I have never cared much about Rado watches because of the lack of mechanical movements. Just recently my attention was drawn to the re-introduction of the Rado Diastar with automatic movement. I also noted that Rado introduced their high-tech ceramic Sintra watch with an automatic movement. Well, finally :-). I??have to??admit that I like the concept of unscratchable watches by using ceramic mater

As most of you probably are member of LinkedIn, please join the ‘Passion for Watches’-group! If you are not a member of LinkedIn, consider signing up.. it’s a great (free of charge) platform to stay in touch with business partners, former colleagues, to search for people (either recruitment or subject experts) and for business opportunities.Anyway, let’s get together in the

Heuer – or TAG Heuer – only got limited attention here at Fratellowatches, but that’s going to change today. Recently, I had the opportunity to see the Heuer 300 SLR and TAG Heuer Carrera Caliber 1887 in the flesh and handled both of them. The Heuer 300 SLR is a chronograph to my liking, the column wheel in-house chronograph (although some voices whisper Seiko when discussing thi

Speedmaster DateIt’s Speedy Tuesday! Today we have an OMEGA Speedmaster Date reference 323.30.40.40.04.001 or ‘Panda Speedy’ as the owner calls it. OMEGA has been using these ‘Panda’ dials in different models, including the Speedmaster Professional (Apollo 11 35th Anniversary edition in 2004 and the Speedmaster Mitsukoshi edition for the Japanese market in 2003). This

It's rare that I am able to try on a vintage watch before purchasing it. That sounds funny, but unlike the new watch buying experience, most of my forays into the classic world don't involve a flashy store, a gratis glass of sparkling water or Champagne, or an anxious salesperson. No, the bulk of my purchases are made online. Therefore, I target watches that typically pick up on a similar theme as

The new Pioneer One the timeless chronograph that has been admired in past decades is now back with a contemporary design and technology. The relaunch of this classic model lifts it onto the next level to exceed the desires and expectations of today's most critical watch lovers. By adapting originality to the latest standards of watchmaking, Hanhart brings the unique charm of the early 50s back to

The Seiko Marinemaster 300 is one of the best watches I got in recent years. Period. Emotions aside, this watch is so much bang for the buck, that it wins hands down from other diving watches by brands like Tudor, Oris, Longines and perhaps even IWC, Omega and considering what you’d get for the money. Quite a bold statement, but when I received it in January 2015, it had a list price of $20

Paddock Chronograph – a racing-inspired timepiece from PaceMasters Watches featured with Carbon Fiber dial and Genuine Alcantara strap, powered by a hybrid Meca-Quartz movement is now live on Kickstarter starting from $379.Racing inspirationThe Paddock name comes from the limited access enclosed area on the racing circuit behind the pits in which the teams keep their motorhomes and where all

Already during the Apollo mission, Omega came up with new and interesting Speedmasters for future use by NASA.All these watches were using the Alaska codename, in order not to wake up the competition during. The Swiss watchmaking industry is a small world and when some of the competition resides in the same (small) Swiss city, even a late night bar or restaurant visit can be tricky. That’s w

It came with everything a collector could dream of. A long wait before the watch pops up. Bad pictures featured in the online listing and a blind bid, that ended in winning an all original and never-before-serviced watch. Unbelievable provenance unveiling that my Alpina 10 Seastrong has had hundreds of dives in Swedish waters. Including some of the first few pioneer dives to explore WW2 shipwrecks

There are several divers from the ’60s and ’70s that are still charming today. Think of the Doxa Sub 300, the Longines Skin Diver, or the Bulova Oceanographer, for example. These are fantastic vintage pieces that are sturdy and rugged vintage tool watches. There’s something else they all have in common too - they all have re-editions.The Longines Skin Diver came out a few years a

I’m sick to the stomach. It just isn’t fair. I thought I’d been through this already. I had just about managed to convince myself that I didn’t need last year’s SNJ025 and then Seiko decided to release the new SNJ029 and SNJ031. Needless to say, my resolve is in tatters.I shouldn’t complain. For this kind of money, you’re getting a huge amount of watch. Be

The Historiques American 1921 Excellence Platine is a watch that made me realize that Vacheron Constantin is still the boss. In the past, things were much easier than they are today. Once upon, we had the big three, the holy trinity, the masters of watchmaking clearly defined: Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin stood atop the mountain. All others could do little but marvel at

I actually don’t know what rooster foot tastes like. However, if it tastes half as good as it smells, it might well be my favorite food-in-waiting. And given that it smells half as good as it looks, the unusual material (that almost sounds kind of comical in a luxury context) is racking up the positive attributes. I bought this 20mm tapered leather strap from LIC in Belgium a few months ago

You may remember my introduction to the striking black and yellow depth gauge that Oris released at the start of May. The Depth Gauge was one of Oris's most technologically advanced timepieces. It features a mechanical method for divers to track their current depth underwater. However, as I noted back then, mechanical depth gauge watches are not exactly commonplace in our industry.Before I get stu

Several records were broken on Mount Everest last week. There was a woman from Hong Kong who climbed the world’s tallest mountain in less than 26 hours, making her the fastest woman ever. And there was also a Chinese man who became the first blind Asian to climb the 8,849-meter mountain. I really don't want to take anything away from these people, but climbing Mount Everest doesn't seem that

“Workhorse movements”. Whether you love that one or hate this one, as a genre, they power the vast majority of watches made. Sure, we’re familiar with the old standards like the ETA 2824-2 and copycat Sellita SW200-1, but the landscape is changing. Established but previously lesser-known movement manufacturers like Soprod are coming onto the scene. Seiko is actively shifting the

Well, this is awkward… Here I am, about to make my debut in this column, and the watch that I wanted to write about has just sold out. Crap. I knew I should’ve written it up as soon as I saw it on Chrono24 for $3,800… I’m talking about the Franck Muller Endurance 24, and more specifically, an example with a racy red dial. Alas, as is so often my fortune in watches, the boat

Get ready, Indiana Jones fans! Your favorite hero archaeologist is making a grand return to the silver screen on June 30th after a 15-year absence. This fifth installment of Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones franchise is billed to be the last hurrah of the saga. And with a title like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, it’s hardly surprising that there would be an affiliation to a watch.On his ad

The last few days of May were fun for dive-watch fans. We saw more than a handful of watches come out right before the vacation season hits us. Among these fresh releases was the new and improved Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver 42mm. But instead of sending out a press release, the brand planned something much more fun than that. Following last year’s extravaganza in Miami where we saw the int