Recap: The Best Chronograph Watches of 2023
The end of the year is near, so it's time for the MONOCHROME team to sit down and look back at everything that happened during what was objectively a rich year for new models There was a lot, with so many new watches launched in all categories and all price ranges. Today, we kick off a series of buying guides representing our selection of what we think are the best watches in each category, starting with one of our all-time favourite functions and probably one that so many watch enthusiasts appreciate: the chronograph. From classic to innovative, vintage or ultra-modern According to the MONOCHROME team, here are the Best Chronograph Watches of 2023.We have compiled over 250 articles under the “chronograph” tag this year. Narrowing down this selection to a handful of models wasn’t easy, believe me. Some will be missed, but the process involved a team vote, and we had to make some concessions. And the result is these five watches… Objectively and historically, all

Introducing: AP Unveils A Coloured & Lumed Forged Carbon Case for the ROC Split-Seconds
With its ultra-contemporary design, the Royal Oak Concept collection has always been a vessel for innovation at AP, and that since its creation in 2002. First with a cobalt-based super-alloy (Alacrite 602), the Audemars Piguet ROC collection has used some of the brand’s most complex movements, daring designs or advanced materials. Now, it’s time for AP to premiere its latest innovation in terms of materials. Following the Chroma Ceramic concept and a camouflage gold alloy known as chroma gold, here’s Chroma Forged Technology (CFT), a brand-new coloured forged carbon with luminescent pigments. And it’s featured in a new version of the impressive Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT.?It’s been eight years since AP hasn’t unveiled a watch in forged carbon. First used by the brand in 2007 (and back then a first for the industry), forged carbon differs from conventional carbon, which relies on a classic woven pattern. With forged carbon, shorte

Hands-On - Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton (specs & price)
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton - The record-breaking Octo Finissimo Tourbillon now comes in a skeleton' version. The perfect opportunity to satisfy our curiosity, taking advantage of the now unobstructed view of the inner workings of the thinnest Tourbillon ever. A testament of the Bulgari watchmaking expertise, the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton combines several smart technical solutions. More than that, its open-worked movement illustrates the brand's design capabilities down to the very last details.At Baselworld 2014, Bulgari set the record for?the world thinnest tourbillon with the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon. Its movement (1.95mm thick), housed in a slimmed-down Octo case (5mm thick), is now proposed in an open-worked version - and the most impressive is that, even if now skeletonized, the watch and the movement keep the exact same dimensions. After having?the slimmest tourbillon movement ever created (with the non-skeleton version), Bulgari is now holding the title

The new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Small Seconds collection (Live Pics & Price) - Monochrome Watches
The Aqua Terra is basically Omega's all-rounder, a versatile watch that bridges formal and casual styles. Revamped in 2017, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra collection expands again with the introduction of no fewer than 19 new references. While it retains the familiar Aqua Terra flair, it now comes with a small seconds display. Introducing the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Small Seconds 41mm in 18k Sedna gold.The Aqua Terra range was first introduced in 2001 and slightly updated (mostly on the mechanical side) in 2017. The Seamaster Aqua Terra has always been a well-executed, robust all-rounder and everyday companion. The new collection Omega is introducing remains true to the style of the Seamaster Aqua Terra but adds more versatility. And yes, it may not sound like a big deal, but all 19 models introduced today come with something new. While previously available with a central seconds indication – excluding chronograph versions -, the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Small Second

Oris Big Crown ProPilot Alarm Limited Edition - Baselworld 2018 (Specs & Price)
An alarm is often loud, obtrusive and annoying, simply to remind you to do something at a specific point in the day. Whether it is waking you up, brushing your teeth, leaving home in time for the bus, or simply checking if you've won that superb vintage watch during an online auction. There are watches, however, that exchange this loud, obtrusive annoying interruption into a mechanical wonder, just like this Oris Big Crown ProPilot Alarm Limited Edition, set to be introduced during Baselworld 2018.Oris is best known for their tool-ish, sturdy watches. This is no news. They manage to pair this with interesting concepts like a depth gauge in the sapphire crystal, a mechanical altimeter or a bezel-operated traveller's watch. The new Oris Big Crown ProPilot Alarm Limited Edition is no exception. It features a mechanical 12-hour alarm function indicated by a yellow-tipped central hand, pointing at an inner ring to see at what time the alarm will go off. The alarm can be set in 10-minute inc