Category: Dress Watches

Hands-On – F.P. Journe and Holland & Holland Chronometre Watch With Unique Damascus Steel Dial

Just a few days ago in London, Swiss watchmaker F.P. Journe, in collaboration with British gun-maker Holland & Holland, unveiled two new limited edition timepieces. The independent watchmaker is known for marching to the beat of his own drum, and these new pieces are no exception. In an unexpected twist, they feature stunning Damascus steel dials, crafted from the barrels of two antique Holland & Holland shotguns, dating from 1868 and 1882 respectively. Read on for all the details.

8 years ago

Women’s Watch Wednesday – Hands-On with the Parmigiani Fleurier Kalparisma

Just over 20 years old now, the eponymous brand Parmigiani Fleurier, founded by Michel Parmigiani in 1996, is known for its classic and elegant watches with hand crafted movements made in-house in the brand’s Fleurier workshops – and a certain twist in the design, quite Italian. Initially creating men’s watches – with one of his first wristwatch introductions being the tonneau-shaped Kalpa – Parmigiani unveiled the women’s Kalparisma line in 2009 as a gentler take on time.

8 years ago

Introducing – 3 New Rado Ceramica Models, All With Automatic Movements

In 2016, Rado relaunched its iconic Ceramica line, following a complete design refresh by highly respected industrial designer Konstantin Grcic. The geometric watches were certainly appealing from an aesthetic standpoint, however, they were powered by quartz movements and consequently didn’t really make it onto the Monochrome radar. This year, Rado unveiled three new additions to the Ceramica family and we are happy to report that, for the first time, they are all powered by automatic movements.

8 years ago

A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Jumping Seconds Now Offered In Pink Gold

Last year at the SIHH 2016, German watch manufacturer, A. Lange & Söhne, debuted the deliciously complex Richard Lange Jumping Seconds. Offered in a platinum case and produced in a limited series of just 100 pieces, it was an instant hit with collectors. Following on from this success, this minimalist timepiece is now being made available in an attractive pink gold case, complete with matching accents on the dial and buckle. As with the platinum model, this series will be limited to just 100 pieces, preserving the exclusivity of this exceptional mechanical machine.

8 years ago

Introducing – Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921, Now in 36.5mm Mid-Size Model

In 2009, Vacheron Constantin unveiled the Historiques American 1921, a re-edition of one of its classic timepieces from the Art Deco period that was made exclusively for the North American market. A highly desirable watch, it pays homage to what is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful yet original Vacheron Constantin models ever. Despite its modest (on paper) 40mm size, however, the squared case wears quite large on the wrist, discouraging some collectors. Listening to this feedback, the brand announced today that the Historiques American 1921 will be available in a mid-size, unisex version with a case measuring 36.5mm. Read on for all the details.

8 years ago

Introducing – Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendar 1942 & 1948

The Historiques collection by Vacheron Constantin already offered us some stunning watches. When the brand goes vintage, it simply is the best of what they can do. Think about the American 1921 (more on that watch and a new version in a coming article) or the 1955 Cornes de Vache Chronograph. The same recipe of updated “vintage” is now applied with infamous and rare 1940s watches with triple calendar complication in mind, in order to create the new Vacheron Constantin Historiques Triple Calendar 1942 and 1948.

8 years ago

Introducing – Piaget Altiplano 60th Anniversary Pocket Watch

At the SIHH 2017, Piaget celebrated the 60th anniversary of its most emblematic collection, a watch that fully symbolises the brand and immediately makes it recognizable: the Altiplano. Born in 1957, the ultra-thin watch with so many thinness records is now a true icon. Following the celebrations, Piaget puts an unexpected twist on the collection, by presenting the Altiplano 60th Anniversary Pocket Watch… And what an elegant, slightly “out of the box” proposition.

8 years ago

Hands-On – Grand Seiko SBGW252, Recreating the First Ever GS Watch

2017 was an important year for the Seiko Group. Indeed, we’ve seen many impressive watches being released by the Japanese manufacture, and new trends coming – including some vintage-inspired pieces, such as the 62Mas reedition or the Enamel Presage collection. This year was also noticeable because Grand Seiko watches won’t have Seiko anymore written on their dial, as GS is becoming a brand on its own. To mark this evolution, the newly-introduced brand presented a recreation of the first ever Grand Seiko watch, and today we look at the yellow gold version, a.k.a. the reference SBGW252… And what a watch it is!

8 years ago

A tribute to the Glasshütte tradition – Hands-on with the Tutima Patria and its beautiful in-house 617 caliber (specs and pricing)

Tutima has a long and prestigious history; the origins of the brand go as far back as the 1920s and 1930s in Glasshütte, when Tutima was the quality label of the UROFA-UFAG group. After the fall of the Berlin wall, several watchmakers looked at reviving the Saxon watchmaking tradition and the ‘made in Germany’ trademark, specifically in Glasshütte. Among them was Dieter Delecate, owner and CEO of Tutima, then headquarted in the north of Germany, near Bremen.

8 years ago