Oris Big Crown ProPilot With A Sumptuous Green Dial Primed For Take-Off
Hooray for pilots! Thanks to them, we get to talk about Pilot’s watches. Oris, one of our favorite brands here at Fratello, has just dropped a new addition to the Propilot range. It was released earlier this week and brings a sumptuous shade of green to the lineup. In my mind, this is a very current, on-trend release, and a nice limited edition in conjunction with a fine organization.On March 9th, Oris announced a new partnership with the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP). The TLP is an elite pilot training school based in Albacete, Spain. It has been around since the late seventies and concerns itself with preparing NATO-allied coalition forces worldwide tactical air operations. Uns...
7 Men's Watches I Would Like To Wear As A Woman
The discussion of “genderless” watches has never been stronger than it is now. Whether it’s because of the articles or current political and social trends impacting each industry, the conversation appears here to stay. Will the concept of a genderless watch industry revolutionize the way we see and wear watches? Personally, I hope not. I don’t see gendered design as problematic as long as the right to choose remains.How can we treat all sexes more inclusively and realistically? In a world where people express themselves through social media, different styles, and choices, authorized dealers and brands need to reorganize the brick-and-mortar store experience. A genderl...
Hands-On With The MING 27.02 Guilloche Gradient Dial
We've been fortunate enough to spend some real hands-on time with the new MING 27.02 and now it's time for a proper review. Before we get to thatAs this review kicks off, I am sure there are quite a few of you who are asking, why do a review on a watch that no one can buy anymore? Yes, when the MING 27.02 was announced in January with a list price of CHF 4,950, the 200-piece run sold out in mere minutes during two subsequent offerings. So, again, why write this article? Quite simply, it's the third MING watch that I've held and, therefore, I'd like to give my impressions.More importantly, though, there are 200 people out there who put their money on a watch they won't see until at least Nove...
RZE Resolute Supercompressor Watch Hands-On Review
If you read my Independent Insights article from last week, you’ll have seen that one of my favorite microbrands announced a new refresh to its Resolute line. Not only with an updated version of its field watch, but RZE has also added a new supercompressor too. And not just “in the style of” with two crowns, either. Let’s have a closer look at the new RZE Resolute Supercompressor.This is not the first time I’ve reviewed watches from RZE. Each time, I’ve been well impressed by what the brand was offering for the price. Both the meca-quartz Valor and the automatic Fortitude were great watches at very affordable prices. The Resolute Supercompressor is a bit o...
Buying Guide: The Best Audemars Piguet Watches From The 2000s
We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is primarily focused on the most recent releases and developments, for many of us, a lot of the fun can be found in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. It’s a world full of history, remarkable watches, incredible stories, and quirky details. It inspired us to come up with a series of articles focusing on the best watches per decade from a select group of brands. Some of them are priceless, and some of them are still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Audemars Piguet watches from the 2000s.By the turn of the millennium, Swit...
The New Farer Moonphase Reinterprets The Genre
The enigmatic moonphase complication goes in and out of fashion like watch sizes, and I have a personal penchant for the genre. With classic iterations from mid-range brands like Longines up to grail Pateks, the classicism still reigns supreme. For many of you, the very name conjures up images of small-cased watches with guilloche dials and blued hands. But chances are the new Farer Moonphase will change your perception.With cool competition coming in from the likes of Linde Werdelin and small independents, perhaps it’s a lunar renaissance. It's no secret that I consider myself half-British and love the quirkier offerings from the UK. The colorful brand Farer now joins the fray with a ...
Seiko SPB383 Vs. Mido Ocean Star Worldtimer
GMT watches are hot! And that must be the exact reason why both Seiko and Mido have added a GMT complication to one of their classic divers. For Seiko, it also counts as the introduction of an all-new GMT movement in the 6R series. And for Mido, it actually marks the first time that the brand has released a standard-production Ocean Star GMT in a size smaller than 44mm. Let’s take a look at both the Seiko SPB383 and the Mido Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer and see which one of the two brand-new GMT divers is your favorite.In some respects, these two watches are quite similar. Both trace their roots back to watches from the ’60s, the era when dive watches took off among the ge...
Introducing The Colorful ADPT Series 1 Dual-Time Watches
In late 2022, I had a chance to check out the ADPT Series 1 watches. It was a fun experience. The collaborative effort between the folks behind Worn & Wound and Boldr resulted in a duo of colorful field watches. For the next step, the team worked on a second pair of watches based on the debut model. For the Series 1 Dual-Time, a GMT function has been thrown into the mix. Something that immediately piques my interest. What has stayed are the funky colors that make these watches stand out immediately. Add an affordable price of under $500, and I am all eyes and ears.As I explained in the article about the first ADPT Series 1, the people behind Worn & Wound started ADPT to offer America...
Chronometers: What Are They And Should You Care?
In this installment of Back to Basics, we’ll dive into chronometers. What does this term mean, and why should it be relevant to you? If you are (relatively) new to the watch hobby, the word “chronometer” may be somewhat confusing. Technically, any object that measures (meter) time (chrono) is a chronometer, right? Then why do brands label some mechanical watches as such but not others?As always with this series, this article is mainly for new watch enthusiasts, so if you are one of them, welcome! If you are a seasoned Fratello reader, this info will probably be familiar. Still, who knows? There may be something new here for you too. Let's get into it!What is a chronometer?L...
Brands Everyone Should Have In Their Watch Collections
We’re back with another episode of Fratello On Air,?and this week, we discuss watches from brands that everyone should own at some point on their collecting journey. Our ideas come across as more of a suggestion than an edict, though. We also touch on several other watch-related topics before the main event. Enjoy the show!...
Exploring Evergreens: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duoface
In this series called Exploring Evergreens, we review watches that have been around for over a decade - or long enough to feel ubiquitous - and ask ourselves whether they have managed to stand the test of time. We'll address whether they're still relevant, how they feel today, and, ultimately, if they're worth their current prices. In some cases, when the authors own/have owned the specific pieces, they'll dig into how their feelings about them have evolved and whether or not they still deserve a spot in their collections. We'll cover anything from truly timeless and budget-friendly classics to vintage and neo-vintage heavy hitters. Today, it's Daan's turn again with his Jaeger-LeCoultre Rev...
New: Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Worldtimer Deep Black
Omega’s Deep Black series is a sub-collection within its Seamaster Planet Ocean line. The watches all have a 45.5mm brushed black ceramic case with a 600m depth rating. Today, the brand from Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, adds two new references to the four current ones by introducing the popular worldtimer complication. You have the choice between versions with gray or turquoise accents.Two years ago, I was at the launch of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph Deep Black ETNZ Edition in Barcelona. That watch fully catered to the crew on the Emirates Team New Zealand boat that won the 37th America’s Cup. It came with a regatta countdown timer and featured accents in the team’s...
Making A Case For Catch-And-Release Watch Collecting
I was recently watching a video on the excellent 5 Watt World guitar channel on YouTube. Host Keith Williams discussed catch-and-release guitar collecting as a way to enjoy the hobby. This makes a lot of sense for guitars as each has a different feel and sound, triggering different playing. You could even argue that you become a better player as you move from one guitar to the next. It got me wondering, does this approach to enjoying a hobby work for watches as well?Then, I realized that catch-and-release behavior is indeed quite common in the watch world but under a different name - flipping. It gets a bad rap, and its perpetrators are often cynically referred to as serial flippers. The ter...
The Best Vintage Watches Under $5,000 Nacho's Picks
Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve seen some of the guys pick favorites among some of the best vintage watches on the market for less than $5,000. I set them out to complete this task, so it only seems fair that I join in. Today, I’ve scratched the surface of the vast selection of excellent vintage watches available at this price point and selected three. Seeing how different people’s picks have been so far has been very interesting. There has even been some overlap on some of the more classic ones. Going into it, though, I’m confident there won’t be any repeats here.As I said, now it’s time for me to give it a go. It was a challenge to settle for three...
Blancier: Watchmaker for a Weekend
Watchmaking class starts now! Be a watchmaker for a whole weekend in Germany. You’ll start with a few theory lessons on watchmaking, but soon you will be polishing steel, creating blued screws, engraving your personal serial number in the movement etc. etc. After a weekend of hard work, you will leave the Blancier Lottermann & Sohne seminar in Mannheim Germany with a brand new unique wrist watch.A two-day seminar in Mannheim/Germany includes:the mechanical wrist watch you created;documentation of the theory lessons;an incredible watchmaing experience!This seminar costs only 890 Euro! This doesn’t include a hotel, but for just a small additional fee (adding it up to a total pr...
Blancier Desert Wolf 'Bullhead'
Normally, my coverage on quartz driven watches is second to none, however, I’ll make an exception for this special timepiece. The Blancier Desert Wolf is dedicated to the Dutch troops in Uruzgan.The watch case of the Desert Wolf has a 45 diameter and a hard PVD finish. The buckle of the strap also has this PVD finish. As you can see, the dial of the Blancier Desert Wolf is marked with the coordinates of the Dutch Uruzgan camp. The orange markers and hands refer to the Dutch heritage.The crown and chronograph pushers are located on the 12 o’clock position of the watch, which makes it a ‘bullhead’ watch. Something we’ve seen in the past on Omega and Seiko watches ...
Patek Philippe Nautilus With White Dials BaselWorld 2012
Patek Philippe introduced some white dial versions for their Nautilus collection during the BaselWorld 2012 exhibition. Fratellowatches had a chance to get them in front of the lens during our meeting with Patek and we’re happy to share our photos with you. We also were able to get the new Patek Philippe 5204P (split seconds chronograph and perpetual calendar) in front of our lens, we will get to that fantastic timepiece in another blog post.As you may know, the Nautilus is – together with the Royal Oak – a watch that get mentioned a lot here. We love icons, especially when designed by the late Gerald Genta. Last year’s BaselWorld brought us a new version of the Aquan...
P1lot One Watch A Forum Initiative
More than once, I’ve seen a watch that was specifically designed or made for members of a watch forum or community. Heck, we even did our own Fratello Watches timepiece together with Marvin a couple of years ago. This P1lot One watch is something special though, as it was also made by forum members.Dutch watch forum horlogeforum.nl (with 4000 members) decided it was time for a special project. A watch for members only and also (partially) made by members. The design was done by member Teun van Heerebeek and his aim was to come up with a unique “Fliegeruhr”. The case and crown have been made by forum member Jan Binnendijk. The leather strap was crafted by another forum membe...
Universal Geneve Compax 1950, reference 884.475
Universal Geneve Compax 1950, reference 884.475Last week I mentioned a lot of Panda-love again. Our own Teun van Heerebeek showed the stickers which he will bring to Baselworld. Including in the designs of the stickers is the drawing of his Watches & Pencils #16 about Panda Dials. It immediately became my favorite sticker.This, and a few other items, inspired me to wear a watch with a Panda-dial for this weeks 52Mondayz. I chose the Universal Geneve Compax 1950 with reference 884.475. A very well made watch from the time that UG fell under the Hong Kong Stellux Group umbrella. Please don’t be fooled by the official name of this watch, it wasn’t produced in 1950, however in th...
Only One Watch 10 Watches in 10 Price Categories
Every once in a while we receive the question whether we could live with just one watch, and which watch that would be. You have probably also fantasized yourself of trading (all) the watch in your collection for just one watch.One Watch Only!In this article, we take a look at watches that we find interesting in a certain price bandwidth. From an entry-level mechanical Seiko to something ‘haute horlogerie’. Of course, our picks might change over time (or by the week) as new models are being introduced all the time (as in well over a week during BaselWorld 2017). However, if we?were going to pick only one watch, chances are quite big that we’d select an iconic model.That sai...