Results for Watch Dial Text Conventions

The Domination of Rolex in the Watch Market

Photo Report: A Watch-Filled Evening With Betteridge In Greenwich

Ben and Cara host a casual event at a legacy retailer in Connecticut.

First Look - Schwarz Etienne adds a Black Dial to the Geometry Family

As we will see in a few days in an interview we have done with the recently appointed director of Schwarz Etienne, Florian Brossard, the independent watchmaker is about to open a new chapter in its history, with revamped collections and great ambitions to meet with the incredible capacities of this manufacturer, one of the […]

Artificial Scarcity, Rolex Availability And Value Sub-Brands: Your Watch Business Questions Answered

Many thanks to the Hodinkee community who submitted a slew of insightful questions about the business of watches.

Only For Japan - The Biver Automatique with Grand Feu Enamel Dial

Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre continue their journey of independent horology with the Biver Automatique Japan Edition. Made in collaboration with its retailer in Japan, this special release is based on the time-only automatic debuted last year, but reimagined to cater to the traditionally classical taste of the Japanese collector. The minimalist edition debuts in two elegant variants that explore the contrast of light and shadow through hard-fired enamel made by an enamel workshop in Geneva’s Old Town. A stark white enamel dial is paired with a platinum case, while the high-contrast version matches a glossy black dial with a rose gold case – both share a clean, old-school aesthetic with applied markers and a railway minute track. A tribute to the Japanese collector The Automatique epitomises Biver’s neoclassical and elaborate approach to watchmaking, which blends careful detailing with hand-finishing techniques, for both habillage and the movement. Now the Japan Edition further refines the approach, condensing the more elaborate execution of the original versions into something more traditional, more classical, and arguably more reflective of the taste of Japanese enthusiasts. The two distinct models pay homage to the Japanese appreciation of minimalist aesthetics combined with high quality and precision execution, along with a well-established love of mid-century precision Swiss wristwatches. The clarity of the vintage-inspired design makes the Japan Edition ...

Introducing - Kurono Tokyo’s Latest Special Project, the 34mm Star Dial

A micro-brand that should sound familiar to you now, Kurono Tokyo is the brainchild of Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, known for his high-end tourbillons or chronographs. With this brand, Asaoka wanted to deliver his style and design ideas in far more accessible watches, without the highly complex movements, but with an equal taste for […]

Furlan Marri Opens The 'Community Design Lab', Where Fans Can Vote On The Creation Of A Brand New Watch

The brand is up for whatever design challenge the community puts in front of them – so long as enough people vote for it. And now you can vote too.

Watch Spotting At The 97th Annual Academy Awards

Gem-set watches (and Timothée's butter yellow leather suit) steal the spotlight on hollywood's biggest night.

Hands-on - The Orologi Calamai GMT Automatico, an Accessible and Stylish Italian Travel Watch

Orologi Calamai isn’t a household name in the industry, but this small Italian brand has been producing intriguing, aeronautical-inspired watches since its founding in 2012. Unfortunately, MONOCHROME can’t cover the entire array of small, independent brands out there (we try, believe me), but Orologi Calamai definitely caught our eye, and we’ve covered them in the […]

Introducing: The Leica ZM 12: The Brand's Biggest (Smaller) Watch Release To Date

Leica continues to refine its horological ambitions with a smaller, more elegant take on the brand's continually expanding design language.

Leica’s New ZM 12 Watch Collection Introduces Four Distinctive Models

Alpina and the Era of the Adventure Watch

Introducing: The Nodus x 'Beers And Cameras' Obscura - A Watch For Analog Photographers

Ready for your next photo walk and complete with an "Exposure Gauge Complication."

Introducing - A New, Stylish Blue and Golden Dial For the MeisterSinger Pangaea Day Date

Inspired by the very first mechanical tower and table clocks that had not yet discovered the minutes hand, MeisterSinger’s disarmingly simple premise is to deliver the time with a single hand. However, a single hand is not necessarily equated with simple watches, and the brand’s repertoire includes complications like its chiming Bel Hora and moon phase […]

Introducing - The Bianchet B 1.618 UltraFino, a Slim Tourbillon Integrated Sports Watch

Bianchet is an independent watchmaking brand founded by Rodolfo and Emmanuelle Festa-Bianchet, whose atelier is located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Since 2021, the brand has been offering modern tonneau-shaped watches powered by architectural openworked tourbillon movements. As Watches and Wonders and its side events are fast approaching, Bianchet unveils a new model named the B […]

First Look - The Bold 2025 Tissot T-Race MotoGP Automatic Chronograph Gets an Openworked Dial

With a partnership that goes back to 2001, when Tissot became the official timekeeper of MotoGP – the 2-wheel equivalent of Formula 1 – you can imagine that the T-Race collection is vast. Over the years, it has given birth to some of the most daring watches of the brand, all deeply inspired by the […]

Arcanaut Introduces the D’Arc Roast, with a Dial Made from Coffee

Coffee and watches. They go together like peanut butter and jelly, movie theaters and popcorn, fireworks and the Fourth of July. OK, it might be the most obvious pair, but there are deep connections if you look for them. There’s a culture of hardcore enthusiasm associated with each, for one. And there’s even an entire brand (an incredibly popular and beloved one in our community) inspired by coffee culture. And, for some reason I’ve never really been able to put my finger on, watch photographers have become incredibly fond of staging watches near coffee mugs, coffee beans, and anything remotely coffee related. The reasons for this, frankly, are puzzling. But there’s one exception: if the dial of your watch is actually made of coffee, I think you’ve earned the right to feature some beans in your shot.  The latest watch from Arcanaut, then, gets a pass if you’re one of the lucky 33 collectors able to acquire one. Built on the ARC II platform with that highly contoured, futuristic 40.5mm stainless steel case, the new D’Arc Roast limited edition features a brown dial that is made, in part, from coffee grounds. It’s right in line with Arcanaut’s mission to experiment with unusual materials, and also reflects the deep love of coffee in the brand’s home country of Denmark, which is the home of four of the seven winners of the Barista World Championship (store that one in the back of your brain for trivia night).  So how is the dial made? According to the bra...

Bring a Loupe: A Piece Unique Chopard, A London Tank Allongée, And An Art Deco Purse Watch

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.

[VIDEO] Our Favorite Watch Accessories

When you collect watches, you also somewhat inadvertently collect a bunch of other things. You might realize it until you get pretty deep into the hobby, but it’s almost impossible to avoid acquiring a whole host of accessories for storing, cleaning, admiring, and tinkering with your watches. Over the years, we’ve tried tools, cases, and accessories in a bunch of other categories, and have naturally developed some preferences.  Here, Kat Shoulders and Zach Kazan walk you through some of their personal favorites from their own stash. Let us know in the comments what watch related accessories you can’t live without.  Zach Kazan  Valet tray  A valet tray is in some ways impossibly simple. Usually made from leather, they are small trays, often with buttons at the corners, made catching stray items that you might dump from your pockets upon returning home. Keys, wallets, loose change – you get the idea. Though not a watch accessory per se, they make a ton of sense if you have more than a few watches in your life and just need a place to put them from time to time. I have a few valet trays on my desk at home. One is large enough to handle all the things these trays were really meant for, and is where you’ll often find my AirPods, a memory card or two, maybe some cash (nothing larger than a five spot, sorry) and a pen. The other is smaller, and perfectly sized for two watches. If I’m going to typing for an extended period of time and don’t want the feel of a wat...

Staff Picks: Watch-Related Valentine's Gifts For Our Colleagues

Picking Valentine's gifts for our colleagues... it's not all roses, hearts, and chocolate.

Bring a Loupe: A Square Crown Guard Submariner, A 'Paul Newman' Dial, And A Geneva Sport

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.

First Look - The Cleaner, Smaller 40mm Frederique Constant Worldtimer Manufacture by Watch Angels

First introduced in 2012, the Frederique Constant Classics Worldtimer Manufacture quickly became one of the brand’s best-selling models for being an accessible take on the complication. Over the years, it has been released in various materials and colours, often as limited editions that are no longer available. While undeniably a handsome timepiece with strong credentials, […]

Hands-On: The Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Diver Gets A Green Dial

The second design of the series sees a splash of color in a limited edition of 150 pieces.

The Best Watch Ever?! | Know Your Complications | Diving Deep | Part II

Why I Bought It (The Day Before It Was Discontinued): Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 with White Dial Ref. 114300

After years of consideration, Bhanu Chopra took the plunge and bought both a Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 mm and a Submariner Reference 114060. And less than 24 hours after finally taking ownership of them, Rolex discontinued both watches! Here he shares the story of how it all went down. Spoiler alert: he couldn't be happier!

The Evergreens - The History of the IWC Ingenieur, the Technical Watch of Schaffhausen

The IWC Ingenieur collection has long been one of the pillars of the Schaffhausen-based brand’s reputation, even if the spotlight often seems to shine brighter on the emblematic Pilot series. In recent years, IWC collections like the Pilot, Portugieser, Portofino, and, to a lesser extent, the Aquatimer have steadily introduced new references, leaving the Ingenieur line seemingly in the shadows. For a […]

Bring a Loupe: An Observatory Dial Audemars Piguet, A Square Patek, And Not A Single Rolex

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.

H. Moser Introduces a New Pioneer Tourbillon with a Burgundy Dial

For H. Moser’s first release of 2025, they’ve added a new reference to the Pioneer collection in the still somewhat new 40mm case. I’ve been a fan of the Pioneer for what it represents in the Moser catalog for some time. Moser is a very high end indie that is responsible for a lot of truly interesting and innovative watchmaking, but the Pioneer has existed as a (somewhat) accessible access point to the brand that gives you a lot of Moser style, and, frankly, a good chunk of the watchmaking that makes the brand special. I reviewed the “Mega-Cool” Pioneer all the way back in 2021, and came away impressed with the aesthetic even if I felt like the case perhaps a tad too big. The new, smaller, 40mm case is Moser’s answer to many of their clients who were asking for this watch in a smaller size, and while there is indeed a 40mm Pioneer on the accessible side, here Moser is using the platform for a watchmaking flex. The Pioneer Tourbillon Burgundy is a new 40mm Pioneer running on Moser’s HMC 805 automatic caliber with a deep burgundy dial and a red gold case. Red gold and burgundy certainly feel like a natural combination, and the watch seems to exude a warmth that makes it particularly appealing in these dark winter months (although, to be fair, this watch has a place on the beach as well).  If you only know the Pioneer in its 43mm guise, you really owe it to yourself to get the 40mm version on your wrist. It wears completely differently and changes the impact of...

Introducing - A Stylish Green Dial for the Accessible Steel Frederique Constant Classic Tourbillon Manufacture

Frederique Constant has gone a long way in proving that its “accessible luxury” slogan is not an empty catchphrase. Offering high-end complications in its Manufacture collection, Frederique Constant shook up the market with the release of a perpetual calendar for under EUR 8,000 and a tourbillon and perpetual calendar combo in steel for under EUR […]

Bamford Introduces their First Dive Watch, the D-300

There was a time not too long ago when hearing the name “Bamford” conjured images of customized luxury watches of all stripes, sometimes with a level of taste that would make many enthusiasts sneer. That’s the nature of custom watches, though. The designs come from the mind of the owner as much as the customizer, and hardcore enthusiasts have really never been too keen on modifying, for example, stainless steel Rolex sports watches. So the fact that Bamford is now synonymous not with custom tweaked watches (although they still do this, primarily with LVMH brands) but affordable and accessible watches geared directly toward the enthusiast market is a turn that few would have predicted a decade or so ago. But it seems to be a reflection of where Bamford Watch Department’s founder George Bamford’s interests really lie.  Their latest is perhaps the brand’s most ambitious creation to date. After gaining steam over the past few years with a series of well received character watches (including a number of whimsical GMTs), Bamford has pivoted to a new dive watch concept featuring a ceramic case and a bunch of little design details that make it stand out. The new D-300 diver is available in a total of four colors: white, black, navy and green. The ceramic bit here is actually an outer shell around a titanium core, a method of case construction widely used in the watch industry that helps strengthen the case and also control costs (these watches come in at $1,950). The ...