Hands-On - Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 34mm Black Ceramic 77350CE
The sleek, elegant and versatile vibe of the 34mm black ceramic Royal Oak Selfwinding could be seen as the equivalent of a little black dress or, for that matter, a smart black shirt for gentlemen who prefer smaller watches. The Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm made its debut in 2021 and marked the first time a straightforward time-and-date RO got the full-ceramic look, a treat formerly reserved for complicated Audemars Piguet models. In light of the 50th-anniversary Royal Oak celebrations, the latest 34m Royal Oak Selfwinding 77350CE?reveals some of the subtle design updates that have been applied and will be applied to the permanent collection throughout 2022.Smaller dimensions and ceramic CaseThe first 34mm Royal Oak Selfwinding appeared in 2020 and was a breath of fresh air for women or men with small wrists who didn't want to settle for the 33m quartz-powered Royal Oak. Fitted with an automatic calibre made by Vaucher, the news that the 34mm time-and-date was going to be the first uncom

Hands-On: The Rectangular Moritz Grossmann Corner Stone
In 2019, Moritz Grossmann ventured into the scarcely populated territory of rectangular watches, unveiling three dial variants in five different versions as part of the Art Deco-inspired and appropriately named Corner Stone series. The Corner Stone featured a specially designed shaped calibre with a central hour and minutes display and a small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock; the collection included a limited edition pair with white Grand Feu enamel dials, which has long found a place in connoisseurs’ collections. References in white and rose gold with solid silver opaline or black lacquered dials were reserved for the regular catalogue. Recently, we had the opportunity for a hands-on experience with the Corner Stone in a striking rose gold version – an exceptional timepiece with a distinct identity and a unique elegance.The contextTo fully appreciate the Moritz Grossmann Corner Stone, one must acknowledge that combining a rectangular case and rectangular movement is no

Hands-On - Tudor Heritage Advisor Cognac, one of the very few alarm watches on the market (live pics, specs & price) - Monochrome Watches
In terms of complications, the chronograph is certainly the most widely known – and used – of them all. Then, when you pronounce the words “chiming watches“, the immediate reference goes to the minute repeater. However, one chiming complication shouldn’t be forgotten, one which?is actually rather important historically and one that will immediately link to the “president watch“. Alarm watches are rare, somehow?outdated – especially in our era of smartphones (but like every?mechanical watch) – but also sort of fascinating. One of the very few manufacture to offer one is Tudor, and their proposition comes with a new color this year. Here is the?Tudor Heritage Advisor Cognac.Strange enough, we never covered this watch on Monochrome-Watches. Don’t ask why, we have no good reasons for that. It’s even more surprising, considering that the Tudor Heritage Advisor is the most complicated watch of the catalogue. This issue is abou

Oris Updates the Classic Date Collection With Slimmer, More Elegant Design - Monochrome Watches
Watches are not always about fancy design, complex movements or stacking dozens of features in a single piece of wrist-accessory. Don’t forget that most customers are looking for THE watch that will be strapped to their wrist on a daily basis, and not the tenth watch in their collection. Sometimes, it’s also good to look at more essential pieces, with a classical, slightly casual look – and yet, with the right dosage of mechanical pleasure. This is exactly what the?Oris Classic Date Collection offers, and this year, this model sees an interesting evolution.What are the essential indications in a daily watch? Time of course, with hours, minutes and seconds (because on an automatic watch, it’s cool to see the second hand sweeping). A date maybe, as when wearing a watch in a business environment, it is a practical feature (maybe not on a vintage-oriented dive watch, but on such a piece which is a daily beater, it makes good sense). What else do you need? In terms o

New York based Retter Watches launches its inaugural 22 Automatic
It's no secret that integrated steel sports watches are trending these days, especially the affordable ones. Models like the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 are wildly popular, while lesser-known microbrands have admirable offerings like the Dumoreau DM01 Automatic. New York-based Retter Watches is introducing an integrated piece of its own with the Retter 22, which also happens to be the new microbrand's first model. It's a stylish Swiss-made watch with an affordable price and classic design, and it's an impressive debut in a crowded field.Retter was founded two years ago by Deep Ghosh, a longtime watch enthusiast that wanted to design a luxury Swiss piece with a sub-$1,000 USD price tag. With a design studio in New York and production facilities in Neuchatel, Switzerland, Ghosh has certainly met this goal with the Retter 22 integrated sports watch. The stainless steel case is 41mm in diameter and 12mm in height (46mm lug-to-lug), and was inspired by Gerald Genta's distinctive design element