Buying Guide: 5 Watches With Truly Audacious Case Designs
Considering how time is indicated on most watches – hands rotating 360-degree around the dial – it is no surprise that the vast majority of timepieces available on the market have round cases. But there is always room for creativity, originality and audacity. Watches don’t have to be round to be either striking or elegant. Shaped watches have been around for ages and designers have long questioned the norm of the round watch and display. With this in mind, we’ve recently seen a surge of oddly, originally shaped watches, driven by a clear rise in popularity of Cartier, also known as the master of shapes. Here are 5 watches that look at case design in a different way.?Anoma A1 First SeriesA newcomer to the accessible watchmaking scene, Anoma stroke hard for its inaugural release, with a case that’s both extremely original and yet supremely elegant. Named the A1 Watch, this oddly shaped triangular model, inspired by a 1950s table by French architect, designer

Mastering shapes, for gentlemen - Review of the Cartier Drive in Gold (live pics, specs & price) - Monochrome Watches
If there’s one thing and one thing only to remember about Cartier (among many others of course) is how this Old Maison always mastered shapes, like not other brand achieved and always with a restrained, somehow old-fashioned elegance. Recently, the brand made?incursions in new worlds, like for instance the sporty Calibre de Cartier and its Diver edition. They also introduced a yachting-style Ronde Croisiere. But this year, at the SIHH 2016, Cartier probably introduced THE watch that many of us were expecting: an elegant, shaped, refined watch, with just a bit of vintage appeal, an in-house movement and a price that surprised more than just a few. This watch is named?the Cartier Drive and it’s a pure?summary of why we love Cartier.Cartier, a Master of shapesOne thing is important to notice with?Cartier; unlike many brands, they always had a strong focus on shaped watches. Many brands tried to do this – especially in the 1920s and 1930s, where Art-Deco also influenced w

Breguet Type XX - Review after 5 years on the wrist - Monochrome-Watches
Usually, when we write?reviews,?they are for watches that the brands lend to us. But here, let me be a bit more personal as I will write about one of my own watches. I've had this Breguet Type XX for more than 5 years now and I love it. However, before being part?of the Monochrome-Watches team, I was close to calling it ‘the perfect chronograph’. Now that I’m used to seeing, touching and writing about watches all day long, I think it's time to do an in-depth review and to be really impartial about this pilot watch.Pilot Watches and the Type 20 specificationFirst of all, we have to understand what a pilot watch is.?Chronograph or not, these timekeeping instruments?all share some common features. As military tools (or at least inspired by military tools), pilot watches are usually solid and functional. They are built to survive the rough life of a plane’s cockpit and made to be used in tough conditions: magnetic environments, low-light conditions, pressurized or c

The New Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase Aventurine And Diver Starry Night
Long before revolutionizing watchmaking with silicium technology and introducing the Freak in 2001, Ulysse Nardin had earned acclaim for its precision marine chronometers. This expertise not only defined Ulysse Nardin’s legacy but also significantly influenced the design philosophy of the brand’s contemporary models. In 2017, Ulysse Nardin launched the Marine Torpilleur, a collection providing a more accessible alternative to its well-established Marine series. Fast forward to 2021, and the Marine Torpilleur series underwent a comprehensive revitalization, introducing new models, including an attractive moon phase watch. This is now further expanded with 300-piece limited edition featuring a midnight blue Aventurine dial. Next to that, the brand also adds a sparkling version of its Diver to the collection, this time permanently. Known as the Diver Starry Night, it follows suit to the Marine Torpilleur Moonphase Aventurine, with the addition of diamond hour indices.Ulysse Na

The Stunning Gronefeld 1941 Gronograaf
Despite the breakthrough in materials, engineering technologies and manufacturing equipment, the new millennium has yet to produce much innovation in mechanical chronograph movement design. Still, upgrades to how chronographs function occasionally impress watchmaking enthusiasts, like the MB&F Sequential EVO or the AgenGraphe by Agenhor. Much to our joy, one of the most beautifully executed attempts to perfect the beastly mechanism came in the form of the Gronefeld 1941 Gronograaf, presented by the “Horological Brothers” Tim and Bart Gronefeld last year. We recently spent time with the Dutch watchmakers and their creation and gladly share our thoughts.Tim and Bart Gronefeld are the Horological Brothers, well-known in mechanical watchmaking for their high-end creations. They come from a family with a long watchmaking history, and both Tim and Bart have been in the industry for many years. Together, they founded their company, Gronefeld Watches, in 2008. It is based in Ol