Where does the name of your favourite watch model come from? - Monochrome Watches
Ever wonder how watches got their names? A few weeks ago we told you about the brand names and their origin. Today we’re going to look at the watch model names. With hundreds of past and present watches, what has been the inspiration for watchmakers and brands to call them certain names? Some are pretty straight forward, other more obscure. Finding a great name is not an easy task and is often essential to the success of a new watch. It needs to fit within the brand’s universe, while also telling its own story. It needs to be relevant, easily pronounceable, memorable and discoverable (in particular for internet search engines today). Ideally this shall be valid in different languages and for different cultures. Lastly, with the purpose of legally protecting the product's name with a trademark application in class 14 (which includes jewellery and watches), brands need to make sure there is no infringement of an existing trademark. Monochrome looks at the back stories of some

Video - Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic
It seems to be a never-ending success story. Another year, another new ultra-thin model, another world record… Once again, Bvlgari introduces a new, ultra-technical, ultra-impressive model in its Octo Finissimo collection, once again, it sets new standards for thinness, and once again, it proves that when it comes to ultra-thin movements and watches the brand is amongst the best in class. This year, Bvlgari archives its sixth record with an openworked watch equipped with a tourbillon and an automatic chronograph… and with a case that measures just 7.40mm in height (this is less than most time-only, ultra-thin watches…) and a movement that is just 3.50mm thin. Yes, the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic is once again a demonstration of savoir-faire, which is fully explained in the video at the top of this article with Jean-Christophe Babin, the brand’s CEO.More details about this new Octo Finissimo here, in our hands-on review, and a

Buying Guide - The 10 Best Watches of 2018 From EUR 5,000 To EUR 10,000
Just like we did on previous weekends with our Top 10 watches below EUR 2,000 and between EUR 2,000 and 5,000, it is now time to look at the best watches introduced this year in the hyper-strategic EUR 5,000 – EUR 10,000 price range – it is certainly where the competition is the fiercest, where most of the “luxury brands” situate their core collections ( , IWC, Cartier, Panerai and many more). After long debates at the MONOCHROME redaction room, here are our 10 “best 2018 watches” picks if you’re in the 5k to 10k market.Note: as always, these buying guides are our own personal selections and we're sure you'll have your own favourites. Feel free to list your top watches of 2018 in this 5k to 10k Euros category in the comment section at the end of this article!Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback Retro-Style – EUR 5,500For the first watch in this top 10, we chose to feature a piece that we already knew: the Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback. Howev

Norqain Adventure Neverest GMT 41mm Steel-Gold (Specs, Price)
Norqain, the independent Swiss brand that is going from strength to strength, is associated with sporty, robust outdoor watches fitted with chronometer-certified movements and a competitive pricing policy. Last year Norqain launched the Adventure Neverest line, a sub-collection?in the Adventure family that marks the brand's charitable partnership with the Butterfly Help Project to support schooling for children of Sherpas in Nepal. The first Neverest model was a 40mm three-hand automatic with a textured white dial, followed by three 41mm GMT Adventure Neverest watches. Building on the success of the GMTs, Norqain presents a limited edition with an attractive two-tone model with a steel case and bracelet and a red gold bezel. Produced as a limited edition of 100 pieces, 10% of sales generated by these watches will be set aside for the Butterfly Help Project.SolidityThe solid 41mm case has a thickness of 14.94mm (lug-to-lug 48.9mm) and is made of 316L stainless steel with polished and sa

Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendar 1948 (Specs & Price)
There is no question Vacheron Constantin makes exceptionally fine timepieces. The brand really comes into its element though when it focuses its attention on vintage-inspired models (in my humble opinion at least). These models invariably belong to the Historiques collection, which celebrates some of the brand's significant models from the past by offering a fresh take. My previous favourite was the 1955 Cornes de Vache Chronograph launched in 2015 but that model was recently usurped by the Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendar 1948 I am reviewing here today – which is the luxurious and moon phase-equipped sister of the steel?Historiques Triple Calendar 1942 reviewed here.BackgroundGiven that this collection focuses on historic models, it seems only fair to add in a bit of history for context. As you are no doubt aware, the Triple Calendar 1948 was launched last year with a stablemate, the Triple Calendar 1942 in steel (read Brice's excellent review of that watch here).