Hands-On: Nivada Datomaster Mecaquartz
No, this is not Part Two of Tomas’s #TBT article about the Nivada Dato Ref. 4368. What we have here is a hybrid watch. First and foremost, inside the new Nivada Datomaster is the Seiko VK64A meca-quartz movement. That may be a bit of a turn-off for a lot of you, but please, bear with me. Also, the Datomaster is not really a Datomaster. It's basically a Nivada Dato in looks, but a Datomaster in the new Nivada watch collection. Despite being a hybrid, a mix of two, the Nivada Datomaster Mecaquartz is an incredible timepiece, especially in its price range.I received a few watches from Nivada, and I must admit, this was not the first piece I picked up. But the time had come for me to wear ...
The Tudor Watch That Began My Watch-Collecting Story
We all have an origin story when it comes to our watch collection. Mine began nearly five years ago with a watch and a brand that were never on my radar. A pending milestone in my life brought me on this journey, and like many, I went down the research rabbit hole. That is how I discovered Fratello, watch collectors, and the Tudor Black Bay Steel. This was the first watch in my collection. With the watch having been quietly discontinued, now seems an excellent time to revisit what drew me to this timepiece and how it established some criteria that I’ve used in building my collection.I didn't set out to be a watch collector. Five years ago, my wife and I were expecting our first child, ...
Shut Up And Read The Truth About Cartier Part Two
It was only a few months ago that Robert-Jan asked me to come up with an update on the article Shut Up And Read The Truth About Cartier. And that was actually not such a bad plan. Apart from the fact that it is still my best-read Cartier story, a lot has changed at Cartier since that article was first published on April 29th, 2015, especially in the way La Maison manages its collections.Let’s wind the clock back a bit. In the ’20s and ’30s, Cartier had already its collection of shaped watches like the Tonneau, Tortue, Santos-Dumont, and others. In the early years, these watches, which were mainly produced in yellow gold or platinum, were usually equipped with an EWC caliber...
Car Watches From Girard-Perregaux, IWC, And Atelier Jalaper
Good morning. How was your weekend? Good. Ready for another watch week? Let me kick off Coffee Corner Watch Talk with a question: where do you stand on collaborations between watch and car brands? I ask you this because Girard-Perregaux announced an Aston Martin F1 watch in high-tech materials. And IWC just released the Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 Edition Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. There's also an Atelier Jalaper series of watches with dials made from an Aston Martin DB5 bonnet. Perhaps these are nice topics to discuss over a cup in the coffee corner with like-minded watch fans. And you could also cause a bit of controversy by stating that you're going to buy yourself a Hublot ...
Hamilton Drops 5 New Khaki Field Titanium Auto Models (2022)
We all know Hamilton well. Initially formed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1892, the brand now proudly resides under the Swatch Group umbrella. Beloved for its well-constructed and excellent-value-for-money watches, I know several fellow collectors whose first foray into serious watch collecting began with the acquisition of a Hamilton timepiece. In each case, those collectors chose a mighty Khaki Field due to its military heritage and affordable price tag. Now, Hamilton has updated its Khaki Field Titanium range with some more excellent watches.The Khaki Field is one of those watches that speaks to many people due to its no-nonsense legibility and rugged construction. These are, in my opini...
Seiko Astron GPS Solar 5X53 Dual-Time New For 2022
When the Seiko Astron GPS Solar debuted in 2012, the light-powered, GPS-satellite-connected watch came in a hefty 47 16.5mm case. All that tech needed space, you see. But as you would expect, over time, Seiko managed to slim things - the high-tech quartz caliber, that is - down quite a bit. The latest four Astron iterations boast atomic-clock precision and recognize 39 time zones. They are slimmer, sleeker, and sharper than ever before. The Astron GPS Solar 5X53 Dual-Time comes in an edgy titanium case that measures a more moderate 42.7 12.2mm; numbers befitting an all-around, everyday (travel) watch.To be honest, my Seiko Astron GPS Limited Edition 2012 SAST001 may be a 47 16mm watch, but i...
Speedmaster Mysteries Unraveled In The Last Decade
Are you about to get sucked into one of those shows about a lost artifact? Will it be an episode that plods on until the last minute to inform you that the lost city of “X” still hasn’t been found? Of course not! This is Speedy Tuesday, after all, and we’re here for you. Today, though, we thought we’d recap some of the Speedmaster mysteries that have been solved since the beginning of this series. (A special thanks to teammate Lex for his participation in our cover shot - he looks as though he’s unfurling the Dead Sea Scrolls!)Balazs and I were recently podcasting, and we commented about the Speedmaster mysteries that have been solved since Speedy Tuesday ...
Three New Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer Models
Meet the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer models. Today, the brand from Biel releases three new watches, two in steel and one in titanium, with ceramic bezels and dials made through laser ablation. Yes, there was an Aqua Terra Worldtimer with such a dial before, but these three new models add a distinct new aesthetic to the collection.Let's have a closer look at the new Aqua Terra Worldtimer watches and see what makes them special.New Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer modelsThe new Aqua Terra Worldtimer comes in your choice of titanium or stainless steel. Both feature a new brushed and polished ceramic bezel. This not only provides a unique look but great scratch resistance as w...
The Argon Spaceone Is Very Successfully Kickstarted
During our last day in Geneva for Watches and Wonders, a few members of the Fratello crew and I went to the Beau-Rivage. That’s where a group of young watch brands had set up camp to show what they had to offer. Brands like Furlan Marri, Baltic, Vulcain, and Nivada Grenchen were there. You might know that those last two brands were brought back to life by Guillaume Laidet. Well, he was also there with one of his most recent projects, Argon Watches. The first watch from the brand, the Argon Spaceone, launched last Thursday on Kickstarter and got funded within minutes. Over the weekend, the counter went up to almost $700,000! Let’s see what the fuss is all about.When you see the Ar...
Fratello On Air: Don't Believe The Hype
Fratello On Air returns with a rip-roaring episode where we ask you, dear listeners, to step away from the hype. There’s a lot of it around these days, and it can be overwhelming. We’re here to talk about it and have a little fun along the way....
Favorite Watches Under $1,000 Thor's Picks
I’d happily admit to finding it difficult to choose my favorite watches under $1,000 from this year’s bounty. I'll try not to be too personal this time, but that's precisely what is so good about this intensely satisfying pastime. I still get a kick out of lesser-known, budget-priced watches because this game is about personality. Find your style and stick with it; heck, it doesn't even have to make sense. And by that, I mean not going for the safe choices but allowing yourself creative freedom instead. And go with your instincts, man.Always follow your heart - well, except if your heart says to sell your year-old BMW to put down a deposit on a Tourbillon Noir from Hajime Asaoka....
#TBT The Seiko Cronos Self Dater 718990
It has wide, massive lugs, a Grand Seiko vibe, a mechanical hand-wound movement, a date with magnifier, and no lume, just the contrasting beauty of the sunburst dial and polished hands and indexes. Oh, and let’s not forget an attractive price tag. You might say these things make this Seiko Cronos Self Dater a perfect entry-level vintage timepiece.The first Seiko Cronos watch, manufactured by Daini Seikosha, had a central seconds hand and a big applied “S” symbol. It was released in 1958 as a thinner, higher-performance alternative to the Marvel line produced by Suwa Seikosha.Waterproof Seiko Cronos modelsJust a year after, in 1959, Seiko introduced its first “waterpro...
Introducing: The Awake Titane 01 Dare & Dream
Most of us know the young brand Awake from its NASA-approved “Mission To Earth” timepieces from 2022. In particular, the white and red model with its characteristic NASA branding stood out immediately. However, after that, Awake created several collections based on the brand’s modern design signature. The latest addition to the lineup is a bit of a break from the norm. The new Awake 01 Titane Dare & Dream is a collaborative effort with Nicolas Barrome Forgues. Starting with a blank canvas, the artist let his imagination run wild and created a playful dial full of fun comic characters. Read on to find out more about this 50-piece limited edition.Seeing the worlds of stre...
Introducing: The Kurono Tokyo 2024 Anniversary Reiwa
Many of us have developed a deep affinity for Hajime Asaoka’s Art Deco lines and Kurono Tokyo sub-brand. The story of Asaoka-san creating Kurono Tokyo so that he could actually wear one of his designs never gets old. In fact, it only deepens my respect for him. Now the Japanese watchmaker closes a circle by introducing the Kurono Tokyo 2024 Anniversary Reiwa model with a two-tone dial.This will retire the Reiwa model with a colorful flourish for the brand’s fifth anniversary. Producing the most complex dial yet for the model also seems a fitting tribute to five strong years. After the copper-dial Reiwa model, released in 2019 to mark the start of Japan’s Reiwa era, this is ...
Venezianico Bucintoro 1969 LE: Entering The Space Race
Today’s Venezianico Bucintoro 1969 is an example of a watch that has already come and gone. However, as space fans, we wanted to share it with you because it may have rocketed past your orbit. This was a surprising one when it hit my mailbox for many reasons that we will soon see. Let’s take a closer look.When it comes to celebrating historic space feats through watches, one brand has a near-monopoly on the act. Naturally, I am referring to Omega and the legendary Speedmaster Professional “Moonwatch.” However, several years ago, Omega decided to stop making limited-edition odes to the many space flights that have taken place. I suppose that has left room for others to...
Fratello Talks: Desert Island Watches
Hello, and welcome! Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Nacho, Morgan, and Daan pick their desert island watches. Say one day you were unfortunate enough to become stranded on a desert island; which watch from your collection would you want there with you? Now, let’s say it’s not a life-or-death situation but more of a leisurely, perhaps even orchestrated self-stranding in your tropical location of choice (a holiday, if you will); what would be your watch of choice for the occasion? Join the guys as they have fun selecting timepieces for these hypothetical scenarios. But before we begin, and all conjecture aside, let’s look at the wat...
JeanRichard Bressel
I was browsing some watch sites and came across a picture of this JeanRichard Bressel 1665 with power reserve. It seems to have its own in-house JR1000 movement by JeanRichard, case size of 42mm and a saphire display back.Prices are just below 6000 Euro according to the Girard-Perregaux forum at The Purists.com (JeanRichard and GP are connected in some way…).The Bressel handwound version (not displayed here) is probably around 2000 Euro, according to the same source. It lacks a power reserve feature ofcourse ??...
Liu Bolin The Art Of Camouflage And Watch Magazines
Liu Bolin (1973) is an artist from China who’s famous for his camouflage work. On himself. You probably have seen some of his work on Facebook updates or other blogs, where he totally disappears or embeds in the background. Liu Bolin is also known as “The Invisible Man” and?most popular works are from his “Hiding in the City” series.During the last few days Liu Bolin has been active in Germany and did a very nice camouflage piece in the?MIK in Ludwigsburg (Germany). He made himself disappear in front of a newsstand. On Liu Bolin you will find the German watch magazine called Uhren Magazine. On the right of Liu, you see the watch magazine Chronos. Both German tit...
Top 10 Mechanical Watches Between 2000 And 3000 Euro
It's weekend! We decided to come up with some easy-to-digest content for the weekend, as you've probably been doing enough reading all week. From now on, we will publish our Weekend Watch Lists feature every weekend, to show you overviews with information about the consumer watch market. Our overviews are based on data from on-line watch consumers. Per list we will indicate the countries from which we used the data, as this will vary to keep it interesting. It will be interesting to see how much taste in watches can differ per country and continent. Data is retrieved from?Chronolytics.ch, watch market research company that operates under the flag of Ebner Verlag (publishing house of magazine...
Speedy Tuesday Omega Speedmaster Professional Radial Dial 1978
A vintage Speedmaster on its own is hard to find already these days, if you want an all original and authentic watch that is. Aside from the current prices; when I started out with buying and collecting Speedmasters over a decade ago, it wasn’t much of a problem to find a nice vintage piece with all original details. At the time, these details weren’t even as important as they are now but most of the watch I found at watch fairs, on eBay etc were all fine.So if an all authentic regular vintage Speedmaster Professional is already hard to find today, what about the real out-of-this-world (no pun intended) Speedmasters?Speedmaster Professional Radial DialA few years ago, we reported...