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

Is the IWC Pilot Automatic Top Gun still the Cool Cat of the Collection? - Monochrome Watches
I strapped the new IWC Pilot Automatic Top Gun around my wrist and started thinking. Is this contemporary, black ceramic interpretation of the world's most famous war watch actually the coolest iteration to date? Is the predecessor of the famous Mark XI now the cool cat of the collection??Understanding IWC's ever-expanding Pilot's collection is an art in itself. The essential differences between Classic', Top Gun' and Spitfire' (not even mentioning the Petit Prince' and Antoine de Saint-Exupery' editions), are not really worth getting into –? the watches are too cool to lose ourselves in those silly details. Let's just start with sorting things out. Both the Classic' and the Top Gun' collections contain tool watches, but the best way to describe the difference is the latter is the first one with a contemporary twist. The Top Guns are a bit more fashionable and a little bit younger. Also, the prices differ. Ad - Scroll to continue with article

Ikepod restomods the Megapode into the new Skypod L.E.
We often talk about revival, resurrection, restoration or even of retro- and vintage-inspiration when it comes to recreating watches from the past, but never of a restomod. This term is closely linked to the automotive industry and basically means taking something from the past, and overhauling it while paying respect to the original design yet presenting it as an improved take. The same term can be applied to the return of Ikepod, the cult-like watchmaking company known for its pebble-shaped watches. Revived (see, there it is again) in 2018 with a more affordable range of perfectly smooth watches, Ikepod now has something very cool coming. Using new-old-stock movements, the brand brings back an icon from the past, as it “restomods” the Ikepod Megapode Chronograph into the Ikepod Skypod Limited Edition.?Ikepod was originally founded in 1994 by Oliver Ike and Marc Newson, and reached a cult-like status with extremely sleek and futuristic designs. Penned by design veteran Mar

H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Bucherer Blue Editions (Specs & Price)
Bucherer certainly has some impact on brands and is powerful enough to have them creating some purpose-designed watches, exclusive to its stores. These watches are named the “Bucherer Blue Editions” and many watch brands already participated (Tudor, IWC, Blancpain and?more). All of them share a unique colour for the dial; blue. While H. Moser already participated in this concept, this time the brand decided to go in a different direction. Not only these 2 new “Moser x?Bucherer Blue Editions” aren’t blue (at least for?their dials) but Moser also introduces a brand new watch, totally different from the brand’s previous creations; the?Heritage – a surprising retro-styled pilot’s watch.The Moser Endeavour Diamonds Bucherer Blue EditionsBefore we move to the watch that will mostly draw your attention, it is to be noted that H. Moser & Cie. has created another piece for Bucherer, a ladies-oriented version of the?Endeavour, with a 38mm stain

Hands-On Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep O-MegaSteel
As we've explained in the article talking about the titanium edition, Omega is releasing this year an ultra-dive watch, a model that summarizes everything the brand does best, mechanically and regarding resistance to all possible external elements. Based on the lessons learned with the Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional that reached the deepest point in the ocean during the Five Deeps Expedition to the Mariana Trench, Omega now releases what's basically a barely-downgraded version available for a wide audience, the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep 6,000m. One of the toughest mechanical dive watches ever created (almost to prototype levels), it's also available as a complete collection of steel watches, but Omega being Omega, the R&D team decided that they needed a new steel alloy, and it's named O-MegaSteel.?Born in 1948, the Seamaster collection is surely the one that bears most of the brand's innovations. Looking at the recent history, the collection is now divided in 4