Masthead
FRANK GEELEN
OWNER, CEO & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (NL)
Frank is based in the Netherlands, where he got infected by the ‘watch bug’ around the year 2000. During his career as IT manager (and later policy advisor) at the Dutch Ministry of Transport, he spent every evening, every lunch break, every weekend and all the holidays learning about mechanical watches, and subsequently, he started writing about the watches that intrigued him most. In 2013 he was able to quit his job and focus full-time on MONOCHROME. Although Frank’s time is mostly spent on managing the company, he still writes the occasional story, interviews collectors and presents most of the MONOCHROME videos.
BRICE GOULARD
MANAGING EDITOR (FR)
Brice is based in Tours, France, and before becoming a full-time watch nerd he worked as an investment banker. For him, everything began with an old mechanical chronograph at the age of 15. Since that time, he has managed to keep in touch with everything related to watches. Two main interests for Brice: emblematic chronographs and dive watches as a collector and Haute Horology and complicated independent watchmaking as a passion. He has a strong taste for aesthetics and loves the beauty of mechanics!
XAVIER MARKL
TECHNICAL & EDITOR (CH)
Xavier became hooked on mechanical watches when he started working in the watch industry. In 1997 he began as Marketing Manager for Cartier, Vacheron Constantin and Panerai, and later became Marketing Director for Girard-Perregaux. A field of interest that was initially a professional necessity later turned into a horological obsession. Xavier knows the watch industry like the back of his hand. He started by writing Technical Guides for MONOCHROME before covering watches as well. Xavier lives and works in Switzerland.
ROBIN NOOIJ
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER & EDITOR (NL)
Robin, based in the Netherlands, is a former bank manager and a huge watch-enthusiast. After writing for MONOCHROME, as a hobby, for more than 9 years, he decided to quit his job at the bank in favour of joining team MONOCHROME full-time. Robin’s passion for watches is undeniable, but he’s also a proper petrolhead and with the same passion, he writes a weekly instalment for our Petrolhead Corner. Besides writing, Robin manages the shop and our social media channels.
DENIS PESHKOV
EDITOR (ES)
Denis Peshkov is sort of an industry veteran. He was editor and publisher of the Russian edition of Revolution magazine for over 12 years. Over time, Denis also contributed to several major local media outlets, but, as of last year, he decided to go international and join MONOCHROME. Denis favours classical designs but recognizes well-conceived extravagant timepieces, loves chronographs, and is an ardent supporter of independent watchmaking. Denis is thrilled when he gets to explain the intricate workings of a particular watch in a way that gets noted by newcomers to the world of horlogerie, getting them hooked up to share the excitement.
PASCAL BRANDT
EDITOR AT LARGE (CH)
In the watch industry, Pascal Brandt is a well-known name, an institution, you could say. Pascal Brandt worked as a freelance journalist for ten years for several Swiss and foreign media before he moved to the brand side of things. He joined Officine Panerai in Milan in 2001, then Vacheron Constantin in 2003 as Communications and Press relations officer before he joined Bulgari Watch Division in 2009 and in 2022, he joined Parmigiani Fleurier. Here on MONOCHROME, Pascal will focus on (CEO) interviews and in-depth stories about the industry, its spectacular growth, technical developments and how things have changed over time.
REBECCA DOULTON
EDITOR (ES)
Rebecca has been a journalist specialising in watches and jewellery and she began writing for the Financial Times in Mexico City in the early 1980s. Formerly the web editor of Tiempo de Relojes website, and watch editor of The Jewellery Editor. Rebecca brings with her over thirty years of experience as a wordsmith and watches expert to her position as an editor at MONOCHROME.
WRITERS
Derek Haager is based in New York City and has had a watch on his wrist practically since birth. His love for horology began as a child with Casios and Swatches, before graduating to mechanical and non-plastic watches a bit later in life. Derek spends his days as a colourist for television and film and his nights as a watch enthusiast. An avid diver, his personal tastes skew towards dive and field watches, but he has a keen appreciation for pretty much anything with gears and springs.
Erik Slaven is based in Los Angeles, CA and has always been fascinated with mechanical movements. He disassembled dozens of old watches growing up just to see what makes them tick. His first serious mechanical watch was a high school graduation gift, a fairly unusual American-made watch and he’s since been a big enthusiast of lesser-known, more unique timepieces. Dive and sports watches are often his preference for daily wear, but that doesn’t stop him from seeking out a variety of both modern and vintage styles. He also has a passion for technology and has been reviewing smartphones, smartwatches and related tech for several years.
Santiago Tejedor lives in his hometown Madrid and has a BA in English Philology and a MBA. He has been writing about watches for several online publications, and in 2014 he founded HorasyMinutos.com, which has become the most important watch website in Spanish.
