Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 Re-Edition 4200H - Review, Price
Let’s go straight to the point and not turn around the topic; in 2022, as part of the collection presented at Watches and Wonders Geneva,?Vacheron Constantin is reissuing its emblematic luxury sports watch launched in 1977 for the 222nd anniversary of the brand; the 222. The third member of the iconic Holy Trinity of luxury sports watches (next to the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, all three sharing at the beginning the same base movement), the new Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 is a typical vintage-inspired watch, yet with some important evolutions to be noted. And the first one being quite obvious; it isn’t released in stainless steel but in yellow gold. And there’s some more to be said about this Historiques 222, so let’s dive into the history and the details about this new, properly appealing watch.Historical Reminder, the Vacheron Constantin 222In 1972, the watchmaking world saw the introduction of a brand new concept, a watch designed as a coherent objec

Industry News: Swatch Group 2023 Results Show Growth, Positive Outlook for 2024
Following the announcement in July 2023 of its half-year results showing an impressive growth of 18% in sales, Swatch Group has just issued its key figures for the entire year 2023. The Biel-based conglomerate, owner of brands such as Omega, Longines, Tissot or Breguet, reports sales up by 12.6% at constant exchange rates, or 5.2% at current rates to CHF 7,888 million. Despite a slightly slower pace during the fourth quarter of the year, which might indicate a switch in the overall state of the business and industry, the Group remains positive in its 2024 outlook and expects “excellent growth prospects” for the year to come.?While not reaching the pre-pandemic sales levels – the Group reported sales of CHF 8,475 million in 2018 – Swatch Group can report strong sales in 2023 with close to CHF 8 billion turnover. That being said, the group also indicated a huge exchange rate impact and a challenging currency environment, with a hugely negative currency impact that

Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Memovox & Polaris Mariner Date - News
The Polaris collection, Jaeger-LeCoultre's take on the sporty-elegant watch, welcomes two new references, the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Polaris Mariner Date. Based on the 2018 watches and designed to sit alongside but not replace these earlier models, the latest Polaris references come with a host of upgrades that consolidate their mission as genuine dive watches compliant with ISO 6425 specifications. With invigorating blue dials and sportier design codes, increased water-resistance, new stainless steel bracelets and other stylistic touches, the question is: are these high-performance divers the forerunners of a new generation of Polaris Mariners?OriginsBefore we trace the lineage of the Polaris, it's worth pointing out that there are two different collections at JLC with a Memovox alarm function: the dressier Master Control Memovox and the sportier Polaris Memovox.A 1960s Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox, with calibre 855. Photo by hqmilton.comWith a long tradition of chiming calibres unde

Introducing The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier Titanium
Roger Dubuis' Excalibur line takes inspiration from the Arthurian legend and, since 2005, has been a flagship collection for the Geneva-based brand. Appearing with a recreation of King Arthur's Round Table, complete with miniature sculpted knights, the Excalibur has always felt comfortable about stripping off and showing off its avant-garde skeletonised mechanics. The latest Excalibur Monobalancier, fitted in full titanium armour, delivers a powerful visual punch yet remains physically light on the wrist. The dramatic skeletonisation of the improved in-house automatic movement, with its star-shaped bridge and endless vistas, is signature Roger Dubuis and bears the Poin?on de Geneve hallmark.Full metalMarking the first all-titanium version of its Excalibur Monobalancier, the 100m water-resistant case has a diameter of 42mm and the bracelet, notched bezel, crown and caseback of the Excalibur MC are crafted in grade 5 titanium with a matte metallic sheen. With its brightly polished bevels

Just Because: My Lost Watch and My Endless Quest to Find a Perfect Daily Beater
We, at MONOCHROME, rarely publish so-called “guest posts” and prefer to use our Collector's Series as a platform to share our readers' adventures with a watch. Today, we had to make an exception. The reason is simple. The story was just too good to not be shared. It tells a tale about a watch, something highly personal that, in some ways, will speak to a lot of us, watch enthusiasts. This man, whom we will call “Sweeny Hands” (as he prefers to remain anonymous), spent years searching for his ideal watch. Contrary to many stories you'll hear from collectors looking for bright and shiny new complications, Sweeny's search seemed simple at first, but ended up being an almost endless, desperately impossible quest. And here's the story of his long-awaited Seiko Sea Horse 7625-8031.?Some watch collectors are dragons, hoarding the glitter for the sheer joy of sitting on it. Others are magpies, gathering a little of everything to build a nest where they feel safe. The lo