Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Vs. Seamaster 300
This week has been quite the festival for the Omega Seamaster thanks to the 75th-anniversary celebration. So when discussing the topic for today’s Sunday Morning Showdown, we looked to continue the festivities. Judging by the comments under our articles and on social media, the critical question is: which of the “Summer Blue” anniversary Seamasters is the best? Today, we’ve selected two watches from the new collection that, much to our surprise, we’ve never put in the Sunday Morning Showdown arena together - the Omega Seamaster 300 and the Seamaster Diver 300M. Each writer will make his case, but in the end, you get to decide which one takes the victory.Omega ma...
Five Years With Omega's Moonshine Gold Speedmaster Apollo 11
In March 2019, Omega introduced the Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 50th Anniversary edition in Moonshine Gold. This watch is a modern reproduction of the 1969 gold Moonwatch presented to US President Nixon, Vice President Agnew, and all active NASA astronauts at the time. That watch also became available to the general market, with a slightly different case back engraving. In total, 1,014 examples were produced and sold. This month marks the 55th anniversary of the Moon landing as well as my fifth year owning the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary model. It’s time for a long-term review of this watch.Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 50th Anniversary in Moonshine GoldThe 2019 Speedm...
Hands-On: The Revived Mondia Top Second
It has been quite some time since I wrote a hands-on review of a modern watch. When the news announcing the revival of my beloved Mondia Top Second hit our press mailbox last September, I instantly volunteered to look at it. A deep green sample of the new Mondia Top Second eventually landed safely on my desk, so here we are.I am a vintage watch nerd, but when someone says “Italian watch brand,” Unimatic is what springs to my mind first. I do not wear my only Unimatic watch as much as I used to a few years ago (blame Gallet), but it’s still present in my collection. And we can’t ignore how vocal Unimatic is on social media. But there is another interesting story I have...
How We Research Watches Before Buying
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we take a listener’s suggestion and discuss how we research watches before buying. We’ve touched upon this before, but it’s a constantly evolving topic that deserves an update. For our beloved listeners, the watch content begins after 19 minutes....
The Finishing Styles Unique To High-End Watches Explained
We are back with another installment of Back to Basics, a series of articles aimed at newcomers to the watch hobby. This time, we will examine high-end finishing techniques. If you are new to the watch world, you may wonder what causes the massive differences in price between watches. One of many aspects at play is higher-end finishing techniques. While you may not be immediately in the market for such a watch, it is great fun to explore the craft that goes into it.So today, we will look at a handful of finishing techniques you might encounter on higher-end watches. These are just three of an endless range of crafts, but they illustrate a point. Let's get stuck in.Dial finishing: GuillocheCu...
A Reader's Speedmaster Professional Pre Moon 145.012
Speedmaster Professional Pre MoonIt is Speedy Tuesday today, which means it is our recurring topic: Speedy Tuesday! Every week we pick a Speedmaster and put it in the spotlight here at Fratellowatches. This week, we have the follow-up model of the Speedmaster we covered here two weeks ago (click here).Our reader, who would like to stay anonymous, has this wonderful Speedmaster Professional Pre Moon ref.145.012 model that he purchased from the son of the original owner. The Speedmaster Professional Pre Moon watch was originally purchased on October 9th, 1969. Just a couple of months after the Moon landing. This Speedmaster Professional Pre Moon watch is complete with all documentation (and re...
Press release Arnold & Son unveils the TES Tourbillon
Official Press Release of Arnold & Son. All photos have been replaced with our photos from Baselworld 2014Royal Collection TES Timeless elegance and innovative technology:Arnold & Son's new TES Tourbillon?True to English watchmaking heritage, Arnold & Son unveils the TES Tourbillon, with the hand-finished A&S8100 calibre with sapphire barrel bridge. This defining timepiece is part of the Royal Collection which combines classic styling with leading-edge technology.The tourbillon movement, one of the most elegant complications in the world of horology, has played a crucial role in Arnold & Son's history. An exceptional watchmaker, John Arnold was an active participant in on...
Interview With Walter von K?nel The 1 Question To Ask (But No Worries, There Is More)
A few months ago, just after BaselWorld, I was invited to visit one of the production facilities and the museum of Longines in St-Imier. I was not allowed to take images from the production facility, but I will soon get back to you with an article on the Longines museum, that plays an important role in the company.However, not only that, Longines arranged that I am able to sit down and have an interview with?Walter von K?nel in one of the meeting rooms of the head quarters. He freed his schedule to talk for over an hour.Preparing an interview with someone who has been 46 years with Longines and 27 years as the CEO (or ‘chef’ as he calls it) of one of the largest watch manufacture...
STOWA Flieger Professional DIN
German certificate DIN official showcasedWell done – congratulation!On Friday, June 24th STOWA was awarded at the FH Aachen for its excellent Flieger Professional DIN watch with German DIN standard 8330 for Flieger watches.After multitude testing it was fix – the STOWA Flieger Professional DIN is not affected by the physical stresses of air traffic and also it represents no hazard potential or compatible with other onboard instruments of the air craft.Developed and designed by Jo?rg Schauer and Hartmut Esslinger, the founder of frog design – besides others he worked successfully for Wega, Apple, Sony and many more – the STOWA Flieger Professional DIN watch combines a ...
Five Reasons Why You Should Pre-Order The New Watchstars Book
From the team that brings you the?Watchstars?awards, is a new, high-format hardcover?book?that you should not miss. Here are five?reasons why:1.?Selected Superlatives?brings you the best watches in the world - brilliantly photographed and selected by an independent jury of nearly one hundred international experts, including journalists, collectors, and bloggers - all together in a single handsomely appointed volume.?Selected Superlatives? brings together the best watches in the world in an amazing book.2.?Selected Superlatives?provides you with fantastic photos and in-depth, expert articles about top brands like Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Tudor, , and others.The brilliant photog...
CREUX AUTOMATIQ : CONTEMPORARY SWISS LUXURY WITH A PRICE TAG THAT MAY SURPRISE YOU
Creux Automatiq is in a league of its own, the Aussie born Swiss brand that combines sports luxe with Swiss made quality is hard to beat at this price. In late 2016 Creux Automatiq, a boutique watch company based in Sydney, Australia, launched their first Swiss timepiece; the Ghost CA-01. A sporty, yet elegant design that Creux Automatiq states is respective of the classics with an eye towards the future of horology.The Ghost CA-01There is no doubt that the Ghost is a great looking watch with it's 316L grade stainless steel case and skeletonized dial. However more impressive is the value of what you get with this piece: 33 jewels, sapphire lens, complex skeletal automatic movement, water-res...
Bulgari explores new territory with two new Octo Finissimo Ceramic models
The Bulgari Octo Finissimo line has received a lot of praise for its impressive list of industry firsts including the thinnest tourbillon movement, the thinnest minute repeater movement and the thinnest automatic movement. Secondly, watch media and watch enthusiasts alike have praised the unique design of the Octo Finissimo as one of the most remarkable new watches out there.Like many, I also love the fact that Bulgari had the guts to start making incredibly thin in-house movements to break a number of industry records and I also appreciated the design of the first few watches that were introduced using a combination of shapes that define the unique character of the Octo Finissimo.The Octo F...
Pre-Owned Picks 3 Watches Featured On #TBT
It may be Friday, but I am throwing back to Thursday with a range of some of my favorite watches featured in Fratello's #TBT column.I, like many of our readers, got into watches via a family member. There is something about a watch passion that endemically rubs off on those nearest and dearest. The era you enter the watch-game can have a long-standing impact, however, almost like a time stamp. Your eyes widen on the latest and greatest at the time you get your first watch fix, and that's it for life. Watches that were discontinued only one- or two-years prior can seem like relics. The longer you're in the wrist-game, the more you realize that watches mostly receive only minor cosmetic update...
Video Review Of Three Bvlgari Octo Finissimo References
You’ve probably read our enthusiastic reviews on the new Bvlgari Octo Finissimo watches. Today, we show you a video review of the three Bvlgari Octo Finissimo watches that are about to hit the boutiques this month.Nothing beats trying the watch on the wrist yourself, but a video might be a good alternative if you aren’t near a Bvlgari boutique. In this video, we will show you the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo in polished ceramic, satin-polished stainless steel and in rose gold (on a leather strap).Bvlgari Octo Finissimo reviewThe side-by-side comparison of these three references (ceramic ref. 103368, satin-polished steel ref. 103297, and the rose gold ref. 103286) shows how different th...
Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Collection Excellence Platine Watch
Vacheron Constantin gets a little moonstruck with its latest addition to the limited Collection Excellence Platine with a Patrimony case and platinum dial.As part of the Fratello team, I am subject to many press releases from PR representatives and directly from brands. Often, there is a sense of deja vu. Either I am living in The Matrix, or the new watch is presented with such a minor change that it hardly constitutes a dedicated write-up. Such releases tend to feature in our weekly round-up that is This Week In Watches.Slipping through the cracksThe Watches and Wonders 2020 announcements certainly filled many spaces in that column, but somehow the new Patrimony Retrograde Date with Moon Ph...
Buying Guide: The Best Longines Watches From The 1970s (2021)
We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. While the daily routine is largely focused on the most recent developments in the world of watches, the most fun for many of us lies in the 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 priceless, some of them still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Longines watches from the 1970s.In the 1960s, we witnessed developments that challenged the status quo of watch design forever. The sheer amoun...
Porsche Design Chronograph 911 GT3 The Watch To The Car
Porsche Design’s Chronograph 911 GT3 can be configured in many details to perfectly match an owner’s car. Every watch is an individual piece made to order, and it is exclusively available to owners of a Porsche 911 GT3.In the past, when there have been discussions on the relevance of a luxury watch, one argument was that you can wear a watch in a bar to underline your personality. Your precious car parked anywhere outside just didn’t have any effect while you were inside. With Porsche Design‘s Chronograph 911 GT3 this changes because your watch shows which car you drive!This watch has some characteristics which distinguish it from other Porsche Design models, and you ...
The Roaring Success Of The Roarcraft Single-Pass Gray Strap
For a long time, I’ve been rather skeptical of myself. I think whenever anyone gets into the business of professional product reviews, they start out with lofty intentions. Much in the same way one assumes that “most” politicians start off full of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed optimism only to have their dreams and characters dragged through the mud of reality, I have feared for a long time that my critical eye might be failing due to how impressed I find myself on the regular. Am I becoming a soft touch? Has my biting tongue abandoned me? Or is it just possible that products like the ones sent to me recently by Roarcraft are every bit deserving of such praise? Could it be that...
Modern Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Vs. Pre-Moon Speedy
In today's Sunday Morning Showdown, we let the modern Speedmaster Moonwatch go up against its very own grandpa. Aficionados rejoiced when Omega brought back some of the lovable features of vintage Speedmasters. It makes sense, then, to see how it actually stacks up against such a vintage example. Today, RJ takes the modern Hesalite Speedy up against Thomas with a pre-Moon version. So without further ado, let's get ready to rumble!There are plenty of vintage Speedmasters to choose from, and Thomas opted for a beautiful ref. 145.012-68. RJ is defending the ref. 310.30.42.50.01.001 Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch.Thomas: Omega Speedmaster 145.012-68This should be quite an easy fight for me. ...
MeisterSinger Adds Two New Colors To Its Summer-Ready Unomat
When MeisterSinger introduced the Unomat to its growing family last year, we saw a rough-and-tough side to the brand’s classy offerings. Now, the brand from Munster has introduced two new fetching colors to the collection. Say hello to the mid-green and mid-blue Unomats with fetching radial dials.You’d be forgiven for looking at the Unomat and not realizing that it’s a robust watch that’s 300m water-resistant. That level of water resistance is usually reserved for professional dive watches, but here we are with a single-handed watch that can compete with the big boys. The single-hand approach may not resonate with everyone, but upon reflection, this watch is kind of t...