Category: independent watchmaking

The Dive Watch From The Far North – The S.U.F. Helsinki Vetehinen By Sarpaneva

Rough, cold, with a unique character and surprisingly though, fascinating… This description, which you might imagine being dedicated to this contrasting country that is Finland, will be equally relevant when talking about the new S.U.F. Helsinki Vetehinen, the brand’s first dive watch. A Finnish watch made by Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva, playing with the codes and transposing them in his unique universe, resulting in a watch that simply feels different, in a very good way.

9 years ago

Elegant in blue – 5 High-End Watches of 2017 with Blue Dials

You hear it every year: blue is the new black. With its timeless qualities, blue stands out but lends itself perfectly to elegant occasions. We have picked 5 dress watches of 2017, out of the mainstream brands, to help you find a blue that speaks to your style.

9 years ago

Simple Grandeur – The Romain Gauthier Insight Micro-Rotor

For those who know, Romain Gauthier certainly is one of the best representatives of the “Vallée de Joux” expertise. This means an exceptional level of finishing. Forget about mainstream brands that claim Haute Horlogerie. Here, we have hand-finishing to the highest level. Unveiling the Romain Gauthier insight micro-rotor, focusing on the essentials with radical manufacturing ethos and masterly craftsmanship.

9 years ago

Unveiling the Louis Moinet Memoris ‘Red Eclipse’ Chronograph, now in Engraved Pink Gold

The Louis Moinet Memoris ‘Red Eclipse’ is an integrated, automatic, inverted mono-pusher chronograph with column-wheel. It was first presented in a limited edition at Baselworld 2016 to celebrate the bi-centenary of the Compteur de Tierce (1816-2016) by Louis Moinet. This complex chronograph, with all its mechanics visible on the dial, is now available in a richly engraved pink gold version. Let’s take a closer look.

9 years ago

F.P. Journe Centigraphe Souverain Anniversaire In Titanium, For The 10th Anniversary of The Geneva Boutique

If you look closely, it is hard to figure that F.P. Journe is still a young brand. Of course, François-Paul, as a watchmaker, is active for already a few decades but F.P. Journe, as a brand, isn’t. It’s even clearer when you look at when official boutiques were opened: only 10 years ago. In order to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its boutiques, F.P. Journe offers a limited series, the Centigraphe Souverain Anniversaire, in a very unique materials and colors combination. After Hong Kong and Tokyo, the Geneva F.P. Journe Boutique was the third to celebrate its anniversary, unveiling its Anniversary Edition in a limited series of 10 pieces.

9 years ago

Introducing – Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance now in Stainless Steel

To make things clear from the beginning, the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance was one of the watches that impressed us most here, at Monochrome-Watches, in 2016 – and when you know our level of snobbery, it is quite a title that we gave here. This watch had it all: a massively impressive technical solution, a respect of watchmaking history, a traditional manufacturing process and an unchained look. While only available in gold, the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance is now offered in Stainless Steel – Mainly for the look than but also a bit for the wallet…

9 years ago

Beat Haldimann Goes Back To The Essential With The New Steel H11 and H12

Purity, an absence of the unnecessary and a focus on the essential… Beat Haldimann unveils his first steel watches with new versions of the no-frill H11 & H12: two superb blue dialed timepieces radiating authentic, uncompromising craftsmanship. We take a hands-on look at these rare objects.

9 years ago

The MB&F LM1 Final Edition In Steel – The Farewell Edition of a 6-Year Success Story…

At MB&F, everything started in 2005, with the HM1, followed by 3 other HM watches. From this inaugural piece to 2011, MB&F was all about radical Horological Machines. Sci-Fi design, unusual displays, über-complex movements, organic or space-like shapes… Nothing was traditional. But in 2011, Max Büsser and his friends launched a surprisingly classical watch (relatively-speaking…), a watch that, for the coming 6 years, will become a best-seller of the brand. This watch was the LM1 and soon, its production will stop. No sad feelings though, but a farewell party instead, with the LM1 Final Edition, a steel / brown dial version.

9 years ago

RGM Introduces the “Chess in Enamel” For Its 25th Anniversary (And It Is American-Made!)

American-Made watches… Certainly a dream for many of our readers on the West side of the Atlantic. Watches that are really made (meaning with parts manufactured and assembled in the US) are rare, too rare honestly – and the Shinola-gate is not going to help this issue. However, such a dream is possible, with a brand named RGM Watch Co. – for Roland G. Murphy. The manufacture, which will turn 25 this year, celebrates this jubilee with a first watch, inspired by an also American-Made pocket watch, the RGM “Chess in Enamel”.

9 years ago