Introducing – Leica Camera Enters The Watch Game with the L1 & L2 Models

While cars and watches are known to be highly related worlds, photography and watches apparently don’t share many links. Yet, several already existing examples showed this connection – think Ming watches by photographer Ming Thein or shutter-inspired Valbray watches. Today, the story is different, as it’s one of the most prominent camera manufacturers that is entering the watch game, you name it: Leica. With “Made in Germany” in mind and quite an impressive mechanical package, meet the Leica L1 & L2 watches.

6 years ago

Review – Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 5524R – A Time For Reconciliation

Let’s be honest… The Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 5524G (the white gold version) was a hot topic of discussion when launched at Baselworld 2015. Whatever the intrinsic qualities of this watch, it has been misunderstood. Too early, too radical, too different maybe. 3 years have passed now and there’s a new version in the collection, now in rose gold with a warm brown dial, under the ref. 5524R. With this new combination of colours, we think it’s time for the reconciliation. Let’s have a closer look at the now very-Patekish Rose gold Calatrava Pilot.

6 years ago

Hands-on – Schwarz Etienne Roma GMT – Clean Lines and Fine Mechanics

It is not the first time we talk about Schwarz Etienne on MONOCHROME. This independent brand, based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, shows an impressive level of integration – especially given its rather modest size. It is one of the few brands to develop and manufacture its in-house movements and parts, including the hairspring. Today, we take a look at one of the classic yet highly pleasant watches of the Roma collection, the Schwarz Etienne Roma GMT.

6 years ago

Hands-on – The Complex Glashütte Original Senator Cosmopolite Now in Steel

The vast majority of people are comfortable with watches simply displaying hours and minutes but multiple time-zone watches are (and we can tell thanks to our own experience) useful for globetrotters or those who need to keep track of time in different countries. With the Senator Cosmopolite, Glashütte Original’s take on the complication is packed with a unique set of features, making for a highly functional and original travel watch. Initially launched in gold in 2015, its sophisticated mechanism is now cased in steel – thus more accessible (or, at least, less expensive).

7 years ago

Women’s Watch Wednesday – Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 7234R Lady

The turbulence generated by Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref.5524 seems to have abated and the model has landed as a stable member of the Calatrava family. In addition to a fresh iteration of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time for men in warm rose gold, Patek unveiled its first self-winding Travel Time model for women just ahead of Baselworld in an unprecedented move for the brand via an Instagram campaign. There have been choice pickings in the complications arena for women at Patek Philippe in 2018 with the launch of the manual-winding ladies’ chronograph in a round case and this pilot’s watch for women. Equipped with a useful dual time function, Ref. 7234R is housed in refined 37.5mm rose gold case with a glossy chocolate-brown dial decorated with vintage touches. The tasteful combination of rose gold and brown is quintessential Patek making this an excellent choice for globetrotting women, while the sporty, slightly manly charisma of a pilot’s watch will appeal to all those Amelia Earhart out there with a taste for high-flying adventures.

7 years ago

Introducing – Bell & Ross Vintage BRV2-93 GMT (With Live Pics)

Unlike the hallmark circle-within-a-square BR01 or BR03 models, the recently updated Vintage collection by Bell & Ross remains first and foremost a pilot’s watch. Apart from the chronograph, what could be the next most relevant complication to have on such a watch? Well, the answer is a GMT function, of course. Aware of that, Bell & Ross presents the Vintage BRV2-93 GMT with a 24-hour central hand and a rotating bezel – the perfect watch for travellers and pilots crossing time zones.

7 years ago

Review – The Rolex GMT-Master II 126711 CHNR – “Root Beer” 2.0

If you love authentic tool watches, then you were probably pretty happy with Rolex this year. With all the hype surrounding the unveiling of the highly anticipated Rolex GMT Master II “Pepsi” 126710 BLRO in steel, however, you may have missed that the company also introduced two other GMT Master II models at Baselworld. Both feature the brand’s proprietary 18ct Everose gold – the first time it’s ever been used in this range – and both channel the spirit of a rather quirky model from the 1960’s, affectionately referred to as the “Root Beer” GMT. Today we’re going hands-on with the two-tone/Rolesor version – the GMT-Master II 126711 CHNR – to see how it matches up against its legendary ancestor.

7 years ago

Hands-on – TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 02 GMT Chronograph – Travelling in the Fast Lane

The Carrera, a pillar of TAG Heuer’s identity, turns 55 this year and is feted with a rush of Carrera models, including this racy 45mm Carrera Chronograph GMT fitted with the souped-up in-house Heuer 02 movement. Displaying the 3-6-9 chronograph configuration of the original Carrera, TAG Heuer steams ahead and embraces a contemporary skeletonised look to ensure the Carrera stays in the fast lane.

7 years ago

Buying Guide – The Best GMT/Traveller’s Watches Introduced at Baselworld 2018

GMT Watches… How not to look at this specific category when the star of the show this year, at Baselworld 2018, featured such a complication. You name it: the Rolex GMT Pepsi Steel. Yet, that was not the only Traveller’s watch to be introduced during the fair. In fact, we’ve seen some pretty interesting new offers. Here are 7 very different watches, from an elegant Patek to an ultra-robust Oris, but all with the same purpose: displaying multiple time-zones.

7 years ago

Baselworld 2018 – Tudor Black Bay GMT Pepsi Bezel 79830RB

Every year, the Tudor fans can’t wait to see what the brand will be releasing at Baselworld. The prediction game is over as Tudor has just unveiled its novelties for the 2018 edition of the watch and jewelry show. Among these, the new Tudor Black Bay GMT – with certainly a strong Rolex flavor – will certainly catch their attention as the iconic Tudor model is getting the addition of a new function, a GMT, indicated with an additional center hand on a 24h ‘Pepsi’ rotatable bezel.

7 years ago