In the collective psyche of watch enthusiasts, Panerai is synonymous with large, robust, instrument dive watches. After all, that’s how the brand was conceived back in the 1930s. The brand wasn’t shy about making a 45mm watch its standard offer, and even to introduce 50mm pieces (or more). However, that was the 2000s and demand …
Back in 2017, Seiko treated us with a nice surprise, as one of its most iconic watches was back in the collection: the Samurai. Praised by many enthusiasts, tested and certified by most as a reliable dive watch, updated for 2017 with slight evolutions and new colours, there was not much to complain about… Except maybe for the lack of a PADI edition. Well, the honour is safe as the “warrior” can be now ordered in the super-cool blue and red combination dear to PADI editions. Meet the Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver “PADI Samurai” SRPB99J1.
Baselworld 2018 is fast approaching and an array of new collections will be introduced. Among them will be new Rolex watches, so-to-say the most expected novelties of the year. This also means that it’s that time of the year when MONOCHROME goes creative. Just like we did in 2014, in 2015, in 2016 and in 2017, we have spent quite some time on the drawing board, trying to guess and design what could be the Rolex Baselworld 2018 Collection? And here are the watches that we think Rolex could potentially launch at Baselworld 2018.
This review will feature not one, but two watches of a small, Italian brand we recently introduced; Orologi Calamai. When being in touch with the brand, and reviewing their CR42 Chrono earlier this year, I learned a new watch was coming. Being a quintessential Italian brand focusing on watches with an aviation look and feel, the Calamai family were developing the new G50 MKIII Solotempo. A simple, yet effective time only watch. We review it right here and now.
Bulgari made quite an impact last year when they unveiled their record-breaking, ultra-thin Octo Finissimo Automatic. In total, the sand-blasted titanium case measured just 5.15mm thick, an incredible achievement and one that in my opinion, looks absolutely superb on the wrist. Others, however, found it simply too thin, not to mention, also quite expensive. Fortunately for those people, Bulgari’s new Octo L’Originale SoloTempo Titanium offers a very similar aesthetic, in a slightly thicker case and at a more wallet-friendly price point.
Sometimes – yes, it does happen to us, watch snobs – we like to take a look at some watches that could properly be named “value propositions”. By that, we don’t mean only an accessible price but also an outstanding value for the money. What Swiss brand Hamilton will launch soon is just that: cool and historically relevant design, right proportions, mechanical movement (and hand-wound in addition to that) and very, very friendly priced… Meet the new Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm.
After he unexpectedly left IWC and joined Breitling as new CEO, Georges Kern was under the radar… We were all waiting for the first novelty to come out of the Grenchen-based manufacture. And today, here THEY come. Indeed, it’s not a watch but a full collection, named the Breitling Navitimer 8 collection, which is today introduced. 5 different models, 5 different displays, 5 different movements, 1 entirely new concept. Let’s have a look at Kern’s first creation.
One year ago, for Baselworld 2017, Bell & Ross introduced a new “Vintage” collection, their classical range of watches, with round cases and more reasonable dimensions. This new BR Vintage collection was fully redesigned to be thinner, smaller and more elegantly shaped. Quite a success, which was later followed by several colourful limited editions, such as the Gardes-Cotes or Bellytanker. Prior to Baselworld 2018, Bell & Ross just introduced a new version in the Vintage collection, the Vintage BR-V2 Steel Heritage. And if the normal ones were already cool, these new ones are certainly even cooler.
If the early El Primero watches (the ref. A386 in particular), fitted with one of the very first automatic chronograph movements, are certainly the most iconic pieces produced by the Le Locle-based manufacture, another watch has gained quite some fame recently: the Cronometro Tipo CP-2 Cairelli. Already reissued in 2016 in a limited edition, some new, non-limited versions of the Cairelli-inspired watch have been presented, with exotic materials and a new flyback function – quite relevant for a pilot chronograph. Meet the new Zenith Pilot Cronometro Tipo CP-2 Flyback, with Bronze or Aged-Steel case.
Maurice Lacroix is known for its affordable approach of watchmaking, bringing complex displays and complications to a larger audience. Another field often used by the brand are skeleton watches, with modern and rather bold openworked movements. Expected to debut at Baselworld 2018 is the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Skeleton, a watch that brings a new self-winding skeleton movement in the recently introduced sporty Aikon case. Overview.