Category: Dress Watches

Elegance in Purity – Up Close & Personal with The Laurent Ferrier Galet Micro-Rotor “Montre Ecole”

“Purity” is, to me, a very desirable notion. This word has a great echo in my books and really is positively oriented. Nothing like “clean” or “uncluttered”. I personally have a soft spot for minimalistic design, for the beauty of a shape and of proportions, for the delicate curves and angles that create an object and that makes it bold, unique and desirable. I love minimalistic and simple approach in design, in furnitures, in architecture and, surprisingly (or not…), in watches. To me, purity also goes along the word detail; because purity and simplicity doesn’t mean void. And that’s where purity becomes beauty… and this where the Laurent Ferrier Galet Micro-Rotor “Montre Ecole” caught me.

8 years ago

Pure… In Green – Introducing the H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Small Seconds XL Purity Cosmic Green

As of now, you should know that H. Moser & Cie hallmark is all about purity – and a certain rebellious spirit about a touchy subject, Swiss Made… Purity goes all along Moser watches, from the uncluttered dials, to the lack of logos (that is simply unique in the industry) or the case. Yet, purity doesn’t mean plain, boring or void of interest. The brand achieved to be bold, with no artifices. How? With a distinctive shape, distinctive dials and, more surprising, bright colors. Following the spirit of the Funky Blue dial, which has become the brand’s signature, H. Moser & Cie. now introduces the Venturer Small Seconds XL, their largest watch, now in a “Purity” version and with an audacious Cosmic Green dial.

8 years ago

REVIEW – The Ateliers deMonaco Admiral Chronograph Flyback Saphir

If some of you might know this watch manufacture by now (thanks to a coverage here, at Monochrome), Ateliers deMonaco is clearly not the most famous of them all… Which, in all honesty, is rather a pity, as the brand has a lot to offer. Forget about the affiliation with the Frédérique Constant Group. Ateliers deMonaco plays in a different league (with a collection that comprises tourbillons, minute repeaters or Hallmark of Geneva watches…) and their latest creation has some appeal, both aesthetically and technically. Here is our review of the Ateliers deMonaco Admiral Chronograph Flyback Saphir.

8 years ago

REVIEW – Lebois & Co Avantgarde Date Re-Launch Edition

Finding inspiration is always a tricky thing. One can find it in the conviction of a certain theme, or in an innovative (and sometimes difficult) new way to indicate time, or in the historical perspective (to give just three possibilities). The “easiest” of these is resurrecting a brand that has been long gone. It gives you reference, backstory and something to build on. You already have some sort of foundation. Let’s investigate this with a Monochrome-style review of the Lebois & Co Avantgarde Date Re-launch Edition, an example of a brand that has been out of business for about 80 years now!

8 years ago

More Curves, More Purity, 100% Swiss – Introducing the H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Purity

Undoubtedly the most emblematic watch of the H. Moser & Cie collection, the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar is a piece that we covered (and praised, and reviewed) several times here, on Monochrome-Watches (here or here for instance). it has even been the play field for a concept, in what is to date the cleanest QP you can imagine (too clean? Maybe, but the point is not here). With their now usual “no logo” minimalistic dial approach and the new #MakeSwissMadeGreatAgain approach, H. Moser & Cie revamp their QP, with the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Purity. New case, new dial, same super-clever movement… and now 100% Swiss Made.

8 years ago

Review – Urban Jürgensen 1140C, and the Detent Escapement Explained

Three times a seconds… At first glance the Urban Jürgensen & Sonner (UJ&S) 1140C is an alluring dress watch with the traditional attention to detail and lavish craftsmanship that goes into all the brand’s timepieces. Take a closer look though and you will notice the unusual, almost jerking motion of its seconds hand, which actually moves three times a second. Not just a pretty face, the reference 1140C is powered by sophisticated mechanics regulated by a detent escapement, a grail of chronometry adapted to fit in a wristwatch.

8 years ago

Hands-On – The Colorful 40mm Piaget Altiplano Automatic “Back To Basics” Collection

For now 60 years, the Piaget Altiplano has been one of the best (if not the most remarkable) definitions of what a slim, elegant and sleek dress watch should be. It has it all: the pedigree, the mechanical content, the design… Yet, in the recent days, the Altiplano might have lost a bit of boldness to become a clean and modern watch, yet with the usual attributes of the collection. For the SIHH 2017 and to mark the 60th anniversary of the model, Piaget brings back some eccentricity to the Altiplano and historically relevant features, with the new colorful 40mm Piaget Altiplano Automatic.

8 years ago

First Look – Bulgari Octo Roma, When The Iconic Octogonal Watch Becomes Softer

Since over a decade now (designed by Bulgari’s Roman design department in 2004), the Octo has become the iconic watch collection of the brand, known for its delicate and precious jewellery creations but also now for some distinctive watchmaking products (see the Finissimo collection and you’ll understand…) Yet, as desirable this watch is, it is a razor-sharp design, with no fewer than 110 facets and a shape that can’t go unnoticed. This year, the brand gives an answer to those for whom the Octo is simply too bold, with a more delicate and softer creation, still impregnated with the Octagonal DNA, the Bulgari Octo Roma.

8 years ago