Classicism, elegance and traditional design are the keywords when it comes to Blancpain’s Villeret collection. Mostly available with gold cases (white or red) and featuring white dials, these watches are the best example of the understated dress watch. However, for some, it might lack a certain audacity in its design. Without going to extremes, Blancpain […]
I’m thrilled to announce this news. Machiel Hulsman, former IT consultant turned watchmaker, has created the very first entirely handmade wristwatch from the Netherlands. We have the legacy of Christiaan Huygens, the inventor of the pendulum clock, Christiaan van der Klaauw, a watch and clockmaker who created the smallest planetarium (in a wristwatch), and the […]
Like a good thriller, the Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A is packed with subtle clues that offer us a glimpse into the strategies of its maker. More complex than the élite and minimalist line-up of Calatrava watches, the Weekly Calendar also departs from its family heritage of precious metal cases and flaunts a stainless steel case. […]
Regular visitors to MONOCHROME already know that we’re big fans of the incredible work that comes out of Seiko. Few, if any, brands can match the Japanese company’s unique blend of expert craftsmanship, technical expertise and value for money. A prime example of this comes in the form of the Presage brand, which made its […]
Tutima is known first and foremost for its sporty and robust tool watches, in particular, pilot or aviation-influenced timepieces powered by Swiss workhorses… However, the brand also offers elegant gold timepieces with refined in-house movements within the Patria collection. At Baselworld 2019, Tutima unveiled its first Patria in steel, offered at a much more approachable […]
Japan is a country of deeply entrenched traditions and culture. Seiko, Japan’s main watchmaker, has long capitalized on its origins to create watches that reflect this rich and complex aesthetic. The Presage collection, introduced to the world in 2016, has since been the expression of traditional Japanese arts, with dials made according to ancient techniques […]
Since its creation 30 years ago, Frederique Constant has been a proponent of “accessible luxury”, with well-executed watches at reasonable prices. The brand has also managed to produce multiple in-house movements, which range from the simple automatic to the ultra-complex (yet still accessible) QP Tourbillon. This year, at Baselworld 2019, the brand presented its 28th […]
This year Hermès introduces a more casual offering to its popular Slim d’Hermès collection. Presented for the first time in an ultra-thin, grade 2 titanium case, it is paired with an anthracite dial complete with dashes of Hermès orange. While it may not be one for collectors, the new Slim d’Hermès Titane is sure to […]
At the start of the year, A. Lange & Söhne announced that 2019 would be dedicated to celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Lange 1. A total of 10 anniversary models are due to be unveiled this year, celebrating the key milestones of the Lange 1 watch family. So far, we have seen been treated […]
In 1999, after over two decades of development and multiple prototypes created, Spring Drive was launched at Baselworld and has come to be recognized as an important development in the recent history of luxury watchmaking, with its technology mixing a mechanical chain of energy and an ultra-precise quartz oscillator. To mark the 20th anniversary, Grand Seiko unveils at Baselworld 2019 two new hand-wound Spring Drive movements and altogether 4 different watches in the recently introduced Elegance Collection. Meet the Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGZ001, SBGZ003, SBGY002 and SBGY003.