Category: Sports watch

Video – Octo Finissimo, or How Bvlgari Became a Master of Ultra-Thin

Yes, the Italians did it again… Breaking one record after another, Bvlgari’s signature ultra-thin collection, the Octo Finissimo, continues its victorious onward march. Almost every year, the Roman brand comes out with something even more staggering, even thinner and still, highly contemporary in design. Bvlgari has not only managed to become a Master of the ultra-thin complication but it has literally revamped and refreshed a category that was usually quite conservative. And because the Octo Finissimo Automatic Tourbillon was introduced earlier this year as the thinnest automatic watch and the thinnest tourbillon watch, it is high time to understand how the brand became the master of wafer-thin movements.

7 years ago

Value Proposition – The Méraud Bonaire, a Cool, Retro-Inspired Dive Watch from Belgium

Belgium might not be the first country you think of when it comes to watches. Of course, there’s Ressence and its impressively modern watches, but that’s about it. And now there’s a newcomer on the market called Méraud, which has just launched its first watch a few hours ago on Kickstarter. Get used to this new launch pad format because it is the way to go nowadays when you want to start a brand. The first model is named “Bonaire” and it is quite a cool-looking, retro-inspired dive watch with multiple details to catch our attention. Overview.

7 years ago

Hands-on – H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Tourbillon – Made to be Worn

H. Moser & Cie. unveils its latest take on the flying tourbillon complication housed in a stainless steel Pioneer case ready to battle the elements. This is not Moser’s first tourbillon – it has already appeared in the upmarket Endeavour, Venturer and Swiss Alp Watch collections – nor is it the first complication to reach the Pioneer family, which hosts a QP complication. The novelty here is the combination of a one-minute flying tourbillon and its corresponding automatic movement inside the sportier case of the Pioneer. Forming part of Moser’s SIHH 2019 novelties, the brand that likes to row against the tide of convention has decided to beat the flurry of pre-SIHH teasers and puts the Pioneer Tourbillon for sale on the market today. Shielded by its beefy 42.8mm steel case that is water-resistant to 120m, this is Moser’s concept of an ATV tourbillon that can take on the challenges of everyday wear and tear – and also the brand’s most accessible tourbi ever.

7 years ago

Value Proposition – E.C. Andersson Calypso Arctic Sport

It isn’t the first time that we talk about E.C.Andersson on MONOCHROME – and for valid reasons. Indeed, the Swedish micro-brand has arguments in the “value proposition” category. Good designs, great quality/price ratio, attention to details… This was true with the North Sea II, later followed by the brand’s vision of a sports watch, the Calypso. In order to be even more competitive, E.C.Andersson recently introduced the Calypso Sport (with a Miyota movement in lieu of the ETA calibre). Completing the collection, this watch is now offered with a new dial and an appropriate Arctic look.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Bell & Ross BR-X1 Military

When you think Bell & Ross, you should apparently have “military-inspiration”, “pilot’s watch” and “round-within-a-square-case” in mind. So, with its squared case and round bezel, its chronograph, its military-coloured lightweight and robust material inspired by stealth fighter planes and an overall functional design, it seems that the new Bell & Ross BR-X1 Military ticks all the boxes, right? (spoiler alert: it does, and it even adds the cool technical look of the Experimental collection).

7 years ago

Introducing – Oris Movember 2018 Edition (Oris Big Crown Pointer Date)

For the second time this year, Oris will support “Movember“, a Foundation that tackles some of the biggest health issues facing men, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. After the cool-looking Movember 2017 Divers Sixty-Five, it is time for another great vintage-inspired to be launched. Meet the Oris Movember 2018 Edition, a watch based on the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date launched at Baselworld 2018.

7 years ago

Hands-on – The 2018 Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronometer – Redesigned, Cleaner, Tastier

Certainly, most of you might have the Marine Chronometer in mind when the name “Ulysse Nardin” is mentioned – and rightfully so, as this watch is the brand’s cornerstone. However, there’s more in the collection, a watch that is still linked to the nautical world: the Ulysse Nardin Diver. Previously not the most discreet watch available on the market – think this one for instance or that one as a more classical offer – it has just been relaunched in a more contemporary, cleaner and tastier package – following the trend initiated by the Torpilleur. Meet the 2018 Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronometer.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage GMT

The retro-hype is alive and to be honest, if it is done right, it can result in some very nice watches. Often considered as the golden age of watch design, the 1970s is used as inspiration by many brands to relaunch former collections or to introduce new ones harking back to historical models. Under the Startimer collection, Alpina’s pilot-style range of watches, the brand launched the Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage, in 4 different colourways. And indeed, the 1970s-inspiration is fully there.

7 years ago

Review – Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4500V Black Dial – The Paradigm of the Luxury Sports Watch

As part of the triumvirate of luxury sports watches born in the 1970s, the Vacheron Constantin Overseas fulfils all the prerequisites of the genre. Thanks to its deceptively simple interchangeable strap system the Overseas introduces an element of versatility lacking in the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. Now in its third iteration, the Overseas is a fully fledged family and the model we are looking at today is the simplest, entry-level, time-only watch in a 41mm steel case with a dashing black dial and Vacheron Constantin’s in-house calibre developed specifically for this watch. The subtle design tweaks and the superlative finishes on the case and bracelet captivate the casual elegance of the first Overseas watches combined with the robust attributes of a sports watch.

7 years ago