Hands-On: The Striking BA111OD Chapter 4 Tourbillons
BA111OD is still a young brand in a world of watches that is full of historical powerhouses. But ever since its founding in 2019, BA111OD has quickly made a name for itself with some interesting new ideas. There is plenty to check out, from the compelling business model to the integration of connectivity and the affordable prices for the technically capable watches. I took two of the brand’s Chapter 4 Tourbillons for a spin to find out what they are about. The first model was the modern-looking Chapter 4.5 T.V.D. The second was the more classic-looking Chapter 4.7 Onyx Tourbillon. These different watches gave me a good impression of the BA111OD Chapter 4 series. It’s time to find...
New: The Third-Generation Studio Underd0g 01Series
Do you want to use a Seagull ST-1901 movement in your new watch? Sure, that’s no problem, but you’ll need to order a minimum of 10,000 units. That’s something you want to hear as a small brand when asking the Chinese movement manufacturer about possibly supplying you with calibers. But instead of looking for possible alternative movements, Studio Underd0g negotiated with Seagull, and the outcome is most surprising. The young and fun British brand signed an exclusive contract with Seagull, allowing it to offer a bespoke version of this hand-wound column-wheel chronograph movement. This exclusive ST-1901B features an all-black mainplate that frames the bridges, the wheels, an...
Universal Genve Returns With Three SAS Polerouter Watches
In December 2023, Breitling purchased Universal Genve and announced that the brand would return to the marketplace in 2026. Since then, speculation about the models and movements has run rampant. We still don’t have any information to share. Still, Universal Genve has announced three one-off Polerouter watches that celebrate the 70th anniversary of the SAS transpolar flights from Copenhagen to Los Angeles.Universal Genve won’t debut serial-production models until 2026. However, the brand has announced three unique SAS Polerouter pieces that blend Genevan metiers d'art, new cases, and vintage movements. One piece will head to a Phillips auction in May 2025, and the remaining tw...
For the French people #2
Jean-Marie emailed me the following link : https://www.chronomania.netMy best French tells me that this is a populair watchportal in French for the French ??...
Begin your own tradition
Watch fanatics will instantly recognize this slogan. Perhaps, even their significant others will do too. Patek Philippe, considered to be the best watch brand, uses this slogan since 1996. Besides this campaign, Patek Philippe also has separate one for women which started in 1999 for their “24” collection and was refined in 2006.As more than ten years after it was first presented, the ????Generations???? campaign enjoys continued and unprecedented success. Only a few theme campaigns of such longevity exist. According to Tim Delaney, the Chairman of Leagas Delaney and the creative mind behind the campaign, this timelessness originates primarily from its central message: ???...
Review Of The Meridian MP-05: Made in England...For the World
If you’ve been following this blog for the last few weeks or so, you’ve probably seen the report about our factory visit to Norwich on the day of the launch of Meridian watches. We were honoured to have the scoop about this watch brand. In an earlier stage, you might also have seen the teaser drawing as shown below. Contributing guest writer Jake Price received a Meridian MP-05 for review and reports here on Fratellowatches.The brand in question, Meridian Watches, launched at Salon QP Thursday the 8th of November and were given a warm reception by those lucky enough to be at the event. Their aim is simple: to make watches that are “Made in England…for the World.”...
Speedy Tuesday Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini V
It’s Speedy Tuesday! For today we have – again – something special for you Speedmaster fans out there. As you probably know, Omega produced a number of mission patch models as part of 50 white suitecases with the ‘Speedmaster Mission’ collection in 1997 (40 sets) and in 1998 (2x 5 sets). Each suitcase contained 22 Speedmaster Professional mission patch models, 1 ’57 re-edition (reference 3594.50) as well as a spare Lemania-based caliber 1861 movement. The model we have on Speedy Tuesday today is the Gemini V mission model, also featured in this suitcase.Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini VThis particular mission patch model commemorates the Gemini 5 fli...
Omega Geneve A Rare Chronometer
When watch lovers look at the Omega Geneve collection most of them think about the lower valued so called entry-level vintage Omegas. It is wide known among Omega collectors that back in the day when Omega introduced the Geneve collection it was meant to be one of the flagship lines of the brand though. By the mid- to late 1960s Omega shifted their attention.The Speedmaster collection was very successful (and we all know why). The Seamaster collection with its diver watches was also doing great and with the introduction of a few new Seamaster chronographs the brand was getting to a wider audience than ever before. Older collections like the Omega Geneve was re-positioned and put in the marke...
Cartier Manufacture visit in La Chaux-de-Fonds
It’s early Thursday morning and my alarm clock goes off. This is not something that happens a lot on weekdays, there must be something special going on. My agenda tells me I have to be at Schiphol Airport in two hours.After working my way through a rainy rush hour, I arrive at KLM Jet Center. This place looks like a remote business area, not what you’d be expecting when you are travelling to Switzerland. Shortly after I find myself in a lounge, overlooking a large terrain with several jets.It is here that I meet my fellow travellers for today, and hardly 15 minutes later we take off in the Cartier Jet, heading towards the Cartier Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds.Cartier Manufactu...
#TBT Tudor Big Block 79180 Chronograph
In certain circles, there are watch collectors who regard Tudor as little more than window dressing: a watch with a case that houses a pedestrian movement. That's probably a bit harsh, but the model at the sub-brand is changing. With the debut of an in-house movement at this year's Basel show, Tudor is now firmly standing on its own. Historically speaking, though, it is hard to completely knock the naysayers as models like the Submariner and Day-Date were essentially lookalikes, including some lovely visual differences, with off-the-shelf movements. Today, though, we'll comb through the brand's history to shed light on a popular model with collectors. It certainly followed the formula of ...
Grand Seiko 55th Anniversary Event in Amsterdam
This year Grand Seiko is celebrating its 55th anniversary! That is right, the first Grand Seiko appeared in 1960 and Seiko in The Netherlands celebrated this with a boutique event in Amsterdam. Their boutique is not only Grand Seiko, but you will find models from a number of collections. However, the focus for last Monday’s event was Grand Seiko.There were a couple of people from the Seiko Watch Corporation from Japan as well as a watchmaker from Morioka where they manufacture the mechanical Grand Seiko and Credor watches (read about that in my Seiko Factory Visit report here).Together with Dutch Watching Magazine, Fratello Watches could give away some invitations to the event, which w...
Wrap Up Of Geneva Watch Auctions of November 2016
ANALYSIS OF RESULTS AT – PHILLIPS (BACS & RUSSO), CHRISTIE'S, SOTHEBY'S & ANTIQUORUMChart – RECAP ON NOVEMBER 2016 WATCH AUCTIONS – GENEVAAUCTION HOUSETTL LOTS*QTY SOLDSOLD %TOTAL VALUEAVG. PRICEPHILLIPS (Bacs & Russo)19117793%CHF 27.513.625CHF 155.444Christie’s32327685%CHF 14.702.500CHF 53.270Sotheby’s31327788%CHF 7.088.750CHF 25.591Antiquorum55545081%CHF 5.700.000CHF 12.667TOTAL & AVERAGE %1.3821.18087%CHF 55.004.875CHF 61.743*Net of withdrawn lotsNOTE: Amounts & quantities sold include after sale results as of November 16, 2016 and may be ongoing.It was an eventful auction weekend here in Geneva. Predicting auction results is much like pre...
Hands-On Tissot Heritage Petite Seconde Review
Another week, another re-edition. This time it's coming from Tissot. When we visited the Swiss brand during Baselworld 2018, we already reported on this timepiece. Though the dial design changed a bit, the basics of the Tissot Heritage Petite Seconde remained. A sub-second white dial dress watch with Arabic numerals and manual wind movement. My personal opinion on the watch is that it's a bit of a hit and miss. It is a great looking watch with a beautiful case. The display case back showing the movement is just marvelous. The dial is elegant and clean. It's just a bit too large, I think. Especially if you consider that I have a 7.5 (19cm) wrist. Still, I was looking forward to the Tissot Her...
Extract of the Archives Which Brands Offer This Service?
Part of the fun of vintage watch collecting is gathering information about your precious timepiece. Luckily, many brands and models have a nicely documented past. We know about why and when they made certain watches. Which market they were targeting with them and even how many pieces left the factory. Some companies, like Omega for example, even have a designated vintage section on their site. Here you can search for your watch using the caliber or reference numbers of the timepiece. Other brands, like Certina, collaborate with an external source such as?www.vintagecertinas.ch So much so, that they list Vintage Certinas on the official Certina homepage. Of course, books have also been writte...
MeisterSinger Pangaea Day Date Lots of circles
Our Watch of the Week is the award-winning Pangaea Day Date because it displays the date in a truly MeisterSinger way. The most common and also the most practical additional display on a wristwatch is the date. Mostly we have at least a general idea of what time it is, but the date is something we are more likely to forget. That's why wristwatches were designed at quite an early stage with an additional hand that pointed to the date on the outer edge of the dial. Finally, in the 1930s, the date window became a popular feature and from then on, the small aperture in the dial allowed the wearer to see the date ring rotating behind it, switching one step to the ...
Hot Take: Three Novelties From Timex
It's not easy to keep track of all the Timex releases. There are a lot of them, but don't panic, here at Fratello we have picked what we consider the three best models from their recent introductions. The Timex x Pac-Man T80, Timex x Snoopy Space Traveler and Navi XL Automatic.There is something about watches with a $250 price tag. And it's not only the fact that you can have at least four of them within a $1000 dollar budget. Magic math, isn't it? They don’t break the bank, and they can be a lot of fun! Today we will take a look at three novelties from a brand that excels in this particular price range: Timex.Timex x Pac-Man T80The first watch I have here is the Timex x Pac-Man T80. I...
Speedy Tuesday Omega Ambassador Sam Cossman [VIDEO]
During our Speedy Tuesday event in Tokyo last October, we had special guest Sam Cossman on the stage. Although he’s best known for his viral Vulcano video, Sam Cossman is now working on a very prestigious project: Quantum Leap.Sam Cossman is an ambassador for Omega and wears the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon on a daily basis. He is not an astronaut but sees himself as an explorer.?In this video, Sam Cossman explains what Quantum Leap is about and how it is relevant for (future) space traveling. But before he does so, he looks back on his vulcano exploration (Wired did a nice feature on Cossman and his vulcano exploration) and his project on developing a special helmet for them that...
Two New Outerknown Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 Dive Watches
When Breitling first announced its partnership with Outerknown back in 2018, it seemed, to me at least, to be a seminal moment for sustainable products working their way into the luxury industry. With the two brands' latest collaboration, the Outerknown series gets a massive boost from the inclusion of the handsome (and widely praised) Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 automatic dive watch.Outerknown is a company dedicated to producing stylish, sustainable clothing, founder by world-famous surfer, Kelly Slater. Slater was already a member of the Breitling Surfers Squad so the union felt pretty natural. But beyond the marketing sense of pairing Slater's growing label with an established watch...
Hands on with The Audemars Piguet 34mm Royal Oak for ladies
This was a year bookended by the launches of many amazing ladies' watches that came to be seen as milestones for the industry. I'm thinking here of the world’s smallest tourbillon, the Serpenti Seduttori, or Zenith's first-ever Defy Midnight. Most watch brands, it seems, are finally making timepieces for women that say something about both our times and lifestyle. And Audemars Piguet with its 34mm Royal Oak is no exception.The Audemars Piguet's 34mm Self-winding Royal Oak feels like the coolest and most-needed concept of the year. It perfectly displays the versatility of this industry stalwart. It is a testament to the appeal of Genta’s clean-lined design that a watch can be both...
#TBT: Forstner Vs. Uncle Seiko Flat-Link For The Speedmaster
Ain’t it funny when things coalesce? Take for instance, Armageddon coming out in the same year as Deep Impact in 1998. Two big-budget asteroid disaster movies from separate studios releasing within months of each other. While I’m bringing it down to a much smaller scale, 2020 also saw another conceptual overlap. The vintage flat-link bracelet design for the Omega Speedmaster. The conceptors? Forstner and Uncle Seiko.Before I go into more detail on both these bracelets, let me explain a bit of backstory on the flat-link. The three-link construction with flat surface on the outer side of each link is a design both brands pay heavy homage to from the past. None more so overtly than ...