Thirteen years after the introduction of the 43mm L.U.C Lunar One, a smaller, more refined update debuts this year in two variations. The rose or white gold case now measures 40.5mm across, and the redesigned Chopard L.U.C Lunar One comes with a blue or salmon dial. The name of the watch doesn't quite cover the complications it has. Apart from the expected moonphase indicator, the Lunar One is als

I bought the Tudor Black Bay 58 in blue as a present to myself for my 30th birthday. It’s a significant watch for me and one that I have worn a great deal. So it felt like a natural choice to take it on a trip to Australia’s Red Centre in the Northern Territory.This trip had me reflecting on the hobby and even my career in watch journalism more broadly. What would be my objectives in 2

You know we love the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak collection so you are probably not surprised by the fact that we will give it some fresh SIHH 2014 attention now. While the Royal Oak Offshore models like the ‘Safari’ or ‘Navy’ were always in 42mm (case diameter), somehow Audemars Piguet decided to emphasize on this by mentioning it in the collection name. It seems to be a com

It’s Speedy Tuesday! After our in-depth hands-on review of the new Omega Speedmaster ’57 Caliber 9300 and introduction of the new Speedmaster Mark II on last week’s Speedy Tuesday, it is time to give some vintage love again. One of our loyal Speedmaster readers and fans, Santosh from the USA contacted us a few months back to tell us he had a non-working Speedmaster LCD caliber 16

The success of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400 has to do with the upgrade this watch received a couple of years ago. In Le Brassus they decided that the 39mm Royal Oak 15300 was too small and needed a bit of an upgrade. While the 15300 was already an upgrade (introduced in 2005) for the former 36mm models, the 41mm size would appeal to a wider audience. The 39mm Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ o

It's always weird to write from the skies but here I am, tip-tapping away. What else is odd is that today's #TBT subject has been in my possession for less than 12 hours and I was so taken by it that I figured this week was as good a time as any to discuss it. You'll note that, once again, something in gold is on my wrist. I do promise this won't become an addiction, but I do implore you to drop y

Last year Omega introduced their new Seamaster Diver 300M watch. A watch that has been in the collection since 1993 and was due for a big update. A new movement, new case size, and a new dial for example, while maintaining the look & feel of one of their best selling watches. 2019 just started, and Omega throws in another variation of this new Seamaster Diver 300M.Seamaster Diver 300M In Ceram

The Grand Seiko SBGA231G from their Sport Collection is not the first model that comes to mind when thinking about their watches. Perhaps it is the very competitive market for diving watches, whereas in the market of all-rounders, the Grand Seikos seem to do pretty well. So why is it that we don't see not much talk about the Grand Seiko SBGA231G or SBGA229G for example? Is it because its looks are

Our 10th episode of Fratello on Air is about last week’s LVMH Watch Week in Dubai, the watch auctions to help the recovery of Australia and the downside of using Instagram.After the mandatory wrist check (see below), Michael and RJ discuss these topics in this 50-minute podcast. Our Fratello-on-Air podcast can be played via Apple,?Soundcloud,?Spotify,?Google Podcast, and?Buzzsprout.

One of the most popular models of recent years the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater gets treated to a new case in sandblasted rose gold. The result? A bonafide showstopper both technically and aesthetically.The Octo Finissimo range from Bvlgari is refusing to rest on its laurels. It seems crazy to doubt that there is yet more to come from this impressively persistent manufacture, following a

Omega likes to celebrate some of the Apollo missions. Although you might think this is a recently-adopted practice of the last few years, it started in 1969 with the gold Speedmaster commemorating Apollo XI. Here we pick-up on a lesser-known animal - The Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 15 35th Anniversary model.Omega likes to celebrate some of the Apollo missions. Although you might think th

Dive watches come in all shapes and sizes. While the recent trends seem to be hinting that smaller, slimmer, more demure divers await us in the near future, there is still space in this crowded class for a big, brooding brute every so often. This is where watches like the Spinnaker Cahill New England come in. What I have here today is the older, now discontinued model, which you can still find on

Haute Horlogerie brands like MB&F to me are a bit like reading about the most beautiful supercars in a car magazine. You love them. You admire them. Maybe you even dream about owning one. But despite all that, chances are very small you’ll actually end up with one on your wrist. But MB&F makes us dream…I write about watches that are - at least - somewhat accessible, but sometim

Recently, I spoke of my admiration for Forstner bracelets. My newfound love for flipping my watches from one band to another on the regular goes beyond a single brand, though. In fact, over the past year since I joined Fratello, I’ve taken to consuming straps like McDonald’s used to consume plastic straws. As a result, I’ve started wearing three brands I want to share with you to

Are all legendary Seiko 6217-8000/8001 “62MAS watches the same? Is it just a different size of the crown or are there other details that you should pay attention to when checking out the first professional divers watch from Seiko?If you ever wondered about the 8000/8001 difference, it is not a country allocation or dial version code. The first four digits represent the movement and the other

The protest at Fratello HQ yesterday started out in good spirits with the more progressive editors marching through the office merrily and optimistically chanting,We want solar power! We want solar power! But it didn't take long for the situation to turn grim. That's when the purist defenders of the traditional, mechanical side of watchmaking started shouting slogans like, Quartz is dead! For a mo

Zenith has been very much on my radar since a get-together with other watch enthusiasts some months ago. In particular, the El Primero Revivals and Defy series caught my attention. That's why I recently tried on the Chronomasters A384 and A386-inspired Original, as well as the blue Defy in 41mm. Of course, I also looked at some pictures from when they were originally introduced in the 1960s. I fou

We all know and adore the Omega Speedmaster - the first watch on the Moon, official watch for NASA astronauts. The Breitling Navitimer has its own prestigious history and diehard fans as well. It is the embodiment of the quirky yet beloved slide rule bezel. These two watches are pinnacles of aviation horology. However, they aren’t the best. Oh no, if anything, they are only thematic stepping

Field watches are often overlooked timepieces in today’s world of luxury watches. They are far from a luxury statement, and that’s exactly how they should stay. There is something really honest about field watches, defined as simple military watches that should do one thing and one thing only - tell accurate time. In the field of battle, keeping exact time was truly a matter of life an

It’s Friday, meaning we drop a new video! This week, Rob reviews this beautiful 42.5mm Seiko Speedtimer SRQ035J1 chronograph. This two-register chronograph features Seiko’s 8R46 movement and a design that hearkens back to a 1964 stopwatch.Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SRQ035J1For a more in-depth article about the background of the Speedtimer SRQ035 (and black-dial version SRQ037), click her