I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the road to our dream watches isn’t always a straight shot. Sure, sometimes it is, or at least relatively so. Acquiring my first two “grails,” the Tudor Black Bay and the Submariner, had simply been a matter of diligent saving and timely buying. Back in early 2018, however, the Zenith El Primero Striking 10th was proving mu

Wempe is launching a series of watches resulting from collaborations with brands from its portfolio. The famous jeweler will offer special limited editions of well-known watch models, which are exclusively available through Wempe’s physical stores and online shop. These collaboration pieces will form the Wempe Signature Collection. Together with Breitling, Wempe created the first timepiece i

I thought it would be a nice start to the day, having a coffee while sporting a Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1A Jumbo. Ever since the Nautilus became THE hype watch, I became a Nautilus skeptic. Yes, Genta did a good job, and so did Patek, but not a $100,000 good job. Still, on the wrist, the original 3700/1A in particular is something special indeed. Yes, special enough to have a lengthy talk abo

When it comes to new watches that don’t cost a fortune, 2022 has been a very good year. Of course, the term “affordable watches” has a different meaning for each of us, but for me, it means those under $1,000. Watches in that price range are within reach for many enthusiasts, and plus, we tend to be a very weak-willed species. Especially if a watch meets certain criteria and does

Nestled in Akita Prefecture in Japan, Minase is a remote village with a mystical resemblance to the Vallee de Joux in Switzerland. Minase is also home to an artisan watch brand unlike any other. So much so, in fact, that the eponymous boutique watchmaker’s Divido was the choice of the late Prime Minister Abe. Combining its in-house case-making capabilities and Swiss mechanical movements, Min

About four years ago, I was looking for the dive watch with the best blue dial out there. The maximum budget was somewhere around $1,500. Even though the Meraud Bonaire sold for “only” $635 then, it still made the final two, together with the Zodiac Sea Wolf Topper Edition. Ultimately, I chose the Zodiac because it had a quirky checkered bezel. Today, Meraud launched an updated version

This year, I have attended a bunch of watch get-togethers (GTGs) organized by enthusiasts and collectors, most of which are not specific to any brand or watch. A local watch community often organizes them, and when I can, I will join (though I try to keep the weekends for family). This most recent get-together was organized by someone from the Speedmaster community, and it was in the Netherlands.

Breitling just announced its acquisition of Universal Genve. The legendary brand, previously owned by an investment firm from Hong Kong, is set to be brought back to its former glory under new ownership. Is the sky the limit for this heritage brand under Breitling's wings?Universal GenveUniversal Genve was founded in Le Locle as Universal Watch in 1894, and the company moved to Geneva in 1919.

Mike and I are taking some time off from the podcast this week, but we’d still like to leave you with an episode. So this week, I’ll publish my talk with Bosko, the man behind the “Zenith Yugoslavian Military Chronograph Collector's Guide.” This guide won’t be out for another few days, but rest assured, it's coming this week. Don't worry; vintage chronographs are not

Seiko has just announced the launch of two new Seiko 5 models - the SSK023K1 and SSK025K1. Though this debut comes late in the year, it’s an exciting one for sure. Last year, the brand introduced a trio of Seiko 5 GMT models in the SKX-style case. Back then, I called them “the best budget-friendly GMT watch out there.” The last 12 months have witnessed the introduction of pieces

During last month’s WatchPro Salon 2024 in London, we met with Horage and saw several pieces from the brand’s upcoming Omnium K2 collection. Due to a faceted crystal, these watches are a notably different take on a dress watch. I came away impressed with the creative approach.Horage has been in business for 15 years, but the company has increased its profile during the past few. Watche

Earlier this year, I wrote about a special watch from the International Watch Company Schaffhausen. That was the IWC reference IW3281-02, also known as the Pilot’s Watch Automatic RAAF (henceforth called “IWC RAAF watch” for brevity). This special timepiece pays homage to the original IWC Mark 11 watches issued to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). I’ve just spent sever

Yes, you read that correctly. I think the new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, with its steel dial, titanium bezel, and mesh bracelet, is wrong. Allow me to explain myself. Historically, combining the 1990s case design with a mesh bracelet that originated a couple of decades before that doesn’t make sense. As a dive watch, it also shows some considerable flaws. Normally, the hairs on the back of

Hi there, and welcome to?Fratello Talks. Would you rather buy a watch from a microbrand or an entry-level legacy brand? That’s the question Nacho, Thomas, and Lex ask themselves today. As we’ve begun to see microbrands develop and offer better quality and undeniable value while entry-level big-name brands stand relatively still, this has certainly become a valid thing to ponder. But do

Pioneering Swiss watchmaking for 150 years. According to the official TAG Heuer website that is, because there is some discussion around the ‘pioneering’ part. Their latest in-house manufactured caliber 1887 movement seems to be based on a Seiko movement. Nothing necessarily wrong with that,???? however, TAG Heuer’s press release stated that this caliber 1887 is a ‘designed

Since a year or two, a friend and I are running the ‘a Passion for Watches‘ group on LinkedIn. Over 3,000 watch enthusiasts joined and a relative high number of them participate in discussions. One of the more recent discussions is really worth mentioning here, as it started three months ago and still receives comments on a daily basis. The initial post was quite a simple question, 

Today’s subject is one of the less common Patek Philippe models: the Ref. 5055. It’s powered by their staple Cal. 240 micro rotor movement, with the added complications of power reserve, moon phase, date and offset sub seconds. The movement of course carries the Geneva Seal, as with all Pateks.As usual, all images in this post may be clicked on for larger versions. Enjoy! MT

TAG Heuer and chronographs go hand-in-hand and since we love chronographs here at Fratellowatches, we thought it is about time to zoom-in on one of the coolest chronographs we saw at the BaselWorld show this year. Dedicated to the man behind the Carrera, Jack Heuer, TAG Heuer came up with a very nice chronograph with their in-house caliber 1887 movement. Even better, they decided to use the design

The World Time watch ranks among the most popular complications in Patek Philippe’s wristwatch collection. Some time zone designations have changed or were replaced with new ones. Accordingly, Patek Philippe presented the World Time watch Ref. 5230, which has replaced all previous models. For ladies, there is the?World Time Ref. 7130G watch indicates all 24 time zones in a new white-gold ver

Quartz watches only interest me when they have something special of specific to add. Like a multifunction watch such as the Breitling B55, the Omega Speedmaster X33, Tissot T-Touch, a G-Shock or something special like the discontinued OysterQuartz models from or one of the beautiful finished Grand Seiko watches with a caliber 9F movement. I don’t want to sound like a watch snob, but a quart