Category: independent watchmaking

Introducing – MIH Gaïa Watch

The abbreviation MIH probably doesn’t mean much to most of our readers, except to the hard-core watch enthusiasts (or WIS, which stands for Watch Idiot Savant – another horologocal abbreviation) immediately recognize it. MIH stands for Musee International d’Horlogerie and during the time that mr. Ludwig Oechslin was curator of the museum, he introduced the MIH Watch. Portion of the proceed go to the museum and fund special restoration projects. And now there’s a new MIH Watch called the MIH Gaïa Watch.

6 years ago

Value Proposition – Accessible Brand Ophion Launches the OPH 786 Velos with Superb Dials and Cases by Voutilainen

Ophion is a rather young brand that launched in 2015, with a watch that already had quite some arguments. Accessible, well-designed and powered by a nice movement, we were pleasantly surprised. Then came a second model, the OPH 786, and from that point onward, we knew that something special was happening at Ophion. Great CNC guilloché dials, classic looks, superb decoration of the movement… And with a highly competitive price. Today, Ophion up the game again with the new OPH 786 Vélos, which features a newly-designed case made by Voutilainen (just that) and new dial options… but still a reasonable price.

6 years ago

Hands-on – Urban Jürgensen Reference 1741 Perpetual Calendar

If you’re a recurring reader of MONOCHROME, you should now know all about Urban Jürgensen – and if you don’t, we encourage you to have a closer look here, as this independent watchmaker truly deserves the attention of haute horlogerie lovers. Recently, we had the chance to have quite an exclusive piece from this manufacture […]

6 years ago

Independent Watchmaking – Spotlight On Young Talents – Théo Auffret and his “Tourbillon in Paris” Subscription Watch

It is always a pleasure to present and showcase the work of young watchmakers and emerging talents. Today we are taking a look at Théo Auffret, part of the French independent watchmaking “nouvelle vague”. Theo Auffret, born in 1995, started his training as restorative watchmaker in parallel with his baccalaureate. Unlike the vast majority of fellow graduates, after having passed the exam, instead of studying a few years on university benches, Theo Auffret undertook the vocational pathway to become a watchmaker… And the result, named “Tourbillon in Paris”, is an impressive watch.

6 years ago

First Look – The new URWERK UR-100 SpaceTime (Video, Hands-On)

URWERK can’t leave anyone indifferent. Since making its debut in the 1990s, the indie brand created by Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner stands out with its radical, futuristic designs and its original way to portray time. The idea of wandering hours, like for a sundial, is omnipresent. The stage was set from the very beginning with the creation of the UR101/102 (we will come back on these watches later) displaying time on an arc. Then came the satellite time indication with a host of creative and complex iterations… satellites, cams, transporters, rotating cubes, telescopic hands, retrograde indications mark off the Urwerk time. The story continues with the new URWERK UR-100 SpaceTime.

6 years ago

Buying Guide – 5 of the Most Original Dive Watches Recently Introduced

We all love a good old dive watch… There’s something rather inexplicable about dive watches, as it is clear that most of us never use them as they really were designed to perform (except the occasional jump in the pool). Still, they are attractive. However, there’s one issue with this category of timepieces. Most of them look […]

6 years ago

Introducing – Louis Moinet Memoris Titanium (Live Pics)

The Louis Moinet Memoris was introduced in 2016 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Ateliers and the 200th anniversary of the Compteur de Tierces, the innovative stopwatch created by Louis Moinet. Today, the brand brings new, lightweight versions of its original chronograph with full display of the mechanics. Meet the new Louis Moinet Memoris […]

6 years ago