A Personal Story on the Ventura V-Tec Sigma
If you follow MONOCHROME, even occasionally, you know that we're all about mechanical watches. It takes something really special to get us excited about something battery-powered, but every now and then, that something comes along. The retro Hamilton PSR is a recent example, along with the quartz Citizen Calibre 0100 that's accurate to +/-1 second per year. Also, we sometimes dig into our own collections to highlight a special piece, like Frank's vintage Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Brice's Breguet Type XX. So, in this hands-on review, I'm going to talk about my own Ventura V-Tec Sigma, an unconventional luxury digital watch that once guest-starred in a Nicolas Cage movie.BACKGROUND VenturaVentura was founded by Pierre Nobs in 1987, who left the mainstream watch industry to find something more meaningful. Disheartened by the fake nostalgia coming from well-known brands, he wanted to create unique, avant-garde watches in collaboration with renowned industrial designers. It wasn't long

A Visit to The Hour Glass Malmaison Boutique in Singapore - Monochrome Watches
Singapore has a host of attractions to lure business and leisure travelers. Boasting a population that is virtually 100% watch enthusiasts, the city-state can claim a boutique that takes luxury living to the next level!?Over the Chinese New Year's holiday I was in Singapore with my family. ANY trip to Singapore necessitates at least one jaunt to Orchard Road to look for my two vices, watches and fountain pens. It was on that jaunt that I came across Malmaison. The fa?ade and window display had enough to lure me in: several high-end brands of watches and a large sign signifying that it was part of the Hour Glass group of stores. Ad - Scroll to continue with article (For those of you who do not know the Hour Glass, they are the top retailer of luxury watches in Singapore, and have outlets throughout Southeast Asia.)Walking in you are greeted by familiar faces': Hu

Introducing: The Longines Spirit Flyback Now in Titanium
Introduced in 2020, the Longines Spirit collection has been, without a doubt, the brand’s most prolific range in the past few years. Since its presentation, we’ve seen multiple editions, most of them built around the needs of pilots. Following a time-and-date, a?chronograph, a?no-date and recently a cool GMT Zulu time, without mentioning the different sizes, colours or materials, Longines released its flagship model, a large and high-end chronograph with column wheel and flyback, the aptly named Longines Spirit Flyback. First seen in stainless steel and reviving an important complication for the brand, this bold chronograph now comes back in titanium, which might be a good thing given its size.?Longines’ expertise in pilot’s watches is undeniable, as we’ve seen when the Spirit collection was introduced. Great explorers like Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart or Howard Hughes broke records or achieved impressive flights wearing a Longines on the wrist. This

First Look: The Hublot MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium
The Hublot MP series is a collection of masterpieces characterized by their disruptive and highly technical take on Haute Horlogerie. The latest chapter in this story, initiated in 2011, is the Hublot Big Bang MP-10 Weight Energy System Titanium. Visually arresting and technically complex, this limited edition timepiece is powered by a movement displaying the hours and minutes on rollers, the seconds on an inclined tourbillon cage and the power reserve on a third roller. Its automatic winding system consists of two gold masses sliding on rails on either side of the movement. Overall, a highly impressive concept watch.?Overtly technical and disruptive in their appearance, Hublot Masterpieces look nothing like a traditional Swiss wristwatch. The latest member of this club changes the classic circular layout of a watch case and its display. Like the MP-05 La Ferrari (and its 50-day power reserve movement), the Hublot MP-10 uses rollers that provide a practical, intuitive digital time indi

First Look: The New and Cool Tissot PR516 Powermatic 80
Earlier this year, Tissot introduced a revised version of its classic 1960s watch, the PR516 Chronograph Mechanical. Stylish with just the right retro touch, well-proportioned, featuring a hand-wound movement and offered at an accessible price, it got very positive reactions from the watch community – and from us, too. Lo and behold, another model is treated to the same winning formula, this time in a classic time-and-date version with even more affordability but still with a super stylish look. Here’s the new Tissot PR516 Powermatic 80, which could well be another home run.?The formula that has been used to create the PR516 Chronograph Mechanical has not changed much in the context of this time-and-date Powermatic 80 model. Still named after a 1956 collection, the Particulierement Robuste, for particularly robust (PR), the model is mainly known under its 1965 shape, designed by Lucien Gurtner, with its distinctive hollowed steel bracelet. While this style has already been