John van Steen, the managing partner of MeisterSinger, proudly calls their creations “the most valuable watches in the world”. But the philosophy behind this somewhat debatable statement is anything but arrogant. Meet the man who became Mr MeisterSinger by sheer humble thinking. And it’s all about one single hand to display the time. It’s a […]
Some stories are more fascinating than others. With most microbrands that are (successfully or not) launching, there’s very often the same pitch; at the beginning, a passion for watches and later the wish to create something that couldn’t be found on the market. We’ve heard that many times, true story or not. But with Dan […]
Three years ago, Dutch lady Erika started her own strap company, inspired by old-school Marine Nationale military straps – a great option for your vintage diver, your tool watches or your pilot chronograph. And while it’s « just » a strap, the Erika’s Original MN straps generated a lot of buzz becoming an instant hit […]
Created in 1888, and part the Bucherer Group, Carl F. Bucherer has developed impressively over the past few years, becoming much more visible and gaining independence as a watchmaker. Naturally, this required a long-term strategy driven by an industrial vision, innovative products and a global expansion of the distribution. To understand this evolution, and to […]
Since its creation in 1888, watch manufacturer Carl F. Bucherer has (too) long been “flying under the radar”. Still, in recent years, the brand has decided to become much more visible and to gain its independence as a brand and as a watchmaker. This bold move was not just a marketing decision but required a […]
His more than 20 years of experience in the watch and jewellery industry have taken Antoine Pin around the world for Boucheron, Zenith, TAG Heuer and Bvlgari. On the occasion of the inauguration of brand’s newest production site, the Bvlgari Manufacture d’Habillage, we sat down with the newly appointed Managing Director of the Bvlgari Watch Division to discuss his perspective on the brand’s present and future.
Jean-Marc Pontroué was appointed CEO of Panerai in 2016, invigorating the brand with new energy. Change was needed but with a brand like Panerai, whose fame is based on a unique concept (1930s to 1950s military dive watches), evolution can be the enemy. We took the opportunity of the launch of the Panerai Luminor Marina […]
Favre Leuba is known for its rugged functional watches. The brand’s unique mountaineering credentials owe much to the Bivouac collection. Back in the 1960s, the watch was one of the first to be fitted with a mechanical altimeter. In 1975, Japanese alpinist Junko Tabel, the first women to summit Everest, did so with a Bivouac […]
As a “magazine dedicated to fine watches”, MONOCHROME doesn’t tend to cover connected modules, batteries and microchips. Still, we have to recognize the benefits of this technology when it comes to monitoring heart rate or other health/activity indicators. Today, we find out more about MMT Swiss Connected, Manufacture Modules Technologies, a company that creates Swiss-made […]
After two videos on history and strategy, we continue our series of videos focusing on accessible luxury brand Frederique Constant. Created only 30 years ago by Peter and Aletta Stas, the brand has gained international recognition for manufacturing elegant watches with interesting complications and luxurious appeal for reasonable prices. This also meant the adoption of true […]