Introducing – Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli Single Flying Tourbillon

What happens when legends collide? Especially when those legends are in different fields. Last year, Roger Dubuis, Lamborghini and Pirelli joined forces, and their unique partnership created the racing-inspired Excalibur Spider Pirelli Double Flying Tourbillon. The skeleton timepiece was not only a technically impressive watch with twin tourbillons front and centre, it also sported a rubber strap created from a Pirelli tire that was actually used in a professional race. The watch helped connect the Roger Dubuis brand with high-performance motorsports and provided both racing fans and watch enthusiasts with an exciting exclusive. Roger Dubuis and Pirelli are back again this year with a new Excalibur Spider Pirelli, but this time with “only” a single flying tourbillon.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Fortis Aeromaster Mission Timer Chronograph – Cosmonaut-Approved

Founded in 1912 by Walter Vogt in Grenchen, Fortis is known for manufacturing rugged, functional watches with a predilection for pilot watches… and Cosmonaut watches, as Fortis has been cooperating with Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, and other organizations for years. Today, we take a look at one of the brand’s latest creations, the Fortis Aeromaster Mission Timer Chronograph – and if it’s good for Russian Space missions, it should be reliable enough on Earth.

8 years ago

Hands-on – The New, All-Black versions of the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton and L’Originale Chronograph

The Octo is a true compendium of Bvlgari’s sense of design. With its graphic shapes and pure lines, its style is powerful, modern yet elegant. Over the past few years, the Italian watchmaker turned one model into an entire men’s watch collection with striking launches including the unapologetically chic Finissimo Trilogy and its several world records – including the recently introduced thinnest automatic watch. The Octo line now welcomes two new models opting for the vigour and dynamism of black, the Octo Finissimo Skeleton Black Edition and the Octo L’Originale Chronograph Black Edition.

8 years ago

Introducing – Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment III Limited Edition

Blancpain’s link with the ocean is undeniable. Remember that in 1953, the brand was amongst the very first – if not the first – to offer a true dive watch: the Fifty Fathoms. Emphasizing this dedication for the world’s oceans, the brand introduced four years ago its first series of limited edition Blancpain Ocean Commitment timepieces, followed in 2016 by BOC II. Blancpain is now unveiling the third BOC timepiece, a new limited edition based on the classic FF, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment III.

8 years ago

Hands-on – The Tree Of Life From Kneijnsberg & van Eijk with a Unique Display of the Seasons

As certified watch geeks, we often spend more time obsessing over the precise measurement of time, as opposed to observing the wonder of its actual passing. It’s a fanciful notion, perhaps, romantic even, but one that we all experience from the day we’re born. To celebrate this special relationship between life and time, newcomer Kneijnsberg & van Eijk presents its first watch, the Tree of Life. We spent some hands-on time with this whimsical beauty, discovering a new appreciation for the changing of the seasons and the passage of time.

8 years ago

Value Proposition – E.C. Andersson Calypso Sport Available for Pre-Order Now

A few months ago, we told you about the new Calypso Premium timepiece from Swedish micro-brand, E.C. Andersson, which at the time was seeking funding on Kickstarter. After a very successful campaign, the company is back with a new model in the Calypso range, called the Calypso Sport. Pitched as an entry-level model in the Calypso family, it offers many of the same aesthetic touches as its elder sibling but with a few variations to keep the price a little more wallet-friendly. Available now for pre-order on the E.C. Andersson website, we thought we’d take a closer look at what you get for your money.

8 years ago

Hands-on – New Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Off-Centered with Meteorite or Stromatolite Dials

Métiers d’art and natural stones are familiar themes at Jaquet Droz – for instance, Onyx has already been used in the past. The brand regularly adds new, rare stones to its decorative repertory. In the frame of the celebration of its 280th anniversary, the brand unveils new limited-edition watches with meteorite or stromatolite dials, based on the iconic 8-shaped watch with a twist, the Grande Seconde Off-Centered.

8 years ago

Introducing – Porsche Design 1919 Datetimer 70Y Sports Car Limited Edition – A Tribute to Porsche’s 70th Anniversary

70 years ago, in 1948, one of the most legendary car brands ever created was born. Its name: Porsche. Its earliest model: the 356, the predecessor of the illustrious 911. Yet, Porsche doesn’t only refer to a carmaker but also to a design centre – and not the worst of them to be honest – under the name Porsche Design. It happens that PD is also involved in the creation of timepieces – in fact already since 1972. THus, it makes sense to join forces between these two worlds and for this exact reason, Porsche Design pays tribute to this important anniversary by introducing the 1919 Datetimer 70Y Sports Car Limited Edition, a special edition limited to 1948 timepieces.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Schwarz Etienne Roma GMT – Clean Lines and Fine Mechanics

It is not the first time we talk about Schwarz Etienne on MONOCHROME. This independent brand, based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, shows an impressive level of integration – especially given its rather modest size. It is one of the few brands to develop and manufacture its in-house movements and parts, including the hairspring. Today, we take a look at one of the classic yet highly pleasant watches of the Roma collection, the Schwarz Etienne Roma GMT.

8 years ago

Introducing – Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Collection 2018 with New Openworked Movements and Slimmer Cases

When Lambert took over Montblanc, the idea was simple: bringing a lot for less money. This didn’t mean that all watches had to be affordable, but rather that watches were priced lower than expected, even with a true horological content. This gave birth to a Sub-10k Perpetual Calendar, the 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim or a sub-7k annual calendar. Following the same idea, Montblanc introduces 3 new watches in the Heritage Chronométrie collection, still complex but with new, contemporary design codes.

8 years ago