We’ve had a pretty exhilarating time on Fratello recently, with the releases of Watches And Wonders causing quite a stir in the industry and within our beloved comments section. And here I come again with a brand that splits opinions within the team. RJ, our bespectacled overlord, doesn’t have much time for Forstner. Despite the platonic cuddles we frequently share in between the writi

Some of us would say that Japan is like another planet. The country leaves us in awe because the experience we come away with is so foreign to us. Having been a gaijin (literally, an “outsider”, or a foreigner) living there for several years, I can tell you, the glee from being awe-struck never gets old. And the latest from Minase, the Divido Shibo Urushi collection, gives me plenty to

For some of you, Breguet is most famous for its Classique collection or perhaps even the Tradition line, which debuted in 2005. However, for many others, it's the Type 20 (or Type XX) that sings to them most when talking about Breguet watches. The French Air Force commissioned this chronograph in the early 1950s, and it has won the hearts of numerous enthusiasts since.Seventy years ago, the French

Before social media became a platform for watch enthusiasts and collectors, we hung out on some of the (many) watch forums online. At some point, Omega Forums arose, using a very user-friendly interface for its members to participate in watch-related discussions. Although the name implies that it’s about Omega, the site also hosts forums for fans of Longines, , Zenith, Seiko, Universal Genv

Nezumi Studios in Stockholm has now been with us for more than 10 years. The brand’s vibe is a curated range of tool watches with an automotive slant, and as a former petrolhead, I’m all for it. Sadly, I haven’t got a petrol-fume-smelling Triumph GT6 or a Lotus Elan anymore. But the romance of the tarmac is still intensely appealing, even if this eco-decade is trending in another

Fratello On Air is back with another episode, and this time, we talk about whether it’s worth consolidating to one great watch versus having two (or more) really good watches. Of course, your definition of “great” and “good” may vary, but we think you get the gist.

You might not be aware of it when you buy a certain watch, but some can lead you down an ever-more tempting path. Those watches make you love watches even more than you already did, or they make you understand that the watch you bought is great. However, they also make you realize there’s another watch out there - probably a more expensive one - that you’d rather have. We call these &#

Forget about the edgy Big Bang. Here's the fluid shape of water that tells time by Hublot. The brand from the Swiss town of Nyon worked together with the New York-based contemporary artist Daniel Arsham to come up with an object that is a pocket watch, a pendant, and a table clock. No, it’s not all three once, but the Hublot Arsham Droplet transforms fluidly from one entity into another. The

The Breitling Navitimer 806 with a black dial and sub-dials was on my wish list for quite a time. But it is not an easy watch to get your hands on. Despite that fact, I had two of them within the last two years. Well, as of today, I don’t have any either anymore. Let’s hear the story.I have a Breitling Navitimer 806 with white sub-dials, but the all-black 806 is a different animal. The

Summer is just around the corner, and dive-watch season is well underway. This means long days in the sun, traveling to exotic locations, and plenty of action in the water, like swimming, snorkeling, and maybe even diving. But as much as we enjoy long, sunny summer days with our divers, we wanted a watch that could take on the season’s most strenuous activities and shine equally bright at ni

Since the turn of the year, I've been patiently awaiting the launch of the Anoma A1. Until a month ago, I hadn't even seen a prototype picture, but I had heard enough from Matteo Violet Vianello, the man behind Anoma Watches, to get excited about what would come. Following a period with A Collected Man, Matteo left the London-based reseller of rare and collectible watches to step back and decide w

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes tend to forget about the Seiko “Samurai.” It’s not a model that is on my radar a lot, partially because Seiko releases so many watches at a breakneck pace. Another reason is that it’s angular case design is not one of my favorites. I prefer the rounder shapes of the Prospex watches inspired by the brand’s 1960s divers. Hav

Last November, Seiko introduced an updated version of its famous Marinemaster - or maybe it’s better to just say it was a completely new version. The smaller and angular case, the engraved dial, and the new bracelet design made it look very different from the beloved Marinemaster SBDX001. Today, Seiko is adding two new colorways to the three existing variants. There’s the greenish-gray

Hello there! Welcome to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we’re discussing the topic of wearing expensive watches on cheap straps. Does it make sense to wear a $3,000C10,000 watch on a $10 strap? Does a $300 OEM strap make sense to begin with? And where do you truly get your money’s worth in the strap market? What about aftermarket bracelets? Join Nacho, RJ, and Morga

When I started ‘collecting’ wrist watches, I never considered Oris as a serious option. They made nice mechanical watches, had nice designs, but brands that ‘do’ doubl?e?? or plaque gold cases were off-limit. I also wasn’t very convinced about the quality of the watches.Perhaps I didn’t do Oris any justice, because afterall, this brand exists since 1904 and have

Sometimes watch collecting or enthusiasm goes past the love for watches. It is about stories and heritage that has more meaning than the watch itself. Today, Fratello Watches brings you the story of RAF Squadron Leader Frank Wright Walton (Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order,?Distinguished Flying Cross and bar) and his Omega 30T2 pilot's watch.Not too long ago, I received a message from Julian

Today's #TBT on a vintage Mulco chronograph, isn't so much about the watch. No, there's not much info out there on this very watch, but that's ok. Of course, I'll talk about the aesthetics and the mechanical heartbeat found within this piece, but there's a nicer, albeit short, story to this piece that's worth repeating. Hopefully, you'll walk away feeling that even in 2018, it's possible to stumbl

You want to purchase a new watch, perhaps even your first serious one, but there’s so much out there. It would be impossible for us to tell you what to buy, but let’s have a look at 5 watches that have a retail price under 4000 Euro and could make you very happy.I picked 5 different brands, well-known brands. Of course, I am aware there’s many more out there, including a number o

Every year at the SIHH we receive a ‘financial update’ from the AP CEO on how they broke another record. Without having to produce (and deliver) more watches than the previous year. One of the reasons for these increasing nett results is the fact that they are doing more sales via their boutiques.That’s a nice development for the company, but what if your country or region does n

I was never a fan of artsy glassware. I always preferred paintings. But when I listened to Jan Prokop explaining the sandwich crystal creation process for their limited-edition watch, the Prokop & Broz Spiral, I could barely breathe. The work is so delicate that they have to make around 150 to 200 crystals to be able to select just one final perfect piece ready for installation.A standard watc