Category: Interviews

The Collector’s Series – Meet @so.frech, Our First Collector Talking Grand Seiko

For the first time in our Collector’s Series we talk about a Grand Seiko and we do this with Austria-based collector who can be found as @so.frech on Instagram. Grand used to be JDM (Japan Domestic Market) only and only opened up to customers from outside Japan since 2010. Although it’s not a young brand, for people outside Japan, Grand Seiko remained unknown. By now the brand is pretty well established among its peers and here on MONOCHROME we are always highly enthusiastic when we’re talking about Grand Seiko. And not only because of the Zaratsu polishing technique – an ancient method to polished Samurai swords – that results is stupendously good finished cases and hands. We will be talking with @so.frech about his Grand Seiko Spring Drive SBGA083. 

4 years ago

The Collector’s Series – Andrew and His H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds with Midnight Blue Dial

Today I’m talking with a long-time friend about his H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer with a striking blue dial; Andrew McUtchen. You might know him as the co-founder of Time+Tide, but also co-founder of the Fatherhood, and he’s what I’d call a true watch buddy. After a career at GQ Australia, he was crazy enough to try and make a living as a watch blogger (we have something in common here…) and he loves to wear his beloved H. Moser & Cie Pioneer Centre Seconds Midnight Blue Dial on a custom Kudu strap. According to the Aussie, H. Moser & Cie. is “sizzle and steak. And fries. And a funny waiter, too!” No clue what he means by that, but let’s find out.

4 years ago

Interview – In Conversation with Stéphane Waser and Thiebaut Bentz of Maurice Lacroix

A few days ago, Maurice Lacroix launched its Aikon Venturer GMT digitally and simultaneously inaugurated its new studio to monitor online initiatives. To find out more about the brand’s new strategy, we interviewed the brand’s Managing Director, Stéphane Waser, and International Product and Marketing Director, Thiebaut Bentz. Xavier Markl, MONOCHROME – 2020 has been a […]

4 years ago

The Collector’s Series – Todd Searle and his MB&F HM7 Aquapod Titanium Blue

Today we’re talking with someone who bought an MB&F. And while MB&F is already pretty much ‘out there’ with their designs (remember the drop-dead-gorgeous LM1 owned by @winewhiskeywatches), today’s collector got one of the most unusual designs in the world of watches. Today’s collector was not necessarily a long-time watch collector, but he has an eye for the unusual, for the creative side. His name is Todd Searle and his business card states “Creator at Large”. He’s both an author, a content creator and a sales professional. For Todd, it had to be the MB&F Horological Machine HM7 from the first glance. Let’s find out what it was that attracted this collector from Chicago, Illinois, in this bold watch.

4 years ago

News – Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin Announce Partnership, And We Talk With GP’s CEO About It

Some of you might not know about it but Girard-Perregaux’s link with the automotive world has been long-lasting. Following this tradition, the La Chaux-de-Fonds-based haute horlogerie manufacturer has just announced a new partnership with one of the most respected brands in the car industry, Aston Martin. MONOCHROME talks to Patrick Pruniaux, Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin’s […]

4 years ago

The Collector’s Series – François-Xavier Bought His URWERK UR103.08 TiAlN To Have Fun!

Today I’m talking with long-time friend François-Xavier Overstake, aka @equationdutemps. This is not just his Instagram handle, but also the name of his blog about watches, which is probably one of the most important French publications on watches. Besides running his own blog, Francois-Xavier is a moderator on Watchprosite, a large watch forum. At 51 […]

4 years ago

The Collector’s Series – @Watchesbelike Loves his Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A

I guess at MONOCHROME we do not have to tell you about cultural differences, however there’s one that stands out for people who are passionate about horology and wrist watches in particular. Watch collectors uniting in a club-like manor is something that did not happen, or hardly, in main land Europe. Most European watch collectors prefer to fly under the radar and do not feel any urge to share their, often pretty expensive, collection with others. That is, until Instagram came along and made it easy to meet like-minded collectors, in complete anonymity. And that’s how I got in touch with @Watchesbelike. He’s a 34-year old finance professional and watch collector, who lives in Paris and can be found under this alias on Instagram. We exchanged quite a bit about watches in general, collecting and his love for his Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711a. Although he’s been asked to, he would never sell it. He explains why.

4 years ago

Interview – Wilhelm Schmid, 10 Year at the Helm at A. Lange & Söhne

Wilhelm Schmid has been ten years with the brand that ‘never stands still’. After a career at BMW, among others in South Africa, he arrived in Glashütte to be the new CEO at A. Lange & Söhne, the pinnacle of German watchmaking. With a background in sales and a strong passion for mechanics, it seemed like a match made in heaven. Wilhelm Schmid’s past ten years at Lange were during a pretty turbulent period. It already started in the aftermath of the massive global recession that started in 2008, now the corona pandemic that has a huge influence on the watch industry, the opening of the new manufacture, and of course the sad passing of Walter Lange.

4 years ago