Bad Economic Climate? The Time To Buy A Watch Is Now!
Last weekend, I attended a get-together organized by the great people over at Bulang & Sons. Among the attendees, there were collectors of watches from all across the value spectrum. Some were focused on the more affordable side of things, and others definitely brought some high-end and rare watches. Of course, everyone got along quite well since we’re all in the same hobby in the end. And in many of the conversations with the guys (yes, there were only guys present) I asked them what they were considering for their next watch. It struck me that almost all of them said something like that they felt quite happy with what they had. They weren’t really actively hunting down any ...
Introducing: The Namica Okami The Horological Wolf
If you were not yet convinced that micro/independent brands are innovative, perhaps you will be after reading this article. And it is the innovative nature of small/young/unknown brands that pushes me to write about them again and again. There are some gems out there that I would love for you to get acquainted with. Granted, what is strange and outside the box won't necessarily please everyone, at least aesthetically. But maybe we can agree that there is merit in treading outside of the beaten path. After all, if microbrands were not, then we wouldn't have such a vibrant independent watch market and a great variety of options.?And here at Fratello, we aren't afraid of showing something we fi...
Zodiac Sea-Chron Vs. Tudor Black Bay Chrono
Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown! This week, we have RJ and Thomas facing off. And this time, we have a battle of water-resistant chronographs with vintage vibes. In RJ’s corner, we find the Tudor Black Bay Chrono, while Thomas is defending the Zodiac Sea-Chron. There’s certainly no lack of wrist presence this week, Fratelli! These chronographs share vintage inspiration, a (reverse) panda layout, and water resistance to 200 meters. That, however, is where similarities end. So, which would you take on your next adventure?Have a look at the boys’ arguments, cast your vote, and share your motivations in the comments section below.But first, last week’s resultsB...
The Salmon-Dial Speedmaster 3511.60 I Didn't Know Existed
Here's proof that you can learn something every day! I was under the (false) assumption that I was aware of basically every modern Speedmaster ever made. I have seen so many of them in my 25 years of collecting, including the ones some of you brought to the Speedy Tuesday events in the past decade. But when browsing the interwebs, I bumped into a Speedmaster I had never heard of or seen. It's the Omega Speedmaster 3511.60 40th Anniversary Grand Prix.”Speedmaster ref. 3511.60 - Image: Watchnian via Chrono24The 40th anniversary of the SpeedmasterThis 1997 Speedmaster celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Speedmaster collection. The Grand Prix part remains a mystery to me. Still, I guess...
New: Breitling Six Nations Chronomat Limited Editions
Rugby fans worldwide are looking forward to the annual Six Nations Championship that kicks off on January 31st in Paris, France. This year’s tournament will end with a trio of matches on March 15th. It will be interesting to see whether Ireland can defend its title or if we will witness the crowning of a new champion for 2025. Breitling and Six Nations Rugby celebrate their fourth season of working together with the Six Nations Chronomat limited editions. These watches celebrate each competing nation with a Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 and a stylistically matching Chronomat 32. Let’s find out more!These new Chronomats follow a series of Chronomat B01 Chronographs released in 2023. ...
Fratello On Air: Traveling With Watches
Welcome back to another episode of?Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss a popular request from our listeners about traveling with watches. We’ve discussed this topic before, but it’s been a while since we last did so. For our listeners, we begin the watch content after 32 minutes....
Introducing: The Timex Giorgio Galli S2Ti
In general, the watches on the Timex website are all quite affordable. You can get an Easy Rider for as little as $50, but even for the rest of the watches, $100C300 is often enough. However, that’s not true with the watches in Timex’s Giorgio Galli collection. The automatic S1 with a Japanese Miyota movement sold for $450. Then came the Swiss-made S2 with a stainless steel and titanium case construction, and that watch sold for $950. Today, Timex presents the grand finale of the S Series, the limited-edition Giorgio Galli S2Ti. Its skeletonized case and bracelet are solid titanium, and the mid-case is forged carbon. This, too, is a Swiss-made, automatic watch, and the price is s...
Girard-Perregaux Chronograph Excelsior Park
Today I spoke with my watch friend, and also watch maker, Gerton. He told me about this Girard-Perregaux Chronograph watch he has for sale, with an Excelsior Park 4 movement. When I googled on this watch, one??of the results was this ‘In Memory of Time’ website. A great website by this Japanese collector (TRS)??who has a number??of great (vintage) time pieces. Among them, the Girard-Perregaux??Chronograph with Excelsior Park movement.????????His site is really worth checking out. His collection also sports this great Ulysse Nardin Rattrapante Chronograph with Venus 179 movement. A watch produced in 1991 with a NOS 1960s movement by Venus.All pictures by TRS of ‘In Memory of...
Omega proudly presents their latest in house movement, Omega 8500
Omega proudly presents their latest in house movement, the Omega caliber 8500. It features a 60 hour power reserve, bi-directional winding, the co-axial escapement and it will be COSC (Chronometer certified) ofcourse! ?The new Omega De Ville will be the first watch equipped with this new movement.Congrats Omega! And now some attention to your Quality Control (Omega cal.330x) and After Sales (numerous complaints world wide) again.The Omega caliber 8500Renowned as the watchmaking company which produced the first-ever industrialized movement and always looking to improve the performance and quality of its timepieces, OMEGA has taken a step further and launched its in-house manufacture calibres ...
Speedy Tuesday Speedmaster Moonphase Calendar
Speedmaster MoonphaseIt’s Speedy Tuesday! Our weekly recurring topic on the Speedmaster has become one of the most popular topics here on Fratellowatches.This week, we have quite an uncommon Speedmaster for you. Only the shape and reference number reveals that it belongs to the Speedmaster-family. This OMEGA Speedmaster ref.3330.20 (case number 375.0034) is a stainless steel / gold chronograph with a calendar and moonphase (click here for some other Speedmaster Moonphase articles).Introduced in 1990, this automatic OMEGA Speedmaster Moonphase 3330.20 comes with the OMEGA caliber 1150 movement. A movement based on the ETA/Valjoux 7750 caliber. Besides time and chronograph functionality,...
Hands-On Longines Column-Wheel Single Push-Piece Chronograph Review
The fact that Longines decided in 1984 to stop producing their own movements and use ETA instead, does not mean they don’t have interesting timepieces for ‘techies’. As long as CEO Walter von K?nel is on board, this is not going to change (as he told us here), he is focusing on affordable main stream watches for a large audience. For the smaller group that we belong to, watch enthusiasts, they have their Heritage collection where they grab back to watches from their rich history (since 1832). Since Longines is part of the same group (Swatch) as ETA, they are able to get some exclusivity for their brand. So not in-house, but exclusive movements made for Longines.An example o...
ZOID launches their first collection of watches
January 2018: Inspired by passion and built by hand. ZOID Mastermind is a union of performance and edginess, this classic-chic watch for both men and women is perfect for all occasions. Looking for a watch to bring you from the board room to the party scene; ZOID has it.As a watch enthusiast and watch lover who appreciate great designed products, Andrew Oliver created the ZOID Mastermind. The first eye contact with ZOID Mastermind, you know this is something unique, something extraordinary, something well-crafted. ZOID watches have been created to be classic with a punch of excitement, contemporary imbued with a look of seriousness, funky yet preserving the functionality. A practical day to ...
The Omega Seamaster Titanium Tantalum Two Weeks on the Wrist
Under the bright booth lights at Baselworld, it's far too easy for a watch like the Omega Seamaster Titanium Tantalum to disappear into the ether. With its soft colors, the watch blends into the light earth tones that Omega employs within its confines (or did, as 2018 was the last year for the brand at the show). And so yes, I consider this to be a bit of an already-forgotten piece despite the fact that it hasn't shipped to boutiques yet it's planned for March. Therefore, I thought it wise to bring this Seamaster back to the forefront with a hands-on review. I kept and wore this watch for nearly two weeks and took a lot of pictures because, with this watch, the details are key.2018 – T...
Hot Take: Linde Werdelin SpidoLite Titanium Limited Edition
Origins matter. If a company or collection is built on solid foundations, it may be able to reach untold heights. The Linde Werdelin Spido series was inspired by an expedition to Mount Everest. Since then, new models are tested in extreme environments where only the brave dare tread.As you may have noticed (especially if you favor the annual calendar complication) it is now 2020. Most people agree this is the first year of a new decade. As such, brands are taking stock. They are paying particular attention to the messages communicated by their first releases of this new era. It is fitting that directors must possess 20:20 foresight to accurately predict what the future holds, but one safe(is...
Why I?Bought The Unimatic Massena LAB U1-ML6
One of my best 2020 purchases was pretty unexpected. Prior to this watch, I didn't know much about Unimatic, only that it existed. Yet this watch and I have developed quite a relationship since last February. In fact, our bond has been strong enough to resist a few buy-out offers. Interested in how much I was offered? Keep on reading!?It all started with an email from Rob, our managing editor, asking if I would be interested in looking into a watch that came in with a publishing embargo. When I looked at the early press pictures and spotted the tropical brown dial and 6538 inspired bezel, I was hooked.Learning about the Unimatic Massena LAB U1-ML6Writing a watch article is often very tricky...
Hands-On With The Nezumi Baleine Automatic Dive Watch
As many of you will know by now, I’m a big fan of Swedish brand Nezumi. I love the designs. I love the price. And a big part of me loves the Meca-Quartz movements employed by the brand regularly. But within the Nezumi catalog, there is one odd duck. On an island - an automatic island - stands the Nezumi Baleine Diver. It’s a model that’s been in the collection before, but took a hiatus during which time its design was tweaked before returning to the lineup recently. I decided it was time to bite the bullet and try something different… In gold, no less…Okay, the Nezumi Baleine automatic dive watch is not solid gold. At under $500 that would be truly remarkable. N...
Hands-On with the Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph watch
When it comes to re-editions or vintage-inspired watches, we've seen quite a few over the years. Some are truly awesome and well-executed where others are nowhere close to being as good as the pack shots want to make you believe. The Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph is one of those watches you would rush to hold when presented with it in real life.Although I gravitate toward a certain type of watches when it comes to my personal collection (more rugged, sporty styles), that doesn't mean that I don’t occasionally lust after something different. However, it must be said that experience has shown me these outliers rarely get the wrist time they deserve. That’s why getting the c...
New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Open-Worked Models (2022)
Several of us at Fratello were rather impressed by the massive release of reworked marvels in the Royal Oak series, including one of my all-time favorite fume dials. But much of it fades when faced with the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak open-worked trio.We conclude our AP coverage this week by delving into the new open-worked and long-named versions of the venerable octagonal-bezeled Genta creation. These are two similar yet very different approaches to the art of skeletonization, and they left me with a deep affinity for the art of contrasts. One of the most charming aspects is the way Audemars Piguet has chosen to frame its flying tourbillon. A complication created to increase pocket watch...
Buying Guide: The Best Swatch Watches From The 2000s
We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is largely focused on the most recent releases and developments, for many of us, a lot of the fun can be found in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. It’s a world full of history, remarkable watches, incredible stories, and quirky details. It inspired us to come up with a series of articles focusing on the best watches per decade from a select group of brands. Some of them are priceless, some of them are still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Swatch watches from the 2000s.By the turn of the millennium, Switzerland had pro...
Cartier Pasha GMT Power Reserve An Owner's Review
When I began my watch-collecting journey in 2006, forums taught me that Cartier was a “fashion brand.” Back then, the sentiment among (those) watch geeks was that Cartier was just a jewelry maker that also sold watches. Cartier’s timepieces, they told me, were reserved for fashion-minded suckers who could afford to spend big on watches but not on real horology. Well, as an impressionable 17-year-old kid, I admit that I bought into that mindset. In fact, I wrote off Cartier until 2021 when I began writing and editing articles for Fratello. Joining the industry opened my eyes and shattered my perceptions of watches that I would have never considered before. Furthermore, my co...