Unfortunately, a lot of brands these days already bombard our mailboxes with pre-SIHH and pre-BaselWorld releases. So we know what’s coming, some times we even receive invitations to come and have a look before one of the big shows, to do our own photography. To be honest, we favor the ‘being surprised’ a bit more, like in the old days, when press kits were a binder with some spe

Today, we'll take a look at the Prometheus Zenobia, the latest watch made for the ever-growing Divers Watches Facebook Group.We've now reviewed roughly a handful of limited edition dive watches made by various micro brands in collaboration with the Divers Watches Facebook Group (DWFG).? The group, headed largely by Andreas Gregoriades of Cyprus, continues to expand its membership as the largest wa

Awesome vintage watches often come in odd packaging.Whether it is a funny shape, like the Zenith El Primero Big Blue with its TV Screen case. Or a household watch brand's unusual model, such as Tissot's Wood- and Stone watches. Not to mention a low-key looking timepiece concealing an awesome movement, as any Junghans chrono from the 50s with their amazing J88 movement. What if all 3 comes in one w

The AVI-8 Spitfire Type 300 Automatic is one of the latest watches from the Aviation-obsessed brand. It also happens to be one of the most accomplished in terms of specs, design execution, and price. I spent a week alternating between two of the four available colorways and here's what I think about itTo be quite frank, I'm finding having my preconceptions shattered so regularly quite exhausting.

With news flooding in thick and fast, you could be forgiven for missing the announcement that Grand Seiko is set to open a new Studio facility. As the brand hopes to kick-off its next 60-year cycle with a rush of positivity, the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi promises to boost production capacity for the future.A lot lies in wait for us in Summer 2020. Mostly, of course, unanswered questions when

Balazs and Mike come with the latest episode of Fratello on Air and discuss their favorite vintage dive watches. For a couple of watch crazies who live inland, you’ll see that they have a lot of live for these beasts of the deep.On an earlier episode, we discussed our most cherished chronographs. It’s hard to say which watch genre is our favorite, but there’s no doubt that vintag

Welcome, one and all, to the first round proper 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…

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. While the daily routine is largely focused on the most recent developments in the world of watches, the most fun for many of us lies in the world of yesteryear. 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 watche

Eone has created a sleek, modern watch designed for people with or without vision impairment. A good design and inclusion for persons with disabilities go hand in hand here. The result, sometimes called inclusive or universal design, addresses as many people’s needs and abilities as possible. The focus is on the design so that users with diverse needs can enjoy the product.The idea for the E

Recently on Fratello, we have covered some truly delightful leather watch rolls. I’ve even been tempted to invest. And that’s in spite of having more than enough storage for a collection I hope soon to scythe in half having been inspired by Thor’s article from Collector’s Week. However, there is one thing of which I do not have enough. I need more rugged carry cases capable

Right off the bat, I know what you’re thinking: “Ben, you think the world needs another Omega Seamaster variation?” That’s fair, and we did get a slew of new Omega releases, mostly within its sea-faring collection. Yet, my suggestion to Omega is to consider dive watches that don’t plunge to the ocean floor but are pretty comfortable in the coral reefs. I’m refer

It has been great to read about the exciting and personal experiences that my Fratello colleagues have had with Seiko. Reading about Fratello founder RJ's journey with the Seiko Marinemaster and how it changed his views on the brand reveals something fundamental about our hobby. The way that our tastes and opinions about watches shift over time leads to fascinating journeys that we could never hav

When Fortis introduced the Flieger collection in 2020, it offered classic Flieger DNA with various complications. Three-hand automatic, chronograph, and Triple-GMT options ensured there was something for everyone, whatever your tastes. For me, the collection is classic Fortis.Fortis managed to combine the Flieger concept with its signature tool-watch aesthetic. The resulting watches were a unique

We're beyond excited to introduce the Fratello Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph, an electrifying new collaboration! For one week only, we will have 50 pieces available exclusively in the Fratello Shop at an early-bird price of $1,499. The week-long pre-order period will be open from Monday, March 20th at 4:00 PM CET to Sunday, March 26th at midnight, ahead of a larger-scale release in June 2023.

I was looking for a watch that I shall not mention in the Fratello safe, but?instead, I stumbled upon some watches that I liked but had doubts about when I first saw them last spring. My eyes fell on three versions of the Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400, neatly tucked away side by side in a watch box. In particular, the blue and pink versions grabbed my attention. The gray, my favorite at the time of

We’re back with another review of a vintage Japanese watch, and this time, the King Seiko 4420-9990 is in focus. This is a neat reference, and I’m happy to share two examples that, like Voltron, will hopefully come together to make one lovely example. Or will they?In 2022, I decided it was finally time to (re)take a look at vintage King and Grand Seiko. For whatever reason, I had kept

Besides my passions for music and watches, I also greatly love architecture. It takes a unique talent and ability to create buildings that seem like they have an actual soul. But what if you combine architecture and watch design? Does that work? The answer came in the spring of last year. The Lebond Siza explored the crossroads of architecture and watch design. The result was a watch that showed t

I mainly associate Fortis with its different watches created for use in space. But there is more to the brand than just those. The Fortis M-40 is a versatile tool watch for diving or adventures out in the wild. It has appropriate specs to make it a versatile piece that will serve you in various conditions. And knowing that it is a Fortis, you know that the quality is top-notch. So, after reviewing

The Baltic Hermetique collection consists of colorful and vintage-inspired field watches. I say “colorful” because, initially, it was “only” available in brown, green, beige, and blue. Somehow, I didn’t even notice that a black or white option wasn’t available. But one of our readers left a comment underneath Thomas’s hands-on article expressing his surpri

We seem to be living in a watch era in which people lose their marbles over a faded bezel - something that just happens - while man-made tour de forces like a gyro tourbillon seem to be brushed aside. I blame the retro trend, which gave us watches like the Tudor Black Bay. But it's also a trend that overshadowed the traditional, marvelous craftsmanship of boundary-pushing master watchmakers. But i