Watches NEWS
Indie Watchmaking - Hands-On Cedric Johner Abyss Chronograph
Stepping into Cedric Johner's modestly sized workshop in Carouge in the outskirts of Geneva is a unique experience. Inside you will find an eclectic mix of old tools and hand-operated machines as the independent watchmaker started his career as a jeweller. With this background, Johner is a versatile artisan with a very personal way of looking at traditional mechanical watchmaking, using original techniques and crafts to make his watches by himself, in very small numbers, with a highly personal design. And the Cedric Johner Abyss Chronograph 30th Anniversary, equipped with a superb version of the Valjoux 23, is a typical example of his work. To celebrate 30 years of independent watchmaking, Cedric Johner has started a 30-piece limited edition based on his signature Abyss case in a chronograph version. The beautiful hand-wound, column-wheel chronograph movement found in this limited-edition Abyss is a refinished old-stock Valjoux 23 calibre. The origins of the lege
Weekly Watch Photo - Voutilainen Observatoire - Monochrome Watches
When it comes to classic and extremely desirable timepieces, Kari Voutilainen’s Observatoire is on the short list of many collectors. In today’s Weekly Watch Photo we show you an Observatoire and tell more about its (base) movement, the competition chronometer Peseux 260. The stunning photos are from Gary, the proud owner of this magnificent beauty.?Before we turn to the chronometry competitions and the Peseux caliber 260, let’s have a closer look at the dial. It’s a perfect example of a hand guilloche (engine turned) dial as can be found on all Voutilainen timepieces.?Some of the few remaining Rose engine turning machines (click here for Wikipedia)?that can be used for dials, can be found in Voutilainen’s atelier. Dials adorned by engine turning (or hand guilloche) are a rare commodity now-a-days, as the Rose engine turning machines and the skills required to use these machines properly are both becoming extremely rare. Lucky for those in the position to
About MONOCHROME Watches - Monochrome Watches
For more than twelve years, MONOCHROME has been dedicated to fine watches. Our team of experts is always looking for an opportunity to explain every aspect of Haute Horlogerie - whether manufactured by well-known watch brands that have been in the business for centuries or by artisanal watchmakers. MONOCHROME is one of the most read watch blogs (or online magazines, as we prefer to call it ourselves) in the world, and besides news, we serve you reviews, historically relevant articles, videos and in-depth technical explanations in our Technical Perspectives.What sets MONOCHROME apart, is that we love to explain, educate and share the passion for technically complex aspects and the beauty of hand-finished mechanical movements. Not everyone understands the nitty-gritty of a constant force mechanism, a tourbillon or a perpetual calendar, and many technical aspects remain ‘abracadabra’. That’s why we?explain?everything in a way that makes it easy to understand. It's our pa
Ophion OPH 786 Watch With New Movement, New Guilloche Dials & Affordable Prices
The story of the brand Ophion shouldn’t be new to you, in case you’re a frequent reader of Monochrome. Indeed, we introduced it to you, and we even gave away one of their first watches, the OPH 960. However, don’t be fooled by the youngness of the brand, as less than 2 years after their first iteration, a new watch is coming – and we have it for you here, quite exclusively.?Here is the Ophion OPH 786. It’s cool, it’s superbly done, the content is simply impressive for the price, there’s a new movement… Everything to fall in love.Throwback to Ophion’s storyWhat is Ophion? Well, it is?part of these multiple watch brands that create these days. However, no Kickstarter here, no Miyota movement, no crazy design. Instead, there’s a passion. When he started the brand, Miguel had a simple idea: bringing a bit of the haute horlogerie taste in an affordable, yet elegant watch, with nice execution and a different movement (no ETA, no Sei
Hands-On - Seiko Prospex Captain Willard SPB151-SPB153 (Specs Price)
There is more than one icon at Seiko… Far more. Not surprisingly, most of them are part of the Prospex collection and relate to the world of divers. Think 62Mas, Hi-Beat 300m and Tuna Professional (all of them recently re-created). And there’s the ‘Turtle’, the watch known under the reference 6105, a watch that has defined Seiko’s modern and accessible dive watch… and the watch that was worn in legendary 1979 movie Apocalypse Now. And today, the ‘Captain Willard’ could be yours, with the new SPB151 and SPB153.Left: SPB151, black dial/bezel on steel bracelet. Right: SPB153, olive green dial/bezel on silicone strapIt isn’t the first time we see a re-edition of the 1970s Seiko ‘Turtle’ 6105. In fact, it is widely available in a modern interpretation with the Prospex Automatic Diver SRP series. Much more accurate was the watch launched at Baselworld 2019, the Seiko 1970 Diver's Re-Creation SLA033. Superbly executed, manufact
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