The chronograph is easily one of my favorite watch types. Unlike a diver or field watch, the chronograph is a tough one to master. There’s lots of info on display and the wrong design choices can lead to a visual mess. And then there are the movements; buyers LOVE to talk specifications. Thankfully, the big brands now offer some really compelling choices.With watches, we often talk more abou

This is just a personal observation, but it seems that independent brands struggle to be different. What has become the norm is to add funky colors or textures to a watch’s dial. For example, fuchsia or neon green for the colors, and cobbles or nature-inspired shapes for the textures. While these trends were new and exciting three years ago, now, too many brands follow them. So how can a bra

When Nacho asked me to write this article, I was genuinely torn between two different thoughts on how to spend my hard-earned $2,000. That’s why I decided to write this article and detail the process that took place in my mind. Truthfully, I think it’s a process that many of you will recognize when presented with the same choice. Whether I came up with the right choice for YOU remains

As conventional wisdom attests, one of the keys to longevity is rejuvenation. The most iconic square-cased sports watch, the TAG Heuer Monaco, is living proof of that. Since 1969, the racing chronograph immortalized on the wrist of Steve McQueen has gone through a plethora of new wardrobes, facial reconstructions, and even a heart transplant two years ago. Keeping its maverick spirit alive, the Sw

Ladies and gentlemen, my dear Fratelli! The time has come for the Summer Splash 2022 final! Over the past four weeks, you have followed along, made your suggestions, and cast your votes for your favorite watches. Now, it's time to see which one will be your true summer champion. However, this won't just be any old final. Not at all. In fact, this showdown finale will see three watches go head to h

We have discussed the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 collection quite a lot here at Fratello. The Japanese brand’s collection of modern timepieces with new case designs features quite a few remarkable releases. My personal favorite is the SBGE285 Mist Flake GMT. Another much-talked-about release from the same collection is the SLGH005 “White Birch”. It was followed by the Spring Drive v

It was a wild card in my selection of six straps from the Japanese manufacturer Accurate Form. And as sometimes happens, wild cards can surprise us and steal the show. Well, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this wine-colored Japanese cowhide strap completely stole my heart.Let me give you a little context. About 95% of my watch collection consists of vintage watches, so understandably, I

Only Watch auctions never cease to amaze. The auction brings some of the biggest names together to create horological marvels, all in the name of charity. For the tenth edition of this biennial auction, the catalog boasts several intriguing collaborations between brands. However, for Fratello, as a Dutch company, one of these collaborations hits a little closer to home. In an extraordinary display

Not too long ago, I wrote the introduction article for the eccentric Lebond Siza, a watch designed by the 89-year-old Portuguese architect lvaro Siza. The famous architect used one of his earliest works to come up with a watch that is anything but ordinary. It walks a fine line between a functional wristwatch and an extravagant design object, making it an intriguing debut piece for Lebond Watches

Let's start with a bit of mindfulness before we answer the question of whether conglomerates are eroding the origins of luxury watchmaking. The ultimate luxuries in life are gratefulness and contentment. You can't buy them, yet their availability is unlimited for those who are open to them. Material luxury, on the other hand, is the absolute opposite. Its accessibility is extremely limited, and on

Cartier’s resurgence is massive, with the brand riding a Kanagawa-sized wave of sales and praise. And yes, along with the Tank, we also love the JLC Reverso and its flippable charms. But what if your budget is a lot less or you simply don’t love those watches’ looks? Trust us, for your wrist, there’s a lot of alternative rectangular cool out there.Even if you don’t wa

What's the best way to test the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Cycling Edition to the fullest? You take it out for a spin - a long one from Bern to Zermatt, for instance. The Chasing Cancellara BernCZermatt cycling event is a 310km endurance race that also has its participants overcome 5,000 meters of climbing. Fabian Cancellara is the Swiss cycling legend who now owns Tudor Pro Cycling, and this event

Marcus Hanke wrote a review/posting on the new Senator series, introduced at Basel 2005.“About four years ago, Heinz W. Pfeifer, then president of Glash?otte Original, mentioned a new automatic movement, designated cal. 100, to be in development. Of course, this stirred some unrest among the fans of the brand, and many hesitated to purchase a watch with a movement that seemingly would be rep

Since Omega started making in-house movements (again), you could say that they stepped up a bit on the horological ladder. Their Hour Vision is a very interesting watch, not only because the caliber 8500 movement, but also because of the classic case design that resembles their 1960s models. Furthermore, their Hour Vision has this nice sapphire centre part in the watch case, enabling you to look a

This year, it is 80 years ago that Omega became the official timekeeper at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932. During these 80 years, Omega has been the official timekeeper 25 times.The Games will start at the 27th of July and will go on for 17 days. Over 10,000 of athletes and officials from over 200 countries are participating in the Olympic Games in London. Omega's count down clock has be

Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic TourbillonBefore we start our hands-on?Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Tourbillon review, I’d like to spend a few words on the watch maker first. Laurent Ferrier has come a long way, but was able to put himself on the independent watchmaking map quite rapidly. Founded in 2008, ?Laurent Ferrier managed to win the Best Men's Watch award only two years later at the G

Omega introduced the Dark Side of the Moon in 2013 and a year later, the Grey Side of the Moon was shown to the public during the BaselWorld exhibition. The Dark Side of the Moon has been extremely successful to Omega in the meanwhile. Reason for Omega to introduce a couple more ceramic Speedmaster watches in 2015. Have a look at the new ceramic Speedmaster collection in this week’s Speedy T

Linde Werdelin – 10 years of watchesAlthough the Linde Werdelin company is older than 10 years, they introduced their first watch in 2006. Jorn Werdelin and Morten Linde, old friends (40 years of friendship) that went into different directions (professionally) but shared the same passion for watches. In these 10 years, we’ve seen them launching the Biformeter models via the 2nd generat

Today on #TBT, we'll take a look at one of the more legendary tool watches in the Glycine Airman. It's a watch that I've always desired, but, for one reason or another, never purchased until only recently. Even then, I wound up with the watch before you by accident more on that later but boy am I glad I did. The Airman is a great watch and for a piece so well known, it's still relatively easy to f

Ever wondered why watch connoisseurs are praising Grand Seiko? Or perhaps you are already a Grand Seiko fan and want to learn more about this Japanese manufacture.Together with Grand Seiko, Fratello Watches organizes an exclusive reader's trip to Japan from September 23 to September 29. We visited (Grand) Seiko ourselves at the end of 2015, which not only opened our eyes to high-end watchmaking in