Zelos: Horizons GMT
Introducing the ‘Horizons’ GMT from Zelos. A sleek GMT timepiece that will take you from the boardrooms to the depths of the seas and everywhere in between.Inside, a Swiss ETA 2893 Elabore is visible under a sapphire caseback. This 2893 features a custom engraved and rose gold plated rotor. A bidirectional 24 hour bezel and GMT hand allows for the tracking of 3 different timezones, making it ideal for frequent travellers.For more information visit www.zeloswatches.comWe have designed the Horizons GMT to be extremely wearable with a 40mm diameter and 12mm thickness. Despite its diminutive size, its designed to be abused with its hard sapphire crystal and ample 200m of water resist...
Wrist Game Or Crying Shame: Panerai Luminor Submersible
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly mask-free version of Choose Your Own Adventure! This week, we’ll have a look at a Panerai of nearly legal drinking age in the Submersible. But first…I’m on a roll. Perhaps my roll is down the hill of despair, but I’ve now featured two losers in a row. Last week’s Patek Philippe 5524G Calatrava suffered a tight but ultimately decisive 52% Crying Shame loss. While I quietly applaud the Patek entree into more adventurous realms, most of you do not and, therefore, it appears that a Brioni suit still trumps a Givenchy tee (as if…). Moving on, let’s see if today’s Panerai Submersible whets your a...
Watch Spotting: Seiko SKX009 In All Is Lost
Who doesn’t love spotting a Seiko on the big screen? As you may be able to tell from my recent articles, I am missing the open ocean right now. Weirdly, in the UK at least, all marinas are closed. You would have thought that sailing on the seas was the ideal way to observe social distancing rules.If you are a yacht owner, I can imagine the barnacles gathering on your hull may cause a few sleepless nights. First world problems, I know, yet I cannot help but yearn to skipper a boat for the day just for a quick coastal blast.Watch spottingIn the absence of the real thing, I’ve been filling the void by watching some of the great yachting movies from classics such as Dead Calm (1989) ...
Vintage Bracelets Part #2: Maruman Bike chain
It's really hard to believe that the extremely expressive Maruman Bike chain bracelet from Japan was designed more than 50 years ago. A couple of days ago, I walked into the kitchen, sat down, and put my hands on the table. I was wearing a T-shirt so that my wife would have a perfect view of my wrist. Yet she was busy doing her stuff, so my question about how I look like made her turn around for a mere five seconds. I pointed her with my eyes to the just landed and freshly installed Maruman bracelet on my wrist. It took her about two more seconds to respond. You look like you have confidence issues, she said before turning away to something that she obviously thought was more important than ...
Patek Philippe Drops New Ladies' Aquanaut Luce (2021)
Once rejected by watch enthusiasts, now one of the most sought-after Patek Philippe's models, the Aquanaut is a major source of buzz for pretty much everyone. Therefore, it seemed inevitable that Patek would address the dearth of options for its female collectors sooner rather than later. Of course, Patek Philippe masterfully embraces not only the hottest color in the watch industry but also appeals to the serious watch lover with different types of movements. Let’s take a look at the five new iterations of the Aquanaut Luce, revealed earlier today.Green enters the mainstreamHow wonderful is it to admire such intriguing new releases? The women's Aquanaut Luce has been with us since 200...
John Harwood And The World's First Automatic Wristwatch (2021)
I guess there are not that many people that has had to apologize to. I mean officially, in the press. John Harwood, the creator of the world's first automatic wristwatch, is one of them. ?You might be surprised to learn that the man behind one of today's leading Swiss industries is actually a Brit. In last year's landmark set of six stamps by the Isle of Man Post Office, the inventor John Harwood sits right next to Roger Smith and George Daniels. I don't own any watches from the other two yet, but I am proud to say that I landed Harwood's automatic watch from the 1920s.Harwood's watch story beginsAfter returning from the trenches of WWI, John Harwood settled on the Isle of Man. He worked in...
Patek Philippe Releases Gradient Dial Aquanauts For Summer (2021)
The Aquanaut is making its way through the ranks. The Aquanaut's design is a derivative of the Nautilus, and it always stood in its shadow, but the times they are a-changing. There are no less than 17 models in Patek Philippe's sporty-chic Aquanaut collection nowadays. And if that doesn't count for something, there are complications like the Travel Time and Chronograph models to add gravitas to the collection. Today Patek Philippe drops two white gold Aquanaut Chronographs in navy blue and army green gradient dials to further strengthen the ranks. The ambitious Aquanaut is on the rise.When introduced in 1997 the Aquanaut looked like a teenage version of the Genta-designed Nautilus. The round...
Zodiac Super Sea Wolf With Watermelon Bezel Is A Slice Of Joy
Despite having been founded in 1882, in many ways the Zodiac Watch company still feels like a young and vibrant new brand. Much of this phenomenon can be traced to the acquisition of the marque by Fossil, Inc. in 2001. This recent takeover seems to have breathed new life into the old manufacturer through the development of in-house calibers, and the reintroduction of decades-old models from the depths of Zodiac’s back catalog. Among the models that have been reintroduced is the Super Sea Wolf, originally released in 1954 as a no-nonsense line of watches to be used as tools by underseas adventurers.Beginning in 2015, this newly reimagined catalog of Super Sea Wolf models started to be m...
Why The Tudor Black Bay "Smiley Face" Is Poised To Become A Collector's Gem
This model is a bit of a curveball because, as far as Tudor is concerned, you can no longer buy this watch. It is, however, still available from several dealers around the globe and should be snapped up as soon as possible. It is identified by its smiley face dial. The curved text between the center and 6 six o'clock indicates a non-in-house ETA movement resides behind the dial. So why do I think that this odd throwback means the Tudor Black Bay “Smiley Face” is poised to become a collector’s gem?You don’t have to be in or around the watchmaking industry long to appreciate that “better” isn’t always better. Luxury watches are never just tools, no mat...
[Video] The New Tudor Black Bay Pro Caused Quite The Stir
The new Tudor Black Bay Pro is a good-looking watch. There, I said it. But as you would expect, my next sentence will bring up a but. So, here it is: the Black Bay Pro is a good-looking watch, but it also clearly shows its source of inspiration, the Explorer II 1655 Freccione. In this video, I will tell you why that's a good thing, but also why it's less of a good thing.This year, Tudor celebrates the?10th anniversary of the Black Bay. It was the Heritage Black Bay ref. 79220R - the R is for Rouge - that got the ball rolling. The link between and Tudor is a strong one. And with the introduction of the Black Bay Tudor managed to show its connection with the mother brand in an original and s...
Scott Carpenter's Navitimer Cosmonaute Revealed Event Recap
On May 24th, Breitling held an event to release the 60th-anniversary edition of the Navitimer Cosmonaute. But the brand also succeeded in making attendees completely forget to check their watches at a watch event. How did Breitling do it? Read on to find out.The silver spacesuit was the coolest of all the suits, says Scott Kelly, a veteran of four space flights, while anchoring a panel discussion with six other guests before the reveal of Scott Carpenter’s watch. Looking at a gigantic picture of Carpenter fully suited-up for his mission, you feel the same way. At the time when Carpenter became the second astronaut to orbit Earth on May 24th, 1962 wearing a freshly delivered Navitimer C...
Introducing: Christian Etienne The Project
You could be forgiven for not being familiar with the name Christian Etienne. I personally wasn’t, not until news of his latest endeavor, The Project, arrived in my inbox. After just a brief read of the profile available on his website, it was plain to see that Christian was quite an interesting character. Having grown up in the village of Porrentruy in the Jura region of Switzerland, he was no stranger to watchmaking. In fact, he was surrounded by it from a young age with his family being personally involved in the industry. They created the red jewels found in mechanical watch movements. Christian got involved in watchmaking, and after his formation, became a specialist in restorin...
New Fears Brunswick Models In Purple And Champagne
For me, the new Fears Brunswick exudes the archetypical Britishness that Fears has a historical claim to, and twice over. In a world of big, bold sports watches, its soft cushion shape warms my heart, especially as I’m part British by proxy. Look, I've already made it abundantly clear that while I live in Norway, I don't ski, and I'm not particularly fond of scrambling through the forests of this fair land. My dad, Norwegian as he is, has lived in Essex for 40 years and is forgetting his Norwegian, which is just fine. I might have even taken after him.The Fears Watch Company has its quintessential Englishness down to a tee, as amply demonstrated in the collaboration with Garrick last m...
New: Ulysse Nardin The Ocean Race Diver Chronograph
The Ocean Race, previously called the Volvo Ocean Race and originally called the Whitbread Round the World Race, is currently in its fifth leg. This leg takes the five competing teams across the Atlantic from Newport, Rhode Island in the United States to Aarhus in Denmark. And while the race moored in Newport last weekend, Ulysse Nardin took the opportunity to launch its new The Ocean Race Diver Chronograph. This limited edition celebrates the race’s 50th anniversary this year.As we know from other recent Ulysse Nardin releases, the brand is trying to raise awareness for the oceanic environment. In 2021, there was the new Diver Lemon Shark. The watch was co-developed with OCEARCH, a no...
Introducing: The J.N Shapiro Resurgence
Can the Resurgence mark the beginnings of something bigger, even inspiring others through its name? The US is a vast country with a rich watchmaking history, ranging from Gruen to Hamilton and from Waltham to small New York factories producing Swiss-sounding watches in the ’60s. But despite American microbrands hitting all the right notes these days, the calibers in their watches remain Swiss or Japanese. And with all the manufacturing and engineering history of the USA, there should be fertile ground for Haute Horlogerie too, right? By introducing the J.N. Shapiro Resurgence, the gauntlet has been thrown.A single Californian watchmaking house could indeed light the spark if the inspir...
Owner's Review: Oris Divers Sixty-Five 12H Calibre 400
I recently purchased the Oris Divers Sixty-Five 12H Calibre 400 for myself. It was a much-anticipated purchase as I’ve wanted an Oris with a Calibre 400 for some time now. After a month of wearing and getting to know the watch, I have to say I’m more pleased than ever with my choice. And that is a good thing, considering the 12H was not the original Calibre 400 that I was looking at.The Oris Divers Sixty-Five 12H is the first unlimited-production watch in the Divers Sixty-Five line with a Calibre 400 inside. As some of you know, the Aquis was the first line to get this movement with the eponymously named Aquis Date Calibre 400. It has since percolated into most of the other lines...
Hands-On: The Seriously Extreme Bohen StarDiver
Sometimes you run across very extreme watches that look almost menacing but intriguing simultaneously. The new Bohen StarDiver is one of those watches. My first reaction to getting it out of the packaging was an honest “What is this?!” The watch is the second model created by the French brand Bohen. The brand has wasted no time and energy on another run-of-the-mill dive watch. No, my friends, this StarDiver is an extreme piece in all its details. As such, this is a watch for true dive fans who love extreme timepieces developed to serve their purpose. Better still, it even boasts some pretty nifty solutions, including a unique bracelet. There is simply a lot to say regarding this ...
The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver Returns In Full Lume
Recently, Zodiac and RedBar released a special edition of the Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver. This 200-piece LE introduced a full-lume dial and harked back to Zodiac’s Point series from the 1990s. Those watches were instantly recognizable by the red dot on the dial between the 4 and 5 o’clock markers. As a follow-up to the RedBar version of the Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver, Zodiac is now releasing a regular-production model with a full-lume dial. Let’s take a look at both and find out more about the return of the Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver.Night divers are a different breed of dive watches. I have a huge soft spot for divers with full-lume dials because of the extra fun and functionali...
Introducing: The BA111OD CHPTR_.5 Label Noir LE
If you haven't heard that term before, that makes two of us, but trust me; I'll explain. The CHPTR_.5 (pronounced “Chapter Delta point five” in case you were stumbling) is the lovechild of BA111OD and Label Noir, designed by Thomas Baillod. It is a triangularly different, semi-open-worked creation with a dark vibe.This comes in a month when more modern pieces seem to emerge, even if retro is still the flavor of the last decade. Whether or not this watch reflects the times, the avant-garde pops of green within a dark dial come at a tempting price. Accessibility is the way forward for this futurist watchmaking branch, and BA111OD and Label Noir get it.The BA111OD CHPTR_.5 Label N...
Hands-On With The HYT T1
One of the biggest recent watch surprises happened the day before Watches and Wonders 2024. Impressively, the watches even captivated all four of the Fratello team members who were there. Normally, a watch release provokes much debate among us. However, the enthusiasm for the four different HYT T1 watches presented on the banks of Lake Geneva was unanimous. We all agreed that the new concept of the closed dial, the intriguing case shape, and the way it feels and functions were downright impressive.It would go way too far to state that HYT is making hydromechanical watchmaking for the masses with the new T1 series. But with a starting price of CHF 48,000 excluding taxes and a design that̵...