Watch Strap Review Part 20. Straps from BaselWorld 2016
StrapsBy now, you’ve likely read every article about all the latest releases from BaselWorld 2016. I will not introduce any brand's novelties in this article but instead will focus on something we tend to look over during all the hype that surrounds us during the fair. This month's Watch Strap Review will be a special edition about the different straps we've seen during the show last month. Don't worry, next month we are back on track with yet another strap maker, and a really good one at that. For now however let's discuss what we saw during that crazy week in mid-March in the busy city of Basel.Last few yearsI got into watches when I was a kid but the hobby really took off in 2007 wh...
#TBT The Sandoz Depth Master AKA The Baby Panerai
This week's #TBT takes a look at a watch that just might seem familiar to you. Familiar how? Well, first off, aside from dial variations, this diver was marketed by many brands. Second, this oft-used case looks an awful lot like a miniature version of a famous brand from Florence, Italy. Today, we'll examine a Sandoz Depth Master, the so-called Sandoz Baby Panerai. However, while this watch may sport a diminutive call name, its specs are anything but miniscule.An original advertisement for the Nivada Depth MasterThe Sandoz Depth Master Began Production in 1963We've taken a look at a number of historic dive watches on Fratello Watches with a definite focus on pieces that introduced some sort ...
Hands-On With The Sinn 103 Sa B E Limited Edition of 500 Pieces
The Sinn 103 is a classic. And this classic just became better with the limited edition 103 Sa B E version that was introduced at Baselworld last month. It didn’t take long for me to consider adding this watch to my personal collection and that does not happen often.I often feel like a kid in a candy story at Basel during the annual fair, but as you know there’s only so much that one’s wallet allows. Although I loved gazing at the latest Patek Philippe Nautilus or GMT-Master II in Everrose gold, there are definitely limitations on what I am able to purchase. This is why I also love to look at watches that are more realistically priced for us ordinary mortals. And that̵...
This Week in Watches April 13, 2019
Hello neighbors, welcome back to This Week in Watches for April 13, 2019.Did you miss last week's episode of This Week in Watches?? Well, I missed me too, but as much as I love jawing at you fine folks, there was simply nothing to talk about last weekend.? Plus, I was still feeling good about myself for playing a dirty April Fool’s trick on you about the demise of the steel Submariner.? It was clickbait for sure yes, I am guilty because something like 200,000 of you poured onto the site to read about the death of a watch you can't buy anyhow!? Well, don't worry, the Submariner and the rest of the enigmatic group of steel sports watches are still around.? They're ready to jump onto the...
Omega Seamaster Automatic CK 2657 52Mondayz, Week #16-2020
It's Easter Monday, we have a bank holiday, the weather is excellent, yet we still have to stay inside. Despite what’s going on outside, I still need to pick a watch to wear for the week. Believe it or not, it will be my vintage Omega Seamaster Automatic reference CK 2657.I love vintage. Not just watches. Anything. Cars, bikes, quirky objects, you name it. I have more vintage watches than new ones. So, going with a timepiece from a bygone era is a no-brainer for me. Although I have to say going with a watch in general kind of was. Because, let's be honest, who wears a watch these days?Seamaster Automatic CK 2657So, this week will be a challenge that I'm ready to take. The watch I picke...
Pedrozo & Piriz Brand Building In Uncertain Times
Starting a new brand is never easy. Starting a new brand in the current climate? Well, some would say that’s brave, some would say it’s stupid, but no one would deny it’s ambitious. Meet Adrian Pedrozo, the founder (and optimistic steward) of Pedrozo & Piriz.Adrian spends the majority of his time hanging around Geneva, dreaming up watch designs. As it happened, my recent trip to Grenchen coincided with Adrian being in the area, so we caught up with each other in a strange little bar to talk about watches. The resulting transcript is included below. If you’ve got any questions about the interview or Adrian’s new brand, shoot us a message in the comments secti...
Forstner Bands: An Astronaut Favorite Available Again
Much has been written about the role of the Omega Speedmaster during the space program. It passed NASA's rigorous testing. It was worn on the moon. And who could forget how it timed the life-saving maneuvers during Apollo 13? It rightfully earned its place in the hearts and on the wrists of watch fans around the globe. But what of Forstner bands? The timeless Komfit bracelet returns…Lesser known, except perhaps by the most die-hard enthusiasts, is the watch bracelet selected by NASA and worn by astronauts throughout the space program. The Forstner Komfit expandable mesh watch band (later branded JB Champion) deserves its place in Space exploration history.The History of the Komfit Band...
March Mania Giveaway Winner Announced! Fratello Watches
The moment everyone has been waiting for has come. Today we announce the winner of the competition. Firstly, we'd like to thank all of you that entered our March Mania giveaway and helped to make it such a huge success. Your engagement, votes, and, of course, comments are everything to us.The person who saw this comingCzapek’s Adelie is the most beautiful creature ever made by the Watch Gods, it is as simple as that, I want her, need her, and someday she will be by my side…Does that look familiar, watch fans? That’s right, it is one of 60+ comments left by Ron_W throughout the March Mania tournament. In a legend-making move, Ron_W predicted the victor long before anyone els...
My Next Omega Speedmaster Is An Often Overlooked Model
Ever since the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon came out (in 2013), I’ve known I would need to acquire it at some point. I am not talking about one of the recent variations, but the original one. The OG of Dark Sides. Here’s my love letter to that watch.This might come a bit unexpected, because my focus is collecting Omega Speedmaster Professional watches, or at least models that are in the line of Moonwatch descendants. And yes, I do have a Mark II, Speedmaster 125, Speedmaster LCD, Speedmaster X-33, etc. that are already the odd ones in my theme. When Omega introduced the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon in 2013, with its case diameter of 44.25mm, I was smitten by it. The all...
Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph AMADEE-20 A Watch for Mars
Fortis is a name known equally to fans of aviation and/or watches. The Grenchen-based brand has been involved with air squadrons and space flights for decades. Today, however, it is releasing a watch that might reach beyond the ISS theoretically speaking. How come? Well, the new Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph AMADEE-20 is, in a pretty direct way, part of the Mars exploration project.To be precise, it is the official timepiece of the AMADEE-20 Mars simulation mission. As such, the operation of this Fortis timepiece might directly impact and support the human race on their way to Mars.?AMADEE-20Later this year, the Austrian Space Forum will be conducting an integrated Mars analog field...
The New Patek Philippe In-Line Perpetual Calendar 5236P-001 Is An Extremely Satisfying Sight
Ah, don’t you love it when everything just falls neatly into place? Isn’t it a joy when things that never were, suddenly appear and feel as if they’ve been present all along? I love it when that happens. It is not the most seldom sensation in watchmaking, but it is one of the industry’s finest. The satisfaction one feels when viewing something so tidily realized for the first time is, I would imagine, akin to an athlete’s sensation of victory. It feels like it was all worth it. The hours spent hammering away at the keys, twiddling screwdrivers at the bench, and peering through shop windows longingly are at once justified. The new Patek Philippe In-Line Perpetual...
Herms Gets All Sporty With The Cushion-Shaped H08 In Titanium
It's one of the few independent luxury Maisons that plots its own course. But that doesn't mean Herms doesn't know what’s happening in the world around them. Sports watches for instance are what's happening. Their new cushion-shaped H08 in titanium is a sports watch that doesn't get lost in the crowd.Herms H08Let's first address the elephant in the room. The all-new Herms H08 doesn't come on a leather strap. Herms, arguably most famous for its craftmanship and artistry in leather, didn't kit out the new H08 with a leather strap. No calf, no ostrich and no alligator. No sustainable vegan leather either. Rubber in two colors and a titanium bracelet is what you’ll find on the H0...
Would You Really Buy The New Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K For Nearly $17K?
When it comes to new releases, Tudor easily sits in the top echelon for “most anticipated” each and every year. 2021 was no different and the brand brought some new wares to Watches and Wonders. This year, they defied all predictions and released some truly different things. The Black Bay Fifty-Eight 18K was and is still a real shock - we’re here to find out what you think of this audacious release!About a week ago, Tudor put a teaser on their website proclaiming that new watches were on the way. The image showed a plume of black and red smoke. Naturally, this led many (including my buddy Spence) down the path of a “Coke” GMT. For good or for bad, fans of “...
Fortis In Space: To The Stratosphere And Beyond! (2022)
Last November, Dave and I headed north to the Swedish Space Corporation’s Arctic Circle base, Esrange. There, we rendezvoused with the team from Fortis. The brand’s goal? To launch 13 watch movements into the stratosphere to determine precisely what conditions those watches would meet as they came close to slipping Earth’s grasp entirely.Everyone knows that?the “space watch” is the Omega Speedmaster, right? Famously, Omega’s stalwart racing chronograph performed best in all the tests to which NASA subjected the watches submitted to it for analysis. However, although the fabled Speedy performed best, it didn’t actually?pass all of those tests.https://...
Norqain Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm Unisex Model
Norqain was tipped as “one to watch” when it first emerged. That kind of attention usually attracts both fans and skeptics. This family-owned independent brand has grown by leaps and bounds since its founding in 2018, demonstrating all the promising signs. I know from my own experience that establishing an independent watch company is no mean feat, even in the best of times - no matter how deep a pocket and how many insider connections one has. Any upstarts that could turn fully-fledged in such a short space of time, in the face of the pandemic, deserve respect. Would you have the guts and dexterity to pull it off?One way to make it happen would be if one has something special to...
Starting A Watch Collection With $10K: Dave's Top 3 Picks
When you’re not spending your own money, or, in this case, spending money that doesn’t exist, you’re less inhibited by the value of the cash. If I had $10,000 to splurge, I would firmly have one eye on trying to have some money left over. However, in this case, I am ready to spend, spend, spend! So, with this fictitious $10,000 burning a heavy hole in my pocket, what three watches would I buy to create one wholesome watch collection?It’s always quite a fun game to play, spending money you don’t have. I find myself doing so regularly, and not just on watches. I enjoy browsing the seven-figure property market from time to time. There’s me, counting the penni...
Tudor Black Bay Pro The Poor Man's Explorer II 1655
Do you think Tudor is cool? Well, personally I’m starting to doubt it. Tudor wanted to make me believe it's a cool brand, and for quite some time, it succeeded. But now, with the introduction of the Black Bay Pro, it feels that Tudor finally shows its real face once more. The new GMT watch, which looks so very much like the coveted Explorer II 1655 Freccione, marks a return to Tudor's old self. Whereas a Black Bay Fifty-Eight in navy blue, for example, gives you the feeling you're looking at an original design, the Black Bay Pro represents a different reality. Yes, though your watch might look like a , it is, in fact, a Tudor - a more affordable version. Is Tudor again offering a sort...
Available Now: The Fratello Straum Jan Mayen Limited Edition
Last week, we introduced our latest watch collaboration. For me, it’s one of the most exciting as it’s been such a long time coming. As we’ve said before, such projects take time to come together. Still, this one has been in the pipeline for quite a while, and I’m immensely proud to introduce the Fratello Straum Jan Mayen Limited Edition, available to pre-order now in the Fratello Shop! Over 12 months in the making, this watch is a labor of love and passion for the intrepid adventurers at Straum and the Fratello team.After we were big fans and supporters of their initial release in 2021, Lasse and ?ystein were receptive to working with Fratello on their follow-up rele...
Introducing The Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Marron
The Baltic Aquascaphe is the French brand’s popular dive watch that has won the hearts of many watch enthusiasts. If you ever make a shortlist of stylish, affordable dive watches, the chances are high that this will be on it. I love the looks of this retro-inspired diver a lot, and we have seen multiple executions of the watch. Among them were two bronze versions that debuted three years ago. Now Baltic decided to change things up and create a new bronze execution. The Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Marron introduces a brown dial and combines it with a black sapphire bezel insert to create a stylish new look for the Aquascaphe.Much to my shame, I must admit that I had kind of forgotten about...
#TBT This Unknown Wyler Is A Vintage Masterpiece
I can easily find ten reasons why this Wyler watch could fetch up to $3,000. Do you know what the best part is? If you are lucky enough, you can find it in the wild for about a tenth of that price. That’s because only a few collectors care. Let’s look into it a bit more.I don’t like talking about the monetary value of watches because I don’t believe that’s what our hobby should be about. Well, here I am, talking about the value anyway. I am thinking now about how I got there. The reason is that I have been wearing this Wyler watch for the last few days and it got under my skin. I realized how different it is from anything “standard” that I usually we...