Watches NEWS
Audemars Piguet Millenary Star Wheel reviewed - Monochrome Watches
Monochrome had the chance to wear a very rare Audemars Piguet for two weeks. We bring you a review of the Audemars Piguet Millenary Star Wheel!Recently a good friend said he was going to sell his Audemars Piguet Millenary Star Wheel. This is one of those watches we always enjoy seeing at collector's dinners and other watchgeek meetings. However this one is so rare that chances you come across one are very rare. So we had to jump to the occasion… Ad - Scroll to continue with article We would like to thank the owner for letting us wear, photograph and review this magnificent timepiece. We believe the Audemars Piguet Star Wheel models to be landmark pieces in watchmaking history and we always wondered how much inspiration Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, from URWERK, found in the Audemars Piguet??Star Wheel.This particular version was released by Audemars P
A Technical Perspective - The Key Features of a Pilot's Watch
If there is an official standard defining the features for a watch suitable for diving (ISO 6425), no such definition or standard exists (at least one that would be used throughout the industry) for another popular watch category: the pilot's watch. Each and every brand has its own vision of what a pilot's watch should be, depending on the needs of the wearer. However, there are some key elements that single these watches out from the crowd.Pilot’s watches are extremely popular, appreciated for their utilitarian aesthetics and sharp legibility. Positioned more as statement pieces today than the vital tool watches originally used in the air, pilot’s watches, like dive watches, were born from necessity. The first pilot's watch is often considered to be the wristwatch created by Louis Cartier for dandy aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont to time his flights. Its technical specifications were basic, far from those of military watches of the mid-20th?century, which have shaped the des
Drive de Cartier Extra Flat SIHH 2017 (Specs & Price)
Last year at SIHH 2016, Cartier unveiled a?new men’s?watch, the Drive, which received a lot of?praise?and attention here on Monochrome-Watches (see our?introductory article and review) thanks to?its great elegance and the way it mastered shapes. For us this is what Cartier is all about, a master of shapes and elegance, a brand that can create an unconventional watch that still looks brilliantly classy and understated. Still, for?us the Drive de Cartier always had?one issue; it’s size. It was just?a bit too thick and a bit too large. It seems our prayers have been answered though as this year at?SIHH 2017 the Drive de Cartier has been revamped and now comes in its best option so far, the Extra Flat Calibre 430MC.You see, a watch is not just a pencil line?on a sheet of paper. A watch is a 3 dimensional object that needs to be seen on the wrist, and more than its design, it’s the proportions of a watch that create a subtle, elegant and racy piece of watchmaking. The Driv
Six cool pilot's watches introduced in 2021 - buying guide, specs, price
Our mind likes to put labels on things, categorize items and events and determine if something is a risk or not. Stemming from millennia of evolution, this is still instinctive behaviour to us and subconsciously applied on a daily basis. Using the specifications and features of a watch, we categorize watches and like to distinguish a dive watch from a pilot’s watch or a field watch. With that in mind, we take a look at six cool pilot’s watches introduced in 2021.The lightweight one - Longines Spirit TitaniumLongines has a long history in the field of aviation watches, a history rivaled by few other manufacturers. It all started with the birth of aviation, at a time when Longines had already established itself as a reputable manufacturer of precision timing instruments. Of course, Charles Lindbergh is one of the most historical figures to be intertwined with Longines’ history. Ad - Scroll to continue with article
Panerai Luminor Chrono Monopulsante GMT Blu Notte PAM01135 Hands-on
With its Monopusher chronograph, Panerai managed to integrate the chronograph function into its powerful Luminor design in a rather elegant way. This distinctively Panerai take on the chronograph is now released in a 200-piece limited edition combining a black ceramic case and a deep blue sandwich dial. Meet the Panerai Luminor Chrono Monopulsante GMT Blu Notte PAM01135.This new limited-edition chronograph is presented in a matte black, sandblasted ceramic Luminor case. The single-push piece to start, stop and reset the chronograph is located at 8 o'clock, creating a counterpoint to the signature crown protecting device. The imposing 44mm x 19.55mm case is fitted with a deep blue dial with a sunburst finish. A sandwich construction, it features Arabic numerals and indexes in white Super-LumiNova with green luminescence. The watch is water resistance is rated at 100m. Ad - Scroll to continue with article