High-end Watches Archives - Page 114 of 136

Hands-On – Urban Jürgensen Adds Handsome Grenage Dials to the Reference 1142

While mass-luxury can sometimes be loud and exuberant, proper high-end, exclusive and hand-made watches don’t need such profusion. As we always tend to demonstrate here, at Monochrome-Watches: “the devil is in the details”. A garde-temps can be apparently simple, almost minimalistic, and however, it can reveal splendid, yet almost invisible, details that make it far more precious than a diamond-paved, full gold watch. As we already reported, Urban Jürgensen timepieces are to be placed in such a category, and the new Reference 1142 with Grenage dials might even push the idea one step further.

Introducing – A. Lange & Söhne 1815 “Cuvette” Limited Edition (For the 10th Anniversary of the first Lange Boutique)

While the brand A. Lange & Söhne was revived in 1994 (with the launch of an entire collection, including the iconic Lange 1), the first boutique of the brand only appeared in September 2007. This means that this Dresden-based store now celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. In order to pay tribute to 10 years of presence in the superb city of Dresden, A. Lange & Söhne introduces a limited edition of the emblematic 1815, with a specifically engraved hinged “Cuvette” – dust cover or officer back – to make it really special.

History of the Patek Philippe Calatrava Part 3 – Major Modern Models

Today we conclude our three-part series on the Patek Philippe Calatrava with a look at the present-day models currently available from the brand. After reading Part. 1 (focussing on the very first model of the collection, the reference 96) and Part. 2 (the most important vintage models), I’m sure you will agree that the humble Calatrava is one of the most iconic dress watches of all time and has played a significant role in shaping the entire dress watch category. Incredibly, its underlying design has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 1932, some 85 years ago. While it’s true we’ve seen many variations over the years, the fundamentals have always remained the same, which is great news for vintage enthusiasts and new buyers alike.

History of the Patek Philippe Calatrava Part 2 – Important Models Through Time

Yesterday, we brought you Part. 1 of our History of the Patek Philippe Calatrava, looking back at where it all began: the Reference 96. That original 1932 model has become a design icon, not to mention the basis on which every other Calatrava reference has been modelled. Emphasising the Bauhaus concept of form follows function, the original Ref. 96 provided the blueprint for the ultimate dress watch, a blueprint that been replicated many, many times by both Patek Philippe and other brands. Today, we’re taking a closer look at some of the notable Calatrava models that followed the Ref. 96, models that themselves have gone on to become extremely collectible. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, just the ones we thought to be the most emblematic, so please free to add any significant models you personally love in the comments below, and the reasons why they are important to you.

Introducing – URWERK UR-105 CT Streamliner, The NYC-Inspired Targa Watch (Hands-On)

As some of you might know (and we told you here, on Mono’), independent brand URWERK is celebrating this year its 20th anniversary. Hard to believe, but the baby has grown up to become an adult… Will that means becoming serious and void of creativity? Certainly not. This year, the brand presents the URWERK UR-105 CT Streamliner, a modern watch inspired by the earliy years of the creators, Martin and Felix. A look back over the shoulder, but not with nostalgia or regret.

History of the Patek Philippe Calatrava Part 1 – The Reference 96, The Blueprint

Patek Philippe is a brand that needs little to no introduction. In the watch world, it is known for making high quality, highly sought after timepieces of exceptional complexity. In the real world, it is known as one of the most prestigious brands on the planet, an instant indicator of wealth, stature and, of course, good taste. Pioneers of numerous technical advances, including the first perpetual calendar, the first annual calendar and, surprisingly, the first solid-state quartz watch with no moving parts, Patek Philippe has always been at the forefront of innovation. Yet, it is one of its most understated collections that has proven to be the most consistently successful commercially; the humble Patek Philippe Calatrava, or the essence of the prestigious dress watch. Today, we start with part 1 of this history of the Patek Philippe Calatrava by looking at the first of them all, the 1932 Reference 96.

Chopard’s Subtle L.U.C XPS Facelift Is A Nice Reminder of Just How Handsome It Is

Chopard is unveiling a subtle facelift of the dapper, comfortable and incredibly well-engineered L.U.C XPS. The good news is that it comes in different versions which will suit all tastes and pockets: from the unapologetically smart blued-dialed platinum version to the more affordable steel version, a great opportunity if you are looking for a high-end “haute-horlogerie” dress watch at an accessible price point. Here’s an early hands-on look.

Hands-On – Czapek Genève Quai des Bergues Guilloché

The name Czapek, once famed as a partner of what would become Patek Philippe, came back to the forefront of the scene late 2015 with the elegant and well-thought out Quai des Bergues. The watch was awarded the public prize at GPHG 2016, one of the most (if not the most) meaningful industry award ceremony, which is no small achievement. The collection reflects the Czapek ethics to propose finely crafted classics whose understated style offers a distinctive twist and a distinctive character.

News – GPHG 2017 Finalists Announced – Plus Our Analysis and Predictions

Every year in Geneva is the GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève), or the so-called Oscars of the Watchmaking Industry, which celebrate the best watches of the year – the most advanced, the most innovative, the most creative timepieces – as well as the best in show, the Aiguille d’Or. Today we’re able to bring you, hot off the press, the complete list of finalists selected by the Jury. Only six watches remain in each of the twelve categories and, while the final jury selection will only been given on November 8th, 2017, we can already give you the full list, our impressions and our usual predictions about the possible awarded watches.

Introducing the Hautlence Vortex Gamma, With Exclusive Vibrant Case Material That Can Take On Any Color

Hautlence’s creations are bold… Very bold! They play on the shapes, on the display, on the mechanics, on the style and they can even create objects to be worn on the wrist that are not meant to be timepieces, simply because they don’t indicate the time (think Labyrinth or Pinball pieces). That’s just a different state of mind! And while we knew they could go quite mad with colours, they are now pushing boundaries even further, with the new Hautlence Vortex Gamma, featuring a vibrant case material that can take on any colour or shade and that can be bespoken to the delight of its clients.

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Category: High-end Watches