Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Forged Carbon - Monochrome Watches
Our guest contributor Angus shares his views on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Forged Carbon that was released earlier this year. Not only the Royal Oak had something to celebrate this year, but the Royal Oak Offshore, or ROO called by collectors, had something to celebrate; it was first launched 20 years ago.My son is 13 years of age and a precociously developed Adonis. I may appear somewhat biased but most parents will forgive the rose-tinted adoration of my handsome heir. On a recent holiday my son broke the news that he longer wished to pursue his chosen sport of rowing but return to the perilous game of rugby. He explained he missed the camaraderie of being in a large team. Ad - Scroll to continue with article My heart sank, my gorgeous boy was informing me he wished to jeopardise the lovely features of his beautiful face to the perils of stamping b

The History of the Ferrari V12 Engine, The Heat of Summer Classic Rallies and The Mid-Engine 'Vette - Monochrome Watches
Saturday means another kind of mechanics here, at MONOCHROME. As every week, we share with you our second passion: cars (like real cars, those that smell and make some noise). This week’s Petrolhead Corner is a “best of the web”, with some of the coolest stories we found. One of the most legendary engines explained, the fun of the summer rallies and the latest (and controversial) version of an iconic car. Fasten your seatbelts and start your engine (… coffee machine).The History of the Ferrari V12 EngineThere are legendary cars… Many of them! However, when it comes to the most important part of a car (real car), its engine, only two names come to my mind: Flat 6 and Colombo. The first is deeply linked to the iconic Porsche 911. The second created the legend surrounding Italian brand Ferrari. Without the intervention of engine designer Gioacchino Colombo, and the creation of the V12 engine that bears his name, Ferrari wouldn’t be Ferrari. It goes as f

The new Porsche 911 Sport Classic and matching Porsche Design watch.
We've often talked about parallels between watchmaking and other industries. One to regularly be mentioned is the obvious connection to cars. Both are mechanical items at heart and can rely on an enormous following from across the world. The prime reason for this link is the fact that motorsports (and subsequently cars in general) have a lot to do with timing. Acceleration, top speed, lap times, and endurance records, all revolve around covering as much ground in as little time possible. One more parallel is the use of limited and/or special editions. Cap off a production run at a certain level and immediately a watch instantly attracts more attention. With cars it's no different, as clearly showcased with the new Porsche 911 Sport Classic we're featuring today. Oh, and there's a limited-edition Porsche Design watch too, for good measure.Ferdinand A. “Butzi” Porsche, leaning on an early Porsche 911 sportscar.Porsche can look back at a storied and at times rocky history, and

Unique Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver to be auctioned for KiKa - Kids without Cancer Foundation - Monochrome Watches
KiKa is a Dutch foundation that wants to increase the cure rate of kids with cancer to 95% in 2025. To reach that massively important goal, they need money for the necessary research. The good news is that the specialists involved are convinced that new treatments can be developed. Ulysse Nardin makes a unique Marine Diver available for an auction to be held during the KiKa gala event on 26 March. May I invite you to (virtually)?raise your paddle and bid!It was on the second day of this year, that I received an email from Frits Hirschstein, founder of KiKa, asking if I could give him a call. So I did, and?Mr. Hirschstein?told me about his?foundation, KiKa’s goal, and the annual gala event with an auction that helps to reach that goal. He was looking for a watch brand to participate in the auction, and since this year’s auction has a nautical theme, the link to Ulysse Nardin was quickly made. Long story short,?Ulysse Nardin generously agreed to sponsor KiKa’s auction w

Missing Faberge Egg Bought for Scrap at Flea Market - Monochrome Watches
Forget waiting for PBS Antiques Roadshow to appraise the egg - it is worth millions. Here is what we know: the egg is the third of eight missing Russian Imperial Faberge eggs, having been authenticated by Kieran McCarthy who is an expert in Russian artifacts. In 1887, Alexander III gave the egg to his wife Empress Maria Feodorovna on Easter, and many years after the Russian revolution, the egg recently sat for sale in an American flea market. It was purchased by a scrap dealer for $14,000. He hoped to make a $500 profit by melting the egg's gold and instead stands to make a fortune. Beyond the obvious sensationalism of the story, Monochrome became intrigued by what lay inside the egg.Opening the egg discloses an exquisite Vacheron Constantine lady's watch. The fabled horological maison became important in this caper because it was the only clue available to the buyer. Googling egg and Vacheron Constantin, the name engraved on the watch, generated regal search results of the Faberge var