Introduing The Baume & Mercier Riviera Azur 300m Dive Watch
To address the issue immediately, the Baume & Mercier Riviera is as legitimate as any other luxury sports watch with an integrated bracelet that looks and feels similar to the Royal Oak. The Riviera collection was launched in 1973, a year after AP’s Royal Oak and years ahead of Patek’s Nautilus, Vacheron’s 222 and the IWC Ingenieur SL. The Riviera collection has been redesigned five times since 1973, always to match the trends of the moment. The brand presented the latest and fifth generation in 2021. And now, to mark the 50th anniversary of the sporty-chic Riviera, Baume & Mercier launches two versions of a new Riviera Azur 300m, inviting you to dive into the blue waters of the Mediterranean.?It is more than fair to start talking about the new watch from Baume & Mercier by remembering Jean-Claude Gueit, a “watch stylist” to whom we owe the original Riviera, but also the 1980s Piaget Polo, and whose genius was sought by Patek Philippe, Audemars

It was 40 years ago... the first automatic chronograph - Monochrome Watches
40 Years ago, on 3 March 1969, the first automatic chronograph movement was introduced. This movement,?nick-named Chronomatic, was developed by a joint venture of Heuer, Breitling, Buren and Dubois-Depraz. The Chronomatic was used by Heuer, Breitling and Buren under the name of caliber 11.Cover of Swiss Watch and Jewelry Journal – nr.2 1969It actually started with the development of a HMS (hours, minutes, seconds) movement that got it’s power from a micro-rotor! Buren patented a micro-rotor winding system, that was called planetary rotor, in 1954. However it took them untill 1957 before it saw production and later, in 1962, the design was refined into caliber 1280.The new caliber 1280 had a slightly larger swinging mass than the earlier caliber and the swinging mass now swung over the center of the movement. This caliber, also called Intramatic, won the Prix d’Honneur at the 1964 Swiss National Exposition in Lausanne. A year later the micro-rotor was further refined i

"The Monochrome Video Week" - Montblanc, Hand Decoration At The Villeret Manufacture - Monochrome Watches
As watch journalists, one of the most recurring questions we come across?is how a small wrist accessory (a.k.a a watch) can have a 5 or 6-digit price tag? This is especially common?from?those who are not seriously?into watches, and to be fair is an entirely reasonable?question. In order to get an?answer to this highly complex and delicate question, we dove into a detailed discussion with Davide Cerrato, Managing Director of Montblanc Watch Division. Follow along as Davide takes?us inside the Montblanc?Villeret Manufacture, the haute-horlogerie sanctuary of the brand, revealing?the beauty of real hand-finishing as it’s executed by Montblanc’s watchmakers. Polishing, Anglages, Tourbillons… Let us immerse?you in this fascinating world of hand-decoration. Ad - Scroll to continue with article Video shot and edited by PMG Productions for Monochrome-W

Oris Aquis Date Cherry 43.5mm (Specs & Price)
There are several big name brands that offer affordable divers with pro credentials. Seiko's expansive Prospex collection and Hamilton's Khaki Navy Frogman Automatic are a couple of examples. Oris is a major player in the field and last year's Aquis Date 41.5mm Cherry Red introduced an eye-catching cherry red dial that seemed to target land dwellers. Let's be honest, many dive watches never actually see water outside of a rain shower or occasional dip in the pool. They're cool, stylish and have a rugged vibe that enthusiasts gravitate to, so the brand added some eye candy to an otherwise purpose-built piece, with the new Oris Aquis Date Cherry 43.5mm.The 43.5mm diameter of the stainless steel case of the Oris Aquis Date is well sized for a serious diver. In fact, that's the original size of the Aquis when it launched in 2011 and it has since been offered in smaller packages such as 39.5mm and 41.5mm. The style was updated in 2017 to a more refined aesthetic, but the collection has alwa

Hands on with the Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 3-days PAM00422 - Monochrome Watches
Who could have suspected that when Panerai released the Luminor Marina 1950 PAM127 in 2002, it would become such an?incredible?popular watch. Although it wasn’t Panerai’s first 47 mm watch, it sure shocked many watch collectors.?And lucky for those who don’t have $20k for a used special edition from 2002, Panerai has released a watch that maybe even looks better than the original. The Luminor Marina 1950 PAM422 with the in-house 3-days movement caliber P.3001. Ad - Scroll to continue with article The Luminor Marina 1950 3-days, or short PAM422, also measures 47 mm in diameter and has a similar domed sapphire crystal that gives the PAM422 (and several other Panerai models) a great vintage look.Personally I also love they used creme-colored luminous paint for all markers and hands. The creme color adds a lot to the vintage look, but the luminous