Buying Guide: An Ode To The Panda Dial Through Six Chronograph Watches
We all love a good chronograph, don’t we? But what determines what makes a chronograph, well, good? For some, it might come down to the design, for others, it has all to do with perceived value for money or the type of movement (manual vs. automatic), and then there are those looking for complexity like flyback or rattrapante functionality. But what we can all pretty much agree on, is the allure of a Panda-dial chronograph, if done right! There’s just something very appealing in a white (or silver) dial with black contrasting subdials. So much so, that in 2021 creative masterminds MB&F decided to go a step further and present an actual Panda?watch for the Only Watch charity auction (admittedly, not a chronograph) and it’s making somewhat of a return for this year’s edition it seems. Sticking with the topic at hand though, here’s our little celebration of the ever-popular Panda-dial chronograph, with a subtle splash of colour mixed in for good measure.T

The Handsome Cuervo Y Sobrinos Historiador Cron¨®grafo 1946 - Monochrome Watches
Cuervo y Sobrinos, the only Swiss watch brand with Cuban roots, takes inspiration from a best-selling model recovered from its archives. The Historiador Cron¨®grafo 1946 features an attractive panda-style dial in a salmon colour with brown counters. Limited to 100 pieces, the Historiador Cron¨®grafo references the brand's colourful past but comes with a contemporary automatic chronograph movement.Cuervo, a jewellery and watch repair shop, was established in Havana, Cuba, by Spanish immigrant Don Ram¨®n Cuervo in 1882. As business prospered, Don Cuervo's nephews were recruited, becoming?Cuervo y Sobrinos. The go-to establishment for prestigious imported timepieces during its heyday in the 1950s (Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, ), Cuervo y Sobrinos counted on a roster of illustrious clients like Caruso, Gary Cooper,?Hemingway and Einstein. By the 1950s, Havana had become a luxurious playground for the rich and famous. Revived in the late 1990s, Cuervo y Sobrinos is now based in Capola

IWC Mark XII Saab Limited Edition on the Day that Saab Starts Production Again - Monochrome Watches
When I wrote about the IWC Mark XII Saab ‘Mellow Yellow’ a few years ago, nobody could have suspected that Saab would start up production again. Well, today they started up production in the Saab factories in Trollh?ttan, Sweden. As an avid Saab driver, this makes a perfectly good reason to celebrate this with my own IWC Mark XII Saab.As an avid Saab driver – I’ve owned quite a few 900 classics and several 9-3’s – I couldn’t resist when I saw a used IWC Mark XII Saab for sale, earlier this year. I had actually been looking for one for several years, but as these things go, available budget and a good one, complete with all boxes and papers, for sale, somehow never “aligned”. As I previously wrote, that watch could well become the only Saab that holds its value and when looking at today’s market prices it looks like my prediction is still correct. Ad - Scroll to continue with article

Hands-On - 2021 Longines Legend Diver Gradient Blue and Brown
The brand with the Winged Hourglass has many emblematic models in its collection, most of them being found in the praised Heritage line. Yet, few can rival the longevity and beauty of the Longines Legend Diver, one of the watches that defined the vintage-inspired collection of the brand and that is still a strong pillar in the portfolio. Since its introduction in 2007, this compressor-inspired watch has undergone several updates, visual or mechanical, and even went bronze, full black-coated or gold recently. For 2021, the collection is enlarged with colourful dials. We go hands-on with the new Longines Legend Diver with Gradient Blue or Gradient Brown dials.The Longines Legend Diver, or LLD for its fans, has been modelled after an important vintage watch that Longines created back in the late 1960s, when professional and recreational dive watches were a growing trend, and when this specific type of case architecture was seen as a great alternative to the standard construction for dive

The Collector's Series - Why the Oris Divers Sixty Five is such a cool watch for our Managing Editor? - Monochrome Watches
When I think back to 2015, there were two new watches that seemed to pop up all over the place: the Tudor Black Bay and the Oris Divers Sixty Five. And for good reason. Both models are great looking and both are positioned to be affordable. We covered the Sixty Five in all it's glory here last year. What I was keen to establish was, is it the Sixty Five's rugged, vintage inspired looks or it's versatility that attracts a collector? The only way to know is to ask, right? I met up with a good friend, Brice, collector and Managing Editor here at Monochrome-Watches, to find out what he thinks about his own Sixty Five, in this new installment of the Collector’s Series.Brice, tell us when you bought your Oris Divers Sixty Five?? Ad - Scroll to continue with article I received the watch in September 2015 or something like that, so that's quite a recent purchase.