Hands-on – TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Chronograph

The Carrera turns 55 this year and TAG Heuer revisits its famous automotive chronograph with two models emblazoned with colours inspired by the world of auto racing. Available in a 41mm steel case with a vibrant blue or black dial and the distinctive 12-6-9 layout of the counters, the entry-level TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 captures the racing spirit of the classic Carrera with a youthful splash of colour and a dose of vintage. Smaller in size than its 43mm predecessors, the Carrera Calibre 16 duo have dispensed with the day window and substituted the prominent numerals on the dial with hour markers treated with faux-aged beige lume.

8 years ago

Value Proposition – LIV Watches is Back on Kickstarter with “The Breakthrough”, A Series of Sporty Automatic Watches

The folks at LIV Watches already know a bit about creating watches and funding them on Kickstarter. Their new “The Breakthrough” campaign isn’t their first offence. Yet, here it’s not one watch but a series of 3 automatic watches (and one quartz that won’t be covered here… you know us at MONOCHROME) that will be offered. Bold styles, 3 different inspirations – pilot, racing, diving – all of them powered by Swiss mechanical movement and offered, as usual, at great prices. Please meet the LIV Watches GX P-51 Chronograph, the GX Automatic Chrono and the GX Divers – all now available on Kickstarter.

8 years ago

Introducing – Frederique Constant Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph (Live Pics)

Since 2004, Frederique Constant has been sponsoring vintage car rallies worldwide, often being the official timekeeper for events celebrating classic automobiles. Frederique Constant is supporting the European Healey Club again in 2018, which will be celebrated by a new limited edition watch. After a chronograph in 2015 and a 3-hander in 2016, here is the new Frederique Constant Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph, a watch deeply inspired by the world of classic cars.

8 years ago

Review – Habring2 Doppel-Felix (by the man who created the IWC Doppelchronograph)

In 2012 Habring² introduced the Doppel 2.0, an affordable split-seconds chronograph based on a Valjoux 7750 chronograph. This was the same recipe that Richard Habring once developed for IWC Schaffhausen, who used this movement first in the Pilot Doppel Chronograph and later in other watches. When the patent expired, in 2012, Richard Habring was free to use this complication in watches with the Habring² name on the dial, and that led to the Habring² Doppel 2.0. In 2013 they introduced the Doppel 3.0 and last year Habring² introduced the new Doppel-Felix that comes with an in-house split-seconds chronograph from Austria. Here’s the Habring² Doppel-Felix!

8 years ago

Hands-on – Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator Chronotimer Flyback Limited Edition (now with proprietary movement)

When Porsche Design makes a watch, it does so according to the “Deutsche Gründlichkeit” philosophy, a way of engineering and constructing everyday objects (with a bit of imagination) with as little fuss and as much efficiency as possible, all focused on the usability of the item. After the Porsche Design 1919 collection, it is now the Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator Chronotimer Flyback Limited Edition’s turn to receive the new flyback movement. Let’s find out more, shall we?

8 years ago

Hands-on – Graham Chronofighter Nose Art Limited Editions

Nose-art is an art form consisting in decorative painting on the fuselage of airplanes, in particular during WWII when colorful images, shark teeth or pin ups appeared on the nose of military aircrafts. As Graham’s most emblematic timepiece, the Chronofigther, is inspired from aviation, the brand started to feature pin-ups on the dial of its Chronofighter Nose Art in 2017 and new girls just joined the Graham pin-up squad at Baselworld 2018.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Bell & Ross Vintage BRV2-94 Racing Bird

In 2017, Bell & Ross debuted its revamped “Vintage” collection and it instantly became my favourite range from the brand. Since then, the company has been steadily knocking them out of the park with tasteful, vintage-inspired models, ranging from the simple Vintage BR V1-92 Military to the sportier BR V2-94 Vintage Chronograph. The latest offerings to the collection come in the form of the Bell & Ross Vintage BRV1-92 & BRV2-94 Racing Bird, the latter of which we are getting hands-on with today.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8

Fifty years ago, on Christmas Eve 1968, Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon and the three astronauts on board the first men to witness the far, or dark side, of our celestial neighbour. To celebrate this encounter, in 2013 Omega dedicated an entire collection of black-themed Speedmasters known as the Dark Side of the Moon. During Baselworld 2018, Omega presented the latest crew member of this collection, the new Apollo 8. A hybrid of sorts, the Apollo 8 shares the black ceramic case of the Dark Side of the Moon collection but has jettisoned its automatic co-axial engine in favour of Omega’s legendary calibre 1861, the manual-wound movement of the classic Moonwatch.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Carl F. Bucherer Updates the Manero Flyback With a Cool Retro-Style

The difference a dial colour and a strap can make… Yes, such details can drastically change a watch, or at least this can add another (thick) layer of coolness. Alongside the technically desirable Manero Peripheral, the Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback has always been one of our favourites amongst this collection. Yet, it was before the addition of cool retro-inspired details, as this watch now becomes even more pleasant. Meet the new rally-oriented version of the Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked Black Ceramic

This year, at the SIHH 2018, Audemars Piguet came with many (really, a lot) novelties. If the Extra-Thin 15202IP in titanium and platinum stole our hearts and if there was a strong focus on ladies watches – see the Double Balance Wheel Openworked 37mm Frosted Gold or the Millenary Frosted Gold Opal Dial – there was clearly more to please us. This includes the Royal Oak Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked reference 26343CE, the first time this complex and powerful watch is encased in black ceramic.

8 years ago