The Manero Collection has been a MONOCHROME favourite within the Carl F. Bucherer line-up for a long time. For simple reasons: these are the most elegant, refined watches and it comprises the most complex movements (including in-house ones). In addition to the Chronograph Perpetual, The Lucerne-based Manufacture has just added a QP-only watch to its …
The Toric was the first watch ever designed by Michel Parmigiani back in 1996. The collection was reintroduced at SIHH 2017 with the elegant Toric Chronomètre, a subdued, less complex take on the original case design. It is now presented in a stylish travel watch version with the Toric Hémisphères Rétrograde. The result is simply superb and the model has been awarded at the prestigious GPHG in the 2017 Travel Time category. Read on to learn more.
Recently, Xavier and I had the pleasure to visit Patek Philippe’s manufacture, from the case and bracelet factory to the Haute Horlogerie ateliers. It’s only once you’ve been there that you can understand that something special is going on, especially at the HH workshop. Patek Philippe minute repeaters, which are manufactured there, have always been known to be best-in-class. And believe me, they are. To understand why we had the rare opportunity to go hands-on with the latest addition to the collection, the Patek Philippe 5178G – which is also the occasion to explain the concept of Cathedral Gongs and, of course, we have the sound too.
Waiting can be such a drag… but not with this Hermès that helps you find joy in waiting, keeping your eyes on L’Heure Impatiente. We go hands-on with this alarm watch with proper good manners, a respectable mechanical pedigree and a design that is both elegant and original.
Recently, we introduced to you the Nomos Orion “De Stijl” Limited Edition, a watch made especially for the Dutch market and retailed exclusively by Ace Jewelers. Celebrating the 100th-anniversary of Dutch art movement De Stijl, it featured the classic, almost austere design of the brand, however here combined with an undeniable, yet discreet creative madness. Enough for us here to have the itch and want to see what this watch does on the wrist… with a special mention for our Founder Frank Geelen, himself a Dutchman.
The Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase Manufacture is no stranger to us. It even is a cornerstone of FC’s collection. We’ve already covered it when it has been launched with an elegant ivory dial and we reviewed it in its dark blue dial version. One thing is sure, it’s a watch that we loved. Affordable, well-made, well-powered and elegant. Yet, an evolution is around the corner, as a new version with classical Roman Numerals is about to hit the stores.
The Reverso… A classic among the classics. It is indeed such a watch, however, there’s nothing wrong with a good old classic watch and the Reverso proves it after almost 90 years of existence (its creation dates back 1931). Done in dozens of variations, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces a new model as part of the Pre-SIHH 2018 collection: a Reverso Tribute Duoface elegantly dressed in pink gold and combined with a superb leather strap done by Argentinian bootmaker Casa Fagliano.
My wrist is a lucky one as I get to test a lot of seriously brilliant wrist watches. Whether it’s the understated Galet Square Tourbillon Double Spiral from Laurent Ferrier, the magnificent Datograph from A. Lange & Söhne, the ultra-thin and über-clean Piaget Altiplano in white gold, or even the € 60.000 Euro impressive Grand Seiko Spring Drive 8-Days, I get to test (and enjoy) some of the most spectacular timepieces of our time. When I got the call from my fellow countrymen Bart and Tim Grönefeld, that they finally secured a 1941 Remontoire for me to test, I was delighted and excited. Here are my thoughts on the Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire that now also comes with bespoke dials featuring guilloche and translucent enamel.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at a German-made dress watch that’s not quite a dress watch, the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence with black dial. Modern, stylish and just a little bit quirky, it exudes a sense of casual elegance that is really quite appealing. Comfortable on the wrist and guaranteed to attract more than its fair share of attention, this is definitely an under-the-radar watch that deserves a second look. Read on for all the details.