Introducing: The Hamilton Khaki Pilot Auto Day Date
After a century, it’s a sure bet Hamilton knows how to make an aviator’s watch.
Value Proposition – William L. 1985 Unveils one of the Most Affordable Automatic Chronographs on the Market (now on Kickstarter)
William L. 1985 was founded in 2015 by Guillaume Laidet (hence the name William L. – Guillaume is the French for William). A French entrepreneur with a passion for watchmaking, Guillaume used to work in Switzerland for high-end brands such as Zenith and Jaeger-LeCoultre. When he founded his own brand, his idea was to offer vintage-inspired timepieces that would be both functional and affordable. After the successful launch, William L. 1985 is now back on Kickstarter to unveil an automatic chronograph presented as the ‘most affordable in the market’ and priced just under EUR 500 (Kickstarter price).
HANDS-ON: High-end quartz – Grand Seiko celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 9F with two limited editions (SBGT241 and SBGV238)
If you’re a regular reader, I’m willing to bet that your views around quartz timekeeping will be pretty negative. After all, this is a technology that was (almost) responsible for the downfall of mechanical watches. But, as you’re about to find out, not all quartz watches were created equal. Sure, there’s the cheap and cheerful plastic contraptions that consist of battery, circuit board and a very big spacer. And then there’s the 9F. Seiko pioneered quartz technology with the release of the Astron back in 1969, and they’ve innovated ever since. Of all their many achievements in the field, one of the most impressive is the 9F, introduced in 1993 as part of Grand Seiko’s quartz line. Simply put, it’s a true, high-end quartz movement, treated with the same level of care and precision as a traditional mechanical movement. Hand-assembled, with 133 parts, an aged quartz crystal, which is paired with a specifically programmed integrated circuit, for optimal accuracy. Not to mention the sealed, finely aligned coil block. The date wheel shifts in 1/2000th of a second, and the whole thing can go for 50 years without needing lubrication. And on the accuracy front, it’s good for +/- 10 seconds…
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Hands-On: The Breitling Navitimer 8 B01
The brand’s newest in-house chronograph offers our first glimpse into Breitling under its new CEO, Georges Kern.
Review – Reservoir Supercharged Sport – Automotive-Inspired with Cool Jumping Hour/Retrograde Minute Display
It is not the first time we talk about Reservoir Watches, a young brand that has made a name for itself with its cool, well-designed, original watches. Here, at MONOCHROME, we love the beauty of mechanics and novel ways of telling the time – and this Reservoir model, with its jumping hours and retrograde minutes, satisfies us on both levels. But it also comes with a very attractive price tag…So, let’s invest in some quality time with the Reservoir Supercharged Sport.
In The Shop – Vintage Watches: A 1965 Rolex ‘Pre-Daytona’ Ref. 6238, A 1971 Audemars Piguet Ultra-Thin, And A 1960s Universal Genève Polerouter
We are back – and with a bang.
Women’s Watch Wednesday – Hands-On with the Audemars Piguet Millenary Frosted Gold Opal Dial
The Audemars Piguet Millenary Frosted Gold Opal Dial is my horological fantasy come true. Appealing on an aesthetic and technical level, the Millenary Frosted Gold Opal Dial wears its beating heart on its sleeve and plays with volume, texture, and light in a contemporary key. Feminine yet assertive, this Millenary model flies in the face of traditional women’s watches. As François-Henri Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet likes to say: “women’s watches shouldn’t be limited to shrinking, pinking and adding a few diamonds.” And, as you will see, there is absolutely nothing shrinky, pinky or diamondy about the Millenary Frosted Gold.
VIDEO: 5 standout Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris watches from SIHH 2018
One of the strongest, all-round collections of SIHH was, without a doubt, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris. Coming off a strong 2017 lineup, JLC hit all the right notes with their brand new Polaris collection. While this five-strong family of watches is clearly influenced by the Polaris of yore (for more on that, check out Andy’s look at the origins of the model), this is more interpretation than pure homage. Sure, there’s the Polaris Memovox, which is the closest the collection gets to a one-for-one reissue, but there are also relatively simple automatic and date models (the date is my pick of the litter, FWIW). The Polaris DNA is strong in these models, thanks to the dial, as well as the dual crown layout, but it also works wonderfully in the more complex Chronograph and Chronograph WT options. All told, the 2018 Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris family is considered and commercial in equal measure, and already looks set to be one of the year’s highlights.
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Introducing – The X-ONE H1 – A Pioneering Swiss-Made Mechanical Smartwatch, now Funding on Kickstarter
Over the last few months, and even years, we’ve covered some pretty interesting start-up watch projects here on MONOCHROME. Advances in modern technology, combined with ready access to start-up capital via decentralised crowd-funding, have helped unlock the floodgates of innovation across multiple industries, injecting fresh blood and ideas. Today, we are pleased to bring you yet another one; the intriguing X-ONE H1 from Conex Watches, a Swiss-made mechanical smartwatch that packs some impressive functionality. Read on to learn more about this bold new timekeeper, including how you can get your hands on one for 50% off retail (for a limited time only, of course).
Introducing: The IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII Edition ‘Laureus Sport for Good Foundation’
This new take on a familiar model offers something genuinely new and benefits a great cause too.