Review – Kudoke HANDwerk 1, a typical handmade German watch

German styled watches are typically free from any unnecessary details. No frails, no fuss, just clean and elegant watches. Whether you look at brands like A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte OriginalMoritz Grossmann or at smaller independent brands, most of them offer very elegantly, stylish watches. One of these independents is Stefan Kudoke, founder and watchmaker of Kudoke Watches. Besides his intricately detailed skeletonized and engraved pieces, his HANDwerk collection follows the typical German trait. We go hands-on with the Kudoke HANDwerk 1.

7 years ago

Only Watch 2019 – Ateliers de Monaco Tourbillon Oculus 1297

For the 2019 edition of the biennial fundraiser for research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Ateliers de Monaco is presenting a tourbillon watch encased in an innovative forged carbon and gold case. Carbon fibre, gold and resin are mixed together, placed in a mould, pressed and then heated to form a block. The case is then machined to obtain the desired shape. The end result is a unique, contrasting, unpredictable marbling pattern.

7 years ago

Introducing – Sylvain Pinaud Chronograph Monopoussoir

Imagine, building a complicated mechanical wristwatch completely by hand to enter a competition about artisanal crafts. Your competitor? Cheese! That is the story of Sylvain Pinaud in a VERY tiny, exaggerated nutshell, but we’ll elaborate on that. The result of his efforts is impressive though, a very modern-looking, hand-built monopusher chronograph. We had time to meet the maker himself and go hands-on with Sylvain Pinaud’s Chronograph Monopoussoir.

7 years ago

Introducing – A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Daymatic “25th Anniversary”

Like all the seven watches presented over the past seven months to fête the Lange I, the Daymatic is dressed for the party in a  white gold case with blue trimmings on the dial.  As you know, the Saxon brand is celebrating the quarter-century of its foundation watch with not one but ten models. A […]

7 years ago

Introducing – IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Edition Right-Hander

Because 90% of the population is right-handed, there’s a convention that watches have to be worn on the left wrist… And that explains why the crown is positioned at 3 o’clock (on most watches, of course). There are exceptions to the rule, though, with so-called “right-hander” or “lefty” watches. Not so common, practical for left-handers […]

7 years ago

Face-to-Face – The Battle of High-End Annual Calendars Part 3 – Lange vs. Ferrier… The Verdict

Having reviewed both Lange’s and Ferrier’s annual calendars in the previous days, today it’s time for a face-off, a chance for these two mid-weight complication champs to engage in a mock battle. The two contestants are clearly very beautiful watches, perfectly matched in functionality and mechanical integrity, so please take a ringside seat and see if you agree with our verdict in the battle of annual calendars pitting the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Annual Calendar versus the Laurent Ferrier Annual Calendar School Piece.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Urban Jürgensen Reference 1140 Champagne Dial, with Steel Case

At this point, you’ve probably become familiar with independent watchmaker Urban Jürgensen and its classic, yet superbly executed watches. In this instance, the Reference 1140, the brand’s cornerstone and signature piece, should be nothing new to you… Well, wait to discover its latest version, a pretty splendid limited edition, as you could be surprised by one or two features. Meet the Reference 1140 Champagne Dial, and yes, it comes with stainless steel case.

7 years ago

Introducing – The MB&F LM2 Now in Red Gold with Blue Dial

There are two sides of MB&F. First are the much-coveted, sci-fi inspired watches of the “Horological Machine” collection – no need to say, bold, fututistic creations. The other side comprises the heritage watches… But don’t expect vintage 1960s dive watches here. The “Legacy Machine” line up is all about “Steampunk” and “Jules Vernes”. One of the long term members of this legacy-inspired collection is named LM2 and today, a new, highly limited version in red gold with blue dial is about to see the light. Meet the MB&F LM2 Red Gold Blue.

7 years ago

In-Depth – Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance – Step 2 in the Masterpiece Collection

If you are a recurring reader of MONOCHROME or simply into independent watchmaking, you are probably familiar with Armin Strom and their innovative Resonance concept. Launched with the Mirrored Force Resonance in 2016, later used to regulate a dual-time watch, the brand’s first “Masterpiece”, the second chapter in this ultra-complex series of watches has just been presented… And here, resonance is used on two levels, as you’ll see below. Meet the impressive Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance.

7 years ago