G-Shock Bluetooth and Multi-Band 6 missing RCVD mystery solved
Tips & Tricks: try these at home! In its most recent Square modules, Casio offers a dual system to adjust your G-Shock’s time automatically. These modules offer the already known radio-controlled Multi-Band 6 adjustment. And now additionally, the latest G-Shock modules offer a Bluetooth time adjustment system, taking the time from your smartphone.Casio already had experience with radio-controlled watches in its Wave Ceptor models, but radio-controlled Square G-Shocks have been with us since 2008. It was first introduced as “Multi-Band”, effectively receiving five radio signals, and later as “Multi-Band 6”. Multi-Band 6 is a radio-controlled time adjustment o...
March Mania: Quarter Finals AP Royal Oak Vs. Omega Speedmaster Professional
We are approaching the end of March and thus the end of March Mania. It is a very successful but especially fun project on Fratello, and we thoroughly enjoy seeing the results and the discussions below each round. We would like to thank you for that!We even noticed some of you are starting to call yourself Fratelli already, in the comments. And we really see that as a token of appreciation for what we do, but also for the other readers that vote and comment on these March Mania articles. On April 13, we will be giving away a few straps from LIC and a Hamilton Intra-Matic Chrono watch from our shop to some of you. Make sure to read how you can participate in this contest in order to win those...
Fratello On Air: Giles Ellis Of Schofield Watch Company Talks Shop
Giles Ellis joins Rob on this latest edition of Fratello on Air, as the pair discuss the trials and tribulations of independent brand-ownership, the thrill and responsibility of opening a mono-brand store, and how Giles got into watchmaking in the first place....
After The MoonSwatch, What's The Next Swatch Collab?
Who knew that Swatch still had that circa ’90s FOMO swagger? Sometimes, all it takes is a little help from our friends. In this case, Omega stepped in with an 11-part stonker. I’m writing this prior to the official sale date of the MoonSwatch, but it’s safe to say that these watches are hits! I’m never one to stop at the current, though, so let’s talk about what Swatch collab could be next.Ah, Swatch… As a dorky teenager, I was certifiably hooked on these fun and often colorful plastic watches from Switzerland. I still remember the lady, Marguerite, who ran the accessories area at the Boca Town Center Bloomingdales. Yes, it’s true that I had a bit of...
Vintage Heuer Lookalikes: Carrera Connection For Less
I'm not much of a chronograph wearer, though many fellow enthusiasts are. It is a whole subclass of collecting that I never really engaged with but that clearly has its experts. There's the racing-chronograph crowd, the military-chronograph hobbyists, lovers of aviation or dress chronos, and even the diving-chronograph enthusiasts. For each class of watch, there's usually a chronograph option and a fanbase along with it. One of the most well-regarded chronographs ever made has to be the Heuer Carrera. However, vintage Heuer pieces from the 1960s command big prices. Don't fret, though. There are some relatively unknown vintage gems out there for those interested.But first, very briefly, the C...
Bvlgari Presents Nine Octo Roma No elties For 2023
Bvlgari's highly anticipated spring showcase is touting ancestral heritage and modern Italian flair. After a reigning decade of the Octo Finissimo, The Roman Jeweler has decided to put some love into the little brother of the Octo family. Step forward, Octo Roma. Getting the full stage to shine and make a splash is a swathe of novelties. With three new automatics, two chronographs, and four tourbillons, the new Octo Roma references are set to be sartorial crowd-pleasers.?Bvlgari recently bid a mysterious farewell to its iconic hero line, the Octo Finissimo, as we covered here. Of course, it begs the question of what may come next. Although the brand just released the US-only Octo Finissimo T...
The March 2024 Fratello REM Strap Apollo 9
From March 3rd to March 13th, 1969, the Apollo 9 mission took place. On board were astronauts James McDivitt, David Scott, and Russell “Rusty” Schweickart. The mission’s goal was to have a flight with the full Apollo spacecraft, meaning that the command and service module (CSM) and lunar module (LM) were there. But this mission was also to show that the crew could fly the lunar module independently and that it could rendezvous and dock with the command and service module again.Fratello REM Strap - Apollo 9To commemorate this mission, the Fratello REM strap for March 2024 has the docked modules engraved on the strap. We opted for a white strap, not entirely by coincidence, s...
Introducing: Czapek Antarctique Mount Erebus In Full Gold
After it debuted in 2020, the Antarctique quickly became Czapek’s best-selling watch. And what do you do as a brand when one of your watches becomes a success? That’s right; you make different versions of it. However, that’s easier said than done. There’s a serious risk that a not-so-successful version will harm the good image of the original. In the case of Czapek and its Antarctique, though, it seems like every new version is actually improving the image of both the collection and the brand itself. With this new Antarctique Mount Erebus Deep Blue in both rose and yellow gold, that certainly won’t change.For a while, the Czapek Antarctique was only available in...
Hands-On: The New Sternglas Lumatik
I have enjoyed reviewing several Sternglas releases over the past couple of years. Mostly, they were stylish Bauhaus-inspired timepieces in black and white, which were good examples of the popular minimalist design philosophy. However, the Hamburg-based brand has not hesitated to add more colorful timepieces to its collection. The latest example is the new Sternglas Lumatik. The watch was developed with the help of the brand’s loyal community. The thing its members wanted to see the most was a watch combining two lume colors. What we’ve got here is a watch that celebrates spring in style.Straight out of the box, the new Sternglas Lumatik stands out. The combination of colors is b...
New: The Chronoswiss Strike Two Golden Gear And H2O
With Watches and Wonders 2024 just around the corner, it’s time to let the releases begin! Today, we have news of two new Chronoswiss watches. The Strike Two Golden Gear and the Strike Two H2O are meant to pave a new direction for the brand. There’s no denying these are Chronoswiss watches, but look closely, and you’ll notice a more modern take than in the past.I’ve always had a soft spot for Chronoswiss. One of my earliest watch recollections is my dad trying on a ’90s model with a massive onion crown and a lengthy leather strap. It was meant for wearing over a leather driving jacket and featured a vintage Austin-Healey on the packaging. Sadly, he didn’t ...
Our Favorite Watch And Strap Or Bracelet Combinations
This week, Fratello On Air returns with a new episode inspired by one of our listeners. We’re talking about our favorite watch and strap combinations. Of course, we’re allowing bracelets to enter the conversation as well. As always, we also have several other topics on tap....
New: The MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT Onyx Edition
A new MB&F release is always reason enough to sit up straight and pay attention. I am all eyes and ears, especially if it combines yellow gold with black onyx. Yes, Fratelli, I am easy to please. All jokes aside, we all know that MB&F is not just about materials and colors. Every watch has a story that makes the brand a joy to follow. MB&F now unveils a new Onyx Edition of the brand’s Legacy Machine FlyingT for the newest release. This model was originally the brand’s first ladies’ watch, but today’s new version is sure to appeal to men and women alike.I have expressed my great respect for MB&F in previous articles. The creations that Max Busser and hi...
Hands-On: Depancel Allure Automatic Chronograph
In racing, the combination of orange with black or blue is famous. While it is not unique to the racing world, many people immediately associate the two. Sure, we have seen many more colors in the past, but to me, orange and blue ooze racing class. The Depancel Allure Automatic Chronograph celebrates its racing style with that combination of colors. The French brand predominantly focuses on creating chronographs rooted in the glory days of racing. This new Allure Automatic Chronograph, however, takes a more modern approach. It’s time to find out more.About two months ago, I reviewed the Depancel Allure Manual Chronograph. The design of that watch has a very distinct 1970s feel that I q...
Hands-On: MoonSwatch Snoopy Mission To The Moonphase
Although Swatch had been teasing the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase, or Snoopy, for quite a while, weirdly enough, the official announcement came on March 21st while the Swatch Tate event was happening in London. Today, March 26th, 2024, exactly two years after introducing the first 11 MoonSwatch models, Swatch makes its new Snoopy edition available in selected boutiques.Omega Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch SnoopyWe had the opportunity to go hands-on with the new Omega Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch Mission to the Moonphase, which I'll now shorten to “MoonSwatch Snoopy.” As you probably already saw in our introduction article or just about anywhere on social media, the new...
The Hunt For Shapes: Settling On A Vintage Longines
Finding the right watch that doesn’t have a classic, round case is trickier than I anticipated. You see, recently, I have been pursuing an option for my collection that doesn’t adhere to the case shape most of us start with. Hurrah for vintage Longines coming to the rescue!The round watch case is practically synonymous with watchmaking as we know it today. It shows a direct transition from pocket watches of the preceding centuries to a miniaturized pocket watch on the wrist. The reasons for pocket watches being round were many and varied. The biggest one, perhaps, was that having rounded sides meant that more primitive metal processing technology did not have to contend with poli...
New: Doxa Sub 250T GMT Dive Across Time Zones
If you consider yourself a passionate diver, chances are that you strive to dive in different underwater habitats. After all, variety is the spice of life, isn't it? So you may find yourself traveling all over the globe, looking for diving hotspots. Unfortunately, the Doxa on your wrist does not aid in keeping track of time in multiple places as you zip through time zones. Well, until today, that is! Doxa now presents the Sub 250T GMT.Could this be the perfect travel companion for globetrotting divers? Let's have a closer look!By popular demandThis is one of those releases that instantly make sense. In fact, my first thought was, Doesn't Doxa make a GMT already? As it turns out, no such mode...
Hands-On: The Digital RZE UTD-8000-BK
Whenever RZE announces a new release, I’m all ears. It’s no secret that we are RZE fans here at Fratello. But I was not just curious when the brand announced a digital watch. Whenever a brand not known for digital watches releases one, it raises a lot more questions. After all, digital watches are just as much about functionality as they are about aesthetics. You could even claim that most watch fans will buy one expressly for its functionality. I am one of them. So when the RZE UTD-8000-BK landed on my desk, I couldn’t wait to find out more.Entering the world of digital watches as a brand that usually offers mechanical ones can be daunting. You don’t need a mechanica...
Introducing: The New Horage K3 Automatic Caliber
Last week, Horage introduced the DecaFlux with its latest in-house movement, the K3. This is a silicon-equipped caliber designed to offer modern watchmaking technology to a broader audience. As an independent Swiss brand, Horage has continually pursued innovation in mechanical watchmaking, challenging conventions and embracing new materials. The K3 represents the latest chapter in this effort, offering enhanced performance, reliability, and efficiency by integrating the advanced silicon material.The development of the K3 movement marks the next milestone for Horage. In just 15 years, the brand has created five in-house calibers and, recently, a whole new way of regulating mechanical movement...
Sarpaneva Korona Finnish Watchmaking
Watchmaking is not limited to Switzerland, or Germany, or Japan. We’ve seen a lot of nice watches coming from other parts in the world as well, like The Netherlands, the UK, Sweden and in this case, Finland. Stepan Sarpaneva was born and raised in Finland, educated by the Finnish School of Watchmaking and flew out to Switzerland for even more horological education followed by work for a number of prestigious watchmakers and manufacturers. Back in Finland, Stepan concentrated on his own timepieces called Korona.In the recent past, Ming Thein did a hands-on review of Stepan Sarpaneva’s K3 Northern Stars timepiece (click here to read) accompanied by some dazzling photographs of the ...
George Daniels A Master Watchmaker & His Art
Michael Clerizo, friend of the show for a long time now, already had written a beautiful book called ‘Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking‘. Clerizo (Wallstreet Journal contributor) just finished another great book – another masterpiece – called ‘George Daniels, A Master Watchmaker & His Art’.Many of you will know George Daniels for his (important) work on the Co-Axial escapement. One of the – or perhaps the – most important inventions in watchmaking which has been adopted by OMEGA since 1999. However, Daniels already came up with the first co-axial escapement in 1975. After having having it tried and tested in a pocket watch first, he also ...