Meet (And Use) WatchBase Over 20.000 Watches And 2.000 Movements
Finally a source that put a lot of effort into documenting as many watch movements as possible. Base calibers, but also calibers based on an existing movement. Also movements that are dubbed an internal brand caliber while they are actually based on a third party movement. WatchBase is a reliable source for information about watch movements. Over 20.000 unique watches are documented, and more than 2.000 unique movements, down to the nitty gritty.How Does WatchBase Work?A never-ending project, as new calibers (and calibers based on existing calibers) are being introduced every year. The owners of WatchBase, Alon Ben-Joseph of Ace Jewelers and Alwin Hoogerdijk, developer of database software f...
#TBT The Citizen Auto Dater Uni, A Rare Silver Wave Challenger
Several weeks' back, we featured our first vintage Citizen within the #TBT series and the article sent us a clear message: you want to see more when it comes to Japan's other brand (yes, we know there are more brands aside from Seiko and Citizen we have more in store on that topic too). Traffic was high for our review of the 51-2273 to the degree that it actually rivaled the number of visits we often see from a Seiko posting. Despite that, I wasn't planning on a repeat engagement so soon, but I thought today's piece was too exciting to ignore. And, the fact that I only stumbled upon this watch and purchased it in and around the time of writing the last article makes it that much more excitin...
Longines Heritage Military Our Hands On Review
If the name sounds familiar to you, it is no coincidence. There already was a Longines Heritage Military before but in the current collection, there’s only this one today and we review it today for you.RAFThe Longines Heritage Military takes inspiration from the pilots watches used by the British Royal Air Force during World War II. You might have seen very similar models from Omega, most recently in the movie Dunkirk as Tom Hardy's character, an RAF pilot, is wearing one. Though that watch had a large steel bezel it is essentially the same design. Longines produced the same watches with and without the steel 60-second bezel just like Omega. They were special orders from the British Mi...
Minase Craft treasures for generations
Minase is the name of a small village in Akita Prefecture, some 450 km north of Tokyo.? The brand Minase has been in operation since 2005, and proudly bears the same name. Minase was founded by Kyowa, a renowned tool manufacturer that has been in business since 1963, specializing in step drills and also a supplier of high-end watch components. As one of the smallest watch manufactures in Japan, Minase relies on highly refined technical processes in their production.But Minase is more than just an automated production line.? Every watch has passed through the hands of highly trained artisans, watch makers and technicians. This combination of modern technology and old school watchmaking leads ...
Sunday Morning Showdown: Grand Seiko Snowflake Dials
In this Sunday morning column, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don't forget to let us know which watches you'd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We'll try and feature as many of our readers' choices as we can. This week the famous Grand Seiko Snowflake dials are being debated. Prepare yourself for some ice-cold cruelty and white-hot barbs…Last week, RJ and Ben squared off. The object of their affections/rejections? The Daytona reference 116500LN. Understandably, RJ, who positioned himself on the hate-...
Minase Much More Than Meets The Eye
MINASE - A new vision of watchmakingNestled in the mountains of Akita Prefecture, Minase is a small village in the heights of Yuzawa, some 450 km north of Tokyo. Minase was founded in 2005 by its parent company Kyowa. A renowned tool manufacturer that has been in business since 1963, Kyowa specializes in step drills. The company also supplies of high-end watch components. ?Minase was exclusively sold in Japan until 2017.As one of the smallest watch manufactures in Japan, Minase relies on highly refined technical processes to meet production needs.? Minase combines modern technology and old school watchmaking. The result? Time-telling machines that are unequaled in both design and precision. ...
William Wood Triumph Automatic Chronograph Collection
Brand definition has seldom been more important than it is in 2021. Following a year of lockdown, brands are becoming more cognizant of the new challenges they must face. Bridging the divide between products and customers has never been harder. The brands that will meet with the most success in this vein are those with a strong story, an identifiable aesthetic, and a memorable character that can transcend the need to hold an object before committing to its purchase. As such, William Wood looks well-equipped to weather the current storm, and its new Triumph collection, released earlier today.If you’re unfamiliar with the William Wood brand, we’ve got you covered. Please take a loo...
March Mania Begins! Preliminary One: Jorg Seiko, Oris, Unimatic, Czapek, And More...
Welcome, one and all, to the preliminary round of March Mania 2021, here on Fratello. Are you a watch maniac like we are? If so, you’re sure to love our month-long feature. 96 watches reviewed last year line up for a battle royale like nothing that’s gone before. We need your votes. We want your comments. Help us decide the champion and share in its glory! Let the games commence…In this round, your task is simple: vote for your favorite watch. Below you will find a selection of 12 timepieces that we covered here on Fratello throughout 2020. Why not refresh your memory by clicking the links and reading those eruditely penned odes to wrist-wear? Once you’ve made your se...
Breguet, The Inventor Of The Tourbillon
2021 marks the 220th anniversary of the tourbillon. On June 26th, 1801, Abraham-Louis Breguet obtained the patent for his invention called “tourbillon”. The tourbillon itself is a little bit older, as it took Breguet about six years to develop it. But who was Abraham-Louis Breguet exactly, and why is the tourbillon such an interesting mechanism?Breguet Marine Tourbillon E?quation MarchanteAbraham-Louis Breguet was born in 1747 in Neuchatel, Switzerland. As an apprentice of a watchmaker, he traveled to France on his 15th birthday to continue his apprenticeship there. He wasn’t only a watchmaker; he also had a strong background in mathematics and physics. In today’s wor...
Genteel Handmade New Spring Colors POP!
Just like the seasons change, so too do our desires. Who wants to look at the same old watch strap day in, day out? A new strap can completely transform a watch’s character and, with it, your mood while wearing it. While darker colors make sense throughout the winter months, a fresh injection of energy feels perfectly on point whenever springtime rolls around. As such, Genteel Handmade has conceived a new range of spring-inspired straps that we’ve decided to shine a light on this week.With the dark days of 2020 behind us, the time is ripe to bring a bit of color to our lives. And as many of us blow through our houses, dispensing with cobwebs and unwanted possessions, why not fres...
A Selection Of LIC Straps From Belgium For Your Attention
It took me a long time to really buy-in to the value of a good strap maker. For years, every watch in my collection sat proudly on its original strap or bracelet. I was convinced that there could be no better pairing than that which was originally intended by the watch head’s designer. But I was wrong. As you might have gleaned from my previous articles on after-market straps and bracelets, there is a huge amount of fun to be had and joy to be found in experimenting with the bands of specialists. LIC Leather from Belgium is one such specialist I would, after wearing its products for a while, heartily recommend.For this review, I selected four quite different straps. I wanted to see a v...
Edox Delfin Mecano Automatic Watch Sound Familiar?
The Edox Delfin name goes all the way back to the 1960s. A watch that could withstand a pressure of 30 BAR (300 meters) and using innovations like a double O-ring system and a reinforced case back.Today, the Edox Delfin Mecano looks slightly different but is made with the same spirit as sixty years ago. This modern sports watch is water-resistant up to 200 meters, thanks to the double O-ring system, and screw-down crown, in a very modern design. Even though it looks like a completely different watch than the 1961 Delfin, there are some ingredients from the past.Edox DiversIn the 1960s and 1970s, Edox has a number of dive watches, the Delfin was probably its most famous model. The Delfin, int...
Introducing The Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT
It's not every day that we get a new Oak & Oscar release, so when one comes along, I tend to give it a long look. I've enjoyed how the small Chicago-based brand has kept a consistent design ethos since its first watch in 2015. That trait of instant recognizability is something that fans seem to love. And why not? Oak & Oscar makes solid watches that serve a purpose while boasting big-brand level finishing. Thankfully, today's new Humboldt GMT continues those trends.Since 2015, we've watched Oak & Oscar morph from a maker of limited-edition watches to a brand that offers serial-production pieces for a period. The Olmsted 38, for example, is still on offer in two of its three color...
MeisterSinger Introduces The New Singularis (2022)
In the current world of watchmaking, it’s always an achievement when a brand develops its own genuinely in-house caliber. The time, money, and know-how required to achieve such a feat is not small. With its MSA01 movement, MeisterSinger did just that, and now the German brand presents the second generation of watches to use this beautiful automatic caliber. Allow me to introduce the MeisterSinger Singularis.MeisterSinger set up shop in the German city of Munster, Westphalia, in 2001. Since then, it has dedicated its time and effort to producing a range of exceptional mechanical wristwatches with character. In a world of cookie-cutter concepts, you can’t say that MeisterSinger has...
NEW: Nezumi 10 Year Anniversary Voiture Chronograph
It's no secret that we are fans of the eloquent design language of Nezumi Studios. Unfortunately for me, the new 10 Year Anniversary Voiture Chronograph is perfectly timed with my newfound chrono-love. From focusing on clean dialed diver's watches and petite field-watch cool, the allure of a many-registered dial has proven too tempting.As a writer for Fratello, I am already used to being ribbed for my lack of a Speedy. My answer to that is coming this year. But now, Nezumi Studios in Stockholm will only cause problems for me, yet again. I am in the middle of consolidating my collection and have already got a taste for the meca-quartz Voiture. Now, that petrol-infused reference has an even mo...
Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Bronze Video Review
Our headquarters has recently been swimming with Hamilton’s latest fare. Pleasingly, the American-born, Swiss-made brand saw fit to send us a big box of its newest watches for review. And the Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Bronze is the first under the lens.It’s always a treat for us to get our hands on all the models in the catalog rather than just the selected few the brand wants to crow about. Why? Because it allows us to make choices, to decide upon our favorite models, and choose how best to cover them. When it came to the Pilot Pioneer Bronze, RJ took such a shine to it that he made a short video tribute, which you can now watch below.https://vimeo.com/682580165Of course, it ...
5 Tips To Avoid Damaging Your Mechanical Watch
In the past, I have found my gold Omega on the wrist of a stuffed animal. And for a long time, there was a Seiko on my daughter's nightstand. Can you guess the reason why? Because it was so pretty in the dark. Of course, there’s no one to blame for that but me. My daughter has no idea about the value of these things. It means, however, that I need to take care that my watches are not easy for my daughter to grab. An expensive mechanical watch is no toy for a child.Owning and wearing a precious watch comes with a responsibility - the responsibility of taking care of a valuable item. There's a reason why parents don't gift their daughter or son a costly watch before they have reached a c...
FOA: Talking To Martin Klocke Of Sherpa Watches
Fratello On Air returns and this week, Mike talks to Martin Klocke from Sherpa Watches. If you’re a watch lover and want to hear a tale about an incredible passion project, this episode is definitely for you!...
The Most Fun Affordable Watches Around 1000 Euros
Collecting watches, in general, is serious business. When you spend large amounts of money, you obviously want to spend it wisely. The specs should be on point, the looks should be exactly right, and the price should reflect the product perfectly. But spending money wisely doesn’t always mean a watch has to be serious. That’s why I wanted to take the opportunity to look at some less obvious picks for around $1,000. They might not be the first watches that come to mind at this price point. But these affordable watches stand out because they are cool and unique. These timepieces bring something different to the table than the standard list of specs we tend to look at. Let’s s...
Hands-On: The New Tissot PRX Chronograph "Blue Panda"
When Tissot showed us the PRX Chronograph last year (digitally), I ordered one during the introduction presentation. You can call it an impulse purchase, but I was so incredibly enthusiastic that I didn’t have to think long. And when we visited the Tissot manufacture in Le Locle a few months ago, it made me even prouder to have one on the wrist.Tissot’s headquarters and production facility in Le LocleTissot produces an incredible number of watches per year. Despite that, visiting the brand’s headquarters in Le Locle brings you back to the old days of watchmaking as soon as you head to the archives. A few levels above the huge automated order-picking system (that you will al...