#TBT Leonidas Military & Heuer Bund Chronographs
A Happy Holiday to all of you who are celebrating!? Forgive the late publish today on Christmas Eve, but I’m currently on holiday in the state known as “Flori-duh” – where the craziness may begin early, but little gets done until late.? Double that with a household full of kids and you really get the picture!? Enjoy the time…and grab an egg nog and sit down for a lengthy read!December 4, 2015 was the Friday before I left Germany for the USA in the name of business and pleasure. Normally, a week before I leave for such a trip, I think about what it is that I need to do on the weekend to prepare for such a journey. Boring tasks such as visits to the grocery store,...
Hands-On Nomos Club Campus Amsterdam Review
The best Amsterdam retailer just got better. They managed to do another exclusive watch with Nomos. I am talking about Ace Jewelers of course, who teamed up with Nomos to launch a second limited edition exclusively to be sold via their boutiques and e-boutique. Based on the existing Nomos Club Campus Nacht (or Night, in English), they came up with the Nomos Club Campus Amsterdam.After their first launch of a special Nomos, the Orion 38 Stijl Limited Edition (we reviewed it here), we now take a look at the Club Campus Amsterdam.Nomos Club Campus AmsterdamBased on the 38.5mm Club Campus, Ace Jewelers – who is an authorized dealer of Nomos as well as many other brands – decided to a...
Hasselblad, the first camera worn on the moon.
Already mentioned in our?La Lune Exhibition visit report,?at Fratello, we love things related to space travel, ignited by the Omega Speedmaster Professional, a.k.a. The Moonwatch, however, easily extended to other items. Our special interest goes to flown objects, watches at best, but objects like pens and cameras appeal to us as well.?And it’s no secret that many watch lovers and collectors have a special place in their heart for photography and cameras as well. So whats more obvious that an article on cameras used in space?Hasselblad Cameras, Astronauts?ChoiceFrom the beginning of manned space exploration, the Swedish brand Hasselblad has been the astronaut’s choice. Unmodified...
Report Speedy Tuesday 'Back To Base' Event in Bienne
Last week saw the last of our Speedy Tuesday events of 2019 returning to Biel, Switzerland. With the return to Omega Headquarters, a year full of Speedy Tuesday events ended where it started almost twelve months ago. Twelve months full of Speedy Tuesday events that saw great novelties and the last one was no exception.With the ‘Back To Base’ event held last Tuesday at the brand new Omega Museum in Biel, the Speedy Tuesday events have come full circle. The first of the eight Speedy Tuesday events in 2019 events took place at Omega HQ back in January of 2019 and saw the introduction of the new caliber 321 movement. At last week’s event guests had a chance to experience the Om...
Glashutte Original Senator Cosmopolite In Blue Hands-On Watch Review
Living just 45 minutes away from the Glashutte Original factory, and having worked across the road from the building for three years, following six years with the Swatch Group, you’d think I’d know everything there is to know about Glashutte’s (arguably) longest-running watchmaker. And yet, thanks to a series of understandable coincidences I do not. I enjoyed learning more through the prism of the Glashutte Original Senator Cosmopolite in blue, pictured below for your pleasure.It really is a looker. The lustrous blue dial may well be the aspect that catches your eye first, but the case’s arresting proportions will do doubt have some subtle effect on that also. Despite...
When You Start To Realize You Love The Royal Oak Offshore 44mm
The Royal Oak Offshore has been incredibly popular since its introduction in 1993. At some point - seems like ages ago - almost everyone neglected the regular Royal Oak, including the 15202, and went completely mad on all the Offshore variation. The Safari themed Offshore was everywhere, for example. Today, I’ll take a look at the Royal Oak Offshore 44mm chronographs.For a long time, I neglected the Royal Oak Offshore. Too loud, too flashy, too much everything, basically. That changed when we visited one of the biggest Royal Oak Offshore collectors in The Netherlands in 2018 and did this long report on the original Royal Oak Offshore, also known as ‘The Beast’. If you haven...
#TBT Christmas Eve Special: Little Big Alpina 943
It doesn't happen every year that Christmas Eve falls on Thursday. The last time it happened was in 2015 and over the last few years, I found myself thinking which watch would I choose for a Christmas Eve #TBT. Since I recently and quite unexpectedly landed an Alpina 943 Chronograph, my choice this year was clear.? Why? It is as beautiful and fragile as a Christmas ornament. I have to say, I am quite careful when handling and wearing my vintage watches, but I pretty much wear all of them with no remorse or concern that they will become more “used, damaged or even broken. The Alpina 943 however is by far the most fragile watch I have. I remember when I unboxed it and tapped the crystal ...
Jorg's Top 5 Watches Of 2021 Zenith, Omega, And More
Despite all the things happening in the world that are holding us back, the last two months of the year flew by. So when our Managing Editor Nacho asked me to come up with my Top 5 Watches of 2021, I was surprisingly caught off guard. But looking back at the year behind us, I can only say it has been a very long year with plenty of great releases. It’s been so long that it’s hard to believe that some of these watches were actually released in 2021. That made it quite tough to come up with a top-5 list of my favorites.A fair question would be if I can ignore the watches we as a Fratello team have released in collaboration with the different brands. Of course, I cannot ignore them,...
The Zodiac Sea Wolf GMT "Crystal" By Topper Jewelers
We all know I'm a lucky guy. If you follow Fratello, you'll know I get the chance to do a lot of fun things that, without my role on this team, would simply be inaccessible for me. But my luck didn't start when I came to Fratello, oh no. It had been in full force for years! One of the luckiest episodes of my life came during my time working for NOMOS Glashutte, training the brand's growing retailer network in North America.As a devout Americophile, traveling the States was a dream come true. The friends I met over there remain close contacts that give me insights into a very different retail landscape. One of those contacts was Topper Jewelers of Burlingame, California. Proprietors Rob and R...
A Look At The Rado True Square Designer Collection
Some people may be surprised to hear that reviewing watches isn’t always a walk in a park. It’s not a binary process - “Is this watch good? Yes/No”. There’s more to it than that. Watchmaking and design is an art form, which you have to consider when reviewing a watch. Just because you don’t inherently love a watch, it doesn’t make it wrong. Art is meant to evoke some kind of emotion or discussion, so if a watch does that, then surely it’s a success? This philosophical question was very much at the fore of my mind when I spent some time with the Rado True Square Designer Collection watches.Obviously, I will look at the raw details of these piece...
Which Watches Will The Fratello Team Wear This Holiday Season?
Season’s greetings, our dearest Fratelli! As the year comes to an end, and the holiday season is well underway, we wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the watches that we will be wearing during the holidays. Whether it’s for Christmas Eve tonight, Christmas Day tomorrow, or any other festive year-end celebration, it’s a perfect time to strap on your most meaningful watch. The Fratello team comes together to share the stories of their picks for the holidays and share with you the reasons why these are the watches that made the list.This time of the year is very special. Some will spend time with family and loved ones and come together to celebrate and share som...
Book Review: The History Of The Seiko Alpinist
When an early Seiko Alpinist 14041 resurfaces in an auction in Japan, you can bet that there will be a fiery battle over who gets it. But did you know which model came first, the black-dialed or the white-dialed one? We found an answer in Sadao Ryugo’s new book on vintage Seiko watches.“Seiko’s first sports and mountaineering watch was launched in December 1959. It was a robust watch with a screw-on back cover which was coated with an unprecedently large amount of luminous paint. In other words, it was the birth of Seiko’s first luminescent waterproof sports watch, the Laurel Alpinist,” writes Sadao Ryugo in the introduction to his latest book. He isn’t ne...
Hands-On With The Behrens B015 NaviGraph
As members of the press, when we attend major trade shows, we like to put our best foot forward when it comes to our watches. Everyone who attends likes to show off their latest and coolest watches, so it’s no surprise to see a plethora of incredible timepieces adorning the wrists of industry folks and fellow journos alike. But, as you can imagine, it takes something special to catch the attention of our colleagues and peers. This year, I chose to wear a new piece that I’d never seen out in the wild before. Indeed, I had never seen any watches by the brand before Geneva Watch Days. I am talking about the excellent NaviGraph B015 from Behrens.“Who?” you may ask. I coul...
Hands-On: Merci Instruments LMM-01
At the end of November, three new Merci Instruments LMM-01 models were added to the Parisian brand’s lineup. At a glance, these may seem like slightly iterative takes on the same theme. But look closer (and read the website), and you’ll see that each is carefully designed. And not just designed, as the word here feels like an understatement. These watches are, quite literally, inspired. Each has its own story, conceived upon the wrist of a fictional character that may have existed at a given time in a specific place. Put that aside, and you have three crisp, legible, and eye-catching watches. Add the inspiration and story back in, and you have the new Merci Instruments LMM-01 Eve...
Fratello Festive Picks Our Editors' Christmas Watches
‘Tis the season once again! And nothing beats getting together with friends and family to celebrate with good food, good wine, and even better festive spirit. As we wind down in time for the holidays, it’s time to both look back on the year and forward to the next. And whether you’re going all out in your Christmas or holiday celebrations, keeping things quiet and cozy by the fireplace, or taking it to the extreme with a spot of alpine adventure, it’s always a time best enjoyed with a special watch on your wrist.Today, a few of our editors will showcase their watches of choice for this Christmas season. As ever, there’s a wide range of picks from classy vintage ...
Watch Photography With The New Nikon Zf
Watches and photography are two fields of interest that inexplicably and inevitably attract the same kind of like-minded enthusiasts. That’s why some of you may very well be keen to hear about my experience with the new Nikon Zf. Released to the public in October of this year, it’s the latest addition to Nikon’s range of full-frame mirrorless cameras. We’ll get into all things specs later on in the review. Still, for now, all you need to know is that alongside the camera body, I was well-equipped with the Nikon Nikkor Z 24C70mm F/2.8 S, Nikkor Z MC 50mm f/2.8, and Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8. I swapped out my usual photography setup and got to work. A word of warning: this is...
Oris ProPilot X Kermit Vs. Unimatic Modello Uno Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse or Kermit the Frog? That’s the question at the heart of today’s Sunday Morning Showdown. Watches are usually quite serious objects. First and foremost, they need to accurately tell the time and be made of sturdy, well-finished material. And for most people, that’s enough. But some people are looking for something extra - a little something to make them smile when they look down at their wrists. Both the Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition and the Unimatic Modello Uno Mickey Mouse are specifically made for this purpose. But which one does that job better?It’s good that there are still brands out there that take the risk of launching something unexpected and fun...
Omega's Speedmaster Is The Perfect First Watch
The Omega Speedmaster is one of the few watches that we can truly call iconic. While that must be one of the most overused words in the English language these days, it is apt in this case. But despite the Omega Speedmaster being truly iconic, I have never owned one. Worse yet, I have never even come close to owning one! Why? Well, to me, the Speedy seems like such a default option (in the best sense) that I’ve almost been swayed away from it.The other factor is that it’s not associated with underwater endeavors or capability. Even so, as RJ has pointed out several times, the current Speedmaster Professional is indeed capable of a pool dip if you don’t use those chronograph ...
Treating Yourself To A Watch For Christmas
Christmas and New Year’s are a wonderful time for many. The holiday season is often a chance to reconnect with family or celebrate and reflect on the year. It is also a fantastic opportunity to treat yourself! Buying a watch for Christmas is always a good idea, so today, I’m sharing five attainable watches that I’d recommend and even consider as a gift to myself.The options are both pre-owned and new. Affordable secondhand timepieces can offer incredible value, and the variety of styles and designs is enormous. As part of this exercise, I restricted myself to options I would genuinely consider for my collection. Another important factor was recognizing that we live in chall...
OMEGA Speedmaster Professional DD145.0022
Omega Speedmaster Pro DD145.0022It is Speedy Tuesday on this first Christmas day! This week, we have something rare. A gold / steel combination Speedmaster Professional that dates back to 1981. A gold colored dial with gray sub dials and black hands. This Speedmaster Professional goes by the reference of DD145.0022.The bezel of the Speedmaster DD145.0022 is also made out of gold and the black aluminum inlay features gold printing. The bracelet is more familiar, it is a ref.1171 bracelet with 633 end-links. This surprised me as well, as I only knew this combination in stainless steel. Apparently, Omega just used the same machinery to assemble this gold / steel bracelet as they used for their ...