Speedy Tuesday Omega Speedmaster Professional Starmus
Until a few years ago, there used to be a gold Speedmaster Professional in Omega’s collection. Not anymore though, as it was discontinued at some point. This year, Omega surprised us with an 18 carat gold limited edition for the Apollo XVII but they also decided to create a very special (not for sale) gold Speedmaster Professional for the Starmus Festival.I can imagine that you’ve never heard about this festival to be honest, so let’s explain. The Starmus Festival is a combination of science, art and music, and its goal is to help the general public understand and appreciate science. Since 2011, it has included performances and presentations from astronauts, cosmonauts, Nob...
An Amazing 4K Video Of The Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Limited Edition
The founders of the Australian based OmegaForums.net made an amazing video on the Omega Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday limited edition, that was introduced last year. The video is of superb quality (4K), so please make sure to watch it full screen.It shows all details of the watch and a special ‘trip’ through the Lemania based calibre 1861 movement. This watch with reference 311.32.42.30.01.001 was a wonderful project of us together with Omega, to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Speedy Tuesday. 2012 pieces were produced and sold, to commemorate the founding year of Speedy Tuesday. Please enjoy and make sure to sign up to the OmegaForum’s Youtube channel so you will get a notif...
You Asked Us: What Watch To Buy For My Daughter (b. 2018) For When She Turns 18?
Last week we received a question from one of our readers from Italy, who just became the father?of a beautiful daughter about a month ago. He would like to buy a watch and present it to her when she reaches the age of 18, to have her own birth year watch. It is something we often see happening, that people are after a watch from their year of birth. If only my parents bought a nice watch when I was born, it would have made life so much easier.This Week’s Question: What Watch Would You Advise Me To Keep Aside 18 Years?Our Italian reader has been an avid reader of Fratello for a year or so, and he decided to shoot us an e-mail to ask this question. He wants to buy a watch that marks the ...
#TBT World's First Alarm Wristwatch The Vulcain Cricket
Mother of Dragons. My Vulcain Cricket is the mother, while other pieces in my collection are dragons. Why? The Vulcain Cricket was the first vintage watch I ever acquired. It rules over the others no matter what.Drawer beginningsIt was long ago that I was sneaking around my father's secret drawers where he kept all of his broken watches. No Vulcain Crickets there. They were all local Czechoslovak watches or some random' Russian brands. But I was no less fascinated when I touched the crown and heard the movements ticking. You can imagine – a quartz boy born in the 1980s, introducing himself to mechanical movements.I can imagine that in 1947, the Vulcain Cricket was as hot and desirable ...
This Week in Watches: June 13, 2020 Innovative Edition
Welcome to This Week in Watches for June 13, 2020, the Innovative Edition. We’ve got quite the smattering for you this week.Omega De Ville Tourbillon Numbered EditionThis week’s first watch happens to be innovative and expensive. The 43mm Omega De Ville Tourbillon Numbered Edition is the first-ever Master Chronometer manual wind central tourbillon. Honestly, I’d bet there are a lot of firsts in there, but this watch is robust enough to withstand a magnetic field of 15,000 gauss. Appropriately, the watch is beautifully finished with a Sedna gold case and “Canipus” white gold. Interestingly, this new alloy is extremely bright and tarnish resistant. Caliber 2640 is...
Interview ORIS Co-CEO Rolf Studer And Momotaro's Katsu Manabe
In this interview with Rolf Studer (Oris co-CEO) and Katsu Manabe (Momotaro), we talk about their new collaboration watch. The Oris Divers 65 Momotaro, with its turquoise dial and denim strap, is the product of these two independent players.The bi-color (steel and bronze) Oris Divers 65 Momotaro watch is not a limited edition, but an addition to Oris’s regular collection. We talk to Rolf Studer about doing special edition watches like these, and how these collaborations come to life. Katsu Manabe talks about the denim culture in Japan and how he got in touch with Oris. Both are completely down-to-Earth people as you will discover in our video interview and open to discuss any questions...
Fratello On Air: WASP 9.4 The NBA Playoffs In Full Swing (2021)
With Rob “the little man” Nudds on the road, Balazs takes over the mic and welcomes Dave “down the pub” Sergeant to the smooth booth to round up the NBA action from the play-offs....
Zenith Chronomaster Revival Safari Ref. 97.T384.400/57.C856 (2021)
When you are a watch collector, and especially one of chronographs, owning a watch with a Zenith El Primero movement is probably on your list (if not already in your box). If it is, you and I are kindred spirits. The El Primero is a legend of the industry. Since its launch more than 50 years ago now, it has never been held in anything but the highest esteem. It is one of the most elegant and expertly conceived calibers in history. Perhaps the toughest question for watch collectors hoping to add this icon to their stable is exactly which one to choose? By the looks of this new Chronomaster Revival Safari reference 97.T384.400/57.C856, this could be the one. But is it?I love a green dial on wa...
A Tour Of The Zenith Manufacture In Le Locle Photo Report
Visiting a major Swiss luxury watch brand’s headquarters is always a treat. But in the case of Zenith, a brand with such a rich heritage and watchmaking roots that dig deep into the soil of the Jura mountains, it was a truly special experience. In this photo report, I’ll take you through our tour of the Zenith Manufacture located in Le Locle. Hopefully, this will give you a taste of what goes into creating the brilliant watches that you already know and love. But remember, if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Switzerland, make sure to head on over to Le Locle and book yourself a tour. Members of the public can do so for just CHF 40!As you might know, we were recently ...
Best Plastic Watches Of 2022: Swatch, Timex, Ulysee Nardin, And More
As we’re nearing the halfway point, how has the 2022 watch landscape shaped up so far? I feel there’s been an exciting blend of high-end and low-end offerings. But if one aspect defines the 2022 watch trend, it’s the sheer number of brand collaborations - Omega Swatch, Bremont Bamford, and Fears Garrick, to name a few. Today, I’ll be focussing on another development this year - plastic. This list compiles watches made of a material with a bad rep but one that is making a resurgence. Plastic is an extensive term; as you’ll see from this compilation, there are many different forms. But as plastic is ubiquitous in our daily lives, we know what’s plastic and w...
Hands-On: Citizen CA7090 Super Titanium Chronograph
In the 1970s, Citizen not only introduced the world's very first solid titanium watch, but the brand also pioneered the solar-powered Eco-Drive technology in its analog movements. Half a century on, the Japanese giant has brought together these two exclusive technologies, topped off with a 70s motorsports design spin to interpret a retro-modern sports watch of our time. The result delivers an impeccably on-trend Super Titanium CA7090 chronograph featuring an integrated bracelet.The Super Titanium collection is versatile. By that, I mean it encompasses a variety of models for different genres.?Citizen also has a localized approach to marketing its core collections. As such, its product portfo...
Fratello Signature Straps: Available Now In The Fratello Shop
For a long time, we at Fratello have wanted to offer our community high-quality watch accessories with a stylish look and feel. We’re happy to announce that our first line of signature straps is available now. Head over to the Fratello Shop to make sure you don't miss our first drop!We wanted to start with the essential watch accessory - the strap - so that's exactly what we did. We made a high-quality leather strap, or to be more exact, we made three. Handmade in Europe, we are pleased to offer three distinct colors and two different types of leather. The new Fratello signature straps will offer a great way for watch lovers to make their watches more personal. Available now in our Fra...
IWC's Newest Big Pilot Tourbillon For Mercedes-AMG One Owners
It's not that I didn't drink coffee last Monday. I just didn't have a coffee in the office, but on a terrace in Rome. Nothing beats a cappuccino at Sant ‘Eustachio Il Caff, which has been serving fantastic coffee since 1938 at Piazza di S. Eustachio. That's the reason I skipped last week's episode of Coffee Corner Watch Talk. Still, no matter how good the Roman cappuccino was, it's also good to be back at the office to talk watches over a cup of coffee. Watches like a complicated IWC that's reserved for just a few AMG One owners, but also a lime green, Miami Beach-ready Speake-Marin, and the bravest watch by the FDNY Foundation William Wood.You can't buy the IWC Big Pilot’s Watc...
Hands-On: Bvlgari Divas' Dream Finissima Minute Repeater
No exaggeration, this is a year in which no matter where I turn, I see fingerprints of Gerald Genta. We all know Bvlgari scored a streak of world records with the Finissimo line in recent history. One of them was a minute repeater, thanks to the in-house-developed BVL 362 caliber. This movement not only traces back to the thinnest-ever minute repeater created by Genta in the ’80s, but it also finds its way into a Finissima outside the Octo family. By virtue of this mechanical marvel, the Bvlgari Divas' Dream Minute Repeater also takes the honor as the world's thinnest striking watch in a women's collection.The timing to review this horological masterpiece is curiously impeccable. I was...
Casio "Nismo" EQS-930NIS-1AER The Best Edifice Ever?
Where you stand on the Casio Edifice collection will have a lot to do with how you receive this watch. In fact, if you’re a die-hard G-Shock aficionado as I am and many of my colleagues are, the Edifice line might even struggle to enter the realm of consideration! However, one of the real privileges of my job is that I am forced to encounter watches I would otherwise have dismissed because of bias or misconception. As it is, I’ve spent the last few days with the Casio “Nismo” EQS-930NIS-1AER watch on my wrist and, I have to say, I’m more impressed than I wanted to be.Believe it or not (and I’m sure it’s actually quite easy to believe), oftentimes, I ...
Back On Earth With Jack Swigert's Speedmaster BA145.022-69
Last weekend, Sotheby’s auctioned the famous gold Omega Speedmaster BA145.022-69 that belonged to Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert. We wrote about it a month before the auction (here), and last Friday, it fetched US$152,400.Jack Swigert’s Omega Speedmaster Professional BA145.022-69 that he received from OmegaSwigert’s Speedmaster Professional BA145.022-69If you are new to this gold Speedmaster “Tribute to Astronauts” watch from 1969, please go to this article. In it, you’ll find everything you need to know about this model.While we have seen some of the gold astronaut-owned Speedmaster Professional BA145.022-69 fetching sums much higher than this, it is st...
Hands-On With MB&F's HM8 Mark 2 At The M.A.D. House
During Watches and Wonders a few months ago, MB&F invited us over to take a look at its new home. And I’m saying “home” because it’s an actual 120-year-old house that the company recently moved into. Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F’s head of marketing, took the time to show us around the new place. And at the end of the visit, we got a sneak peek at what was in store for the future. Yes, we already got an early look at MB&F’s new driver’s watch, the HM8 Mark 2, which we can finally share with you today!In my short tenure as a watch journalist, I had never visited a watch brand’s headquarters before. So when the folks at MB&F sent out...
#TBT An Unusual Waterproof Case Patented By Bulova In The '50s
It has been maybe six years since I picked up this tiny Bulova on a business trip to Budapest. After finishing my meetings, on my way to the train station, I stopped at my favorite vintage watch shop. As I always do, I asked for something unusual…The owner picked up a black-dial Bulova, which didn’t seem to be anything special besides the super-thin lugs and unusual case back. I didn’t have much time to think about it before, suddenly, the shop owner pressed on the crystal, and the case back popped out…along with the movement, dial, and crystal! He was standing in front of me with a “capsule” in one hand and an outer case in the other. The outer case was n...
New: Seiko 5 Sports Heritage Design Re-Creation Limited Edition
For fans of vintage Seiko, today’s new release will be pleasing. The Seiko 5 Sports Heritage Design Re-creation Limited Edition, aside from being a mouthful, is a pair of fantastic watches. These pieces use a case design firmly rooted in the late ’60s. That’s exciting because Seiko has created another new case and is pushing to release some great models from its back catalog.Among the many Seiko and Grand Seiko releases we see each year, the brand has quietly brought several reissues of cult-classic watches. Pieces including the Navigator Timer SPB411 and the SRPK17 were real surprises and look great in the metal. Plus, they’re affordable. The best news is that Seiko ...
The Best Watches Under $5,000: Jorg's Picks
Picking what I consider the best watches under $5,000 is a tough task. We did the same exercise last year, and it’s interesting to see how our choices have evolved. Has my perspective changed? Are there a lot of new possible options? As it turns out, there have been some changes compared to last year. Yes, my perspective has shifted, and some new options seem like better picks than last year’s contenders.Our last series of articles was about the best watches under $2.5K. Therefore, this new list essentially answers the question of what to buy between $2,500 and $5,000. Many of us, including yours truly, would be tempted to look at pre-owned prices. There are some pretty great wat...