The Oris Aquis is a modern reinterpretation of a dive watch. Unlike the lovable Divers Sixty-Five, the Aquis eschews all vintage design cues to focus on contemporary sensibilities. The case is angular and purposeful with integrated lugs, chunky crown guards, and an overall solid feel. Spawning from the 2013 Oris Aquis Depth Gauge, the Aquis range emerges as a unique mechanical diving watch with sp

We here at Fratello do love a good story of an issued watch. Some of the most iconic and desirable watches out there have come from the humble beginnings of being developed for or especially sold/issued to the military. The “MilSub” or Seamaster 300s issued to the British Royal Navy come to mind when thinking about iconic tool watches. The military-issued Seamaster 300s are probably e

It was a very eventful year for my watch collection in 2022, and 2023 showed me that I made the right choices. But who knows what will happen in 2024? I’m certainly not ready to consolidate and sell some of my watches yet. On the other hand, I don’t think that I'll add many either since renovations for my family’s new house are putting pressure on the budget. However, I do feel t

Another Friday, another list! For the first one of the new year, we decided to sum up our wishes for 2025. We at Fratello all agreed that 2024 was a great year in watches. Some like to define that by the waves that big brands make. However, we based it on the sheer number of exciting releases we had in the office, got to try at the shows and events, or covered on the website and still want to see

Honestly, I’m not sure which watch I wore the most last year. I usually choose a different watch to wear daily, so keeping track is hard. My Instagram feed is a good indicator, though. My Cartier Santos Galbee XL is probably the most featured watch on there. That's partially because it gives me the most endorphin highs with all the likes and messages it generates. But it’s mainly becau

Gerald Genta, designer of numerous icons in horological history, presented a design to Swedish watch brand Arlanch. We all know Genta best for his outspoken Royal Oak and Nautilus designs, but he also designed a number of watches under his own label (now owned by Bvlgari). This eight sided timepiece for Arlanch reminds me of the design used by Genta’s own complicated timepieces he did in the

Just recently we wrote an article on the Breguet 5447BR Classique Grande Complication, a $ 268.000 Euro timepiece that is mind blowing, but also about a ‘dream piece’. Unless something happens in the lottery, it will stay a ‘dream piece’ as well I am afraid. A bit closer to the wallet is the Breguet we are featuring today here on Fratello Watches. The Breguet Tradition GMT.

With the Geneva based 2015 SIHH watch exhibition around the corner, our mail-box is filling up with many interesting invitations. The SIHH itself this year hosts ‘only’ 16 – mainly Richemont group – brands, however at the same time there is, like always, a lot of activity from independent watchmakers and brands around it.On an individual basis almost every major hotel in th

Art and WatchesAfter two longer and intense episodes about sandwich dials and Frankenwatches I would like to kick-off in 2016 with a shorter episode and more visual density. Since I like watches nd art I thought it would be nice to take you on a museum tour and discuss several older (Dutch) artpieces which are watch related in some way. Along the tour?we will discover one of the earliest lollipop

Chronograph ServiceA few months ago, I visited a watchmaker and followed every step he did on servicing this vintage Valjoux 22 chronograph. Not only out of interest, but also to get an idea of all that work a watchmaker does to keep our watches ticking. As a showcase and to create a bit more awareness?for this ancient profession.?I ended up making an appointment with watchmaker Kalle Slaap.Introd

So, here we are in the first week of 2018 and Fratello Watches kicks off #TBT with a look at a vintage Timex Marlin. We've never featured a Timex on our site, so why are we showing a watch from a brand that's known as an affordable (read: cheap) maker of utilitarian and reliable timepieces? Well, it isn't entirely due to the much-ballyhooed recent re-release of a 1960’s handwound Marlin, but

We reported about the Oris Movember Edition 2018 before, but our focus was mainly on the good cause it supports, not the watch. I assume you also want to know about the watch, not only the cause it supports. So we requested a Big Crown Pointer Date Movement Edition 2018 for a review, and here it is.Oris Movember Edition 2018This watch goes by the name of ‘Movember Edition 2018’, but in

Just like every year, Swatch comes up with a special watch for Valentine’s Day. For 2019, Swatch introduces the Triple Love watch. A transparent plastic 34mm case with three hearts on there, in different red and pink tones. The strap is white and has hearts all over it. The Swatch Triple Love comes in a special Valentine’s Day box.This watch will be available starting January 10th in a

Happy New Year and Welcome to This Week in Watches for January 4, 2020.? We’re glad to be back for our second decade and to bring you some news that just might help you break that New Year’s resolution to stop buying watches.? Ha, good luck with that!Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer DateFirst up on This Week in Watches is a piece that actually came to us a few weeks back.? But, it’s

Welcome to the new year… 2021. Doesn't it sound good and roll off of the tongue nicely? It certainly sounds better than the sorry excuse for a year that was 2020, right? I hope you all had a lovely break over the Christmas and New Year period. I know I did! I got a chance to reacquaint myself with the great outdoors and spend some time hiking in the absolute middle of nowhere. There's someth

Finally! I have kept my eye on the awkwardly bold Ball designs for quite some time. And, at long last, I got the chance to see how the H3 micro gas tubes glow in real life. I chose the GMT model with the “Pepsi bezel - the Ball Roadmaster Vanguard. If you have ever tried to take a lume shot, you know very well that the actual intensity is easy to cheat on in a photo. Many lume shots we see s

We travel back to the 1970s and take a look at the wild-looking Seiko 7015-6010 Time Sonar Chronograph. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!When it comes to vintage Seiko chronographs, most collectors focus heavily on either the 6138 or 6139 pieces. These were the big runners that kicked off everything for Seiko. After all, it was the 6139 that arrived on the scene in 1969 alongside the other automatic c

This isn’t exactly a new watch. Bvlgari introduced it as the Diagono in 1998, an aluminum watch with a quartz movement. Later on, more models were added, including chronographs with automatic movements.Late last August, in Geneva, Bvlgari introduced the Bvlgari Aluminium chronograph reference 103383. Just a few days before, Bvlgari gave me the Aluminium chronograph to wear. I have been weari

If you’ve been paying attention since 2017, you might have noticed that Omega has been up to something. Every first (Speedy) Tuesday of the year, the brand has released either a new Speedmaster or something Speedmaster-related, like the caliber 321 re-introduction in 2019. This year, the 65th anniversary of the legendary chronograph brings us the Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321 in Canopus Gold

I might not be 100 percent objective at all times, but here, my personal taste is an advantage. I do own more shoes, belts, and straps in various shades of brown than black. The monochrome architect’s look is not for me, but beiges and browns with a dash of color? Yes, please.What I do miss, though, is a tasty #CHOCOLATE dial in my watch box. This past year saw a few delicious options being