Building A Watch Brand Ep. 14: VPC Type 37HW Production
It has been a while since the last episode of Building A Watch Brand. In fact, that was a full month before the big launch, which took place on March 7th. As you may have gathered elsewhere, the VPC Type 37HW presale was a success, meeting the threshold number of sales over the first weekend. It wasn't smooth sailing, though! A lot has happened since, so an update from my end is long overdue.?Production is now in full swing, and the prototypes received some crucial updates. All in all, there’s plenty to cover. Let's dive in!The presale of the VPC Type 37HWThe presale was just about the most nerve-racking thing I have ever done in my life. For about a week prior, I could hardly sleep. I...
Fratello Talks: The Hype-Hungry Watch Industry
Welcome to the latest episode of Fratello Talks. This week, Nacho is joined by RJ and Lex to discuss their thoughts on a hype-hungry watch industry. Lately, more than ever before, it seems that big brands within the watch industry are doing their best to remain relevant by chasing hype. We saw the natural hype behind the Omega Swatch MoonSwatch take over the world a couple of years ago, but have brands been successful in manufacturing similar excitement? Before we answer that question and look at several examples of how brands have attempted to do so, let’s see what’s on the guys’ wrists....
Hands-On: The Nezumi Adventure Trio
The young Swedish brand Nezumi has made a name for itself with a catalog of stylish, affordable watches. Now, with the release of its new Terrain field watch, the Stockholm-based brand has completed its ultimate traveling triumvirate, the Adventure Trio. Alongside the new Terrain, we have the relatively longstanding but revised Baleine dive watch and the brand’s hit release from last year, the Aviera GMT. With each model suited to a different purpose, the Adventure Trio should have you covered on your global travels. I had a chance to go hands-on with all three watches and see how they work together.I am a Nezumi fan. This is far from a shocking revelation, but it does tell you that I ...
Ingenieur 3227: the score
Here is a short review of my Ingenieur ref.3227 after exactly 3 months of ownership.I don’t think it’s necessary to give background information on this watch, as I have done this in the past (here and here) and you can read all about the vintage Ingenieurs (including the 1976s SL) on this page by Larry Seiden, Marco Schoenenberger and David ter Molen.Although this purchase might seemed as an impulse three months ago, I always had a weak spot for the IWC Ingenieur. The packaging and the manuals that come with this watch are very nice. The black box with its leather interior keeps the watch in place perfectly. However, who is going to use it anyway once you put the watch around you...
Ingenieur 3227: the score
Here is a short review of my Ingenieur ref.3227 after exactly 3 months of ownership.I don’t think it’s necessary to give background information on this watch, as I have done this in the past (here and here) and you can read all about the vintage Ingenieurs (including the 1976s SL) on this page by Larry Seiden, Marco Schoenenberger and David ter Molen.Although this purchase might seemed as an impulse three months ago, I always had a weak spot for the IWC Ingenieur. The packaging and the manuals that come with this watch are very nice. The black box with its leather interior keeps the watch in place perfectly. However, who is going to use it anyway once you put the watch around you...
Richard Mille RM011
On the 11th, 12th and 13th of July 2008, the vintage sports car event ‘Le Mans Classic’ is to be held. Richard Mille is the main sponsor of the event and is also the official time keeper.Especially for the Le Mans Classic 2008 event, RM created a Flyback Chronograph as pictured below. This is the RM 011 Flyback Chronograph watch, that should breathe the same atmosphere and style as the event itself. The green and white checkered logo at 12 o’clock marks this watch as being a special Le Mans Classic watch!The RM 011 features a skeletonized automatic, winding movement with adjustable rotor geometry with flyback chronograph in hours, minutes and seconds, 60-minute countdown ti...
Vintage Chronographs Rock! Here Is The Cyma Watersport Chronograph!
Bas van Dorp, friend of the show for many years now, is always keeping his eyes open for a cool chronograph. He found this vintage Cyma Watersport chronograph from the 1940s in a watch shop in Maastricht, in the southern part of The Netherlands. Cyma is a brand with a history dating back to 1891, however they didn’t survive the quartz crisis in the 1970s only to be reborn in 2005. The current Cyma company has nothing to do with the one that stopped about 40 years ago.Bas’s Cyma Watersport is a classic looking round chronograph with a tri-compax dial lay-out, which means it has the sub dials at 9, 6 and 3 o’clock. In my opinion, the perfect chronograph design symmetry-wise. ...
Thank You Mr. Urquhart!
Today marks a special day, not only is it the birthday of my beautiful daughter, it is also the fourth anniversary of our Speedy Tuesday feature and the 70th birthday?and?the last working day of Stephen Urquhart, CEO of Omega.Stephen Urquhart was born May 31st 1946?in Trinidad and has both Swiss and British nationality (Scottish father and a Portuguese mother).?He started working for Omega in 1968 as an International Account Manager and – as he told me during an event last year – he got to communicate with NASA during that time because of his perfect English, which was something quite uncommon in Switzerland in those days. He worked for Omega for 6 years (must have been an exciti...
Nomos Ahoi Atlantik Datum A Hands-on Review
Nomos is a huge hit in its home country, Germany, and in its price range, the brand is extremely popular. This is likely is due to a combination of the watches’ Bauhaus-inspired design,?the company’s laid-back, friendly attitude and how Nomos?approaches their customers.? Which factor is most important?? I’m not sure.NomosWhat I can tell you, however, is that almost every co-worker (I live and work in Germany) who buys a new watch at least considers a Nomos. The choice often includes one of Nomos' signature models. This made me wonder more about the secret behind Nomos' success. Personally, I like Nomos. For several years, we’ve visited the brand in Basel, have attende...
The Crepas Loggerhead The Newest DWFG Watch
Here on Fratello Watches, we generally cover the new watch releases that the Diver's Watches Facebook Group (43,000 members and growing) helps create along with what is most often a micro brand. Thus far, we've reviewed releases from Zelos, Gruppo Gamma and Aquadive. All sold out quickly and were great, limited edition one and done pieces that showed serious evidence of design choices made in part by the online group's moderators. The group tries to work on at least a couple releases per year and today's article takes a look at the newest: the Crepas Loggerhead.If you've never heard of Crepas, don't worry because I hadn't either. In the quickly expanding world of micro branded watches, it's ...
Hot Take: The Seiko Prospex Twilight Blue SPB097J1
We have word of a new diver, the Seiko Prospex Twilight Blue, a special edition for the European and US markets.Seiko is no stranger to special editions.? With the announcement of the new?Seiko Prospex Twilight Blue, the brand keeps things rolling with their newest regional offering.? ?In the past, it was Japan and some southeast Asian countries receiving all the attention, but this newest diver is marketed primarily towards the European and US market.? It’s almost weekly now that Seiko announces some sort of a limited or special offering.? To recap what’s gone on lately with Seiko, there have been multiple collaboration pieces with Japanese designers and fashion companies, a lim...
Hot Take: Glashutte Original SeaQ and SeaQ 1969
Glashutte Original surprised many people by introducing the Glashutte Original Spezialist collection as a new and fifth collection to their line-up. The Spezialist collection is Glashutte's collection for instrument watches and the first watch in the collection to be introduced is the Glashutte Original SeaQ that is available in three different versions.It's Glashutte Original's take on a classic diver's watch to make sure it's not just about classic elegance for the Saxon brand. Let's see how Glashutte Original has combined their high level of craftsmanship with their heritage and salutes sixties East German design.The SeaQ CollectionAlthough the introduction of the SeaQ has come as a surpr...
Isotope Goutte D'Eau Dive Hands-On Watch Review (2021)
Compressor-style cases (as aped by this Isotope Goutte d’Eau dive watch) somehow fell out of favor with the general watch-buying public for a couple of decades. Why? I don’t know. Maybe the industry just outgrew the technology and assumed no one enjoyed the twin-crown aesthetic without the compressible case that got more and more water-resistant the deeper it traveled beneath the surface (until, of course, it goes so far, the metal housing crumples like an Origami crane in a rainstorm).? However, when this style started to creep back into the mainstream, I was overjoyed. It’s great to see bigger brands (particularly Longines) experimenting with this style once more, but a w...
Watch Strap Review 51: Delugs From Singapore Returns (2021)
Let's give it up for one of our old friends and Watch Strap Review alumni, Delugs Straps. If the name sounds familiar, it is no coincidence. This is not the first time we are reviewing products from Delugs Straps. About one and a half years ago, we already took a closer look at one of Singapore's finest watch strap companies.From time to time, we revisit brands we already introduced to you in the past. It's fun to see where the business has gone since we last spoke. Also, this gives us a chance to check out their latest products.?Delugs 2.0A lot has happened with Ken and his company since we last spoke. Their selection expanded significantly. I barely recognized the brand’s site when I...
Casio G-Shock MT-G MTG-B2000PH2A "Blue Phoenix" (2021)
Is there more to the Casio G-Shock MT-G MTGB2000PH2A “Blue Phoenix” than its stunningly extravagant looks? A question that might pop up in the heads of many of our readers. It was the exact questions that popped up in my head when I first laid eyes on the colorful watch. It’s a watch that is hard to miss, and everyone will have an immediate opinion on its bonkers presence. While I wholeheartedly agree that the colors set the tone, there is definitely more to this “Blue Phoenix” than just its looks. It’s a story of functionality, materials, design, and engineering. And the level to which that is executed is awe-inspiring. Time to explore the story of this l...
NOMOS Club Campus Absolute Gray And Future Orange (2021)
Color has always been something NOMOS Glashutte deploys with the kind of verve it’s hard to teach. It may seem almost counterintuitive that one of the Bauhaus style’s foremost proponents has such a reputation, but, as with everything worthwhile in watchmaking, it is the subtle applications of flare that can turn a simple piece into a showstopper. The new NOMOS Glashutte Club Campus models in Absolute Gray and Future Orange are perfect examples of that.If you’re looking for a classy, timeless dress watch, you could do much worse than to start your search with NOMOS. Similarly, if you want something vivacious and fun, the German manufacture has you covered also. How NOMOS has...
My Unplanned Journey From MoonSwatch To Moonwatch
To some of you, it may not be surprising that I now own a Speedmaster Moonwatch. After all, I do work at Fratello. It's basically in our DNA. Nevertheless, it was an inadvertent twist of fate that led me toward purchasing this watch that now rarely leaves my wrist. Allow me to explain why it wasn't my first choice, and why it's all I wear now.?And if you're wondering, yes, I did purchase the watch on a #SpeedyTuesday. Not only that, but it was the same day as our Speedy Tuesday event in Biel, which was, incidentally, my first Speedy Tuesday event ever. I felt like the luckiest girl alive, to be able to wear such an incredible watch on my wrist in the vicinity of long-time Speedy enthusiasts ...
Introducing The MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential EVO
Simply reading the fact that MB&F has created 20 calibers in its 17 years of existence is nothing short of impressive. On top of that, every release has pushed the boundaries of creativity, making you realize just how special MB&F is. It’s not that we didn’t know that already, but just reading the facts creates a pretty good idea of the brand’s impressive achievements. But it doesn’t stop just yet. For the 20th caliber, the brand decided to do something truly special. With the MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential EVO, the brand introduces its first chronograph. And as you would expect, it’s not just any old chronograph. Time to check out this phenomenal wa...
Is ISO 6425 Certification For Divers' Watches Useless?
In 1982, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) introduced ISO 6425, which outlined the international standards and features for divers’ watches. Currently, ISO 6425 is in its fourth edition, formerly known as ISO 6425:2018. If you’re a fan of the dive-watch genre, you’ve likely heard of this standard. But how important is it for today’s divers’ watches?Historical background of divers’ watchesSelf-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus diving - or simply “scuba diving” for short - is a young sports activity. As we practice it today, recreational scuba diving has not existed for more than 50 years. I don’t want to go ba...
#LEMONFRESH Watches For Summer Omega, Doxa, G-Shock
We’ve all been waiting for a pandemic-free summer, and this year, the airports are going to be packed. If you plan on working through the warm period, or if it’s still gray and rainy like here in my northern climes, you’re going to have to bring your own sun. Personally, I don’t know of any better way to cheer up a rainy day than a popping watch, and with a #LEMONFRESH color, it’ll work a treat, I can guarantee it.Whether it’s the brightest digital pop of yellow from a Casio G-Shock or an underrated Speedmaster with an uncharacteristic dial, these are my fun suggestions. You might be too wrist-shy for a full-on yellow dial, I get it. But just try popping o...