Fratello Talks: LVMH Watch Week 2025
Hello there, and welcome to Fratello Talks. Last week, LVMH Watch Week took place. This week, Nacho, RJ, and Lex are looking at all the watches released by Zenith, TAG Heuer, Louis Vuitton, and Daniel Roth (to name a few). We review all the releases and share our thoughts on those we found worth highlighting. With Watches and Wonders just a couple of months away, you might not have expected the deluge of novelties, but it seems LVMH and its brands have more than one ace up their sleeve. It’s a strong start to the year for watches, setting the bar high for 2025. Before we get into the new watches, let’s see which ones the guys are wearing this week....
Chronoswiss Digiteur
Although I don’t wear it often, I still like my Chronoswiss R??gulateur Automatique a lot. Great dress watch and first ‘real’ Chronoswiss watch (introduced in 1987 as a hand wound wrist watch).Christopher Meisenzahl mentioned the review on the Chronoswiss Digiteur at The Purists forum last week, and I thought that you might be interested!Enjoy the review by William Riepl on the Chronoswiss Digiteur! Click here to read it…...
Girard-Perregaux caliber 8381
A while ago, I posted about the Girard-Perregaux Richeville chronograph with caliber 8381. This movement is not inhouse as I wrote, but it is based on the Lemania 1872. David Alstott emailed me this correction and included a nice scan of a Lemania 1872 trio.You can read more about Girard-Perregaux at WatchRap (by ThePurists), they have a special section for Girard-Perregaux....
Rikketik Watch Fair
Last sunday, I went to the Rikketik watch fair in Houten/The Netherlands. This fair is being held a few times a year, and is also held in Antwerp/Belgium. Besides wrist watches, there are a lot of clocks and pocket watches for sale on the fair. So far so good.My last visit to the watch fair was at least 1 – 1.5 years earlier and as soon as I entered the large hall with all the sellers, I knew why it was 1 – 1.5 years earlier. What a mess. They should seperate the (wooden cuckcoo) clocks from the watches to start with. But this is not the worst part. The worst part is the quality of the offered goods. Omega watches seems to be the most popular brand on the watch fair. Logically, b...
Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph
The best brand of them all, Patek Philippe, introduces a new automatic chronograph in a large platinum case (40.5mm, at least for PP this is large :-)), Ref. 5960P.“The movement is the new automatic caliber CH28-520 IRMQA24H with 40 jewels, a 55 hour power reserve and a flyback column-wheel, a power reserve indicator, an annual calendar, and day/night display. The rotor is 21kt gold. And, like all Patek Philippe mechanical movements, this new caliber has been awarded the prestigious Geneva Seal.The patented Patek Philippe Annual Calendar is a full calendar that automatically recognizes months with 30 and 31 days and, assuming that the watch is always running, only needs to be manually ...
Heuer Monaco show-off
I’ve never been a big fan of TAG Heuer, but I do like their classics. Like this one below, the Monaco (also known as the Steve McQueen model):Photo by -AndrewIn this thread at TimeZone they are showing off their Heuer Monaco watches. If you are interested, take a look.For the real Steve McQueen (and/or Heuer) fans, there is a clothing line by this brand called ‘Vintage 55’ dedicated to Steve McQueen. In a local shop (Oger) here in The Netherlands they sell Vintage 55 ‘Steve McQueen’ clothing (including the Heuer badge :-))....
Novak Djokovic Wins The Australian Open On His Wrist An AP Royal Oak Offshore Diver
Yesterday (January 30), tennis player Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open against Rafael Nadal (Richard Mille ambassador). It has been a battle that lasted five sets and almost 6 hours. When he finally lifted the trophy, watch spotters immediately recognized the timepiece on the wrist of this Audemars Piguet ambassador. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver, ref.15703ST. A perfect fit for a sportsman.We’ve written a review about this exact same Diver a while ago (click here for our share of fun with the Diver 15703ST and a VW Phaeton) and we think it is the best looking Offshore that AP has to offer. Clean design, perfect size (42mm in diameter) and very versatile, especially...
Panerai PAM00510 Review Panerai Luminor Marina 8-Days Hands-On
Just before SIHH 2014, I received this Officine Panerai Luminor Marina 8-Days reference PAM00510 for a review. A week of wearing this Panerai made me go back 10 years ago, when I first bought a Panerai Luminor Marina. A watch that I fell immediately in love with at the time, with its large case and thick vintage looking calf strap. This time however, the Panerai comes equipped with an in-house developed 8-days power reserve movement instead of the Unitas based hand-wound movement it had before. Let’s have a look at this PAM00510 that was introduced to us about a year ago, during the SIHH 2013 exhibition in Geneva.I even quite well remember where I saw the Panerai Luminor Marina up clos...
Speedy Tuesday the Speedmaster Apollo XI 35th Anniversary Edition Returns
Today on Speedy Tuesday, we'll return to a watch we've reviewed before, the Omega?Speedmaster Apollo XI 35th Anniversary limited edition. Why is that? First off, selfishly, I get to spend time with one whenever I visit my parents because my father owns the watch you see here. But more importantly, and more germane to events over the last month, this model strikes me as a really great companion piece to the recently released #SpeedyTuesday edition. I say this simply because today's subject is, to date, Omega's only Speedmaster Professional done in panda guise that's been offered globally. Introductions aside, let's enroll in a refresher course on a beloved limited edition.The Speedmaster Apol...
Fortis Pilot Classic Chronograph Hands on Review
Fortis enthusiasts out there might wonder why we did not cover the brand as extensively as we did the previous years. Well, on the one hand many new and interesting things happened and on the other hand Fortis just recently supplied us with some of their novelties. After this hands-on review of the Fortis Pilot Classic chronograph, Mike Stockton will take a look at something cool too. Like every year in March, Mike and I paid Fortis a visit during the busy week of BaselWorld. We pointed out the ones we liked most and as soon as production allowed it, the Grenchen brand provided us with the timepieces for review.What's new with Fortis?First of all, we would like to set the record straight on ...
Hands-On With The IWC Big Pilot Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition Le Petit Prince
Before I get to this stunning looking IWC Big Pilot Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition Le Petit Prince, I have to admit something. I never read Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) as a child.It was only a few months ago that I decided to order the book, as I felt that what I have missed, I want to catch up together with my young daughter. So, I started reading it to my five-year old daughter, only to realize on the 2nd page already, that she might be a bit too young to understand. I tried until page 25 and although she listened very carefully, I am sure she didn't get much of it. Every time I choose a book from her collection to read her a bedtime story, my eyes are drawn to Le Petit Prince. ...
#TBT The Obscure LIP Thermometer With A Durowe Movement
There is no better time to write about this watch than now. I am not sure if it is me or the gaskets, oils and tiny particles in all my 60+ year old watches that don't feel very comfortable experiencing the temperature shocks of walking from cold streets to well heated meeting rooms. Anyway, if there is one mechanical timepiece designed to enjoy this freezing January weather it would be the surrealistic LIP Thermometer from 1970.Surrealistic LIP ThermometerSurrealistic, obscure, funky, unorthodox – you choose. I genuinely believe that the design of this LIP Thermometer with reference number 42670 deserves each one of the previously mentioned adjectives. French. Very French. Think of it...
Grand Seiko SBGH281 Hi-Beat Marks The 60th Anniversary
Grand Seiko’s journey began in the 1950s. The best and brightest watchmakers working for the brand banded together with a lofty goal: They set out to create the company’s finest watch yet. In December 1960 the inaugural Grand Seiko hit the market. It was the first installment of a story that has now reached its sixtieth year. Leading the celebrations is the Grand Seiko SBGH281.To celebrate this milestone, Grand Seiko is releasing four new models. We’re going to take a look at the three watches released for men in this article, and follow-up with the ladies’ piece next week (so check back for that update also). These watches don’t just mark this significant birth...
URWERK UR-100 GunMetal Is An Alien From Deep Space
Honestly, how surprised would you be if, while wiling away the hours in the privacy of your home, an URWERK UR-100 GunMetal buzzed through an open window and landed on your dining room table, before two tiny (but very well-dressed) aliens hopped out and proclaimed Planet Earth as their own? Me? Not that surprised at all…Earlier this week, I wrote a quick article about the Konstantin Chaykin Mouse King watch and how releases of that nature bring me much joy. Today, and rounding out a rather cool week of releases, in my opinion, we have the URWERK UR-100 GunMetal for you. And it’s a treat. In the same way that I have an emotional reaction to the Mouse King so too do I find myself g...
Watches & Wonders 2022 Confirmed Its (Partly) Physical Show
Good news! This morning, Watches & Wonders officially confirmed that there will be a (partly) physical event in Geneva from March 30th to April 5th.I can't tell you how much I’ve missed these watch shows! It has been far too long since the last one, ever since everything ground to a halt in early 2020. Well, except for the Geneva Watch Days initiative at the end of the summer. So far, the European Watches & Wonders event (successor of SIHH) only took place digitally during the pandemic. Just like the former SIHH shows, Watches & Wonders will take place in the Palexpo venue in Geneva. This time, no less than 38 brands will be exhibiting both physically and digitally during w...
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Wired Ben's Guilty Pleasure
At this point, you should now know the definition of a guilty pleasure. When it comes to watches, the pleasure is picturing yourself wearing something far outside your comfort zone. For me, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Wired satisfies me as much as I know it shouldn’t. The regular Laureato from Girard-Perregaux has its fair share of detractors, which I am not one of. Yes, the resemblance to Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak is hard to ignore. But GP venturing into the territory of AP’s Offshore offshoot is somehow even more tantalizingly sinister yet seductive.Before I descend into depravity, let’s first understand the context around the contentious Laureato. ?In ...
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 Hands-On Review
Like most Dutch people, I'm looking forward to the speed skating events of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. And especially short-track speed skating on the small rink, because that's where we, most likely, can harvest a bunch of gold medals. In other countries, curling is the main event, or (ice) hockey, or biathlon, or downhill skiing. To be honest, I also enjoy sports I normally wouldn't watch because the Olympic setting adds significance to every event. And that's why we go hands-on, downhill, and round and around with the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Beijing 2022 watch - a special edition, not a limited edition.It was in the Fall of 2021 that Omega presented the Seamaster Aqua Terra Beijing ...
Hands-On: Louis Erard Excellence Petite Seconde Terracotta
There’s something to be said for a good, versatile watch. Not everyone wants or needs a rugged dive watch with 500 meters of water resistance. In fact, the majority of people don’t. For the average person, you could argue that a more appropriate watch combines sporty and dressy elements for those who want something they can wear every day but isn’t bold and “in-your-face” like a tool watch might be. When Louis Erard first released the Excellence Petite Seconde, it catered to that demographic nicely, offering a quality timepiece at an affordable price. Now, with the Excellence Petite Seconde Terracotta, the brand offers that same classic design but with a bit of ...
Return Of The King: Seiko Brings Back The King Seiko Collection
One of my favorite film franchises was/is the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Having never read the books, I was hooked and invested in the story as soon as I watched the first film. I always thought The Two Towers was an incredible film, and I doubted they could top it. However, the third and final piece of the puzzle, The Return Of The King, exceeded all expectations. What a film! Why is this relevant? Well, Seiko has heralded its own Return Of The King, bringing back King Seiko as a part of its permanent collection.After a “trial-run” King Seiko reissue last year, Seiko finally seems to have bitten the bullet and gone all-in on bringing back the King Seiko name. As a brand with a r...
My Predictions For New Omega Speedmasters In 2023
Last week, we witnessed the introduction of the first Speedmaster for 2023, the Super Racing with its new Spirate System. The release wasn’t so much about the watch as a whole but about the incredibly precise movement. But the Speedmaster Super Racing will not be the only new Speedmaster this year, of course. Any brand needs to continuously push for new models and references, not least of all to get the attention of the press and customers. Omega is no exception to this rule, and there’s always a constant flow of new models every year. Old references will be discontinued (often silently), while others will enter the new (online) catalog. What Speedmasters has Omega planned for us...