Two For Tuesday: Omega Speedmaster Professional Vs. Seamaster 300M
It’s time for Two For Tuesday and this week we take a look at two of Omega’s finest. The Speedmaster Professional will throw-down with the Seamaster 300M.In our inaugural episode of Two For Tuesday, the GMT 16710 duked it out with the Submariner 14060M. It was the heavyweight battle we all expected, but in the end it was the GMT that prevailed by less than 50 votes! We thank you for all your participation and for some very lively comments. Let’s see if today’s contest between the Speedmaster Professional and Seamaster 300M inspires the same spirited debate.We all know people who can easily afford a , but they simply will not buy one. For them, a is too showy, remind...
Mars Conqueror Mk 3 Fighter By Konstantin Chaykin
The exploration of Mars has been part of scientific proposals for the better half of the 20th century. In his atelier in Russia, Konstantin Chaykin is doing his bit for the cause. And now, with the successful SpaceX launch still fresh in the memory, we’re able to welcome the Mars Conqueror Mk 3 Fighter to the fold.How do these two things come together? The Mars Conqueror Mk 3 Fighter looks like something straight out of a ’90s sci-fi movie. I can just imagine this strapped to the wrist of Quaid (Schwarzenegger) from Total Recall. And I don’t mean this in a derogatory way. If you’re looking for an appropriately Martian watch, then this is it. But be quick! Chaykin will...
Wrist Game Or Crying Shame: Vintage Piaget Polo In 18K Gold
Wrist Game or Crying Shame has returned once again with a period piece that might make you say, “hold your horses.” The original Piaget Polo is in focus today. But before we go into battle with Prince Charles…Last week, I thought I’d try to appeal to your sentimental side with the platinum Swatch Tresor Magique. The comments section gave us some great memories and even an owner or two. Sadly, just 38% of you wanted to revisit the early ’90s and that means that this watch definitely did not “flatten ’em with platinum.” Today, we’ll switch to the original Piaget Polo and that also means a change to gold. In this case, there’s a lot of...
Hands-On: The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Small Seconds (2021)
When is a watch considered to be a classic? Next year, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra will be celebrating its 20th birthday and it just made me wonder if that’s old enough to be one. Anyway, today Omega is introducing to you the Aqua Terra Small Seconds in 38mm and 41mm.The Seamaster Aqua Terra is a watch that has been on my want list for many years, but I never came to actually pull the trigger. Once I was super close when I was shown a PGA edition (with green second’s hand) during a holiday in Italy with my family. But, I am bad at making decisions in a foreign country at a jeweler shop without having done my homework in advance. So I let it go and to this day I kinda regret it...
Grand Seiko Quartz GMT SBGN023 Limited Edition Watch (2021)
The 140th anniversary of Seiko's foundation has brought us many a limited edition in 2021. And the year is far from over. And it's not just Seiko that's throwing a party. The new celebratory limited edition Grand Seiko Quartz GMT SBGN023 also joins in. And the unlimited versions (SBGN019 and SBGN021) in the Sport Collection provide a sportier counterpoint to the chic black and gold LE.Grand Seiko found a new way to present its 9F quartz GMT caliber. It all started for Caliber 9F in 1993. Despite being almost 30 years old (where has the time gone?) the 9F series is still one of the finest movement series in its class. That's because of the movement's durable qualities and precision of ?10 to ...
Wyler Crichettino: A Surprising Self-Winder With A Stunning Dial
If we can feature countless Omega Speedmasters or Submariners, we can drop a few more words on another stunning Wyler Crichettino. The dial itself deserves a standing ovation, but a mind-bending complication makes it a truly rare gem.What is so special about this watch, and what exactly is that mind-bending complication? Well, it’s an early self-winding watch from the early 1930s. Self-winding watches, as we know them today, are not surprising in the slightest. But the way the Wyler Crichettino winds itself? That’s pretty ingenious. After an introductory article more than three years ago, the Wyler Crichettino makes a #TBT comeback, now with a copy of the original patent documen...
Grand Seiko SBGW213 On A Waxy Horse Leather Strap
When Nacho asked me to do a Strap Check article, I instantly knew which of my watches to cover. This is a watch that is extremely dear to me, and I truly love the strap combo. I ought to since I picked it out, right?I would not wear a combination that I did not like, but sometimes you just feel that one and one is three. This watch and strap combo does that for me. This is the story of my Grand Seiko SBGW231 and a handmade natural horse leather strap from Belgium.The Grand Seiko SBGW231Let me start by briefly explaining why this watch means so much to me. I bought it in 2021 when my fiancee was pregnant with our first child. I wanted to get a watch to celebrate but also to pass on to my firs...
Slow Manufacturing: A Sustainable Solution , anOrdain, And More
The concept of slow manufacturing is certainly not a new one. “Slow”, in the context of any industry, can have a bad connotation. But as technology and manufacturing continue to advance at the real risk of harm to the environment and workers’ quality of life, as well as product quality and perception, many industries are beginning to embrace “slow”. It’s a return to an industry’s manufacturing roots of sorts with a 21st-century twist that often ends up making good financial sense. Getting back to its roots is something that the watch industry does well already. Some watchmakers, like , anOrdain, and others, have found that slow manufacturing works pe...
Tips On Selling Your Watch To A Dealer Or Trading It In
Some of us never let go of any of our prized timekeeping possessions. Others are notorious serial flippers. When dealing with a costly hobby like ours, selling or trading something every now and then is almost unavoidable. However, it can be more than a little intimidating at first. In this article, I will share some tips on how to sell your watch to a dealer or trade it in toward a new watch purchase.Whether it is a good idea to sell to a dealer depends on several factors, many of which are personal. But let me try and paint a comprehensive picture of what you might encounter. I will also throw in a tip or two based on my experience from the other side.A word or two on price when selling yo...
Fratello's Top 5 Breitling Navitimer References Ever Created
Another Friday, another Top 5! In this series, we take one classic watch and choose our five favorite references ever produced. Four of these references will be based on the historical importance of the specific watch in the grand scheme of things. Though there may be some overlap, it's not a question of which references are the most collectible or of the highest value on the market. The fifth pick is our Fratello favorite that considers the current market price and collectability, potentially making it a sleeper reference. As such, the last pick could be described as our wild card. This week, we’ll take a look at the Breitling Navitimer. We have selected what we believe are the best f...
Henry's GADA Watch The IWC Mark XV
Go anywhere, do anything (GADA) watches are an interesting concept, but what does “go anywhere, do anything” actually mean? Does a watch like this need to be able to handle pretty much anything, or can it simply be the watch that we choose to accompany us on life's adventures? Perhaps it's both and one more thing - a watch that gives us a sense of confidence that we really can go anywhere and do anything with it on our wrist. When I think of my GADA watch, it has to be my IWC Mark XV. It has come with me on some of my most fun - and sometimes scary - travels.An underground adventureThe clanky whir of gears moving the massive open-work steel lift on its slow journey into the depth...
Fratello Favorites: Summer Watches Thomas's Picks
It is time to talk about summer watches! I am writing this from the home office, next to an open window that lets in a soft, warm breeze. The sun is out, and I have a tall glass of water with an oversized ice cube next to me. It feels like summer! More than any other season, summer always triggers a desire for very specific watches in me. Nacho set me the challenge of identifying three watches I would buy today if I were shopping for a new summer watch, so here we go!Now, what constitutes a great summer watch is probably highly personal. So in this article, I describe what I look for, and point at three watches I would happily strap on this summer.Summer watches - what are my criteria?It rea...
Buying A Watch As A Gift What Would You Get?
Buying a watch for oneself is often a big decision and not necessarily made quickly. I don't know about you, but I have often agonized over a purchase. I’ve read reviews, researched people's impressions of a watch through forums, and done about as much reading as one could without becoming obsessive. Buying a watch as a gift, though, can seem so much harder.?There are several brands and even specific watch models that seem to speak of the classic beauty and even romance of watches for a loved one.Buying a watch as a giftBuying a watch as a gift is a topic we have covered here on Fratello before. We dedicated a whole podcast episode to it because of popular demand earlier this year. Evi...
Tudor Black Bay 58 Vs. Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE119
Welcome to a new Sunday Morning Showdown. Whereas last week’s contestants were much higher upmarket, this week, we’re putting two more common, mid-tier divers up against each other. The Tudor Black Bay 58 in blue was introduced about four years ago. Ever since then, it has been a very popular vintage-inspired dive watch. But how can it be that we’ve never put it in the ring with another popular diver? Well, maybe that’s because the perfect opponent just didn’t exist yet. That has changed now because, last week, Seiko released the SJE119, a blue version of the updated Marinemaster.This is an exciting Sunday Morning Showdown because it’s the first time Tudor...
The Real Source Of Inspiration For The Vintage IWC Ingenieur
About two weeks ago, I spoke to Dimer (friend of the show and eCommerce Manager at AceJewelers) and he showed me his recently acquired IWC Ingenieur from their Vintage collection (as shown below). Since I have a weak spot for the Ingenieur series, I tried this Vintage Collection Ingenieur a couple of times already and am very enthusiastic about it. So it is bound to happen that there will be one in my collection at some point.Anyhows, Dimer told me that he did some research on the web about the true source of inspiration for this Vintage Collection Ingenieur. It seems like IWC is directing us towards the wrong watch in their media campaign. In their media campaign, IWC refers to their first ...
Hamilton Reaches Out To Women with Three Great Automatic Watches for 2010
This year Hamilton is releasing some excellent watches for women. These are well designed, high grade, mechanical timepieces that bring to women the value and vintage-like, classic style that is at the base of the company’s success.There are many mechanical watches for ladies to choose from in more expensive price brackets. This is not so in Hamilton’s set range of CHF 500 to CHF 1,500 for which the market of female watch enthusiasts is under-served. Hamilton, who holds perhaps the strongest position at the entry price level for luxury watches, is coming to the rescue. After seeing Hamilton’s new JazzMaster Medium, Seaview Medium, and RailRoad 38mm for myself, it appears as...
Cartier LC Tank XL Extra Flat Louis Cartier's Tank Watch
We say Cartier and you will probably say Tank. The Tank is a watch that has been in Cartier’s collection since 1919 and designed by Louis Cartier (hence the LC). The prototype was already built in 1917, but the model was marketed two years later.Pictured below is a LC Tank that dates back to 1998, in platinum and with a very flat F. Piguet movement? (Cartier’s 021MC caliber). This watch measures 33.5 x 25.5mm.Photo by Geo, www.troisanneaux.comInspired by the armored Renault tank (1917), the Cartier Tank watch was given to General John Pershing, who served in Europe during the first World War. If you take a close look at the Tank watch, it looks like the horizontal section of an a...
Linde Werdelin SpidoLite II Tech Photo Essay
Linde Werdelin SpidoLite II Tech Green and GoldJust before Baselworld, Linde Werdelin introduced the new SpidoLite II Tech watches, part of the Spido Family. An updated version of the first SpidoLite collection and a more technical version of the previous SpidoLite II collection (which we reviewed here). In Basel, Bert sat down with the Linde Werdelin team and was able to shoot some photos of the new SpidoLite II Tech Green and Tech Gold.All technical information and pricing information can be found in our previous post, here.As you can see on the picture above, the material of the case shows resemblance of the forged carbon material that brands like Audemars Piguet have applied to some of t...
Dutch King Willem-Alexander Wears An Omega Speedmaster
King Willem-Alexander And His Omega Speedmaster ProIt’s Speedy Tuesday! By coincidence I came across the photo below, where you can see Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Mxima on the stand?cheering for the Dutch national soccer team during the World Championship of 2010 in South-Africa. You can see Queen Mxima wearing her , which has been covered elsewhere in the past, but my eyes were drawn to the wrist of King Willem-Alexander. Although the resolution of this published ANP photo is too low to study the watch in detail, my nose for Speedmaster?spotting?is rarely off. It was time to investigate.Most of our readers probably know that we are based in The Netherlands. Only ...
Tissot 2015 Line-up
When someone is getting himself into nice watches and wants to make the first real Swiss made watch purchase, the is a big chance?that?Tissot is one of those brands he or she will come across. We sat down with Tissot in?Basel and I have to say that we have not been let down by them.My own very first Swiss made watch was none other than a Tissot PRC 200 chronograph, which I bought back?in 2007. I loved the black dial with the yellow chronograph hands; the size was just perfect or my 7.5 wrist too. It came on a bracelet, which I later changed to a Hirsch Golfer starting some kind of a trend among WatchUseek’s Tissot forum members who had the same watch and were looking for a strap altern...