Category: Novelty

Introducing – The Accessible Pendulum Traveler from Young Dutch Brand Fromanteel

It isn’t the first that we mention Fromanteel on MONOCHROME. Still young but with already its own style, this Dutch brand offers several watches, including a couple of automatics with elegant, understated design – such as the classic Pendulum. In a recent interview with Alfredo Silva, Co-Owner/Founder of Fromanteel Watches, we teased a new watch to be soon released. And here it is! Meet the new Pendulum Traveler, a fresh, elegant and rational dual-time watch from The Netherlands – but still with Swiss roots.

7 years ago

Introducing – The Accessible Pendulum Traveler from Young Dutch Brand Fromanteel

It isn’t the first that we mention Fromanteel on MONOCHROME. Still young but with already its own style, this Dutch brand offers several watches, including a couple of automatics with elegant, understated design – such as the classic Pendulum. In a recent interview with Alfredo Silva, Co-Owner/Founder of Fromanteel Watches, we teased a new watch to be soon released. And here it is! Meet the new Pendulum Traveler, a fresh, elegant and rational dual-time watch from The Netherlands – but still with Swiss roots.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Zenith Defy Classic Black Ceramic

Zenith’s Defy collection, relaunched during Baselworld 2017 with the high-beat chronograph Defy El Primero 21 and the equally mind-blowing Defy Lab 3 and Defy Zero-G, is gaining traction by the day. The Defy Classic collection puts aside some of the technical fireworks to position itself as the brand’s entry-level luxury sports watch.  We’ve already seen the Defy Classic in various outfits, including the recently launched Defy Classic Skeleton Range Rover Edition. The latest proposal from Zenith is this dark, dark model with a black ceramic case.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Zenith Defy Classic Black Ceramic

Zenith’s Defy collection, relaunched during Baselworld 2017 with the high-beat chronograph Defy El Primero 21 and the equally mind-blowing Defy Lab 3 and Defy Zero-G, is gaining traction by the day. The Defy Classic collection puts aside some of the technical fireworks to position itself as the brand’s entry-level luxury sports watch.  We’ve already seen the Defy Classic in various outfits, including the recently launched Defy Classic Skeleton Range Rover Edition. The latest proposal from Zenith is this dark, dark model with a black ceramic case.

7 years ago

Pre-SIHH 2019 – Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Moon Enamel

With the SIHH 2019 only a month away, brands are pre-releasing selected models to whet our appetite. Among them is Jaeger-LeCoultre, which has unveiled a superb new version of one of their classics. Meet the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Moon Enamel, showing the artistic crafts of the Grande Maison.

7 years ago

Pre-SIHH 2019 – Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Moon Enamel

With the SIHH 2019 only a month away, brands are pre-releasing selected models to whet our appetite. Among them is Jaeger-LeCoultre, which has unveiled a superb new version of one of their classics. Meet the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Moon Enamel, showing the artistic crafts of the Grande Maison.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Graham Swordfish Chronograph Sails Back into the Collection

Graham refloats its Swordfish chronograph, an eye-catching timepiece distinguished by its two prominent portholes on deck to magnify the elapsed time counters. The 46mm hulls are made from bronze and steel but the look of these two limited editions models couldn’t be more different.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Frederique Constant Classics 24H – An Unusual (and affordable) Approach to Consulting the Time

There is no stopping the steady flow of models emerging from Frederique Constant, all steeled for battle in the mid-price arena. The latest Classic Automatic 24H, equipped with a 24-hour function, joins the well-populated Classics collection and will retail for under EUR 1,000. My first take on the newcomer was that this was a practical GMT watch, designed for men on the move. But where was the additional hand to read the second time zone? FC’s new watch is a bit of a mind teaser and presents a different way of reading the hours based on a 24-hour format. Instead of the standard hour hand advancing in 12 increments of one hour twice a day, the hand is slowed down to half its regular speed to read the 24-hour disc on the dial. Once you have got your mind around the fact that the hour hand makes one rotation a day and not two, things start to make sense.

7 years ago

Pre-SIHH 2019 – The Comeback of the Tonneau in the Cartier Privé Collection

The Tonneau Watch by Cartier always had a special place amongst collectors. Certainly less famous than other shaped watches designed by the Parisian Maison (Tortue, Crash, Tank, Santos, Drive, Ballon Bleu and many more), it remains one of the most original and certainly one of the most elegant creations ever done by Cartier. Thanks to the Revival of the “Privé” branding, with the reinterpretation of the Crash in 2015 and the Tank Cintrée in 2017, we see more of those beautiful shapes watches coming back in the brand’s portfolio. For the SIHH 2019, the Tonneau Watch is coming back.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Mido Ocean Star Diver 600, A Robust and Accessible Dive Watch

If Mido is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, the history of the Mido Ocean Star dates back to the early 1940s. Naturally, at the time, the Ocean Star was not yet the modern mechanical dive watch it is today and had little in common with the latest model in the family, the most technical so far. Let’s take a look at this new Mido Ocean Star Diver 600.

7 years ago