The Polaris Chronograph is one of the five members of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new 2018 Polaris collection. To date, we have seen the new Polaris Geographic World Time and reviewed the entry-level Polaris Automatic, the vintage-inspired Polaris Date and Polaris Memovox models. To complete the pentalogy, we’ll take a look at the Polaris Chronograph. The sportiest of the newcomers, this 42mm …
The Carrera, a pillar of TAG Heuer’s identity, turns 55 this year and is feted with a rush of Carrera models, including this racy 45mm Carrera Chronograph GMT fitted with the souped-up in-house Heuer 02 movement. Displaying the 3-6-9 chronograph configuration of the original Carrera, TAG Heuer steams ahead and embraces a contemporary skeletonised look to ensure the Carrera stays in the fast lane.
2 years ago, a young Dutchman named Yvo Staud jumped into a watchmaking adventure – even though he had a completely different career before that. The first watch he designed and created was named the Praeludium Hand-Wound, an elegant, “Portuguese-like” time-only timepiece, which name refers to classical music (you’ll understand why later). After this inaugural piece and its automatic variant, its now time for Staud to look at another type of function, yet true to the original design of the brand, with the new Staudt Praeludium Chronograph.
A visit at “Les Ateliers” (editor’s note, the place where most independent watchmakers exhibit) at Baselworld 2018 can sometimes bring very nice surprises – especially if you have a love for old-school chronograph watches. The Claude Meylan Légende 69 is a clean, simple, elegant time-stopper. As its name suggests, it is powered by a vintage Valjoux 69 chronograph movement, entirely refurbished and redecorated by Claude Meylan, an independent watchmaker based in the Vallée de Joux, specialized in crafting skeletonized watches.
As you’ve certainly come to expect, when seeing a Porsche Design watch on MONOCHROME, stuff like ergonomics, comfort, build-quality, value-for-money or understated design will be mentioned. And this article will be no exception, as Porsche Design introduces its newest sibling in the 1919 collection in a rich, brown, chocolaty hue. We go hands-on with the Porsche Design 1919 Chronotimer Flyback Brown – which is more than just a new dial, but also features a new proprietary movement.
It’s official. Romain Jerome has been rebranded as RJ and made its debut at Baselworld 2018 with the new Arraw collection, its first line of men’s and women’s watches that will set the tone of things to come. A derivation of the Titanic DNA and Moon Dust models, the Arraw line is poised to become the building block for future developments and was assembled by the new RJ team in a record time of just two months. Having looked at the 45mm Arraw chronograph closely and strapped it on the wrist, the overall impression at MONOCHROME was that the watch is a less rambunctious, more contained and wearable offshoot of its predecessors.
In 2017, IWC took us by surprise when presenting the desirable, vintage-inspired and definitely cool Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII Edition “Tribute to Mark XI”. Now, it’s time for the Schaffhausen-based brand to focus on the chronograph version of this watch and to apply the same recipe: baton hands, faux-patine markers, cleaner dial and fabric strap. And if the 3-hander was mimicking the Mark XI, the new IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph IW377724 is reminiscent of one of the coolest 1990s watches, the Fliegerchronograph ref. 3706.
Launched almost 20 years, at a time when the trend for larger-than-life watches was still in its infancy, the supersized Graham Chronofighter is known as a big, rugged, bold chronograph. Inspired by historical military stopwatches, its signature lever allows to start/stop the chronograph without fail and with the thumb – the fastest of all fingers. For Baselworld 2018, the brand introduces a new version, still based on the vintage-inspired collection, named the Graham Chronofighter Grand Vintage… And yes, after being scaled-down, it now becomes large again.
When introduced back in 2016, the re-designed Overseas was Vacheron Constantin’s answer for the highly coveted market of the luxury sports watch (a market dominated by AP and PP). First launched in blue and silver editions, later followed by warm and original brown versions, there was still one missing colour to make the collection complete. Problem solved for 2018, with the introduction of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V and Chronograph 5500V, now with black dials (and even a reversed-panda for the Chrono).
Patek Philippe has a flair for making complications look beautiful, on every level. With almost 180-years’ experience under its belt, the brand’s talent for ensuring that the exterior of the watch is as beautiful as its interior is legendary. The new ladies’ Chronograph, Ref. 7150/250R, is the only women’s chronograph in Patek’s current line-up and combines the prowess of a first-class chronograph movement with the refined craftsmanship and elegant aesthetics we associate with the Genevan powerhouse of some of the world’s most refined and sought-after watches.