All You Need to Know about Moon Phase Watches - Monochrome Watches
Do not swear by the moon, for she changes constantly. Then your love would also change?William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet –?The attraction the moon exerts on our imagination is almost as powerful as its pull on the tides. Beyond the evocation of the utilitarian ties between horology and astronomy, the reproduction of lunar cycles on the dial of watches is poetic and symbolic. Moon phase watches are a statement of style through a subtle and anachronistic connection to our past and our place in the universe. Underneath the dials, sophisticated mechanisms gear the moon cycles.There are different types of lunar months. What matters for watchmakers is the synodic month, the cycle of visible moon phases - the moon as visible in the sky. Its average length is of 29.530587981 days (29 d 12 h 44 min 2.80 s). In their attempts to reproduce the progression of our satellite, most moon phase watches usually feature a wheel with 59 teeth (2 x 29.5 days). It advances one tooth per a day, whi

Hands-On With The Meraud Antigua Chronograph And Its NOS Landeron 248 Movement
While considering how to describe this new watch best, I got sidetracked thinking about how many vintage-inspired and retro-looking contemporary editions were so popular and unanimously accepted. What constitutes their appeal? Why do we keep saying how beautiful they are? Marketing efforts and sentimental issues aside, one train of thought suggested that the watchmaking business that flourished in the 1960s and the 1970s produced wristwatches with similar designs, and in large quantities, imprinting in our collective memory images of beautiful objects – watches, beautiful by default, for what they represented. We, the people, carry the picture of this ideal watch design in our heads involuntarily. And when we see a contemporary, well-executed watch that immediately recalls the blueprints, we issue the “beautiful” tag. I do so after spending some time with the new Meraud Antigua Chronograph.Meraud Watch Co. is from Belgium and is one of many Kickstarter start-ups with

A BIG Shout-Out to IWC and Kurt Klaus (About Smartwatches...) - Monochrome Watches
A few days ago an email from the IWC marketing team popped up in my inbox. Nothing unusual, and like always I had a quick look to see what the brand plans to communicate now. Maybe a new watch, another limited edition, or an update on the Silver Spitfire that is on its flight around the world? Nope, the email was about three videos featuring legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus… and a smartwatch.?Now for those who do not know Kurt Klaus, he’s the one who co-developed the IWC Doppelchronograph (split-seconds chronograph in English or rattrapante in French), the perpetual calendar module that is still being offered in many IWC watches, and he co-developed the iconic IWC Deep One, a diver’s wristwatch with a built-in mechanical depth gauge. To name just a few of his feats. Anyways, this gentleman (and he’s a real gentleman!) is still connected to IWC and apparently he’s now featuring in three short movies about smartwatches.IWC GST Deep OneHere on MONOCHROME,?we d

High quality in steel - Ladies only! - Monochrome Watches
The time that a small diameter watch with a row of diamonds was believed to be the perfect women's watch is long gone. A growing number of women in the market for a high end watch are seriously interested in the movement. Quartz is no longer the obvious choice, and a mechanical movement can proof to be a selling point.However, most brands that use high grade mechanical movements still have the tendency to put them in precious metal cases and adorn them with diamonds or other gemstones. A beautiful option for a romantic dinner or a night out in the town, but for the everyday life she might want to opt for something a little more robust. Where can a woman turn to when she wants a good looking, steel watch, without gemstones but with a high-end, preferably in-house, movement that might even feature a complication? Here are 4 watches that do just that!Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph Ladies –?For women with an active life style, or simply a taste for a more sporty watch, Omeg

Vacheron Constantin introduces 4 Limited Editions for Paris Boutique opening - Monochrome Watches
We have told you about the new Vacheron Constantin boutique in Paris when we showed you the stylish and sophisticated B&W photos they used for the portraits (click here) and when we brought the news of the?extremely stylish 1972 Prestige (click here to read our full story) that was introduced for the opening of the boutique.?Vacheron Constantin introduces four new limited-edition Patrimony Traditionnelle models?for the new Parisian boutique. The most outstanding model is?a one-of-a-kind version of the Patrimony Traditionnelle Calibre 2755 grand complication. But Vacheron Constantin celebrates their relationship with the city of lights rather exuberantly, as they also introduce a Patrimony Traditionnelle small seconds (limited edition of 75 pieces) and a Patrimony Traditionnelle small model diamond-set (also limited to 75 pieces). However the?model that immediately caught my attention is a 10-piece limited edition of the Patrimony Traditionnelle Chronograph! Ad - Scroll t