Flying higher, longer and faster than any aircraft that came before it, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a legendary marvel of engineering. So much so, that it still inspires people to this day. People like Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner, the gifted duo behind the hyper-technical independent watchmaker Urwerk. Their latest is the EMC SR-71, […]
Ludwig Oechslin has devoted a lifetime to finding simple solutions to complex problems. His brand, Ochs und Junior, specialises in developing complications with as few components as possible and is renowned for its minimalist, Bauhaus industrial design style. Compressing astronomical features into a disarmingly simple display, the new Luna Sole delivers the time, date, moon […]
Konstantin Chaykin’s work as an independent watchmaker is probably mostly known by his ever-growing collection of Wristmons. This series of watches, starting out with the playful Joker watch in 2017 but getting more and more creative and complex plays into the Pareidolia effect. This is the tendency for people to see faces or other patterns […]
Since the start of MONOCHROME almost two decades ago, we have come a very long way. Through almost 10,000 articles, we have brought you some of the most amazing watches from all corners of the world. Despite the fact we always publish our stories in English and work with an international team, we are of […]
As a platform dedicated to fine watchmaking and a deeply rooted passion for independent watchmaking, the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (or AHCI) is very close to our hearts. This institution, preserving the traditions of watchmaking by forming a community of watchmakers, was founded by Svend Andersen and Vincent Calabrese. It has brought forth many illustrious […]
MeisterSinger has made the single-hand time display its signature design feature, which some might view as limiting creativity. However, this German company has consistently proven otherwise. Since 2001, MeisterSinger has introduced various exciting series that incorporate calendar functions, chiming mechanisms, jumping hour displays, and power reserves, all while preserving the brand’s original spirit. Furthermore, MeisterSinger […]
As an independent and highly talented watch and clockmaker and a member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) since 2010, Konstantin Chaykin was already well-known in horological circles. However, his popularity soared with the introduction of his Joker and the Wristmons (Wrist Monsters) series in 2017. The original Joker, followed by releases like […]
Founded by Gautier Massonneau, French brand Trilobe abandons the conventional approach of displaying time with central hands. Instead, Trilobe inverts the formula and sets time in motion with counterclockwise rotating discs for the hours, minutes and seconds indicated by static trefoil pointers. Trilobe’s first collection, Les Matinaux, bears the name of a René Char poetry […]
In May of this year, we introduced Jiro Katayama, an independent watchmaker from Japan, and his brand Otsuka Lotec, which, despite its distribution being limited exclusively to his home country, has gained recognition across the continents. We had the pleasure of experiencing one of his models, the recently updated Otsuka Lotec № 6, and here […]
A masterpiece of ingenuity and complexity, the GNS1 dazzled the watchmaking scene with its incredible free-moving train travelling around the two central counters on the dial like a mechanical caterpillar. Marking the indie brand’s debut in 2019, the GNS1 was ten years in the making and protected by two patents. Earlier this year, Genus introduced […]