A quarter of a century is a long time, especially for an independent watch brand. That's just how long URWERK has been in existence, doing its thing and making waves in the watchmaking scene. To celebrate this impressive milestone, URWERK has released possibly its most incredible watch to date, and it is undeniably Uwerkian in nature. It is, of course, the UR-120 Spock.You may recall that I wrote

“The time has come for the first quartz watch with hands and digital readout. And we’ve got it,” says Zenith in a mid-1970s print ad. As an ’80s kid, I love everything with a digital display in it. When it is integrated into a classic watch design, I am doubly excited. The Zenith Defy Quartz TimeCommand is one hell of an interesting watch that looks like it was just pulled

Today, I’ll be taking a look at a brand that you’ve not likely heard of before, despite it having existed for over a decade. Mona Watches is a Bordeaux-based brand, which proudly labels itself the first French microbrand. It has been around since 2012, offering several quartz timepieces with a unique design aesthetic. The most popular model was the HMS. This is the model that we witnes

I love changing straps on my watches, but with some pieces in my collection, I hesitate. If you have a watch that is synonymous with its on-bracelet look, you'll know what I am talking about, and that can be despite its less-than-perfect wearability. So I wondered, can a curved-end rubber strap transform the beefy Marinemaster 300?For me, the Seiko SLA023 was the final step on my Seiko diver journ

Thank you for tuning in to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. You join RJ, Timo, and your host Nacho, who are going to be covering a rather broad topic. This week, it’s all about watches in cinema. In this episode, we’ll cover anything from memorable sightings to examples of marketing gone too far. How much can brands get away with when it comes to blatant product placement?

The world of microbrands can be weird. The industry’s logic only applies to some of these brands. What should not work does, and what is supposed to be a hit is often a flop. But it’s also a wonderful world because exceptional timepieces like the Albishorn Type 10 are occasionally released.When a genuinely exceptional timepiece comes to the market, it’s often not an instant hit.

We are back with another installment of Back to Basics, the series aimed at newcomers to our beloved hobby. This time, we focus on watch etiquette. What are the rules of engagement when it comes to watches?Of course, you can do whatever you like. Rules are there to be broken, right? Still, it is worth contemplating what is considered bon-ton and what is deemed a faux pas. I say “contemplatin

Just recently, I was in Dresden to celebrate the 20th anniversary of A. Lange & Sohne’s Lange 1 watch and the introduction of the Lange 1 Tourbillon Handwerkskunst (more here). A few weeks earlier, A. Lange & Sohne introduced five sets of Lange 1 watches during the Watches & Wonders exhibition in Hong Kong.Lange 1 20th AnniversaryThese five sets of A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 wa

Eric Wind, Vice President of Christie’s?International Watch team in New York, invited me to come to Geneva and have a look at the lots of the upcoming Omega Speedmaster 50 auction in December. I was already aware of this auction some time ago and?I am (and will be) following it with great interest. Our own Speedy Tuesday got a nice little mention in the absolutely fantastic catalogue as well

There's no doubt that we love Seiko here on Fratello Watches and judging by the numbers, you seem to feel the same. It's the beginning of November and that means exactly nothing, but if we squint a bit, we can go ahead and call this article an early Holiday gift guide. Today, in a battle of Seiko Divers, we'll line up three watches for three different budgets that fit under the undersea category,

Divers Sixty-Five Green DialRumor has it that Oris is performing well this year in terms of sales. It is not that strange, as they hit home run last year with the Oris Divers Sixty-Five in 40mm (we reviewed it here). Another important aspect is of course the price segment in which Oris operates. Where a lot of Swatch Group and Richemont Group brands left the < 2000 Euro market, Oris does offer

There is something about the pinky ring. This small piece of jewellery casts a powerful message: a statement. It makes a man look and behave differently – more aware of his hand and its gestures. The pinky ring has accompanied so many historical and social settings, from royal to stray, from gangster to gay and from BC to TV. Here's a tale about the hand's golden tooth. In a vintage Saturday

As we can see this weekend during the Geneva watch auctions, the world of vintage watches is so versatile, that everyone can find something there. For this instalment of our Weekend Read feature we bring you a special interview with Mr Vintage Certinas, Pascal.Mr Vintage CertinasSome tend to think that vintage watches are unreliable, uncool and outdated. Others contemplate about them being super e

In this 12-minute video, I discuss the new Omega Speedmaster? Silver Snoopy Award, but also show the previous Snoopy Award watches from 2003 and 2015. Also, the Apollo 13 25th anniversary edition gets a mention, as that one was really the first to commemorate this special Apollo mission in 1970.The comments and feedback on the new Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award have been pretty amazing (see

Today, Patek Philippe has announced the new Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P Grand Sonnerie. In a beautiful video presentation, because of Covid-19, Patek Philippe presented this beautiful platinum 6301. It was an incredibly well done digital presentation, with a few words from Thierry Stern and a product presentation by their Head of Watch of Development, Philip Barat.The Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P is a

To many, Blancpain is the Fifty Fathoms. It is the main association many watch enthusiasts have with the brand. And for me, that is no different. Within the Fifty Fathoms collection, the Bathyscaphe line of watches holds the position of the more modest daily wearer. I went hands-on with the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback in striking green to find out if green holds magic powers for

We’ve covered anOrdain more than once here on Fratello, as some of our contributors are fans of that brand. A few weeks ago, I received a press release from Paulin watches, about a collaborative piece between them and anOrdain.I have to admit, I had never heard of Paulin watches before. It is a company founded by three sisters from the Paulin family. Although their history goes all the way b

Let me spill the beans. Did you read my articles on the Oslo Watch Fair and last week's tough new Bathyscaphe in grade 23 titanium? If so, then you might have picked up on a hint about this blue baby from Blancpain. Yes, these wrist shots are mine. Philippe Conte from Blancpain almost had to pry the watch off my arm at the Oslo Watch Fair, as I enjoyed the pure juxtaposition of its concept almost

We (well, some of us) thought this day might have arrived sooner. Months after announcing a new partnership with Marine Nationale (the French Navy), Tudor has dropped the watch we’ve been furiously speculating over ever since. And what to say? Quite frankly, it’s a little weirdo. I think I’m “okay” with it, but I’m not quite sure. Do let us know what you make of

After our Fratello NOMOS Glashutte Weltzeit “The Hague Edition”, and plenty of earlier stories on NOMOS, we can't hide the fact that we are passionate about the Glashutte brand. And despite wearing a huge diver’s watch this weekend, a 36-38mm piece, for me, is pure perfection. Add an independent brand’s logo and I’m hooked, even before clicking on the tantalizing shot