An Overview: The Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Watches
At the Chemin des Tourelles 17 in Le Locle, you will find the headquarters of Tissot SA since 1907. Tissot named a collection after this street, called the Chemin des Tourelles (meaning as much as ‘Turret road’). And it is indeed a nice ‘Chemin’, where Tissot is located. A great reason to name a collection after it.Tissot Chemin des TourellesThe Chemin des Tourelles collection is not new, but Tissot added a couple of new watches with blue and brown dials. In their press release, Tissot states these colours are a ‘trend’, which is true, but which also has been a trend for quite some years now. Perhaps the news doesn’t travel that fast to the Chemin de...
A Blind Spot for a Braille Watch Citizen Shine
Next time you read an online watch dealers' headline crying out loud about a crazy patina, think back to this watch.Citizen Shine divides the worldWhere some people may see just dirt, sweat or dust glued to the dial, I see the most honest and natural patina humans could ever create. While some collectors are up for hunting complications, there isn't one to be found here. Citizen Shine's true purpose is to make reading time anything but complicated. While one would laugh to call a watch with no advanced protection from impacts, water or magnetic fields a tool watch, I dare say are few tougher tools than the Citizen Shine. Am I mad? No. Unroll your watch sleeve, take out any of your vintage wa...
SpaceX And The Speedmaster X-33 Gen 2 Reference 3291.50
Speedmaster fans were excited to see the SpaceX crew wearing the titanium Speedmaster X-33 Gen 2 watches last Wednesday. Or, at least visibly on the wrist of astronaut Bob Behnken.Behnken was wearing the Omega Speedmaster X-33 Gen 2 watch on board of the SpaceX Falcon 9. Over his spacesuit. Astronaut Doug Hurley was wearing the X-33 under his suit, but we couldn’t identify it on the images that NASA broadcasted once he was on board of the Falcon 9.X-33 comes from NASA’s codename of a Space Shuttle project in the early 1990s. Omega decided to adopt that codename to make the X-33 a worthy successor of the Moonwatch.Last Wednesday, the weather conditions were too bad to launch the F...
This Week in Watches: May 30, 2020 Affordable Edition
Welcome back to This Week in Watches for May 30, 2020, the affordable edition. This week we bring an interesting assortment of timepieces that are a bit easier on the wallet.Junghans Meister S ChronoscopeOk, the first entry of today happens to be the least affordable, but it’s not eye-watering expensive. The brand new Junghans Meister S comes to us with a very sporty looking case and a dial design that’s reminiscent of some Porsche Design watches. That’s not a bad thing and I think it looks clean without being sterile like many Teutonic watches. An ETA 7750 (called the J880.1 here) powers these 45mm watches and features a day and date display. Regarding variety, a neat PVD ...
Porsche Design 1919 Chronotimer Flyback Brown & Leather
In 2018 Porsche Design presented a minimalist chronograph in an unusual color, driven by their proprietary flyback caliber.My interest in Porsche Design was induced by the Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 watch. That model had also been the watch that inspired my more profound interest in mechanical watches. It took a while until that watch found its way into my collection. But that’s another story. Let’s examine the 1919 Chronotimer Flyback Brown & Leather.A bit of historyThe first watch carrying the name Porsche Design had been built by Orfina in 1972. That was the Chronograph 1. The outstanding characteristic of that watch was its color - it was matte black all over. Case,...
Fratello On Air: Watch Culture Around The Globe (2021)
Fratello on Air returns with another talkative episode. This time, we answer a listener’s question about watch culture around the world.It’s true that Fratello boasts one of the more multinational teams. One of our listeners from Finland decided to take advantage of that by asking us about watch culture around the globe. How do people come together, do they come together, and do they even like watches in some countries? We don’t have all the answers, but we enjoyed the chat. This time, it’s Mike, Jorg, and Balazs on the mics for a bit of banter.Wrist check and the newsThe gents roll through a “Handgelenks Kontrolle” and you’ll find a lovely GMT-Mast...
Breitling Premier Heritage Showdown (2021) Our First Tag Team
In our Sunday Morning Showdown, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don’t forget to let us know which watches you’d like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We’ll try and feature as many of our readers’ choices as we can. This time out, we have not one, not two, not three, but FOUR brand new Breitling Premier Heritage chronographs in the showdown arena. Each watch will be vying for your vote, but not as individuals. Instead, today’s showdown is a tag-team brawl where two watches on one tea...
A Collaborative Design: The Airain Sous-Marine Skin Diver
Don't you just love it when a brand has a clear vision of what it wants to be and acts accordingly? CDMLEC, the company behind vintage revival brands Airain and Lebois & Co is one of those. The company aims to build a family of the most personal heritage watch brands, so it has brought back these two dormant brands and built them up through collaborative design with their fans. Airain’s current project is the revival of the Sous-Marine skin diver. You can still get your votes in to influence what it will look like in the end.Airain is best known for its Type 20 flyback chronographs, made to French Ministery of Defense specifications in the 1950s. The re-edition - announced in 2020 ...
Best Gold Watches Of 2022 Cartier, , Omega, And More
Some say that the ultimate statement of luxury is a gold watch, and I must admit, gold watches seem to be a thing currently. As a fan of gold watches, I’d love to believe that the popularity of these watches is on the rise.? The question is, what are some of the watches that people should spend their hard-earned cash on? The fact is that most watch brands will always produce gold watches as they have been for decades or even centuries. For this article, we have focused on finding the best recent gold releases out there. Are there any new gold watches that we really should get excited about? Let’s find out.If you ask me, a gold watch is something that should be on every watch enth...
ISO 6425 Divers' Watch Standard What Does It Mean?
Although incredibly boring, ISO standards are highly informative. Unfortunately, to be that informative, they also have to be voluminous and extensive, which doesn’t always make for the most pleasurable reading. Today, we’ll try to explain the critical elements of the ISO 6425 standard for divers’ watches in everyday language.I first want to stress that an ISO 6425 certified divers’ watch is different than a watch that simply complies with the technical requirements of ISO 6425. The ISO 6425 standard goes significantly beyond technical requirements and specifications. Besides that, it’s essential to know that ISO itself does not certify. ISO produces the rules, ...
It's Hip To Be Square: TAG Heuer, Magrette, And Glashutte Original
Back in 1986, Huey Lewis already knew that it’s hip to be square. I know, I know, Huey wasn't singing about the shape of your watch. But still, him mentioning that he's working out almost every day and watching what he's eating does make sense in a column called Coffee Corner Watch Talk. And that's because too many cups of coffee per day isn’t good for your health. Moving around the office is, though, and so is drinking plenty of water. So, don't go for an office walkabout only to pick up a fresh, hot coffee. Instead, make a pit stop at the water cooler too. Oh dear, I sound like my mom now. Anyway, let’s stick to square or squarish watches from TAG Heuer, Magrette, and Gla...
Minase Horizon 2.0 Makes A Strong Comeback
If I had to describe Minase in one word, it would be “singular”. My first encounter with its watches was up close and personal. It was BC (Before COVID) time at an event for independents. I vividly remember getting my mind boggled by the origin of a brand from Japan, totally unknown to me, and by how and where the watches were made. Then suddenly, a rectangular timepiece named Horizon was placed on my wrist. I thought to myself, Now, that is something you don't come across every day (even for someone who works with watches every day!). The unknown brand was actually the Japanese Prime Minister's choice at the time. And the Horizon would be sold out and make a reappearance only th...
Casio G-STEEL GST-B500 The Thinnest Steel G-Shock Yet
Casio has done it again. The brand has made another leap to advance G-STEEL as an ana-digi steel watch in the tough premium space. Since the 2015 debut of this affordable metal G-Shock line, the Japanese electronics giant has made a few major improvements to the watches both inside and out. Barely in the fifth update, what we have here is the new release GST-B500D-1A. The latest model combines a carbon-fiber-reinforced core guard with a stainless steel body. It is the thinnest G-STEEL iteration to date evolved with a few refinements. And who can still argue that a steel G-Shock would look out of place under a shirt or a blazer?I must confess, I lived through the Baby-G launch craze. Even tho...
The MoonSwatch And The Swatch Group Endgame
Yes, the MoonSwatch is old news by now, and the dead horse has officially been beaten well into nirvana. And one can consider the MoonSwatch a cash cow, with Swatch having sold considerably more than a million pieces to date. After all, the Swatch Group confirmed to have crossed that milestone almost six months ago. What on earth (excuse the pun) could be the group’s endgame with the MoonSwatch?Remaining relevant with new MoonSwatch releasesAt the time of writing this article, we’ve already witnessed three more models in addition to the 11 releases last year. And as numerous individuals and publications have pointed out, these releases do leave a lot to be desired in the creativi...
The New High(er)-End King Seiko SJE089 And SJE091
The Seiko King Seiko collection is expanding with two new references, SJE089 and SJE091. Seiko reintroduced the King Seiko collection back in 2020 with 38mm models, and last year, the brand showed us the new 37mm models. The new King Seiko SJE089 and SJE091 references measure 38.6mm in diameter but only 10.7mm in height.King Seiko SJE089 and SJE091They’re not only slimmer than the previous King Seiko models with the 6R movement but also even thinner (okay, 0.2mm) than the original 1965 KSK model. This reduction is not only thanks to the enhanced and thinner 6L35 movement but also a new case construction and a lower box-shaped crystal. Thus far, we’ve seen the use of the 6R31, 6R3...
?Introducing: The Holthinrichs Deconstructed
Michiel Holthinrichs has always been on a very personal path to horological enlightenment. Having trained as an architect, his method of watch design is marked by a fresh, studious approach. How it shows is in the way Michiel seems to have a deeper, more thoughtful agenda than a lot of small brands, and he doesn’t shy away from polarizing designs. The pure otherness of Holthinrichs Watches has always resonated with me as we certainly have enough homage in this world. And by introducing the Deconstructed, Michiel is cementing his position within European horology.True, I might be slightly biased, having one of his first Ornaments in my collection. Mine’s a bespoke version, a highl...
Fratello Editors' Favorite Watches Under $1,000 In 2023
Over this past month, a substantial part of the Fratello writers team wrote about their favorite currently available sub-$1K timepieces. And it has been a great exercise that has revealed many different options. We all agree that there is no real right or wrong, just personal preference. Sure, you can debate the specs and designs, but in the end, it’s all about wearing a timepiece that makes you happy. Having said that, there certainly are watches that we could classify as the best buys under $1,000. However, instead of giving our favorites from the long list of personal entries, you, the Fratelli, get the chance to vote for yours. Today, we’ll line up all the different options p...
Moonshine Joy With The Gallet Astronomic Ref. 999
It could have been about three or four years since I saw a Gallet Astronomic listed last time. It was on eBay, and the price reached the $10,000 limit, so I was hesitant. My dilemma didn’t last long; someone bought it before I made up my mind. When the opportunity came again, I was ready!Last December, I reviewed the Valjoux 72C-powered Gallet Calendar Chronograph, which is listed in catalogs (and stamped on the case back) with reference number 998. I believe my excitement about that watch was evident. Today, six months later, I still cannot get enough of its whitey-white dial. It was one of the biggest surprises for me. It has grown on me so much that it has got way more wrist time th...
Introducing: The Schofield Obscura
For some of you, the bold case shape will be instantly recognizable as a Schofield creation. But while it is indeed symbolic of the brand, this is a very different product of Giles Ellis’s furtive imagination. Does it set the tone for what can be a stand-alone totem of a watch or a new line of Schofield futurism? By introducing the Schofield Obscura, Giles sure awakens my curiosity.This time, the keeper of the Sussex, UK-based small brand has embraced ancient metal-crafting techniques, resulting in an intriguing case. While the trademark shape still seems big, this metallurgic showpiece deserves every millimeter of wrist real estate it occupies.The result of a seven-year creative proce...
Credor Reintroduces The Genta-Designed Locomotive Watch
The Credor Locomotive is a fascinating design from the late 1970s. Today, the brand has brought it back to life. Let’s take a first look at this rather special timepiece and find out more. Anything Gerald Genta once touched (or, rather, designed) may as well have turned to gold. We’ve seen many brands leverage his designs from the ’70s and ’80s in modern timepieces and reintroductions. Most recently, IWC released an Ingenieur based on a series of designs Genta provided for the brand in the 1970s. Today, Credor offers its revamped take on a Genta-designed watch, the Credor Locomotive.Credor chose to reintroduce the Locomotive to celebrate the brand’s 50th anniver...