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3,312 articles · 311 videos found · page 62 of 121

Sunday Morning Showdown: Seiko SRPE05 “King Turtle” Vs. Certina DS Super PH1000M “Sea Turtle Conservancy” Fratello
Certina DS Super PH1000M “Sea Aug 25, 2024

Sunday Morning Showdown: Seiko SRPE05 “King Turtle” Vs. Certina DS Super PH1000M “Sea Turtle Conservancy”

Welcome to this Sunday Morning Showdown “Summer Edition.” Last week, we put two high-end golden travel timers up against each other. This week, two stainless steel divers from the more affordable side of the watch spectrum will battle it out. Both the Seiko SRPE05 “King Turtle” and the Certina DS Super PH1000M STC (short for […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Seiko SRPE05 “King Turtle” Vs. Certina DS Super PH1000M “Sea Turtle Conservancy” to read the full article.

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An Omega Seamaster Diver 300M for the 37th America’s Cup SJX Watches
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Aug 21, 2024

An Omega Seamaster Diver 300M for the 37th America’s Cup

As the official timekeeper of the 37th America’s Cup soon taking place in Barcelona, Omega is marking the occasion with the Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup. A time-only version of the brand’s signature dive watch, the latest Seamaster features most of Omega’s material and movement innovations, including a laser-engraved ceramic dial and METAS-certified Master Chronometer movement. The special edition also sports yachting-specific elements, including a blue ceramic bezel with a regatta countdown scale and a seconds hand counterweight in the form of the America’s Cup trophy. Initial thoughts As a special or limited edition, the new Seamaster is not especially interesting since Omega does a lot of them, with several commemorative editions for each sporting events it’s part of. And it’s not just for sports but also the James Bond film franchise. But as a new Seamaster, the America’s Cup edition works well. For one it’s a good value proposition at US$6,500 on a bracelet, particularly given the specs and features. At the same time, the blue-and-white aesthetic is appealing, especially with the clean, no-date look. And there’s the subtle detail on the minute hand with a gradual colour fade finish that is novel and so far unique in the Omega catalogue. So leaving aside that it’s yet another commemorative watch – it could do without the large logo on the sapphire back – the America’s Cup edition stands out as of the more appealing Seamaster models. A...

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Glashütte Original Adds Bright Colours to the Seventies Chronograph SJX Watches
Glashütte Original Adds Bright Colours Aug 19, 2024

Glashütte Original Adds Bright Colours to the Seventies Chronograph

Glashütte Original (GO) drops two new variations of the Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date, with dials in striking colours: “Swimming Pool” turquoise or “Watermelon” coral red. Featuring a cushion-shaped case modelled on the 1970s watches made by GO’s East German predecessor, the Seventies Chronograph is equipped with the in-house cal. 37-02, a high-spec calibre decorated in the brand’s recognisable, German-inspired style. Initial thoughts Having debuted a decade ago, the Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date been iterated in several colours, including ochre, grey-blue, grey, and green. Despite the excellent movement, especially in this price range, the Seventies Chronograph hasn’t really gained much traction, perhaps because of the chunky proportions and retro style – which is quite contradictory since current tastes lean towards vintage-inspired watches with comparable vintage-style size. Priced at US$16,000, the Seventies Chronograph is priced well, particularly considering the in-house movement. The Seventies Chronograph is proof that does GO does movements well, though its designs might not be for everyone. GUB styling The TV-screen case is inspired by 1970s watches made by VEB Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe, or GUB for short, the state-owned watchmaking enterprise of East Germany. GUB was later privatised and evolved into today’s GO. While the East German originals were no frills, the Seventies Chronograph has quality of make. Water resistant to 100m, th...

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Hands On: Chanel Monsieur Superleggera Intense Black Edition SJX Watches
Chanel Monsieur Superleggera Intense Black Aug 15, 2024

Hands On: Chanel Monsieur Superleggera Intense Black Edition

First conceived as an auto-racing inspired take on its jumping hour wristwatch, the Monsieur de Chanel Superleggera Intense Black Edition is the second iteration of the model. Retaining the same design as the original Monsieur Superleggera, the Intense Black Edition is powered by the Caliber 1, a thoughtfully constructed in-house movement. Italian for “super light”, Superleggera is named after the lightweight body-on-frame race cars of the 1930s, a reference to the ceramic-on-steel construction of the Monsieur case. Initial thoughts The original Chanel Monsieur was proof that “fashion” brands can create watches as good as, or better than, their traditional watchmaking counterparts. I liked it for the fact that the design of both the watch and the movement were cohesive, illustrating an attention to detail – right down to the shape of the balance wheel and typography – that most watch brands lack. The Marble Edition is a particular favourite. A sportier and slightly larger version of the original, the Monsieur Superleggera has a more designed aesthetic with the textured, open-worked dial and crown guards, but the design still remains cohesive. It has just the right amount of detail, including the applied retro “Superleggera” logo. Styling aside, the movement remains the same and excellent. Besides the unusual complications – jumping hours and retrograde minutes in a vertically symmetrically layout – the Caliber 1 has a distinctive construction that show...

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Monterey I & II: The (Almost) Forgotten First Watches of Louis Vuitton Quill & Pad
Louis Vuitton Many think Aug 11, 2024

Monterey I & II: The (Almost) Forgotten First Watches of Louis Vuitton

Many think that Louis Vuitton's first watch was the Tambour, which was launched in 2002. However the brand actually began with a watch collection called Monterey in the 1980s. The Monterey I, an unusual worldtime watch designed by Gae Aulenti with date and moon phase, was soon followed by the ceramic-encased Monterey II that added an alarm function.

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Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe Gets a Red Gold Bracelet SJX Watches
Blancpain s Bathyscaphe Gets Aug 7, 2024

Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe Gets a Red Gold Bracelet

Blancpain range of vintage inspired dive watches grows to include a pair of top-of-the-line models, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet and Chronographe Flyback, both in 18k red gold with a matching red gold bracelet. Previously available only with a fabric strap, the new duo feature a gradient blue dial with a sun-ray finish and a matching blue ceramic bezel insert.  Initial thoughts First released in 1956 as a more compact version of the Fifty Fathoms, the Bathyscaphe was reissued as a sportier and smaller sibling of the modern-day Fifty Fathoms. The Bathyscaphe line encompasses complications and various materials, including the recent all-ceramic models. The new pair continue to extend the line in terms of materials; they are the only models in the entire Fifty Fathoms range with a matching gold bracelet. The all-gold look is of course not for everyone, but the new pair have an extravagant appeal, particularly the chronograph that looks and feels like an ultra-luxe sports watch. The all-gold look, however, comes at a price. Both are cost US$55,300, which is far from the accessible price point of their all-ceramic counterparts. The price is arguably justified by Blancpain’s easily discernible quality, though the brand lacks the cachet of its peers in the same price segment, which makes these high-end models a very niche offering.  The red gold models are also available with a fabric strap. Fully red gold Both the Bathyscaphe Quantième Complet and Chr...

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Value Buys Pre-Owned from Establishment Brands SJX Watches
Rolex Jul 30, 2024

Value Buys Pre-Owned from Establishment Brands

Whilst many dream of owning a watch from one of the great Swiss watchmakers, the price points at retail can be discouraging for those on a budget. So where does this leave the enthusiast who wants to dip his or her toes into the world of high-end watchmaking? A little digging into lesser-known models, which we present here. We’re not just discussing the most inexpensive watches from Rolex and the “Holy Trinity”, since that’s too obvious and mundane. So instead, we bring you five watches that are not necessarily the most affordable, but amongst the best value propositions. Majority of the five presented below are ancestors of current-production models, and one is a less popular recent launch. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116509, first-generation with meteorite dial Rolex is well known for dials in a variety of unique materials such as mineral stones and mother of pearl. Arguably more exotic, at least at the time of its launch, was meteorite. Whilst it’s not exactly known when the first meteorite dials were introduced by Rolex, the material has a constant in its catalogue for some two decades now. The latest meteorite additions to the line were the Daytona models of 2021, but the Daytona has in fact sported a meteorite dial before. In the early 2004 the material was combined with white gold for the first Daytona with a meteorite dial. It was available on a leather strap or a white gold bracelet, which is the version to go for. This first-generation Rolex ref. 1165...

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Retrospective – What are The World’s Thinnest Watches Per Category? Monochrome
Jul 26, 2024

Retrospective – What are The World’s Thinnest Watches Per Category?

Ultra-thin watchmaking is a fascinating topic, one of our favourite areas of expertise here, at MONOCHROME. Ultra-thin watchmaking is horology at its purest, a no-compromise search for the slenderest movement that has to be considered a true complication. While high-watchmaking often seeks to bring as many complications as possible in a single movement, ultra-thinness is […]

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First Look – Montblanc’s Deep Diver, The Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 Monochrome
Montblanc s Deep Diver Jul 25, 2024

First Look – Montblanc’s Deep Diver, The Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810

A deep dive watch from a brand with a name referring to Europe’s highest mountain, specialized in making high-end fountain pens…? Surprising, to say the least. Surely, there’s more to Montblanc than what I just described. Indeed, the brand has long been active in watchmaking, producing appealing dress watches and superb chronographs equipped with Minerva […]

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Video – A Closer Look at Laurent Ferrier’s Natural Escapement and the Micro-Rotor Movement Monochrome
Laurent Ferrier Jul 17, 2024

Video – A Closer Look at Laurent Ferrier’s Natural Escapement and the Micro-Rotor Movement

Today, for our latest in-depth video, we’re going technical. This is what MONOCHROME is all about, after all. Sharing the knowledge behind fine horology and understanding how our beloved mechanical watches actually work. Today’s topic is one dear to our hearts, as it combines everything we love in fine watchmaking: high-end finishing, mechanical ingenuity, profound […]

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ProTek Adds an Automatic Movement to the 1210 Automatic Series Worn & Wound
Jul 11, 2024

ProTek Adds an Automatic Movement to the 1210 Automatic Series

ProTek owner Barry Cohen is not what you would call a novice when it comes to tritium-illuminated timepieces. He pioneered the genre as Luminox’s original owner and founder, the brand that revolutionized tactical-style watches with continuous illumination capabilities. Thirty-five years later, he now leads another tritium-focused brand called ProTek, which manufactures watches for those working in challenging environments. They use only high-quality components that can withstand harsh conditions. ProTek is proud to be approved and recognized as an Official Watch of the United States Marine Corps, a testament to the ruggedness and reliability of their timepieces. These watches are as tough as the service members who wear them, enduring the most adverse environments. If they can endure the challenges of the USMC, you can trust their performance on your wrist. In June 2024, they launched a new automatic version of their popular Official USMC dive watch, available in multiple colors. These watches feature 42mm cases made of carbon composite, a material known for its lightweight and extreme durability. The unidirectional rotating bezel is also made of this material, ensuring the watch’s resilience. The screw-down stainless steel case provides 300 meters of water resistance and features an embossed USMC logo. To maintain this rating, the screw-down crown is equipped with multiple O-ring gaskets. The dial, hands, and bezel pip are equipped with ProTek’s ProGlo tritium illum...

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Introducing the Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite Two Broke Watch Snobs
Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite Jul 11, 2024

Introducing the Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite

Christopher Ward has long been known for bridging the gap between high-end watches and accessibility. Their latest release, the C65 Super Compressor Elite, is a masterclass in this philosophy. A tribute to vintage dive watches, it blends cutting-edge technology with a nostalgic design that harkens back to the golden era of underwater exploration. Let’s dive into the details.

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Five Great Grab-and-Go Quartz Watches Under $1,000 Worn & Wound
Jul 10, 2024

Five Great Grab-and-Go Quartz Watches Under $1,000

Whether you’re a seasoned high horology watch enthusiast, or a dedicated sports watch collector, everyone needs at least 1 or 2 easy to wear quartz watches. There are times when you don’t want something attention grabbing on your wrist, times when you’re in a rush out the door, and also some situations where you don’t want to risk damaging or getting a valuable watch unnecessarily dirty if you can avoid it. This is where the lovely quartz watch segment saves us.  Not all Quartz watches fall into this ideology though, after all there are Quartz powered Royal Oaks and various other ultra high-end quartz watches that would serve no replacement as a beater watch. The watches we’re going to discuss today generally veer more towards affordability without compromise. These are watches that can be just as interesting as their mechanical counterparts – but they also serve as a “simple decision” watch, or perhaps just as a change of pace away from the mechanical theme within your personal collection. G-SHOCK GWM5610-1 ($150) Does G-SHOCK really need an introduction? Not really. This is a brand that’s become just as venerable as some of the most prestigious watch houses in the industry. They’ve built a name for themselves as being indestructible digital sports watches with resin cases that make excellent everyday wear watches. While the brand has a huge repertoire of models, some of them such as the GWM5610-1, truly stand out for their aesthetics as well as their...

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Airain and Seconde/Seconde/ Team Up for a Surprisingly Whimsical Take on the Type 20 Worn & Wound
Breguet Jul 10, 2024

Airain and Seconde/Seconde/ Team Up for a Surprisingly Whimsical Take on the Type 20

Montres Airain began in 1934 and quickly became well known for producing reliable, high-quality timepieces. During the 1950s and 1960s, they were among the chosen suppliers of the Type 20 Chronograph for the French Army, alongside Breguet and Dodane. In 2020, Airain was revived after being purchased from a French entrepreneur and watch enthusiast. The brand has been thriving ever since with a string of aviation inspired releases, starting with their new version of the highly sought-after “Type 20” Flyback Chronograph. New for 2024, in a surprise collaboration, Airain has teamed up seconde/seconde/ to add a touch of whimsy to the austere Type 20 design. The new Airain Type 20 x seconde/seconde/ “Up in the Air” limited edition is based on the original Flyback Chronograph design. Romaric André, the designer otherwise known as seconde/seconde/, envisioned bringing back this iconic piece to its rightful place in the sky and in France. Hence, the subdials create the illusion of airplane portholes looking out on pixelated 8-bit clouds, with the left subdial offering a glimpse of the tip of the Eiffel Tower. He explains his intentions on the case back, and the inclusion of the Eiffel Tower serves as a reminder of the watch’s heritage and its connection to French aviation. This flyback chronograph’s stainless steel case measures 39mm in diameter (39.5mm across the bezel), 14.77mm to the top of the double-domed sapphire crystal, and 47.7mm from lug tip to lug tip. The c...

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Introducing – The Ulysse Nardin Diver Atoll with a Mesmerising Chrysocolla Dial Monochrome
Ulysse Nardin Diver Atoll Jul 10, 2024

Introducing – The Ulysse Nardin Diver Atoll with a Mesmerising Chrysocolla Dial

Ulysse Nardin has always been associated with the sea, from its early days as a purveyor of precision marine chronometers to its current nautical-inspired collection, which includes classical references like the Marine Torpilleur or more contemporary, high-performance Divers. Offered in three case sizes, the more compact 39mm model returns with a stunning mottled neon blue […]

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Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G Vs. 5212A - Two Entryways Into The World Of Contemporary Patek Philippe Fratello
Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G Vs 5212A Jul 9, 2024

Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G Vs. 5212A - Two Entryways Into The World Of Contemporary Patek Philippe

There is so much to say about Patek Philippe, arguably the most significant and venerable watchmaker in high-end Swiss watchmaking. The brand certainly displays a mastery of complications. Perhaps even more relevant to today’s watch industry, Patek Philippe also expertly balances tradition with modernity. While the brand is famous for creating traditional, subdued, understated luxury, […] Visit Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119G Vs. 5212A - Two Entryways Into The World Of Contemporary Patek Philippe to read the full article.

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Introducing – The Andersen Genève x BCHH Celestial Voyager “Sunset over Cappadocia” Version 2 Monochrome
Jul 8, 2024

Introducing – The Andersen Genève x BCHH Celestial Voyager “Sunset over Cappadocia” Version 2

Longtime Singaporean collector Benjamin Chee had a dream of creating beautiful, high-end watches. To manifest his vision, he created the BCHH (Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie) brand and reached out to master watchmaker Svend Andersen of Andersen Genève to create the Celestial Voyager, a sophisticated world timer with a handcrafted enamel dial. Following the sold-out success […]

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REVIEW: Hands-On With The Seiko Prospex Marinemaster WatchAdvice
Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Jul 8, 2024

REVIEW: Hands-On With The Seiko Prospex Marinemaster

In this latest hands-on review, we look at Seiko’s Prospex Marinmaster, a reinterpretation of the brand’s first-ever 1965 diver’s watch. What We Love: The mix of brushed and polished surfaces on the case, bracelet and dial The dial pattern and colour are stunning in person. Open case back showing movement for the first time in a Seiko diver. What We Don’t: The bracelet clasp design is not suited for high-end Seiko divers. Open case back could show more of the movement. The date window could have been placed better for a more balanced dial view. Overall Rating: 8.6/10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 Seiko first introduced a trio of Prospex Marinemaster models in late 2023. These timepieces merged two of the brand’s best heritage diver timepieces, the Marinemaster from 2000 and the classic first-ever Seiko divers watch, the 1965 62MAS. Combining two signature designs to make a brand new modern diver’s timepiece. The 2023 Prospex Marinemaster models showcase Seiko’s renowned craftsmanship and dedication to creating excellent dive watches. The collection uses a rugged design along with beautiful dial aesthetics to make it known that it can be used as both a tool watch and a daily wearer. The Prospex Marinemaster also uses the iconic Seiko watch designs from the above-mentioned references. Original 1965 62MAS Diver watch (left) vs modern re-interpretation Save The Ocean Limited Edition (right) Seiko is well known ...

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Hands-On With The New Brellum Pandial Marina Bicompax Titanium Chronometer Fratello
Jul 5, 2024

Hands-On With The New Brellum Pandial Marina Bicompax Titanium Chronometer

Today’s Brellum Pandial Marina Bicompax Titanium Chronometer visited us at Fratello HQ, and we were left impressed by the brand’s latest release. Brellum focuses on numbered, low-production editions with a high value-to-price ratio. This piece may be the most compelling yet. It’s hard not to be cynical when looking at the prices of new watches. […] Visit Hands-On With The New Brellum Pandial Marina Bicompax Titanium Chronometer to read the full article.

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First Look – The New Norqain Neverest GMT Glacier 41mm and Glacier 40mm Monochrome
Norqain Neverest GMT Glacier 41mm Jul 5, 2024

First Look – The New Norqain Neverest GMT Glacier 41mm and Glacier 40mm

Norqain has consolidated a repertoire of watches to tackle the great outdoors. Robust, well-designed, contemporary models that can take their fair share of adversity and still look good, Norqain is back this summer with a versatile GMT travel companion and a rugged three-hander, both from the brand’s Neverest collection, fitted with high-performance, chronometer-rated Kenissi manufacture […]

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Interview – A Business-Oriented Conversation with Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie Monochrome
H. Moser & Cie MELB does Jul 3, 2024

Interview – A Business-Oriented Conversation with Edouard Meylan, CEO of H. Moser & Cie

MELB, does that mean anything to you? The acronym hides a discreet family group, active in various high-added-value fields including, of course, watchmaking. However, one of its components is well-known, through its collections: Endeavour, Streamliner, and Pioneer to name just three. We are talking about H. Moser & Cie and MeylanEdouardLeonoreBertrand (MELB), founded by the […]

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