Introduced during BaselWorld 2009, the Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200m (ref. 224.30.55.21.01.001) is slowly hitting the stores and becomes available for the large public. This remake of the original Omega Seamaster Professional 600m/2000ft that was introduced in 1971 (after 4 years of extensive test work) is – in my humble opinion – one of the best that Omega did so far. Remakes are dang

It seems like I’m on a roll with rare Jaeger-LeCoultre pieces of late: hot off the camera is a set of the magnificent Gyrotourbillon 1 (we did a review of the Gyrotourbillon 2 as well). This version has a skeleton ‘dial’; a massive rose gold case, perpetual calendar, and of course, the signature multi-axis tourbillon – all made up of 679 parts, 117 alone of which are jewel

We love our watches, there's no doubt about that. That's why you're here, right? There are all those other things surrounding them though; watch winders, watch rolls, tools perhaps but most importantly straps. No decent watch site can function without a strap review. That was in my head when I came up with this idea and presented it to the team.Nevertheless we gave it a twist. We would like to int

The Bronzo Returns! could be the title of a Marvel or DC Comics episode. But we’re talking watches here. In 2011, Panerai introduced the first Bronzo to us, the reference PAM00382. Only 1000 pieces were produced?and all sold within a blink of the eye. Paneristi who were able to buy one, were (are) very happy. In 2013, Panerai did one more with the PAM 507. This year, Panerai introduces anoth

Just over 5 years ago, we covered the Omega Speedmaster From The Moon To Mars edition from one of our readers from Singapore. At the time, you could pick these watches up for $2600 on the pre-owned market. Today, full sets are being offered for just under $5000. Literally all Speedmaster watches (new, pre-owned and vintage) went up in price in the last five years, but I did not expect the From the

Arguably one of the longest novelty-lists of the SIHH 2019 line up belongs to IWC. 14 watches, all various pilot's models. All of them come from the four collections in the IWC’s Pilot's family.These are the Spitfire, TOP GUN, Le Petit Prince and Antoine De Saint-Exupery. From time-only pieces to chronographs all the way up to tourbillons and perpetual calendars. Before the Geneva show, I al

We take a look at an unusually large watch from the 1960s - the Full Auto Orient King Diver.We’ve delivered a fair amount of Orient coverage here on Fratello related to both new and old watches. Today, we’ll head down the latter path as we feast our eyes on what I think is a true classic. It may be a bit derivative, but the Full Auto Orient King Diver has real character. So what if it

We previously announced the Oris Artelier James Morrison Academy of Music on Fratello here. And now we have the chance to test drive it on the wrist. The Acadamy of Music slots into the existing jazz collection, but this time, it is inspired by a living trumpeting legend, James Morrison.After the announcement, and the excellent article by my fellow Fratello, Andreas, on the Art Blakey, I just had

When brand partnerships feel forced, they can turn off customer interest quicker than a solar-powered Casio comes back to life when light hits the dial. Luckily for Alpina, the connection with the Freeride World Tour is not just a suitable pairing, but also one that benefits both parties. The latest Alpina AlpinerX adds to an already strong line-up.If you’re not into Snowsports, you probably

Welcome once more to the house of horological hilarity. Rob returns in the host’s chair. He welcomes back James Thompson (AKA Black Badger) who has invited his friend and collaborator Anders Brandt, co-founder and chief designer of Danish brand Arcanaut, to join the show. Needless to say, shenanigans ensued.An Irishman, a Canadian, and a Dane walk into a bar… It sounds like the opening

For the purposes of this article, I?counted all the vintage and modern timepieces in my collection. I?never realized that the latter represents less than 3% in my three-digit plus collection. Well, that number is going to increase slightly. Blame the Zenith Revival El Primero A385.In the pictures, I liked everything about the Revival El Primero A385. The case size, shape and finishing, the dial, a

Back in November, when winter was just around the corner, Lex advocated for a bit of color on your wrist during wintertime with the colorful G-Shock MTG-B2000XMG. I definitely agree with the principle of a bit of color on the wrist, especially when it comes to G-Shock. But I also feel that colors need to match the season’s colors. G-Shock has understood that perfectly and has released the My

Not every story into watch collecting starts with a fortuitous inheritance of a beautiful vintage Omega or stumbling across an all-original Submariner 6538 at a yard sale. While there are some lucky people out there who stumbled into watch collecting quite high up the ladder, my story started a little more innocuously. I started out collecting microbrands, mainly because, for my budget, they were

Tissot is one of my favorite watch brands. It is also one that, until last year's release of the PRX, didn't have one watch in its current catalog that I was interested in buying (something which, luckily, seems to be changing). In fact, I think many of you will likely agree with my saying that the majority of the brand's Moto GP and NBA special editions weren't exactly doing the brand's long heri

The first time I strapped on the Fortis Flieger Midnight Blue was moments before I hopped into the cockpit of the Turbine Legend plane for a private whizz around the Swiss alps (what a job, eh?). I’d begun the day wearing my prized Czapek Antarctique Viridian Green, but felt that my airborne adventure, courtesy of Fortis Ambassador and local legend Marc Rollier, required a different characte

Today is Monday, February 13th - the day before the sixth Speedy Tuesday of 2023. It's also the day before Valentine's Day, the most romantic day of the year. The day you celebrate your love for your partner with gifts straight from the heart. Last year, we spoke of a perfect pair of Swatch watches for you and your loved one. But if you’re reading this, it’s definitely too late. In an

Not too long ago, I visited the Swatch Museum in Biel. It blew my mind. What an abundance of fantastic watches. There were influential timepieces and iconic creations but also stuff I forgot about. Stuff I forgot I wore a long time ago, like my Sir Swatch SIR (GB111) from 1986. And also the Swatch Snowpass Shaun Palmer (SHB100) from 1997 that I had on while riding my Cannondale Super V 4000DH. And

Who else here finds the rising prices of watches depressing? Okay, I see a few hands up, so I guess I’m not alone. Thankfully, the pre-owned market can offer some solace with many iconic watches that are still relatively attainable. These days, I believe the key is either to go neo-vintage or choose the variations that are off the beaten path. The Breitling Navitimer line offers ample opport

Omega has increased the price of its Speedmaster models quite significantly in the past few years. While one could buy the classic Moonwatch for less than $5,000 not even that long ago, the models with a sapphire front and back crystal are rapidly approaching the $10,000 mark. Granted, it’s not the same watch that it was before 2021. The Moonwatch now has a new case, bracelet, dial, and Mast

You may recall that Fortis sent 13 Stratoliner S-41 watches into space on a rocket last year. Yes, actual outer space, past the Krmn line and over 100 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. These 13 special watches were recovered, and Fortis made them available for collectors to buy via application only. One application slot was opened specifically to Fratello readers, giving one lucky indi