2020… What a year… what a year! Both on a professional as well as on a personal level this was a bizarre year, and not only due to that nasty Corona pandemic that is terrorizing humankind. Politics also reared its most ugly head on various sides of the globe and Baselworld, an old watch institution, […]
I’d almost have to include a ‘ghost watch’ in my three, as there was a long period, at the height of our first lockdown, where I stopped wearing a watch altogether. Despite appearing on Zoom daily, often back to back, for a good few weeks, if not a month, I went bare-wristed. The reason? Two things: it was somehow uncomfortable to be keeping up a sense of normalcy when the weirdness of working out my days in a 1.5m x 2.5m pool shed was so real. Secondly, my relationship with material things went through all kinds of twists and turns in 2020. That’s a story for another day. The comeback, which happened around May, was with the Rolex Yacht-Master, but more of that below. These were the three watches I wore most in 2020. A quick disclaimer that the watch I wore most in public in 2020 was the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Midnight Blue dial, as that was my weapon of choice for LVMH Watch Week in Dubai at the start of a year that degenerated with dizzying speed. It was in all the pics from that great event, and very nearly could have edged in had…
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The Rolex Sky-Dweller is an underrated watch. Hell, you can still sometimes find precious metal examples of this hefty-cased wristwatch in Rolex boutiques. Try doing that with a Daytona. But unlike many other Rolex pieces, the Sky-Dweller is a complicated companion despite its relatively simple design. In fact, while you might not immediately suspect it, this is the single most complicated Rolex according to its movement. Featuring the pretty remarkable Rolex in-house caliber 9001 (which holds more than a dozen patents in its design), the Sky-Dweller offers the time, date, second time zone, and month on its display, which also makes it an annual calendar. How does it display the month? Above all of the stick indices around the dial is a small aperture that you might miss if you weren’t looking at it, which displays the month in red. There are 12 hours in a day, but also 12 months in a year, so Rolex decided to make the hour markers slightly more useful than they are normally. The ring you see at the 6 o’clock position displays the second time zone, with the red arrow you can see just below the Rolex crown at 12 o’clock. But how…
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F.P. Journe, as one of the most revered contemporary independent watchmakers, needs no introduction. His work has been acclaimed by many collectors, especially his focus on chronometry – including his work on resonance or constant force – and complications. With such a background, it almost feels like a prerequisite for Journe to have a perpetual […]
What we had on this year, and why.
Editor’s note: There’s no doubt that the Bulgari watch department is having a very big year. So far they have got hearts racing with the launch of their record-breaking Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic, the new Octo Finissimo in satin-polished steel, and then their remarkable High-End Watch novelties. And if that wasn’t enough, there is also the new entry point to the realm of Swiss-Italian watchmaking that is the Bulgari Aluminium collection. This is everything you need to know. Bulgari has revived a late ’90s classic with the new Bulgari Aluminium collection this year. A great blend of daily and luxury wear, these lightweight watches pack a heavy punch. While watch designs can be quite homogenous in a traditional industry, the new Bulgari Aluminium 2020 models are welcome revivals with their distinct Bulgari aesthetic. The case(s) These new models are fabricated in a great everyday material: aluminium. While aluminium is not considered a luxury material, when done right, it can provide a luxury experience on the wrist. The lightweight aluminium makes for an elegant yet sporty and smart-casual aesthetic. You certainly won’t miss the fact that this is a Bulgari watch. The brand name can be found on the…
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Earlier this year, during the digital presentation of Watches & Wonders, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled a refreshed take on its Master Control collection. Among the four watches representing the updated 2020 design features is the Master Control Chronograph Calendar, a captivating combination of complications that immediately caught our eye. Equipped with a column-wheel chronograph and triple calendar […]
The watches, brands, and accessories that helped make this year special.
Let’s all just close our eyes for a moment and imagine the perfect watch. It would surely need to be something versatile, simple, but with plenty of well-finished details that will brighten your mood with every glance at the dial. A bit of history wouldn’t go astray either, knowing that, while trends may come and go, your watch will remain a timeless classic. That’s what an old-fashioned horology nut would say anyway. Whereas MAD Paris know that the true perfect watch is whatever the client thinks looks cool. Halving water resistance, destroying the original warranty … there is no cost too big to get in the way of their bold visualisations and that’s ignoring the actual dollar value. Having established themselves as a leading name in luxury timepiece modifying from 2007, MAD aren’t afraid to ruffle a few feathers. Let’s take a look at five pieces which typify the daring designers. Rolex Daytona They say when you want to fit in, wear black. What they neglect to mention is that adding hot pink detailing and a ring of pink sapphires will stand out from a mile away. A matte carbon-black coated case and textured dial stand as a solidly crafted…
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At MONOCHROME, we’re always thrilled to see the launch of new independent brands, specifically when we’ll be talking of high-end and truly hand-made horology. Cramain was founded by a young duo, Kilian Leschnik and Dr Julian M. Stiels, out of the shared vision to create timepieces that would be crafted solely by their own hands, with […]