Whereas the trade won’t be in its greatest form (all issues thought of…), 2024 was nonetheless a extremely prolific 12 months by way of new fashions, with manufacturers as soon as once more displaying creativity and mechanical ingenuity. So far as issues go for us right here, at MONOCHROME, and particularly concerning our video manufacturing. Over the complete 2024 12 months, now we have printed over 90 movies (our report to date) on our YouTube channel, as you may see right here. Many are what we name “Fast Look” or “Opinions” however now we have additionally produced a protracted listing of so-called “In-Depth” movies, the MONOCHROME method, the place we discover the great thing about watchmaking. And right here’s our choice of our greatest movies of the 12 months, all devoted to explaining this trade we love a lot.
The Chopard Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF and What Precisely is a Excessive-Frequency Watch
On this video, we discover an outstanding watch, the Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF in titanium with a black dial. An ideal instance of a sublime sports activities watch, it additionally packs one thing fairly fascinating inside, a high-frequency motion devoted to precision. And this video was additionally the chance for us to come back again on this particular matter of hi-beat actions, what they’re, why they matter…
Piaget, The Artwork of Extremely Skinny Watchmaking and Miniaturization
Piaget is world-famous for its vibrant creations within the area of watches and jewelry. On this video, we’re looking at an vital but generally lesser-known facet of the model: its experience within the area of motion creation and manufacturing. Amongst numerous calibres created and crafted by the model, legendary extra-thin actions instantly come to thoughts. And we’re looking at a number of the model’s milestones, together with a number of lesser recognized ones that actually value a point out…
One of many World’s Thinnest Mechanical Watch, The 1.70mm Bulgari Octo Finissimo Extremely COSC
The competitors for ultra-thin watches is extra intense than ever. Producers tirelessly chase microns. Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo saga has garnered widespread recognition on this realm. The model’s exceptional sequence of information included the world’s thinnest mechanical watch in 2022, the Octo Finissimo Extremely, at a mere 1.8mm thick. Nonetheless, Bulgari‘s reign was short-lived, when Richard Mille launched the RM UP-01 a number of months later, with its 1.75mm thickness. However it was time for Bulgari to reclaim its trophy and bragging rights, with the brand new 1.70mm Bulgari Octo Finissimo Extremely COSC.
A Glimpse at Eternity with IWC’s Secular Calendar, the brand new Portugieser Everlasting Calendar
Let’s speak concerning the rightful winner of the GPHG 2024… IWC’s Portugieser Everlasting Calendar is the undisputed calendar masterpiece of the Schaffhausen-based model, a colossal technical milestone, the Everlasting Calendar marks the model’s first secular perpetual calendar. In contrast to a perpetual calendar that may want a correction in 2100, the Everlasting Calendar is fitted with a 400-year gear that overrides the Gregorian calendar’s advanced intercalary year rule exceptions and skips three leap years over 4 centuries. Briefly, it won’t should be adjusted till 3999. On this video, we discover how such a motion was developed.
The Good and Unhealthy of Watches & Wonders 2024, and Our Highlights of the Truthful
After the mud settled, our founder Frank and our editor Robin determined to take a while and discuss Watches and Wonders 2024… Highlights, most mentioned new releases, watches we’d like to purchase for ourselves, tendencies of the 12 months, winners and losers, but additionally pragmatic subjects reminiscent of the continual rise of costs or the comeback of smaller watches… You’ll be able to uncover our recap of the truthful right here.
The Craftsmanship behind the Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Plique-A-Jour
A watch that actually made an impression on us with its mixture of high-end watchmaking and complex craftsmanship, we’re trying on the Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Plique-à-Jour. We’ve been taking a tour inside La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (LFT), on the outskirts of Geneva. And extra exactly, visiting La Fabrique des Arts, an atelier devoted to métiers d’artwork to find how the spectacular stained glass-inspired dial of this watch is made.
The Audemars Piguet [Re]Master02 is all about Brutalist Classic-Impressed Design
For the second chapter of this historic [Re]Grasp assortment, the model reimagines considered one of its most expressive designs from the Sixties. A mannequin of brutalist inspiration, the thought was to not current a mere copy of a previous mannequin, however to reimagine it with a contemporary eye… Similar to the remastering of music information. Let’s uncover the Audemars Piguet [Re]master02 Selfwinding.
Exploring Omega’s extremely technical Timekeeping for the Olympics
For as soon as, we’re not speaking about mechanical watchmaking however nonetheless about timekeeping… With one thing extremely technical, crammed with innovation and utmost respect for precision… On this video, we’re taking a more in-depth have a look at what hides behind Omega’s function of timekeeper of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games. We travelled to Switzerland to search out out.
All About Laurent Ferrier’s Micro-Rotor Motion and the Pure Escapement
Let’s go technical once more, with a subject pricey to our hearts, because it combines every little thing we love in superb watchmaking: high-end ending, mechanical ingenuity, profound historic references and a fancy mechanical machine that goals to reinforce precision. It’s time for us to dive into one of the vital spectacular actions at the moment in manufacturing, Laurent Ferrier‘s micro-rotor calibre, and to grasp how its pure escapement works.
The complete story of the Ulysse Nardin Freak, instructed by mastermind Ludwig Oechslin
Lang & Heyne might be one of the vital vital watches of the previous 20 years. Interval. On this video, we’re speaking about to the genius watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin, the person behind the creation of this unbelievable watch, but additionally the mannequin that launched silicon to watchmaking.
Lang & Heyne, One Of Germany’s Best Watchmakers
Possibly a extra confidential names than another within the Saxon area, Lang & Heyne is considered one of these high-end watch manufacturers that many individuals hardly know however which make magnificent timepieces. So a number of months after our preliminary go to to Dresden, we returned with a video digital camera to seize the essence of what this small however ohhh so fascinating watch model does.
Ressence, The Belgian Model That Makes Watches Like No Different
When Benoît Mintiens began his model some 14 years in the past, he had a robust imaginative and prescient of what he needed to create concerning ergonomics and legibility. Important elements for any wristwatch! We visited Ressence of their hometown of Antwerp, Belgium, and sat down with Benoit to listen to the complete story from the start to the place they stand at this time with marvellous oil-filled watches.
