Delma Klondike Chronotec
Mastering speed and design for a quarter of a centuryThe Klondike Chronograph, the twenty fifth anniversary edition of Delma’s heritage collection, was designed to make men's hearts beat just a little bit faster.? This collection highlight from the traditional Swiss brand Delma has been created with attention to detail and the highest level of technical precision.Delma, the family-owned Swiss watch manufacturer founded in 1924, has called on its long experience of traditional watchmaking expertise for the development of the Klondike Chronotec, the latest timepiece in its heritage collection.? This elegant Chronograph is the ideal match for anyone whose tastes run not only to a fast-pac...
Tudor Pelagos LHD (Left Hand Drive) Numbered Edition Awesome Tool Watch (Live Pics, Background Info And Specs)
Tudor Pelagos LHDYesterday, Tudor invited us for a lunch in Amsterdam. We understood that it had to do with a new introduction, but had no clue about what to expect. Exactly at 1pm, Tudor unveiled their latest, the Tudor Pelagos LHD. LHD stands for Left Hand Drive, for left-handed divers, meaning that the winding crown is on the left side of the case. So as you can see in the header image, I am wearing it on the wrong wrist.Good Things FirstTudor respected a couple of things with their Pelagos LHD. For starters, there was a left hand version in the past. In 1981 for example, the French Navy received a couple of left handed Tudor Submariner 9401 references on special request. So it is no gimm...
Mickey Mouse Watches Celebrating The Birthday Of An Icon
If you want to get a watch with a cartoon character on the dial for your kids it's not a problem these days. Every cartoon that ever existed has tons of merchandise including watches. eBay, Amazon and other platforms are flooded with these goods. They are fun, colourful, cheap and serve as a gateway for the children to get into the hobby that you (and us all) love so much. A Sponge Bob watch today, a Nautilus in 30 years from now. However, not many know that the custom of putting cartoon characters on watches started 85 years ago with the most iconic animated character ever; Mickey Mouse. Disney's most famous mouse is celebrating his 90th birthday this year (actually exactly today, 18th Nove...
Hot Take: Longines Heritage Military 1938
We take a look at the new, limited edition Longines Heritage Military 1938.It was truly a month ago that we were right here talking about the newest addition to the Longines Heritage collection with the sector-dialed “Classic” model.? That 38.5mm model proved to be a popular watch with our readers and the comments were quite favorable.? I had the chance to pen that article and I walked away suitably impressed with the fact that the watch lacked any extraneous writing on its dial about the movement, etc and declared it a positive change in direction for the brand that once adorned every vintage-inspired model with both a date window and an automatic movement.? Today’s model ...
MeisterSinger Vintago
Our Watch of the Week is the MeisterSinger Vintago. The name already indicates that the new model was designed with historical archetypes in mind, which is something that many watchmakers have been doing for years in the wake of the big retro wave some more convincingly than others. Here too, MeisterSinger is a special case, as because the brand is young, it doesn't have any of its own models from bygone decades to hark back to. On the other hand, the single-hand design of our watches has always been inspired by ancient timepieces the tower clocks of the Middle Ages.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCrtP7AROsE&t=9sFor MeisterSinger, the word vintage therefore means in the true sense grape...
Wrist Game or Crying Shame: Patek Philippe Gondolo 5014G
This week on Wrist Game or Crying Shame, I enjoy a neo-vintage Patek Philippe Gondolo 5014G. The question will be whether you feel the same or not. But first…Last week, I showed you the more recent Omega Seamaster Bullhead in white dial form and a healthy dose of red, white, and blue. Well, folks, I literally couldn’t have scripted a more appropriate watch post election because this oddball finished with a Wrist Game win by - wait for it - four measly votes. Our Head of Operations, Daniel, is currently administering a recount. I expect results by 2022. Today’s watch is bound to polarize, but I don’t care. Let’s talk about the Patek Philippe Gondolo 5014G.Patek P...
Hands-On With The Seiko Presage SRPF041 And SRPF043 Cocktail Time watches
Seiko’s Cocktail Time series has been a breath of fresh air in the Seiko Presage collection. The series is based on the idea of creating watches inspired by the global bar culture. In an industry focused on striving for technical excellence and conveying luxury, this is a nice break from that focus. But don’t think for a second, the Cocktail Time watches are not serious watches. The all-new limited edition SRPF041 and SRPF043 are perfect proof of that.The Cocktail Time watches are part of the Seiko’s Presage collection. We have covered quite a few of the Presage watches and what they have in common is their incredible dials. Quite a bit of focus is on the incredible craftsm...
Hands-On: Bvlgari Aluminium Three Hand The Diagono Lives on!
Aluminium is not a typical material used in the watchmaking world, but Bvlgari is not a typical company. The Italian watch brand has carved a bit of a niche for releasing expertly engineered watches with a healthy dose of Italian style.When talking about Bvlgari, I'd forgive you for immediately thinking of the famous and successful Octo Finissimo. After all, this is the brand's flagship model family and the one that's famed for breaking all sorts of records in the watchmaking industry. That said, it's not the only watch of note made by the Italian brand. Enter the Bvlgari Aluminium.The Diagono lives onThe Bvlgari Aluminium is essentially a refresh of the old Bvlgari Diagono Aluminium family....
Hands-On: Sinn 1800 S GG Damaszener in Damascus Steel
When the Crusaders reached the Middle East in the 11th century, they came in way too close contact with swords wielded by Muslim warriors. The blades were made of a particular metal sharp enough to slice a hair in half. Yet the same swords were strong enough to pierce through armor. Needless to say, these weapons struck fear into even the bravest and persistent God-fearing warrior trying to conquer the Holy Land. And now, there's the Sinn 1800 S GG Damaszener. It’s not a sword, but a watch, of course. Still, the question remains: does the watch cut through time like an ancient sword?Damascus steel, also known as Damascened steel, takes its name from the capital of Syria. But based on a...
Fortis On The Edge Of Space Testing Watches In Extreme Conditions
A journey north with Fortis Watches…Wednesday, November 8th, 2021We're out of bed early and meet one another in the canteen. Today is the projected launch day. The excitement is palpable. The weather looks stunning and the windsock is barely moving. We are confident. Our meeting up at The Dome is scheduled for 8:15 am and we troop up there en masse, eager to hear the results of the high-altitude weather test.The disappointment takes a while to bed in. At first, none of us believes it. The environment seems to be on our side. The weather is serene, blissful, even. The news that the wind speeds just above our head are too high deflates us all (no pun intended). The maximum windspeed we c...
Introducing: The Unimatic Massena LAB U1-MLB Bund
Unimatic has been making waves in recent months with a number of excellent collaborations with big industry names. And anything that means more Unimatic watches makes me (as well as more than just a couple of people from the team here at Fratello) very happy indeed. The latest addition to this ever-growing list is the Unimatic Massena LAB U1-MLB. This diver looks back to what I would label one of the most exciting eras of watch design for its inspiration - the 1970s. More specifically, the dive watches of the era. Sound good so far? Well, read on to get the low-down on this fantastic new release.I firmly believe that there's a sweet spot in the history of watchmaking and watch design. It lie...
#TBT Utterly Mindblowing Vintage Discovery Pierce Correctomatic
It has pushers, but it's not a chronograph. What are the flat cap pushers on the Pierce Correctomatic for? I?will tell you thanks to my first watch swap ever. If you were to read and remember one single article from this years #TBT series, you are about to read it now!It all started in July this year with my story The Top Four Weirdest Pushers On Vintage Watches. Or to be more precise, it was only a?prelude to the?real story that followed thanks to the comments under an article. LooselyWound, one of our readers, asked What about the Pierce Correctomatic, it had pushers that allowed you to adjust the timing of the balance! I knew of a few other external regulation systems, with the crazy Sper...
The Fast And The Fratelli: Sinn 144 St S Anniversary II Vs. TAG Heuer Carrera Chrono
Are you fired up and ready to roll some coal? We’re back with another Fratello contest, and this time, chronographs are ready to light it up! Our team members have chosen racing-inspired watches to help get you into a track-worthy state of mind. Qualifying begins with a winner-take-all contest between a ’70s-inspired classic, the Sinn 144 St S Anniversary II, and a watch from the grandpappy of racing chronographs. The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph is gassed up and ready to go. The fast and the Fratelli, 3,2,1 - ignition!The goal is simple, and so is the race. Race fans, you will vote during The Fast And The Fratelli Grand Prix to decide the best racing chronograph of the past ten...
The Best G-Shock Watches Of 2022 Fratello's Top 5
As we head toward the end of 2022, it’s time for the year-end lists. In the coming weeks, you will hear from several of our editors who will share some of their favorite releases of this year. And we are, of course, curious to find out what some of your favorites are as well. In a follow-up to the list of the best G-Shock models of all time, this week, we are focusing on the best of this year. Was 2022 a good year for G-Shock? This list of five extraordinary models is the perfect proof that G-Shock is unstoppable. The brand is constantly improving and surprises us time and time again with its awesome releases. Here is our recap of the five best of 2022 for you.As we have said many time...
Introducing The Brellum Pandial LE.3 DD DLC Chronometer
I’m usually not a fan of blacked-out watches. And - spoiler alert - my opinion hasn’t changed after spending some time with the all-new Brellum Pandial LE.3 DD DLC Chronometer. But I must say that the diamond-like-carbon coating gives the watch a more premium look and feel. Not that the watch wasn’t premium enough without the coating, but I often find that blacked-out versions of watches look a lot more like plastic remakes. That is certainly not the case here.In the spring of this year, I also wrote the introduction for the white-and-blue version of the Brellum Pandial. I remember being quite impressed, first of all by its size - it’s quite a large watch at 43mm wide...
Excelsior Park Seconde/Seconde/: Not Just For The Ballpark
Watch lovers always look for unique pieces. You know, the kind with a dial color that is out of the ordinary, a watch made for a specific market, or a vintage model that is rare and hard to find. Or perhaps even a timepiece that possesses a subtle change, a tweak that separates it from other similar pieces. The word by which we refer to such watches is “modded”, but there is an important distinction to make. While a third party making these tweaks is often frowned upon, if a professional company does an authorized mod for the watch brand, you’re good. Luckily, the new Excelsior Park seconde/seconde/ is such a piece.I know modding is not everyone’s cup of tea, and I...
Patek Philippe And All That Jazz
It was when I heard the 1936 song “Caravan” in the car on my way back home from Fratello HQ that I thought of Duke Ellington's Patek Philippe watch. I saw it in the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva a long time ago. And while Duke Ellington and his band played the exotic and mysterious-sounding American jazz standard, other famous jazz musicians who wore Patek Philippe watches also came to mind - other jazz royalty like Count Basie, Maharajah Oscar Peterson, and Lady Ella Fitzgerald, for instance. And then more thoughts and memories started rolling through my brain. I thought it was best to set up an appointment with Dr. Peter Friess, curator of the Patek Philippe Museum, to show m...
New: The Ressence Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons Type 1 DX3
Ressence watches are already quite mesmerizing in and of themselves. When you see one for the first time, you spend a little while figuring out what time it is. And if you’ve seen one before, you can simply enjoy the fact that it’s so very different from all the other watches out there. But what do you do to make a Ressence watch even more interesting to look at? Well, you add an Arabic-inspired mosaic pattern to the unique dial and fill it with Super-LumiNova. At least that’s what Beno?t Mintiens did for this limited-edition Type 1 DX3. The Ressence Type 1 Squared DXB The Ressence Type 1 Slim DX2 A collaborative trilogyThis is the third and final c...
Seiko Marinemaster 300 SBDX001 Vs. Prospex SRPC35K1
Welcome, Fratelli, to the fourth round of the 2023 Seiko World Cup. For this inaugural contest, the focus is on dive watches! Today, we see RJ and his Marinemaster SBDX001 go up against Nacho and his Prospex SRPC35K1 (aka the “Mini Turtle”). As with some of the previous rounds, this time, it’s also a personal match as both RJ and Nacho own the watches they’ll be defending. This is the last showdown in the group stage before moving on to the semifinals, which will kick off next week. So, without further ado, let’s meet our contenders and get into the action. As always, remember to read through to the end and vote for your winner!In RJ’s corner, we have the ...
Greubel Forsey Presents The Nano Foudroyante EWT
What better way to celebrate your 20th anniversary than by throwing a small party? No, even a tiny party is way too exuberant for Greubel Forsey, Haute Horlogerie manufacturer par excellence. That's why the brand throws a nano party. And that's big news because the Nano Foudroyante EWT is Greubel Forsey's 10th Invention Piece. The watch's main talking point is a Nano Foudroyante set within a flying tourbillon with an oriented reading axis. As a bonus, you get a flyback function for the hand-wound chronograph movement, which also has a column wheel for crisp and precise action. There’s also exceptional finishing of the movement for your viewing pleasure.Forget about micromechanics; nano...