In-Depth – Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance – Step 2 in the Masterpiece Collection
If you are a recurring reader of MONOCHROME or simply into independent watchmaking, you are probably familiar with Armin Strom and their innovative Resonance concept. Launched with the Mirrored Force Resonance in 2016, later used to regulate a dual-time watch, the brand’s first “Masterpiece”, the second chapter in this ultra-complex series of watches has just been presented… And here, resonance is used on two levels, as you’ll see below. Meet the impressive Armin Strom Minute Repeater Resonance.
Editor’s note: The Cartier Tank is a watch with an incredible century (and then some) history, and a list of famous fans as long as your arm. Sandra runs through some of the variants on this classic watch, and some of its celebrity owners. Outstanding. For any designer, regardless of product type, the holy grail is to create an object that so perfectly balances form and function and so elegantly expresses an aesthetic that it will not only last for many generations but will forever look as modern as it did when it left the drawing board. Among those rare products are Le Corbusier’s Chaise LC4, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair and Cartier’s Tank wristwatch. Louis Cartier’s practical, no-frills design has not only become one of the most successful and enduring watches of all time, it has accepted tweaks, updates and experiments without ever losing its integrity. And it is loved equally by men and women – for the not-so-simple reason that it’s perfectly suited to both. The beginning It’s hard to think of a less likely time than 1917 – three years into the havoc of World War I – for launching an object that would become a…
Panerai’s Radiomir is the diving brand’s most dressy offering, lacking some of the heft — as well as the crown guard — of its Luminor and Submersible brethren. But it’s still every inch (or should that be millimetre) a Panerai. That super-distinctive case, those hands and, of course, those numerals. This time around, we’ve been treated to a brace of new references: PAM00995, PAM00998, PAM00999 and PAM00997, running the gamut of 45mm three-hand to GMT models and a beefy 48mm ceramic model, with new dial treatments. And what a dial — glorious (not-so-glossy) matt green. Visually, the look is strong; the dark tone amplified by the golden handset and warm, creamy Arabic numerals and carefully worn leather straps. And while the dial in and of itself isn’t an earth-shattering innovation, it’s certainly attractive. And while the 48mm ceramic is impressive, I think the 45mm GMT on the suede strap is the winning combination. Be warned, though, these are boutique-only pieces. Panerai Radiomir – 45mm – PAM00995 – $15,700 AUD Panerai Radiomir GMT – 45mm – PAM00998 – $16,900 AUD Panerai Radiomir GMT Power Reserve – 45mm – PAM00999 – $17,200 AUD Panerai Radiomir – 48mm – PAM00997 – $18,500 AUD
Editors’s note: If you are reading this, and I were a gambling man, I’d guess you were aware that 2019 is a special year in the world of watches. One of the significant reasons is that TAG Heuer are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of the Monaco Chronograph, their angular cult classic. To mark the occasion, TAG Heuer are releasing five limited edition Monaco watches to appropriately commemorate the half-century birthday (three of which have been released so far, here, here and here). So we wanted to look at this interpretation of the classic Monaco, released in 2015. The story in a second: 2015 saw TAG Heuer release the bold Heuer 01, the smart Carrera Connected and a faithful re-edition of one of the most iconic watches ever made – the Monaco. Heuer made a lot of cool watches, but none more so than the Heuer Monaco. Instantly recognisable thanks to the large square case, and powered by the legendary Calibre 11 automatic chronograph movement, there’s no doubting the Monaco’s cred. But the frosting on the ice-cool cake is Steve McQueen. The King of Cool was a hot property in the ’60s and ’70s, and the prominent placement…
Ah, Instagram. That platform that sucks, according to my phone’s digital wellbeing section; well over an hour a day of my life into its colourful void. It’s a social media platform that might as well be made for watches — highly visual, and the wristshot is perfectly framed in that square crop. I’ve made some great watch buddies through Instagram — the #watchfam is real. But it’s not all peachy; it’s also the worst platform out there for mental health, thanks to its impossibly filtered lifestyles and the intense FOMO-factor. That’s a bigger fish than I’m capable of frying RN, but I can have a crack at five overdone, overwrought and just old tropes of the watch Instagram world. And I will. Starting with … The watch/car shot Urgh. You know this shot, it’s the guy (it’s always a guy) with the *insert mainstream luxury brand here* casually resting on the wheel of their *insert mainstream European luxury sedan here*, in a flex that’s as fresh as it is subtle. We get it, you can tell the time AND drive. Oh, and you’ve got money. Bravo. The fistful of dollars Sometimes it’s not enough to let your followers know you’ve…
