Value Proposition – E.C.Andersson Denise – The Scandinavian Brand’s First Dive Watch

Few are the microbrands that have genuinely convinced us, but E.C.Andersson is definitely one of them. This Scandinavian watch company has created several interesting, well-executed sports/tool watches, including North Sea II and Calypso, which combined a cool design, solid cases and overall accessible prices. Today, the brand is releasing a new model named Denise, a watch that they see as an “all-season tool watch”, or a dive watch that can be brought onshore for exploration.

6 years ago

Review – Baume HRS Limited Edition Automatic – When Richemont goes Microbrand-Like

When you hear the word Baume, most would assume it’s referring to Baume & Mercier, a popular luxury watch brand dating back to 1830 and now part of the Richemont Group. And they’d be partially correct. Baume is an offshoot of Baume & Mercier with Marie Chassot (Product Marketing Director for Baume & Mercier) coming in as the lead, along with several other executives from the parent company. Baume is, however, very much an independent company with different design philosophies and strategic guidance, and a strong focus on sustainability.

6 years ago

Hands-on – Fugue Chronostase, Making a Case for Modularity

Modularity has become a big thing in the watch industry, with more and more embracing the concept of customisation (at least for some very high-end brands) and interchangeable strap/bracelet system – think Vacheron Constantin, Maurice Lacroix or Cartier. Yet, in the end, you have the same watch on a different strap. Certainly a nice first […]

6 years ago

Introducing – The Pinion Atom 39, An Accessible British Tool-Watch (Hands-On)

The watch industry is in a shift. E-commerce is on everyone’s lips, new ways to deal with end-customers are the main topic for brands and, most importantly in the present context, there are hundreds of microbrands rising – some more outstanding than others. Among those young brands, one that stands out from the crowd and that already successfully launched several pieces is named Pinion. Classic in the execution, offering robust tool watches, the British brand is now launching a new watch, the Pinion Atom 39 – an accessible watch that has been created after an interesting collectors’ survey.

6 years ago

Value Proposition – Martenero Kerrison – A Stylish and Affordable Automatic All-Rounder

While a growing list of microbrands are producing well designed, high-quality watches that are nipping at the heels of brands like Hamilton, Tissot and Seiko, they don’t have the marketing or mass production prowess of those established brands. Some of the watches themselves, however, are bonafide contenders. Martenero is a young microbrand based in New York that already has a handful of intriguing lines in their portfolio. They recently funded a sequel to one of their bestsellers on Kickstarter, the Edgemere Reserve. It follows the original Edgemere and adds three complications, a 24-hour sub-dial, date and reserve indicator (the original Edgemere was a time-only piece). One of my favorite Martenero lines is the Kerrison, which is clean and conservative, but also full of personality. They remind me of the Three Hand Automatics from another young microbrand, Farer Universal. Both use splashes of color to add a little fun to otherwise subdued (yet stylish) dials. Let’s take a closer look at the Martenero Kerrison in black.

6 years ago

Introducing – The Accessible Pendulum Traveler from Young Dutch Brand Fromanteel

It isn’t the first that we mention Fromanteel on MONOCHROME. Still young but with already its own style, this Dutch brand offers several watches, including a couple of automatics with elegant, understated design – such as the classic Pendulum. In a recent interview with Alfredo Silva, Co-Owner/Founder of Fromanteel Watches, we teased a new watch to be soon released. And here it is! Meet the new Pendulum Traveler, a fresh, elegant and rational dual-time watch from The Netherlands – but still with Swiss roots.

6 years ago

Introducing – The Accessible Pendulum Traveler from Young Dutch Brand Fromanteel

It isn’t the first that we mention Fromanteel on MONOCHROME. Still young but with already its own style, this Dutch brand offers several watches, including a couple of automatics with elegant, understated design – such as the classic Pendulum. In a recent interview with Alfredo Silva, Co-Owner/Founder of Fromanteel Watches, we teased a new watch to be soon released. And here it is! Meet the new Pendulum Traveler, a fresh, elegant and rational dual-time watch from The Netherlands – but still with Swiss roots.

6 years ago

Hands-on – Frederique Constant Classics 24H – An Unusual (and affordable) Approach to Consulting the Time

There is no stopping the steady flow of models emerging from Frederique Constant, all steeled for battle in the mid-price arena. The latest Classic Automatic 24H, equipped with a 24-hour function, joins the well-populated Classics collection and will retail for under EUR 1,000. My first take on the newcomer was that this was a practical GMT watch, designed for men on the move. But where was the additional hand to read the second time zone? FC’s new watch is a bit of a mind teaser and presents a different way of reading the hours based on a 24-hour format. Instead of the standard hour hand advancing in 12 increments of one hour twice a day, the hand is slowed down to half its regular speed to read the 24-hour disc on the dial. Once you have got your mind around the fact that the hour hand makes one rotation a day and not two, things start to make sense.

6 years ago

Hands-on – Mido Ocean Star Diver 600, A Robust and Accessible Dive Watch

If Mido is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, the history of the Mido Ocean Star dates back to the early 1940s. Naturally, at the time, the Ocean Star was not yet the modern mechanical dive watch it is today and had little in common with the latest model in the family, the most technical so far. Let’s take a look at this new Mido Ocean Star Diver 600.

6 years ago