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MONOCHROME’s 30 December 2024 roundup selected five watches it considered standouts from independent watchmakers that year. They range from a skeletonized flying-tourbillon watch to an industrial-style Japanese display piece. The prices and access details below are those reported at publication—not current quotes or confirmation of availability.
The selection is editorial, not an objective ranking. Compare the watches by their mechanisms, design and reported price, then verify present-day availability with the relevant maker or seller.
At a glance: the five watches and their 2024 prices
| Watch | Distinctive display or mechanism | Reported price in MONOCHROME’s 2024 roundup |
|---|---|---|
| H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton | Openworked automatic movement and one-minute flying tourbillon | EUR 79,000 |
| Holthinrichs Signature Ornament | Sculptural CNC-milled titanium case; automatic movement based on Sellita SW300 | Starting at EUR 3,500 excluding VAT; Delft Blue option EUR 3,750 before taxes |
| Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Annual Calendar | Pointer date, double moon phase, and day and month windows | CHF 70,000 for the steel version |
| M.A.D. Editions M.A.D. 1S | Top-side rotor and time displayed with hour numerals and quarter-hour dots | CHF 2,900 excluding VAT |
| Otsuka Lotec No. 6 | Bi-retrograde module, date display, and running-seconds disc | JPY 440,000, approximately EUR 2,500 before taxes |
All amounts are the figures reported by Robin Nooy in MONOCHROME’s 30 December 2024 roundup; they are not verified current retail prices. The currencies and tax qualifications differ, so the figures are not directly comparable as like-for-like final costs.
H. Moser & Cie Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton
The Streamliner pairs a flowing case and bracelet with an openworked automatic movement. MONOCHROME highlighted that the movement was made in-house, including its balance spring, and that the watch uses a one-minute flying tourbillon. The contrast between the streamlined exterior and exposed mechanics is central to its character.
#1 Best Overall
The roundup described the model as part of the permanent collection and listed it at EUR 79,000 in 2024. That collection and price description reflects the article’s publication-era information, not confirmation of current stock or pricing.
Holthinrichs Signature Ornament
The Signature Ornament is the CNC-milled titanium model; it should not be confused with Holthinrichs’s Signature LAB series, whose cases are 3D-printed. The Ornament’s sculptural case is paired with an automatic movement based on Sellita’s SW300 and an in-house-made rotor. Delft Blue is one of several dial options.
MONOCHROME reported a starting price of EUR 3,500 excluding VAT, with the Delft Blue version at EUR 3,750 before taxes. These are 2024 publication figures, and the tax exclusion means they do not represent a complete, universally comparable purchase price.
Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Annual Calendar
The steel version has a 40 mm polished case and grey-blue dial; rose gold was also offered. Its calendar and moon indications combine a pointer date with a double moon phase and day and month windows, giving the dial several distinct reading points.
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The article describes calibre LF126.02 as incorporating more than 30 new components compared with the Montre Ecole Annual Calendar movement on which it is based. Its reported 2024 price was CHF 70,000 for the steel version.
M.A.D. Editions M.A.D. 1S
Created by the team associated with MB&F, the M.A.D. 1S was presented as a refined successor to the original M.A.D. 1. It replaces the Miyota engine with a La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement. MONOCHROME also noted a reduction in height of about 20%, associated with removing one cylinder.
Rank #4
- 【Retro Watches for Men】The unique polygonal case design breaks the monotony of traditional circular cases, with each edge finely polished to exude the classic charm of vintage watches. The surface of the watch case adopts retro carving technology, and the delicate patterns make the watch more exquisite, highlighting the wearer's taste and personality. Whether it is for business occasions or daily wear, it can become the eye-catching focus.
- 【Unique Design】The hollow dial design is equipped with exquisite moon phase display, clearly presenting the cycle of moon phase changes, satisfying your pursuit of romance and delicacy. Equipped with a classic tourbillon device, it counteracts the influence of gravity on timekeeping accuracy, ensuring precise and stable timing, allowing you to appreciate the unique charm of mechanical craftsmanship.
- 【Automatic Watches for Men】This skeleton mechanical watch operate without battery,support self-winding and hand-winding. However, due to insufficient mechanical kinetic energy, the watch may stop.Please manually winding it in a timely manner.Note: When using the watch for the first time, please turn the crown clockwise 20 times to ensure sufficient kinetic energy.(Do not pull out the crown, rotate it directly)
- 【Waterproof Luminous Watch】3ATM(30M/98FT) living waterproof, it can effectively prevent water splashing and rainwater invasion in daily life, meeting the needs of daily hand washing and other scenarios. Please do not wear it in bathing, swimming, diving, or hot water environments. At the same time, the watch also has a luminous function, making it easy and convenient to read the time even in dark conditions.
- 【Comfortable and Durable】The strap is made of stainless steel material, which has excellent corrosion resistance and wear resistance, and is not easy to rust or discolor when worn for a long time. The strap has undergone delicate polishing and wire drawing treatment, with a smooth and comfortable touch that does not feel uncomfortable. It is designed with a butterfly buckle, making it easy to wear and remove, and fits the curve of the wrist, ensuring comfort and stability for daily wear.
The top-side rotor is part of the watch’s visual identity. Time is read from hour numerals and quarter-hour dots. The roundup listed a price of CHF 2,900 excluding VAT and described sales through a raffle system. Both the price and raffle arrangement are historical details, not evidence of current pricing or a currently available route to buy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Otsuka Lotec No. 6
Jiro Katayama, a self-taught Japanese watchmaker, designed Otsuka Lotec’s industrial-instrument-inspired watches. The No. 6 combines a bi-retrograde module with a Miyota 9015 automatic base. It shows the date near 3–4 o’clock and running seconds on a disc viewed through a small window at 6 o’clock. The case and display module are among the parts described as made in-house.
Best Value
MONOCHROME reported JPY 440,000—approximately EUR 2,500 before taxes—in 2024 and said the watches were sold only in Japan at that time. That publication-era sales note does not establish the model’s current distribution or availability elsewhere.
How to compare the five selections
- For a tourbillon and openworked movement: the Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton is the selection built around those features.
- For an unusual case finish at a lower reported entry price: the Signature Ornament pairs sculptural CNC-milled titanium with a Sellita-based automatic movement. Keep VAT and the selected dial option in mind when comparing its quoted figures.
- For calendar and lunar indications: the Classic Moon Annual Calendar brings together pointer date, double moon phase, and day and month displays.
- For a distinctive time display and raffle-era release: the M.A.D. 1S places its rotor on top and uses numerals and dots to show the time; the 2024 roundup described its sales as raffle-based.
- For an instrument-like, retrograde display: the Otsuka Lotec No. 6 combines bi-retrograde indications with a date and small running-seconds display.
Prices alone do not make these watches equivalent alternatives: they use different mechanisms, have different case and dial approaches, and were described with different sales arrangements. MONOCHROME’s roundup establishes what it reported in 2024, but does not verify today’s stock, prices, authorized sellers, or purchase channels. Check directly with the maker or a seller before making a buying decision.
Source and scope
This recap is based on Robin Nooy’s editorial selection, “Recap: The Best Watches From Independent Watchmakers Of 2024,” published by MONOCHROME Watches on 30 December 2024. The five watches are the publication’s picks, not a market-wide ranking or an independently measured assessment.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
