Doxa Sub 200T Vs. Aquastar Model 60
Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. The temperatures are rising, and the Sun is showing its face more and more often. It’s time to get ready for summer and choose the right dive watch to wear. Today, we’re putting two vintage-inspired divers up against each other, both of which could serve very well as your next summer watch. One is the recently introduced 39mm Doxa Sub 200T, and the other is the Aquastar Model 60 re-edition. Get ready to vote for your favorite.Both these divers have been inspired by watches from the past. They’re capable of resisting an underwater depth of 200 meters, and they both have a retail price of around $1,500. Other than that, Mike and Daa...
Vintage Zenith El Primero Chronograph: Aloha!
For 8 long years (2001-2009), Thierry Nataf (ex-CEO of Zenith) did a great job in destroying a brand that was one of the few well respected chronograph manufacturers. With flamboyant designs, parties and ditto prices, Nataf knew how to step on the toes of watch lovers and collectors. Zenith wasn’t Zenith anymore. Although the use of certain high-tech materials were welcome, he succeeded in ruining designs. The Zenith Defy and Defy Xtreme watches really make me wonder what people are thinking when buying this watch. Terrible. Ariel Adams of aBlogToRead once did a nice article on the resemblence between Nataf and that other ‘Precious’ Lover.Anyway, since I started using Twitt...
Plain, Simple And A Short Production Time: The Breitling Aviastar
I had this Breitling Navitimer’92 on a blue monday. Admitted, a stainless steel / gold combination with a blue leather shark strap wasn’t probably the best choice I had made in a long time. After a week I flipped it (and advertizing with that type of watch is good for a few anecdotes itself) for another watch. Although I was pretty sure I was very Navitimer-ish, this ’92 model in gold/steel didn’t do the trick. Should have gotten the regular Old Navitimer or the vintage ref.806 model instead. Chances are big I still would have it in my collection.Long gone but not forgotten is a Navitimer ancestor, the Breitling Aviastar. This watch was only in production from late 19...
Omega Speedmaster Pro DLC
It’s Speedy Tuesday! Today we have a contribution from Arthur van Grinsven who lives in The Netherlands. Arthur is a fan of Speedmaster watches, owning two Speedmaster Pro Mark II watches, a Pre-Moon Speedmaster Professional with caliber 861 (145.022) and the Speedmaster Pro in this article. A conversation maker, as he had the entire watch (and bracelet) treated with a DLC process. This Speedmaster Pro was bought by his father in the 1990s and given to Arthur in 2012.As you can see, the white baton hands have been swapped with a set of all-black hands as well. This does effect the readability of the watch according to Arthur, but it does look cool. However, after seeing the Omega Speed...
Hands-On Habring2 Felix Review Made in Austria
There is a fair chance you never heard from this small watch brand from Austria, run by Maria and Richard Habring. We don’t blame you of course, but if this is the case, it is time you do learn about Habring2. This watch company was founded in 2004 and gained a tremendous amount of respect among watch enthusiasts and collectors world wide.About time we spend some time with one of their watches. Actually, it is the watch that put Habring2 on the horological map of true manufactures. The Habring2 Felix is their first watch with an entirely in-house developed and produced movement, the caliber A11B. I was able to wear one for a couple of weeks and will share my thoughts about the Habring2...
Longines presents its Record collection, watchmaking expertise stamped with the COSC seal
Longines launches new Record collection and celebrates its 185th Anniversary in Beijing.?Beijing (China) / Saint-Imier (Switzerland), 16 November 2017 – Swiss watch brand Longines celebrated its 185th Anniversary in Beijing, commemorating a legacy of tradition, elegance and performance at a grand gala evening in the capital’s historic Imperial Ancestral Temple (Taimiao). Headlining the event was the official launch of the Record collection, the latest emblem of the brand’s watchmaking expertise, as well as the announcement of the new Chinese Brand Ambassador for Longines, Zhao Liying – a leading star in the Chinese cinematic universe.It seems the destiny of some timep...
Endeavour Flying Hours by H.Moser & Cie. First Look
H.Moser & Cie. tapped into yet another territory with the new Endeavour Flying HoursIn case you follow the brand closely, you might have seen this watch already. Moser released the Endeavour Flying Hours in 2018. At the time, only one version was available; with a Funky blue fume dial. Fans of the model did not have to wait too long for the new releases. At Baselworld 2019 Moser introduced two new variations to the Flying Hours, one in green and one in a blue/grey combo. All three colours can be familiar with Moser fans, and the Swiss brand often uses them with their creations. Over the years they developed these tones to perfection. So, the new Endeavour Flying Hours is not only extreme...
MeisterSinger No.03 Bronze Awesome And Classy
It is the perfect example of how a brand can take one of their successful models and turn it into something new and special without changing much in the design.In case you are not familiar with the new MeisterSinger bronze watches let me give you a short run-down. The new MeisterSinger Bronze Line consist of 3 models. These are namely the No.03, the Perigraph, and the Metris. None of them are new models, all three have been in the MeisterSinger collection for years now. However, this is the first time we see these three iconic models from the German brand in a bronze case. Bronze is not a new thing in the watch industry, so much so that one might even say that the time of bronze watches are ...
Swatch FLYMAGIC Amsterdam Pop-Up Store
Swatch The Netherlands invites you to visit their unique pop-up store to experience their new Flymagic watches.Are you ready to discover the depth of the Swatch Flymagic movement, its spectacular innovation and the latest technology? Three models, limited to 500 each, are now being delivered to selected countries. For the Dutch market, a limited number of watches will be made available of these three Flymagic models. Do you want to secure yours? Make sure to act fast, as the ‘first come, first served’ rule is applied.The price of the Swatch Flymagic is $1500, regardless of which version of the three.Discover, experience and reserve on:Saturday May 18th: 11am – 5pmSunday May...
Minase: Divido
Minase's flagship model, Divido, is also the brand's only round watches collection. Its revolutionary approach in terms of design and manufacture brings an effect of depth to the product, achieved thanks to the large number of parts used for both the case and the lugs.For more information visit minase-watches.chTRADITIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIPTraditionally manufactured in Japan, Divido timepieces bear the registered label ? HiZ ?, a concept inspired by the Japanese words ? Hizu ? (exceptional) and ? Hi Izuru Kuni ? (Land of the Rising Sun). The products labelled? HiZ ? are unique with innovative features such as the ? case in case ? structure, the extraordinary ? Sallaz ? polishing technique and th...
Wrist Game or Crying Shame: Patek Philippe 5524G
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly must-read event that has become the internet’s Clash of the Keyboard Warriors! This week, we’ll have some fun with the Patek Philippe 5524G and see if it’s worth spending your frequent flier miles. But first…Last week, I showed you what has to be the most polarizing Speedmaster Limited Edition to date with the Apollo XVII 40th Anniversary model. Polarizing means that you like it or not. Or, in the case of sunglasses, it means you can’t see sh*t on your heads-up display. And folks, you did not see or like this watch. This Speedy was routed in an 85% Crying Shame loss.Yes, I’ve embraced schadenfreudeR...
Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Recreation SBGW258
Wow. Just wow. Even after all this time, after the thousands of watches that have passed through my hands and over my wrist, it is still possible to have my breath snatched from my throat. I didn’t think I cared for gold watches. I guess I was wrong again. Congratulations, Grand Seiko, the SBGW258 60th Anniversary model has officially turned my head.I think it’s about time we started reviewing some truly terrible watches so you get the chance to see the uglier side of my character. All this syrupy loveliness is wearing a bit thin. But I’m afraid there’s nothing for it when it comes to the Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Recreation SBGW258. It’s just too good.I beli...
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 36th America's Cup Limited Edition
I am not the experienced sailor that our editor Gerard is, but steering one of the racing boats in 2018 is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.It was a home game for us when the Volvo Ocean Race was held in Scheveningen in The Netherlands. Omega had a little surprise for us, that we could join one of the boats entering the harbor of Scheveningen. I often feel lucky that I am doing this job at Fratello. It makes it possible to visit places and do things I would otherwise never have done.America’s Cup Limited EditionAround 20 years ago, I just started watch collecting. I remember Omega releasing their special Seamaster 300M America’s Cup, with white gold bezel. I still h...
Angelus U30 Tourbillon Watch (2021) With Split-Seconds Flyback
Founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1891, Angelus built a reputation during the 20th century as one of the most influential horological manufactures. The brand's excellent in-house movements and vintage timepieces are coveted by collectors worldwide. My colleague Balazs is a big fan of the brand and owns a couple of vintage Angelus watches. Unfortunately, the brand was one of many that succumbed to the Quartz Crisis. After remaining dormant for over 30 years, Angelus was revived in 2015 by Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret. Since then, it has become the new sounding point for La Joux-Perret to display some of its most impressive mechanical marvels, including the model we see here today ...
Breitling Old Navitimer Snowbirds Limited Edition From 1995 (2021)
Breitling made 1,000 pieces of this Old Navitimer with the red and white logo at 3 o'clock. That's a lot more than there are pilots in the flight demonstration team of the Royal Canadian Air Force. But no matter: piloting the 1995 Breitling Old Navitimer Snowbirds Limited Edition is a lot easier than doing barrel rolls with a CT-114 Tutor. You just put it on your wrist, close your eyes, and pretend you're a Canadian Maverick. Or Iceman, it's up to you.Of all Breitlings, the Navitimer is the one I like the most. I’ve owned quite a few of them - my favorite being the Navitimer Fighters ref. A13330 with its brushed case and bracelet and loved them. Unfortunately, thanks to finding myself...
Grand Seiko White Birch SLGH005 (2021) Hands-On Review
When the Grand Seiko White Birch SLGH005 watch was first introduced in early March, I was overwhelmed by the pictures and video we received from Grand Seiko. I couldn't wait to go hands-on with this watch, but, unfortunately, it took a bit longer than expected. But now it is here, and I will tell you what has transpired between the Grand Seiko White Birch SLGH005 and me.I really thought that this watch would be a no-brainer. In fact, I thought I could just order it unseen. I was wooed by the press material and images on Instagram. Simply put, it looked perfect. Well, for once, I am glad I wasn't too trigger-happy. Upon receipt, it was proven once again that sometimes you need to see the watc...
A Hands-On Look At The New Dietrich SD-2 Skin Diver
There's a chance that this subtitle raises a couple of questions about the Dietrich SD-2 Skin Diver. But before I explain exactly what an amphibian field watch is, let me first come clean. The confession I want to offer is that I only just found out this detail about the watch. You see, I find it more interesting to wear the watch first and read the press release later. This allows me to get an honest first impression of a watch and helps me better approach how I feel about it. Sometimes reading the press release is an experience full of disappointment and contradiction. Other times, it confirms exactly what you might imagine about the watch. With the launch of this latest Dietrich, I experi...
[Video] Cartier Santos & Casio G-Shock Square: Not What They Were
In 1904, Louis Cartier made the first-ever pilot's watch for his pioneering aviator friend from Brazil, Alberto Santos-Dumont. It was a stylish tool watch that went up in the sky and became a universal classic. In 1983, the Casio G-Shock Square broke onto the scene. The watch was the vision of Kikuo Ibe, the Japanese Casio engineer who threw prototype watches from the building he was working in… Not out of anger, but because he wanted to create an unbreakable watch. It took over 200 prototypes to reach his goal, but eventually the robust, colorful, and affordable G-Shock became a pop-culture phenomenon. In 2022, the Cartier Santos and the Casio G-Shock Square are not what they used to ...
Hands-On: Patek Philippe 5270P-014 Perpetual Calendar Chrono
Going hands-on with the green-dialed Patek Philippe 5270P-014 perpetual calendar chronograph is like going to see the Berliner Philharmoniker expecting them to play a Beethoven symphony, but hearing the orchestra perform deep house instead. The 5270P of 2022 has come a long way since the classic grand-complication model debuted in 2011. The radiant green lacquered dial with its black-gradient rim is the most eye-catching new element. But there are more subtle changes at hand. Let's have a closer look.Since 2011 when the 5270 debuted, a couple of versions have followed. It all started with a white gold model with a brushed silver dial, and in the current collection, there's both a yellow gold...
Farer Stanhope II Colorful, British, And With A Hint Of Ferrier
I know, comparing a $1,000 watch to a Laurent Ferrier might seem far-fetched. But after a week with the Farer Stanhope II, the first impression lingers. Within this very British cushion case are small touches of smooth joy that fit the bill, or am I fooling myself into a sense of grandeur? After all, I bought the Stanhope II with my own hard-earned cash.I have my reasons for just spending a week with the Farer Stanhope II. The first is that my consolidation effort is not exactly going as planned (what a surprise…). Rather, I've decided to double down on my “Finding Joy In Variety” story, albeit in a controlled fashion. But don't get me wrong, these are not opposing objectiv...