A journey north with Fortis Watches…Sunday, November 7th, 2021My bag is packed. My watches are all synchronized. I’m standing outside my flat in Dresden at 7:30 am and the rain is pouring straight down. I might as well have showered with my clothes on. I begin a lead-footed trudge through the sodden streets, dragging a heavy suitcase behind me. I’m trying not to sweat my very ess

The origins of Vacheron Constantin go back to 1755 when Jean-Marc Vacheron (1731-1805) founded his watchmaking business. This makes it one of the oldest watch brands in the world. In 1819, Fran?ois Constantin joined the company, leading to the name Vacheron & Constantin. Much later, in 1970 to be precise, the & was dropped, and the name Vacheron Constantin was born. Sound like a dull histo

Have you ever blissfully enjoyed your leather watch strap creaking subtly from time to time? Well, I didn’t even know it was possible. Simply put, I find no other watch straps to be as truly “leather-ish” as the straps from WatchStrapHeaven are. Let me explain…I am very much a fan of thin leather straps, and for me, it’s an important parameter when pairing with modera

Supporting charities through the sale of luxury items is nothing new. However, this particular auction of a salmon-dial Zenith Calibre 135-O single edition was quite special because there was only one of this watch made and there won't be a second. Ever. While it's one thing to auction out regularly stocked items, whether it's watches, jewelry, or cars, I was particularly interested in this watch,

Sophia Loren (Rome, 1934) went from an Italian starlet to an international icon. Her astounding and distinctive beauty captivated fans as soon as she appeared on the scene in the 1950s. And in 1962, she won an Oscar for her role in the Italo-French war drama La Ciociara. From competing in a beauty pageant judged solely on looks to being named one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood

Haute Horlogerie - the world of precious metals, true craftsmanship, and ultimate rarity. Exotic watches that showcase the very best of what humankind can do. Chiming bells, rare gemstones, perpetual calendars, and hand-carved bridges. If you are anything like me, you admire all of this from afar, knowing that it is and will forever be out of reach. Or is that really the case? Is there such a thin

There's no denying that I thoroughly enjoyed tough-testing the bright yellow CasiOak two months ago. And guess what? There was also a full-metal Casio G-Shock GM-B2100D-1A in the office. This shiny and sturdy-looking watch seemed more than ready to undergo a rigorous test. That's why the Fratello Tough-Test is back, and this time, we put a metal CasiOak through the wringer. We'll let the four elem

Just over a year ago, I wrote an article about the rise of microbrands. It was a musing on why small, independent watch brands seem to rapidly gain ground. Little did I know that today, a year later, I would be building a brand of my own. It was already a lucid dream then, but due to illness in the family, there was no room for such risky frivolities. Relief in the form of a clean bill of health f

You probably know Piaget as the maker of the legendary Polo collection, which has swung back into the limelight since its 2016 revamp. Did you know that when the Polo premiered in 1979, it was never intended to be simply a sports watch? Cue the famous quote from its creator Yves G. Piaget: The entire Polo philosophy can be summed up in one sentence: it's a watch bracelet rather than a mere wristwa

In April 2024, Zenith introduced the Defy Extreme Diver, a bold and modern dive watch. The brand is most famous for its chronographs, so a new diver is big news. The initial release brought a pair of black- and blue-dialed watches. Today, an icy silver version joins the lineup as a serial-production model.This year’s Defy Extreme Diver is a heavy-duty water-ready watch with styling traits co

Welcome back to another Sunday Morning Showdown! Grab a coffee, take a nibble of your croissant, and warm up your voting finger. Daan and Thomas are back at each other's throats this week. Today's theme? Casquette-shaped watches with roots in the 1970s. How about that for a niche? Don't go complaining that this is apples and oranges this time, Fratelli! How similar do you want them to be?You may s

Or should I say, Paneristi-case? Jerrel showed us his Panerai collection at P-Day 3 in Frankfurt. Not only his watches were incredible, but the way he presented them to fellow Panerai collectors was incredible as well. He made this case by himself, complete with Panerai crown-guard system lock and a nice (working) Panerai clock on top of the case. Also pay attention to the buckles on this case, P

The Omega Speedmaster CK2998 seems to be one of the most sought-after vintage Speedmaster watches. On a weekly basis we get a couple of questions whether we know one for sale. A few weeks ago, I met with Roy Davidoff of the Davidoff Brothers boutique in Geneva. He told me that their shop specializes in vintage watches and that they have a huge?love for Speedmasters (and Speedy Tuesday). Their coll

Today we take a look at a Seiko 6105-8110 “Captain Willard”, but this one has a story that’s quite fitting for today.? Happy Veterans Day!I think we can all agree that conversing electronically is a fairly cold and impersonal method.? Plus, in its worst form, it emboldens people who are probably otherwise quite polite to act like jerks on social media.? But for all the grief our

What happens if you put together ten Fratello Magazine editors from around the world on a late evening team call? Besides a lot of jokes, you get a lot of ideas for new features on Fratello. Welcome to one that made the cut – Fratello’s Time Travel.We have decided to do the dirty job of looking more closely at often overlooked categories of watches for all the enthusiasts out there. Al

In 2018, FORTIS has become the official timekeeper for the AMADEE-18 Mars Analog Mission and equipped the Austrian-led team with the Special Edition AMADEE-18 chronographs during simulations of a Mars landing conducted in the Desert of Oman.Directed by a Mission Support Center in Austria, the small field crew has conducted experiments preparing for future human mars missions in the fields of engin

Wrist Game or Crying Shame returns with a look at the Omega Seamaster Bullhead, a kooky chronograph from one of our favorite brands. But first…Last week, we went double pusher with the Oris Chronoris 2005 Replica Edition. This rather lovely symmetrical chrono walked away with a startling 80% Wrist Game win. This week, we keep things extremely uniform with the Omega Seamaster Bullhead. Now, i

Earlier today, I covered the release of the SPB185. And already we have another fetching model to share with you. The Seiko SPB189 dive watch is just about as clean and functional an adventure tool as the modern frogman could ask for. With its sharp, highly-legible hands, and warm, contrasting bezel insert, this one has the potential to be a subtly satisfying daily wear that keeps on giving long a

Often, it is the little things that make all the difference in life. In watchmaking, that is almost always the case. Sure, these ticking marvels are tiny to begin with, but upon these minute canvases, the minutest flourish or novelty can transform a watch’s overall character. When it comes to the SPB185, that is certainly true. What is otherwise a very solid, fairly-priced, handsomely design

Anytime I wear my Tissot 6216-4 and the sun shines onto the dial, I am overwhelmed with the thought that I am gazing down at what is likely the most beautifully aged, untouched dial and hands still around on a watch like this. For today’s #TBT I’ll be doing a little show and tell with this incredible vintage Tissot chronograph. Time to show off some lume!If you remember my last year's