Mechanical innovation is often regarded as the epitome of fine watchmaking. For whatever reason, I had been under the impression that we had not seen many new developments over the past few months. Well, looking back at some of the latest introductions, some impressive pieces of ingenuity have been presented. We take a look at with some of the most inventive, complex and intricate mechanisms of 2017.
The MCT Dodekal One D110, which we introduced to you here, is simply one of the most impressive mechanical digital hour indications on the market. MCT is the abbreviation of Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, and the name actually says it all. This “very contemporary” watch manufactory, which was launched in 2007, does not create wrist watches that indicate time simply by 2 or 3 hands. And their latest creation, the Dodekal One that we’re looking at today, is, even in the field of watches with another way to display time (something we love here at Monochrome), an absolute rarity. Today we go hands-on with the Dodekal One D110.
One thing to know about MCT Watches… They don’t do things like the others, and when it comes to play with the display of time, let’s all agree that their watches, with large numerals displayed on rotating prisms are simply on the other side of the planet, compared to traditional hands. Well, for Baselworld 2017, Denis Giguet (founder of MCT) comes with again something unusual, a digital hour indication recalling LCD screens of old electronic devices – but don’t worry, no quartz movements have being used here. Here is the MCT Dodekal One D110 and its super-cool hour display.
You certainly know how much love we have here, at Monochrome Watches, for independent watchmaking and unconventional displays of the time. In this small but so creative field of the industry, one brand always intrigued us: MCT Watches and their unique prism-based timepieces. Denis Giguet and Pierre Jacques, the founder and the CEO of the brand, today the two men behind MCT Watches, explain the ins-and-outs behind running such a manufacture. They talk details about the specific, unique, hyper-creative display and mechanism behind a MCT Watch and share some ideas for the future of the brand. “The Monochrome Video Week” brings you in unusual territories, the underground side of watchmaking.
Starting today is the “Monochrome Video Week“, meaning that for the coming five days we will be showing recent, unpublished videos that we shot at location in Villeret, Neuchâtel and Geneva. On Friday we’ll show you some of our best-viewed videos, also filmed on location in Glashütte (Germany), and in Switzerland in Biel, Geneva and Villeret. Let’s make clear that we’re not showing you corporate videos of some of our favourite watches brands, nope, these are movies filmed in our own style, by our own crew, and of subject of our own choice. So, instead of showing you photos of watches or a visual description of a manufacture visit, we’re showing you everything in the best possible way; there’s no better ‘tool’ than movies to explore the fascinating world of fine watchmaking. Please sit down, get a big bag of popcorn… here’s what we have lined up for you for the “Monochrome Video Week“
Dubai Watch Week just closed the sun-soaked doors of its 2016 edition during which much of the watch world enjoyed discovering new watches, interesting opinions, the culture of Dubai, the United Arab Emirates’ fastest growing city, and the immense hospitality of the Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, who staged the incredible show.
Please enjoy these 7 outstanding new watches launched during the 2016 edition of Dubai Watch Week.
As of now, you should know that we are celebrating this year our 10th anniversary. For this reason, we are organizing several give aways. After our latest contest, where you had the opportunity to win a Garrick Leather Watch Pouch, this week we have a new one for you, and not just for one of the participants, but 4 of you will have the opportunity to win a very cool MCT Watches Leather Watch Roll. MCT Watches is one of the main actors of the “indie” watchmakers, and this is why we also want your opinion about this rather special watchmaking universe.
What is a color? The perception we have of a reflection of light on a surface. What is black, as perceived by human eye? It is the opposite of color. Black is an achromatic color, literally a color without hue. Black is a surface that reflect or emit only very low light and that absorb most of the visible light. What is pitch black, in its purest form? It is the complete absence or complete absorption of light. Real black doesn’t really exist (except a black hole) and what we name black usually is dark grey, dark blue, dark red, etc… And even if pure black can’t be achieved by any material, some tried anyway. And MCT Watches, with the S110 Evo Vantablack made with artist Anish Kapoor, try to get as close as possible from black, with the blackest material ever produced by humankind.
Memento Mori. Remember that you have to die – Several brands have released skull watches that look badass while reminding of the importance of seizing the day. Not to be outdone, MCT watches present a skull version of its Sequential One S110 available in exclusive limited editions.