Omega Speedmaster World Cup Group D: Jorg
Welcome to the Speedmaster World Cup. In the absence of Euro 2020, we thought our beloved readers might enjoy a tournament of a different kind. We’ve assembled eight groups (ACH), each governed by a different Fratello team member. Each writer has been assigned four watches, which they will pitch to you during the group stages.All we need you to do is vote for your favorite to move on in the competition. The next round will be the quarter-finals, which will see the eight group winners go head-to-head for your votes. The four winners progress to the semis. Following that, a third-place play-off will precede the final round, due to be held on Sunday, December 13th (get the beers in…...
Grand Seiko Spring Drive Caliber 9RA5
Earlier this year, Seiko announced a new spring drive movement intended to mark a new beginning for the brand. And with this new Spring Drive caliber is a great way to celebrate their 60th anniversary. Time to have a closer look at the Spring Drive 9RA5.Grand Seiko was born from a simple and ambitious aim, simply to create the best watches possible. With a small selection of Seiko's top watchmakers put to work in the late 50s, the first Grand Seiko was launched in December 1960. With numerology being very important, in Japan, the number 60 marks a moment of new energy and rebirth.Grand Seiko 60th AnniversaryAmong a selection of special edition watches celebrating this milestone, the brand...
Grand Seiko Spring Drive Caliber 9RA5
Earlier this year, Seiko announced a new spring drive movement intended to mark a new beginning for the brand. And with this new Spring Drive caliber is a great way to celebrate their 60th anniversary. Time to have a closer look at the Spring Drive 9RA5.Grand Seiko was born from a simple and ambitious aim, simply to create the best watches possible. With a small selection of Seiko's top watchmakers put to work in the late 50s, the first Grand Seiko was launched in December 1960. With numerology being very important, in Japan, the number 60 marks a moment of new energy and rebirth.Grand Seiko 60th AnniversaryAmong a selection of special edition watches celebrating this milestone, the brand...
Zenith Updates Its New Collection With The DEFY Extreme Desert
It was only a matter of time before we saw more from the DEFY Extreme. Zenith launched the new model back at Watches & Wonders in April of this year. Since then, the DEFY Extreme has quietly sat in the brand’s catalog, waiting its turn for the limited edition treatment. Zenith has introduced an interesting iterative update in the DEFY Extreme Desert, alongside a series of exclusive photographs by the acclaimed nature photographer Kourosh Keynejad.First, the makeover Zenith gave the DEFY Extreme Desert is subtle by the brand’s own bold standard. If I’d had to guess what the first iterative update/limited edition may have looked like, I think I’d have guessed a cera...
Fratello Watches Attend The Oslo Watch Fair
That’s right, no masks, no Covid Pass, and all the top-tier brands gathered in one arena. And this includes a rather large stand from , a strong move in this non-Baselworld year. WOW, how much I missed this, even after attending the Geneva Watch Days. The Oslo Watch Fair is not perfect, with many brands missing due to an AD hosting the fair, but impressively so. This is nothing but welcome and says a lot about the strong market in Northern Europe. Many attendees were actually from central Europe and even the UK. So here’s a big thanks to my Fratello colleague Lex for reminding me that I live 10 minutes away from the event, and Jaeger-LeCoultre for the invite.Image courtesy of @py...
The Best Boring Brilliant Watches In The World Grand Seiko GMT
There's not just one Grand Seiko GMT watch to pick in the The Best Boring But Brilliant Watches In The World series. There are 37 GMT watches on the European GS website to pick from. And if you also include a few discontinued or renamed models from the recent past the numbers go up even more. What is most interesting when you go through all the different references is that they cover all the bases. There's quartz, mechanical 4Hz and Hi-Beat, and Spring Drive. And the different GMT's range from introvert to exuberant.Right off the bat, I'm going to throw something controversial at you. I am going to compare the Grand Seiko GMT line-up to beef. Not just any beef, though, wagyu beef. A steak cu...
Tough Quartz Watches, we show you five of the best (2021)
My love of watches has gone through the phases many of us know all too well. A resurgence about 18 years ago involved a plethora of Fashion Watches with a smattering of vintage. After buying my first pre-owned Swiss mechanical watch, an Oris, this all changed. The last 4 quartz watches were sold off with a vow never to touch them again. Why then, is my desire for the ticking of a tough quartz watch re-awakened??Some days I just want to go for a run, fall over and sprain my ankle while sledding with the kids, or even just relax without a care in the world. The peace of mind of throwing on a bullet-proof quartz tough-guy of a watch is simply liberating. I might love my 37mm Grand Seiko. And I ...
WOTW: The All-New Fortis Marinemaster Dive Watch (2021)
Fortis has hit a hot streak recently, and it continues to ride that streak with its latest launch: the Marinemaster! We can trace this hot run of form back to 2020, which was a good year for Fortis. The brand launched its popular Flieger collection, which we covered extensively here on Fratello. The Fratello team were fans of the sensible sizings, and excellent wearability, with a size to fit every wrist.Moving on to 2021, Fortis then gave us the much-anticipated follow-up for the Official Cosmonaut's Chronograph AMADEE-18, the AMADEE-20. Fortis made this watch for the AMADEE-20 Mars simulation mission. As such, the operation of this Fortis timepiece might directly impact and support the hum...
Oris Big Crown ProPilot Big Date: A Modern Pilot's Watch In Bronze!
It’s funny how, as collectors, we so often make plans for our collections. Some people might collect specific brands; others may stick to specific models within a brand’s collections. For the non-hardcore brand aficionados, many collections center around having watches fit specific style categories. There’s the rough and ready dive watch, the classy dress watch, and the traveler’s friend with the GMT. You can’t forget the chronograph, or the everyday field watch too. The final one on this list is the pilot’s watch. Today I am looking at one of my favorite pilot’s watches, the Oris Oris Big Crown ProPilot Bronze.In the modern-day, when I hear the bran...
Introducing The Refreshing New Studio Underd0g Mint Ch0c Chip
Studio Underd0g is clearly not a brand that's afraid to do something new. You could say that many brands think this way, but few produce such uniquely brilliant designs, which are both visually striking and totally bonkers while at the same time being oddly familiar. Now, with its latest release, the Mint Ch0c Chip, the British brand looks to everyone's favorite frosty treat for inspiration. And what better flavor to inspire an English brand than one invented by a fellow Brit. It may be hard to believe that mint chocolate chip has only been around since 1973 when it was created by a student. Likewise, it's hard to believe that Studio Underd0g has only been around for less than a year!Some mi...
Omega Speedmaster Mark II: The One Mark To Rule Them All
The Omega Speedmaster Mark II originates from a project meant to be the “Lunar Surface Chronograph”. NASA engineer James H. Ragan wanted a watch that could withstand the heat and cold on the Moon’s surface. Omega developed such a watch under the code name Alaska, a large titanium timepiece with a silvery white dial. Ultimately, it was too expensive, so NASA decided to stick with the caliber-321-powered Speedmaster Professional. This case’s development, however, led to the Speedmaster Mark II.Speedmaster Alaska, here in its red protective outer casingOmega Speedmaster Mark II HistoryEventually, Omega used the 1969 Speedmaster Mark II case for another Alaska prototype, ...
Hands-On: Four Casio G-Shock 40th Anniversary Watches
According to Chinese astrology, next year will be the Year of the Rabbit. In Japan, however, they might see that differently. As the first Casio G-Shock came out in 1983 and 2023 marks the 40th birthday of the brand's indestructible watch, next year will be the year of the G-Shock. And although we still have two months to go, the first four Casio G-Shock 40th Anniversary watches are already here. There's the Square GMW-B5000EH, the Flare Red MTG-B3000FR-1AER and GWG-2040FR-1AER models, as well as the outrageous MRG-B2000GA-1A with a finish created in the 800-year-old swordsmithing style of Gassan.Let's kick off the new year with the model that, of the four Casio G-Shock 40th Anniversary watc...
Introducing: The Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto
As watch enthusiasts, we tend to build and explore our understanding of horology. Inevitably, we go down the rabbit hole of complications. Most of us strive to add useful complications to our collection (at least we tell ourselves that). Some complications, though, are less useful than others but built as an expression of horological art. The Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto features a chiming complication that achieves a higher art form than many others. While not a true minute repeater, this limited edition takes the auditory expression of time and brings it to a broader audience.Most complications take the form of a visual representation on the dial of the watch. Think the 24-hour hand for a...
Balazs & Mike Talk Seiko Fratello On Air
Well, hello folks! After a one-week respite, we’re back with another episode of Fratello On Air! This time, we talk about Seiko and discuss a couple of our favorite pieces. We must warn you, this is only the beginning…...
The Best Seiko Watches Under $1,000
Seiko is famous for its fun, capable, and affordable watches. But one prevalent comment about Seiko watches is that they’re becoming more expensive. In this article, I won’t go into why and how the brand is doing that. But I’d like to take a look at what’s still available for under $1,000 to see whether you can still buy yourself a fun Seiko watch for a decent price. Here are my five picks that won’t hurt your wallet too much while still offering that typical Seiko fun!For this little exercise, I decided to set some boundaries. I went to the Seiko website and looked for the page with the collection overview. There, I turned on the filter for the “New”...
Introducing: The Certina DS Super PH1000M
The new Certina DS Super PH1000M is here, and it celebrates one of the brand’s most important dive watches that first debuted in 1970. More than that, though, this release further establishes Certina as a leader in offering attractive and capable dive watches at a reasonable price. If you haven’t had them on your radar, perhaps it’s time!It’s hard to ignore the turnaround at Certina. Just a few short years ago, the brand had a heavy focus on quartz chronographs. These were and are still a key part of the lineup, but ever since the DS PH200M launched in 2018, watch fans have received a slew of compelling choices. Models like the titanium DS Action Diver and the DS Supe...
Introducing: The Revampled Breitling Avenger Collection
One day ahead of the global launch of the revamped Breitling Avenger, Georges Kern, Breitling's CEO since 2017, appeared on my smartphone screen to talk about the new watches. The first question I had for him was the simplest of the lot: which new Avenger model are you wearing today? Well, he didn't have to answer that one because when the CEO moved his left arm, the black-dialed Navitimer on his wrist was clearly visible. Never mind; more questions were ready to go. I could still find out about his favorite new Avenger of the collection, which includes plenty of Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 models, two stealthy Night Mission chronographs, a 44mm GMT, and a slightly smaller 42mm Automatic mode...
Looking For Value: Watches That Punch Above Their Weight
I have gone on the record admitting that I am anything but a value hunter. Especially when it comes to unnecessary luxuries, I look to fulfill the desires of the heart, not the mind. But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy when watches punch above their weight. I do! Some watches, like David facing Goliath, unwaveringly take on competitors in much higher segments.Today, I would like to have a look at a few that sprung to mind for me. These are watches with specific qualities or features that you wouldn't expect in their respective segments. Let's get stuck in!Great value in case finishing: Longines SpiritIf you follow my writing, you know that I have a thing for case finishing. Nothing beats raz...
Hands-On: The New Awake S?n Mi Collection
Last month, I met Lilian Thibault, the founder of Awake Watches, at an event in London. We’re used to the brand’s sporty, frequently space-themed limited editions. However, I saw an upcoming release that was very different. The new S?n Mi collection brings two forms of Metiers d'Art together in an affordable package.Since its launch in 2018, Awake has made some fun timepieces. Colorful space-related watches came in 2022, and more sedate solid-dial models joined in 2023. All of these watches use a similar beefy, sporty case. The S?n Mi collection, however, is a decidedly different direction for Awake. The watches introduce a new case design and a new aesthetic. Openly, I’v...
Piaget Presents The Andy Warhol Clou De Paris
At the beginning of this year, Piaget already spoiled us with its re-edition of Yves Piaget’s Polo Watch. But when your brand turns 150 years old, you don’t limit yourself to just one celebration. That’s why Piaget proudly presents another re-edition based on one of its biggest icons, the cushion-shaped Black Tie. For the occasion, the brand renamed the watch Andy Warhol after one of its most famous wearers. As a cherry on the cake, it has a Clou de Paris pattern on its extravagant white gold case and a blue meteorite dial.To be more precise, the original watch on which?Piaget based this re-edition wasn’t actually called Black Tie, but it was part of a collection that...