The New Tudor Pelagos Ultra Dives Deeper Than Ever Before
Tudor takes its dive watches rather seriously, and the new Tudor Pelagos Ultra is about as serious as they come. The brand has been making divers since 1954. Back then, the deepest-diving model had a humble 100m water resistance rating. Since then, the brand has kept busy evolving, looking to improve its formula. That quest culminated in the Pelagos, a watch that more than holds up over a decade later. Today, the already rock-solid Pelagos dive watch gets the business end of Tudor’s hunger for taking something good and making it even better.The original Pelagos debuted in 2012, and since then, we’ve seen a handful of iterations bearing the Pelagos name. These include the Pelagos ...
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar
This year marks the 270th anniversary of Vacheron Constantin. The Genevan brand is one of the world’s foremost luxury horology houses, leading to high expectations for 2025. In January, we were treated to the stunning stainless steel Historiques 222. During Watches and Wonders, Vacheron Constantin unveils its next horological highlight. The Traditionnelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar is an impressive display of how the brand implements its horological skills to create something truly special. The watch features a newly developed caliber and a beautifully created 270th-anniversary dial. All together, this is the next beautiful highlight for Vacheron Constantin in this special year.Vach...
New: TAG Heuer's Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1
TAG Heuer is a name familiar to many of my fellow Australians. It’s a popular brand down under. Even so, it’s one from which I have never owned a watch except for an original quartz Formula 1 from the 1980s. This needs to change someday, but today’s article features a watch I could never hope to own, even if it is very cool! Meet the TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1, a watch well out of my price range but undeniably impressive.The TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1First, let’s get the specifications out of the way. The TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1 is powered by the automatic caliber TH81-00. It operates at a high-beat 36,000vph...
Tudor's New Burgundy Black Bay 58 And Opaline Black Bay Pro
Tudor’s releases at Watches and Wonders this year were always going to be a source of excitement for me. As a Tudor owner, I like the brand’s variety of approachable watches at competitive price points. Now we have some updated models in the Tudor Black Bay line to discuss.Today, Tudor has introduced several novelties. In this article, we’ll look at the Tudor Black Bay Pro with an opaline dial and a new Black Bay 58 with a rich burgundy dial. Let’s dive in.Left, center, right: Black Bay 58 refs. M7939A1A0RU-0002 ($4,550), M7939A1A0RU-0001 ($4,660), M7939A1A0RU-0003 ($4,330)The Tudor Black Bay 58 in burgundyLet’s start with the one I am quite excited about - a re...
Introducing: The New Panerai Luminor Marina Collection
For those who love Panerai but have hoped for thinner references, 2025 could be the year! The new Luminor Marina collection is here, bringing a flurry of upgrades and changes over the previous generation. A slimmer, newly designed case comes with a new movement and an increased water resistance rating. Let’s have a closer look.Panerai is a brand that resonates with so many of us in the watch-collecting community. The company made one of the first watches I ever lusted after, and I still look forward to the annual new releases. Currently, smaller and thinner watches are on trend, which is a challenging spot for Panerai. The updated Luminor Marina collection isn’t becoming petite, ...
A. Lange & Sohne Introduces The Odysseus In Honey Gold
And the award for “Best in Show” goes to…? The new A. Lange & Sohne Odysseus Honeygold will most definitely be at the top of the list for many watch fans, including yours truly. Watches and Wonders 2025 is about to get underway, and the German brand drops a stunner of a watch. A Honeygold case and bracelet combine with a beautiful dark brown dial to give the Odysseus a completely new aesthetic. Let’s find out more about one of the most striking timepieces at Watches and Wonders this year.Over the past few years, we have seen some amazing gold watches take the spotlight during Watches and Wonders. Last year, we saw the Philippe Golden Ellipse with the beautiful new...
Chronoswiss Introduces The Small Second And Q-Repeater
The watch industry is in full new-release mode this week, and Chronoswiss has brought the goods. Today, we’ll take a brief look at two new model lines. The Small Second will be the brand’s entry-level collection, while the Q-Repeater sits at the opposite end of the price range. Let’s take a look!Chronoswiss has been on an absolute tear over the past 12 months and is reinventing its entire product line. New, modernized models with in-house-designed movements primarily built by La Joux-Perret lead the charge. All the pieces have been attractive, and our readers have provided favorable input. Now the relatively more affordable Small Second debuts alongside the complicated Q-Re...
Hands-On: The New Laurent Ferrier Classic Auto Horizon
Laurent Ferrier introduced the Classic Auto with a warm sandstone-colored dial just half a year ago. Today, we see the introduction of a new version. This time, the result is much cooler looking, completely changing the nature of this fine piece of Haute Horlogerie. I got a chance to go hands-on with the new Laurent Ferrier Classic Auto Horizon. Even we at Fratello don't get a chance to play around with watches of this level every day. Add to this that Laurent Ferrier is probably my favorite modern watchmaker, and you could consider me eager to try this creation.While I usually pick watches without dates, the Classic Auto is so bold in its implementation of this humble complication that it h...
Introducing: The New Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day 5328G
Making an early yet impressive start to the much-awaited deluge of Watches and Wonders 2025 releases, Patek Philippe has just introduced 15 new models to its catalog. Among them is the Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328G-001. This watch also marks the debut of a new movement, the in-house 31-505 8J PS IRM CI J.Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day 5328GAt first glance, the 5328G-001 aligns with the elegance we’ve come to expect from the Calatrava family. This latest model features a 41mm white gold case with a 10.52mm thickness. It has a smooth bezel, hobnail-guilloche case band, downward-sloping chamfered lugs, and a textured blue vignette dial. It has the same versatile and almost sporty aesthetic a...
New: Patek Philippe Quadruple Complication Ref. 5308G-001
The Patek Philippe Quadruple Complication ref. 5308G-001 is a stunning-looking timepiece but with a price tag well beyond what most of us could spare. Let’s take a look.Today’s Quadruple Complication ref. 5308G-001 is entering Patek Philippe’s regular catalog. Originally, the Quadruple Complication debuted as a limited-edition platinum watch during 2023’s Watch Art Tokyo Grand Exhibition. This new regular-production version, however, comes in white gold. It offers a minute-repeater, a split-seconds chronograph featuring two patented mechanisms, and a perpetual calendar. The watch comes in a 42mm size but has a price tag of more than a million euros!A rather thick but ...
New: The Patek Philippe Desk Clock Ref. 27000M-001
Wristwatches are so 2024. In 2025, Patek Philippe says desk clocks are a big deal again. Proof is the ref. 27000M-001, a table clock inspired by models created in the 1920s and 1930s. The new creation features both a perpetual and weekly calendar and is powered by new manually wound high-performance caliber with a 31-day power reserve. It is the subject of nine patent applications, and it is very precise, with an accuracy of 1 second per day. Furthermore, the highly complicated clock is easy to operate; watchmaking evolution is at play here. It is also quite an impressive time machine with its cabinet in 925 silver embellished with panels in green Grand Feu flinque enamel over a swirling gu...
Introducing: The 40mm Patek Philippe Cubitus
When Patek Philippe announced the Cubitus in October 2024, the collection was met with a mixed response. Among the points of criticism from the enthusiast crowd was that the 45mm size was on the large side, to put it mildly. Well, Patek Philippe already had an ace up its sleeve ready to be played at this year's Watches and Wonders. Behold the 40mm Patek Philippe Cubitus three-hander. Is this the Cubitus you have all been waiting for?The new Cubitus comes in two flavors - white gold with a blue-gray dial (ref. 7128/1G) or rose gold with a brown dial (ref. 7128/1R). Both feature sunburst effects and the characteristic teak-deck striping. Also, both watches are set at price on request. Let's ha...
Grand Seiko Presents Two Very Different Tentagraph Watches
When Grand Seiko launched the first Tentagraph in 2023, it was also the brand’s first all-mechanical chronograph. Two years later, two new Tentagraph models debut - the Evolution 9 SLGC007, which is a new colorway of the 2023 SLGC001, and the bold Tokyo Lion SLGC009, a watch in the Sport Collection. Yes, Grand Seiko presents two completely different watches with only the Tentagraph name and the movement in common. In appearance, these Hi-Beat chronographs are complete opposites.Like the 2023 SLGC001, the 2025 SLGC007 Tentagraph is a member of the Evolution 9 collection. This means you get a chiseled case with an athletic look. The design is rooted in the past, and Grand Seiko interpret...
Introducing: A Return Of The Cartier Tank Guichets
I am always torn between the Tank Basculante and the Tank Guichets when it comes to picking my favorite rectangular Cartier. No, come to think of it, I am not torn at all. The Cartier Tank Guichets is my favorite by some margin. Well, lucky me! Today, we see the reintroduction of arguably the oddest version of the iconic Tank.Three regular-production models make their debut today in rose gold, yellow gold, and platinum. A fourth edition - also in platinum - will see only 200 units produced. Let's have a closer look!Cartier Tank Guichets historyThe place to start this article is probably the French word guichets. It translates to “windows” or “counters,” as in a ...
Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. SLGB001 And SLGB003
Seiko founded Grand Seiko to pursue watchmaking excellence. Most commonly, this mission translated into creating the most accurate watches possible. Later on, aesthetics also played an increasingly important part thanks to the Grammar of Design. Grand Seiko was Seiko’s answer to the Swiss domination of the industry, and the line offered watches that could compete with the traditional brands from the long-established home of horology. Decades later, thanks to Spring Drive technology, Grand Seiko watches combined the magic of traditional mechanical watchmaking with the technological accuracy of quartz watches. Now, with the new Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. SLGB001 and SLGB003, the bra...
Introducing: The 2025 Tank Louis Cartier
You’ve already seen the header image, so you know exactly what watch this article is about. However, when I say, “Roman numerals, railway track, parallel brancards, blued-steel sword hands, and a beaded crown with a cabochon on top,” what do you envision? Of course, that can only be a Cartier Tank. At Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025, Cartier introduces a new and refined version of what is probably one of La Maison’s biggest icons - the Tank Louis Cartier. It’s slightly bigger because it houses an automatic movement, but it has a new guilloche dial and comes in yellow and rose gold.Indeed, the Tank Louis Cartier wasn’t the brand’s first Tank. That hon...
Boom! The New TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph Collection
If last May’s TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith announcement left you yearning for a regular-production retro-inspired collection, then today is your lucky day. The new Formula 1 Solargraph collection is here, and I think it goes a long way toward satisfying the legions of fans asking for a return to the colorful good old days.Okay, I was a fan of the Kith collaboration watches, but the pricing and availability put many people off. Plus, vintage ’80s versions are still plentiful and less costly, so the watches weren’t particularly great value. Today’s new TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph collection isn’t priced like the original models, but the pieces are better constructe...
Italians choose Italians
From the Richemont site:RICHEMONT AND FERRARIFerrari and Richemont have agreed to enter into an exclusive license agreementfor the development, manufacturing and distribution of watches by Richemontunder the Ferrari brand;Panerai, the Italian historical brand recognised for the high quality, technologyand style of its timepieces, will be responsible for the development of hautehorlogerie Ferrari watches following the concept ??Ferrari engineered by Panerai??;Panerai will present its first collection of Ferrari watches in spring 2006;Panerai will be appointed ??Official Timekeeper to Ferrari?? with immediate effect.Read the official pressrelease here....
Watch polishing and reviews
John Holbrook mailed me that he had written some articles that might interest us (poster and readers of Fratello :-)). The first one is an article about watch polishing with the help of this magical stuff from Cape Cod.You can find the review hereJohn also writes for watch magazines in the US. He did a review of a nice Panerai for InSync here (it is a PDF!). And for Chronos, you can find a complete Holbrook report if you click right here. The Holbrook report contains a lot of different watches. Different brands and styles, certainly worth checking out!Have fun!...
Hands On: Patek Philippe 5402P Grand Complication Split Seconds Chronograph And Perpetual Calendar
Patek Philippe not only surprised us by introducing white dial versions of the Nautilus collection, they also made us gaze at this other white dialed watch. The Patek Philippe Grand Complication 5402P, a split seconds and perpetual calendar in platinum.The 5402P is the successor of the 5004P, a rattrapante chronograph? with perpetual calendar in a 36.7mm case, also available in other case materials than platinum. Not only the dimensions of the watch case and the dial lay-out changed, Patek also did some innovations regarding the rattrapante mechanism. A number of technical measurements (a.o. a new isolator system and a new split-seconds lever) improved the reliability of the split seconds ch...