Grand Seiko's New 38mm 62GS Inspired By Cherry Blossoms
I don’t know about the winter weather where you are, but here in the Netherlands, we’ve hardly had any. We usually get a few weeks with freezing temperatures and a decent amount of snow. This year, though, temperatures hardly went below zero degrees Celsius, and we’ve only had a wafer-thin layer of that white stuff. Nevertheless, we’re already in February, and spring is on its way. That also means that cherry blossom season is coming, and Grand Seiko is celebrating that with two new releases. The SBGH341 and SBGH343 have pink and green dials, respectively, and both take inspiration from Japan’s picturesque cherry blossoms. What might even be more exciting is tha...
Affordable Watches That Punch Above Their Weight
In this week’s episode of Fratello Talks, we’re taking a look at three affordable watches that punch above their weight. Nacho, Thomas, and Morgan have set their sights on sub-$500 offerings. This is a space in which the likes of Seiko, Hamilton, and even Tissot once reigned supreme. Today, it’s the battleground for many microbrands, but there are still hundreds of options available. In this episode, we’ll take a look at three. Each of the guys has selected one of his favorite watches available at that price point to highlight today. But before we have a look at these fantastic affordable watches, let’s see what the guys have on their wrists....
Hands-On Video With The A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Chronograph
Thomas recently published his love story on the A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Chronograph. I also made a quick video about it since it was in our Fratello office for a few days. Seeing beautiful images of a watch is one thing, but seeing the hands in motion and the wheels and gears turning is something else. In this video, I am looking at and talking about the white gold A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Chronograph ref. 414.028.A. Lange & Sohne 1815 ChronographI love A. Lange & Sohne watches, and visiting the brand’s manufacture on several occasions only fueled my appreciation for these pieces. The 1815 Chronograph ref. 414.028 is made of 18K white gold and has a beautiful black dial. Add...
Looking At A Ceramic Watch? Here Are The Pros And Cons
Ceramic is a material that has been used in watches for decades. It comes with some significant advantages over more traditional stainless steel. However, there are also a couple of issues to consider.Recently, I spent a significant amount of time with the IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic RAAF (ref. IW3281-02). This is a modern interpretation of the IWC Mark 11 that was provided to members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) after World War II.Long-term exposure to a new (for me) watch material?The IWC RAAF features the same baton hour hand and font for the Arabic numerals as the original from the 1950s. But it is there where the similarities end. Inside is a modern ValFleurier caliber...
IWC Aquatimer Boesch
Boesch Motorboote from Kilchberg (Lake Zurich) creates reddishbrown mahogany boats since 1920. Boesch boats are famous for their quick starts, especially useful for water-ski matches. To celebrate its 80th birthday, IWC created the Aquatimer Chronograph Boesch, limited to 300 timepieces. Which is, compared to most other limited editions in this segment, really limited. The caseback of this watch has a mahogany inlay with a marine screw propeller and the dial shows the Boesch logo below the date window.Watch-Site, one of my blog sponsors, has this IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Boesch in stock and was so kind to let me do a review on this time piece. The pictures below do represent the actual watc...
Baume & Mercier Capeland Chronograph Flyback Review | Fratellowatches
Our friends at Chronos24, the Polish watch portal and blog, just published a very nice review on the Baume & Mercier Capeland Chronograph Flyback. As you know, Baume & Mercier was one of the nicest surprises for us during the SIHH 2013. Although they’ve sent us pre-SIHH press releases, you have to see watches in the flesh before you (we) should judge.Anyway, check-out this thorough Baume & Mercier Capeland reference 10068 review written by ?ukasz Doskocz. Yes, it is in English. Photographs are done by Micha? Grygalewicz. Photos can be clicked for larger images....
Longines Conquest Classic Moonphase
Not too long ago, we did an in-depth review on the Longines Conquest Heritage 1954. A beautiful watch of a collection that referred to those very first models of this collection. However, not everyone is into these watches with retro designs. The Longines Conquest Classic Moonphase is something different though. This model grabs back to some ingredients of its heritage but is also a modern and up-to-date timepiece with regards to its appearance.Longines is – to us – a watch manufacturer that is able to create watches with very interesting complications at an affordable price. I don’t want to use the phrase ‘affordable luxury’ too much, as I don’t like the ...
Introducing Eza Sealander
Last week the new owners of Eza came down to the Fratello Watches HQ in The Hague and showed us their Eza Sealander. Needless to say that we always like to have watch people over in our office to ramble about watches over a coffee, we love it when we get to see a new watch or new collection?that has not been launched yet.If you are into vintage watch collecting, you might recognize Eza as the brand from Pforzheim, Germany. That’s correct. Pforzheim was long time one of those cities that was associated with watchmaking, and even today you will find a couple of brands and suppliers in this German city. Eza?has roots that go back to 1921, founded by Hermann Becker and specialized in manuf...
Speedy Tuesday Your Chance To Own A Flown Speedmaster X-33
With only a few hours to go, there is still a chance to own that flown Speedmaster watch. Russian cosmonaut?Sergei Zalyotin (53) received this Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33 from the?Russian Federal Space Agency in 2000 and used it during missions?to both the Mir and International Space Stations. Even though he has been connected with the Fortis Cosmonaut Chronograph watch, he wore the X-33 on the Soyuz TM-30 mission in 2000 and the Soyuz TMA-1 mission in 2002.Christie’s estimates this watch between $10,000 USD and $20,000 USD and currently it is at $16,000 USD. That is a lot of money for a Speedmaster X-33 that usually sells around $2,500 USD, but the fact that it flew on the wri...
#TBT Breitling 765 AOPA Chronograph an Exercise in Stunning Simplicity
In today's installment of #TBT, we'll talk about what I think is, hands down, one of the most perfect chronographs ever created, the Breitling 765 AOPA. In case you're in denial, have been reading elsewhere or are blinded by the fact that the brand's current offerings are far different (read: much larger) than its historic lineup, vintage Breitling offers a true treasure trove of goodies for the vintage chronograph collector. Well over a year ago, I compiled a lengthy interview with a couple Breitling experts and it ultimately covered but a fraction of the incredible models once offered by the aerospace-focused maker. Since that time, the brand has gained more and more respect amongst hardco...
Announcing the New Seiko Prospex Mini-Turtle Series
Barely a month before Baselworld 2018 kicks off, some good news arrived. Today, we received official word that the new Seiko Prospex Mini-Turtle series will be sold within European markets. In late November of last year, our friends over at Worn & Wound first showed these new releases but it seemed these watches would fall under the designation of Japanese Domestic Market only, aka the dreaded JDM. However, as mentioned, we're here to report that this is not the case. If you missed the story, here's a recap on these exciting Seiko's from the Prospex series.The Seiko Prospex Mini-Turtle received its nickname from the get-go due to its strong resemblance to the well-known SRP series, a rei...
Sunday Morning Showdown: Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4500V
In this Sunday morning column, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don't forget to let us know which watches you'd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We'll try and feature as many of our readers' choices as we can. This week it’s the turn of the Vacheron Constantin 4500V. Let the battle commence.Rob NuddsIt seems like we’re gearing up to feature the Holy Trinity of manufactures right off the bat in Sunday Morning Showdown, but that’s no bad thing! Last week’s inaugural outing for the SMS s...
The Five Omega Speedmaster Watches I Missed Out On
There are some Omega Speedmaster watches that I missed out on in the past. As a Speedmaster enthusiast and collector, that sometimes hurt. But you can’t have it all, I guess.In this article, I will share with you the five Speedmaster watches that I missed. Either during its introduction or just because I only realized later on that I “need” it. Of course, you can still add it later on, and in some cases I did.Five Speedmaster Watches I Missed Out OnThis overview is about the watches that I missed from the start, so not those Speedmasters that were introduced before I got into collecting them. Otherwise, the list would be very long. Very long. A borderline pick would be the ...
Hands-On With The Tockr C47 Skeleton In Black
Tockr landed on my radar with its incredible Tockr Air-Defender Lume series of watches. A single sight of that series tells you everything you need to know about this brand. Tockr is not restricted by conventional boundaries. And I like that. As long as the brand can keep coming up with remarkable, eye-catching, and fun ideas, you can count me among the interested. I had a chance to find out whether the Tockr C47 Skeleton Black is just as impressive and eye-catching as the Air Defender series.Austin, Texas is high on my list as places to visit once we finally get a chance to travel without restrictions. The Texas state capital is the home to the SXSW festival, houses some of the best BBQ pla...
Simple Perfection With The Seiko Champion J13040
We’re back with another look at a vintage Seiko. Today, we’ve brought an early pair of sporty watches known as the Seiko Champion J13040 to the party…By now, you’ve hopefully come to expect a regular dose of vintage Japanese goodness here on Fratello. Well, today is no exception and we bring you the Seiko Champion J13040. Like so many late ’50s and early ’60s Japanese watches, these examples exude simplicity. However, they bring in just enough detail to make them memorable. Thanks to those little things, this pair made it to my collection.Nomenclature and suchJust a few short weeks ago, I showed you the Seiko Dolphin J13035. That watch added a touch of wat...
Top 5 Alternatives To The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 (2022)
One of the age-old questions in our hobby is, “Are there genuine alternatives for some of the most sought-after watches?” At Fratello, we never back down from a challenge, having already provided alternatives to the venerable Datejust and GMT Master, as well as the iconic Omega Speedmaster and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. In this article, I am searching for five alternatives to the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 - possibly the hottest watch in the world right now. Can anything come close? I certainly think so!Comparing any watch to something like the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 will always be a big ask. Not because that watch is so inherently “better” than every other w...
Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 Why It's My Grail Watch
Grail watches are supposed to embody the best. “Best”, however, is a subjective term. That’s why everyone’s grail is different. What I consider best for me is a watch that doesn’t require careful handling. My best is a watch that can keep up with me in all that I do. Beyond that, I want the ultimate expression of capability in specs and design, as well as efficiency of material and cost. Thus, as far as my judgment is concerned, I want an Oris. And if I’m buying tomorrow, I want an Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400.If my grail is a watch, the tower that keeps it is Oris, and I admit I’m more enamored with the tower than the various potential grails within....
Goodbye Hype, Hello Classics: Building A Vintage Watch Collection
In the words of the almighty Chuck D of Public Enemy, “Don’t believe the hype, it’s a sequel. As an equal, can I get this through to you.” The words are just as powerful in the context of today’s world of watches. I am well aware that debunking hype is actually preaching to the choir here at Fratello. But we sometimes have to deal with the effects of hype, even in the world of vintage watches. Luckily, there are still so many great watches with equally amazing stories that are not affected by their show-off factor and social media craze. During my 12-month journey writing Fratello’s Buying Guides, I found that sometimes it’s hard to deny hype. As the...
#TBT The Bloody Sharp Gallet Multichron Navigator
Judging by how many variations of the Gallet Multichron Navigator we know, it is a surprisingly rare watch to come across. However, once we realize what the watch is capable of, it becomes quite easy to understand why.About six years ago, a Zenith Sextant watch sold at Phillips for a staggering 46,250 Swiss francs. I haven’t followed the Zenith Sextant market, but I can tell you with certainty that in the last five years, I have spotted maybe three Gallet Multichron Navigator watches offered by dealers or in auctions. The price tags didn’t reach the sky-high level of the previously mentioned Sextant, but even $10,000 for a 45-minute-chronograph watch is quite a remarkable result....
Hands-On: The Brew Metric Gold Chronograph
Today, I’ll tell you all a little bit about my latest watch, the Brew Metric Gold. Over the last several years, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know John Ferrer, the owner and designer behind Brew watches. In that time, he has stayed true to his overarching design theme, but the refinement and execution have constantly improved. Having seen the steel versions of the Metric on the wrists of my fellow collectors and compared them to the Retromatic in my collection, the overall package is a step up. Once the latest version in gold PVD dropped, I knew I had to have one.Friendship has benefitsI’ll be the first to admit that having a watch-focused podcast or writing about wat...