Finding The Best Watches Under $500 Jorg's Picks
The search for my favorite timepieces under $500 was tough. Almost all of the options that immediately popped into my mind turned out to be slightly more expensive than the predetermined budget. As it turns out, price increases are not just a thing for expensive brands. But after some extensive clicking, I found quite a few watches that would make for my perfect daily wearer. Some of them are watches that I would gladly add to my collection, and some are familiar pieces that I already own. So let me take you on my small quest to find the perfect watch for under $500.Many of my Fratello teammates and I are excited to take up this challenge. It’s fun to see whether there are timepieces o...
Fratello Talks: Luxury Watch Prices
Welcome to this week’s episode of the Fratello Talks podcast. Today, Nacho, Lex, and Daan sit together once again. What’s the topic of discussion? It’s all about the money! More specifically, about luxury watch prices. In other words, the money that we (meant in the broadest sense possible) are asked to pay by watch brands for their products. Call it what you will - RRP, price tag, cost of horological indulgence… Whichever way you spin it - in Swiss francs, euros, dollars, with or without tax - as watch enthusiasts (and buyers), sooner or later, the price gets to us all. Therefore, when faced with an influx of new watches, which often go hand in hand with a nice long ...
A New Tudor Black Bay Spotted On Daniel Ricciardo's Wrist
After test-driving two carbon fiber Pelagos FXD “Alinghi Red Bull Racing Editions” in October, we painted a picture in which Tudor was a sponsor of a Formula 1 team. You said we were nuts. was already too heavily involved, and Tudor would stick to surfers, sailors, and cyclists. But what do you know? In February 2024, with the new F1 season approaching quickly, the Red Bull-owned Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team presentation revealed that Tudor is an official sponsor/partner. And on Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo’s wrist was what looked like a new Tudor Black Bay in a black case with a striking Visa blue dial. It raised so many questions. Like: is the case in ceramic ...
Fratello's Top 5 Chinese New Year Watches: Year Of The Dragon
Another Friday, another Top 5! This week, we’ll focus on watches that celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. Tomorrow is the start of the Year of the Dragon, which prompted many watch brands to release amazing limited-edition pieces depicting the animal that symbolizes luck, prosperity, and wisdom. The dragon is also an imperial icon that embodies life and immortality, and this majestic creature’s flowing form provides a perfect opportunity for watch brands to show their incredible skills and craftsmanship. It has led to a stream of dragon-themed watches in the past few weeks. We have selected our five favorites that are the perfect watches to celebrate the Chinese New Year in sty...
The Logistics Of Bringing A Watch To Market
After well over a year, we are finally approaching the moment I can launch my VPC Type 37H. I have published many articles about the development of the watch itself, but today, I want to get into the logistics and commercial side of launching my debut watch. It is another side of the project that typically stays behind the curtains, so it might be interesting to shed some light on it.But before we get into that, I have to thank my designer Max Resnick for kindly providing three new renders. He used the final production files (with the correct final proportions) to create the more realistic images you see in this article. Hopefully, these make the watch come alive a little bit more for you! I...
LVMH: Unlocking The Luxury Watch's Full Potential
When Frederic Arnault (29) became CEO of TAG Heuer in 2020 after joining the brand three years earlier, it demonstrated how much potential LVMH as a group saw in luxury watches. With him now appointed CEO of LVMH Watches in charge of Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith, LVMH (Mo?t Hennessy Louis Vuitton) has shown its hand. Luxury watches are more relevant than ever and have a huge growth potential, and the French fashion giant seems to have found a way to unlock it. With Arnault at the helm, the LVMH watch brands are going after millennials, Generation Z, and the ultrarich. They will do so using the most modern tech and by looking at the market through the eyes of current and future affluent fans ...
Is The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Due For An Update?
The Omega Seamaster (Professional) Diver 300M has been around since 1993. It has seen several revisions and a major overhaul in 2018. With the current generation turning six this year, we wonder: is it due for an update, or is the 300M still one of the best dive watches under 10 grand?Join us as we wonder what a revised Omega Seamaster Diver 300M might look like.Is an update to the Seamaster Diver 300M necessary?Let's start with the core question: is the current form, now six years old, due for an update? I feel that I need to touch upon monetary value here to set some context. In 2018, the starting price for the Seamaster Diver 300M was $4,400, which is $5,453 today, corrected for inflation...
Hands-On: The New G-Shock Square MRG-B5000R-1
Casio introduces new G-Shock “Squares” all the time, but a new Square in the premier league, like an MR-G, is something else. Before you get too excited, I must clarify that the MRG-B5000R-1 isn’t an entirely new watch. However, it is an important successor to the two MR-G Squares presented two years ago. In any case, a new G-Shock in the premium league is always noteworthy.G-Shock Square MRG-B5000R-1Casio always worked on lifting at least a part of its G-Shock series to a premium level. In 1996, the MRG-110 came close to G-Shock’s iconic Square design in full metal. But it wasn’t until 2018 that the GMW-B5000D-1, the first completely stainless steel model in th...
Panerai Luminor Due PAM01539 With A Bold Burgundy Dial
It has been a while since we covered Panerai’s Luminor Due collection. Mike wrote an article in 2019 when the brand went from the OPXXXIV to the new P.900 movement. He was a fan of the simpler Luminor Due models, mainly because of their dial design, the crown system, and the case shape. We thought the recent introduction of the Panerai PAM01539 with a bold burgundy dial was a good opportunity to refresh your minds on the brand’s lighter and slimmer Luminor Due collection. In addition, it comes on a new stainless steel bracelet.At the time of Mike’s article, the Luminor Due still had a 30m water resistance rating. Today’s watches have a 50m rating, which makes these sl...
Vacheron Constantin 222 Vs. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
You blink once, and it is Sunday again! Fear not - we have another big horological battle prepared to help you softly transition into action this morning. This week, we pit the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 against the iconic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” 16202. It is the watch world's latest darling reissue versus the daddy of the genre.Today, Jorg defends the 222's honors, taking on Thomas with the 16202. Before they get into it, though, let's have a quick look at last week's results.Last week's resultsJorg enters the arena gleaming with confidence after he managed to beat Mike last week. The gentlemen dug deep, but Jorg came out victorious with 52% of the votes for h...
Benrus Ultra-Deep diver
Benrus is one of those (vintage) brands that has not being re-invented by investors (yet). Luckily, because in most cases, the results are horrible. Benrus is also a brand that has some very nice time pieces (like the one below or the Sky Chief for example) that is nice to wear/have at a reasonable price.Michiel van der Arend bought this 38mm Benrus Ultra-Deep diver and allowed me to put it for show here at Fratello! ??...
Patek 3940Pt
This Patek Philippe reference 3940 in Platinum is a real beauty, captured by SuitbertW at the Patek Forum. Although these Pateks are quite small (37mm), I feel that I could get used to it.I am not very into yellow gold either, so platinum or white gold would be a perfect option!...
Casio EDIFICE EQB-500 Be in touch stay connected!
EQB-500 – The watch that links with the smartphoneThe EQB-500 is the perfect companion for both business men and globetrotters. The watch communicates with smartphones using Bluetooth? 4.0 technology and the free Casio Watch+ app that enables world time settings to be easily set. It only takes one click of a button to set the watch to local time. A second time zone can also be set using the world map of around 300 cities which is included in the app. Thanks to two displays on the watch face, which are both visible at the same time, your own local time and that of your business partner on the other side of the world can be read at a glance. Frequent flyers can easily set the watch to ai...
Hands-On Omega Speedmaster Mark II Review
Although we already did an in-depth article of the Omega Speedmaster Mark II Co-Axial that was introduced last year, including a comparison to the original Omega Speedmaster Mark II, we thought it was about time to actually wear one for a while and share our experience.To be totally honest with you, when Omega announced their new Speedmaster Mark II Co-Axial I thought to myself that it could be wise to buy an original model as these were available under $ 1000 Euro on the market. Although I never warmed up to the Speedmaster Mark II – but I have to say it was probably even before 2003 when I tried one on for the last time – due to the shape of the case, I decided to pull the trig...
Breaking: a Universal Geneve Compax "Nina Rindt" found for next to nothing
Earlier this morning, had you awoken very early and jet-lagged in Tokyo, you might have joined other annoying Western tourists in going to the seafood market to watch and likely get in the way of the auctioning of the mighty Bluefin tunas. If actually living in this amazing city and throwing a lavish dinner party, perhaps you'd choose to buy 10 lbs of this delectable fish for your cherished guests and find yourself parting with something on the order of $3,000 3,500. However, had you decided to sleep in, get dressed, ensure your trusty credit card was packed in your wallet, and then go on a leisurely stroll, you might have found a far more surprising way to spend a few thousand. Yes, this mo...
Hands-on Zenith Heritage Cronometro TIPO CP-2 Review
Only late in 2016 (October), the famous chronograph manufacturer from Le Locle?came out with their Zenith Heritage Cronometro TIPO CP-2. This model refers to the famous (and sought-after) Zenith Cairelli chronographs from the 1960s. A. Cairelli was the Rome-based distributor for a number of watch brands, including Zenith.?Zenith Cronometro TIPO CP-2The Italian Air Force chose (amongst others) Zenith chronograph for their pilots and Cairelli did the delivery?for them. 2500 of these Zenith Cairelli chronographs were delivered to pilots and this original?Zenith Cronometro TIPO CP-2 was used by them till the late 1970s. The original version didn’t have an El Primero chronograph movement of...
Olympic Spirit: Omega Introduces Flag-Inspired NATO Straps
Awkward or not, North and South Korea together during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games was impressive to witness. To celebrate the Olympic Games spirit, Omega introduces 18 new NATO straps inspired by flags world wide, as well as 6 NATO straps that are inspired by the 5 Olympic rings: white bordered straps in black, yellow, green, blue and red, and a multi-striped version which blends all 5 colors.All these straps come with stainless steel buckles and keepers. The flag-inspired can be ordered via Omega boutiques. Prices are probably around $188 (the official Omega website gives us the “Sorry, the price is not available in your country. Please contact a Boutique.”....
This Week in Watches February 10, 2019
Welcome to a late publishing of This Week in Watches for February 10, 2019.? Apologies, but this is what happens when yours truly tries to upgrade his Mac's OS after 4 years.? I mean, why fix something when it isn't broken well, it finally broke and the fix didn't exactly work.? Anyhow, I'm back and ready to bring all the news that's fit to print.? This week wasn't heavy on the releases, but let's get into it nonethelessUnion Glashutte Belisar Pilot Big Date?First up, we have a new release from Union Glashutte in the form of a 45mm pilot's watch.? We don't cover this brand from within the Swatch Group stable very often, but I figured it was worth a mention due to its modern spin on a typical...
Four Highlights Of The Upcoming Fortuna Auction On February 13
This coming Wednesday, the Fortuna Exchange auction will take place. A monthly live auction where you can bid on watches and jewellery. In this month, Fortuna offers 45 watches of which we selected 4 to show you. Milgauss 1019The rare Milgauss reference 1019 is a watch that was meant for engineers and scientists. A watch that could be used in professional environments, where it could be exposed to (strong) magnetic fields. The IWC Ingenieur and Omega Railmaster were its main competitors at the time, also offering anti-magnetic watches.The Milgauss was created in 1956 as the result of a collaboration between CERN, the famed European Organization for Nuclear Research, and . To meet the demand...
Armin Strom Gravity Equal Force 52Mondayz, week #7-2020
I am wearing Armin Strom's smallest (41mm) watch, the Gravity Equal Force for a week.The beauty about 52 Mondayz, as far as I'm concerned, is the fact that we have no boundaries. Especially when it comes to what watch to wear for a week. It can be vintage or not, simple or complicated. Also, we can feature brands from large conglomerates but also indie manufacturers. My last 52Mondayz article was about a recently acquired vintage piece, my Eterna 852. That was a fun piece to write, but this time around, I wanted something completely different. You should switch your watches up from time to time anyway. Thanks to Armin Strom, this week I managed to lay my hands on something special. Not entir...