Category: Watch Info

Interview – The Online Watch Market – Eneuri Acosta From Hodinkee

Last but not least, to end our series that aims at deciphering the world of online watch marketplaces, we’ve decided to talk to the most “hype” of them all (let’s be honest, credit where credit is due): HODINKEE. What started as a hobby and a sheer passion for watches by Ben Clymer has now grown to a large magazine and an e-commerce website focused on watches and everything related to watches – and for the latter part, not without generating debate. For some, editorial and commercial activities shouldn’t coexist. So, in order to give full transparency on this part, we leave the stage to HODINKEE’s COO, Eneuri Acosta.

6 years ago

Interview – The Online Watch Market – Wei Koh from Revolution/The Rake

As you’ve seen from our previous episodes, the online watch market isn’t just a trend anymore. It is now well established and multiple heavy-weight companies are now playing market-makers. Yet, we talk about specialized firms, with one and only activity. More surprising are names such as Hodinkee, Worn & Wound or Revolution. All of them started their lives as watch magazines and have now added e-commerce to their portfolio of activities. To understand why and how watch-media can legitimately create value from such a business, we will first talk to our good friend Wei Koh, founder of Revolution and The Rake.

6 years ago

Interview – The Online Watch Market – Philipp Man from Chronext

Today marks the fifth opus in our series of interviews focusing on deciphering the world of online watch marketplaces. Today, we look at Chronext and we talk with someone we know for some years already, CEO Philipp Man (who was featured in our “Collector’s Series” here). As he likes to say, “the new luxury buyer is online” confirming how important is this specific angle of the market. What makes Chronext different? Own stock, verified watches, authenticity guaranteed. Security in buying watches online, explained in the following interview.

6 years ago

Interview – The Online Watch Market – Claudio de Giovanni from Verado

After a look at Chrono24, Montredo and WatchBox, we continue our series focusing on understanding the online watch market – certainly one of the most important trends in the watch world today. Today, we’re talking to a newbie in the world of online watch marketplaces. The name of the company is Verado and his Founder & CEO is Claudio de Giovanni. What makes Verado unique? They claim to be “the facilitator of fair transactions between real people” – something that will be explained in the following interview.

6 years ago

Interview – The Online Watch Market – Patrik Hoffmann from WatchBox Europe

Today, we continue our “Online Watch Market” series. After Chrono24 and Montredo, it is time to take a look at one of the main actors in this ultra-competitive market: WatchBox. Founded by experienced entrepreneurs and market-makers Danny Govberg (of US-based watch/jewels retailer Govberg Jewelers) and Tay Liam Wee (Asia-based retailer Sincere Watches), WatchBox is today opening its European Offices in Switzerland. Perfect timing to talk with our long-time friend Patrik Hoffmann (ex-CEO of a watch brand) about WatchBox Europe and the online watch market.

6 years ago

Interview – The Online Watch Market – Philipp Budiman from Montredo

Yesterday we started with the first in a series of interviews with the CEOs of the world’s largest online watch marketplaces. Each and every place has its own specific ways of dealing with trade; one company owns the displayed inventory, the other doesn’t, and a third has a hybrid approach. One way or another, all these companies want to give you the best and most secure buying experience. But how do they do it? The respective CEOs explain this and today we’re talking with Philipp Budimann, CEO of Montredo.

6 years ago

Interview – The Online Watch Market – Tim Stracke from Chrono24

It’s often said that the online world of buying (and selling) watches is kind of murky. I remember the days, actually not so long ago, when most watch brand websites started with a pop-up warning the visitor about watches for sale in the online world. Now, only a few years down the line, those very same brands have started to develop their own e-commerce channels. Besides these official e-commerce channels, the internet is teeming with online marketplaces and we will be asking the CEOs of the largest and most reputable online platforms to tell us more about their company, themselves and which watch tops their personal wish list.

6 years ago

In-Depth – What’s the Difference Between a Chronometer and a Chronograph?

This “chronograph vs. chronometer” question is an important one. Certainly, most of our recurring readers here, at MONOCHROME, will have the answer to this question. But what about the others, the ones who want to start their horological journey? As I still hear this question quite often, we thought that it would be good to clarify the situation and to bring the answer to “what’s the difference between a chronometer and a chronograph?”

6 years ago

Just Because – Why Do Clocks and Watches Use the Roman Numeral IIII instead of IV?

Roman numerals are one of the most classic designs found on clocks and watches. As far as we can go back in history, there have always been some clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches with such numerals on the dials. However, owners of such pieces might have noticed something weird, something rather unusual. While the numeral 4 is commonly written IV in the Roman numeric system, most watches rely on the typography IIII. And of course, just like us, you might have asked yourself why? As always, there is no single answer to a problem, but here are some possible explanations for this absurdly important question.

6 years ago

Spotlight on Young Talents – Remy Cools, 21, Freshly Graduated, Presents His Tourbillon

At MONOCHROME, we are always happy to present new watchmaking talents and their work. 21-year-old Remy Cools is one of them. A recent graduate of the Lycée Edgar Faure in Morteau, a French town next to the Swiss border, Remy is one of the winners of the 2018 young talent award by F.P. Journe. Already quite a serious background for such a young man. Not only he earned the knowledge, but he also applied it in the metal. His watch, the montre d’école tourbillon (school watch in French) is well worth a look.

6 years ago