Category: Sports watch

EXCLUSIVE: First look at the TAG Heuer Autavia 2017 (the result of the Autavia Cup) – Updated with Price and Availability

If you remember, earlier this year, in March 2016, TAG Heuer came with a superb idea: the opportunity for collectors to vote and to decide which vintage Heuer Autavia will be the inspiration for a modern reedition of this mythical watch. The audience chose one of the coolest editions, the Autavia 2446 Mark 3 “Jochen Rindt”. The result of the development was to be expected at Baselworld 2017… However, we had to take into account J.C Biver’s productivity and a certain event, the Heuer Collectors Summit (where we are today!) And guess what… the very first prototype of the TAG Heuer Autavia 2017 is already shown to the attendants of the Heuer Collectors Summit, and we get to show it to you.

8 years ago

Hands-on – Richard Mille RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph, the facelift of an icon

The Richard Mille RM 011 is a watch that perfectly sums up the Richard Mille spirit. We know this watch for almost 10 years and we’ve seen it in dozens of editions – some linked to certain events (Le Mans Classic), made for special friends of the brand (Felipe Masse, Roberto Mancini…) and manufactured in all possible colors or materials (red quartz, ceramic, carbon fiber, titanium, gold…). This watch could certainly be the most popular RM watch – and is probably the brand’s best seller too. After so many variations, it was time for this icon to get some fresh air, and after a strong facelift, this watch becomes the Richard Mille RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph.

8 years ago

Introducing – 3 new Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT, including one limited edition (Ref. SBGJ021, SBGJ017, SBGJ019)

The Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT is already known from collectors, and praised for its superior quality, its design mixing elegant and casual attitude and its highly technical movement. It is a watch that was already available in both standard editions and in one colorful edition (the SBGJ005, with its green dial and highly decorated rotor). Already at that time, we had two regular watches and one limited. Well, the same scenario is about to happen, with 3 new versions of the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT: 2 elegant regular pieces (SBGJ017 and SBGJ019) and one limited edition with deep red dial and a rotor depicting the sunrise on Mount Iwate (SBGJ021). Overview.

8 years ago

Hands-on – The Speake-Marin Spirit Seafire Chronograph Titanium Red

When first introduced at Baselworld 2014, the Speake-Marin Spirit Seafire was the first chronograph of the brand (introduced alongside the Spirit Wing Commander, creating a new collection of sports watches). You’ll have to admit, coming from a man like Peter Speake Marin, more used to highly complicated watches and well known for his superior watchmaking skills, this was rather surprising. A more commercial-oriented piece for sure, plus also being a sportier development of a growing brand, the Spirit Seafire Chronograph is however still (very much) a Speake-Marin watch… just with a different perspective. Let’s look in details what a Speake-Marin for a larger audience can offer.

8 years ago

My Summer with the Ressence Type 5 (and does it really have zero reflection under water)

If you remember, back in December 2015, when Benoît Mintiens (the founder of Ressence) showed me the Ressence Type 5 for the first time, I actually ended my article with a wish to have this watch as my summer watch. The team of Ressence heard my wish and granted it so here we are, with my review of this great, sort of unique watch, which I’ve been wearing for an entire summer. Usually I tend to be rather technical and factual in my reviews, but here I’m going to be slightly more focused on the wearability and on the feelings, trying to position myself as the owner of this watch. Here are my thoughts after my summer with the Ressence Type 5 on the wrist.

8 years ago

Historical Perspective – The Doxa Sub 300, The Dive Watch Personified

Back in Baselworld 2016, Doxa introduced its 50th Anniversary Sub model, a great dive watch with unquestionable pedigree. We will discover why this dive watch is so important by looking back at an early Doxa Sub 300, belonging to one of the preeminent Doxa collectors – and a great friend of Monochrome and me, personally – Mr. Marco Thier. By examining the story behind its creation, I hope to shed the light on the importance of the Doxa Sub in the history and the evolutionary course of the dive watch in general.

8 years ago

Hands-on with the TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300m Black Titanium

Built for the extreme, dive watches were born from an utilitarian purpose: diving is all about time and depth. Yet, their most important promise might very well be that strapping a rugged dive watch around your wrist, gets you ready for the next adventure or adrenaline fix. The perfect option if you want to test your ability “not to crack under pressure”. Celebrating the brand’s tagline, Aquaracer collection is complemented by new attractive colored models. Monochrome goes hands-on with the TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300m Black Titanium Sand’ and Blue.

8 years ago

Introducing – Bell & Ross BR01 Burning Skull “Tattoo” (hands-on)

A skull in a pilot / instrument watch? Seems like a weird combination. However, it’s something that Bell & Ross have done for quite some years now. And in fact, this motif is somewhat linked to the world of aviation (and no, this BR01 is not a pirate watch). Yes, these Skull B&R (the first one was introduced in 2009) pay tribute to legendary parachutists of the Second World War, who’s logo was a skull with “Death from Above” written inside. The new Bell & Ross BR01 Burning Skull uses this same DNA and even tattooed it directly onto its case.

8 years ago

“Dutch Pride” embodied by the new TAG Heuer Formula 1 Max Verstappen Special Edition

Dutch citizens and their pride, all wrapped in orange… That’s something few can understand but I have to say, I do. Indeed, I am surrounded with Dutch guys, as two of our contributors are Dutch and even our dear founder Frank is. While the Netherlands aren’t known to be the greatest country for sports, they have one man to rely on, one man that is known to be the youngest Formula One Grand Prix winner of all time. To celebrate “Dutch Pride” and this great champion, TAG Heuer unveiled yesterday night in Amsterdam the new Max Verstappen Special Edition, a watch only available for his fans and co-citizens in the Netherlands.

8 years ago

Hands-on with the Hyper-Technical Angelus U30 Tourbillon Rattrapante (and how can it be, relatively speaking, so affordable)

Listen to that: double column-wheel, flyback, split-seconds, automatic chronograph skeletonized with tourbillon… Sounds like something we’re all dreaming off. It’s like the Lamborghini you had on your walls when teenager. Something too good to be true, or just way too expensive to be accessible, even for someone in a good professional position. Well, it seems that Angelus Watches does not agree with that, as they have such a watch in their catalogue. It is named the Angelus U30 Tourbillon Rattrapante and we’re going to look closely at it – and try to understand how it can be, relatively speaking, so affordable.

8 years ago