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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Monochrome Watches’ 2024 selection spans five very different takes on the integrated-bracelet sports watch: a limited-edition Audemars Piguet perpetual calendar, a compact green Girard-Perregaux Laureato, a blue-dial IWC Ingenieur, a date-free Parmigiani Fleurier, and a forged-carbon Tissot PRX. These are editorial picks by Brice Goulard, not a measured ranking of the year’s best watches.
What Monochrome meant by an elegant sports watch
For this roundup, the category is defined by a combination of integrated bracelets, sporty details, and a more refined overall character. Brice Goulard traced that design reference to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak of 1972. The category’s growth had begun to slow somewhat, he observed, but new elegant sports-watch models continued to appear in 2024.
The Patek Philippe Cubitus was described as the year’s most talked-about arrival, but it was not among these five choices. The list instead brings together watches with different priorities: complication, smaller proportions, dial color, restrained display, or unusual case material.
How the five selections differ
| Watch | Size or wrist presence | Material and dial | Movement or display | Overall character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar John Mayer | Size not stated in the recap | Crystal-like dial texture reminiscent of Tuscan dials | Perpetual calendar; the recap says this edition marked the end of the movement then used | Limited-edition, technically elaborate luxury sports watch |
| Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm Sage Green | 38 mm | Steel, sage-green clou de Paris dial, discreet gold accents | In-house GP03300 calibre | Compact and color-led, with restrained detailing |
| IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Blue | 40 mm | Textured soft-iron dial and fully brushed bracelet | Calibre 32111; the recap reports a five-day power reserve | Blue-dial modern sports watch with a technical detail in the dial |
| Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date | Size not stated in the recap | Steel case and bracelet with soft-gold finely guilloché dial | No date; thin, decorated PF703 micro-rotor calibre | More delicate and sartorial in feel |
| Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon | 40 mm | Textured forged-carbon outer case and dial, steel inner case, black rubber strap | Powermatic 80; the recap does not give a complication beyond the model name | Lighter, bolder material treatment and the accessible-price contrast in the selection |
The recap does not provide current prices, stock status, or a consistent set of full specifications for all five watches. The table therefore compares only the details it reports rather than filling gaps with assumptions.
#1 Best Overall
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The five watches, and what sets each apart
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar John Mayer
This limited edition combines the Royal Oak format with a perpetual calendar, making it the most complication-focused choice in the group. Its new crystal-like dial texture was likened to Tuscan dials. The edition also marked the end of the particular movement used in the watch, according to Goulard’s December 2024 article; his expectation then was that a replacement would follow. That was a forecast at the time, not confirmation of a current movement lineup.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm Sage Green
The Laureato dates to 1975, and this 2024 version puts a sage-green dial into the 38 mm steel model. Its clou de Paris embossing gives the dial texture, while discreet gold accents add contrast without changing the watch’s restrained palette. The in-house GP03300 calibre is the movement detail highlighted in the recap. Among these five, it is the clearly specified compact option for someone drawn to color without a large or visually loud watch.
Rank #2
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IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40 Blue
The blue edition extends the returned Ingenieur 40 design discussed in the article. Its dial is textured soft iron, and the bracelet is fully brushed. The movement is calibre 32111, for which the recap reports a five-day power reserve. The mix of a blue dial, understated bracelet finishing, and soft-iron construction gives this model a more technical emphasis than the green Laureato or the dressier-feeling Parmigiani.
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date
The Tonda PF’s distinguishing choice is omission: there is no date display. That leaves the soft-gold, finely guilloché dial visually clean against a steel case and bracelet. Inside is the thin, decorated PF703 micro-rotor calibre. Goulard presented it as a more sartorial and delicate interpretation of the luxury sports-watch idea, rather than as the most overtly sporty or bold piece in the selection.
The Tool Desk
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Tissot PRX 40 Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon
The PRX is the accessible-price contrast in the roundup, though the article supplies no current price. Its forged-carbon exterior and dial have a pronounced texture, with a steel inner case and black rubber strap. The recap says it retains the PRX’s proportions, specifications, and style while being lighter and bolder. The author also mentioned trying it with colorful straps; that is his reported experience, not a guarantee about strap fit or a recommendation tested here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which one fits your priorities?
- For a major complication: the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar John Mayer is the only perpetual calendar in this selection.
- For a compact, understated color choice: the 38 mm Laureato pairs sage green with clou de Paris texture and subtle gold accents.
- For a blue dial and technical character: the 40 mm Ingenieur combines a soft-iron dial with a fully brushed bracelet; the five-day reserve is the figure reported by Monochrome.
- For a clean dial and refined feel: the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date keeps the display date-free and pairs its gold-toned guilloché with a steel case and bracelet.
- For forged-carbon texture and a rubber strap: the PRX stands apart from the steel-bracelet choices through its material treatment and bolder appearance.
These distinctions make the list useful as a map of different design priorities, not as proof that one watch is objectively superior. Since the recap does not establish present-day pricing or availability, buyers should verify those details separately before making a purchase decision.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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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.
