Introducing Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
I will save my sentiments about Vacheron Constantin this year compared to last year to our daily recap later on today. Now it is time to talk about a watch that isn’t perhaps the most accessible (read: affordable) watch in the world at 95.000 Euro, but it did make my horological heart tick faster. I am talking about the new full gold Vacheron Constantin?Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin reference?4300V/120R-B064.Gold?Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-ThinCompletely in line with the gold fever I am suffering for a while now, this watch is – to me – one of the coolest pieces I have seen at the SIHH so far. This Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin c...
Montblanc Heritage Pulsograph Limited Edition From SIHH 2019
The 2019 SIHH Montblanc Heritage novelties probably have the widest selection of timepieces in the brands current lineup. 6 models from an elegant 3-hand version to a sophisticated limited edition pulsograph. It is a very thought-out collection that offers a watch in every price segment. Let's look at the crown jewel of the line; the Montblanc Heritage Pulsograph. A watch that is a limited edition of only 100 pieces.Montblanc Heritage PulsographWhile I don't fancy fish (on my plate) I really like this salmon dial (color) steel amazingness from Montblanc. It is not only a super cool watch on the wrist but one that packs a lot of punches overall. We'll run through the basics, shall we? The Mon...
SIHH 2019 Day 2 Recap
Here's our recap of the second day of the SIHH 2019. Yesterday you could read about our first-day experience at the SIHH, and now we are already half-way. And we've now seen and tried that much talked about Code 11:59 at Audemars Piguet in the flesh, had an interesting session at Cartier and looked at the new pieces at Montblanc. We also did the photo shoot at Vacheron Constantin and A. Lange & Sohne, giving us a bit more one-on-one time with their new watches.SIHH 2019 Is CrowdedBut first things first, the SIHH has been shortened with one day compared to previous years. Yesterday and today it became very clear that this also means that the place (Palexpo) is much more crowded than it wa...
Zenith Debuts New Ladies Defy Classic Midnight Watches In Dubai
Prepare yourself for a strap frenzy as six new references join the Zenith Defy Classic Midnight family. Still, in the name of personal expression, that’s no bad thing.To side-step what I’m sure could have been an eloquent, poetic opening gambit as to why we need to look at the night sky and consider all the magnitudinous questions of our existence, I will say this: Gradient dials are pretty. I’ve always been a fan of them. I don’t much care whether they are inspired by an achingly beautiful celestial scene, or by the darkening waters of the briny deep. I see two colors, slowing becoming one another, and I like it. And so, to my eyes at least, the Zenith Defy Classic M...
#TBT Venus Big Date Movement Trio
Allow me to celebrate my first year with Fratello by sharing the story behind my completion of the late fifties Venus Big Date movement family.It's no coincidence that I chose and planned this article for today. At this time last year (January 10th?to be precise), I wrote my first ever article for Fratello Magazine. As a vintage watch nerd, my first piece happened to be #TBT article. To mark the occasion, I wanted to write about something special. After quickly scanning my collection, I decided to delve into a non-traditional date chronograph from?Bucherer. I found this model particularly interesting because of its movement. Not only did it feature a flyback chronograph mechanism, but it als...
Hands-on With H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Centre Seconds For Women
There is much truth in the notion that minimalism never goes out of style. Throughout the years, when we look at watches, only a handful of styles have withstood the test of time. Many of them have timeless minimalism in common. The latest H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds, characterized by its classic-yet-modern silhouette, is one of them.H. Moser & Cie. has designed Endeavour Centre Seconds with the idea of simplicity at its heart. The result? An entirely pure concept brought to life with the subtlest of flourishes. Straight away, I was attracted by the 3 hands adorning the dial and the finishing of the case. As an independent family watch brand, Moser is constantly coming u...
This Week In Watches: January 16, 2021 Things are hotting up! H Moser & Cie launches the Endeavour Minute Repeater Tourbillon and Junghans announce a collaboration with the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2021 in Oberstdorf
Is it just me, or have the first couple of weeks just flown by in January? I mean, I still feel like it's 2020. I'm still writing 2020 and having to correct myself. It seems that some watch brands are not making this same mistake as me. They're moving full steam ahead, and we're already seeing some fantastic new models.Things are really hotting up this week. We've got a real heavy hitter from Moser, a couple of tasty micro/indie brands, and a watch from Junghans dedicated to the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2021 in Oberstdorf. Let's get to it!H. Moser & Cie - Endeavour Minute Repeater TourbillonI have to start with this piece from H. Moser & Cie. I mean, look at it. This classi...
Dear Zenith, Bring Back The El Primero Rainbow Flyback
Every watch enthusiast can think of a great discontinued timepiece that should return to the spotlight. Not as a reissue, but as a worthy successor to the original. An original 2.0, if you will. That's what we talk about at the Fratello offices. And these talks inspired us to come up with a series about watches that the Fratello editors would like to see make a comeback. Some watches are iconic, some of them are less popular. But all of them are loved by at least one of our editors. Let’s look at some of our favorites in this series. This time, it's Lex who wants the late 1990s Zenith El Primero Rainbow Flyback Chronograph redone.In those Fratello team discussions, we regularly dive de...
Bvlgari Serpenti Tubogas My Guilty Pleasure Watch
There are times in a person's life when they depart the mundane. The stars align, the background noise of the day-to-day falls away, and one is left standing, full of life, defiant, in tune with oneself and the cosmos. These moments are when the poetry of existence reveals itself, and time and our place in it are not exempt. For such occasions, there is one watch I'd have on my wrist above any other, testament to myself and others that I am truly alive and full of wonder for the universe and my experience: the Bvlgari Serpenti Tubogas.I am a man, as much as I am anything. The Bvlgari Serpenti Tubogas, (ref. 102680 as my personal choice) is very much marketed to women. One might say it is a w...
Hands-On: The Fun And Affordable RZE Valour Chronograph
Like many people, I got into watch collecting through microbrands. While not to everyone’s tastes, microbrands’ relative affordability allows you to try out watch-collecting concepts more affordably than some more prominent brands. Different people have different budgets to spend on watches. To some people, $500 is an impulse purchase; to others, it takes time to save up and justify such an expense. That’s where microbrands offer collectors some real value for money. I believe that’s precisely where RZE slots in with the Valour Chronograph.This is the second generation of the Valour Chronograph - you can read my review of the first-generation model here. The new versi...
Seiko Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph SRQ045J1
I’ll be honest with you from the get-go: completely black watches aren’t my thing. But the story behind the new all-black Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph completely changed my feelings towards it. As it turns out, the design of the SRQ045J1 is based on the looks of the black stopwatches that were being used during the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan. Seiko made those black to reduce reflection from snow and ice. But wait, there’s more.During the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Seiko used the same stopwatches from the 89ST series. At the time, however, they were executed in white. It’s interesting to note that those Olympic games were the first on...
Seamaster Aqua Terra: My New Favorite Vacation Watch
Today, Fratello reader John Cote from the United States shares the story of his new favorite vacation watch, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra. Though he often exclusively wears vintage chronographs, he needed something different for his travels in Greece. He needed a watch that could take a beating, wouldn’t make him a target for robbers, and that kept proper time. Without further ado…I have been a very frequent business traveler and vintage watch wearer for most of my adult life, but picking a vacation travel watch has always seemed a difficult proposition. Vacation travel is different. It may involve crossing time zones, just like business travel, but it often involves adventure ...
The New Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Apollo 8
In 2018, Omega introduced the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 for the 50th anniversary of the mission where astronauts saw the other side of the Moon for the first time. Now it’s 2024, and that watch gets an update, kicking off what we expect to be a great year for Speedy lovers.The Apollo 8 crew (Anders, Lovell, and Borman) - Image: NASAIn December 1968, NASA astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders were the first humans to travel to space with the Saturn V rocket. Commemorating this mission, the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 got a great reception in 2018 and quickly became a much-loved Speedmaster edition outside the Moonwatch series.The new Apo...
NEW: Seiko Presage Star Bar LEs SRPK75 And SRE014
Today, Seiko is introducing a pair of new Presage Cocktail Time watches inspired by drinks from the famous Star Bar in Tokyo. As we’ll see, there’s a watch aimed at ladies and one targeted at gents as well. Both feature gradation dials that take their cues from drinks by master cocktail maker Hisashi Kishi and the Tokyo sunset.In September 2022, Seiko announced its first collaboration with the top-rated Star Bar and Hisashi Kishi, its head bartender. Seiko chose to use its Presage Cocktail Time watch as the foundation for a pair of watches with partially open dials. However, with their 40.5mm case diameters, both models were aimed at men. Today, we have a new pair of watches in t...
Hands-On: The New Yema Urban Sport Collection
Here in the Netherlands, we had a fun, long-running TV show called Te land, ter zee, en in de lucht (On land, at sea and in the air). In it, people tried to get as far as they could on land, in the water, or through the air in their homemade vehicles. Most participants crashed right when they hit the bottom of the ramp. Some made it a little further, and only a few made it to the bell to stop the time. This TV show was the first thing that came to my mind when I looked at Yema’s new Urban Sport collection. It consists of three new versions of the Rallygraf, Yachtingraf, and Flygraf - one watch each for the land, sea, and air.The ’80s-inspired watch case and bracelet for these thr...
Fratello On Air: Curating Our Watch Collections
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we talk about curating our watch collections. That’s a large topic with a lot of room for discussion. How have our interests changed over time, and where do we go to look for help? Enjoy the casual discussion between two watch addicts who own and admire a wide variety of pieces....
No Brown In Town: Why White Watch Dials Are Better
Not too long ago, Jorg shocked me when he advocated brown-dial watches. He even wrote that the first step to popularize them would be to make brown the dial color of 2024. Now, I'm not saying that Jorg is a man of poor taste. On the contrary, he sure has a keen sense of style, and most of the time, we appreciate similar things, like watches. But when it comes to the color brown, he's on his own. I might be old-fashioned, but when it comes to this most earthy color, the classic saying no brown in town is my motto. When it comes to watches, that is. Also, this motto covers both the city and the countryside. But since I don't want to be all negative at the start of the year, I have an alternati...
Breaking Prejudices With A Barrel-Shaped Gallet Chronograph
Every journey has an end and inspires us to set out on a new adventure. Today, we celebrate #TBT, one of the longest-running columns in Fratello’s history. We are happy to announce that after 10 long years, our Thursday contemplation on vintage watches has gotten a refresh. Let’s kick off a new Retrospective series with a special barrel-shaped Gallet chronograph.Mike started #TBT back in 2014. It was his words that got me riveted to my computer every Thursday, exploring famous or underrated vintage watches. One late evening in 2018, I found out that Mike wandered into my city. Encouraged by my wife, I dropped him a message, and a few hours later, the three of us were talking watc...
Geezer Watches From , Piaget, And Vacheron
Now, I must admit that trendiness does not appeal to me in watches. I like style over fashion, and something built to last, like a watch, suits that mindset. Still, watches aren't immune to the fashion cycle. The latest hot trend is undoubtedly the geezer watch. The hippest individuals in our industry no longer walk around with chunky sports watches. Instead, they now don jewelry-esque, small, vintage alternatives.If that bug has bitten you, here is the Pre-Owned Spotlight for you. Today, I will dig up a handful of vintage watches that bring out the fashionista in you. An oversized army jacket, loafers, and silk neck scarf are optional but recommended.Image: Watchcollectors.co.ukPre-owned ge...
Fratello Talks: What Should You Spend On Your First Watch?
Welcome to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. How much should you spend on your first watch? It’s a valid question we’ve all faced at some point. However, there are plenty of different ways to answer it. Today, Nacho, RJ, and Daan delve into the topic and discuss their approaches to budgeting for a first watch. It’s worth mentioning that we aren’t talking about a “first-ever” watch but, rather, a first “nicer” watch. Whether you ultimately decide to go all out or cleverly invest a smaller amount to test the waters, we hope today’s discussion will help you navigate the subject. Now, before we get into it, let’s see whatR...