Guide - The Most Technically Innovative Watches of 2019 (So Far)
Innovation can be a rather confusing buzzword in the world of watches, an industry full of tradition and somehow playing on the old-school concept. Still, the Swiss watchmaking industry continues to innovate and to surprise us - and 2019 already had its lot of crazy advanced timepieces. So here are 5 developments that take mechanical watchmaking to new heights and best exemplify innovation in the old world of mechanical watchesNote: this selection is based on a consensus among the MONOCHROME team. It reflects our preferences among watches unveiled in 2019. If there are other watches you'd love to mention, feel free to share these in the comment section at the end of this article.Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT automaticBvlgari has just presented its 5th model in a series of record-breaking watches. The new Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic indeed becomes the thinnest mechanical chronograph movement and watch, with heights of 6.90mm for the case and 3.30mm only for the cal

Just Because - Some of the Most Used Nicknames in Watchmaking
Like them or not, appropriate or not, nicknames have to be earned. Watches are very personal objects and they reflect an enduring connection with fans. Often, these nicknames are directly inspired by the characteristics of the watch, its shape or colours. In other cases, celebrities or a special event made a watch famous and their name has remained linked to the model forever. One thing is certain, iconic watches from cult brands earn nicknames among collectors and aficionados. Not surprisingly, these are widespread across the more popular brands ( , Seiko, Omega) while the watches from niche or high-end brands get less of these familiar monikers. Even cult Patek watches are referred to by connoisseurs with their 4-digit reference numbers, rather than their names. Here are some of the brands with the most nicknames?Note: If you can think of any other nicknames, please share them in our comment section below. We’d be delighted to expand the list. As you would expect, no other bran

Unique Speake-Marin Resilience "One Art" for Only Watch 2015 - Monochrome-Watches
Among our favourites, here at Monochrome, are the timepieces from Speake-Marin,?which are always beautiful and ooh so stylish. Amongst the watches that will be donated by brands, to the Only Watch auction, is for the first time a Speake-Marin, and it’s a piece unique. Besides ‘household names’ like Patek Philippe?(check out the ref. 5016A-010 piece unique!) and Richard Mille – brands that have been participating in the Only Watch auctions since the beginning – we see a number of new-comers like F.P. Journe (with the absolutely gorgeous Tourbillon Souverain Blue) and?Kari Voutlainen, who donated a stunning GMT-6 piece unique. Today another Indy' that will?raise a fair few paddles: the Speake-Marin One Art piece unique.?Pierce Brosnan with Speake-Marin ResilienceClassic, classy and understated. These are the words that I heard people use, to describe the unmistakable style of Peter Speake-Marin’s watches. Of course, among the newer models are some spor

First Look: The New, Monochromatic Ming 37.02 Ghost
Renowned for its contemporary and minimalist designs, Ming, the indie watch brand founded by Malaysian photographer Ming Thein in 2017, has gone from strength to strength. Design is king at Ming, and a common design thread runs through all the collections, ranging from time-only to sophisticated chronographs and from world timers to dive watches. Following in the footsteps of the Ming 37.02 Minimalist, the new Ming 37.02 Ghost is a straightforward time-only model that plays with brushed textures to coax light and shadows from the grade 2 titanium case and dial.While Ming's names for its models get no points for creativity, the occasional suffix attached to the numeral in some references is particularly helpful. In this case, the Ghost suffix alludes to the watch’s lightweight, ethereal personality cloaked from head to toe in grey. The Ming 37.02 Ghost belongs to the 37-series, a collection characterised by its 38mm case sizes with complex curves, a large notched crown and the fla

Nomos Tangente Neomatik 41 Update Midnight Blue - Monochrome Watches
However restrained the designs for Nomos might be, that doesn't mean the watches are any less interesting from a technical perspective. While it might not be to everyone's liking, the clean, Bauhaus-inspired watches are simple, elegant and more often than not, quite handsome to look at. And combining the design skills to determine when enough is enough with traditional watchmaking capabilities, Nomos has a pretty interesting range of watches on offer. A case in point is one of this year's novelties: the Nomos Tangente Neomatik 41 Update Midnight Blue.The Tangente Neomatik features all the elements of previous Nomos models but mixes in a little playful touch for a bit of diversity. Consider it a greatest hits album by your favourite band, with a new song included as a bonus. The latest iteration of the Tangente Neomatik was presented during this year's digital version of the Watches & Wonders fair. Ad - Scroll to continue with article