Fratello Talks: The Watches And Wonders 2025 Debrief
Welcome to this special installment of Fratello Talks. This is the Watches and Wonders 2025 debrief episode, where Nacho, RJ, Daan, and Lex share their highlights from this year’s show. We also discuss just about every brand and novelty released at the fair. Honorable mentions go to some of the novelties released at the other events that took place in town last week. It’s not unfair to say that it was the biggest this ever-monumental week for the watch world has been in recent times. There’s a lot to take in. So whether you want to hear our take on a specific novelty or to find out what our favorites are, make sure to tune in to this long-form episode of Fratello Talks. But...
Hands-On With The Chronoswiss Sirius Flying Regulator
I already shared my thoughts on this year’s BaselWorld show a few weeks ago (in this article) where I briefly mentioned Chronoswiss. Like many other brands, Chronoswiss grabbed back to one of their original models: the Regulateur. However, Chronoswiss restructured their collection of watches and uses two pillars: Sirius and Timemaster. These names were used for specific watches in the past, but the collection became so big that they used these names as ‘families’. You could say that the sporty Chronoswiss watches belong to the Timemaster collection and the classic watches to the Sirius collection.I’ve never been a big fan of the Timemaster and that didn’t change...
Watches & Pencils #14 Breitling 1806 a.k.a. Fried Egg
After the Baselworld storm and some other side projects calmed down, I found some time to work on this tasty episode. This time we zoom in on one of the biggest and most bespoke watches of the flower-power seventies: Breitling 1806 Navitimer., a.k.a Fried Egg. To?me it's more a gigantic pan with two fried eggs:ColossalWith its 48mm in diameter this octagonal shaped watch was probably the biggest or one of the biggest watches Breitling produced in the seventies. It's a very technical watch, with lots of measurement functions and a slide rule bezel (more on that in a sec). If we take a look at the dial, there are no less than three subsections/rings to separate the several timing functions bes...
Speedy Tuesday Wear Your Speedmaster On VELCRO? Brand
A few years ago, Omega started to upgrade the box and accessories you’d get with your Speedmaster Professional. Inside the huge watch box, you’d find?a NATO strap, loupe, changing tool and.. a VELCRO? Brand strap signed ‘SEB12100030-202’. However, if you already have your Speedmaster, there are some options to purchase a VELCRO? Brand strap for your watch. Let’s have a look.Speedmaster on VELCRO? BrandIt somewhat surprises me that only few people out there are wearing their Speedmaster on velcro straps. NATO straps – although a military background, click here for a history lesson on NATO straps by our friends from GearPatrol – are more common on Spee...
The Yema/LeJour Rallye From Mario Andretti
Yesterday, Hodinkee published a wonderful interview with the legendary Mario Andretti. A number of watches were discussed with Andretti, but not the Rallye watch that he bought privately. We thought it would be a nice addition to mention this Rallye watch once more in this article.Part of the fun of collecting vintage watches is to research them. Get to know their story. Perhaps find a famous person who owned it before you did. We all heard of the Jim Clark Gallet MultiChron 12, the Jo Siffert Heuer Autavia or staying with the same brand and model the Jochen Rindt Autavia. You perhaps know that there is another famous Rindt, Nina the wife of the late racecar driver. She wore a Compax Univers...
Fratello x ORIS 2019 Novelties Event in Amsterdam
Join us for the Fratello x ORIS Baselworld 2019 Novelties event on April 25th in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.We would like to invite you to join an evening with ORIS and Fratello in Amsterdam on April 25th. During this evening, ORIS will present to you their Baselworld 2019 novelties in the ORIS boutique in Amsterdam.Besides all ORIS novelties from the Baselworld 2019 show, you will be meeting the people from ORIS, Fratello and other watch?enthusiasts. There will be drinks and bites, and we’ll organize a lucky draw that evening.#gallery-1 {margin: auto;}#gallery-1 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 33%;}#gallery-1 img {border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;}#galle...
#TBT Seiko Voice Note M516-4009
You don't need to be a hardcore Ghostbusters fan to consider the Seiko Voice Note an entertaining acquisition.If you get the Seiko Voice Note and match it with a Ghostbusters costume equipped with a proton pack, you might accrue some fame at this year's Comic-Con. Why? The devil is in the detail. Three out of four Ghostbusters heroes were seen with this wacky Seiko on their wrists, which indisputably makes it an important add-on to the amazing Ghostbusters gadget set.Seiko Voice Note M516-4009Photo Credit: Sony PicturesLegendary movieI don't own any other Ghostbusters memorabilia, but much like the rest of the world, I found myself in love with the movie's theme song. It reached number one o...
Factory Visit Czech Prim Manufacture
There isn't a single household without at least one Prim watch, or so says an old saying from former Czechoslovakia.We all live in different corners of the world. We all speak different languages. And we certainly all have our local heroes and legends. I am not just speaking about people. Often, there are local brands that no one 200 meters beyond the border of the country care about. But within those borders, such brands come to mind faster than any world giant.If it weren't for communisim, Prim probably never would have been born…There are 10.5 million people living in the Czech Republic and 5.5 million people living in Slovakia. The two countries used to be united as Czechoslovakia ...
Rounding Up Hublot's Highlights From Watches And Wonders 2021
Hublot did what Hublot does and made a splash with its colorway swathe of new releases this week. Asa devoted follower of the brand, it is my pleasure to present the Hublot Big Bang Integral Ceramic novelties, the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire, and the Classic Fusion Orlinski Blue Ceramic.Let’s start with what is fast becoming a “bread and butter” range for Hublot. What would be an absolute showstopping proposition for most brands now feels so organic coming out of Hublot’s stable that it would be easy to miss the update altogether. The Big Bang Integral Ceramic line is not new. We’ve seen the black version before. However, this week, that stealthy ...
Hands-On: The New Blue Santos De Cartier Watches
Hidden away in the other launches section of the Cartier press site, the new Santos de Cartier was kept company by the new Indomptables de Cartier and the new Ballon Bleu releases. The new Santos, however, was a watch that I wrote off in my head as far too big and a bit too flashy. The first case measurement of 47.5mm told me everything I needed to know. Or so I thought Seeing the watch in person at the Cartier touch-and-feel session at Watches And Wonders 2022 had me scratching my head. Was this the 47.5mm monster I had read about? Surely, it couldn't be. It wasn't half as big or flashy as I had imagined. And on the wrist, it just worked like a charm. Perhaps the second case measurement of ...
Alcadus Dromo Dive Watch And Opus V2 Dress Watch Hands-On
One of the fun things about working at Fratello is the number of different watches that come through our doors. You might think we’d get sick and tired of it eventually, but you’d be wrong. Not every watch that passes through my hands is excellent, and indeed, some are downright shoddy, but these examples have never dampened my enthusiasm. One bad apple doesn’t spoil the bunch. So, when Malaysian microbrand Alcadus got in touch to see if I’d like to take a closer look at its two current releases, I was more than keen to do so.Not every brand that drops me an email gets time and space here at Fratello. So any fly-by-night brands reading this, take heed. The watches nee...
Coffee Corner Watch Talk: The "AP Hotel", HYT, And Yema
After spending more than a week in Switzerland, I'm making my way back to the Fratello HQ coffee corner. And boy, do I need a good cup of high-caffeine joe. I didn’t just visit Watches And Wonders in Geneva, no. Right before I locked myself in the Palexpo for almost a week, I also got the chance to visit and stay at the architectural marvel that is the Audemars Piguet-powered/funded H?tel des Horlogers in the Vallee de Joux. After that, I saw something pretty sweet from HYT right around the corner from the hotel the Fratello team stayed at in Geneva. I’ll give you the low-down on those two experiences, plus a heads-up on two Yema Meangraf Sous-Marine dive watches that have just b...
Introducing Rado's Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver (2022)
Hmm, that’s one heck of a handsome family. Well, I certainly wasn't referring to the Hemsworth brothers. That was my gut reaction to seeing the new Rado Captain Cook dive watches. They have this wholesome look that has even me dropping my usual mean-girl defenses.The Rado Captain Cook has been wooing us with its ’60s retro vibes since its revival five years ago. First introduced in steel and bronze in 2017, then in ceramics last year, the divers have firmly secured their position as Rado's winning collection. This market consensus is evidently corroborated by the verdicts of our Fratelli.To plasma or not to plasma?As a new release in 2022, Rado has extended the Captain Cook famil...
Apollo 13: Fourteen Life-Saving Seconds Timed On A Speedmaster
Fifty-three years ago, on April 11th, 1970, the Apollo 13 crew set course to the Moon. What NASA astronauts James Lovell (Commander), Jack Swigert (Command Module pilot), and Fred Haise (Lunar Module Pilot) couldn’t have known was that a major problem would occur just two days later. The Omega Speedmaster Professional played a vital role in the crew’s safe return and has led to the highest award NASA can give to staff and contractors, the Silver Snoopy Award.A Speedmaster Professional 105.012, similar to the one that the Apollo 13 crew used.Apollo 13 and the Omega SpeedmasterAll three astronauts were wearing their Omega Speedmaster Professional 105.012 watches, supplied by them t...
Hands On With The Stylish Beaubleu Vitruve Date Steel
It had been a while since I last reviewed two Beaubleu watches, but then the brand contacted me to review a new timepiece. When I was asked to review the Parisian brand’s Vitruve Date Steel, I was intrigued by its looks. The characteristic overall style of the Beaubleu case with the round hands stands out immediately. But for the Vitruve Date Steel, the brand combined it with a monochromatic steel look. A special dial and a mesh bracelet boost the design’s modernity and sporty character. That’s why I jumped on the chance to find out more.It’s been almost three years since I reviewed two pieces from Beaubleu’s Union collection. Back in 2020, it was my introductio...
#TBT The Timeless Lip Galaxie Ref. 43814
Thanks to a watch friend, I finally had a chance to put this watch on my wrist. The Lip Galaxie is stunningly clean and simple. In real life, it looks even better than it does in pictures. Here is my recap of the 24 hours I was granted with this distinctive French watch. But first, allow me to provide a bit of context…In April 1973, Lip faced a crisis amid the Quartz Revolution, which led to the discovery of management’s plans to downsize, sparking worker outrage. Seizing three hostages, the employees barricaded the factory and faced a violent police intervention. They escalated their resistance by seizing 65,000 watches and factory plans and initiating a continuous occupation of...
Introducing: The Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon
My theoretical-wrist-grail taste has evolved, as has the watch-collecting community. In the face of unavailability and client-selective ADs, independent choices have come to the fore. And despite the shaky world markets, plenty of potential buyers are looking for alternatives outside the big-brand catalogs.Debuting back in 2010 with distinctively minimal luxury and the world's best-looking spear hands, Laurent Ferrier has emerged as The Alternative for many. The Classic model with slender Roman numerals on its dial won the GPHG’s Best Men’s category at the brand’s debut. Now we revisit this timeless style with a complicated twist. The Classic Moon promises a deep blue brand...
Introducing: The Nifty Little Herms Cut
It’s very difficult to come up with an original watch design these days. Almost everything has been done by now…or so we tend to think. But every once in a while, we come across a new watch that proves the opposite. The new Herms Cut is exactly one of those watches. It has a very subtle case shape, which is characterized by four cuts on both flanks, top and bottom. It comes on an integrated bracelet and with no fewer than eight different rubber strap options. And, as befits Herms, it features a couple of very thoughtful details.You could say this new Herms Cut is arriving fashionably late to the integrated-bracelet party. There are already numerous very nice high-end, low-end,...
New: Hublot Big Bang Unico Ice Bang, Green, And Orange
You might be just a few clicks away from the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Ice Bang. It's an online exclusive only available through Hublot's e-commerce boutique, and it's also a limited edition. Just 100 pieces of this black ceramic watch outfitted with a soberly contrasting bezel in tungsten will be made. If you want something more colorful, there are also the dark green and bright orange Big Bang Unico chronographs. Those are limited to 250 watches each. What all three new timepieces have in common is the HUB1280 Unico 2 chronograph movement inside.The original Ice Bang from 2006 also came in black and gray, but the 2024 Hublot Big Bang Unico Ice Bang is clearly an evolution of the original. ...
Frederique Constant's Updated Classic (Moonphase) Date
By now, Frederique Constant is famous for its no-nonsense Swiss-made watches. The brand’s Classics collection is at the forefront of its philosophy of offering high-quality watches at a relatively affordable price. This week, at Watches and Wonders, two of the collection’s models are receiving some significant updates and upgrades on both the inside and out. Let’s take a look at the new Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture and the Classic Date Manufacture from Frederique Constant.The brand’s designs won’t surprise you much in terms of originality, but the watches from Frederique Constant do get the basics very right. The same is true of today’s novelties. Th...