Category: Novelty

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak RD#2, The World’s Thinnest Self-Winding Perpetual Calendar (SIHH 2018)

As all industries, the watchmaking world is subject to trends. One that we’re not unhappy to see resurfacing is ultra-thin watches. Piaget opened the show in December with the thinnest automatic watch, followed at the SIHH 2018 by the thinnest mechanical ever created (2mm thick, no less). It is now time for Audemars Piguet to come on board and demonstrate, if ever necessary, that they know a bit about watchmaking. Here is the Royal Oak RD#2, which at a staggering 6.30mm thick is the thinnest self-winding perpetual calendar on the market today.

8 years ago

Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph – The Minerva Style Made Accessible (SIHH 2018)

Looking at recent collections by Montblanc, one series of watches clearly created a strong interest amongst the collecting community. You name it; the Minerva-inspired Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymetre and its superb (to say the least) hand-wound Monopusher movement. One not-so-superfluous problem though with these watches… Their prices. Well, if you like the Military- and vintage-inspired Minerva chronographs and if you have a normal budget, MB has the solution at the SIHH 2018: the Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph.

8 years ago

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin 15202IP – Titanium Case, Smoked Blue Dial (SIHH 2018)

As the modern incarnation of the very first luxury-sports watch created in 1972, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin 15202 needs no introduction anymore. Its octagonal shape, its screwed bezel, its integrated chain-like bracelet, its extra-thin automatic movement, its finely guilloched blue dial… Everything in this watch is iconic. Well, for the SIHH 2018, there’s a new version, and don’t be fooled by the familiar look, it has much more secrets than you would expect at first. Please meet the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin 15202IP – and yes it is titanium and it has a superb and unprecedented smoked blue dial.

8 years ago

The Brand New Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris 2018 Collection (SIHH 2018) – Live Photos & Price

Jaeger-LeCoultre is well-known by watch enthusiasts, especially when it comes to dress watches or elegant timepieces – think Reverso or Master Ultra-Thin. Yet, in terms of sports watches, the situation is rather different. JLC never really achieved to create the definitive collection – now more than ever, as the Master Compressor collection is discontinued. For the SIHH however, things are changing with the introduction of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris 2018 Collection… A sports watch collection, which is JLC all the way.<

8 years ago

IWC Portugieser Chronograph Edition 150 Years Ref. 3716 – New Dials/New Movement (SIHH 2018)

Here we are… The SIHH 2018 will open in a few hours, but we already have a few novelties to share. And for the first of the day, we have something that will make quite some noise around the collecting community. Indeed, what you’ll see here is a new, slightly redesigned (just a bit), mechanically upgraded (a lot) version of IWC’s most iconic modern watch, the Portugieser Chronograph. Please meet the IWC Portugieser Chronograph Edition 150 Years Ref. 3716, with new dial, new movement and sadly, in limited edition.

8 years ago

Singer Track 1 Geneva Edition In Yellow Gold (SIHH 2018)

When launched in mid-2017, the Singer Track 1 has been one real surprise, praised by many. Not only the story behind was cool (the link with the custom-built Porsches), not only the people behind are great, but the watch itself, its movement, its design and its display are just fresh. Prior to the SIHH 2018, Singer Reimagined unveils a new and sexy version of its Track1 chronograph. Meet the Singer Track 1 Geneva Edition, as we go hands-on with this chronograph clad in yellow gold and black.

8 years ago

Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic 5 Days / Chronometer, With The Brand’s First Proprietary Movement (SIHH 2018)

One of the sleeper hits of this year’s SIHH might just come from an unexpected source. The new Clifton BaumaticTM from Baume & Mercier features a chronometer-certified proprietary movement, with a silicon hairspring and a comfortable 5-day power reserve. Soon to be available at a very competitive price, this could be the beginning of a whole new era for the brand. All the details below.

8 years ago

Ressence Type 2 e-Crown Concept – The First Self-Setting Mechanical Watch (or how Smart-Tech can make sense)

Here, at MONOCHROME, we’re not huge fans of the smart-watches, to say the least. We cherish and celebrate watches in their purest (probably old-school) form: ME-CHA-NI-CAL! We love gears, pinions, hand-decoration, complications but also all the devoted people that work behind the scenes. Smart-watch, as tech objects, never ticked the boxes. However, we have to keep up with the times and admit that in some cases, technology can be brilliant (we are, after all, a web medium). Today, Ressence launches the Type 2 e-Crown Concept and they might have found the recipe to reconcile us with electronics…

8 years ago

Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition Bronze Watch

2 years ago, Oris presented the first Carl Brashear Limited Edition, a bronze vintage-inspired dive watch with a lovely contrasting blue dial. No need to say, it was an instant hit. The watch went sold-out quickly and pleased collectors. Today, we have the second edition. Using the same bronze/blue dial combination, still based on the Divers Sixty Five, this time the brand adds an unprecedented complication to this collection. Meet the Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition.

8 years ago