April Fool's Day!
We wish to reveal how we (idea of Watchonista) tricked you to celebrate the 1st of April, 2012! The hoax was the post entitled “Breaking news: Hublot secures the rights to brand the helipads of the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil!” and a lot of blogs, forums and social media guys participated in this hoax.Yesterday’s post stated that Hublot and its CEO Mr. Jean-Claude Biver had successfully negotiated with the National Civil Aviation Agency about the exclusive rights to brand the helipads of Sao Paulo, as part of the 2014 World Cup’s organization, which will take place the Brazilian City.Obviously, this statement was just a figment of Watchonista’s imagination as, to ...
Speedy Tuesday OMEGA Speedmaster Pro 145.012-67
It’s Speedy Tuesday! We have another vintage model for you in store today, literally. This OMEGA Speedmaster Professional 145.012 dates back to 1967 and has the famous column wheel chronograph caliber 321 movement. Actually, it is the very same watch that NASA astronaut Michael Collins was wearing during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. You can read more about that here.In the meanwhile, we’ve covered so many of these 145.012 and 105.012 reference numbers that we actually lost track. It seems to be one of the most wanted and most affordable vintage Speedmaster models out there. However – big however -, they are becoming more difficult to find in a nice and original condition....
Co-Axial Chronometer Movement by Omega A Mechanical Video
OMEGA’s Co-Axial Chronometer. For some time now, OMEGA has been teasing us with beautiful images on their Facebook page. Like the one below. Beautiful. Since it is Speedy Tuesday, we selected this one, but OMEGA did a few more very interesting images.This morning, about an hour ago, OMEGA released a video about their Co-Axial Chronometer movements. The Co-Axial escapement was introduced by OMEGA to the public in 1999 in their DeVille Co-Axial watches (very limited production). In the last 13 years, OMEGA has been adopting the Co-Axial movement in all of their ranges (except for the quartz models and the original Moonwatch of course). This George Daniels invention was adopted by OMEGA a...
Speedy Tuesday OMEGA's Speedmaster Mark 4.5
It’s Speedy Tuesday! Today we have a rare breed Speedmaster from one of our readers from the Philippines. Jun Cajayon is also member and moderator of the PhilippineWatchClub forums. Jun has been a long time fan of the Speedmaster Mark series after he tried a Mark II for the first time a few years ago.As you know, the Mark series were introduced in 1969 with the ref.145.014 Speedmaster Mark II. A more modern case (for that time), but with the same hand wound movement caliber 861 as in the Moonwatch. These Mark series were in production parallel to the Speedmaster Professional ‘Moonwatch’ (145.022).One of the strangest Speedmaster watches from the ‘Mark’-era is de...
Introducing the Tiffany CT60 Watch Collection
Tiffany & Co is probably not the first brand that comes to mind when you are out there looking for a new watch to buy. Watch collectors will associate Tiffany & Co with rare and Patek Philippe watches with the name of this world wide chain of jeweler stores signed on the dials. From now on, that will hopefully chance with the launch of the Tiffany CT60 watch collection.At the end of February, I was able to have a sneak preview and introduction of the Tiffany CT60 collection in London. Up until the arrival in London, I was fully unprepared and only knew about the then actual Tiffany & Co watches that could be categorized as fashionable watches, but had little to do with serious m...
Things We Like: The Grey NATO podcast
Today, I'll provide a brief plug for something I've really grown to enjoy: The Grey NATO.It's funny, when you move to a foreign country (for me, it was the USA to Germany about four years ago), you gradually let go of certain things from your homeland. This is especially true when it comes to media due to things like time zones and country rights. Miss your favorite TV show? Too bad unless you're willing to go through VPN's, Slingboxes or pay for shows on iTunes. Alternatively, subscribing to English channels here is like a trip back to 1985 2008. Seriously, 2 ? Men with Charlie Sheen has been on here every night for over 4 years (I could act as an extra in most episodes as I know all the li...
10 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Seiko Infographic
A few weeks ago, this interesting Seiko infographic was created by the people at? the biggest watch market place in the world, Chrono24. 10 Things you didn’t know about Seiko, unless you are a Seikoholic of course… but even then you might find something you didn’t already know.A big thank you to Chrono24 for creating this Seiko infographic....
The 70s: Another Golden Era for the Heuer Carrera
The new Carrera automatic chronograph excited motorsport lovers ? Ferrari racing drivers preferred it in goldMotorsport has always been in the DNA of the Heuer Carrera, which was named after an auto race. Heuer began an innovative partnership with Ferrari in the 1970s. The gold Carrera chronograph, which was given to each Ferrari driver in the Formula One race, became a symbol of the natural symbiosis at Heuer between timekeeping and auto racing. Heuer Carrera automatic chronograph in 18 karat yellow gold (front and back). Jack Heuer gave this watch in 1972 to the legendary Formula One driver Ronnie Peterson, hence the engraving on the back of the case. The timepiece e...
For Speedmaster Fans: 10 Instagram Accounts To Follow
On this Speedy Tuesday, we show you 10 Instagram accounts you want to make sure to follow to get your dose of Speedmasters on a daily basis.We’ve been using the #SpeedyTuesday tag since 2012 ourselves, and there’s our?official @SpeedyTuesday account of course. However, so many people out there have interesting Speedmaster content on their accounts, we thought it would be nice to share our favourites with you.In no particular order, here are the 10 Instagram accounts you want to follow:10. @SpeedyJapanA Speedmaster enthusiast from Japan is running this @SpeedyJapan account, where he posts and reposts images of our beloved Speedmasters. He is calling all Speedmaster fans in Japan o...
Carl Suchy Waltz No1 Collection
At a huge show like Baselworld, sometimes the most satisfying meetings are the ones you don't expect.? I had one such experience when sitting down with the owner of Carl Suchy & Sohne, Robert Punkenhofer, to take a look at the Carl Suchy Waltz collection.With all the questions about Baselworld and its future, one of the most concerning outcomes of a full cancellation would be the lost opportunity to discover and go hands-on with the smaller brands that are doing some very creative things.? Now, not all brands actually display within the conference hall, but if the official conference were to end, those brands that book space in nearby hotels would also likely have little reason to come.?...
#TBT Insane Sperina Regulator
we’ve got news for you. Meet the Sperina Regulator, a bizarre watch most likely from the 1970s that takes the regulation of the balance wheel out of the watchmaker’s hands and places it firmly in yours.By now you all know I have a deep love for quirky mechanical timepieces. They are the embodiment of a creative watchmaking spirit that brings to life unbelievable watch complications that many of us never thought possible. To refresh your memory, last year in the #TBT column we featured the dead seconds Tourist Radio-Top with a Chezard movement, that makes a mechanical watch move just like a quartz. We also remember the Gruen Airflight with a mysteriously changing dial every 12 hou...
A Sea-Green Dream Farer Lander II GMT Hands-On Review
Rationally, it's pretty simple to sum-up what makes Farer watches stand out from so many competitors. But the magic of Farer is the result of putting all these elements together and making them work. Because honestly, the chances of getting it completely wrong are pretty big if you don't have a great eye for design. That great eye for design is the reason why you need to see and wear a Farer watch in real life. That’s the only way you’re able to truly feel what makes it special.Part of that experience started immediately when I received the Lander II GMT for review. When I took the watch out of the packaging my first reaction was, “That’s a blue dial isn’t it?&#...
Breitling Blockchain Interview With Antonio Carriero
There’s a new kid on the block…chain…Accompanying the rebirth of the Breitling Top Time (something all of us at Fratello are VERY excited about), is the news of a new digital service available to buyers. To better understand this new blockchain-stored digital passport, I caught up with Antonio Carriero, Breitling‘s Chief Digital and Technology Officer and a member of the senior executive team, the man with all the answers. Welcome, one and all, to the future…The InterviewRob Nudds: It's a very exciting time for Breitling with the continued overhaul of the catalog. Everything feels very much on brand. That’s hard to achieve while also being progressive. And...
The Spring Vibes Of The 33mm Hublot Big Bang One Click
Hublot is a brand that emphasizes new materials and, of course, Instagram-worthy colors. Now female collectors can play with the new 33mm Hublot Big Bang One Click which in addition to its eye-catching gold-and-diamond-case, also has a vivid pink strap!?Hublot has kicked off its 2021 release calendar with a new diamond pave watch created especially for women. The 33mm Big Bang One Click feels like a fresh addition to any wardrobe and fits with the spring/summer trends we’re expecting to see. Best of all, there are multiple colors to choose from. I chose pink as it's a strap like no other. But how did I find this petite but far-from-quiet Hublot after a few days on the wrist?The New 33m...
Retrospective: The Casio G-Shock GW-5000, The G-Shock GST-W130L, And The G-Shock GMW-B5000D-1ER
As we ramp up to some new G-Shock news, coming to Fratello soon, we thought it would be nice to take a look back on a trio of great daily wears that we enjoyed (and still enjoy) wearing. Say hello (again) to the Casio G-Shock GW-5000, the G-Shock GST-W130L, and the G-Shock GMW-B5000D-1ERBack to basics. In 1983, designed and developed by Kikuo Ibe, Casio introduced the first watch according to their Tripple-10 concept. Waterproof to 10 bar, drop-proof to 10 meters, and 10 years battery life. The Casio G-Shock DW-5000C was born and could withstand a pressure of even 20 bar.The illustrious GW-5000 on my wristCasio G-Shock GW-5000After the introduction of the G-Shock DW-5000C, the model was slig...
Giveaway Winner Announced! The Lima Meca02 Has A New Home
It’s always nice to see good humor and open minds in our comments section. Of all the major blogs in the world, our readers - the Fratelli - are clearly the best. Here we are, a bunch of crazy, luxury watch obsessed Speedy-fiends, and yet, as intimidating an audience as that may appear from afar, up close we’re as snuggly as a fuzzy cuddly bear. Don’t believe me? Go back to the original Lima Meca02 article and see what was said about this affordable fun watch. It’ll warm your heart…So with such a fun assortment of comments to trawl through, I found myself spoilt for choice. There were the usual offenders, of course, coming up with wonderful ideas and wild storie...
New Release: Chopard L.U.C. Quattro Spirit 25
Today, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Chopard Manufacture, the brand introduces the L.U.C. Quattro Spirit 25. This new limited piece in ethical gold also marks the first jumping-hour movement from the manufacture.Last year, during Geneva Watch Days, we had the opportunity to visit the Chopard headquarters. Things were relatively quiet for obvious reasons, but we did have an opportunity to visit an in-house museum filled with both vintage pieces and the newest models. It was an eye-opener for me and I gained a real appreciation for Chopard. Specifically, I spent a lot of time looking at modern L.U.C. pieces. These are from the Chopard Manufacture and represent the best of what the ...
The New Mido Baroncelli, Mido Multifort Patrimony And Mido Ocean Star Watches
We scheduled a one-on-one meeting with Mido CEO Franz Linder to take a?look at the fresh additions to the favorite Mido product lines. Would you choose the classy Mido Baroncelli, the vintage-inspired chronograph Mido Multifort Patrimony, the unusual khaki version of the Mido Ocean Star Tribute, or the Ocean Star 200C, the first-ever Mido watch with a?green dial and?ceramic bezel?Taking advantage of the Swatch Group’s R&D resources and the Powermatic 80 movement, Mido offers quite novel, precise, and reliable mechanical watches at an attractive price. With an average price of around $1,000 Mido positions itself between Tissot and Longines within the Swatch Group. The other two sell...
New Angelus Chronodate 80th-Anniversary Model
Founded in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1891, Angelus built a reputation during the 20th century as one of the most influential horological manufactures. The brand's excellent in-house movements and vintage timepieces are coveted by collectors worldwide. My colleague Balazs is a big fan of the brand and owns a couple of vintage Angelus watches. Unfortunately, the brand was one of many that succumbed to the Quartz Crisis. After remaining dormant for over 30 years, Angelus was revived in 2015 by Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret. Since then, it has become the new sounding point for La Joux-Perret to display some of its most impressive mechanical marvels. And now, Angelus introduces a homage t...
The Updated TAG Heuer Monaco Gulf Special Edition (2022)
At this year’s Watches & Wonders, TAG Heuer introduced quite a few new watches that focus on the brand’s future. But for the fans of the rich history of TAG Heuer, the brand releases the new Monaco Gulf Special Edition. It’s the first time the brand has equipped the Monaco Gulf Edition with its in-house automatic Calibre Heuer 02. The integration of the famous orange and blue Gulf colors is also now more sophisticated than ever. These changes result in a timepiece that is a new, refreshing take on an iconic design of the past.Every time TAG Heuer releases a new version of its icons, the watch community pays great attention. Especially when it’s a special edition o...