Dear Omega, Bring Back The Seamaster Ref. ST 366.0847
In recent years, we have seen a massive resurgence in appreciation for integrated-bracelet sports watches. And rightfully so, since the genre arguably saved the Swiss watch industry in the ’70s. Omega's current catalog does feature the Constellation, but this is hardly a sporty-looking range. A quick dive into the brand's history reveals an absolute gem, though. Reference ST 366.0847 has everything to become an absolutely huge hit in today's market.So Omega, please bring back your beautiful historic reference ST 366.0847 - the day-date Seamaster with an integrated bracelet. I promise you will sell a ton of them!A Nautilus and a Royal Oak side by sideA recap on the integrated braceletYo...
Introducing: The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ceramic In White
Around this time last year, Zodiac released several watches that could contend for Summer Watch of 2022. Whether it was the white-and-blue-bezel Super Sea Wolf or the titanium Super Sea Wolf Professional, the watches used splashes (not just pops) of color to lean into a fun summer vibe. This year, Zodiac is at it again. The brand is utilizing a ceramic outer case to go with the bright colors, resulting in three watches that scream “summer holiday!” Here are the new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ceramic models, featuring fresh white cases and familiar, summer-ready colorways.Flashy and splashyLast year, Zodiac debuted its first use of ceramic in a watch case with the blacked-out ZO9595. T...
Louis Moinet Art-Tech: A Symphony Of Light And Time
Have you ever glimpsed a flash of brilliance, a burst of color that seems to dance in tandem with your every move? A sight that makes you stop, tilt your head, and wonder, “How on earth is that possible?” Welcome to the world of Louis Moinet’s Art-Tech tourbillon. But this ain’t no simple disco-fever glitter ball of color. Created especially for the Only Watch Auction 2023, the Art-Tech represents a captivating journey that explores the wonders of technological innovation and traditional watchmaking.At first glance, the Louis Moinet Art-Tech may seem like just another wristwatch, albeit with a flying tourbillon at six o’clock. But look closer, and you’ll n...
Traveling With Either A Quartz Breitling Or A mechanical Oris
What watch do you take with you on your summer vacation? I know which one I will be wearing for two weeks straight. It's going to be my Oris Momotaro Divers Sixty-Five Special Edition on a tropic strap from the Fratello collection. But when I saw the powerful-looking black and white Breitling Endurance Pro at Fratello HQ, a question popped up in my mind: should I match my watch to my holiday destination? And if given a choice between two watches, would I take a quartz Breitling or a mechanical Oris on holiday? I'm going to answer those questions for myself, and I'm also curious to know what your answers would be.The mind of a watch fan works in mysterious ways. We all have our quirks. Be hon...
Hunting For A Vintage Dress Watch From The Holy Trinity
In this installment of Pre-Owned Spotlight, I’m going shopping for a vintage dress watch from the Holy Trinity. I know vintage is not for everybody, but a dress watch is a particularly good gateway into this realm. It is also the most affordable way to own a watch from the Big Three, especially if you can stomach a smaller watch. So let's see what vintage watches we can find from Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin.As a little disclaimer, I am being quite liberal with the term “dress watch.” I know some people won't consider anything but hand-wound two-handers. I, however, am not one of them, so there are two automatics and even a date complication in m...
Five Small But Tough Neo-Vintage Dive Watches
We are still in the midst of the biggest small-sized revival of the decade, so surely all the bargains have already been snapped up? With patience, you’ll find hidden gems from the late ’90s to the end of the ’00s. But with many of these having been big-watch years, finding small but tough neo-vintage dive watches should be nearly impossible, right?We’re looking at the era of whopping Breitling Chronomats with rider tabs that could knock an enemy unconscious or 47mm Panerais overpowering the most muscular of wrists. But believe me, look closer, and you'll find some pretty tough sports watches offering great value. And they're all no bigger than 41mm - true story!Image...
New: The Breitling Endurance Pro 38
You know the Breitling Endurance Pro as a 44mm sports watch with a Breitlight case and a SuperQuartz movement inside. Now there's a new size in town. The 38mm version of the Endurance Pro is positioned as a universal watch, although two of the five colorways available are probably perceived as feminine. Anyway, the color will not affect the watch's performance. When we look at that, we need hard data, like the fact that the 44mm version weighs 64.5 grams. According to Breitling, the Endurance Pro 38 comes in at exactly 53 grams. So not only is it smaller and (marginally) more aerodynamic, but it's also lighter and will save the athlete wearing the watch a couple of watts.Are you looking for ...
A Historical Overview: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris
Dive watches are some of the most popular sports watches in the world, steeped in romance and a sense of adventure. While some have become the stuff of legend, others have not received quite as much attention. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris is one that I feel many often overlook. Its history, however, is fascinating and certainly worth knowing about for any (dive-)watch enthusiast.Today, we are getting deep into Memovox Polaris history. I even raided the Jaeger-LeCoultre museum for some historic watches so that we could take pictures in our Fratello studio. If you were at the museum and found yourself staring at an empty Polaris cabinet, I apologize! To my chagrin, La Grande Maison did...
The Chuck Maddox Homage Watch : Omega Seamaster Pro Chrono Diver Titanium
“This is not an elegant dress chronograph, this is a bruiser of a tool watch and likely will not fit under anyone’s shirt cuff unless you have a wrist the size of Michael Jackson’s and are wearing Arnold Schwartzenegger’s shirt.” – Chuck Maddox (27th of May, 2003)Photograph by Chuck MaddoxA few weeks ago I was in New York City and met with Bill Sohne (collector of fine time pieces and moderator of the Omega forum of PuristsPro) for a coffee and a small chat about watches. We discussed a lot of watches, including this Omega Seamaster Professional Chronograph in titanium (ref.2298.80) he bought, also known as the SeMPC Ti. Bill told me that during his long f...
U-Boat U-42 Bronze And Black Titanium Ref. 6947
Last week we introduced you to the U-Boat U-51 Chimera Bronze edition, if you haven’t read it yet, go there first as it has a small introduction on the brand as well.We decided to do a U-Boat review once every week in July and we picked this U-Boat U-42 B&B reference 6947 as our second watch to review.The case parts of this 53mm large U-42 (which refers to the founding year of the company by Italo Fontana’s (CEO) grandfather and certainly not to the size of the watch) have been made out of titanium with a black coating. However, the size of 53mm doesn’t appear to be extra-ordinary, just plain large.However, if you ever seen one of the Fratello guys, you know we’re...
Watch Strap Review 22. Bianca Mosca Alligator Strap
Who Is Bianca Mosca?Truth to be told, I had never heard of Bianca Mosca before. That does not mean much to be honest. Anyway, I was contacted by the CEO of Bianca Mosca a while ago. As we plan our monthly Watch Strap Review installments quite far in advance, it took a while before I sat down and do a proper write-up.BackgroundTo keep it short and simple, as I am sure you want to see and read about the strap, Bianca Mosca is actually an old brand. The Bianca Mosca company was named after Bianca Mosca herself. This company was established in London, 1946. Focusing on fashion and couture. She passed away in 1950 at relative young age.Timothy de Rosen, CEO & Founder of today’s Bianca M...
Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Ceramic Hands-On Review
Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium CeramicWe had the opportunity to test drive the Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Ceramic for a while. Before we continue with the actual review, let’s spend some words on this remarkable manufacturer first.HistoryWhen it comes to fashionable manufactures, Hublot is easily in the top 3. The industry considers them one of the hippest brands despite their relatively short history. Even though the company was established in 1980 it had mediocre success. Until 2003, when Jean-Claude Biver went on-board. Before, Jean-Claude Biver was responsible for Swatch Group brands.His approach to the brand was different and revolutionary. As a result, the Big Bang was releas...
Introducing You To The Speedy Tuesday Magazine
This year marks the 5th anniversary of Speedy Tuesday. Not only here on Fratello, but we are happy that Speedy Tuesday has become a community on its own, where people share their love for the Moonwatch and other Speedmaster watches.Speedy Tuesday MagazineEarlier this year, it was already celebrated with the introduction of the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Limited Edition watch (which is currently being delivered to those who ordered). However, we now also are happy to announce the Speedy Tuesday Magazine. That’s right, a paper magazine. Although we are very much on-line, there is something about a paper magazine or book that can’t be transmitted to an on-line medium. Some times you...
You Asked Us: Is the Nomos Orion a good choice for a dress watch?
This week Andrew dropped us a line. He had read last weeks article and would like to have our thoughts about a dress watch for himself.You Asked Us: Is the Nomos Orion a good choice for a dress watch?Hello,Having just read your piece on the Oris Classic Date vs. Omega De Ville Prestige as a dress watch, I thought about posing a question that has been percolating in my mind for awhile.In terms of ‘nice’ watches, I currently have two that I absolutely love: MKII Hawkinge and an Omega Speedmaster Professional. While I really enjoy these two watches, I do not have a great dress watch (and I, unfortunately, will be shifting from working remotely at home to pursuing an MBA and conseque...
#TBT The most comprehensive book on alarm watches ALARM AM ARM
ALARM AM ARM (“Alarm on the wrist”) is a must-have book for alarm watch enthusiasts featuring nearly 2000 watch models.Did you know there are more than two thousand different alarm watches around? This number comes from the man who wrote a four-kilogram book on this topic. His story started exactly like mine. We both just wanted to learn more about mechanical alarm watches. The difference? He had the same problem, but around 20 years ago. Hats off to him for embarking on this journey in times when the internet was not what it is today.The world of alarm watchesHis name is Leonhard Beitl, a humble collector and devoted watch explorer that spent the past 20 years of his life creati...
Hot Take: The First Yema Superman GMT
Vox populi. La voix des gens. The voice of the people. Or more precisely, the voice of the fans. Last year the French brand Yema decided to follow up on numerous requests and kicked off initial work on a GMT version of the popular Superman Heritage.Yema Superman GMT comes from a collective mindThe final watch design was developed in close collaboration with fans and friends of the Yema brand. Yema created a special platform called Yema CoLabs especially for this purpose. Every step was discussed with the community and design changes pivoted based on their votes. This is nothing revolutionary for various other industries, but it is still somewhat unique in the watch world. We are just glad to...
Hot Take: TAG Heuer Monaco 1989C1999 Limited Edition
Introducing the TAG Heuer Monaco 1989C1999 Limited Edition, the third watch in a series of five to celebrate the model’s 50th anniversary.The TAG Heuer Monaco 1989C1999 Limited Edition is here and closely follows the first “green” piece released at the Monaco Grand Prix attributed to the 1970’s and the second “red” piece shown at Le Mans, which was dedicated to the 1980’s. This time, TAG chose New York City as its place of introduction right before the Formula E race to be held on the city streets.TAG Heuer Monaco 1989C1999 Limited Edition – 90’s StyleThe TAG Heuer Monaco 1989C1999 Limited Edition is once again limited to 169 pieces and b...
This Week in Watches: July 11, 2020 Summer Edition
It’s Summer and what better way to celebrate than to check out some new watches? This Week in Watches for July 11, 2020 is here so let’s cannonball into the local lake and take a look.Frederique Constant Runabout RHS Chronograph AutomaticSummer and boating make perfect sense and Frederique Constant is bringing the two together with its new Runabout RHS Chronograph. Since 2009, Constant has worked with the Riva Historical Society (RHS) in order to preserve these magical wooden speedboats. These new chronographs commemorate that partnership. Available with either a dark grey or silver?guilloche dial, each 42mm chronograph will be made in an edition of 2,888 pieces. A small wooden b...
You Asked Us: Can Watches Be Polished?
On the surface, the answer to this question is pretty obvious. Yes, of course, watches can be polished, but it is not always a good idea. And that is especially true of vintage timepieces for a couple of reasons. Let's dig into those now. As always, please feel free to share your own personal experiences of polishing success and horror stories in the comments section below.I love watches in excellent condition. When it comes to buying pre-loved pieces, I always place dial and handset condition right at the very top of my list. I'm a little less militant when it comes to case condition, simply because one has to be. But that's not to say I don't steer clear of battered wrecks that will never ...
Fratello On Air: WASP 9.7 NHL, NBA, Le Tour, Euro 2020 (2021)
Fridge and Freezer return after a short break with an hour of top-quality sports chat, as several competitions get down to the sharp end.In an impassioned exchange, Balazs question’s Rob’s right to support England in Euro 2020 given his Irish birth, while Bobbysled Bobby defends himself on the grounds of dual nationality and his upbringing having been blighted by the national woe of being so thoroughly incompetent when it comes to major tournaments....