Juvo A1 Watch Winder A Hands On Review
It's been a long time since we last reviewed a watch winder. Today we will take a closer look at the winder from a brand that slowly but steadily became a household name in the watch accessories industry; Juvo. Surely there are many different makers out there. From the $50 eBay winders to the luxury customizable products that cost more than an average high-end watch. With Juvo you get a bit of both for a very attractive price in amazingly high quality. Our review focuses on the Juvo A1, their entry level, single watch winder. Let's have a closer look at it.Juvo A1Sometimes it is very hard to choose from the mass of product offerings you come across when you search for a winder. Something has...
This Week in Watches July 13, 2019
Gruss Gott, watch Sammler, it’s time for This Week in Watches for July 13, 2019.Ah yes, and we’re back this week with a look at all the news that’s occurred over the last half fortnight.? Do you want to know something?? No?? Too bad because this is my space.? I’ve become a bit of a rabid fan of cricket and have kept abreast of all things during this year’s World Cup that will come to an end tomorrow.? Will England or New Zealand claim victory tomorrow?? Let’s see, but I will be watching from a barstool in an Irish pub somewhere – strangely, British pubs just don’t seem to make it outside out of Britain with quite the regularity of those houses ...
Watch On Your Wrist? Fratello Instagram Contest 2020 Round 5
Welcome back to our Watch On Your Wrist? Instagram extravaganza! Tag your watch snaps with #fratellowatches to be in with a chance to win!Every week, we select four images. You can vote in the article for your favorite image. The winner moves on to the semi-final round (held every fifth week between the previous four weekly winners). Win that and you’re into the final, which will be held at the end of the year. There will be five finalists in 2020 and ten from next year on.Basically, if you like winning things - and there will be a prize for the champion of 2020 - this year represents your best shot. So get snapping, get tagging, and get sharing. And don’t forget to vote for your...
10 Watches We Should Forget About
10 watches that we need to erase from our memory. It wasn’t an easy task, to be honest. There are more than 10 for sure… Not everyone likes the same watch. Not everyone has to like the same watch, that's perhaps even more important. But which watches really do deserve to be wiped from our memories? Let us know if you agree in the comments section below…Let me start by saying that some of these watches simply should not have existed in the first place. They were never in style, they were trouble, or just because they did the brand damage. Without further ado, let's have a go at the 10 watches we should forget about. We’ll start with one of the big boys…Patek Phil...
Casio G-Shock Negative Vs. Positive Displays
Ever since Mr. Kikuo Ibe designed a watch according to his Triple-10 concept, Casio G-Shock watches have been immensely popular. While younger generations prefer colorful and cool designs, more conservative people and watch collectors tend to hold on to the original Square concept of the eighties.On Fratello, that popularity is expressed in the high-traffic numbers for articles like the G-Shock Square For Starters. Not only that, our industry colleagues clearly feel the same about these watches as we do. Like, for instance, Revolution, Hodinkee, and Kristian Haagen, who even sell them in their shops. So many people love them. From watch aficionados all the way to world leaders. On all levels...
Herve Alvia Watch Gets Brand Off To A Flying Start
Whenever a new brand enters the fray, it should aim to make some noise around its debut release. To a background of engines revving, glasses clinking, and minds meeting in rapturous conversation, the Herve Alvia steps forth. The brand’s creators hope it will appeal to everyone. But exactly how have they gone about creating a product capable of just that?I’ve been in many a start-up meeting when a potential investor, glaring across the table at some young genius, asks the would-be entrepreneur to describe their target audience. This question is often met with one of three things. Either a shrug (bad), a well-rehearsed answer zeroing in a specific demographic (good), or a free-whee...
Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Ultraman 3 Years On (2021)
Last weekend, on July 10th, it was three years ago that we - together with Omega - introduced the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Ultraman, or ST2. In this article, I look back on that special day, and on the Speedmaster ST2.ST1 and ST2 side-by-sideSpeedy Tuesday UltramanA few months after the successful launch of the first Speedy Tuesday, the Tribute to Alaska III (or ST1), we had another idea for a special Speedmaster watch. The idea was for a watch that should be a nod to the rare Speedmaster Ultraman, which is basically a standard Speedmaster Professional 145.012 with an orange chronograph second hand. A lot of extras were added to the Speedy Tuesday Ultraman, including a luminous silhouette ...
New: TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition (2021)
When talking about watch collecting, it’s important to remember why we’re in this hobby: to have fun. At least that should be why. Yes, let’s admit, it can be easy to get into heated debates over which brand has the finest movement finishing, the slickest adjustable clasp, or even, *gasp*, the highest resale value. But when it’s all said and done, it’s always best to view our personal watches as things that bring us joy. After all, there’s something to be said for the guy who rounds off his box of Pateks and Langes with a Gerald Genta Mickey Mouse Retro Fantasy just because it makes him smile.To me, the new TAG Heuer Connected Super Mario Limited Edition h...
50 Years Later, The Zenith Chronomaster Original (2021)
It’s been more than a week since the new Zenith Chronomaster Original dropped. I took some time to gather my thoughts on what has quickly become one of my favorite 2021 releases. Do I have any reservations? Let’s see!So, a person walks into the local Omega AD or boutique. He or she casually browses the display cases, but, meanwhile, this person knows exactly what they want. The Speedmaster Professional is the watch that will find its way to this buyer’s wrist. A ritual like this has been going on since the late 1960s because this is the legendary watch most associate with Omega.The A386 came…and wentNow, shift to Zenith, and while space exploration isn’t a part ...
The New Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver Titanium Limited Edition
If you've found yourself watching the entry-level tool watch space over the past couple of years, you will almost certainly be familiar with Zodiac. Having made quite a strong comeback, the brand now brings out its latest offering, celebrating 140 years of Zodiac watches. The watch in question is the limited-edition Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver Titanium. Like many of Zodiac's watches, it has the charm of a quirky microbrand offering, but (as the anniversary indicates) also the heritage of a long-standing watchmaker. Zodiac's recent success has come from its faithful reissuing of some of its most eye-catching models from the ’60s and ’70s. And looking at the path Zodiac has set for it...
New: Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture
Big is back for 2022! But for Greubel Forsey, it never went away, and for good reason. I used the misunderstood term “maximalism” in my headline, sorry. This time, though, I mean it as a compliment of the highest order. Big-cased wrist statements don't come any better than a GF, even if they remain out of reach for most of us. But dreams are free, right? And the new Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture will provide plenty of inspiration.Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey understand one of the most important aspects of Haute Horlogerie that’s so close to my heart. It's the reason that their Hand Made 1 is my forever-unattainable grail watch. They are aware of th...
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 On The Forstner Model J
It's time for another edition of Strap Check where we pair our watches with some sort of wrist-encompassing device. Today's duo, however, is a bit different because the focus isn't on a strap at all. It's bracelet time with the Forstner Model J, and I've decided to link it to something controversial. Will the all-stainless Model J work with the silver bullet? Yes, it's high time that the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 gets a bracelet.The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 debuted in 2021, and to say it was unexpected would be an understatement. A 92.5% silver watch in 2021? Seemingly so and, unsurprisingly, the watch was met with polarizing opinion. A year later, people are positive about the ...
The New Christopher Ward C60 Trident Pro 300 Bronze
If you’re like me, you might think that Christopher Ward created one of the best professional dive watches under $2,000. The C60 Trident Pro 300, which Jorg covered almost a year ago, does come with many bells and whistles. Among many others are a comfortable case, great specs, and a distinct look that makes the C60 Trident Pro 300 unmistakably Christopher Ward. The British brand also has the habit of releasing bronze versions of its bestsellers, offering unique color combinations. In that spirit, Christopher Ward just announced a 42mm bronze ombre version of the C60 Trident Pro 300, a new edition that we're going to talk about here. The C60 Trident Pro 300 - the perfect platform for a...
#TBT Wearing A Vintage Watch For A Classic Car Rally?
Dear readers, I’m going on a rally adventure, and I’d like your assistance. I’ve shortlisted four watches to pick from, each with pros and some with cons. An Omega and an Oris are my two modern options, while a Seiko and a Gallet are my two vintage candidates. Help me choose one.I turned 40 last week. It was a strange feeling, but I guess anyone who has crossed that bridge can relate. I was surprised at how much I thought about the “milestone” a few days before it happened. I don’t want to go into much detail, but I just want to pinpoint the fact that I didn’t think about watches at all. Serious thoughts about how I spent the last ten years and how I...
New: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph
Sometimes you need to start very close up to appreciate the big picture. The best way to appreciate a Roger Dubuis watch that comes with the Poin?on de Genve stamp of approval is by doing just that. The exterior design of the new Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph (DBEX1046) is as loud, bold, and exuberant as you would expect. But even if the polarizing design language of the Meyrin-based brand is too extreme for your liking, the RD780 movement inside the new watch - Roger Dubuis’s fifth chronograph caliber and its first with a flyback function - will enchant even the most skeptical watch aficionados.An inside-out approach to looking at watches is only appropriate when dealing with ...
Be A Watch Aficionado Without Being A Purist
As admirers of watches, at times, it seems hard for us not to become judgmental and defensive. But that is not what being a watch aficionado is all about. I would like to argue that it is a trap that can ruin our individual experience and that of others. It is the purism trap, and it is something to avoid. The key, I think, is to be a watch aficionado without being a watch purist. Let's explore this!I think we can reach enlightenment in this watch hobby if we remind ourselves of a few basic principles now and then. In fact, these ideas apply to any hobby. The key is to strive for joy over anything else - especially over being right.Purism is a problemPeople often seem to follow a specific pa...
Fratello Talks: A Summertime PSA For All Watch Enthusiasts
Welcome to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we offer you, our dear Fratelli, a public service announcement: get your watches tested for water resistance before jumping into the pool/sea/ocean this summer!...
Introducing: The TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper
Today, we have news of the TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper, a watch that many of us did not see coming. The watch takes its cues from an ultra-rare 1968 Heuer model of the same name that sets the vintage world abuzz whenever one comes to auction. Consequently, creating a serial-production model inspired by an almost-mythical historical piece was a real surprise indeed. Let’s assess whether TAG has met the mark or not.TAG Heuer, by virtue of its association with Heuer, boasts one of the more legendary back catalogs of any brand. While the bulk of the old-time racing chronographs may not inspire discussions about precision watchmaking, they resonate on a very different and perhaps more importa...
Hands-On: The Tull Filthy 13
I sat on a stool in a Brooklyn dive bar on a rainy Wednesday evening, sipping a Negroni. Two of my friends were with me as we just had dinner a few hours earlier in a nearby restaurant. We were chatting, enjoying our drinks, and eagerly waiting for someone (who shall remain nameless) to pull up with a special package in his bag. When our friend arrived, we quickly moved to a table, turned our phones into flashlights, and started to examine the pack. It was a handful of prototype watches from a newly formed brand. That was the first time I saw the Tuul Filthy 13.Fast-forward to a month later in Geneva. As fate would have it, I was at another bar, the famous (or infamous) Grand Duke, with one ...
Hands-On: The Nodus Raven TrailTrekker Clay GMT
Sometimes, a hands-on experience will turn you from a critic to an enthusiast. I had seen the gray Nodus Raven TrailTrekker in photos and wasn’t sure what to expect. This collaborative effort from the American brands Nodus and Raven looks like a watch drawing influences from one we know all too well. But after wearing the watch for two weeks, I can honestly say that the visual resemblance to an industry classic is nothing to worry about. The main worry should be how soon to get your hands on this temporarily unavailable special edition. The Nodus Raven TrailTrekker Clay is an awesome and affordable adventurer’s GMT. Let me explain why I think this is such a great watch.Straight o...