Introducing the All-Black Monsieur de CHANEL Watch

Turning its focus back to its Monsieur de CHANEL watch, Chanel recently unveiled a new all-black take on its flagship watch.

Set to officially launch at Baselworld 2019, the Monsieur de CHANEL Édition Noire features a 42mm matte black ceramic case paired with a matching grained dial. Markings on the dial are raised and done in a silver tone for a classic look.

The watch utilizes Chanel’s proprietary movement developed by independent watchmaker Romain Gauthier, expressed via a 240-degree retrograde minute scale and accompanying hour window. A sapphire window on the steel case back spotlights the Caliber 1 hand-wound movement, which features twin barrels and a 72-hour power reserve.

No official pricing details just yet, but Chanel’s Monsieur de CHANEL Edition Noire watch is set for a 55 unit limited release sometime in September.

SOURCE WATCHES BY SJX

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10 Facts That Will Totally Change Your Opinion Of Rolex

The name Rolex has, over the decades, become synonymous with quality. But few people know the lengths that the company goes to to create its products, assuming that the process is now entirely automated and run by computers. Rolex is not a mass-market watchmaker. It does not automate the production of its products, and while machines help, they are not the backbone of the process. The bulk of the work is done by real artisans, trained in the craft of watchmaking.

Ever since the company was established by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in 1905, it has focused on creating items of exceptional quality. The founders decided that they wanted people to have watches that not only told the time accurately but also made a statement about who they were. Although the notion of luxury branding was in its infancy in the early 1900s, Wilsdorf and Davis understood the fundamental psychological drivers behind it and took full advantage. Before long, Rolex had established offices in multiple countries, all over Europe. To keep quality high, the company has integrated much of the production process. The company uses its own foundry to ensure that the quality of the metal it uses remains high.

Take a look at the following infographic. It’ll totally change your opinion of Rolex.

Infographic by Frost NYC Frostnyc

So, as you’ve just found out, Rolex is not a mass-producer of watches. All of its products are handmade. It’s no wonder that the most expensive Rolex in history sold for an astonishing $17.7 million.

Now that you know more about the company, do you want a Rolex?

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NIXON Welcomes the ROCK LTD COLLECTION, an Exclusive Watch Collection Benefiting MUSICARES MAP FUND®

A limited collection of one-of-a-kind watches made with donated leathers from some of the world’s biggest rock stars.

Nixon is proud to announce the release of the Rock LTD Collection, a limited edition of custom one-of-a-kind timepieces featuring watch straps created with donated leather jackets, pants and guitar straps from some of music’s best and brightest. Available for Holiday 2015, the Rock LTD collection will take advantage of leathers worn by the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Tom Waits, Eddie Van Halen, Steven Tyler, and Ringo Starr and transform them into extremely rare, highly collectible, one-of-a-kind timepieces:

Ozzy Osbourne – 51-30 Chrono (leather jacket)

Keith Richards – Sentry Chrono (leather jacket)

Pete Townshend – Sentry Chrono (guitar strap)

Tom Waits – Sentry Chrono (one leather boot)

Eddie Van Halen - Sentry Chrono Leather (guitar strap)

Steven Tyler - Sentry Chrono Leather (leather jacket)

Ringo Starr – Time Teller (leather swatches from personal collection)

The donated leather goods come straight from the artist's closet, giving the watchbands a worn, lived-in feel. Each watch will be individually, hand-numbered to denote the highly limited nature and will feature etched custom caseback with the name of the artist and a certificate of authenticity from Nixon and MusiCares®. Quantities are extremely limited and only available until they are gone. Previous Rock Ltd Collections have included donated leather from the likes of Anthony Kiedis and Flea, Dave Navarro, Chris Cornell, Scott Weiland, Stephen Perkins, and Jeff Buckley, to name a few.

“I believe so strongly in the assistance MusiCares MAP Fund provides to folks who are struggling with addiction recovery that I now walk around with one boot on, having donated my other boot to this Rock LTD Collection. I will continue to wear just one boot until everyone is clean and sober just like Me.” – Tom Waits

The first delivery of this exclusive Rock LTD watch collection will be available in stores globally mid-November including, Rob Robinson, Fred Segal, Barneys (NYC, LA CHI, SF), colette (Paris, France), Selfridges (London, UK), Ron Herman (Japan), and Nixon’s first New York City retail location (opening end November, 2015). Proceeds from the sale of these unique timepieces will benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund®, a charity that provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment.

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The Four Straps You Need In Your Watch Collection

Milanese Loop

Simplified Leather

Nylon & Canvas Straps

Rubber Sport Bands

Usually the first thing a guy notices when picking out a new watch is the face. With so many different displays, colors, designs, etc.—and now the option of smart watches—the face offers the most variety and will be the most noticeable component of any time piece. But somewhat subtly, the number of choices you have in your watch strap has also increased in recent years, and there are a lot of popular styles today that might have been considered slightly unconventional just a decade ago. So forget about traditional clunky leather straps and the boring, ordinary chain link bracelets. Here are four edgier strap options that any thorough watch collector (or just stylish guy) should consider snatching up.

Milanese Loop

The Milanese Loop is my favorite alternative to regular chain metal straps, in that it serves some of the same basic functions (namely, it can be dressed up or dressed down, and it's metal), without all the chunkiness. Reviewing the Apple Watch Milanese Loop (which is largely responsible for bringing the strap back to the mainstream), Apple Vis called it "a pleasure to wear" and compared its feel to that of "a soft bath towel." If that doesn't intrigue you, then you must just not prioritize comfort! Milanese Loops do tend to feel almost liquid-like due to their delicate, woven mesh designs. They're lightweight and easily adjustable, which makes them very convenient as well. One tip: don't wear one too tightly. It can be less comfortable and also looks a little too formal.

Simplified Leather

Most ordinary leather watch straps have stitching along their edges, and in many cases (I'd argue most), it can make the center of the strap appear somewhat puffed up. This problem is completely avoided in what I like to call simplified leather straps: lighter, more casual leather bands that are increasingly popular of late. These straps are more uniform, less bulky, and absolutely ideal for casual wear. Lyst's section on men's watches demonstrates that they can also cater to a number of different styles of watch face, and they can be more formal as well (as in the case of a chic Shore Projects watch with a white face and simplified black leather strap).

Nylon & Canvas Straps

This is a style I borrowed from Gear Patrol, which did a really cool write-up on some custom watch strap designers, including one who specializes in "tool" watches designed with military grade, fabric straps. Specifically, this refers to the kind of tightly woven nylon and canvas straps (often pale brown or army green in color) that have long been popular in various military divisions and NASA. If you're looking for a more rugged option to have around, this carries a very masculine fashion appeal along with it.

Rubber Sport Bands

Apple has also made this watch strap popular in the past year or so, with iPhone DJ calling it "incredibly comfortable" (and noting that it's actually made out of something called fluoroelastomer, not rubber). But Apple isn't the only brand producing this strap. The truth is that rubber, silicone, and similar materials have long been a great choice for those with athletic concerns, and lately they're more necessary than ever given the trend toward watch use in workout routines. If you're active, one of these belongs in your collection.

Adding these four options to your standard leather and chain link straps will give you a perfectly diversified watch strap collection. It's a great way to make sure you always have a watch for any given occasion or use.

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