After we saw the new Tudor Black Bay Pro and GMT S&G, we shared our thoughts with you on the design of these watches and the direction Tudor is taking with them. Not all of my Fratello colleagues are fans of these new releases, but several of us here actually do like these watches for what they are. I belong to the latter group. I actually like the Black Bay Pro and GMT S&G, and I’d

The more watches from micro/independent brands I review, the more I ponder the following question: Do we need more? While these types of brands do not always innovate, they certainly know how to offer great value. They may not revolutionize the industry in the traditional sense of the word, but they help in popularizing the hobby. I recognize the merits of the hard work that brands such as Nodus p

Retro is still surfing a big wave of popularity, which is the unassailable truth. Though I often start articles by pondering whether or not we’ve reached peak vintage love, it’s still here, and I have nothing against it. But if you want something different, how about some futurism for less than $3,000?Sure, I love the feel of the 37mm Black Bay 54, but there is room for tech-cool and i

The Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV is a chronograph from the Grand Tour series of the cycle-crazy Swedish brand. The color of the sub-dials and the central chronograph seconds hand clearly state, I am a Giro d'Italia Watch (please read this in your best Italian accent). Since the famous stage race is in its final week, I thought it would be appropriate to take the 38.2mm steel chronograph for a ride to f

Although $2,500 is not nothing, it's a very difficult budget to work with - or so I assumed. Initially, I thought I would always go vintage or pre-owned with this budget. For example, it can buy you a nice vintage Longines, Omega, IWC, Breitling, or Jaeger-LeCoultre. But I checked with our managing editor Nacho, and the assignment was to curate a selection of new watches. Diving into the watches a

The Tissot Chemin des Tourelles is a straightforward daily watch with a slightly formal air. Before the rise of sports watches as everyday pieces, this Tissot model would have been considered “a watch” - in other words, not the type of piece that an enthusiast site like Fratello normally covers. However, the new Chemin des Tourelles Squelette adds just enough pizazz to warrant further

I love watches that refuse to stick to a genre and offer a clean-slate perspective that doesn’t look back in time. Going hands-on with the J&Berg B2, I see both of these qualities and put Finland on the map of microbrand cool.Titanium is very much the material du jour, but I have a conflicted relationship with the light metal. Don’t get me wrong; its prowess is undebatable. With it

It has been almost 2 months ago, since Frank and I visited BaselWorld 2009. One of the highlights was visiting the Blu stand in Hall 2.0 on our last day there. After looking at their displayed watches for a while, I decided to go and ask for some more information about them, as I liked their style and use of precious materials. My questions about the brand were answered by Mrs. Lederer, wife of Be

Speedmaster Broad Arrow or Speedmaster Professional?It’s Speedy Tuesday! Don’t let the broad arrow hands fool you! Often confused with the Speedmaster Broad Arrow, this Moonphase model is definitely part of the “Speedmaster Professional” collection. This Speedmaster Professional Moonphase is based on the Speedmaster ’57 re-edition ref.?3894.50.37 that was introduced i

Over the last couple months, we've spoken a bit about Oris and their new retro-themed Sixty-Five Diver. It's obvious that we are enthusiastic about the watch and cannot wait to have it on our wrists for trial. Today, though, I'll shift gears and talk about a different Oris piece that deserves some attention if you are into vintage watches. It's a watch that Oris also chose, in 2005, for a newly re

Audemars Piguet introduces their Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher. A timepiece that took 5 years to develop after Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher asked AP to come up with a watch able to measure and record an extended series of consecutive lap times. Only 221 pieces of this Royal Oak Concept Laptimer will be produced to commemorate the number of F1 world championship point-winning

How on Earth can a brand think that by giving actor Y or actor X a watch for free, that it makes me want to buy one too? You guessed it right, I am not a fan of most watch ambassadors.When I saw George Clooney and his wife at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, it made me think of this topic on watch ambassadors I wrote in 2015, and realized it is still a hot topic that is often discuss

The Heuer Carrera in the 1980sThe Eighties were a decisive decade for the future of Heuer: the TAG corporate group assured the future of the prestigious brand. Heuer became TAG Heuer and the Carrera chronograph was reborn with a new movement. The Quartz Crisis strongly affected the watchmaking industry in late Seventies and early Eighties. Cheap electronic watches from the Far East inundated the w

Sometimes we see a watch that we don’t recognize. Either it was very rare, a fake, a frankenwatch or a prototype.Today, we have a watch like that for you here on Fratello. A gold Speedmaster Professional that looks very similar to the well-known and sought-after BA145.022-69, but with a strange looking dial.We don’t need to introduce you to the gold Speedmaster Apollo XI from 1969, I a

The longer you stay in this game, the more you come to realize one thing. There is watchmaking, and then there is watchmaking. A huge amount of modern watches fall under the first intonation. Many stand with one foot in either camp. But those from brands like J.N. Shapiro are comfortably within the bold category. And with his latest, engine-turned meteorite dial, he’s clearly keen to remind

This watch is not easy to process. It is even harder to describe. The Sphinx O’ver Electrifie is an incredibly rare, battery-illuminated, hand-wound piece. Get ready for a shocking mix of traditional elegance and crazy originality in today's #TBT. Wearable? Tell us what you think.I?bet you remember my love affair last year that was so elaborate to explain that I hardly managed to fit it into

I have a weak spot for aventurine dials. These glass crystals with copper inclusions represent - to me - a starry sky. A perfect dial for dress watches or elegant ladies watches. Enter the Bvlgari Lvcea!Using this beautiful material isn’t new to watchmaking. But unfortunately, only a few brands dare to use it and Bvlgari is one of them. The main problem with this material is that it can easi

I?can't help myself. Anytime I?see an original vintage watch bezel I've never seen before, I?am intrigued and amused. A?witty, surprising, or unusual bezel gives any?watch a hard-to-beat attitude. The best news is that it doesnt necessarily have to be an expensive watch.No grails today. Just a?selection of random brands, some of which you might have never heard of. Just sheer originality and creat

TAG Heuer is on a roll at the moment. The Swiss brand's last two green-dialed beauties (a Carrera and a Monaco, both limited to 500pcs each) sold out super fast, and quite rightly too. TAG Heuer seems to come in for a lot of criticism in the watch collecting community; I'm not totally sure why or if it's warranted, really. Nevertheless, the brand has some fantastic models, a really cool history, a

When Seiko launched the first all-mechanical Presage collection in 2016, it was a clear statement. With the Presage line, Seiko presented affordably priced automatic watches that punched way above their weight. Presage takes center stage as Seiko's leading mechanical watch collection, the Japanese manufacturer proclaimed. And although most watch fanatics focus on watches and collections with a lon