Except if absent from the surface of the Earth for the last couple of months, all watch enthusiasts are now aware of the fact that Omega has launched a new version of its all-time classic chronograph, the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional. More than just a basic update, the brand has changed almost everything in this 2021 […]
H.Moser have become central to the revival of deep fumé or degradè dial finishing. Their deep colours captivate your attention like no flat black dial ever could. In this video we check out the the H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Centre Seconds Swiss Mad Red, which certainly lives up to its colourful name. This luscious cherry cocktail offers a tasty take on the everyday sports watch. We know Moser watches from ironic haute horlogerie with their Swiss Alp series and some of last year’s most hypnotising dials with their unexpected collaboration with MB&F. But can they really do everyday? The first impressions of the Pioneer Centre Seconds Swiss Mad Red tick my boxes in a big way. I am a dial man, always have been, and prefer coloured faces to monochrome minimalism – I just can’t help it. I also have a marked preference for three hand watches and the calm state of mind they put you in. There is something soothing about the slow cycle of the seconds hand doing its simple job and not telling you there is yet another email to process. It’s no secret that Moser have mastered the abyss-like depths of fumé and I have…
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Collaboration has become the name of the game. Be it in music, fashion or watchmaking, we’ve never seen such a diverse meeting of minds from around the world. But many collaborations leave you scratching your head, especially when two brands that have nothing in common come together to make a product that doesn’t make sense. Those strange and uncomfortably mismatched products serve as a striking contrast to those times when a partnership is, like the cereal, just right. The announcement of the new partnership between TAG Heuer and Porsche feels spot-on, not because they are both successful luxury brands in the 21st century, but because they share a rich history of involvement in motorsports. One that goes all the way back to when the Carrera Panamericana car race first ran in 1950, which makes the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph a natural distillation of this adrenaline-fuelled legacy. Featuring a 44mm stainless-steel case, the Heuer Carrera DNA is clear for all to see while, on the dial side of the watch, the links to motorsports are immediately obvious. Both partners are integrated here in a way that doesn’t seem remotely forced. Both Porsche and Heuer were inspired by the thrillingly dangerous…
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Forever the provocateur of the Swiss watch industry, Moser is up to its old tricks again. Say hello to the Moser Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade, the last chapter in the Swiss Alp Watch saga that began way back in 2016. Half a decade ago it was a totally new release from the manufacturer with a curiously curved rectangular case and eye-catching wire-like lugs. It was a form of sophisticated protest against an emerging threat to the traditional watch business, namely the Apple Watch. Over the last five years the Swiss Alp Watch collection has found a number of different forms, all with the same Jony Ive inspired case design. Except that the Swiss Alp Watch isn’t a smart watch but a timepiece with a mechanical movement. This year in it’s final expression, the Moser Swiss Alp Watch Final Upgrade features a black DLC-coated stainless steel case, as well as a Vantablack coated dial and blackened hands. The cherry on top? The seconds subdial at the 6 o’clock position of the dial that is designed to imitate a loading icon that you are sure to have seen on your computer more times than you’d care to admit. As the seconds…
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If you’re looking for a go anywhere, do anything type of watch, but don’t want to spend a fortune, John Robert Wristwatches might be what you’re looking for. Based in Melbourne, but produced in Switzerland, they recently released their debut collection aptly names the Archetype. This collection was born out of a desire to have your cake and eat it too, by taking design inspiration from the middle of the last century and pairing it with some of the best in contemporary watchmaking techniques. The result? Well, you get a dressy tool watch, of course. The dressy tool watch that is expressed through the Archetype collection measures a modest 38mm in diameter, just like the watch designers of the 1960s would have wanted. But unlike watches from that generation, the Archetype collection is guaranteed to 100m of water resistance. There are six references in total with three different dial colours (white, blue and charcoal) that are available with either an automatic or High Accuracy Quartz (accurate to +/-10secs per year!) caliber housed within. The dials are another winning point of difference. They’re created to offer the impression of a vintage linen dial that is richly textured and delivers a real…
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Grand Seiko never disappoints with their novelties. Some creations may not be for your taste or budget, but it is very rare (if ever) you fail to appreciate the supreme value in their timepieces. Gorgeous Zaratsu finishes, colourful and nature-inspired dials, tasty textures throughout – the brand’s grammar of design is a winning formula for sure. While they’ve set the bar high over the years, each new release seems determined to maintain their devout following. Most of their watches are made from either stainless-steel or titanium, but that doesn’t mean they are a stranger to precious metals. The Grand Seiko SBGW264 is not only encased in incredibly well-polished rose gold, it’s outfitted with a green dial that is nothing short of mesmerising. Before anyone accuses me of drinking the Kool-Aid, let me be very clear: I wouldn’t say any of this if I didn’t mean it. The manually wound SBGW264 utilises a rounded 39mm case and lugs finished with a distortion-free polish. This is already an intricate process on the more defined and sharp geometries within the catalogue, but it becomes a bit more complex to execute on a slightly more curved surface. Grand Seiko, however, is always up for…
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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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