Earlier this week, French luxury powerhouse LVMH staged its first Watch Week in Dubai to showcase the novelties of its four brands, Bvlgari, Hublot, Zenith and TAG Heuer (even though the latter had no new watches on display), which we’ve covered on MONOCHROME. But to end this rather intense week, let’s take a look at […]
While the time-only automatic model, the shockingly thin tourbillon automatic and the recently presented chronograph have been at centre stage in the Octo Finissimo collection, we shouldn’t forget one of the earliest watches presented in this saga of world records… The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater. First introduced in matte titanium, and followed by a […]
No watch enthusiast can overlook Bvlgari’s hegemony of the ultra-thin category. The formula is simple: 5 stunning watches, 5 world records, 1 great design. Not only is the Octo Finissimo a demonstration of mechanical savoir-faire but it is also a treaty of modern design. Until now, the “simplest” of the watches in this collection, the […]
Monochromatic, full-black, stealth… What a bold watch! While the classic titanium or steel versions of the Octo Finissimo Automatic need little or no introduction anymore, fewer might know that a full black ceramic version was also introduced at Baselworld 2019 – well, it wasn’t forgotten by someone from the team who declared it as “one […]
The third ultra-thin tourbillon model to join Breguet’s Classique family in 2019, the reference 5395, is about as anachronic as they come. Unlike the former references, with their classic dials and large aperture for the off-centred tourbillon, this watch has been stripped of every last vestment. There is nothing, literally, between the spectator and the […]
Time and time only… When Blancpain introduced the new Villeret Ultraplate 6605 at Time To Move, we called it “the most understated of all Blancpain watches“, in a very positive way. Essential, elegant, restrained and at the same greatly executed, this watch was a pleasant surprise. Well, after the steel and red gold models, it […]
In 2018, Audemars Piguet introduced a concept watch named RD#2. It was based on a Royal Oak, it was very thin, it was even 2mm thinner than the iconic Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin 15202. The most impressive feature was that it even comprised a perpetual calendar. This year, Audemars Piguet introduces the final version of […]
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and its full ceramic Perpetual Calendar versions – full black and now white too – have been some of the most sought-after modern watches for some years now. You understand why when you handle these watches… The full ceramic case and bracelet are nothing but superbly executed. To add to […]
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and its iconic octagonal case and integrated bracelet need no introduction. It is one of the most iconic watches of the industry and the one that sparked the “Luxury Sports Watch” concept (and its subsequent fame). This watch has been revisited in hundreds of editions, complications and materials. Ceramic, a […]
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak SelfWinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, which started its life as a prototype watch named RD#2, is one of these watches that look so right. It is at once a superb design object and a highly engineered piece of horological ingenuity. Of course, it is the thinnest perpetual calendar wristwatch. But interestingly, its development was not initiated to break any record. The idea was simply to design a perpetual calendar Royal Oak that could easily slip under any cuff…