The origin of Laco lies in a company named Lacher & Co. Founded in 1925, in the first half of the last century, their production became one of the most important in the German Pforzheim region. Even in difficult times business continued. As one of five manufacturers, Laco produced reliable pilots watches for the German Luftwaffe.Laco’s first Pilot GMT Watch, the FrankfurtToday, Laco̵

For this week’s 52Mondayz, I chose to wear the Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200M. The Ploprof has become an icon of the watch industry over five decades. But it hasn’t become the icon everyone is after, simply because it’s a watch that not everyone can wear. However, after wearing it for four weeks straight, I was reminded that the Ploprof is definitely for me.I don’t recall pr

More than 20,000 votes and comments later, with the design, diameter, and movement decided, the DAY41 project is finally becoming a reality, 8 months after its launch. Pre-orders open: Wednesday, January 29, 2020, at 3 pm on www.code41.comhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnz97rcUKa0From women’s version to unisex versionDAY41 was originally a project just for women. But CODE41 soon realized th

Wrist Game or Crying Shame returns this week with a look at the Minerva Pythagore Edition 2001. This watch represents the last gasp effort prior to becoming part of something much bigger. Will you honor its death throes? Let’s see, but first…Last week, I showed you a bargain bin Zenith El Primero with the Epervier model name. Despite the incredible movement and inspirational pricing, t

Omega has been the timekeeping partner for the Olympic Games since 1932. The last time should have been 2020, but it seems that it is at least postponed till this year (if the planned Tokyo edition goes ahead at all). However, the show must go on, and the Winter Games are already planned for 2022 in Beijing, 14 years after the city hosted a historic summer competition.To celebrate the countdown to

You could be forgiven for wondering whether humor (or satire, even) has a place in luxury watchmaking. It is a fair consideration considering this is an industry that, at its very upper reaches, takes itself rather (too) seriously. But if after asking yourself that question, you find yourself on the fence, open to being convinced in one way or another, I’d encourage you to take a look at thi

It is becoming more and more difficult to find a mechanical divers watch under $1,000, especially from the big brands. The watch landscape changed tremendously over the past 10C15 years, and prices have increased quite a bit.Is it still possible to find a proper mechanical dive watch with this budget? In this top 7 mechanical dive watches under $1,000, you will find my favorites.Top 7 Mechanical D

I dare say that the Ernest Borel Datoptic is at least as fascinating as the Submariner. It even costs as much as the Submariner. Well, as much as the Submariner cost in the seventies, that is…Bringing up is not random. Its cyclops magnifier first introduced in 1953 is one of the most iconic and most individualistic watch signatures in watchmaking history. At this moment, you are probably

The history of the Pasha de Cartier is shrouded in mystery. Yes, the watch is named after the Pasha of Marrakesh, Thami El Glaoui. And it's also true that he commissioned a waterproof watch from Louis Cartier in the early 1930s so he could wear it swimming. Another fact is that in 1933, the Pasha got his desired watch. But here is where the mystery begins. No one knows exactly what the watch looke

Whether it's pedal to the metal or time for the rubber to hit the road, TAG Heuer has you covered with the new Formula 1 Special Edition in collaboration with Red Bull Racing. The brand's latest iteration of the Formula 1 chronograph comes on either a metal bracelet or a rubber strap. In the familiar colors of the Red Bull Racing livery, this is a perfect watch for all racing fans out there. TAG H

Shortly after the turn of the New Year, I invited our resident Formula One fanatic, Ben Hodges, into the smooth booth to record a TAG Heuer special. We focused on the brand’s most visible ambassador on Planet Earth right now - the flying Dutchman, Max Verstappen.

Welcome to Strap Check, a column on Fratello where our editors showcase their favorite watch/strap combinations. We all know the feeling. When you’ve been wearing a watch for weeks on the same strap, there comes a time when the excitement starts to fade a little bit. Maybe that’s the time when you start looking. But looking for what? A brand new watch? Sometimes the answer lies not in

All I can say is I'm deeply envious of older collectors like RJ who had the chance to wear and enjoy these iconic designs, wrote one of our readers below an article about the Royal Oak Jumbo. With many enthusiasts unable to fulfill their watch dreams these days, I’m afraid this reader’s sentiment is all too common.Sitting across from me is Ignacio, our Managing Editor. And then we have

After yesterday’s reveals of the regular Audemars Piguet models, today, the brand from Le Brassus graces us with seven new highly complicated timepieces. The different pieces are part of the four collections the brand currently carries. It starts with a spectacular Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin, moves on to the Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT, and throug

Sometimes you get confronted with watches that need time to sink in. Watches that need a second and a third look. And after that, you put together the story with the images that come with them. And once you have done that, you still have to grasp the magnitude of what you have just witnessed. These moments are rare, but when they happen, you will recognize them immediately. The introduction of the

The Six Nations Rugby Championship returns this weekend! To celebrate Breitling’s second year as the event’s timing partner is a sextet of Breitling Chronomat B01 42 watches. Each watch reflects each nation that takes part in the Six Nations tournament - England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, and France. While the underlying platform of the Chronomat remains the same as the 42mm mod

This series on the best watches under $500 brings me back to around five years ago. The Seiko Kinetic Perpetual Calendar that I wore for about 15 years got stolen during a break-in. At that time, I wasn’t into watches like I am now, so I started looking for a replacement for about $500. In the end, I went with the all-time classic Seiko SKX007. But if I had to do it again today, I’d de

This is the story of how a group of mates in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) banded together to turn their horological dream - an homage to an original RAAF watch - into a reality. If you have an interest in special military timepieces, this one is for you.It should come as no surprise that I have a particular fondness for International Watch Company Schaffhausen. The story of IWC is embedde

What is Amsterdam famous for? Exactly - the city's canals. Oh, sorry, were you saying something else? Well, that’s also correct, but it’s not the answer I was looking for. I understand it, though. The district you were referring to in the city center is associated with red, the color that shines brightly in the 75-piece Breitling Superocean Heritage B20 Automatic 42 Amsterdam Limited E

Today, Grand Seiko introduces the SLGH027 “Mountainscape,” a limited-edition watch celebrating the brand’s 65th anniversary. The piece features the automatic Hi-Beat 9SA5 caliber, which debuted in 2020. As part of the Evolution 9 collection, this watch is not retro at all but a modern reference with stunning details.Grand Seiko always has a strong start to the year, and the new M