishes CEO Role, IWC's Kern Head of Watchmaking and Montblanc's Lambert Head of Operations - Monochrome Watches
Telling you that the watchmaking industry is now facing some troubles won’t be the biggest piece of news you’ll have today. It is now known; the Swiss industry is in tough period, sales are decreasing, profits are lower and stocks are massively increasing at retailers. This situation seemed to be quite a secret for a year or so, but now, large groups – mainly those listed and that must report to shareholders – are making things clearer and?the situation really becomes public. As a proof, yesterday Richmont Group, the second largest actor in the field of luxury watchmaking (owner of Cartier, IWC, Jaeger, Montblanc and more)?announced declining results,?abolished?CEO Role and?unveiled a major?sweeping management overhaul – as?IWC’s Kern will become Head of Watchmaking and Montblanc’s Lambert Head of Operations.As reported by Bloomberg here, massive changes are about to come at Richmont Group. As a reminder, Richemont Group, a Swiss Group listed a
Introducing: Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms
We knew it was coming… Not only Swatch’s latest collaboration with a higher-end watchmaker from the Swatch Group was teased by the brand, but we even created our own vision of what these Swatch x Blancpain models could have been. And looking at the new Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms, we were not too far away from reality. Following the Moonswatch and its success, it’s time now for another Swatched-out emblematic watch, but here, there is some good news on the side of the functionalities and mechanics.?The Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms next to the inspiration, the classic Blancpain Fifty FathomsDubbed the Swatch x Blancpain Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms, what we’re looking at here is basically a Swatch take on what is one of the earliest and most respected dive watches, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Born in 1953, this legendary watch has celebrated its 70th anniversary this year with several commemorative models. It isn’t such a surprise
Citizen Automatic Divers watch - Monochrome Watches
My first automatic watch ever! Bought on Ebay, after a long search online, looking for a nice and sturdy dive watch that could accompany me on my next vacation. It had to be a watch that would not require any battery exchange, and therefore, another kind of “mechanism” to indicate time. And that’s when I started to read about, learn about, automatic movements…?I had no idea of the various movements and the only “other” thing than a regular quartz movement that I heard of, was the Seiko Kinetic. That idea, to keep your watch running, not by a battery-driven mechanism, but by the movement of your wrist sounded just superb and I wanted to learn more about that. I did my research and spend evening after evening glued to my computer, in order to read everything I could find. However, it was back in 2000 or 2001 and the internet was “slightly” less crowded than today. There was information, however not as much as today. And the few bits and pie
Richard Mille RM 055 Bubba Watson - Hands-on - Monochrome-Watches
Richard Mille is known for its very high-end and technical watches, but also for the ambassadors that are wearing them. What differentiates RM’s emissaries from those using other brands is how they are involved, and how they are pushing these watches to the limit. A nice example of a Richard Mille ‘action watch’ is this white, skeletonized, lightweight but highly resistant RM 055 used by the professional golfer Bubba Watson. And all of that cutting-edge innovation of form comes with the incredible finish of the manufacture.3 weeks ago, Rafael Nadal won Roland Garros with a 19 grams tourbillon on the wrist. Romain Grosjean wears his?RM 011 NTPT over?his racing suit while driving at 320km/h in a Formula 1 car. Roberto Mancini uses its custom made RM 011 to time football games. That is the way Richard Mille selects ambassadors: people that can prove how efficient, reliable and light their watches are. And the same goes for this white RM 055 worn by Bubba Watson, one of t
Introducing the Roger Dubuis Hommage Millesime project and the first edition, a unique restored pocket watch (specs & price) - Monochrome Watches
Roger Dubuis is quite a unique manufacture, with a specific approach of watchmaking and a production solely?focused on ultra-hihg-end movements, on skeletonization and (unique fact in the industry) with collections entirely adorned with the Hallmark of Geneva (Poin?on de Geneve). We’ve seen totally crazy pieces, like for example the?Pulsion Skeleton Flying Tourbillon or the?Excalibur Spider Double Flying Tourbillon. However, for the 20th anniversary of the brand, there is a project even more special that the Manufacture just launched, the?Hommage Millesime collection, with the idea to restore old pocket watch movements and to case them in modern?timepieces.The concept introduced by Roger Dubuis is both rare (at least when created by a big name of the industry) and highly interesting. In order to celebrate?its 20th anniversary (and watchmaking in general), the only watchmaking Manufacture to be 100% Poin?on de Geneve certified is re-launching a unique restoration project. A?series