Vacheron Constantin Overseas 37mm An Elegant Underdog
If you google this watch, one of the first headlines you’ll see names it the “The Vacheron Constantin Overseas 37mm (Without Diamonds)”. Clearly, this cool reference was earmarked for women only back in 2017. It was a time before most men allowed themselves sub-40mm watches, with “will also work for men” as the go-to phrase for a review. This particular headline read as if the reader might not even want to bother with a 37mm watch without diamonds.We are in 2022, things have changed, and small is the new big. Many of you know this by now, but I am happy to wear smaller watches without feeling emasculated, metrosexual, or effeminate. Sure, I'll still rock 40-44mm...
Coffee Corner Watch Talk Tissot, Frederique Constant, And AP
It's not that you didn't do anything last weekend. On the contrary, you probably did too much. But do your colleagues really want to hear about it? Stuff like cleaning the shed, a run that left you completely out of breath, and a visit to the in-laws are things better kept to yourself. But you can't just show up at work with nothing to talk about. That's why we present you with a couple of watch conversation starters you can casually drop when you're having a break. Check our coffee corner watch talk featuring Tissot, Frederique Constant, and Audemars Piguet - and an auction of very special Royal Oak models to be precise - before you head over to the pantry, the water cooler, or the cafeteri...
Now Available: Speedy Tuesday Tribute to Alaska III Strap
Every month in 2023, we will release a new strap for the Omega Speedmaster, and this month, it’s time for the “Speedy Tuesday - Tribute to Alaska III” strap. Alaska III was Omega’s project for a Speedmaster that would be used during the Space Shuttle missions. In 1978, NASA re-qualified the Omega Speedmaster Professional, this time with caliber 861, for the Space Shuttle program that would start in 1981.Speedy Tuesday - Tribute To Alaska IIIOmega sent 56 of these watches with “radial” dials to NASA. In 2012, one of those 56 watches landed on our desk via a Space Shuttle astronaut who got in touch with me about it. This very watch inspired us to come up wit...
Breitling Introduces The New Top Time Classic Cars Models
It’s been roughly 18 months since Breitling introduced the first Top Time Classic Cars Editions. During a big event in Geneva in 2021, the brand proudly presented three new Top Time models connected to American sports cars from the ’60s. The colorful Top Time watches celebrated the iconic style of both the chronographs and the cars from that decade. And they did so with great success. Breitling now introduces the new Top Time Classic Cars Editions as a next step. Three of them are updated versions of the models we saw in 2021, but there is also one great-looking new addition to the lineup. Time to find out more about the new Breitling Top Time Classic Cars Editions for 2023.The B...
Breitling's Six New Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Models
Breitling's horological journey through three generations of the founding family was very much the history of the chronograph, notes the brand's historian Fred Mandelbaum. When Breitling revived the historic Premier line in 2019 after a 50-plus-year hiatus, the brand aimed to capture that vintage flair in a modern interpretation. Today, the Swiss heritage watchmaker is adding six new Premier models, each in a 42mm case. Five are made of stainless steel and one of 18K rose gold, and all feature a COSC-certified manufacture caliber B01.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7BvxcgWxtgThe birth of the PremierBreitling is synonymous with the chronograph. Through the early 20th century, the brand progr...
Meet The New Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription
Just a few weeks ago, Louis Vuitton presented its high-end watchmaking pieces at one of the brand’s chalets in Courchevel, France. But there was also another big announcement afoot. In the presence of Louis Vuitton’s head of watchmaking Jean Arnault and master watchmakers Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, the plans for the resurrection of the Daniel Roth watch brand was unveiled.The revival of Daniel RothA few days before, the news got out that Arnault would be reviving the Daniel Roth brand. In recent years, it was in somewhat of a hibernation mode with Bvlgari (also an LVMH-owned brand), but Daniel Roth has an interesting history. Roth (1945) was a watchmaker that worked for J...
A Selection Of Neo-Vintage Gems IWC, Cartier, And More
It was the era of Nirvana, Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond, and the iPod. The 1990s and early 2000s were also, in some ways, an interesting era for watch design. And because of this, these two decades are also ripe for the picking when it comes to neo-vintage watches that fly a little under the radar and yet offer exciting value propositions.?Before we begin, it is worth mentioning that this is in no way an exhaustive list of good options from the 1990s and early 2000s. And you can probably see some of my taste and bias for tool watches in this list. But hopefully, this does offer a spark for conversations in this space, and I would love to read your recommendations of watches to look out ...
#TBT An Alpina Cal. 586 With Pontife Hands
It is not difficult to recognize a simple time-only watch from the 1940s. There are tons of them. They have either plain dials or dials with Arabic numerals. Not many watches from that time had hours marked with Roman numerals, and even fewer had so-called Pontife hands. And this is the first time I’ve found all this spiced up with an Alpina logo!Alpina watches of various styles create a big chunk of my watch collection. In my early years of watch collecting, I watched the market closely and accumulated an exciting selection of shapes, styles, and movements. To mention a few, the Alpina La Ronde is not easy to come by, and neither is the Alpina President with its massive case. I can...
Breitling Announces The New Aerospace B70 Orbiter
Today marks an important milestone for Breitling as it launches the next generation of Aerospace. With the outgoing Aerospace Evo stock levels in flux for the past few years, it has been uncertain whether the analog-digital Grade 2 titanium watch would stay. Breitling’s new 43mm Aerospace B70 Orbiter settles the debate and celebrates 25 years since the first nonstop global balloon flight in 1999. The smoky orange dial of this special edition matches the balloon’s gondola, with the Orbiter insignia flanking the right of the central pinion. Can the new Aerospace soar above the clouds, or will it deflate and come crashing to the ground? Let’s find out.The Breitling Aerospace i...
NEW: Blancpain's 42mm Fifty Fathoms Automatique Models
Many fans of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms have been yearning for a non-limited edition in a smaller case - a watch like the 42mm Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 1 limited edition of last year. Well, steel stays limited, but red gold and titanium iterations are now unlimited, meaning 14 possible variations made their way into Blancpain's current collection.While 2023 might have been the year of the Fifty Fathoms, the luxury dive watch will stay in the spotlight in 2024. That’s because the brand has announced new 42mm versions that are taking their place in the current collection. Did Blancpain listen to the market, the collectors/fans, and the passionate commenters here on Fratello? W...
Introducing: The Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition
To celebrate the Ocean Star’s 80th anniversary, Mido introduces a new GMT Special Edition. It doesn’t take much inspiration from a specific reference from the past, but it certainly looks inspired by vintage watches. And, just like the other Ocean Star GMT models, it features a so-called “flyer GMT” movement. Even though more and more watches at this price point are utilizing such a movement, it’s still not very common. We stumbled upon this exciting new release last week and certainly didn’t want to keep it from you, so let’s take a quick look.Although Mido had already trademarked the Oceanstar name (yes, as one word) in 1944, the first watch carryi...
Fratello Talks: Cut The Excuses And Enjoy Watches
Hi there, and welcome to a new episode of Fratello Talks. Excuses, excuses, excuses… Letting them get in the way of a good thing is a shame. So it’s time to cut them out and enjoy watches. This is this week’s topic of discussion, which Nacho, Lex, and RJ explore in detail. It’s an interesting phenomenon that we’ve observed lately. A new watch is announced, and out pour the single-phrase comments providing personal justification for the lack of intention to purchase. It all results in a rather dull, nasty, and repetitive rabbit hole of cynicism. But why does this happen? Is it a FOMO-induced face-saving reaction? Does it have more to do with how information is sh...
Introducing: MoonSwatch Snoopy ?Mission To The Moonphase
Exactly two years after the successful launch of the MoonSwatch, Swatch introduces the Mission to the Moonphase. It's a MoonSwatch Snoopy, in short, as NASA’s “watchdog” is positioned in the upper-right sub-dial. On the battery cover on the case back, there is also Snoopy’s footprint on the Moon. Clever!Omega Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to the MoonphaseAfter the first 11 MoonSwatch models in 2022 and the MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold editions in 2023, Swatch puts the MoonSwatch to work again with this Snoopy edition. Exactly two years after the introduction of the MoonSwatch, this Mission to the Moonphase with Snoopy will be available starting March 26th, 2024.This MoonSwat...
Fratello's Top 5 Modern Vacheron Constantin Models
Another Friday, another list! This week, we’ll start looking ahead to Watches and Wonders. With the world’s biggest watch fair approaching, it’s time to highlight brands celebrating different anniversaries. One of them is Vacheron Constantin, which is celebrating its 270th anniversary in 2025. As that long history is too extensive to sum up with a handful of watches, we’ve picked our five favorite modern Vacheron Constantin pieces. Admittedly, that doesn’t do the brand’s recent history justice either, but let’s consider it a glimpse of some of the remarkable timepieces released in the last two decades.Before we jump in, allow me to quickly qualify th...
Hands-On: A Stealthy Trio Of Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chronos
It has been a while since we reviewed a Hamilton Intra-Matic, let alone a series of them. The brand’s classic chronograph is one of my favorite watches in its current catalog. The panda-dial version of the Intra-Matic Auto holds a special place in my heart. I wore that quite a bit before I wrote the review about five years ago. After that, I also greatly enjoyed seeing the hand-wound versions, which were slightly slimmer and lost the date window. Since their introduction in 2021, it’s been fairly quiet on the Intra-Matic Chrono front. But there is news! With three new blacked-out models, Hamilton presents a drastically different new take on its classic chronograph. I had a chance...
New: Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Aston Martin F1 Edition
After the first Formula 1 Grand Prix in Australia, Richard Mille and IWC scored 27 points, putting them in first and second place. GP is in fifth position with eight points scored by Lawrence Stroll and Fernando Alonso. But with 23 races to come, there's still everything to play for. Formula 1 and watch brands have a special relationship that continues to give us fascinating timepieces, such as the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Aston Martin F1 Edition. This 44mm three-hander in a Grade 5 titanium case is not just as light as an F1-themed watch should be, but it also has a remarkable paint job. Is this the crucial element that puts this GP ahead of the competition?The 2025 Formula 1 seas...
New: Formex Essence Ceramica Skeleton COSC Automatic 41mm
Formex is well known for bringing the heat to much more expensive brands in terms of features and pricing. Today, as the opening salvo of the company's 25th-anniversary celebrations, the heat gets dialed up a little more. Say “hello” to the new Formex Essence Ceramica Skeleton COSC Automatic 41mm. Yes, that's a mouthful, but it only scratches the surface of yet another spec beast from Formex.With this release, Formex turned its attention to ceramics. For the first time, I detect a slightly brazen tone in the associated press materials. Formex does indeed intend to challenge much higher-end brands with this new statement of intent. Well, all right then; I will evaluate it as such!...
Gerald Genta's Classics in 2009
Designer Gerald Genta started his own brand in 1969, however, this talented haute horlogerie designer also did design work for numereous other watch brands. He is responsibles for some all-time watch classics that were produced in the 1970s. The most spectacular designs are those of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus, Vacheron Constantin ‘222‘ (Overseas) and the IWC Ingenieur.However, like I wrote before in the blog post on the Vacheron Constantin 222, these watches become unaffordable. A vintage 222 in stainless steel will cost you around 10.000 Euro, and I only found 1 for sale on chrono24.com. Do you love the vintage Patek Philippe Nautilus ref.3700 and wan...
Oris Diver Sixty-Five Hands-On
Last Monday we already gave you a little sneak-preview on the new Oris Diver Sixty-Five watch. In the meanwhile, we have visited Oris at BaselWorld and had the opportunity to have a closer look at the watch. In the near future, we will do a thorough review on the new Oris Diver Sixty-Five but for now we can at least answer the question: is it as good as we hoped it would be?Our pre-BaselWorld 2015 announcement received quite some comments both here on Fratello Watches as well as some forums that linked to it. Lovers of modern watches were a bit set back by the fact it doesn’t have a ceramic insert and that the watch ‘only’ measured 40mm while the real diving watch fans had ...
Speedy Tuesday Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial Master Chronometer
It is Speedy Tuesday and we’ve got something fresh from BaselWorld for you today: the Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial Master Chronometer. In January, we showed you the blue version here first, but last week Omega showed us the entire collection of their new Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial Master Chronometer watches and we were able to take some great?images during our appointment with them. Omega used one of our images on their own Instagram feed as well, the one that shows the photo realistic Moon in detail, including the footprint left by Neil Armstrong.Not only did Omega came up with the stainless steel version with blue dial and bezel like we showed you previously, they also ca...