A Personal Story on the Ventura V-Tec Sigma
If you follow MONOCHROME, even occasionally, you know that we're all about mechanical watches. It takes something really special to get us excited about something battery-powered, but every now and then, that something comes along. The retro Hamilton PSR is a recent example, along with the quartz Citizen Calibre 0100 that's accurate to +/-1 second per year. Also, we sometimes dig into our own collections to highlight a special piece, like Frank's vintage Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Brice's Breguet Type XX. So, in this hands-on review, I'm going to talk about my own Ventura V-Tec Sigma, an unconventional luxury digital watch that once guest-starred in a Nicolas Cage movie.BACKGROUND VenturaVentura was founded by Pierre Nobs in 1987, who left the mainstream watch industry to find something more meaningful. Disheartened by the fake nostalgia coming from well-known brands, he wanted to create unique, avant-garde watches in collaboration with renowned industrial designers. It wasn't long

Girard-Perregaux 1966 blue dial and pink gold - Monochrome-Watches
The Girard-Perregaux 1966 blue dial is clearly the quintessential dress watch - so of course, we loved it. This was the case when we saw the?first?preview?before Baselworld?and?the same goes after a few weeks on the wrist. Now that you know our feelings on this blue dial and pink gold edition of the 1966, you have to know?the?reasons that led us to this conclusion, as well as the?strengths and also weaknesses of Girard-Perregaux last release (because, yes, it also has a scant few imperfections).What is a dress watch?Or at least, what are we expecting from a dress watch? The usual consensus, when asking several people, will lead you to any simple, discreet and elegant watch that would fit a?suit-and-tie dress code. First of all, it has to be simple and classical. Not that we don’t like people who?wear a Hautlence HL Ti 2 or an MB&F Moonmachine with a tuxedo, but in the collective psyche, a dress watch has to be discreet and elegant – meaning a rather small and conservati

Portrait: Yvan Arpa, Founder of ArtyA, a Manufacture of Emotions
Atypical careers in watchmaking are rare, if not exceptional. Most of today’s watchmakers work to the mandates of marketing and Excel spreadsheets and tend to be conventional and conformist. There are, however, some rare exceptions and Yvan Arpa, founder of ArtyA, is one of them. Flamboyant and unpredictable, unfiltered and out of the ordinary, just like his career. You be the judge.The man who lives by the mantra of “authenticity” and whose watchmaking creations have taken the world by storm was originally a maths teacher but quit after two years to travel. This martial arts enthusiast and karate expert found himself practising Thai boxing at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium before heading off to New Guinea, which he crossed on foot. Ad - Scroll to continue with article NO LIMITS, just like his characterBack to Switzerland, this time to fight

Face to Face with Omega - A Detailed Visit to the Omega Museum (with tons of photos) - Monochrome Watches
In a previous article, we covered the present state of affairs at Omega, which also gave us a glimpse of what the future holds for the company and for us, journalists and you, potential consumers. Now it is time to rewind the tape of the Omega story and to discover more in details how the company reached this point in its history, by showing you a complete visit of its museum. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the visit?to the Omega Museum.The Omega Museum - Jakob-St?mpflistrasse 96, 2502 Biel /Bienne (Switzerland) - is the oldest museum dedicated to a single watch brand. Located just opposite Omega's headquarters in Biel / Bienne (Switzerland), it features countless exhibits representing the brand's entire history, including the original watchmaker's bench used by Louis Brandt (founder of Omega Watches), when he began making watches more than 160 years ago. Arriving at the museum you are welcomed by a lunar rover – a rather bold statement to what will follow. Up a flight of stairs,

The New 2020 Hamilton Jazzmaster Skeleton (Specs & Price)
Hamilton is no stranger to openworked watches, spreading the style across several collections with models like the Ventura Skeleton Limited Edition, Khaki Field Skeleton Auto and Jazzmaster Viewmatic Automatic Skeleton. The Hamilton Jazzmaster Skeleton simplifies the name and is the brand's latest with a multi-level dial forming the iconic spiky H logo over a decorated Swiss automatic. Although there are many standouts in its portfolio, this one seems to be the most purpose-built and well-thought skeletonized design yet. It's classy, refined and very eye-catching, and is one of the best overall offers in its price range. It even earned a spot in our Buying Guide of 8 Skeleton Watches. Let's take a closer look.BackgroundHamilton has an illustrious history and was well-known as an American brand with deep military roots before becoming a Swiss subsidiary of Swatch Group. Named after Andrew Hamilton, the original owner of the first Lancaster, Pennsylvania factory, the brand's American rei