Luxury Watches Archives - Page 330 of 372

IWC Portugieser Chronograph Edition 150 Years Ref. 3716 – New Dials/New Movement (SIHH 2018)

Here we are… The SIHH 2018 will open in a few hours, but we already have a few novelties to share. And for the first of the day, we have something that will make quite some noise around the collecting community. Indeed, what you’ll see here is a new, slightly redesigned (just a bit), mechanically upgraded (a lot) version of IWC’s most iconic modern watch, the Portugieser Chronograph. Please meet the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Edition 150 Years Ref. 3716, with new dial, new movement and sadly, in limited edition.

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept – a new Mind-Boggling World Record for Thinness at just 2mm

Now we see quite a few spectacular timepieces every year, sometimes when they’re about to be launched and sometimes when there’s still a lot of work before it’s ready to be launched. But what we got to see at Piaget the other day, was simply unheard of, and properly mind-boggling. Piaget has created a watch with a thickness of just 2.00 millimetre. And I’m not talking about the movement, the entire watch is 2mm thick. That’s thinner than the leather strap on your watch, thinner than a Swiss five Franc coin.

Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic 5 Days / Chronometer, With The Brand’s First Proprietary Movement (SIHH 2018)

One of the sleeper hits of this year’s SIHH might just come from an unexpected source. The new Clifton Baumatic^TM from Baume & Mercier features a chronometer-certified proprietary movement, with a silicon hairspring and a comfortable 5-day power reserve. Soon to be available at a very competitive price, this could be the beginning of a whole new era for the brand. All the details below.

Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition Bronze Watch

2 years ago, Oris presented the first Carl Brashear Limited Edition, a bronze vintage-inspired dive watch with a lovely contrasting blue dial. No need to say, it was an instant hit. The watch went sold-out quickly and pleased collectors. Today, we have the second edition. Using the same bronze/blue dial combination, still based on the Divers Sixty Five, this time the brand adds an unprecedented complication to this collection. Meet the Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition.

First look at the DeWitt Academia Endless Drive and its Surprising Power Reserve Display

Presenting the DeWitt Academia Endless Drive, a watch with a visually appealing power reserve indicator staged and animated in a unique way. And if the power reserve is the pièce de résistance of this new piece, you’ll see that there is more than meets the eye. Here’s an advance hands-on look at this original design, totally in keeping with the brand’s DNA.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic vs. the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 5402ST

Now it makes zero sense to compare the very first luxury sports watch to the very latest in this desirable segment, at least not from a consumer’s perspective (the vintage AP RO Jumbo is of course not for sale anymore.) However, it does, when looking at if and how the luxury sports watch segment has developed over the past 4.5 decades. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 5402ST was introduced in 1972, and the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic was introduced in 2017. Forty-five years, only a handful of competitors in all those years and only one serious competitor survived: the Patek Philippe Nautilus. But will the new Bulgari become a serious competitor for the uncrowned king of the luxury sports watches?

Mido Commander Big Date Centennial Celebration Watch

Mido is coming up for its 100th anniversary and celebrates this big date in its history with the release of the Commander Big Date. Given that Mido’s history is not exactly common knowledge, the brand is determined to shine new light on its more veteran models and welcomes a handsome Commander on board.

Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase in Full Steel

As you well know, dear reader, we manage to get our hands on an enviable number of incredible timepieces here at MONOCHROME. Some, like the stunning Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance with guilloché dial by Kari Voutilainen, make their presence immediately felt, whilst others, like the Tudor Heritage Black Bay steel, are decidedly more understated, although no less appealing. Today, we are getting hands on with a watch that falls decidedly in this latter category, the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase in full steel.

Ulysse Nardin Classico Manufacture “Grand Feu” with Enamel Dials, for the SIHH 2018

While some of the watches introduced by Ulysse Nardin at the SIHH 2018 slightly surprised us, including the Marine Torpilleur Military (and surprise doesn’t mean negative feelings here), the brand also had something resolutely classic up its sleeve in the form of the Classico Manufacture “Grand Feu”, which we reviewed here. Endowed with glossy enamel dials, a subtle yet original design, and an accessible price, we wanted to see them in the metal.

Oris Chronoris Williams 40th Anniversary Limited Edition

I always have a little bit of a tough time stomaching car, football club or otherwise branded Limited Edition or commemorative timepieces. Some try way too hard to get across what they are, other than a standard series watch with often little more than a few details that have nothing to do with watchmaking. Don’t get me wrong, there are examples that come out just right in my book, and yes it is of course highly personal, as is everything when it comes to preferences. One of those watches that seems to hit the proverbial nail on the head for me is the recently introduced Oris Chronoris Williams 40^th Anniversary Limited Edition.

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Category: Luxury Watches