The use of luminescent materials on watches is far from new… Soon after the discovery of radium and its properties (and dangers…) by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898, watch dials – markers, numerals and hands – have been coated with radium and then different substances (tritium, Super-LumiNova) to produce light in the dark. Fully […]
Omega is one of the largest luxury watchmakers on the market, carrying multiple emblematic models (Seamaster and Speedmaster, to name a few). However, one vital element of the brand’s success lies in its almost unique take on precision. Omega has long been a pioneer in this field, often ranking first in chronometry contests and introducing […]
While the global economic situation might feel rather pessimistic, the luxury business and the watch and jewellery industry continue to post strong results for the year 2023. Following the announcement of a record year for Swiss watch exports in 2023, as well as strong revenues for both LVMH and the Swatch Group, it is now […]
A high-tech, rugged, all-terrain sports watch made of an innovative carbon fibre composite material, the Norqain Wild One (launched in 2022) was an important step in the development of the young, independent, family-owned watchmaking brand. Its elaborate design presents ample opportunity for personalization. Norqain now introduces a fully customizable iteration of this model, incorporating gold […]
Here it is… the most exciting time of the year for watch enthusiasts, retailers, and journalists is upon us once again. The most important event of the watch industry calendar, Watches and Wonders 2024 is set to kick off on April 9th, 2024 at 08:30 AM Europe Time. The event gains even more importance this […]
At MONOCHROME, we are always delighted to discover and present new watchmaking projects. Founded by renowned Geneva-based dial maker, Atelier Olivier Vaucher, and watchmaker Olivier Gaud, TAOS emerges as a new independent watchmaking brand dedicated to métiers d’art and artistic crafts. Each of their watches is one-of-a-kind. The brand debuts with an inaugural collection of […]
Five months in as CEO of one of the most luxurious watch brands, Audemars Piguet, Mrs Ilaria Resta offers her view on the current market and how she sees the future of the esteemed Le Brassus-based Maison. Dressed in a green suit with a 38mm purple dial Code 11:59 on the wrist, Italian-Swiss Ilaria Resta […]
The roots of Chopard trace back to 1860 when Louis Ulysse Chopard founded his company in Sonvilier, Switzerland. The Scheufele family took over the company in the 1960s. Under their stewardship, Chopard experienced a renaissance and evolved from a traditional watchmaking company into a globally renowned luxury brand. Chopard is a vertically integrated, family-owned company, […]
While the growth for the luxury industry as a whole is expected to slow following months/years of sustained development, with macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds and demand uncertainties in the US, Europe and China, the Swiss watch industry ended up 2023 as yet another record year, with exports up 7.6% compared to 2022, reaching their highest […]
Hermès, a French powerhouse of everything luxury that is still mostly owned by the direct descendants of the founder (the Hermès dynasty and the Dumas family), is in a class of its own. The same goes when it comes to the Group’s watch division, Hermès Horloger. A discreet giant of the watch industry, Hermès has […]