REVIEW: IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic ref. 3904 - Monochrome-Watches
Last year IWC introduced not only an entirely renewed Ingenieur collection, at the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. Later in the year they (more or less) quietly introduced two new models in the Portuguese collection: the Portuguese Hand-Wound 8-Days and the IWC Portuguese Chronograph Classic. Today we’re going to have a close look at the Portuguese Chronograph Classic in pink gold.Although these two were not presented during the SIHH as the big novelty, we think that this is at least as ‘big’ as the entire new Ingenieur family. Here’s why… “the other” Portuguese Chronograph -reference 3714- is one of IWC’s most successful watches ever, and has been in the collection since 1998. That is sixteen years. And the Portuguese Rattrapante, with the same looks however with the ‘doppelchrono’ movement, was introduced into the IWC collection two years earlier in 1996. So besides the usual review questions -how does it

Five high-end mechancial watches fit for travelling and more.
Whether you're frequently travelling business or pleasure, you would like a watch that can keep up with wherever you are heading next. A watch that can indicate time across multiple time zones at once is first and foremost a tool. However, this does not limit you to simple or cheap watches only or dare I say it, your smartphone. On the contrary, there's plenty to choose from in the higher echelons of watchmaking as well, as these 5 complex watches clearly showcase.Moritz Grossmann UniversalzeitThe Universalzeit by Moritz Grossmann is a unique and interesting take on the concept of multiple time zone indications. Using the brand's existing architecture, it devised a clever disc positioned underneath the dial to reveal 6 different additional time zones. Holes in the dial, which is decorated with a depiction of the world, correspond to six cities, each with their own scale on the aforementioned disc. It works rather intuitive as well, as you simply adjust the hour disc to the correct sett

Introducing the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer
When it comes to chiming watches, most of us will immediately think about the ultra-complex and desirable minute repeater. And Jaeger-LeCoultre is no stranger to this complication. However, there are more than repeater watches to sound the time. A simpler, highly practical but rarely seen function is the alarm.? Mastered by JLC for 70 years now, the alarm can be heard in the Memovox series of timepieces. Today, the brand introduces two new Memovox models, one permanent edition part of the new Master Control collection, and one limited edition with a novel ‘timer’ indication, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer.The alarm functionDespite being one of the most useful (and charming) of all complications, the alarm remains surprisingly rare in horology. Few are the brands to integrate this chiming complication in its watches, and even fewer manufacture them in-house. An alarm watch is designed to ring a signal at a defined time. Everyone probably has cursed their a

Hands-on - Porsche Design 1919 Chronotimer - Baselworld 2016 (Live photos, availability & price) - Monochrome Watches
For those who think?that Porsche Design is a brand focused on leather jackets and sunglasses, you’d be wrong, as for the first time this year, the brand exposed in the Hall 1.0 of Baselworld, where all the major brands have their booth – thus confirming that Porsche Design is also a credible watchmaker, something we already told you after reviewing?the?Chronotimer Series 1 and the?1919 Globetimer All Black Titanium. It is now time for us to look at one of the Baselworld 2016 novelties, the?Porsche Design 1919 Chronotimer, a minimalistic and very pleasantly designed sports chronograph.The goal of Porsche Design, in terms of watches, is not to be part of the Haute Horlogerie manufactures, with in-house movements and hand-made execution. Instead, the brand focuses on reliable, functional and robust mechanical watches with a strong design. The DNA of the brand is here: quality in a recognizable and strong design. And the new?Porsche Design 1919 Chronotimer, which is basically t

Ochs und Junior - Luxury 2.0 - Monochrome-Watches
What is luxury? Luxury was the topic of conversation at the lunch we had with Beat Weinmann, CEO and cofounder of the brand Ochs und Junior. The brand's technology and design maestro, Ludwig Oechslin, recently retired curator of the Musee International d'Horlogerie, was absent for our gastronomical affair, which happened in Lucerne, far, far away from the bustle of Baselworld 2014. Given that the discussion centered on luxury, you may be surprised to know that the Ochs und?Junior's headquarters sits several blocks away from the prestigious retail enclaves near the lake, and appropriate to the minimalist ethos of the brand, the shop/headquarters sits in an unassuming storefront. Inside is a spartan workshop with large tables for viewing Ochs und Junior watches, which as a rule have an unadorned, industrial feel. Where are the fashion models who waited on us in Basel? Where is the champagne? Where are the precious metals, which are polished to within an inch of their lives? In a word, wh