Category: Luxury Watches

Hands-on – Corum Heritage Hobo Coin Watch – Updating a Classic

Corum introduced its first coin watch in 1964. The model is, without doubt, one of their most iconic watches. If coin pocket watches had been produced for decades (usually ultra-thin watches concealed under a hinged cover), the brand’s coin wristwatch was innovative, in particular with a novel construction: a coin sliced in two, in order to encase the movement. More than 50 years later, Corum still produces coin watches. Classics stand the test of time. At Baselworld 2018, the La Chaux-de-fonds based manufacturer added a cool and modern note to this timepiece, taking it a few steps further, venturing into unexplored arty hype territories.

8 years ago

Introducing – Arnold & Son Time Pyramid Black Edition

One of the main points of interest of Arnold & Son timepieces has always their uniquely skeletonized movements, based on an almost perfectly symmetrical design. Whether you take ultra-complex pieces such as the Constant-Force Tourbillon or the Tourbillon Chronometer N° 36, or more simple pieces like the Nebula, most of the brand’s creations please the eye simply because of this symmetry. One of the most striking designs of this manufacture, the well-known Time Pyramid, is another demonstration of such savoir-faire, and it now comes in a new Black Edition.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Porsche Design 1919 Chronotimer Flyback Brown and Leather – New Colour and New Mechanics

As you’ve certainly come to expect, when seeing a Porsche Design watch on MONOCHROME, stuff like ergonomics, comfort, build-quality, value-for-money or understated design will be mentioned. And this article will be no exception, as Porsche Design introduces its newest sibling in the 1919 collection in a rich, brown, chocolaty hue. We go hands-on with the Porsche Design 1919 Chronotimer Flyback Brown – which is more than just a new dial, but also features a new proprietary movement.

8 years ago

Hands-on – The New RJ Arraw Chronograph 45mm – The New Era of Romain Jerome

It’s official. Romain Jerome has been rebranded as RJ and made its debut at Baselworld 2018 with the new Arraw collection, its first line of men’s and women’s watches that will set the tone of things to come. A derivation of the Titanic DNA and Moon Dust models, the Arraw line is poised to become the building block for future developments and was assembled by the new RJ team in a record time of just two months. Having looked at the 45mm Arraw chronograph closely and strapped it on the wrist, the overall impression at MONOCHROME was that the watch is a less rambunctious, more contained and wearable offshoot of its predecessors.

8 years ago

Video – The Baselworld 2018 Bvlgari Octo Watches (incl. the new World Record) Fully Explained

After successively launching the thinnest tourbillon watch (the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon), the thinnest minute repeater watch (the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater) and, at that time, the thinnest automatic watch (the Octo Finissimo Automatic), we thought that the Bvlgari Watches team was about to slow things down a bit, just to let us breathe. Wrong! For Baselworld 2018, we had to be stunned, again… Here are the Baselworld 2018 Bvlgari Octo Watches, fully explained by Guido Terreni (Managing Director of Bvlgari Watches), including the new world record watch and the superb Sandblasted Trilogy.

8 years ago

Introducing – IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph IW377724 (With New Dial and Ref. 3706 Look)

In 2017, IWC took us by surprise when presenting the desirable, vintage-inspired and definitely cool Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII Edition “Tribute to Mark XI”. Now, it’s time for the Schaffhausen-based brand to focus on the chronograph version of this watch and to apply the same recipe: baton hands, faux-patine markers, cleaner dial and fabric strap. And if the 3-hander was mimicking the Mark XI, the new IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph IW377724 is reminiscent of one of the coolest 1990s watches, the Fliegerchronograph ref. 3706.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Graham Chronofighter Grand Vintage – From Big to Bigger

Launched almost 20 years, at a time when the trend for larger-than-life watches was still in its infancy, the supersized Graham Chronofighter is known as a big, rugged, bold chronograph. Inspired by historical military stopwatches, its signature lever allows to start/stop the chronograph without fail and with the thumb – the fastest of all fingers. For Baselworld 2018, the brand introduces a new version, still based on the vintage-inspired collection, named the Graham Chronofighter Grand Vintage… And yes, after being scaled-down, it now becomes large again.

8 years ago

Hands-on – De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius – Pimp your Constellation

De Bethune’s DB25 Starry Varius is a beautiful tribute to the firmament housed in a smaller, 42mm titanium case with an interesting customisation proposal.  Every watch is a unique, one-off model offering you the possibility of customising the night sky to your heart’s desire. After a somewhat unsettled period for the brand, Pierre Jacques is back as CEO, there is a new private equity investor on board, and master watchmaker and co-founder Denis Flageollet can exercise his creativity in the integrated manufacturing facility the brand has in L’Auberson. And if the DB27 Titan Hawk V2 and the DB25 Starry Varius are any indication of the shape of things to come, De Bethune is well on its way to writing the next successful chapter in its watchmaking saga.

8 years ago

Introducing – The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic & Chronograph Get Black Dials

When introduced back in 2016, the re-designed Overseas was Vacheron Constantin’s answer for the highly coveted market of the luxury sports watch (a market dominated by AP and PP). First launched in blue and silver editions, later followed by warm and original brown versions, there was still one missing colour to make the collection complete. Problem solved for 2018, with the introduction of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V and Chronograph 5500V, now with black dials (and even a reversed-panda for the Chrono).

8 years ago