In The Shop – Introducing: The Swatch Sistem51 HODINKEE Vintage 84
A distinctly 21st-century mechanical watch inspired by a vintage gem.
Introducing – GoS Sarek Midnight Blue, Known Watch, New Dial (And what a dial…)
A unique piece is something few people can afford, but a lot of us dream about. Whether it might be a record-smashing Patek Phillipe for Only-Watch or simply your custom ordered life-long desired piece; there is a massive appeal in knowing you are the only one in the world with the said watch. But there is also another option: artisanal watches where REALLY no two watches are alike despite being part of a certain theme or a limited production run. And the new GoS Sarek Midnight Blue is one in the latter category; it’s a watch that despite the fact that they will build more than 1, you’ll still have a stand-out, unique piece on your wrist!
VIDEO: One watch to do it all – The Grand Seiko Hi-Beat GMT SBGJ203
If you were looking for a go-anywhere-do-anything type watch (and honestly, aren’t we all?), then a stylistically versatile steel GMT on a bracelet would tick a lot of the boxes. And as far as versatile steel GMTs go, there aren’t too many options that offer quite as much as Grand Seiko’s SBGJ203. It’s got the looks: a distinctive, angular and exceptionally well-finished 40mm case, paired with a rich dial that sets an exceptionally high bar for the competition. There’s fine detail at play, but it’s not a watch to peacock its virtues, or to sacrifice comfort and function in favour of style. And then there’s movement. Grand Seiko’s 9S86, released in 2014, is a connoisseur’s choice, a well-finished automatic that beats at an accurate 5Hz rate, with an antimagnetic balance spring and 55 hours of power reserve. Not to mention the user-friendly GMT itself, which shows two time zones from central hands, and allows for quick, hour increment adjustments of the local time, a more logical implementation than the GMT hand adjustment, which is more common. The SBGJ203 is the sort of watch that has me going out of my way to find flaws. You might find the finishing –…
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News – TUDOR Announces Agreement With World Rugby, Reinforcing The Brand’s #BornToDare Campaign
After welcoming David Beckham and Lady Gaga as brand’s ambassadors and members of the #BornToDare campaign, then followed by a partnership with world-famous rugby team the “All Blacks”, Tudor continues to gown with the announcement today in Monaco of a new agreement, this time with World Rugby, which includes a partnership with Rugby World Cups (and more), then reinforcing the links between Tudor and the oval ball.
Panerai Is Opening Its First Stand-Alone Boutique In London And They Are Auctioning A Unique Bronzo Timepiece To Celebrate
Officine Panerai will shortly be opening its first stand-alone boutique in the UK and to celebrate, the company has created a unique bronze timepiece to be auctioned online by Sotheby’s. All proceeds from the sale of the special Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Bronzo 47mm PAM00907 will be donated to the Royal Yachting Association to support its charitable sailing programme, OnBoard. We’ve got all the details for you here on MONOCHROME, including how you can bid on this one-of-a-kind timepiece.
WHO TO FOLLOW: @jackwongyf
Today we chat to banker and self-described vintage watch hoarder Jack Wong, who’s not so anonymous online as @jackwongyf. From where we’re sitting, the Jack Wong lyf looks pretty good. Hi Jack, what’s your daily watch and why? To be honest, I don’t have a daily watch, I usually pick something to go with the day’s mood. So then, what is in your collection and have you got a favourite? I do not focus on one brand, or one particular era, as I believe every brand and period has their best. Having said that, I am particularly fond of Longines, Omega, Seiko, Rolex and pieces from the ’30s, ’40s and ’60s. As for my favourite, that’s a tough question. Aesthetically, I love all my sector dial watches. Mechanically, I am still in awe of my FPJ tourbillon. In regards to finishing and innovation, I’d go for my Grand Seiko Spring Drive. Rarity wise, my Longines (Mushroom Pusher) 13zn. You can probably tell by now, I don’t really have a favourite. Tell us about your most recent purchase, why is it special? I have to say it would be my Omega 26.5 CK859 two-tone Sector dial. It is special because, to…
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Buying Guide – Squaring the Circle with 6 of the Best Cushion-Shaped Watches of 2017
With their softly rounded square cases and inner round opening, cushion-shaped watches are a sure way to stylishly stand out from the crowd. Masculine and refined, here are 6 high-end cushion shaped watches released in 2017, for those who want to look original, yet stylish.
LIST: The 12 best dive watches of 2017
It’s something of a truism to say that everybody loves a good dive watch, regardless of their scuba certification status. Watch brands know this, and their 2017 releases did not disappoint, offering retro to futuristic and everything in-between. Rolex Sea-Dweller Without doubt the biggest dive watch of the year is the hotly anticipated Rolex Sea-Dweller, with expanded case, improved movement and single red dial text. And while not everyone’s a fan of the added cyclops, it’s still one of the hardest new-release watches to track down right now. RRP $14,400 Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook At the opposite end of the size spectrum is the positively petite reissue from Rado, a 37mm limited edition that’s a virtually perfect facsimile of the 1962 original, only with ceramic and sapphire upgrades. If you can’t handle the smaller size, there’s also a more modern 45mm interpretation. RRP from $2475 Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC Rado aren’t the only brand embracing the smaller side of dive watch life, Blancpain’s latest tribute to their famous diver seduced plenty of wrists in spite of (or perhaps because of) its 40mm case. The fact that the moisture indicator on the dial makes for a very cool talking…
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Technical Perspective: Hermès, Parmigiani Fleurier, And Richard Mille – Three Takes On One Movement
A movement can lead many different lives – just ask the Vaucher 5401.
Announcing – The New MONOCHROME Shop, Redesigned and Restocked
Today, I am proud to announce that MONOCHROME is, again, moving one step forward. Last year, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our watch-magazine and, in addition to that, we increased our team of experts who work hard to provide the articles we hope you enjoy to read. Now, it is another announcement that I’d like to share with you, as we’re launching the new, redesigned and re-stocked MONOCHROME Shop. This means a fresh and clean website (see here) and great products that we personally curated, with the usual MONOCHROME style. I hope you like our new straps and watch rolls as much as we do!