Results for Lug-to-Lug

First Look – The bold new Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Professional Titanium SLA081

In 1965, Seiko entered the race for the best dive watch, much later than the Swiss did. Seiko released its first ever dive watch, known as the 62MAS, the mother of all upcoming aquatic watches of the brand. It’s a story that we’ve told many times on MONOCHROME. What matters most today is that 2025 […]

Happenings: The Horological Society Of New York To Hold Classes In Charlotte and Boston And Introduces A Fine Finishing Class

These next rounds of classes will be hosted by the Carolina Watch Club, the Escapement Club, EsperLuxe and the Waltham Museum.

First Look: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Flying Tourbillon 38 mm

One of the less prominent, but arguably interesting, debuts for Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary is the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 38 mm in sand gold. A compact watch in muted, pale tones but discreetly glammed up with diamonds, the new tourbillon is the first instance of the ultra-thin cal. 2968 (also known as RD#3) appears something other than a Royal Oak. Initial thoughts The 38 mm tourbillon is the sort of watch that’s more interesting than it initially looks. Though it appears to be a ladies’ watch at first glance, largely due to the somewhat unattractive beige stitch-less strap, it is arguably a unisex watch in both size and style. I would have preferred limiting the diamonds to the case middle for a low-key, formal appearance, but even as it is the gem setting is quite modest. But the new tourbillon isn’t just an aesthetic exercise. The cal. 2968 inside is a nifty movement with some clever details that keep it exceedingly thin. The 38 mm case also demonstrates the Code 11.59 works well in a smaller format. This is especially useful since many iterations of the Code 11.59 feel a bit too large (though in some instances the thickness is a technical requirement). Image – Audemars Piguet RD#3 Entirely in the brand’s proprietary sand gold alloy – best described as a pleasantly washed-out red gold – the case measures 38 mm in diameter and 9.6 mm in thickness. It’s set with 235 brilliant-cut diamonds on the lugs, crown, ...

A Closer Look: Remy Cools Tourbillon Atelier

First Look: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “150th Anniversary” Openworked

Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary debuts are centred on perpetual calendars (at least for now), marking the closing of one chapter and the opening of another. The ingenious new calibre 7138 perpetual calendar marks a definitive new chapter in the brand’s history, while the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “150th Anniversary” Openworked is the swan song for a storied cal. 2120 movement that Audemars Piguet (AP) has relied on for decades. Presented in titanium with a polished BMG bezel, the final edition perpetual calendar is inspired by the Royal Oak pocket watch ref. 25729. This pocket watch lends its sapphire-and-blue aesthetic to the anniversary perpetual calendar, although the pocket watch was ironically powered by a manual wind calibre (as pocket watches tend to be). The ref. 25729PT was a 20-piece limited edition with a matching platinum chain, made in 1992 for the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak Initial thoughts The anniversary edition marks the end of the cal. 5134/5135 (and the preceding cal. 2120/2800), the long-lived perpetual calendar movement that AP launched in 1978. While great in its time, the movement was dated and somewhat low-tech by modern standards. The retirement of the movement is well deserved, and it is certainly going out in style. At a distance the anniversary perpetual calendar is familiar, but up close it reveals details that make it a little bit more interesting than its peers. These include the blue ringed-sapphire dial, retro signatu...

First Look – The New 38mm AP Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in Sand Gold

Marking a first for the recently introduced 38mm iteration of Code 11.59, Audemars Piguet equips its most compact reference with an automatic flying tourbillon. Not just any tourbillon, mind you, but AP’s ultra-thin calibre 2968, aka RD#3. Representing the best of both worlds, the new Code 11.59 Tourbillon fuses a state-of-the-art movement with a graceful […]

First Look – The Accessible Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic now in 37mm

First presented in 2022, inspired by a popular model from the late 1990s (even though its design screams 1980s), the Citizen Tsuyosa instantly became a hit. And for obvious reasons… With its trendy design playing on the vibe of elegant sports watches, its vibrant and fun colours, its solid automatic movement and a rather unbeatable […]

First Look – Classic and Accessible, The new Charlie Paris Initial Automatic Calendar

A relatively young brand founded in 2014 and based in Paris, France, the brainchild of childhood friends Ambroise and Adrien, Charlie Paris aims at delivering nice designs and solid watch content at fair prices. And the brand already carries quite a solid portfolio of models, such as the sporty Concordia we’ve covered already. But today, […]

Bell & Ross’ New BR-03 Astro Shows Off The Earth, Moon, Mars, And A Satellite To Tell The Time

New Release: Czapek Promenade Plissé – Hail to the Dial!

The dial of the Czapek Promenade Plissé gives the impression of fabric being pushed and bunched up by the sub-dial into pleats across the dial. 

“Panerai Is A Brand You Need To Experience”: Alessandro Ficarelli

The New Credor Locomotive Is A Bold, Permanent Addition To Credor’s Lineup

Curious about Mr. Jones Watches? We visited them in London to find out more.

This is a guest post by one of our friends, Sean Wai who recently visited Mr Jones Watches in London. Here is his impressions of the visit.

Happenings: François Perez To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York

The Technical Director and Movement Constructor at Biver will discuss the processes that transform raw materials into exceptional mechanical timepieces.

The Best Watches And Jewelry To Charm Your Way In The Year Of The Snake

Ulysse Nardin Partners Up With Creative Director Amoureuxpeintre To Create This Limited-Edition Blast Model

Everything to see, do and eat at the new AP House Singapore

For the enlightened: Six watches from independent watchmakers to kickstart 2025

For the start of 2025, why not explore the interesting world of independent watchmaking with watches from independent watchmakers?

Hands-On: An In-Depth Look At Vacheron Constantin's New Historiques 222 In Steel

It's the subtle vintage-inspired option people have been waiting for, and it's worth the wait.

Happenings: The Horological Society Of New York To Hold Classes In Chicago and Washington, D.C.

These next rounds of classes will be hosted by Oak & Oscar and Tiny Jewel Box.

Jérôme Lambert’s Return to Jaeger-LeCoultre

Arcanaut Continues To Push The Boundaries Of Material Experimentation

Toledano & Chan Introduces the B/1.2, a Follow-Up to One of Last Year’s Breakout Independent Hits

If 2024 was defined by the rise of shaped cases and stone dials, it appears that 2025 is starting off with more of the same. Last year, Toledano & Chan had an unexpected hit with their debut watch, the B/1, which was a contemporary riff on the classic Rolex King Midas and similar avant garde designs, with a Brutalist inspired case shape and on-trend lapis lazuil dial. Now, for the brand’s second serialized release (they produced a pair of one-offs for auction last year  with cases crafted from carbon and meteorite) they’ve made a handful of subtle refinements to the original idea, added a mother-of-pearl dial, and introduced a dramatic, faceted crystal. It’s a more complex idea but shows in clear terms how the brand might grow with future releases, showing that they have plenty of tricks left up their sleeve and intend to keep their momentum going.  The new watch, dubbed the B/1.2, prominently features an asymmetrical sapphire crystal that echoes the lines of the angular case. Faceted and asymmetrical crystals are rare in watchmaking. Production of crystals in unusual shapes, particularly when made from sapphire, is challenging and expensive. Perhaps even more importantly, a crystal with facets will distort, to some degree, whatever is viewed through it, which is not ideal for time telling. It’s perhaps especially not ideal for time telling on a watch with a dial that does not include markers or numerals of any kind, like the B/1.2. But that underscores the whole...

Happenings: Richard Newman To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York

The famous antiquarian horologist will discuss the early American pocket watches and introduce HSNY's 2025 exhibit.

Boucheron: Bridging art and science to create high jewelry magic