Here at Monochrome-Watches.com we are constantly on the lookout for the quintessential watches for you to own. Today we have unearthed something very special indeed: a Rolex Datejust! (The skeptics in the crowd now have their sarcasm tasers set to STUN as they all simultaneously shout: “What’s so special about a Rolex Datejust?”)

Behold: a Rolex Datejust – modified with a Perpetual Calendar complication by Franck Muller! The only one of it’s kind in the world. Brought to you buy the man that made it all look so easy (Muller – not me) and the company that NEVER brought you a Perpetual Calendar movement of any kind! (That would be Rolex.)

Some of you are now ticking it over in your minds… they must have. Rolex MUST have at some point… No – they never did. Rolex, the great and mighty Rolex, have NEVER produced a Perpetual Calendar watch!

I’ve seen references to models 8171 and 6062, both of which were Complete Calendar movements with Moon Phase. Digging through auction records none of them have ever been sold as or advertised and unsold as “Perpetual Calendar” watches. Both the 6062 and 8171 are magnificent pieces – but they lack the capacity to correct for the leap years.

We’ve seen other such instances where the industry giant has stumbled over complications other makers excel in. The reference 3346 Zerographe comes to mind as an example of a movement which other makers produced de-rigueur, but Rolex had to experiment with a few beta tests. What we have with the Muller modified Datejust is something that Rolex either wouldn’t (or more likely couldn’t) do.

The Story:

In 1989, just before venturing out on his own, Muller wanted to create something of a special tribute to a dear friend. He began with a 16238, yellow gold Datejust, with a standard 3135 movement – a prized item on it’s own. Then Muller modified it adding a few extra features: A Months and Leap Year calendar at 12 o’clock. A Date register at 3 o’clock. A Moon Phase indicator at 6 o’clock. A Days of the Week register at 9 o’clock. By the end of the process Muller created the very first and only Rolex Quantième Perpétuel or in English Rolex Perpetual Calendar. All in a day’s work for the man known as the “Master of Complications”.

The Muller modified Rolex maintains it’s classic 36mm size and shape. However looking at it you can tell instantly that there is something special and very, very precious about this watch. The thought that it is perhaps one of a handful of attempts to produce a truly complicated Rolex watch makes it almost irresistible to serious collectors.

Have you been Naughty or Nice this year?

Some of you will have heard the urban legends about this watch. Some of you will have read about it in books. One lucky person can own it – this one is for sale by rare, complicated and collectable watch specialist Giulio Bonaccio at Orologio in New York, New York. The watch is sold with its original box, invoice and certificates from the date of purchase, a letter from Franck Muller to the gentleman the watch was made for. If that is not enough, there is even a photograph of Master Franck presenting the watch to his friend.

How much is it? (I won’t say – it’s a personal preference of mine to never discuss prices.) I will say that if you are in the market for something between a Carrera 4S and a Carrera Turbo you are in the neighborhood. If you want to find out for yourself please do so – credible buyers only. Tire-kickers will be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment!

First three photos by Mike Mellia

The watch is for sale at Orologio in New York

More late-night/early morning banter around the water-cooler at Monochrome-Watches.com HQ saw us kicking around makes and models of upcoming purchases. When the subject of Rolex Day-Date came up folks immediately gasped at the thought a lump of solid gold or platinum. That’s when one of the rarest of the rare Rolies came to my aid to provide a top-trumps answer; the 1959 ‘6611 – the stainless steel Day-Date!

The Rolex family tree is littered with so many branches that stopped baring fruit or lead off to nowhere that it makes the process of researching the brand a seemingly hopeless process! The fact that there is no official history means that what we know about the brand and it’s many, many, many variants is the consensus of independent researchers like Mondani family, the likes of James Dowling and Jeffrey Hess and the back offices of the world’s auction houses. (I probably should have asked the CEO to address this issue when I spoke to him last spring!)

Sure, we all know the 18xxx models (see photo above), seen so often on the wrists of captains of industry, heads of state and television mobsters. The Rolex Day-Date was first seen by the public in 1956 as the 6511 and immediately took up the mantle of Top of the Line. The 6511 was followed by the 6611. The 6611 physically resembled the 6511 and the Day-Date of today with it’s famous ‘Day’ window at 12 o’clock and date at 3 o’clock. Where it differed from the 6511 was in the gearing of the movement – boring stuff – gears and things. But that’s not really the point I want to make here.

The real jewel of the 6611’s run appears so briefly that if you ‘BLINK’ you’ll miss it. People who have read some of the great books on the histories of the Rolex models may have seen footnotes or parenthetical references to an ‘entry level’ spec version of the Day-Date made in stainless steel! According to Antiquorum, only SIX, (that’s right six as in: If Frank Geelen buys a dozen donuts and leaves them where I can get to them, by the time he puts down his car keys and hat there are only 1,2,3,4,5,6 left!) were produced. Rare!

The image above shows the chronology of the Day-Date, from left to right, ref. 6511, ref. 6611, ref. 18xx and ref. 18xxx.

At auction in October 2002, one of the six stainless examples of the Day-Date, fitted to a plain-Jane Oyster bracelet sold for 50,600 CHF! (see here)

Quote from Antiquorum auction: Engraved on the case back: “Ecole d’Horlogerie de Genève – 1963″ and the Rolex logo. Small series of these watches were givens as prizes to the best students of the Geneva school of Horologery. This watch was produced in only six examples in stainless steel because a marketing test with different metals showed that there was a considerable potential demand for pieces in gold. Rolex therefore stopped production of the steel watches, producing this reference only in precious metals.

The outright rarity the stainless 6611 allowed it to outstrip prices achieved by more commonly recognizable gold and platinum versions. See – more precious than gold!

No donuts were harmed in the writing of this article.

The last images is courtesy the RLXDD blog by Dale Vito.

‘I don’t always agree with the watches people wear – but I will defend to the death their right to wear them… except for this one.’

As you are probably well aware by now, the crew here at Monochrome-Watches.com have been doing a lot of research into everyone’s favorite brand (dry cough) Rolex! We’ve unearthed some rare gems. (We’re about to unearth a few more in the coming days and weeks!) Sadly, when you are out foraging for truffles you have to turn over a lot of stones. Under some of those stones we find hideous creations like this Rolex Explorer II 216570. This one seems to have fallen down from its perch on the ugly tree and hit every single God forsaken branch!

The updated Explorer II 216570, introduced at 2011’s Basel is a tribute to the famed 1655 Freccione (translation: Big Arrow) or sometimes: ‘Steve McQueen’ Explorer. (For those of you about to say “… he never wore the Explorer…blah blah blah” You are right! He wore a Heuer! (or a Submariner 5512.) Anyway, the 1655 didn’t go into production until 1971 and by that time McQueen had already been closely associated with his Persol 714 – Double Arrow – sunglasses.) At 42mm it’s bigger than its stable mates the Submariner 116610 and GMT Master II 116710 – but smaller than the Sea Dweller Deep Sea 116660 and Yacht-Master II 116681.

This particular watch started the day as a 904L stainless steel sports watch – fitted with a 3187 Caliber movement – capable of separate hour function on the big orange arrow hand (not meant as a travel aid, per se, but more of a tool for people who spend their time in caves. No I did not just make that up!) Then someone decided to … I don’t know… PVD coat? spray paint? Hit it with a tire chain? to create the subtle (dry cough) camouflage effect. The camouflage makes this watch the perfect accompaniment for a person with a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude in the boardroom and a soldier of fortune in the great outdoors!

So – while this watch is not as heinous as, for instance, the 116598 Daytona, we have to respect the Daytona because someone (we’re not naming any names) designed it to look that way. This Explorer II, however, started life as a perfectly respectable sports watch and was made-up to look this way as an after thought. [If ever there was a scene begging to have a phone ring and break a person off from their train of thought THIS would be it.]

If for some inexplicable reason you are drawn to this watch and want to buy it – contact www.filipucci.nl and then please let us know. We would like to have a good laugh at your expense.

P.S. It was not Voltaire. It was Evelyn Beatrice Hall.

Spending so much time researching watches it is easy to misplace the forest for the trees. In the process of tracking down two more rare Rolex watches lead me into a bit of a hedge-maze. What I found at the end was surprising and disappointing…Surprisingly disappointing?

Last month, while looking into the existence of, or rather lack of a Rolex Perpetual Calendar movement watch got me to thinking: “What other types of watches had Rolex failed to make over the years?” Looking back, Rolex have done a pretty good job of ticking the boxes for most people’s specific needs or wants. But what about the frilly stuff that exists beyond 2 standard deviations from the mean? I made a list and began checking. Several surprising items went unchecked!

Rolex Datejust tourbillon replica – PS. this is no real tourbillon!

Oysters ala Tourbillon?

Indeed, Rolex, the great and mighty Rolex have NEVER produced a turbo! (Well, maybe they have in their R&D lab – but I’ve never seen one! If you have one – please let me know.) I’m not going to use this as a forum to debate the efficacy of the tourbillon as a timekeeping device, I’m just going to say that an apprentice cabinet maker would need to demonstrate the ability to craft a mortis and tendon joint to progress to Journeyman or Master. (This is not the first time Rolex missed the boat; George Daniels famously shopped his Co-Axial escapement to them and they declined) [Grade: Incomplete]

Rolex chronograph ref. 4113 rattrapante

Splitting Hairs – Not Seconds

Rolex has had an off again/on again relationship with the chronograph over the past century. The auction in May for a über-rare Zerographe drummed-up a fair amount of interest. The recent Christie’s auction of 50 rare Daytona’s shows that collector’ appetites Rolex chronograph watches are, shall we say strong. What a lot of people don’t recognize is that much of Rolex’s chronographic output has been the result of reworked Valjoux and Zenith movements! When looking through the books and auction results for a Split-Seconds (aka Rattrappante) chronograph model 4113 was found! Once again, a rare bird; only 12 stainless steel 4113’s were produced. On further investigation, the Caliber 17 movement is a dolled-up version of the Valjoux 55! Scarcity of the model made it, until recently the first and second most expensive stainless steel Rolex ever sold at auction. (Now it is 2nd and 3rd.) [Grade: Incomplete]

Music to Our Ears

Many are the times that I wax rhapsodically about Seiko to other watch guys and gals. The Japanese brand that crushed the Swiss in the 70’s is still an unsung hero in the industry. No ‘serious’ collectors give them any shelf space in their vaults. They get pretty snippy when you compare them to Rolex: “Name one thing Seiko produce that Rolex don’t?” (If I had 1 EUR for every time I heard that!) Seiko did make a Sonnerie movement in their Credor line (skeletonized in red gold I believe). Rolex? (crickets) “WAIT! Tudor made the Advisor!” (Whispering) “No, they didn’t” [Grade: Incomplete]

Rolex skeleton replica

No Skeletons in their past!

No Skeleton movements! A skeleton movement is NOT a simple procedure to undertake; you don’t just take a stock movement and drill-out some bits. The key is to vacate as much of the plates, bridges and barrels so as to leave only that which is essential without compromising on the rigidity of the watch. You can’t just strip the dial off and slap a display back on the watch and call it a skeleton… [Grade: Incomplete]

A Blind Spot in The Rear Window

Which leads me to the last bit. I looked high and low for a vintage Rolex Oyster with a display back… there isn’t one. You CAN buy a display back and affix it to your Oyster. However, that’s cheating and that will almost certainly VOID your warranty! Back at headquarters, Frank and I were talking over a friendly game of Monopoly (for REAL money!) when I told him of my latest Rolex dilemma. Frank looked up from his cash horde (hint: NEVER let the Dutch guy be the banker at Monopoly!) and chided me. “Of course they do!”

“Which one? Where?”

“The Prince! It’s got a display back and a manual wind movement.”

Sadly – he’s right. The Prince has a display back. Uph. In my zeal to find a vintage Rolex ‘sapphire sandwich’ I never once thought to look at the CURRENT line-up! [Grade: Incomplete Pass!]

Perhaps they feel they don’t have anything to prove? Perhaps they just plain don’t want to? I’ve been told that Swiss companies are notorious for getting into a ‘sweet-spot’ (business wise) and putting on cruise control until the tank runs dry. Rolex are obviously pretty happy with what they’ve created over the past 100+ years. In fairness, the brand has achieved an astounding level of recognition around the world; kids in slums from Calcutta to Detroit aspire to give-up or steal as many organs as it takes to own a Rolex one day.

Monochrome has been making an effort of bringing you the most stunning watch photos , every week a new set from photographers all around the world. Whether the photos are made by professional photographers, like Bert Buijsrogge (check here and here), Ming Thein (see here) or Martin Wilmsen (see here for an example), or hobbyist who post iPhone photos on a Facebook group called wrist shots (check them here), we search for the coolest, most stylish and mouthwatering photos of equally stunning timepieces. 

British style guru Watch Anish and his team, always create über-dandy-styled pictures, showing not “just” a watch, but an ensemble that is striking! Let us share a few of his latest artistic interpretations of watches in their natural habitat. Although the first photo shows exactly the opposite; a Rolex Sky-Dweller that is DLC black coated by Bamford, which is not on the wrist. Scroll to the end to see this very watch on a wrist. But first Peter Speake-Marin’s new Spirit Mark II, which we of course covered here on Monochrome (see here).

Next is a very nice example of a vintage Zenith El Primero.

One of the most impressive time-telling device of the last 5 year, created by Hautlence, and called the HL2. An avant-garde creation of this magnitude is of course covered extensively here on Monochrome (see here, here, here and here). This particular model is the HL2.3 and has just been introduced this January (see here for our report).

Classic and oh so beautiful, both from the outside as well as inside the rose gold case. Inside is where the L.U.C automatic winding movement with the for Chopard so typical micro rotor resides.

As frequent reader of Monochrome, you’re of course familiar with the out of this world creations of David Zanetta and Denis Flageollet, who together are the the creative minds behind De Bethune. Where Hautlence is a creator of Avant-Garde timepiece, De Bethune comes with the most exquisite technically innovative creations straight from their laboratories. This DB28 (covered here on Monochrome before) is a perfect showcase of what De Bethune is capable of.

Another highly technical time-telling device, created to be worn on the wrist. Watch freshmen will probably have difficulty to see what it is, how it’s supposed to be worn and let alone, reading the time. But once you take a closer look, a timepiece like this new URWERK UR-110 PTH will not easily bore you. Technical landscapes of slowly moving, rotating, parts, which tell time in their own unusual, yet very intuitive way.

As we promised in the beginning, we come back to the black DLC coated Rolex Sky-Dweller, now in its natural habitat.

Check the Watch Anish Tumblr blog (click here) for more, many, many more stunning photos!

Yesterday Antiquorum Auctioneers in Geneva sold three gold Rolex Daytona’s for almost 1,5 million Swiss Francs, and one of them, a ref. 6263, sold for CHF 841,300. That’ a steep price, even considering that this might be the very first ref. 6263 ever and that it features a lemon color dial (instead of cream) with white markers in the subdials (instead of gold). There where two other gold Daytonas, a ref. 6241 (left in the picture) that sold for CHF 144,100 and a unique, full diamond-set ref. 6269/6263 for Oman that sold for CHF 470,500. 

All three sold for impressive prices, however the ref. 6263 with lemon color dial, is the one that drove collectors to bid heavily and sold for much more than the already high estimate of 300,000 – 500,00 CHF. It was the combination of a unique lemon color dial, the aforementioned white markers in the dial dial and the serial number, which could even mean it is the very first reference 6263 Daytona ever made, that made it stand out from the crowd (as if we can speak from a crowd, when discussing vintage Daytonas). Antiquorum even calls it a prototype.

Prototype or not, lemon dial or not, the final bid is much higher than anyone anticipated on. Whether the new owner was crazy about the unique details of his new Daytona ref. 6263 or maybe he thinks it makes a brilliant investment, we don’t know. Hopefully it’s both and this watch won’t become a full-time safe-queen.

If you missed out on this, it might be interesting to keep an eye on the upcoming auction of Christies Auctioneers, this afternoon to be held in Geneva. Christies will auction part I of the Palladio collection, comprising of some truly beautiful and very interesting early Rolex chronographs. Furthermore there the only Rolex Daytona ref. 6241 known to exist, that  retailed by Hermès Paris on November 30th 1971.

Also on auction is a collection of Patek Philippe watches for Children Action. Children Action is a Swiss foundation which aims to bring tangible help to children in need, regardless of their nationality, race, or religion. Among the watches is an extremely rare Patek Philippe Celestial, Ref. 5102.

And there is of course the Rolex Zerographe, ref. 3346, that we told you about last month (click here). View all watches to be auctioned by Christies today, here on the Christies website.

In 1959 Rolex introduced the GMT-Master and this model and its successors have been in production ever since. This year, Rolex surprised friend and foe with a new version featuring a black & blue bezel. That alone makes a perfect good reason to look back that the immense and impressive history of the Rolex GMT-Master. Next week we’ll focus on following models, however this week we’ll focus on the first model, being the GMT-Master reference 1675. 

The GMT-Master has been in production for 21 consecutive years, from 1959 until 1980. In that period, there have been a few changes to the watch, however no major changes. Because collectors and the current market value will dispute this, I might need to rephrase and say that there have been no major technical changes. Indeed, prices of models can vary immensely depending on the year the watch was build and/or certain visual features.

The photos we present you today are taken by Duncan and show his vintage Rolex GMT-Master 1675 from 1966. Let’s go over the changes that the ref. 1675 experienced over time. The photos however will only show Duncan’s 1966 GMT-Master.

The 1959 GMT-Master ref. 1675 had a predecessor, which also featured a red GMT hand and the same name. When the ref. 1675 was released in 1959 it had many similar visual characteristics, however the ref. 1675 was equipped with the new caliber 1565 that beats at 18,000 vph. In 1971 the movement was replaced by caliber 1575, and that caliber remained “in service” until the reference 1675 was succeeded by reference 16750 in 1981. This movement, caliber 1575, had a higher beat rate of 19,600 vph.

Around 1964/1965 the GMT-Master was outfitted with crown guards. Something that the previous GMT-Master, the ref. 6452, didn’t have. GMT-Masters without crown guards are incredibly sought-after and prices are much higher than of later models with the crown guards. At first the crown guards were so-called pointy crown guards, which later changed to the rounder crown guards. The pointy crown guards also fetch higher prices as models with rounded, less pointy, crown guards.

Another, for collectors, very significant difference between the GMT-Master from before 1964/1965 and after, is the thinner case and the glossy dial of the models before 64/65. The model showed in the photos, originating from 1966, features the rounder crown guards, thicker case, newer movement and matte dial with white printed chapter ring  and text.

The hour markers are in tritium and age over time, which causes the color to change from white to beige or sometimes even brownish. Collectors appreciate it when the hours markers are nice and equally discolored to beige tones, and prices rise accordingly.

Also new around that period is the inprint on dial: “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified”.

Several features have been consistent during the GMT-Master ref. 1675′s  lifetime, like the acrylic crystal that is also nicknamed plexi glass. The reference 1675 is water proof to 50 meters / 165 feet. It came either on a steel oyster bracelet reference 78360 or a jubilee bracelet ref. 62510.

The bi-directional bezel has had a red and a blue half ever since the first ref. 1675, and even the ref. 6452 before that. In 1970 Rolex introduced a black bezel with the distinctive 24-hour numerals. The hands are in the following order: GMT/Hour/Minute/Second hand.

Besides the steel version, there are two other variants. The full gold ref. 1675/8 that came on a leather strap or bracelet, either an oyster bracelet ref. 7208/8 or a jubilébracelet 6311/8. THere was also a steel/gold (or two-tone) version, ref. 1675/3 that came on an oysterbracelet ref. 78363 or on a jubilee bracelet ref. 62523.

To end this photo-story, two more brilliant photos made by Duncan from Thirtyfivemill.com.

Our Weekly Watch Photo is not only a perfectly good reason to show you beautiful photos of beautiful timepieces, it is also a perfect excuse to tell you more about a specific watch. A few weeks ago we focused on the Rolex GMT-Master, this week we’ll move on to the next in the model in line, being the Rolex GMT-Master II.

The Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675 – Rolex’s watch that indicates a second timezone that was introduced in 19XX – was followed by two other references. In 1981 the ref. 1675 was followed by the new ref. 16750 adding a the hi-beat movement caliber 3075 with that also meant the addition of a quick-set date. This also implied that the hand-stacking changed from GMT/hour/minute/second (on the ref. 1675) to hour/GMT/minute/second on the newer ref. 16750. In 1988 ref. 16700 was introduced and that also meant the introduction of another movement: caliber 3175. This new and last version of the GMT-Master also meant that the plexi crystal, used on previous models, was finally replaced by a sapphire crystal. Reference 16700 was produced until 1999, when the GMT-Master line ended.

In the mean time Rolex had already launched a newer, and more expensive, version of their “dual time zone” watch. In 1983 the GMT-Master II saw the light of day and that meant an important improvement. Now the hour hand could be adjusted independently, which meant adjusting the hour hand – while traveling through times zones – without stopping the seconds, disturbing the minute hand or 24-hour hand. The convenience of adjusting the hour hand to the time zones one travels to, while the 24-hour hand remains indicating the correct home time, was immediately welcomed by travelers.

The first GMT-Master II – ref. 16760 – was nicknamed Fat Lady, by collectors, because of the the ticker case. This reference featured a new movement, caliber 3035, that made the new independently adjustable hour hand possible. Like the GMT-Master, the GMT-Master II was also water proof to a depth of 100 meters / 330 feet. It was also delivered on either an Oyster bracelet ref. 78360 or on a Jubilee bracelet ref. 62510. While the GMT-Master had to wait until 1988 before it was equipped with a sapphire crystal, the GMT-Master II was fitted with a sapphire crystal right from the beginning in 1983.

In 1989 the GMT-Master II was updated with slightly slimmer case again; this was reference 16710 that was available until 2007. There have been some variations in luminescent material on the markers and some other minor variations, but in general the GMT-Master remained the same until 2007 when it was replaced by ref. 116710.

Reference 16710 was available with three bezel variations:

• Red/Black aka Coke
• Blue/Red aka Pepsi
• Black

Other variants include the steel/gold ref. 16713 aka Tigerauge (Eye of the Tiger) and the full gold ref. 16718. Please look at the website GMT-Master History for more detailed information.

Photo credits:

• second photos is courtesy Bert Buijsrogge, horlogefotograaf.nl
• third photo is by Tony from Forum a Montres

The recent release of the bi-colored Cerachrom bezel Rolex GMT-Master II in Basel 2013 made headlines in the horological world. The use of two colors in a monobloc bezel was deemed to be impossible before; hence the 2013 GMT-Master II is the first of its kind. Now rewind the clock a little bit, and you’ll find out that the 2005 GMT-Master II was, in fact, the first Rolex to be outfitted with their patented Cerachrom technology. So it’s only fitting that we take an early retrospective on this fantastic ceramic piece before we go all out and grab its newer bi-colored sibling.

The GMT-Master series appears to be taking the helm in terms of ceramic technology for the “Crown”. The importance of the bezel in the GMT-Master is very much apparent for serious travelers. It was a very smart move for Rolex back then to include a supposedly indestructible bezel to the GMT-Master. Although the 2005 yellow gold anniversary model was the star then, it was the later release of a steel-only version (Ref. 116710 LN) that really won the hearts of Rolex collectors.

The steel-only GMT-Master II was released in 2007, right after the release of the steel/yellow gold two-tone version in 2006 (Ref. 116713 LN). The release of the steel-only black bezel was an instant success back in 2007; not only did it attract more buyers because of its lower price in contrast with the gold Anniversary model and the steel/gold version, it also cemented its role as a collector’s item alongside its popular sibling, the “pepsi” version. At that time, a bi-colored Cerachrom bezel was still impossible, and as such, collectors clamored for the next best thing. Moreover, the steel-only version also paid tribute to the original black bezel GMT-Master ref. 1675 released in 1970 (as we showed you here). This makes the black-bezelled GMT-Master II an even more attractive choice for those who are in the market for a new Rolex GMT.

GMT-Master II History:

A little history lesson will tell us that the GMT-Master has been around for more than 50 years already. But only in 1983 did Rolex begin revamping the original GMT model, and thus created the first GMT-Master II – affectionately known as the “Fat Lady” because of its extra thick case and extra large crown guards (Ref. 16760). In addition to its hefty case, it was also the first one to sport a sapphire crystal, an adjustable 24-hour hand, and a new caliber 3085. It was a steel-only release, again with a bi-color bezel, this time in red/black, a new color combination that was later on nicknamed the “Coke” GMT.

After that, the GMT-Master II underwent several transformations (Ref. 16710), a new movement (caliber 3185), and new indices from tritium dials to Luminova, and all the way to Super Luminova – with the later models being equipped with an improved caliber 3186 that is still being used on today’s GMT. Of course, the history lesson wouldn’t be complete without talking about the bezel, which is the single most identifiable design from the Rolex GMT other than its fourth hand. The bezel back then was made of anodized aluminum and rotated bi-directionally at 120 clicks. It was available in three different color schemes, two bi-colored ones (Pepsi and Coke), and one mono-colored (black – or as Rolex would like to call it, “lunette noire” GMT.) Nearly two decades in production, the 16710 were the last of the non-ceramic GMTs. By 2005, the 50th anniversary model was released with a green dial (Ref. 116718 LN) and only on yellow-gold. This marked a new era of GMT pieces from Rolex.

Improvements or Evolution?

The upgraded GMT-Master II features a handful of improvements from its predecessor. Gone are the Twinlock crowns, replaced now by Rolex’s Triplock crown (borrowed from the newer Submariner models), which should increase its resistance to water. On paper, though, the GMT-Master II is still rated at 100 meters, rather than the standard 300 meters of the Submariner.

The newer GMT-Master also features a so-called Maxi dial, again borrowed from the Submariner. Collectors and enthusiasts gave that  nickname  because of the larger round marker on the dial and the thicker hour and minute hands. The red 24-hour hand was replaced with a green one instead.

It also features a slightly larger case but only in thickness rather than in case diameter. The bracelet has also been revamped with polished center links, and a clasp that collectors had all been asking for – the “Daytona” clasp or “Easylink” for easier length adjustment (another patented technology from the crown.)

The movement caliber number remains the same (3186), but the addition of a new hairspring must not go unnoticed. This time, taken from the Milgauss, the new caliber will come equipped with Rolex’s own in-house “Parachrom” hairspring. This new alloy enables the piece to be anti-magnetic and more resistant to shocks (here we explained more about the Parachrom hairspring).

Last but not at all least, we have the addition of the new Cerachrom bezel, which I have been rambling about since the start of the article… a revolutionary technology that made the most visible part of the GMT complication near indestructible. The bezel is highly scratch-resistant and unaffected by exposure to sunlight, chlorinated water and seawater. So in essence, the 2007 GMT-Master II is some sort of an amalgamation of all Rolex patented technologies. It captures altogether the beauty of the iconic Submariner, the durability of a Milgauss, the comfort of the Daytona, and of course the complication of the GMT. Simply put, this is a prime example of horological evolution.

The 2007 Rolex GMT-Master II truly does remain one of the best Rolex timepieces to own. The newer black and blue variant is simply either a precursor of things to come, or just Rolex’s way of demonstrating that they finally found a way to fuse two colors together – a revolutionary feat, in ceramic technology terms.

Since the inception of the first Cerachrom GMT, it took Rolex two years to finally listen to its loyal fans and release a ceramic lunette noire GMT. So perhaps it may take another year before we actually see a ceramic Pepsi GMT. And by that time, we would then be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the very first GMT-Master ref 6542 that was released with a bakelite red/blue bezel… Coincidence? You be the judge.

Full specifications and more details can be found over at the Rolex website.

When we received the latest press release from Project X Designs, it caused a bit of a confusing situation. The reason for the mixed emotions is the new limited edition Heritage Submariner HS01. Why? Well, here at Monochrome we are no fan of aftermarket modifications on beautiful timepieces. Besides that we’re also not the biggest supporter of “homage” watches. So imagine the confusion when we saw the Heritage Submariner and liked its looks…

So there you got it. We do like the looks of the new Heritage Submariner HS01. Until now we’ve shown you one other Project X creation, that we fancied  and that was the Submariner Ceramic Stealth. Both watches do have something in common: both are based on a Rolex Submariner and the crown guards have been “shaved” off. This is just one of the modifications that remind us of the vintage Submariner 6538 ‘Big Crown’ that was worn by James Bond.

Project X did some more modifications, like the flared bevelled lugs and an oversized (BIG) crown. These are probably the most important details about the vintage Submariner 6538, that appeal to collectors of these vintage pieces.The crown on a vintage Submariner of the 1950′s measured 6mm in diameter, while the Submariner ‘Big Crown’ ref. 6538 was equipped with an 8 mm crown; the modern Submariner has a 7mm crown. Project X Designs found a batch of fully functional original new old stock vintage 8 mm Rolex Brevet ‘Big Crowns and replaced the modern 7mm crown by the N.O.S. crown.

When you look closely at the image below, you can see that what Project X Designs did, is take a standard Submariner No Date ref. 114060, and:

• shave the crown guards
• polish the beveled sides of the case
• apply beige Super LumiNova luminescent material to the hands and hour markers
• add a red triangle to the diver’s bezel
• and add a new old stock 8mm Big Crown

60 years after its initial introduction, Project X Designs created the HS01 Heritage Submariner to honor everything that they liked about the vintage ‘Big Crown’ Submariner ref. 6538. The HS01 Heritage Submariner is limited to 60 pieces and comes at a retail price of £ 15,000 GBP.

We love the looks, we love all modified details and we love the bigger N.O.S. crown. However it is a homage watch, an aftermarket modified watch.

We would love to hear your thoughts about the Heritage Submariner! Please feel free to share your ideas about this timepiece.

Here we are in 2014 – looking forward to SIHH and Basel. What better way to prepare for the next wave of horological masterpieces than to revisit the pieces that made us tap our feet and click our fingers (with some interpretive music thrown in!) So, sit back, draw another espresso and click your way through our tongue-in-cheek multi-media (dry cough) presentation as Monochrome-Watches.com looks back at the hits of 2013!

Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement L.M.

Marillion – The Great Escape

The escapement of the watch is quite rightly considered its heart. The quest for a durable and accurate escapement has marked the progress of the industry since men with names like Graham, Arnold and Breguet were in the headlines. It is fitting that Girard Perrgaux, who were pioneers in the early days of quartz watches take our top-spot for making the most pertinent addition to the escapement catalogue since George Daniel’s Co-Axial, or Breguet’s Tourbillon before that.

A. Lange & Söhne Grand Complication

Avril Lavigne – Complicated

Saxony is a region that is synonymous with accurate timepieces. The watchmakers in the region are the benefactors of many, many generations of technical mastery. The Lange & Sohne Grand Complication seems to capture that entire lineage in one beautiful and portable piece. As visually striking as it is mechanically complex, the Grand Complication performs no less than 14 different functions! From Equation of Time to Perpetual Calendar to mechanical Alarm and a myriad of different Repeater functions – the men and women of Lange & Sohne have set the mark for the entire industry – not just the region!

Ressence Type 3

Meatloaf – Paradise by the Dashboard Lights

There is something so very, very striking about the lay-out and color of the Type 3 by Ressence! It immediately reminds us of the binnacle of a motorbike or perhaps a futuristic car’s dashboard. Then when you strip it off your wrist and realize that the winding and setting functions are the realm of science fiction you understand that it’s not just a pretty face!

Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon

Star Trek Theme

Four simple words: We Love Vianney Halter! We love the nerdy/goofy references to the SciFi series. And most of all, we love the fact that after taking a breather, he came back into the spotlight with his phaser set to STUN! The Deep Space Tourbillon is a creation that redefines what an independent watchmaker can do with ONE watch! Beam us up!

Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227

Joe Cocker and Jeniffer Warnes – Up Where We Belong

For the Officer/Executive and Gentleman. Patek Philippe along with Vacheron Constantin (look a few spaces below.) and Audemars Piguet make up the ‘Trinity’ of watchmaking partnerships. Virtually everything they make is an automatic keepsake. If it’s got off-center seconds it’s an automatic collectible! At 39mm the new Officer’s watch is rather something of a departure for P2 in the realm of dress watches. I suppose even people with money have problems with their eye-sight! Besides, ‘who knows what tomorrow brings?’

Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Contemporaine Ultra-Thin Calibre 1731

Nik Preston – Red Baron (live with Billy Cobham)

Back-to-back with perhaps it’s only true peer, the brand wearing the Maltese Cross makes a fine showing. Never brash, never ostentatious Vacheron Constantin exelle at making very complicated things look elegant. While other brands use cases the size of a shoe-box to fit their technical offerings, 8.09mm is enough for VC to provide a time only watch with minute repeater. A watch so slight that it might never attract any attention from under your shirt cuff, so you’ll never have to explain what it is to a curious on-looker. Not that you’d ever deign to speak to a person of that caliber!

Rolex Day-Date Colors

The Rolling Stones – She’s a Rainbow

What do you do when you have a design that won’t or perhaps more accurately can’t die? Change the color! Borrowing a page out of its own book – Rolex have reintroduced the Day-Date with six tantalizing colored dials! Green with envy. Cognac. True Blue. Cherry Red. Chocolate love. And finally Rhodium ridge-back Silver. Same great watch. Great new tastes!

Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon

Pink Floyd – Time

The Speedmaster is a venerable line of watches for Omega. It’s a franchise player in a line-up of superstars. How do you improve something that is already so good that people buy them out of compulsion? Easy! You take something that people already find indispensible and make it SEXY and indispensible! Lightweight black ceramic case ‘adds lightness’ while the Co-Axial enabled 9300 movement insures accuracy and longevity for those trips to the grocery store, or around your local race-track or perhaps Tyndall Crater!

Romain Gauthier Logical One

Pretenders – Back On The Chain Gang

Here at Monochrome-Watches.com we love the mavericks that set out to pioneer new technologies. We also have a fondness for folks who hone in on the essential nature of older technologies and apply them in modern settings. Case-in-point: The Fusee. One would question why a pulley driven mechanism would have any cache in an industry that has been all about the gear for the past few hundred years. An interesting fact is that the instant alternation between taut and slack implied in a chain-driven pulley allows for ‘natural’ shock resistance! Sometimes the old ways ARE best.

Swatch Sistem51

Buggles – Video Killed The Radio Star

This pun is intended: the watch industry goes ‘round in cycles. The quartz watch hit the market in the 70’s and obliterated the mechanical watchmaking industry. The ‘Second Watch’ (aka Swatch) was seen as a vehicle to deliver low-cost/high-quality watches with as few parts as possible to maximize accuracy and profits. 35 years later it appears to have worked. Those little plastic watches grew into a behemoth that was able to amalgamate some of the most highly vaunted names in the annals of ‘traditional’ (that’s a funny way of saying mechanical…) watchmaking! If you are Swatch – what do you do for your second act? Produce a little plastic mechanical watch, with only the essential parts (51 in number) and have it assembled by robots that insure each pieces accuracy. A headline from the year 2049 might just read: “Swatch group to acquire Seiko” let’s wait and see.

Recently, we were invited to witness a special gathering of legends. By legends, I mean watches, iconic watches, or to put it bluntly… vintage Rolex legends. A special event hosted by the collectors haven in the Philippines called the “Unique Bisyo”. You might have remembered the event they organized for the 50th anniversary of the Heuer Autavia that we showed you? Same place, same collectors, different set of watches.

We here at Monochrome always love a good watch collector’s meet-up, and rightfully so, it is a place where a group of enthusiasts showcase not only their collections, but also their passion and sense of accomplishments. Reviled by many who misunderstood the intentions, but revered by a few who knows the thrill of the hunt. Every piece always comes with a unique story to share, and those stories are always what made these meet-ups unlike any other. It is because of this; the vintage watch scene would always be something worth reporting about.

There is a growing trend for vintage design these days, and that companies are now going back to their roots in trying to find items that can take people a trip down memory lane. This gave birth to the concept of retro-inspired pieces. The whole notion of which is to give the collector’s what they always wanted but unable to obtain. But yet, therein lies the paradox of retro designs. Read on to find out.

The Paradox of Retro Designs

We are now living in a world where everything is slowly becoming either “vintage” or “retro-inspired”. A trend that is not only visible in the watch industry, but virtually on any product that dates back to at least 10 years or more. It has seemed that the power of tapping into human emotions, emotional branding, or to be specific – the concept of nostalgia is ever growing.

More often than not, we tend to ask ourselves why is there an addiction towards anything vintage these days. Insofar as saying that retro nowadays is the new “cool”. Many pundits have been pointing out, that it is the growing taste for retro is what powers the vintage scene, and that retro is a way of giving the newer generations a taste of the past. But the flip-side however is that die-hard vintage watch collectors would never even consider a retro piece in favour of a vintage original in the first place.

There is nothing wrong with vintage-inspired design. Good designs are often timeless, and in an insightful essay about “Homage Watches”, we learned from Mario that boutique companies find inspiration in models of significant design, value and scarcity to recreate that same model to pay tribute to, with a modernized interpretation at a lesser price.

We feel that the concept for retro is following that same business model, however that’s done so by the same companies that build the original, back in the day. This essentially gave birth to what the newer generations would like to call tribute pieces. These are watches that are supposedly targeted specifically at collectors, and to some extend to new entrants to the scene. But most of the time, they appeal more to the latter.

A small collector’s haven in the tropics and the absurdity of the ‘Vintage Vice’

The meet-up was in the most unlikely of places: in the tropical country of the Philippines. To which the place was playfully named by the owners to be – “Unique Bisyo”. Unique Bisyo literally translates to Unique Vices. The Filipino word “bisyo” is actually taken in context from the Spanish word “vicio” – a derogatory word that is often attributed to bad habits. But here in the Philippines, the word “bisyo” had always carried a deeper meaning. Insofar as saying, that somehow, some way, vices can actually be a good thing. Threading along the lines of “guilty pleasures” rather than bad habits. And if moderately managed, it then becomes a passion rather than an obsession.

Although this sounds like a collector’s excuse to acquire another piece, the Filipino psyche has always been unique in this perspective. The concept of being unique is elevated to a whole new standard. Of course there’s always the easy way out, to be unique by grabbing the next big thing, or the next limited edition. That’s however not the aim of this group of collector’s. They focus on story that comes with it, and what is yet to come.

Like a smoker craving for that last cigarette, or an alcoholic resisting to down that last scotch, futile it is, but yet so fulfilling! The same can be said with vintage watch collectors, for which the grail watch changes after every purchase. A passion that is slowly changing into an obsession. A vice they say… A vice… A very vintage vice!

Onto the Watches!

Of course we at Monochrome wouldn’t bore you with all those history about the Philippines without the proper entrants of the watches whom I called legends among Rolexes. The whole shop floor of the small Unique Bisyo boutique was riddled with Rolex and Tudor watches, everyone being more rare than the next. Gilt dials Submariners and Explorers were a plenty, we also see some nicely age ‘pepsi’ GMT-Masters, the Tudor Monte Carlo’s were also present in the mix. Then we get to go up close and personal with rare gems like the “blueberry” GMT-Master, a McQueen Explorer II, a couple of red Subs, a double-red Sea-Dweller and a “Mickey Mouse” Rolex Datejust.

Most likely there are more of these unique boutiques. It’s just a testament to how collectors (not only in the Philippines) but from all over the world, hold these watches in such high regard. It is because of the experience we had on this boutique that we find the idiosyncrasies in the life of watch collector, may it be vintage or retro or modern pieces. The standards of collecting may vary, but the general idea will always be the same. This is why new re-issues, like this one, are being introduced. This is why horology can never be the same without the collectors. This is why it is called… the VINTAGE VICE!

Thanks to the folks over at Unique Bisyo – visit the Unique Bisyo facebook page to find out more. Enjoy the gallery below!

For decades already, one of the world’s best kept secrets, are the new Rolex models that will be introduced during the Baselworld watch trade show. With just a few weeks to go, watch enthusiasts around the world are speculating and guessing what Rolex’ new models will look like. Two years ago we brought you the news about the likely appearance of a “Sky-Dweller” and that proved to be a correct prediction, for the name that is, because nobody had a clue what it would look like. Last year we hoped for a new GMT-Master with a pepsi (red/blue) ceramic bezel. A new year, new chances… here we go again!

At the Monochrome HQ we had some pretty intense discussion about the new models that Rolex will introduce in a few weeks. A GMT-Master II with Cerachrom Pepsi is still top on everyone’s wish-list. Furthermore we would also love to see a modern remake of the ref. 6263, a remake of the Sea-Dweller, a blue dial Milgauss, and a stainless steel Sky-Dweller. Let’s dream a bit more, use Photoshop, and see what that would look like…

Rolex Daytona ref. 116263

Cerachrom bezels seem to be the latest trend for Rolex. They have some superior properties like being virtually scratch resistant, the ability to keep their colour forever, and never fade, and they are almost impossible to exchange them yourself or with after market parts – lots of advantages for Rolex.

So let’s imagine a revival of one of the coolest watches that Rolex ever made, the Daytona 6263 Big Red. In short: panda dial, red “Daytona” writing, screwed pushers and a black bezel. Compared to last year’s platinum Daytona, it would feature the same case however in stainless steel with a ceramic bezel in black. Add to that the famous white face with black sub-dial configuration, which is referred to as ‘Panda’ dial. To stay as close to the original 6263 as possible, the 5 lines of text on the dial have to be removed and instead be replaced by Rolex – Oyster – Cosmograph. How cool would that be!

Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116710 BLRO (Blue / Rouge)

As already stated, the Pepsi GMT-Master is still high on everyone’s wishlist. Last year, Rolex introduced the Blue/Black GMT-Master II, which already got the nickname “Batman GMT”. This year we will hopefully see the “Pepsi GMT”, featuring the classical Red/Blue configuration, as seen on the GMT 1675 (you can see some very nice examples here). No technical or aesthetic changes, except for the new Cerachrom bezel in red and blue.

Rolex Sea-Dweller II ref. 116600

When Rolex replaced the old Sea-Dweller 16600 with the humongous Deepsea, it didn’t cause that much turbulence. At first most enthusiasts were maybe a bit confused, however a bit later, when they realized the beloved Sea-Dweller was no more, disappointment took over. Many Rolex enthusiasts would love to see a renewed Sea-Dweller that holds the middle ground between the Submariner 116610 and the Deepsea.

Let’s imagine a 40 mm Submariner case, with a ceramic bezel, no magnifier on the date, a Helium escape valve on the left side and a depth rating of 1,200 meters or 4,000 feet. That would be more than enough and it would beat the Tudor Pelagos (the old master won’t let the young Padawan lead any more). And please Rolex, no more engraved inner-ring as in the Deepsea!

Rolex Milgauss ref. 116400

We heard rumours that the Milgauss with black dial and ‘normal’ sapphire crystal will be terminated. Only the black dial with green crystal and the white dial will remain in the collection. So how about adding a blue dial Milgauss?

Rolex Sky-Dweller in stainless steel

The last one we would love to see, is a stainless steel version of the Sky-Dweller, the most complicated timepiece of the entire Rolex collection. Rolex, like many other high-end watch brands, first introduce a new model in gold and one or two years later they will introduce that model in stainless steel. Chances that Rolex will ever introduce a stainless steel Sky-Dweller will be slim, because if we draw a parallel with the Day-Date, that one was only made in precious metal. But still, we would love to see a stainless steel Sky-Dweller and preferably with an athracite dial.

Baselworld 2014 is just around the corner, four weeks of waiting before we’ll discover all the Rolex novelties and to see if our wishes come true. Stay tuned for our Baselworld live report!!

And our photoshoped dreams…

Dear Rolex: Now that we’ve got your attention, we just want to say thank you! After years of rattling the cage of the biggest name in the industry, today we scored a major victory. The fine people at Rolex must also read Monochrome-Watches.com because this year they decided to raid our files to produce not one, not two but three of our imagineered pieces.

Every year, around January/February the bunch of us meet up at a secret location, armed with historical photos and Photoshop! Frank (Geelen) calls the meeting to order and asks everyone for their top picks… This year we did pretty well. Here is a quick synopsis of our predictions for 2014 and the products as they have been announced at Basel.

‘Our’ Rolex GMT-Master II 116710 aka ‘Pepsi’:

‘Their’ Rolex GMT-Master II 116719:

We were off in one respect with this model. Aesthetically we were spot-on. Economically Rolex must feel that the word recession only applies to hairlines; they opted for white gold vs our stainless steel. Just for comparison: the yellow gold 116718LN is priced just above $33k USD, while the stainless steel 116710 BLNR comes for just north of $9k USD.

Our Sea-Dweller II 116600:

Their Sea-Dweller 4000 116600:

I suppose we missed the word “Date” from the second line of text…

Then there was the ‘throw-away’ pick; Frank said “We need one more…” and this is what we came to the table with!

‘Our’ Milgauss 116400: (in Blue)

‘Their’ Milgauss 116400GV:

I have to admit – their ‘blue’ is better than our “BLUE!” We didn’t think that they’d opt for green glass (again). Technically speaking, I don’t think the colour has much to do with the anti-magnetic properties of the watch. That said, the next time I happen to be up in the Earth’s magnetosphere, I’ll let you know how I do. Once again, thank you Rolex for listening to our wishes. Is there any way we can entice you to make a titanium Submariner for us? Please?

Post Script: Thank you Tudor for introducing the blue bezel Black Bay. While it goes without saying that our black bezel Black Bay makes more sense – the blue is a nice nod to our blue Pelagos!

PPS: We’d also like to thank the stylists at the other Swiss brand, Omega for opting to use triangular markers from the 1957 Seamaster 300. Just like we did!

Honestly, we have missed the Sea-Dweller in the past 6 years. With the introduction of the Sea-Dweller Deep Sea in 2008 the SD ref. 16600 disappeared from the collection. That was one of the reasons to include it in the wish list that we published a few weeks before Baselworld. After XX years of absence from Rolex’ collection, the Sea-Dweller is back in a contemporary version featuring a Cerachrom bezel insert, the Oysterlock safety clasp and Rolex Glidelock bracelet extension system.

Besides the re-introduction of the Sea-Dweller we also predicted (and wished for) a GMT-Master II with a blue/red bezel (nicknamed Pepsi), a Daytona with a silver dial and black chronograph sub dials (nicknamed Panda dial) with black ceramic bezel and a Milgauss with a blue dial. We got the Milgauss and GMT-Master II Pepsi correct, however the desired Daytona was not introduced. And luckily the world’s most iconic dive watch is now available again.

The Helium Escape Valve

The Sea-Dweller was introduced in 1967 and was originally designed for professional deep-sea diving. It already featured a Helium escape valve – something that Rolex patented in 1967 – which is a useful feat for professional divers, who have to stay in diving bells for a period of time. At the depths where diving bells are used, divers do not breath the same air that we’re breathing on the surface, as that would be dangerous (some gasses expand in such way that they would damage our body, when ascending). That’s why professional divers use a gas-mix that also includes Helium. Unfortunately Helium can enter a dive watches (when the pressure in very high, like on great depths), and when ascending the Helium molecules expand faster than they can escape from the dive watch’ inside. That would build up pressure from the inside and ultimately the crystal would pop out, and that’s something you really don’t want to happen!

You need to take into account that when the Sea-Dweller was introduced, dive watches served a real purpose. Much different from today, now 99% (or more) of all dive watches do not get more action than some ‚desk diving’. Back in the sixties and seventies, there were no electronic dive computers and a dive watch with unidirectional rotating bezel, was a life-saving instrument.

Bezel and dial

The Sea-Dweller 4000’s bezel, is like the bezels on its predecessors, a 60-minute graduated, unidirectional, rotatable bezel. The bezel on previous models was made in aluminium, covered with black printing; the new bezel is made in Rolex’s patented and in-house produced Cerachrom. This material is virtually scratch proof and its colour will not fade over time, as it’s unaffected by ultraviolet rays. The black dial features large “Chromalight” hour markers and hands, filled with luminescent material that emits a long-lasting blue glow for excellent legibility in dark conditions.

The first Sea-Dweller, reference 1665, was water proof to a depth of 660 metres or 2,000 feet. The depth rating of the new Oyster case is 1,220 metres (4,000 feet), hence the name Sea-Dweller 4000. Rolex makes its cases from 904L steel, which is a harder and more corrosion-resistant steel, than the 316L steel that is used by the majority of watch brands. The Triplock screw-down crown adds to the water-resistance, and is protected by the crown guards.

Movement

Inside ticks Rolex’ well-known and super reliable self-winding mechanical movement, calibre 3135. Besides hours, minutes and seconds, it also indicates the date. The movement is of course in-house developed and manufactured and has been tested and approved by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). The movement’s escapement features the Parachrom hairspring, that Rolex first used in 2005, and which offers a much better stability and more precision in case of shocks.

Rolex has GREATLY improved their bracelets in the last decennia. While the old bracelets from the 1960’s, 1970’s and even the 1980’s are not known for being solid and robust, the new is exactly that: robust and solid. The new Oysterlock safety clasp prevents from accidental opening, and the double extension system allows the watch to be worn over a diving suit up to 7 mm thick. The most comfortable feature of the new Oyster bracelet is the Rolex Glidelock, which allows the wearer to fine-adjust the length of the bracelet by 20 mm, with 2 mm increments.

Some specifications:

• Case: 904L stainless steel, 40 mm in diameter, helium escape valve, screw-down crown, unidirectional rotating bezel with Cerachrom bezel, guaranteed waterproof to 1,220 metres (4,000 feet)
• Movement: calibre 3135, in-house developed and manufactured, self-winding, COSC certified, 28,800 vph (4Hz), 31 jewels, 48 hours of power reserve, Parachrom hair spring, Breguet overcoil, large balance wheel with variable inertia screws, regulating via four gold Microstella nuts
• Bracelet: Oyster three-piece bracelet with solid links, 904L stainless steel, satin finished, polished edges, Oysterlock folding safety clasp, Rolex Glidelock extension system (20 mm in increments of 2 mm), Fliplock extension link (26 mm)

More info: www.rolex.com

Celli…what? Cellini. The name of the dress watches collection by Rolex may be unfamiliar for the newbies and underrated for the real Rolex aficionados. If everyone knows the Oyster collection, with the Submariner, the recently presented new Sea-Dweller or the Daytona, the Cellini collection has always been in the shadows and relegated at the end of Rolex’ brochures. At Baselworld 2014, Rolex presented a completely new collection of three watches – a three hands, a three hands + date and a dual-time – that could bring the light on the name Cellini again.

For several years, the Cellini collection was mainly known for the ‘Prince’ models, a rectangular watch that I’ve actually never seen worn on a wrist. The design was totally different from the rest of the Rolex collection, which is mostly based on “shared details”: bezels, crowns, fluted casebacks, bracelets are (more or less) similar among the Oyster models. The Oyster collection also shares that unique sense of Rolex design that allows you to wear these watches, both as a dress watch or as a sports watch. A Rolex is a Rolex because of all those common aspects. Except the Cellini collection…

The Cellini collection didn’t share those design elements and even featured a see-through caseback! A shame for a watch with a crown. The new Cellini collection is simply the interpretation of a dress watch by Rolex, for Rolex lovers. Meaning that you’ll find most of the design details that makes people love (or hate) Rolex.

The Rolex Cellini models are a modern, yet very classic, interpretation of a dress watch, with the Geneva’s brand DNA. The collection is composed of three timepieces – ‘Time’, ‘Date’ and ‘Dual Time’. Available in white or pink gold (called ‘Everose’ by Rolex), with either a black or white dial. The collection is based on a single case design, measuring 39mm in diameter. The all polished case features a twin bezel – a fluted one outside and a domed one on the top – that makes the link with the other dress watches from the Oyster collection, the Datejust and Day-Date.

The main difference is that this fluted bezel is thinner and nearly vertical. Another feature of the new Cellini case is that it echoes something from the past, namely a domed case back that vintage Rolex collectors call a ‘Bubble Back’, and that also features the fluted rim, just like every Rolex does (except the Prince).

Last but not least, the typically Rolex pattern can be found on the screwed crown, here with a more rounded design. The shape of the case is very similar to the other Rolex models but with a more elegant approach, meaning that the sides are more curved and the lugs slimmer. A smart design that won’t create a revolution in the watch industry – of course, we are talking of Rolex – and that is discrete enough to fit the under your cuff, to be worn as the perfect dress watch.

Rolex Cellini Collection – Time – Date – Dual Time

Three versions in the new Cellini line:

• The ‘Time’, a simple three hands watch
• The ‘Date’, featuring a subdial at 3 o’clock that indicates the date with a hand
• The ‘Dual-time’, featuring a second time zone in a subdial at 6 o’clock (home time) with an additional a day / night indicator

The main difference can be found in the dials. Similar in the layout – long gold applied indexes, inner minute ring and same facetted ‘alpha’ hands – the ‘Time’ has been presented with a simple lacquered dial while the ‘Date’ and ‘Dual Time’ have a guilloche dial. More vibrant and textured, the ‘rayon flammé de la gloire’ pattern is clearly a reason to choose for the most complicated models.

Rolex has been quite evasive on the base movement for the moment. Regarding at the specification (including the blue Parachrom hairspring), we were told that the movement share the same base as the calibre 31xx series that can be found in – for instance – the Submariner or the Explorer 1. On the ‘Dual Time’, the second time zone can be change by 1-hour increments, via the crown.

With the new Cellini, Rolex presents an interesting alternative to the Datejust and Day-Date, in a more elegant approach, always with the codes of the brand. Interesting in its design, the Cellini is also attractive regarding at its price that starts at € 11.000 Euro (including taxes) – an aggressive price tag considering the brand’s name and fame and the gold case.

Some specifications:

• Case: 39mm in 18 carats white gold or Everose Gold, screwed caseback, screw-down crown, double bezel domed and fluted, domed sapphire, water resistant to 50 meters
• Movement (regardless the version): self-winding calibre 31xx variant, certified COSC, 28.800 vph (4Hz), 48h of power-reserve, 31 jewels, Parachrom hairspring
• Strap: black alligator strap (on white gold) or brown (on Everose gold) with gold pin buckle

More details on www.rolex.com

It took a lot of crisis counseling around the Monochrome-Watches.com offices to get over my failure to spend the entire Year of the Snake with ONE watch. The initial plan was to spent one lunar year with my Omega Seamaster GMT on my wrist, however the monogamy was too heavy a burden and I also spent some time wearing my Speedmaster Professional. I had to spend a lot of time figuring out what watch could do it all for 383 days. In the final reckoning it wasn’t something incredibly dramatic. Rather, it was something relatively old.

Let me state here and now that I DO really love my Omega Seamaster 2535.80.00. It is a fantastic watch in every respect. As much as I love it – I’m not going to lie and say that I didn’t enjoy wearing a number of other watches throughout the year. The entire time I wore the 2535.80.00 I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wanted something else… and when I dipped into my case for something else I couldn’t escape the feeling that these little ‘tests’ were not working! What’s the point of a yearlong test if you don’t wear the watch exclusively for the entire year?

The Task: For this year I wanted to do it right. I wanted to have ONE watch on my wrist, 24/7/383 with no exceptions or additions or substitutions.

What ONE watch could do it? What watch could I wear to the office? To the beach? To do kettle-ball presses and jumping-jacks at the gym? To meet with people personally and professionally? What one watch could be plain enough to fit in all the settings I find myself in over the course of a year, yet be maintain some sense of interest for me to keep from getting bored?

Thinking about it in terms of features: it would need to be, automatic or manual wind, but have a decent power reserve. Titanium would be nice, though that limits it to sports watches, so stainless steel would be better. A leather strap would not be a deal breaker – but an integrated bracelet that I could swap-out on my own would make for more intrigue. Either new or preowned, but for a preowned watch it would need to be something ‘mainstream’ that could be serviced quickly and easily at a company owned service center. And while I do like the security of a 200+ meter water resistant watch, a screw-down crown is enough for me to feel comfortable splashing around in the pool or the bathtub.

The Contenders:

After a few hours of trawling through internet auctions and the inventory of some of the dealers I know and trust I narrowed the search down to a short list of some six watches:

• Cartier Tank
• Rolex Submariner
• Rolex Datejust
• Panerai 305
• Patek Philippe Aquanaut
• Omega Aquaterra … something with a 8500 movement…

As much as I would have liked to experiment with spending a year wearing the Aquanaut – when I boiled right down to it – I was not willing to commit that kind of money, new or preowned, for a watch that is really an entry-level piece. Chop it up any way you want to, if you’re going to buy a Patek Philippe, buy something nice. The differential in prices is not that great between an Aquanaut and a decent Calatrava. (Why not a Calatrava?) I ruled out the Calatrava because it doesn’t look like “my” watch. It looks like I’m borrowing a watch from someone with better taste than me.

As much as I love Omega – last year was an eye-opener for me. The AT probably wasn’t going to carry my interest for 383 days! Sorry.

I ruled out the Panerai 305 because I know that on ME the bezel will become a scratch-magnate! Also, I own the 025 (SIT DOWN! I know they are different watches!) and I have had a love/hate relationship with that watch. I used to take it with me when I traveled because I thought that if were damaged/lost/stollen I wouldn’t really care! It’s a great watch, but just like a best friend, sometimes you just want to punch it in the head a few times because it aggravates the **** out of you!

Photo courtesy www.vintagesubmariner.com

I already own/have owned a bunch of Submariners. No fun to use a watch I already own! Also, I have a genuine aversion to the Submariner line; it is too highly sought after by ‘up and coming’ folks to make it a serious consideration. It’s a serious watch, but sometimes it is worn by silly people for all the wrong reasons. I’m not taking away from the Sub. It is an incredible watch with a deep history and tradition that would make ANY person proud to own it (again folks, don’t just buy the watch, buy the books written about the watch and delve into it’s history). However, it is still the domain of people wanting their first “Rolie” but don’t know why or what they will use it for.

The Cartier Tank was an interesting proposition. If you can’t tell from my writing – I’m not really a very classy person. I have no time or use for excess formality and while I try to be dignified in front of most people – I don’t really care enough about who or what you are to feel an overbearing need to try to impress you – especially with a watch. I keep my money in a bank. Which was another interesting aspect to the Tank; I have a very good friend who is a portfolio manager. He IS a classy guy. He DOES have to ‘dog and pony’ around conference tables to win friends and influence people and he utterly swears by his Tank. The idea that there was some kind of intrinsic value to the Tank that allowed my dear friend to feel content to wear it day-in-day-out year after year for the past 25 years or so was a fascinating notion and a good kernel to build off of. But ultimately if you take a bull-dozer and try to dress it like a Rolls Royce Chorniche you won’t fool very many people – and those you do fool aren’t worth associating with in the first place.

… And so I settled on the Datejust. Another Rolex! The brand ‘everybody hates to love’!

The Selection Process:

I could have gone to a boutique and picked-up a new Datejust – but not everyone can just go out and plonk down a bunch of money on a brand-new and very, very pricy watch. A preowned model would make it cost effective enough for other fools to try this at home – after all – it isn’t juggling chainsaws!

I also could have opted to pick a ‘Turn-o-Graph’ or ‘Thunderbird’ model to gain access to my favorite horological tool, the rotating, graduated bezel. I also could have reached for the ‘Explorer I’ model to gain the benefit of great lume. Ultimately I balked on those models because I wanted to have to ‘do without’ certain comforts I had grown accustomed to.

Reaching for my handy-dandy Mondani guide to Rolex models I was able to isolate my search to a few specific generations of Datejust models that I thought would be acceptable for a really LONG test. Some of the late 50′s early 60′s models appealed to me because of their pie-pan dials. But I was turned off by the presence of a non-quickset movement; caliber 1565 movements don’t jump out at me for being dodgy or unreliable. Caliber 1565 movements suffer from being 60 years old and lacking a quickset function. If it breaks – who will fix it – fast?

The 16030 then came into focus. The caliber 3035 movement has only (relatively) recently been removed from production, supplanted by the 3135. That means Rolex will still service this movement in-house. It also means that these movements have been out and about for long enough to find local folks to repair them easily, parts will also be fairly easy to come by in a pinch.

In past articles I’ve touched on the idea that buying preowned watches can be a bit of a dice roll. It is always best to work directly with the brand. As many times as I have suggested to Rolex that they take back pieces and sell them as “Certified Pre-Owned” I have also been escorted to the sidewalk with the expression: “If you have any more questions – please feel free to die!” (this happened on Bond Street in London! The sales associate must have been having a rough day. I understand.)

So we can strike Rolex off the list of places to go to. Next is to go to jewelers that you know and trust. I repeat: know and trust. The quality of fakes on the market today is astounding. It is becoming an absolute nightmare for experienced jewelers to sort through the onslaught of fakes and doctored watches showing-up on jewelry store counters every day. For a novice or even for someone who is experienced in a different segment of the industry the name of the game is Russian Roulette!

The actual Rolex Datejust ref. 16030 – photos courtesy Robert Maron

I’m pretty lucky. I have a rolodex of friends all around the world who are still willing to take my calls and answer my email messages. Rob Spayne and Robert Maron are two such people. Rob and I exchanged several messages in the process of finding the most plain, run-of-the-mill Datejust out there. I found THIS one. I did not ask for a discount but they made a great price on the watch. I requested to have the watch thoroughly inspected and serviced before shipping it off to me – which they did for a very, very reasonable fee. When it came, two days or so after returning from spa treatment it was in STUNNING original condition. Not over-polished. Not filthy. Just right.

What if you get bored?

Going cold turkey from splitting time between so many watches is dangerous. The withdrawal sickness can be horrible. Though I have vowed to stick to just the one Rolex for the entire year (I tinkered with the idea of having the bracelet soldered closed onto my wrist… which would do absolutely nothing because any devotee of vintage Rolex will tell you that a Datejust from 1984 still had holes drilled into the lugs to press the pins out through!) I purchased 5 watches from the day I put the 16030 on until now. I’ve never worn them – some I haven’t even taken delivery of – but I bought them nonetheless!

Then I decided to refocus my ‘Buy It Now” trigger finger on something more productive and in the same milieux as the Datejust. In the coming months you will see how I have found ways to keep my relationship with the 16030 fresh by changing its appearance with commonly available products. Think of it as role-play with your watch (sans the rope bondage or security word!)

Word just got out that Rolex has appointed Jean-Frédéric Dufour, current CEO of Zenith, as their new CEO. This news has also been confirmed by Rolex (press release at end of this article). As such he will replace Gian Riccardo Marini, who has been CEO for a little less than 3 years, since May 3th 2011. That makes him the sixth CEO of Rolex, since Hans Wilsdorf founded the brand in 1905, and the 4th CEO since the crisis of 2008!

This news was first published by industry-insider Gregory Pons, on his (French) website Business Montres. The news was announced to employees of the rolex group this Monday morning. According to Pons it is a ‘youthful’ move from Rolex, in order to dust off the brand. Dufour is ‘just’ 45 years young and originally comes from Geneva, the city where Rolex has its headquarters since 1919.

For those who speak French, we included the video. However for those who don’t we have a short transcript from the interview that Gregory Pons did for Swiss television:

What can we imagine for Rolex? Jean-Frederic Dufour is a young and dynamic guy, close to Jean-Claude Biver and trained by him. So we can expect some very fresh wind in the Rolex strategy. It’s a big move in the industry that could change the game…

Are all these changes at Rolex headquarters not dangerous for them? Well, Rolex is still the first watchmaker in Switzerland and in the world, one of the 10 best known brand in the world, so Rolex is in a secure position. However, this new CEO will set the trend for Rolex, for the next years and for that reason, this is big news that deserves to be followed closely in the coming next months. While hiring a nice looking and young guy, with a real expertise in watches, Rolex dusts off its image. But that also means engaging the brand in long-term changes, probably for more than 20 years. Dufour is new to Rolex and so will have to dsicover the company. He will be introduced to the Rolex spirit in the next few months and could be the one to re-launch Rolex for the coming 20 years.

Dufour is the spiritual son of Jean-Claude Biver. Important is that Tudor, Rolex’ daughter, is being managed by another spiritual son of Jean-Claude Biver: Philippe Peverelli. That shows that JC Biver knows how to train the bests in the industry. 

Rolex just confirmed this news and we end this message with the formal press release from Rolex:

When Rolex unveils a new watch, they do it when they plan to do it. As we told you before, when we were guessing what the new Rolex novelties for 2014 would be, is that Rolex’ secrets seem more secure than the famous Swiss banks. Our guessing was actually pretty accurate and one of the models we hoped to see, was the new GMT-Master II with red/blue bezel, the desirable ‘Pepsi’. The new ‘Pepsi’ caused quite some mixed emotions at the Monochrome headquarters.

At the moment that Rolex opened the windows of their Baselworld booth (you can easily call it a large house or a huge 3-story boutique) we were attending the Tudor press conference, where we were presented the cool new Black Bay Blue, Mario -who was not present at B-world- sent us a text message with a link to the Rolex novelties. Suspense… YES… a Pepsi! As quick as the enthusiasm exploded, it faded away again. The reason for that was that Rolex decided to make their most desirable novelty in years, in WHITE GOLD.

Now usually the metal of a new timepiece is a journalistic jotting. However, when a watch is on our personal shopping-list that becomes an important factor and all journalistic ‘neutrality’ vanishes. The white gold GMT-Master II has a 20k Euro higher price tag than the GMT-Master II 116710 BLNR that was introduced last year. We realized that we’ll have to put coins in our piggy bank for many more years, and we won’t be able to buy the new Pepsi for ‘that life-changing event’ later this year.

The new ‘Pepsi’ does look very good, and it actually looks exactly as we hoped it would look like. What we hadn’t realized is that creating a blue/red bezel was kind of difficult. Or better, you can easily label it ‘next to impossible’. And that was the reason that Rolex hadn’t created the ‘Pepsi’ in Cerachrom before.

Red and blue Cerachrom

The name “Cerachrom” derives from a contraction of the word “ceramic” juxtaposed with the suffix “chrom” from the ancient Greek word for “colour”. The range of available shades for ceramic is however restricted by its very manufacturing process. Colours are generally created by adding mineral pigments that can withstand the very high temperatures at which the ceramic is fired for its densification and to acquire its characteristic hardness. Red, typically, is a colour for which no stable mineral pigments exist to create a Cerachrom component. Rolex nevertheless managed to produce a red ceramic. But this innovation represented only half the journey.

Rolex’s in-house engineers finally found an answer to the second half of the challenge. The ingenious process consists of introducing an intermediate step in the manufacture of the standard Cerachrom insert. During this innovative bulk-colouring step, half of the red ceramic insert is coloured blue. The colour is achieved by impregnating the part of the insert representing night-time hours, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., with a controlled quantity of a solution of chemical compounds. The solution is added before sintering at more than 1,600 °C, when the ceramic acquires its mechanical resistance properties as well as its colour. In the course of this firing, the ceramic densifies and the added compounds react with the basic elements of the red Cerachrom insert to conjure up the final blue colour.

Although the idea in itself may appear simple, a number of major technical hurdles had to be overcome before it could be implemented: the formulation of a solution of precursor chemical compounds that would turn red into blue; the homogenous application of an appropriate quantity of this solution; ensuring a sharp, precise and clear demarcation between the two coloured areas, the definition of the precise length of time and temperature for the sintering so as to prevent any distortion of the piece. Every single one of these parameters is crucial for the success of the process and the quality of the final product.

[this text is from the official press release and we hope it will help to fully understand how difficult the process of creating a two-tone Cerachrom bezel is]

The Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II has been our favourite “multi-purpose” travel watch for a long time. There simply aren’t that many competitors when you think of its specifications. A) wears very comfortable B) looks good with suit AND with a casual outfit C) water resistant and can actually be worn on the beach, in the sea, or in your hotel’s swimming pool an D) its make is impeccable and solid. Just thinking of these qualifications, the only options that come to mind (and I hope you’ll forgive me for the ones I forget) are the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Geographic, the Girard-Perregaux Traveller WW.TC, Patek Philippe’s Aquanaut Travel Time and the new Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph and the Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT that Omega introduced last year (we’ll have a review for you in two weeks).

So, steep competition, however not that there’s a choice between dozens of high-end watches with similar specs. The GMT-Master has been one of the very first traveller’s watches, since Rolex introduced the first version in 1955. At that time, intercontinental travel developed, and airliners began to fly swiftly across several successive time zones. Pilots and travellers alike, wanted to know the time in various places in the world, such as the airport of departure and arrival. The GMT-Master was developed to meet the specific needs of airline pilots and  it became the official watch of the famous Pan American World Airways, better known as Pan Am.

The advantage that the GMT-Master II has over many ‘standard’ GMT watches, is that the 24-hour hand will keep indicating the ‘home time’ (so you’ll know when to call your family or office, and when they are asleep), while you can adjust the normal hour hand to the destination you travelled to, so it indicates your local time.

On the wrist it wears comfortable, the steel bracelet can be adjusted (and micro adjusted) to fit your wrist perfectly. Although we must say that the GMT-Master II ‘Pepsi’ ref. 116719BLNR is quite heavy, due to the use of white gold for the case and bracelet. And that is, again, the only complaint we have. White gold is heavier, less resistant to scratches (especially compared to the hard 904L steel that Rolex uses) and it is 20k Euro more expensive. However it still ranks among our favourite travel watches, as being the ‘mother of all travel watches’. The ceramic’s sheen enhances the colours in a way that is reminiscent of the Plexiglas insert of the original GMT-Master, introduced in 1955.

More info on the Rolex website here.

The one that most people didn’t expect as a Rolex novelty at Baselworld 2014… We already knew that the Black Dial version without the green crystal (Ref. 116400) was going to be phased out. What the watch world didn’t expect was the arrival of a new version of the Milgauss, especially one with a blue dial. No one except us! In our yearly Rolex’ rumors article, we presented to you a blue dial on the antimagnetic Rolex – but, we must admit, with a less beautiful color. And once on the wrist, we must say that the ‘Z Blue’ (its nickname) is a pretty interesting novelty. Let us introduce you to the Rolex Milgauss Blue Dial Ref. 116400GV.

History of the Milgauss

The Milgauss – meaning 1000 Gauss in French – was introduced in 1956 as THE antimagnetic watch for those who worked in power plants, medical facilities and research labs (such as the CERN close to Geneva) where intense electromagnetic fields can affect the timing of a watch. Some of the moving parts of a watch, such as the balance wheel and spiral, are sensitive to electromagnetic fields that can affect the amplitude of their run and so change the frequency of the movement. An issue that some of you have faced once with your own watches (due to computer or mobile phone magnetism for example). But when it comes to working in such conditions all day long, an antimagnetic watch is clearly a necessity. A simple solution is to house the movement in a faraday cage, a protective enclosure formed by a conducting material, usually soft iron.

Rolex Milgauss ref. 6451

The very first version of the Milgauss introduced in 1956, as the Ref. 6451, was quite close in its design and specifications to a 1953 Rolex Submariner Ref. 6204. The oversized Oyster case, the black rotating bezel with a red triangle at 12, the riveted metallic bracelet and the non-protected Twin-Lock crown could be found on both the Milgauss and Sub. However, apart from the faraday cage and the antimagnetic capacity, the main differences were a honeycomb textured black dial, alpha hands (instead of the ‘Mercedes hands’), specific triangular indexes at 3-6-9 and a unique ‘lightning’ hand for the seconds, just to remind you of the purpose of the watch. The Ref. 6451 has a classical Rolex calibre, the 1080, as the antimagnetic properties come from the case and the dial (also in soft iron) and not from the movement.

The main evolution was the introduction in 1960 of the Ref. 1019, showing a more classical design, with a case close to an Oyster Date. On the Ref. 1019 the black rotating bezel made way for a polished and fixed steel bezel, and the ‘lightning’ second hand for a classical straight one. The dial was available both in black or light grey, with applied baton markers and more straight hands. The watch was keeping its 1000 Gauss resistance, always with the help of a faraday cage. This model has been removed from the Rolex catalogue in 1988.

Rolex Milgauss ref. 1019

2007 saw the rebirth of the antimagnetic collection of Rolex with the Ref. 116400. Even though the Milgauss was not by far as popular as the Submariner or Daytona, the prices of old models used to be quite impressive in auctions and the watch remains highly attractive to collectors. Furthermore, in the present day, positions which require working working in magnetic conditions are increasingly common, especially in IT. That may be the reason why Rolex reintroduced the Milgauss, with the specifications we now know: 40mm case, a black dial / green crystal version, a white dial version, the now iconic ‘lightning’ second hand and several orange tips on the indexes and hands.

The main difference with the previous generations of Milgauss is the antimagnetic construction: if the old models were based on a soft iron enclosure to protect the movement, the new one opts for an antimagnetic hairspring (the blue Parachrom) enclosed in a magnetic shield composed of a magnetic permeability material. Not only is the watch is protected against electrostatic fields but also against magnetic fields. However, Omega is doing better since their 15.000 Gauss-proof watches are not based on a protective case, but on a completely new movement that is fully antimagnetic, that allows slimmer watches and even a see-trough caseback. 

The ‘Z Blue’ Milgauss Ref. 116400GV

You may ask yourself why the new Milgauss is (already) nicknamed ‘Z Blue’. The reason is that the electric blue dial is coated with Zirconium. The main novelty of this reference is that the blue tone is very bright and, as it presents a sunburst metallic finish, it goes from a deep blue to an aqua blue with green reflections, depending on the light conditions. When the watch was presented, we were dubious about all its different colors – blue dial, white indexes, orange second hand and markers, green tinted crystal. In the flesh, though, the combination works great, as the crystal and dial match with green reflections and the orange contrasts well with the rest of the watch, creating an original atmosphere – far from the monochromatic look of a Submariner.

For the rest, the Ref. 116400GV ‘Z Blue’ is a Milgauss, meaning a reasonable diameter of 40mm, a polished stainless steel case (water resistant up to 100m) and the very comfortable oyster bracelet with Easylink folder clasp (that allows very easy micro-adjustments). As do most of the Rolexes, it wears great, even with its 157 grams. The dial, aside from its blue color, features white gold markers and the hands are filled with white Chromalight; and there is the recognizable orange minute rim.

The blue Milgaus is definitely set apart from the rest of the Rolex range, as all the Milgauss have always been. The blue dial offers some more eccentricity to a brand that some may call conservative but needs a buyer to whom that bright color combination appeals. The Ref. 116400GV is priced at CHF 7.800.

The post Hands-on with the Rolex Milgauss Blue Ref. 116400GV appeared first on Monochrome Watches.