VIDEO - The Timelessness of the A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia collection by Anthony de Haas and Bruno Moinard - Monochrome Watches
A great looking simple dress watch has a certain “je ne sais quoi”. Of course there’s is only so much you can do as a designer, at least that what most laymen think. And also to us there are some very simple 2, or 3-hand watches that are just… perfect. The size, the shape of the case, that small bevel on the lugs, and that lovely straight-brushed case-band, or any other detail that can just hit the right note. But how difficult is it to find that perfect balance when designing a watch, or anything actually. We set out and asked the experts, Anthony de Haas, A. Lange & Sohne’s director product development, and Bruno Moinard, acclaimed architect and designer. What is timelessness, and how to translate this, in all subtleness, into a design that will remain appealing for decades, or even centuries. Here’s what they told us about this ‘elusive’ property called timelessness.Let me first briefly introduce both gentlemen. Anthony de Haas, pr

Hands-On Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Day-Date Steel (Specs & Price)
As you know, our first impressions of the 2018 launch of the Fiftysix?collection were mixed. Introduced as the brand's more casual collection, with steel options and automatic movements, and choice of complications. The Fiftysix?taps into the ongoing trend for vintage-style watches by taking inspiration from a VC model of 1956 and has lightened up the mood of the dial with contemporary and more casual touches. Touted by VC as a “modern, elegant and relaxed collection” with a “resolutely cosmopolitan style, our mission today is to determine if the model we had for our hands-on session lives up to Vacheron Constantin’s concept. The proof is in the pudding, so let's take a closer look at the Fiftysix?Day-Date steel model.?Complex Case, Elegant ProportionsLike its siblings in the current line-up? – Complete Calendar and the automatic time-and-date model (excluding the tourbillon with its 41mm case) – the case measures 40mm with a thickness of 11.6mm. Rec

Hands-on - Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti - Baselworld 2016 (Live pics & price) - Monochrome Watches
We’re not going to ask you if you are aware of Hublot as a brand and of one of their specialties: partnerships (like for example with football teams or?Italian car maker). We bet you’re aware of this. For the 2016 edition of Baselworld, this is not going to change. However, their latest collaboration made a huge impression on us, first because the brand they are teaming with is certainly amongst the finest shoemakers around the world and also because the concept has been pushed extremely far, making it quite striking. Here is the?Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti.With this partnership, Hublot continues its path in style – lifestyle and fashion oriented collaborations. Like they did with denim watches, with camo printings or even with lace, the latest idea was to insert leather. Well, in fact most watches do already have leather, at least those on a leather strap. So Hublot had to find something more. From the words of the CEO,?Ricardo Guadalupe, the brand “wanted to

Industry News: Vacheron Constantin Launches its CPO Programme
Certified Pre-Owned, also known as CPO, has gained great traction over the past few years, with more and more brands exploring the concept. The second-hand market for watches is growing steadily, with a current value in the region of CHF 20 billion and consulting firm?Deloitte saying it could be worth CHF 35 billion by 2030. It is thus with great interest that brands such as or Longines, as well as large-scale retailers such as Bucherer, have started their own CPO programmes. It is now time for Vacheron Constantin to join the growing list of brands, with the idea to offer “pre-owned watches that meet the highest quality standards” and “carefully inspected and certified by Vacheron Constantin.”While it isn’t new for Vacheron Constantin to offer older watches for sale through its boutiques – VC already has a collection of restored vintage watches available for sale through “Les Collectionneurs” – this time the brand expands the conc

Hands-On - Anonimo Nautilo Blue Summer Editions (Specs & Price)
It's been 12 years since the first Nautilo dive watch was developed by Dino Zei, naval engineer and former 25-year head of Panerai, and a couple of new editions have arrived for the summer. The theme this year is blue, which is fitting for a naval-inspired dive watch, and they follow the design refresh we saw last year in conjunction with Anonimo's 20th Anniversary. The Italian brand has been fairly consistent with its cushion case designs for the Nautilo line with crowns at 4 o'clock, but the dials have evolved over time. The summer editions bring colour changes to the dials with new ceramic bezels but maintain the no-nonsense diver's tool aesthetic from previous generations.Summer vibe for the new blue editions of the NautiloThe stainless steel cushion case is fairly large at 44.4mm, but not over-the-top for a diver and it wears well for a larger case. Looking at Panerai with many of its cases at 47mm and larger, the Nautilo seems almost reasonably sized. Anonimo has used bronze for