Today, we’ll be reviewing something special. Something that is unusual for the luxury watch industry. Sure, we’ll look at watches… You’re reading MONOCHROME after all. Today, we’ll look at a couple of watches by Porsche-Design. But there’s more to the story, as we’ll be talking about the brand’s latest concept. And yes, it is quite […]
Last year was a year of many firsts. It was the first time I worked from home for months in a row. It was the first time I wore a mask every time I left the house. And it was the first time that a regular production G-Shock collection started selling above it’s recommended retail price on the secondary market. I am, of course, talking about the Casio G-Shock GA2100-1A ‘CasiOak’ collection, that sent the watch community into a passionate frenzy. So why is this new collection from G-Shock so damn popular? It boils down to a couple of things in my mind. Firstly, its nickname is in reference to a particularly desirable Swiss luxury mechanical sports watch, which rhymes with “joyful hope” (Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak in case you’re still wondering). This is a particularly good example of one of my favourite phrases “high fashion, low rent” where, through a kind of cultural subversion, you get access to an otherwise off-limits category but in an obviously tongue-in-cheek way. If Swatch made a time-only wristwatch that reminded you of a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 without looking like a straight-up homage, I’d imagine it would be similarly popular. Secondly, it’s just…
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I know its summer in Australia, but here in the United States it’s the bleak mid winter – so we really needed this heat from Zenith. Since we published our hands-on review of the watch, our readers have made it pretty clear what the nickname of the Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 Brown Gradient Dial should be: the “cappuccino”. Zenith claims they were the first company to produce smoked gradient dials. All I know is it’s a smokin’ hot dial and watch. The heritage trend has been all the rage these last few years with multiple re-issues that dig into the archives of a brand – but not all are created equal. Making watches is very detail driven and sometimes attempts to dig up classics of the past can get lost in translation when fabricated in the modern era. But this is an example of a true winner. Zenith has meticulously worked to bring us a 1:1 revival of their legendary trio of chronographs from 1969. Aside from the sapphire crystals and the SuperLuminova® in the hands and markers, everything is exactly the same as the originals. The Zenith Chronomaster Revival A385 Brown Gradient Dial retains its 37mm case diameter, which…
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Sharp design mixed with a distinct British aesthetic is a winning combination that has earned Farer a solid following among knowing enthusiasts. The brand was established back in 2015 when they made a proper mark on the microbrand scene with their colourful Universal series. Now they’re back with the Farer Exmoor field watch with its crisp olive-green design that’s a breath of fresh air in a category of mostly monochrome tool watches. Farer has built a reputation as a small brand with an emphasis on vintage inspiration, often slim of design with fresh colours and bags of personality to spice things up and take them to another level. What distinguishes Farer from the microbrand pack is a British sartorial take on the simple, mechanical wristwatches we love, from dress watches to chronographs, infused with a quality that belies the price point. In particular, their use of colour consistently excites. In their quiet way Farer may have set new standards for accessible watchmaking with a twist, like British tailoring for the wrist (Farer, you may use that rhyming slogan for a small fee!). Structurally, the olive green dial Exmoor is the archetypal field watch. It’s a great example of a solid…
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To paraphrase TAG Heuer CEO Frédéric Arnault, Porsche and TAG Heuer share an attitude: both brands are in constant pursuit of high performance. TAG Heuer sees this alliance as a natural step after decades of friendship that we can visibly trace. All petrolheads appreciate the connection TAG has with motorsports, all the way back to Steve McQueen wearing a Heuer Monaco while racing a Porsche 917 in the film LeMans with a flat 12 engine wailing behind his back. As you will see in our video, the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph embodies this high-octane spirit and passion for speed. The name Carrera first came from the gruelling road race the Carrera Panamericana and served as the inspiration for Porsche’s most powerful engine following a famous win in 1954. In 1963, Jack Heuer launched the speed-infused Carrera chronograph, creating the parallel run of racing machines and wristwear that are formally united in this new chronograph that’s vintage-inspired but with a sharp, contemporary twist. The design of the new 44mm TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph oozes motorsports, the engine being the tough Carrera 02 calibre with its 60-hour power reserve resting behind a black rotor in the shape of a Porsche…
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The Rolex Explorer ref. 214270 is considered the Rolex model for true watch enthusiasts, or enthusiasts of the brand. By no means basic in the millennial sense of the word, the Explorer is less attention grabbing with its boiled-down to the essentials design. While less iconic to mainstream consumers than say the Submariner or Daytona, the Explorer watch presents owners with an all-in-one package extremely versatile in wear. It can be worn with formal attire, without raising a debate if sport watches should be paired with a suit, or be right at home on the wrist while summiting a mountain. The sole survivor of the line, the Rolex Explorer ref. 214270, is the brand’s most robust and modern take on the watch – delivering a blend of classic and current aesthetics and technologies. Rolex Explorer ref. 214270 price and availability: The Rolex Explorer ref. 214270 has an RRP of $9150 AUD and is currently available, though you may need to wait on a waitlist. For more details, visit Bob’s Watches right here. Made in partnership with Bob’s Watches. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.
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The term “luxury sports watch” is often an overused clichè. But the Louis Vuitton Tambour Damier Graphite Race Chronograph leaves you in no doubt of its intentions. A bold case combined with serious swagger and eye-popping green accents makes it a bright spark of contemporary design in a world of homage watches. Shy it ain’t. This watch is neither small nor particularly quiet, but maybe it’s exactly what we need? Not everyone wants a softly spoken 38mm skindiver, and this is nothing of the sort. The first time I lay my hands on it I notice that in this rather large 46mm case, LV has managed to create a very comfortable wearing sports chronograph. The round Tambour case is a veritable silky smooth pebble of comfort in black PVD-treated smooth steel. It sits just-so on the wrist and gives you a perfectly rounded background, while distracting you through the lively use of B.R.I.G.H.T green accents. The feeling on the wrist is sublime with the black and green logoed rubber strap, temptingly quick-released from the slender, downturned lugs can be swapped perhaps to an alligator strap for that Saturday night cocktail party. Though you’ll probably want to keep it on as…
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To update an icon, Omega have always understood that the path must be evolution rather than revolution. So what did they do on the first Speedy Tuesday of 2021? They showed the world what the next step was down the path of the Speedmaster Moonwatch. Eight new references were announced, including options in Sedna gold and Canopus gold, plus steel with hesalite or sapphire crystal over the dial, to welcome in the all new Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer collection. Carefully walking the line between preserving the past and preparing for the future, Omega have updated only a few key areas of the Speedmaster, including a new movement across the entire range, an updated bracelet and a slightly more compact case. These changes retain the core of what makes the Speedy a watch that is as popular as it is historically important, while bringing it into the 21st century of space flight. Without a doubt, this is the most significant overhaul to the Omega Speedmaster in decades, and it is an exciting one. With an improved movement that is more robust, accurate and likely to have longer intervals between services, as well as a redesign of the case and bracelet…
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Britain has a long history of horological greatness, having lead the way in innovation thanks to the likes of Thomas Tompion and John Harrison. Today, Farer is a brand that continues to fly the flag for passionate UK watchmakers. Established in 2015, Farer has released a number of heritage-inspired collections. Their philosophy is underpinned by seeking the best operators for the task at hand, using the contemporary watchmaking know-how of Switzerland and blending it with their own British watch design. This year they have announced a new collection in the Farer Field Watch Collection that fuses heritage inspiration with a modern vibrancy that is hard to ignore. With three new references sitting within this latest collection, there are options with green, blue and white dials. Apart from the dials, the rest of the specifications are consistent across the collection with stainless-steel cases that measure 38.5mm in diameter and sit a relatively compact 12.3mm off the wrist. With 200m of water resistance guaranteed, these watches will be able to handle all the surf sessions and spelunking trips you can throw at them. If you’re looking for something that can accompany you on your next camping trip, or just a slightly more…
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Editor’s note: Nearly three years ago, although it seems like a lifetime, Andrew was able to visit the Complications Department of the Hublot Manufacture, and get up close and personal with a Hublot tourbillon. He admitted his terror of the mind-bending complexity involved in assembling the 69 different components that make up the tourbillon cage, and honestly, who wouldn’t have been? It demands at least eight hours of work just on that part of the movement, offering a testament to Hublot’s commitment to traditional and complex watchmaking. This video from 2018 also just clicked over 200k views, so if you haven’t seen it get, give it a watch and get a better understanding of why the tourbillon is such a coveted area of horology. Hublot have made big strides in recent years to establish watchmaking credibility as a counterweight to its heavy-hitting celebrity power. Regular nominations in various GPHG categories – across women’s and men’s watches – have been a meaningful benchmark for progress, and new crowd-pleasers, such as the delightful movement architecture of the Meca-10, have opened up a fresh conversation with watch lovers about what wearing a Hublot actually means in the modern day. To this end, when…
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