Ǭ, or kanpai meaning cheers in, of course, Japanese, and let's enjoy the sake. And after a couple of them we will see the full beauty of the city and the night sky. As we all know Seiko's designers often find inspiration by looking at the beautiful and diverse facets of nature around them. Not this time. The Seiko Astron GPS Solar SSH101J1 and SSH105J1 Limited Edition watches have an urban vibe.

I’ve written extensively in the past about the stunning effect bracelets can have on a watch’s character. It is perhaps most apparent to us as watch wearers, consumers, and analysts, just how important bracelet design is to the overall impact created by a new product whenever we shift a watch head onto a new band or bracelet. The transformation is immediate. The watch’s mien beco

Astronaut Michael Collins, one of the three men on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, passed away just over a year ago at the age of 90. When I was in Italy for the Speedy Tuesday event in Milan in 2019, I spoke at length with our special guest astronaut Nicole Stott about Collins. She knew him quite well, and according to her, Collins was one of the nicest guys from the Apollo program, as well as a t

I just think we went a little too fast. Sorry about that, Tudor. I mean, before I really got into watches, about two years ago, ?I didn’t even know you existed. There was your bigger brother , and friends like Omega, Cartier, Oris, and Nomos, which all sounded familiar. But I only got to know you quite recently. You won me over with your vintage looks, modern-day technology, and modest price

British watch brand Bremont continues to celebrate military aviation with a limited-edition Vulcan monopusher chronograph and an all-new model, the MB Viper. Watch brands have long worked with outside companies and organizations on timepieces. Think of, for example, Doxa and Synchron collaborating with Poseidon Diving Systems or Patek Phillipe partnering with Tiffany & Co.These collaborations

If you know anything about anOrdain, it’s probably that the Scottish brand makes some of the most spectacular enamel dials in the industry. In a collaborative effort with Hodinkee, anOrdain shows even more impressive dial-making skills than ever before. The new anOrdain Model 3 Limited Edition for Hodinkee introduces a handmade sunburst dial that is nothing short of spectacular. On top of th

Box and papers - yay or nay? It is a question I get a lot and one worth diving into. There are, as always, entrenched fanatics on either side of the aisle. Also as always, the answer is a little more nuanced than one might expect. The truth is, it all depends on several factors that are personal to you and to the purchase in question.In this article, then, I will try to arm you with the relevant c

They look a bit funky, and I definitely don’t know all that much about them. But every time I see one of those dual-time watches with two dials next to or above each other, my heart skips a beat. Of course, a more conventional GMT watch is nice. They often feature a fourth hand and 24-hour scale(s) that allow another time zone or two to be tracked. But there’s something about the simpl

I’m old. In fact, I’m probably the second-oldest member on the Fratello team, with teenage (watch out!) dad duties taking as much time as writing. But I stay tuned to the streets, son! (Who am I kidding? I look silly with my Air Force 1s.) My age means that Orient is a brand I remember from my childhood before I knew about premium Swiss provenance. Orient has been absent from many Euro

Rado is one of the brands that have successfully capitalized on the modern-retro trend in recent years. Its Captain Cook collection is a great example of mixing 60s throwback aesthetics with cutting-edge materials. In its latest edition, the Swiss brand has gone one step further, installing a skeletonized movement in the new diver. The result is the Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Skeleton, showcas

It’s not often that we get to review a watch from a brand that is completely new to us. This week, though, I had the honor to get up close and personal with a new watch from a young brand called Lesablier. It was the LS-04 Travelgraph, and, in short, I’d describe it as a compact and affordable worldtimer. It runs on the Miyota 9075 caliber, which means that it has an independently adju

This week, Fratello On Air returns on its non-normal day because your co-hosts have been under the weather. We’re both on the mend, though, and happy to be on the airwaves. In this episode, we cover several topics, but our main discussion centers on the recent TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith releases. We try to bring some level of sense to these watches.

We have heard quite a few complaints from brands about the watch market recently. Many are struggling from economic uncertainty and a serious correction after lockdown-induced all-time highs. One brand, however, seems to be on a bit of a winning streak. According to Morgan Stanley, Cartier overtook Omega as the second-largest Swiss watchmaker behind in 2020 and has managed to hold on to that posi

Among affordable watches, the offerings from Citizen are hard to ignore. “Hard to beat” would be an even better choice of words. The Japanese brand is almost invincible when it comes to offering great value for money. The latest series added to the brand’s lineup are the Super Titanium Eco-Drive Chrono and Day-Date lines. Both share a ’70s-inspired case design with an integ

A GMT-Master ofcourse!Hannes treats the R-L-X.de forum visitors on these two screenshots from the Discovery channel:The fellow above is Brian Trubshaw, British Concorde Testpilot.Thanks Hannes!If you want over 80 pages of famous (and less famous) wearers, click here (you might need to register).

IWC Ingenieur EventRemember our give-away of tickets to the AMG and IWC event at the Zandvoort Racing Track in The Netherlands? The conditions to participate were quite strict, you needed to have an IWC Ingenieur already AND live in The Netherlands, Belgium or Luxemburg. We had to disappoint quite a few people who mailed us from Denmark, UK, Franc and even Italy. In the end, we had two people who

With a rich automotive history, the (TAG) Heuer Monaco has always been linked to racing. So if you're thinking of a special, haute horlogerie version of the Monaco, nothing beats incorporating components from the race industry in a watch! TAG Heuer came up with a new way to drive' their Monaco. After 5 years of hard work, the patented belt-driven Monaco V4 has crossed the finish line back in 2004.

MeisterSinger specializes in manufacturing watches that feature one single hand and only show what is really important. Mostly, a single, needle-thin hour hand rotates around a dial on which you can accurately tell the time to the nearest five minutes.However, the Salthora, which was first presented in 2014, features a minute hand instead and the hour is shown in a circular window positioned at 12

Remember our review about Bulang & Sons straps? As part of our monthly Watch Strap Review series, editor Balazs Ferenczi makes sure to try & review all the straps out there that matter. Well, now you can also visit the Bulang and Sons lounge in Maastricht, The Netherlands to see all straps and other accessories in the flesh before you buy.On the 2nd of May, Berhard Bulang (and sons) opened

Some weeks ago we were invited to visit the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture, in order?to see the?Grande Complication Workshops during?a factory tour.After arriving in Le Sentier, where we will spend the day at the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufactory, we are welcomed by Marina Greene at the Lounge of the Maison d'Antoine'. From here we have a great view over the Vallee de Joux.Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture Gr