Monochrome Watches’ December 2025 selection names seven watches chosen for what their movements and casebacks look like through a sapphire crystal. The picks rest on three criteria: complexity, originality, and finishing. They are a subjective appreciation of visible craft, not a ranking, and the prices and production figures attached to them date from 21 December 2025.
What the selection covers
A sapphire caseback lets you see the movement without opening the watch, so the movement becomes part of the design. The feature by Robin Nooy, published on Monochrome Watches on 21 December 2025, is the second installment in a series on that theme. It treats the movement’s construction and decoration as the main subject. It does not run standardized performance tests, compare accuracy, or assess value for money.
The range of complications is wide. The seven watches include a split-seconds chronograph, a minute repeater, a retrograde chronograph with a flying tourbillon, a GMT with power reserve and day/night indication, and two time-only watches that show hours, minutes and small seconds or hours and minutes alone. What links them is not a shared function but the level of finishing and the originality of the layout.
The seven watches
1. Kallinich Claeys Einser Zentralsekunde Voyager
The article describes an in-house movement developed from scratch in German Silver, paired with a dial inspired by Dresden’s astronomy heritage. Twenty examples are to be made in white gold, at EUR 49,800 excluding VAT. These are the article’s claims as of 21 December 2025.
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- Bulova's Men's Classic Automatic Collection features meticulously crafted beautiful timepieces with self-winding movements that are powered by the motion of your wrist.
- 3 Hand, Automatic, Full Skeleton
- Silver-Tone Stainless Steel
- Mineral Crystal
- 100M Water Resistant and 3 Year Limited Warranty
2. Montblanc 1858 Split-Seconds Chronograph
The movement is the in-house Calibre MB M16.31, made up of 287 components, and it can split seconds. The article says it was inspired by Minerva’s pocket-watch calibre 19-09 CH from 1909 and is produced and hand-decorated at the Minerva manufacture in Villeret. The edition is limited to 100 pieces at a retail price of EUR 55,000.
3. Gerald Genta Minute Repeater
The cushion-shaped case measures 40 mm across and 9.6 mm high. The onyx dial shows hours and minutes, while a discreet side slider controls the minute repeater. The movement is by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. The article reports production of 10 watches per year, priced at CHF 320,000 before taxes.
4. Nicolas Delaloye Renaissance Tantalum 39mm
The 39 mm tantalum case comes with a black or ivory dial. Inside is the hand-wound Calibre ND01, with German Silver bridges, hand-chamfered edges, and a black-polished swan-neck regulator. The article reports 24 pieces at CHF 45,000 excluding VAT.
Rank #2
- ⌚【Design Inspiration】This is an all-steel octagonal design with the characteristics of a classic sports adventure watch. The shape is exquisite and exquisite. Through amazing proportions, high-tech materials, and anti-magnetic structure,You can see the precise operation of each mechanical part, its unique masculine beauty injects new blood into the sports watch.
- ⌚【Unique Octagonal Design】The front of the octagonal bezel is polished with a polished and brushed process, which is resistant to scratches and presents two different metallic textures. The most classic and legendary aesthetic design has finally conquered the world as the ultimate octagonal case of sporty elegance. The 1.61inch large dial with high quality stainless steel watch band makes the watch more durable. The total length of the watch is 8.26inch.
- ⌚【Mechanical Movement】NO need to use BATTERY, but AUTOMATICE SELF-WINDING! The back of the watch adopts a back-through design, through the sapphire glass back we can clearly observe the movement beauty of the movement.The watch is equipped with a stainless steel bracelet that is comfortable to wear and has a very elegant posture. The whole is meticulously polished to bring a more refined wearing experience.
- ⌚【30M Waterproof】Daily life waterproof design which bear daily wash hand, swear,accidental rain or water splash.Please keep it away from swimming and hot water bathing in case consume the watch.(Note! Mechanical watch is different from quartz watch. Insufficient mechanical kinetic energy will cause the watch to stop, please winding it in time.)
- ⌚【Perfect Gifts】With a independently designed FORSINING watch box, is the perfect gift for yourselves or for that special and important someone. The fashion design watch can be easily matched with a variety of clothing and suitable for all occasions.
5. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Chronograph RD#5
The highlight is a retrograde-based chronograph system that uses a heart-shaped cam to release and reset the indications. The movement is 4 mm high, inside an 8.1 mm case. On the dial side sits a one-minute flying tourbillon. The article reports 150 pieces at CHF 260,000.
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6. Raúl Pagès RP2
This time-only watch shows hours, minutes and small seconds. The movement is notable for three finger bridges, an openworked balance cock, a moustache-style anchor, an integrated click spring, and hand-finishing throughout. The article reports 50 examples made over five years, at CHF 89,000.
7. Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6
This Escale-based tantalum watch has miniature-painted flags on the dial and a GMT movement that includes a power reserve and day/night indication. Finishing includes a black-polished balance bridge, hand-bevelled edges, and polished jewel sinks. The article reports five pieces at EUR 550,000 each.
Rank #3
- [Luxurious Mechanical Watch] High quality hollow mechanical watch appearance retro gorgeous, exquisite carving and design of the golden appearance of the European nobility more highlight your noble identity extraordinary taste, to bring you a pleasant luxury experience
- [Mechanical Movement] This watch has manual self-winding. Please consider that mechanical watches that require manual winding can only keep time for a short time after winding. To prevent running or inaccurate time, it is advised that you verify the time periodically and wind up the chain 15–20 times.
- [Waterproof] Water resistant to 50m (165ft) -suitable for short periods of recreational swimming and showering, but not diving or snorkeling
- [Ideal as a Gift] This beautiful retro-style watch can be worn on any occasion or given as a gift to your father, brother, partner, or boyfriend. At weddings and any holiday gatherings, it can be a really appreciated and elegant gift.
- [Professional After-Sale Service] Please contact us if you need any additional details about our watches. We will be happy to answer and help you anytime.
Reported figures at a glance
The table below collects only the numbers the article gives. Where it gives no value, the cell says so instead of filling the gap.
| Watch | Reported production | Reported price (as of 21 Dec 2025) | Case size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kallinich Claeys Einser Zentralsekunde Voyager | 20 pieces, white gold | EUR 49,800 excluding VAT | Not stated |
| Montblanc 1858 Split-Seconds Chronograph | 100 pieces | EUR 55,000 retail | Not stated |
| Gerald Genta Minute Repeater | 10 per year | CHF 320,000 before taxes | 40 mm wide, 9.6 mm high |
| Nicolas Delaloye Renaissance Tantalum 39mm | 24 pieces | CHF 45,000 excluding VAT | 39 mm wide |
| Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Chronograph RD#5 | 150 pieces | CHF 260,000 (tax basis not stated) | 8.1 mm thick; movement 4 mm high; diameter not stated |
| Raúl Pagès RP2 | 50 pieces over five years | CHF 89,000 (tax basis not stated) | Not stated |
| Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6 | 5 pieces | EUR 550,000 each (tax basis not stated) | Not stated |
Patterns across the seven
- Two brands use German Silver. Kallinich Claeys and Nicolas Delaloye both use it for movement parts, so it is the one material that recurs in the selection.
- Hand-finishing appears in most entries. Chamfering, bevelling, black polishing and hand-decoration are the most frequently cited finishing methods, and they are described in a different way for each watch.
- Layout matters as much as finishing. The AP and RP2 entries emphasise the arrangement of cams, bridges and springs, not just surface treatment.
- Production limits are tight. Edition sizes run from 5 to 150 pieces, and the article’s per-year and multi-year counts mean that supply is set by the maker, not the market.
Reading the prices and production figures
All prices and edition sizes are the article’s own figures from 21 December 2025. They are not verified current offers. Check the tax basis before comparing: the article gives some prices excluding VAT, some before taxes, and some without any qualifier, so a EUR figure and a CHF figure should not be set side by side without that caveat.
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If you were hoping for a watch near a USD 5,000 budget, none of these seven fits. The lowest reported price is CHF 45,000 excluding VAT, so the selection is aimed at a very different buyer. The comment that prompted a similar budget question is one reader’s comment and does not reflect a survey of readers.
Rank #4
- [Luxurious Mechanical Watch] High quality hollow mechanical watch appearance retro gorgeous, exquisite carving and design of the golden appearance of the European nobility more highlight your noble identity extraordinary taste, to bring you a pleasant luxury experience
- [Mechanical Movement] There's no need to worry if the battery is dead because this watch has manual self-winding. Please consider that mechanical watches that require manual winding can only keep time for a short time after winding. To prevent running or inaccurate time, it is advised that you verify the time periodically and wind up the chain 15–20 times.
- [Waterproof] Water resistant to 50m (165ft) -suitable for short periods of recreational swimming and showering, but not diving or snorkeling
- [Ideal as a Gift] This beautiful retro-style watch can be worn on any occasion or given as a gift to your father, brother, partner, or boyfriend. At weddings and any holiday gatherings, it can be a really appreciated and elegant gift.
- [Professional After-Sale Service] Please contact us if you need any additional details about our watches. We will be happy to answer and help you anytime.
Buying one of these watches
The seven models can be searched by exact name, but the article does not list any marketplace, current stock, or dealer. With edition sizes from 5 to 150 pieces, most of these watches are likely to be available only through allocation or on the secondary market, and nothing in the source confirms otherwise.
- Confirm the exact model name, reference and case material before searching.
- Check the listing’s condition, market, and whether the price includes VAT or other taxes.
- Verify availability on the maker’s or an authorised dealer’s site rather than relying on the 2025 figures.
Source
The feature is “The Best on the Back, Seven More Watches with Drop-Dead Gorgeous Movements” by Robin Nooy, published on Monochrome Watches on 21 December 2025. Nooy’s own framing of the selection is “So for your enjoyment, here are seven more absolutely drop-dead gorgeous casebacks!”
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.
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