Sunday Rewind: JLC’s Delightful Compass 35mm Camera
Jack takes a macro look at a beautiful vintage camera made by Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Buying Guide – The 5 Coolest TAG Heuer Monacos You Can Get for the 50th Anniversary
In 1969, Heuer (which would become TAG Heuer) revolutionized the watch industry with two great introductions… First is, of course, the launch of the calibre 11, one of three first automatic chronograph movements ever created. Second was the introduction of a watch that would later become an icon (but that wasn’t that successful back then…) […]
Buying Guide – The 5 Coolest TAG Heuer Monaco You Can Get for the 50th Anniversary
In 1969, Heuer (which will become TAG Heuer) revolutionized the watch industry with two great introductions… First is, of course, the reveal of the calibre 11, one of three first automatic chronograph movements ever created. Second was the introduction of a watch that will later become an icon (but that wasn’t that successful back then…) […]
The legend of the first Bulgari Roma watch
Editor’s note: This year, the Bulgari watch department celebrated its fifth year in a row of record-breaking watches with the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic. While some in the watch industry are still coming to terms with the horological success of a brand with roots in jewellery, Bulgari have actually been making watches since 1975. A couple of years ago, Andrew had the opportunity to see the first ever watch from the brand, the Bulgari Roma, when it was on display at the Tokyo National Museum. He captured his impressions at the time, and told the legend of why it was first produced. Surrounded by dazzling diamonds and gemstones is a digital wristwatch, on a frayed woven rope strap. With its simple LCD display in a yellow gold case, the watch looks a little out of place amid the delicate, glittering finery that surrounds it. But this is the Art of Bulgari exhibition, which celebrated 130 years of the brand at the Tokyo National Museum. And this watch — the Bulgari Roma — is very important to the Italian jewellery house. It’s the brand’s first ever wristwatch, and the tale behind its genesis and their almost accidental entry into the world of…
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RECOMMENDED LISTENING: Chrono24 CEO on the Secondary Watch Market
There are a lot of great podcasts out there on the world of watches, but the guys over at Worn & Wound do a particularly good job. One of the things they are great at is finding interesting people to speak with, which they did when they interviewed Tim Stracke, the C0-CEO and Founder of Chrono24, an online watch marketplace. Chrono24 has been growing significantly over the last few years, and in 2018 the total value of transactions that originated from the site increased by 30 per cent to €1.3 billion. The platform is also leveraging the huge amount of data it collects on watch buyers, giving it unique insights into the second-hand watch market that informs its growth. If you’re interested in the second-hand watch market, this episode from Worn & Wound is a must-listen for a fascinating perspective from a man with his finger on the pulse, as well as some hints on how he sees the market changing in coming years.
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T+T Highlights: Sotheby's Australia Important Jewels Auction
Next month, Sotheby’s Australia are hosting their Important Jewels Auction in Melbourne, with a catalogue that includes a small collection of watches. The focus of the offering is obviously heavily on jewellery, however it is great to see a large local auction house include a few interesting watches, too. After passing the catalogue around the office this morning, there are a couple of standout pieces that were T+T team favourites. Felix (Editor) – HEUER AUTAVIA AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH “JO SIFFERT” The classic, cushiony case and panda dial with just the right amount of pop. The motor sports legacy doesn’t hurt either. Emma (Marketing) – CARTIER SANTOS 100 REF 2656 I’m loving this Santos’ bold beauty for its dramatic contrasts of gold, steel and oxblood red — it’s a striking variation of a Cartier icon. Nick (Writer) – CARTIER TANK AMERICAINE REF 2483 Cartier are known for their timeless design language, but the Tank Americane is a standout for me. Yellow gold and dress watches go together like vermouth and gin.
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To buy or not to buy – how to curate your watch collection
Collecting watches is a lot of fun. At least, it should be. If it ever stops being fun, I’d assume that’s because you got into it for the wrong reasons (to make a quick buck, most likely). If you’re about to take the plunge into this massively rewarding hobby, but you’re doing so because you think it will make you rich, don’t. If you started (or are about to start) collecting watches because you love them, welcome to the club. Everyone’s watch journey is different. They can depend on means and opportunities, or tastes and trends, or any number of factors that make your story your own. One thing is highly likely, though. You will make mistakes, missteps, and about-turns as you tread this path. Sometimes these errors in judgement are far from that at the time. It’s very possible that certain watches will instantly become an itch you just have to scratch, and scratch it you should (even if you feel like a fool for it a couple of years down the line). I’m afraid we can’t help you avoid that, but we do have a little bit of advice regarding some common questions we’ve been hearing recently: How…
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Weekend Round-Up: In-Flight Ebola, Digital Surrogates, And The Return Of Supersonic Travel
Kick off a proper summer weekend with some fascinating stories.
The Petrolhead Corner – The History of the Ferrari V12 Engine, The Heat of Summer Classic Rallies and The Mid-Engine ‘Vette
Saturday means another kind of mechanics here, at MONOCHROME. As every week, we share with you our second passion: cars (like real cars, those that smell and make some noise). This week’s Petrolhead Corner is a “best of the web”, with some of the coolest stories we found. One of the most legendary engines explained, […]
RECOMMENDED READING: Do watches hold their value during a downturn?
Much has been written about the growth of the pre-owned watch market in recent years, but just how long has this been happening, and will watches hold their value during a recession? With consecutive seasons of watch auctions breaking all-time records, luxury conglomerate Richemont spending an estimated €200m to acquire second-hand dealer Watchfinder & Co just over 12 months ago, and brands such as Audemars Piguet announcing their intention to sell their own pre-owned watches, there is a current land-grab for control over the lucrative pre-owned market. Beyond specific pre-owned markets, something is happening in the retail watch market too, which Sandra discussed in her frustration at the combination of waitlists and the premium over retail for certain models. In 2019, stainless steel is literally worth more than its weight in gold. But the phenomenon of waitlists feels recent in the watch collecting world, with some Rolex professional models being relatively easy to buy at retail only a half-decade ago. In actual fact, this uptick in the pre-owned market began a lot longer ago, with the FHH Journal observing strong auction results in 2008. That’s right, if you wanted evidence that the watch market behaves a little differently, this article…
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