Category: Watch Talk

Introducing – Rimowa Watch Case

Approximately 99.9% of the articles we publish are stories are about watches. That’s what’s MONOCHROME is all about. However, recently I saw a watch box made by Rimowa. You know, that brand that makes beautiful aluminium suitcases and trolleys, dare I say it, iconic aluminium suitcases. The Rimowa watch case looks very Rimowa and is executed in the exact same iconic aluminium looks. We’re all watch enthusiasts (to say the least) and I wanted to have a closer look, so I reached out to the brand and asked for a review model. Would this make the best ‘travel watch case’ on the market?

5 years ago

Just Because – Reviewing a Cuckoo Clock (Because It’s Watchmaking After All…)

Monochrome is all about watches, of course. The vast majority of what we cover are mechanical wristwatches, although every now and then we’ll highlight something intriguing like the quartz Citizen Calibre 0100 with an accuracy of +/- 1 second per year. In the same vein, we also dip our toes into the world of mechanical […]

5 years ago

Interview – Bernard Werk, Watch Journalist who Started Watch Brand GYRE for a Good Cause

Next week will see the launch of a new Kickstarter brand called Gyre. We’ve seen quite a lot of initiatives like this in the last five years, but this one promises to be completely different. Its founder is Bernard Werk, a man whom I’ve known for more than fifteen years, a man who (back in the days) gave me the chance to write for his magazine. Bernard is a seasoned watch journalist and the owner of Watching, the oldest watch publication in The Netherlands. With Gyre he plans to raise awareness for ocean pollution while raising money for its clean-up as well. I spoke to Bernard about his fresh idea and how that turned into a 3-year hurdle race now finally nearing completion with the launch of the Gyre SeaCleaner.

5 years ago

The Collector’s Series – @winewhiskywatches and his Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance with Kari Voutilainen Guilloché Dial

After we relaunched The Collector’s Series last week, with Brice interviewing myself about my lovely old Daniel Roth Small Seconds with salmon-colour dial, we reached out to a few collectors. What I have always liked so much about this series is to find out more about the motivation of why people buy a particular watch. We spend a (more often than not) serious budget on something that tells time, but more importantly, gives pleasure. And I love to tap into that and find out what drives a collector to make his/her choice; what’s the ‘rationale’ behind a choice. Today we’re proud to feature someone with a remarkably good Instagram name, namely @WineWhiskyWatches, and we’re talking about his Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance with a beautiful guilloche dial by Kari Voutilainen.

6 years ago

Buying Guide – Online Watch Shopping While the Confinement Lasts – Part 2

A few days ago we gave a big shout-out to some of our friends who also run online watch magazines. However, the online world for watch shopping offers much more choice! Now that you’re (most likely) in confinement – hopefully well and healthy – you can still buy watches and have them delivered to your […]

6 years ago

Just Because – A BIG Shout-Out to IWC and Kurt Klaus (About Smartwatches…)

A few days ago an email from the IWC marketing team dropped into my inbox. Nothing unusual and like always I have a quick look at what the brand plans to communicate now. Maybe a new watch, another limited edition, or an update on the Silver Spirit Spitfire that is on its flight around the globe? Nope, the email was about three videos featuring legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus and… a smartwatch.

6 years ago

Opinion – Artisans de Genève «LA MONTOYA», a modified Rolex Daytona crafted for Juan Pablo Montoya

In the world of watches, opinions about modified or customized or ‘tuned’ watches is usually not very positive. That’s why the official collaboration between LVMH brands Zenith and TAG Heuer with one of these customizers, Bamford, was remarkable, to say the least. For a few years now, another customizer is making a name for itself and does it in a rather qualitative and original way. I’m talking about Artisans de Genève, and today they launch a fully skeletonized Rolex Daytona, which they designed together with ex-Formula 1 driver, Juan Pablo Montoya. And it looks pretty cool! 

7 years ago

Taking apart a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms from the early 1950’s and a brand new one

The other day we published a lengthy interview with Peter Speake-Marin, so you could get to know a bit more about Peter, and today we’re going to have a closer look at what exactly he’s doing these days. Besides being an easy-going, down-to-earth and always pleasant person, a happy and proud dad, and an extremely …

7 years ago

Interview – Peter Speake-Marin on Making Watches, Developing Movements and his Latest Venture, the Naked Watchmaker

I can clearly remember my very first Baselworld and meeting Peter Speake-Marin. I didn’t know the “industry” as well as I know it today and I had no real conception of the entire industry and where Peter fit in. Today, some ten years later, I’m still in touch with Peter and I feel honoured to call him a friend. Over this past decade, I’ve followed Peter’s wanderings through the industry, and since Peter recently started a new venture (the Naked Watchmaker) I wanted to give you an overview of who Mr Peter Speake-Marin actually is. Soon, we’ll focus on him deconstructing movements, but first, an interview with the man himself.

7 years ago