During BaselWorld, Bert Buijsrogge and I had the opportunity to have some ‘alone time’ with the platinum Grand Seiko?SGBD201 which I called the high-end watch that impressed me most in Basel. Simply a stunning 43mm watch made of platinum with this amazing sparkling dial. The inner works were just as impressive, with Grand Seiko’s Caliber 9R01 movement. An 8-days movement with a p

Welcome to my nightmare, otherwise known as the Seiko 7002 diver. I'm only half joking, but do realize that this article and the watch you see here is akin to the third part of a trilogy where, up until the last episode, it looked as if the protagonist was destined to fail. And just when the hero (that would be me) slays the demon, the credits roll and we find out that the demon has a little broth

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of their Big Crown Pointer Date watch, Oris introduces this (stunning) bronze 40mm version of that watch, with a green dial.The story of the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date watch goes back to 1938 when Oris developed a watch with an?oversized winding crown for pilots. Very useful when wearing those leather gloves being high in the sky, and you need to set your watch

It is not every day you get to meet a world-record making explorer. Victor Vescovo is the first human who has climbed the highest mountains, skied to both the North and South poles, and now?reached the deepest depths of the planet.Vescovo has just returned from the Five Deeps Expedition, the unprecedented endeavour to reach the bottom of all five oceans in a manned submersible. His ship is passing

After the dust clouds settled at Baselworld 2019, the Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time 5520P was one of the most talked-about watches of the fair. Another great introduction is the updated version of the Patek Philippe 5235R Annual Calendar Regulator. It may be less talked about than the Alarm Travel Time 5520P, but it’s at least as divisive.It’s funny how most of the discussion about

Welcome to Group H of 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

Oh, to be young and not know the cruel sting of the luxury watch collecting habit. I was young once, and it wasn’t as long ago as my impressive collection of crow’s feet would have you believe. When I was young, I didn’t have a lot of money. But what little money I did have, I would spend on watches. One of those watches I bought (with a 70% discount in the Swatch Group Christmas

About seven years ago, the barrage of online articles and forum (what's a forum?) threads on the HUGE VALUE of Seiko got to me. At the time, I had just graduated from fashion watches. You've been there too, haven't you? I thoroughly enjoyed my first foray into rattly vintage skin divers, and my first microbrand piece was an Obris Morgan. To be honest, I'm a contrarian (or just vain), and the meres

Date displays are one of those complications that divide the community. Some people swear by them; others hate them. I’m in the former camp, and I find myself at a bit of a loss without a date indicator at times. I find myself often looking down at my watch to check the date, only to come up short. So, today I’m looking at some of my favorite types of date displays: what works best and

Time for another Fratello contest! This time, it's chronographs that take center stage. But not just any chronograph will do. We're talking chronographs with racing pedigree - high-octane watches that get both watch freaks and petrol heads to shift into high gear. First up is a drag race between the well-established Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro SS and a rookie on the track, the Singer Reimagin

I always thought there was a hole in the Yema portfolio. But the French manufacturer has finally responded to my unspoken wish and added a simple three-hander to the line-up. Now we are talking, Yema! And there is a lot to talk about with the new Yema Wristmaster.If you felt there might’ve been too many Superman watches coming from Morteau over the last few years, you weren’t alone. I

Dear Fratelli, we need your help! Back in August and September, you decided on the best summer watch in our Summer Splash contest. It was the Omega Seamaster Professional 300 that came out on top. It’s only fitting that such a competent and undeniably good-looking dive watch took the crown. However, the season has changed, temperatures have dropped, and summer now seems like a distant memory

Last week, I was in London for the WatchPro Salon, and some people already asked what my favorite Speedmaster release was for 2022. The Chrono Chime was this year’s latest and last Omega Speedmaster release. There have been quite a few introductions in the 65th-anniversary year of the Speedmaster, although perhaps not the ones you’ve been all waiting for. That said, the lineup is quite

One of the toughest-looking dive watches out there has received a more historically accurate overhaul. ZRC has released two new models carrying the name Grands Fonds 38 Heritage. Their designs are fully inspired by the watches that ZRC began producing in 1961 and which became the official watch for the French Navy in 1964. There’s a time-only version with a ceramic bezel, the S2, and one wit

For the second week in a row, Balazs has a guest on the podcast, and it’s another member of the Fratello family. After last week's discussion with Dave about space watches this week, we have our one and only Lex on Fratello On Air. The man known for his refined taste in clothing and timepieces is also somewhat of a Breguet fan.

Watch enthusiasts. They exist in many different shapes and forms. Don’t worry, I won’t go over each type in this article. The topic of today is more about the term “flippers”. Ever since I entered the world of watch forums and get-togethers, I’ve been intrigued by that term. It’s almost as though it’s seen as a swear word by some, while others just canR

Watches are all about stories. Quite often, the stories behind a watch, the people who wore it, and the things that they accomplished tell a timepiece’s great history. But there are stories even more personal and even more valuable than those. After taking one look at the brilliant two Casio A1000 models that I had the pleasure to review, the stories of my youth immediately sprung to mind. F

Yes, we all love the allure of sleek watches with integrated bracelets. Alas, grails like the Royal Oak and Nautilus are pipe dreams for most people, including me. Even without a big budget, you might want to see what the fuss is about. But is it possible to find integrated-bracelet chic for less than $500?Sure, there are affordable takes on the genre, but with many over $1,000, what are the real

It is easy to become a bit jaded about new watch releases when you see them every day. A lumed ceramic bezel? A fume dial? It is only when they are executed exceptionally well that they truly get the heart racing after a while. But then, every so often, something comes along that doesn't play by the same rules - something that redefines what a watch can be. This, my dear Fratelli, is such a watch.

Ming will attend Dubai Watch Week for the very first time. Along with the brand’s team, two new watches will also be in attendance. The new 37.08 Sand and the 29.01 Dubai Edition will be on display and will also go on sale during the event. Let’s take a closer look at both limited-edition watches.After months of silence, Ming has been on a roll. Today’s announcement of the 37.08