G-Shock celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. It’s hard to believe that the brand has been around for four decades, providing us with some of the most remarkable timepieces in watch history. G-Shock has evolved into a cultural phenomenon that is so much more than just a watch brand. It is part of street culture, movies, and fashion, but most of all, G-Shock plays a part in so many of ou

Value-oriented brand Tudor is a case study of how quickly the landscape is changing in the watch world. We can find solace in this notion through the cautionary tale of one 18th-century philosopher and wonder if rising watch prices might come with a silver lining.In late 2020, I got a phone call that had me very excited. Back then, I was still pretty new to the watch hobby. I would say I was ̶

I have mixed feelings this year. I had to watch from afar as I was writing remotely and not part of the lovely circus that is Watches and Wonders. But despite a few of our editors noting a rather lukewarm personal reception, I was surprised by some gems at the show and have some grail-worthy favorite Watches and Wonders 2024 releases.While played it cool in the face of receding market values and

The 1990s were a period of significant change in the watch industry. Those years were very much a time of realignment and ongoing recovery after the crippling Quartz Crisis two decades earlier. Today, we’re looking at 1990s watches and design principles from that era to consider whether they could inspire the next trends in the watch industry.Is it just me, or do the ’90s not seem like

It’s Sunday morning, so it’s time for a cup of coffee and a new installment of Sunday Morning Showdown. This week, we continue the series with another watch unveiled during Watches and Wonders. The most talked-about Tudor release was, without a doubt, the new Pelagos Ultra. This new beefed-up and modernized version of the regular Pelagos got lots of praise from dive-watch fans. But it

(by Elizabeth Doerr, Freelance Journalist for Watches)(left to right): Leonid Khankin (owner and creative director Ernst Benz), Elizabeth Doerr and Philippe Dufour enjoy the Baselworld party on March 27, 2009.A book like this one has really never been seen before in the world of watchmaking: a non-commercial opus focusing on art on three fronts: the artistry of independent mechanical watchmaking w

As every wednesday, it is Wednesday Watch over at MotoringExposure. Today it is time to put Marvin Watch in the spotlight! This brand, over 150 years old, has recently been re-invented and the on-line promotion and presence is unbelievable. This brand knows how to put themselves back on the horological map again.Reasonable priced (mechanical) time pieces with great eye for detail! In Basel I had t

It’s Speedy Tuesday! One of our readers, Rob, mailed us with some great news. He purchased a beautiful Speedmaster Professional 105.012-66CB from the first owner.Rob explains: “….. the watch was purchased by the previous owner while he was in the medical corps of the Navy (in the midst of the Vietnam War, although I’m not sure if he actually wore it overseas or saw action).

This week's #TBT focuses on a model from brand that's finally getting some long overdue attention: the Gallet Multichron 45. Here on Fratello Watches, we've had a couple articles on Gallet and more are coming but I've mainly had my attention on the larger 3-register Multichrons (Gallet's name for their chronographs). Today, though, we'll look at a more diminutive piece that's a lot simpler in exec

The Christie's Geneva watch department has maintained a great reputation and stayed coherent while adapting quickly to market demand. We see almost no modern watches left in their recent catalogs and the quality of vintage watches being offered is excellent.Christie’s GenevaThis auction house has a rich history and continues to overshadow its British competitor Sotheby's in the watch categor

I’ve had the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th anniversary Moonshine Gold limited edition watch, in my collection for a little more than one year. It’s time to share some takeaways now the dust has settled.Last year in March, right before Baselworld (when that was still a thing), I was invited to Biel. I was promised something special. On the 12th of March, which happened to be a Tuesda

Inspiration comes from all places. For the Echo/Neutra Averau Versante, that place rises high above civilization. 2,649 meters above, to be precise. The mighty Dolomites of Italy have breathed life into this project. But does that breathe signal a wind of change, or is it all just a lot of hot air?Tearing press releases/design inspiration to pieces could fuel a dedicated blog. For those of us who

When Swatch Group decided to pull out of Baselworld in 2018, I expected that it would be the beginning of the end. “When pulls out as well, it is done,” I said numerous times.And last week, not only (and Tudor) and Patek Philippe pulled out, also LvmH made the decision to leave Baselworld. Also not totally unexpected, as Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of the Bvlgari Group told me in Janu

I love these contests. It’s always a joy and a privilege to see the Fratelli’s (often unfiltered) thoughts filling up the comments section. Beyond the amusement, these giveaways have been a source of great discussion. They’ve all sparkled in their own way. I find myself learning and constantly reevaluating my own opinions. I particularly enjoy these “dream watch” ques

I'm not a sentimental guy. Ok, maybe a bit, but there is nothing sentimental about a column reaching 50 articles, right? I guess so; still, it's an awesome achievement. We never expected Watch Strap Review to have this many articles when I started it back in 2014. As this is the 50th episode, here's a bit of a look back on what we have done so far.We cannot look at the past and not contemplate the

It has been four years since I last saw this chronograph without pushers listed in an auction. Although I won the auction in 2018, I never received the watch. The fascinating Nicolet Landeron 251 movement thus became even more elusive. And I became even more committed to finding it… Every few weeks since 2018, I’ve dug through eBay, Google, Yahoo, or you-name-it-listings in my routine

When Ulysse Nardin introduced its famous Freak in 2001, the idea was bold and revolutionary. More than two decades later, the Freak concept has evolved significantly. What has remained, however,?is that all the brand’s Freak creations are still as bold and revolutionary as that original version 21 years ago. These watches feature no dial, no hands, and no crown. Instead, these are timepieces

I’ve been test-driving each generation of the Forstner Flat Link bracelet for nearly two years now. From the early prototypes to the final product, I’ve kept a close eye on each continual improvement. The new Forstner Contemporary Flat Link is the most significant update yet and gives an option to those wanting a modern feel. But while it still maintains the vintage cues, the Contempor

Over the last couple of months, some members of the Fratello team have written about their grail watches. The term “grail watch” can mean slightly different things to different people, but the concept of the term suggests it should be a watch that you will chase and likely never own. I mean, did King Arthur ever actually find his Holy Grail? To others, the grail-watch concept is the &#

Another Friday, another Top 5! In this series, we take one classic watch and choose our five favorite references ever produced. Four of these references will be based on the historical importance of the specific watch in the grand scheme of things. Though there may be some overlap, it's not a question of which references are the most collectible or of the highest value on the market. The fifth pic