Hands-On: Casio G-Shock Frogman MRG-BF1000B-1A
Could the most extreme G-Shocks become even more extreme? To ask the question is to answer it. You know that Casio is always looking for ways to make its G-Shock watches more capable, and as a result, they have become more extreme. The brand’s Frogman is part of the professional MR-G collection. This collection of extreme G-Shocks holds some of our favorite models, like the Mudman, Mudmaster, Rangeman, and Gravitymaster. Last year, I reviewed two of the latest Frogman models, and both were impressive pieces of kit. This time around, G-Shock introduces a follow-up to those. This new Frogman MRG-BF1000B-1A is the first regular-production model with a titanium bracelet. As a result, it ta...
A short break
I will be out till the 22nd of May to Beijing/China for a short break. I will try to post something while I am there, but I can’t promise anything.Till next week! In the meanwhile, make sure to visit all sites in the right pane of this site ??...
It Has Been Three Years Since Chuck Maddox In Memoriam
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Interview With CEO Of Bob's Watches Paul Altieri
If you have been looking for pre-owned watches on-line, you’ve probably come across Bob’s Watches, the Pre-Owned Exchange. This company, in its current format, was founded and lead by Paul Altieri since 2009. As some people are still a bit hesitant to buy watches on-line or to buy pre-owned watches in general, we decided to do an interview with Paul Altieri from Bob’s Watches to give you a better understanding of who’s behind the Pre-Owned Exchange and how they operate.(FW) Where does the name “Bob’s watches” come from, as you are the founder and your name is Paul?(PA) Bob Thompson. Bob started the company back in the mid 1990's, then selling low...
Speedy Tuesday Omega Speedmaster Buyer's Guide Part 3
Every week we receive tons of e-mail from people who are looking for an Omega Speedmaster, new or pre-owned. That’s our own fault, as we have our Speedy Tuesday topic that has turned into a crazy but popular phenomenon. So, we are happy to answer these e-mails but also thought about putting some generic articles on-line that makes both your and our lives a bit easier. You can ready part 1 about the different Speedmaster models and part 2 about sourcing them.This third part of the Speedmaster Buyer’s Guide is about paying attention to details. What is important and what’s isn’t. As some of the e-mails we receive also include questions about new or young pre-owned model...
#TBT Wakmann Big Boy Chronograph
Welcome back to #TBT where, this week, we take a look at one of the more likeable watches I've picked up over the last year or so: the Wakmann Big Boy Chronograph. Now let's get something straight, the term Big Boy was decided upon by @watchfred and I over a series of communications. Honestly, we had both acquired examples of these pieces over the last year or so and were at once excited by them and puzzled about what to call them. So, we came up with Big Boy because, well, the watches are, umm, big and they needed some sort of name other than diver's chronograph or the like. There's no real common reference for these watches and as I've used the word these, the term Big Boy actually refers ...
TAG Heuer: How Does a Chronograph Work?
Discover how the oscillating pinion and the column-wheel work together Eduard Heuer was the inventor of the oscillating pinion, a key component in the construction of many chronograph movements and, in particular, the component that lies at the center of the system for starting and stopping of the chronograph. We will sit with one of the movement designers of this year's TAG Heuer 01 chronograph at Tag Heuer's headquarters in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. He will show us how chronographs start and stop, leading us through the chain of events from the moment the chronograph start button is pushed, through the turning of the column-wheel, to the connecting rockers and finally the change of p...
BALTIC Watches Neo-Vintage Watches From France
Vintage watches are hot, we don’t have to tell you that. We also don’t have to tell you that a lot of established brands have difficulties to come up with new and refreshing models, although BaselWorld showed that some of them are on the right track (again). The focus was on retro models, and although some people (mainly journalists) weren’t too excited about that, the watches from Oris, Seiko, Hamilton, Longines, Omega and Tissot for example, were well received.Etienne Malec, founder of Baltic Watches must have realised that there is a demand for traditional shaped and sized watch when he designed the HMS and Bicompax timepieces. Watches?that reflect the beautiful designs ...
This Week in Watches May 12, 2019
Nihao, watch fans, it's time for This Week in Watches: the May 12, 2019 edition.? We've got lots to cover today!We have quite the lineup for you today and are pleased to feature everything from the relatively attainable to things that are only attainable once you've likely attained just about everything else.? That's a lot of attaining, isn't it?? So without further ado, let's get into This Week in WatchesFortis PC-7 Team WatchesWe've not heard a lot from Fortis in a while.? It seems they've been reinventing themselves under new leadership and perhaps the new PC-7 Team watches are the first of many new announcements.? Fortis has been in partnership with the Swiss Air Force Demonstration Team...
Grand Seiko SBGR053 And SBGR253 The 37mm Brand Entry-Point
To be honest, I have at times felt thoroughly exhausted from overexposure to the word Zaratsu. Despite this, I tried a basic Grand Seiko on the wrist. I was hesitant. Not keen on following the pack, I almost didn’t want to like it. And then I gazed into that inky black void and got lost. Thus began my obsession with models SBGR053 and SBGR253…I got lost to the point of now rethinking my recent purchase of a BB58. That’s despite striking lucky after a short two-month spot on an AD list. And there I was actually considering selling it to buy a second GS, a Quartz model, no less…Sure, the 58’s lugs were a tad sharp, but surely it wasn’t that alone that could ...
Glashutte Original PanoMaticLunar In Forest Green
The Glashutte Original Pano collection is one of the simplest yet classiest lines from the brand. Out of all of the models in the family, the PanoMaticLunar is probably the one that packs the most punches in terms of elegance thanks to the somewhat anachronistic complication, the moon-phase. For the first time, Glashutte releases the PanoMaticLunar in a beautiful deep green dial that took inspiration from the depth of the forest on the Ore Mountains bordering Saxony and Bohemia.The concept of the Glashutte Original Pano collection is simple. The watch has a time-only off-center dial with a sub-dial for seconds, which gives the designers enough real-estate on the watch face for complications....
Wrist Game or Crying Shame: TAG Heuer Formula 1 Professional
Wrist Game or Crying Shame is here and you’ll soon see that we aren’t afraid to plumb the depths to find inexpensive and intriguing watches. Let’s see if today’s TAG Heuer Formula 1 Professional represents a good catch. But first…Last week, I discussed the JLC Geophysic 1958 and my trying experience at the local AD. Despite that sad happening, the watch itself rose above for a convincing 83% Wrist Game win. It just goes to show that while most of us hated taking physics in school, the word itself doesn’t scare us so much. This week, we’ll be discussing the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Professional.The TAG Heuer Formula 1 ProfessionalThese days, it’s qui...
Echo/Neutra Cortina 1956 Manual Chronograph (2021) Gets 10/10
You know me by now. I’m a fiery character. I’d love to say it’s in my blood, but my folks hail from Norwich - hardly a town known for its hellraisers. Somewhere along the way, an unnaturally large cachet of passion developed within me. This passion frequently escapes in the form of wild rants either aggrandizing or assassinating the latest watch to pass over my desk and/or spend time on my wrist.? Today, I am pleased to say it will be the former. The Echo/Neutra Cortina 1956 Hand-Wound Chronograph caught my eye the moment it was announced. I went back on forth on whether to get one but finally decided to pull the trigger. My only regret? Not getting one sooner.The watch arr...
Norwegian Heuer 1550 SG "Luftforsvaret" (2021) Historical Overview
Recently, we received a very interesting email from a trio of watch fanatics in Norway. The depth of research conducted by Lasse Coucheron, Fredric W. Madsen, and Magnus Berger was truly exceptional. So much so, we’re very proud to feature the result of their endeavors here on the pages of Fratello. We hope you enjoy this deep dive into the Heuer 1550 SG “Luftforsvaret”.#gallery-1 {margin: auto;}#gallery-1 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 25%;}#gallery-1 img {border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;}#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */Fredric W. Madsen, Lasse Coucheron, Magnus Berger, and ...
Naoya Hida & Co. Type 2C Haute Minimalisme At Its Best
If you read my series on The Allure Of Japanese Watchmaking before Christmas, you will remember my fondness for the bare-metal dial art of Naoya Hida. I still haven't figured out the Japanese-language version of Haute Horlogerie, but the creations of Hida-san fit the bill to a tee. The NH Type 1-3 models are variations on a 37mm steel-cased theme of studied craftsmanshipMost Japanese top-tier dials are infused with centuries of Japanese culture, like a lacquered zen garden glassy to the touch. But there is more to Japanese horology than a multi-layered maki-e urushi lacquer dial. Here is proof that Japanese independent watchmaking is so much more than colored flash. Witness the intrinsic det...
Hands-On With The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date In Green
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris is a watch that began its life as a three-crown dive/alarm watch. The brand reminded us of this in 2018, releasing the Memovox Tribute to Polaris and the Polaris Date at SIHH that year. Since its release in the 1960s, the Polaris has become much more than just one quirky diver. Now, the brand uses the Polaris name to designate an entire line of watches. It includes chronographs, world timers, perpetual calendars, the Polaris Date and no-date models, and even one model which remains faithful to the OG Polaris with its built-in alarm function. Looking through the lineup, one can't help but notice that other than black and gray, only blue is available as a more colo...
#TBT The Highly Wearable Citizen Alarm Date ALDS 52902-Y
The Citizen Alarm Date caught me totally unprepared. I wanted it long ago, that’s for sure. When it turned up, I was just not expecting so much joy. If you’ve ever considered acquiring your first Citizen, let an Alarm Date ALDS 52902-Y be your bet.I have a thing for alarm watches, and in particular, the mighty Vulcain Cricket. Reading Mike’s articles while going down the rabbit hole helped me put vintage Citizen on my radar. When I saw a very “diver-esque” Citizen with an additional short hand with a red arrow for the first time, it went straight on my wishlist. But it didn’t have a high priority or any particular purchase deadline.As it usually goes…...
Hands-On With The Horon Ocean Hunter Dive Watch (2022)
Dive watches are ten a penny when it comes to new microbrands. It often seems to be the go-to style for brands when they’re starting out. Why? Well, a dive watch is possibly one of the most well-rounded styles in as much as it’s a rugged tool built to handle the rigors of everyday life. It’s often a little less niche than, say, a dress watch. As a result, the microbrand market is somewhat saturated with dive watches, and it takes something a little bit different to stand out. When Horon Watches dropped us an email about its upcoming Ocean Hunter dive watch, there was something there that piqued our interest enough to want to have a closer look.With the sheer number of dive ...
Strap Check: My Hamilton Khaki On A HasNoBounds Chamois Strap
Sometimes the stars align for a watch-and-strap combination. All of the ingredients come together, and the result is as close to perfection as it gets. OK, maybe that's going a bit too far. But it's my way of letting you know just how much I love the combination I'm here to tell you about on today's Strap Check. Of course, if you've read the title (which you probably have) you know what I'm going to be showing you today. It's my Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic on a lovely khaki-green strap. Before we start, I do have a confession to make. I've been going through somewhat of a green phase recently. It seems that, try as I might, I can't get enough green in my life. That’s especially true...
Fratello EDC: Lex Shares His Daily Essentials
In this series, we'll be sharing the Everyday Carry (EDC) items of our editorial team. The second Fratello to share the contents of his bag is senior editor Lex. What essentials does he carry with him on a daily basis?Let's start with the bag itself. It's a Michael Kors bag that I bought six or so years ago… by accident. I accompanied someone into the Michael Kors store in Amsterdam because it was sale season. And what do you do when you're with someone who's looking for stuff and you’re not? You try to find a place to sit to take it easy and bide your time. That's what I did. As I looked around a bit from my seated position, I glanced up and noticed a green camo tote bag high up...