Come Flying With The IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar (2021)
A woman or man who's in charge of a large transcontinental aircraft, its crew, and its passengers deserves a watch that underlines that person's role. A Big Pilot could do the job when you're piloting a single-seater, but when cruising wide-body passenger jets, a complicated Big Pilot is more fitting. And while I'm no captain, I went soaring high above the clouds with the IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar anyway.I must admit I had some problems during take-off. I mean not actually becoming airborne, but putting on the XL complicated Big Pilot took some effort. Not that the combination of calfskin strap and folding clasp are difficult to understand or operate, but because it takes some time to...
Seiko Prospex 1986 Quartz Diver's 35th Anniversary Limited (2021)
A titanium Tuna wrapped in ceramic is a dish best served 1,000 meters underwater. In 1986 Seiko introduced the first diver's watch with a ceramic outer case and the lightweight, corrosion resistant titanium case housed a quartz movement. The 1,000 water resistance of the watch made it suitable for saturation divers. And this watch comes back to the surface with the Seiko Prospex 1986 Quartz Diver's 35th Anniversary Limited Edition watch. The S23635J1 is a reborn and tweaked Tuna.As you might well know, Prospex is a combination of the words professional and specifications. The nickname Tuna was first heard back in 1975 when Seiko introduced a large round mechanical diver's watch without lugs....
Introducing: Zenith Calibre 135 Observatoire Limited Edition
If you’re anything like me, your first knowledge of Zenith watches came through a discovery of the legendary El Primero. No doubt, the world’s first high-beat automatic chronograph has been the brand’s cornerstone since 1969. But what was the manufacture from Le Locle doing in the decades before the El Primero changed the chronograph game forever? Oh, ya know, just making some of the most precise chronometer wristwatch movements that the world had ever seen! Today, Zenith celebrates its most awarded chronometer with the release of the Calibre 135 Observatoire Limited Edition. This 10-piece collaboration with Phillips and Kari Voutilainen harks back to Zenith’s fascina...
Everyday Carry Essentials: Adolfo Dominguez, Ray-Ban, And Gucci
Before I begin telling you all about my personal everyday carry essentials, I first want to give you a little bit of context. My relationship with the idea of EDC has always been a somewhat tumultuous one with two sides to it. One side consists of the objects that I carry on my person, and the other is what I carry with me. To me, carrying around a lot of gear is certainly not synonymous with happiness. Nothing beats the feeling of a summer day when you leave your phone at home, carrying nothing with you but your wallet and house keys. That said, I seem to have picked the wrong job for someone who enjoys minimalist, unburdened freedom. As a watch journalist, you have to be well equipped. And...
Strap Check: The Autodromo "Mustard" Saffiano Rally Strap
All right, I’ll be honest with you from the get-go: I got this watch and all these straps during one of Autodromo’s Black Friday sales. It was just a very good way to deal with those import taxes. I had been looking at Autodromo as a brand for years though, even before really getting into watches. The brand’s Group B and Stradale watches had really caught my attention, but I never pulled the trigger until I saw this beautiful Nassau blue Intereuropa. Little did I know that one of the straps I ordered with would actually make the watch look even more beautiful!Autodromo’s tagline - “Instruments For Motoring” - is actually a very good description of what the...
Buying Guide: Finding The Right Vintage Datejust For You
Chasing a vintage watch is one of the most rewarding pursuits within this shared passion of ours. It can also be one of the most daunting. That’s why, in this article, I will try to provide some guidance for when you find yourself longing for a vintage Datejust. And let's face it, we all find ourselves in that position at some point in our watch-collecting journeys.I have spent roughly 14 months studying examples of vintage Datejusts from the 1945C1990 era. This was part of an effort to document the rich history of this influential watch. The project resulted in a book, The vintage Datejust buyer's & collector's guide, released in the spring of 2022. Here, I will distill the con...
The King Seiko Lineup Sees Two Brand-New Additions (2022)
Seiko brought back the King Seiko collection in 2020, reviving a name that Seiko aficionados around the world held dear. The limited-edition KSK SJE083 was succeeded by a collection of regular-production models at the beginning of this year. These were surprisingly faithful reproductions of the original King Seiko KSK from the ’60s.I liked them a lot. So much, in fact, that I put my own money towards buying one, which I wear with joy. Now, Seiko releases two new expansions to the King Seiko collection.King Seiko Limited Edition SJE087The first addition to the collection is a spiritual successor to the SJE083 from 2020. This is a special edition, limited to 1,700 pieces. That makes it a...
Fratello's Top 5 Seiko 5 Sports Limited Editions
Another Friday, another Top 5! In this series, we take one watch or watch series and choose our five favorite references ever produced. This week, it’s time for the second of three articles on the Seiko 5 line. Last week, I focused on the regular-production Seiko 5 Sports models that are currently available. The result was a solid list of Seiko 5 Sports references that show the great diversity of the line. But this week, we’ll turn it up to 11 when it comes to diversity. The modern Seiko 5 Sports line is the perfect canvas for a wild variety of different creative designs. It’s why we want to focus on our favorite limited editions, which are often also collaborative efforts....
The Arken Alterum Is A Tough Titanium Travel Timer
During the uncertain years of the global pandemic, many of us dreamed of getting back out into the world. And while we dreamed, Kenneth Lam of Arken Watch Co. was doing a little more than that. He put pen to paper and brought his vision to life. This resulted in the creation of the Arken brand and its debut timepiece, the Instrumentum, a 300m-rated titanium diver with an integrated bracelet and a stark, distinctive design. Today, we were introduced to the Arken Alterum. This sequel comes less than a year after the launch of that first watch and just so happens to be a perfect post-pandemic travel companion.Rounding off the brand’s two-watch catalog nicely, this new offering builds on t...
The Vintage Grand Seiko 57GS Self-Dater
Our journey through vintage Japanese watches continues today with the Grand Seiko 57GS Self-Dater, a chronometer-certified gem from the 1960s. The watch brought new functionality to the Grand Seiko line, and it’s one that we now take for granted.We’re back again with another vintage Japanese watch, and yes, it’s a look at a high-end piece from 1964, which is nearly 60 years ago. I do like to keep a tally, and thus far, I’ve reviewed the King Seiko 44-9990 and 4420-9990. Both of these are manual-wind beauties, and the latter boasts a chronometer certification. I’ve also shared the Grand Seiko 62GS, the brand’s first automatic. Today, we’ll allow Grand...
Hands-On With The Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Auto
I got to spend some time with the Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Auto in green, a diver with a dial that combines the previous big trend (green) with the latest one (fume). So if you want your dive watch hip and happening, this is your watch. This begs the question: is it all show and no go? Or is this truly the diver to get this summer?If green fume isn't your jam, you can pick a version with a white dial and blue bezel, a full-blue model, or a black variant. The green one, however, is arguably the most distinctive version. In black or blue, this is a watch that could get lost in an ocean of archetypal divers. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let's have a closer look at the Hamilton Khaki Navy ...
Fratello Talks: On Location At Manbodh Watches
It’s not every day we run into someone wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Watch from 2002. But when you meet Jerrel Manbodh of Manbodh Watches, chances are good that you will see him wearing that special Royal Oak watch made of Alacrite.Royal Oak Concept Watch on a PloProf braceletOn location at Manbodh WatchesFor this Fratello Talks podcast, we went on location with Manbodh at his watch boutique. We talk about the watch business, the development in the vintage and pre-owned market over the last few years, and, of course, about his favorite watches....
With Rising Watch Prices, Here Are Affordable Gems I'd Buy
Watch prices are rising, and these are economically uncertain times. Perhaps we should consider looking for horological fun a little further afield. If that sounds like a good idea to you, read on.I don’t know about you, but I have noticed a shift in my area over the last six months or so. People are being hit hard by the rising costs of basic goods, including groceries and petrol. In my home country of Australia, inflation has been up around 3.5%. This is according to figures from the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook.But that only tells a limited story. In Australia, inflation has seen the cost of critical basic goods rise more than 7% this year (and 7.8% the...
Panerai Submersible Luna Rossa Vs. Tudor Pelagos Alinghi
At the end of August, the official opening of the 37th America’s Cup will take place in Barcelona. Six sailing teams will compete against each other, and a few of them are backed by big names in the watch industry. Today, we’ll put two of those brands up against each other - Panerai and Tudor. The members of the Luna Rossa team will be wearing a Submersible QuarantaQuattro Ti-Ceramic, and on the wrists of the members of the Alinghi team will be the Pelagos FXD Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition. Which one would you pick?Of course, Omega is also “competing” in the America’s Cup with its Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Chronograph Deep Black ETNZ Edition. However, we tho...
Crazy Planet
Master watchmaker Franz Wolff (Lottermann & S?e??hne) created the Crazy Planet. With ????Crazy Planet???? – developed and produced entirely in house – Blancier is once again introducing a watch of unparalleled world class.The most important wheels of the Crazy Planet are laid out in a planet orbit formation. In normal mechanical watches, all wheels are invisible, hidden under the watch face. Blancier has made wheels visible by displaying the workings on top of the watch face. This Tourbillon-like design, in which wheels have actually been incorporated into the hands, makes Crazy Planet not only technically impressive but also aesthetically attractive....
My Watch over at The Watch Lounge
The Watch Lounge asked for a short story about my favorite watch and for what reason it is my favorite watch. Although this watch has been covered here numerous times, it might be a nice read for my fellow AP Royal Oak adepts and Gerald Genta disciples. ??Click here to read the article over at The Watch Lounge....
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback
During Baselworld last year, Blancpain presented the modernised version, or reinterpreted' according to Blancpain, of their well known Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe. Originally created in the late 1950s as a dive watch that also could be used for daily wear. This year Blancpain added a new member to the family in the shape of a chronograph. The?Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback.Although the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback has an updated appearance?it still holds?the aesthetic DNA from the original Fifty Fathoms model. The rectangular shaped hands still resemble the 1950s version. Same goes for the hour markers on the domed dial. They are designed...
Will the 'Cle de Cartier' live up to my expectations?
Cartier made huge progress with their own calibers during the last 9 years.?Complication after complication was presented at the SIHH in Geneva and I think I am right in saying that with the launch of the new Cle de Cartier watch – powered by?their new automatic 1847MC movement – the total amount of ‘Made by Cartier’ calibers reaches over 40 now.Cartier?has since the beginning of 1900 a beautiful collection of watch cases, of which many are still in production. Most of them however, were rectangle or square shaped and since more and more calibers with complications are being developed by Cartier, the need?for round mens cases, to house these calibers, became more urge...
Hands-On with the Fortis Aeromaster Steel Chronograph
During Basel World 2016 Mike already gave you a summary of the latest novelties we've seen from Fortis this year. It is no secret that we?have a soft spot for the brand. Not because we have to, just because in recent years the company completely changed its orientation. And we are loving it. I will be clear with you, Fortis to me has always been an interesting brand, a name that has been around for over 100 years now but I could not keep up with their collections?and different watches. It was a bit crowded and overflowing in my opinion.Luckily, I wasn't the only one who felt about the brand that way, the guys at Fortis also thought it was time for a change. Last year we already reported abou...
Four Highlights Of The Upcoming Fortuna Auction On June 5th
This coming Wednesday, June 5th, the Fortuna Exchange auction will take place again. A monthly live auction where you can bid on watches. In this month, Fortuna offers no less than 153 watches of which we selected 4 to show you: Explorer 1016, GMT-Master 165, Omega Seamaster 300 165.024 and a Zenith A. Cairelli CP-2.Let’s start with the last one, the Zenith chronograph for the Italian Airforce.Zenith A. Cairelli CP-2 ChronographIf you’re not into vintage watches, you might recognize this model anyway as Zenith did a re-edition of the CP-2 not that long ago (we reviewed it here). This particular watch, however, was sold in the 1960s by the Italian defence contractor, A. Cairelli...