BaselWorld 2005
You can’t be early enough for these things, the world leading show for watches! Baselworld 2005! It will be held from the 31st of march till the 7th of april 2005.Be sure to have your ticket and hotelreservations on time, because it is going to get crowded in Switzerland.Click here for an overview of all Baselworld 2004 news....
Ocean7 LM5 Review The World's Most Beautiful Diver
To be honest, until recently Ocean7 wasn’t brand that had watch models that I could mention from the top of my head, except for the LM-7. The Ocean7 LM-7 has probably been the watch model that people will know this brand for, it is a homage to dive watch watches of the 1970s according to the official Ocean7 website. People will immediately recognize the LM-7 being a homage to the famous OMEGA Seamaster Plo-Prof of course. To be honest, Ocean7 did a pretty good job in creating an alternative for the vintage OMEGA Seamaster Plo-prof. This was in the period before OMEGA re-introduced their own homage to this watch a few years ago with their new in-house caliber 8500 movement.Anyway, Ocean...
Please Help Us To Find This Stolen Speedmaster (Stolen in Berlin)
During a burglary in Berlin, Germany, an Omega Speedmaster Professional was stolen and we ask you kindly to keep an eye out for it. Because it has some special markings, we hope that someone will recognize it and contact us in order to give it back to the rightful owner.It is an Omega Speedmaster Professional 145.022 from 1974 (so that would be a reference 145.022-71 or 145.022-74, depending on the exact production date). This watch is special, as it was given by the FIFA to those who participated in the Soccer World Championship in 1974 and bears the initials of the receiver (W.T.) as well as the FIFA logo. The son of the receiver, who lost his dad at young age, had his initials engraved as...
Watch Strap Review Part 14. Lionstraps
The second Watch Strap Review of November?is here, dear readers! We have another country to add to the ever-growing imaginary map of the Watch Strap Review subjects. The strap maker hails from Karlsruhe, where I lay my head at night too, so for the first time I managed to actually meet my subject in real life. Joe from Lionstraps is a very cool laid back guy,?has?a large variety of straps and a great eye for new materials and techniques. He is well known by Seven Friday fans?being huge on that 28mm strap game but also takes offers for other projects. As a matter of fact, there are a few things in the mix between me and him in terms of future strap projects but let's keep that a secret until ...
Patek Philippe: A visit to the Patek Philippe Museum guided by Jeff Kingston
Jeff Kingston visits the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. The video shows particular timepieces of the Patek Philippe Company.There are over 2,000 watches in the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. It may be there's another museum in the world with more timepieces that's in the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Watch and Clock Museum but nowhere in the world will you find a collection this rich, this diverse, this well displayed. Jeff Kingston takes us on a tour of the evolution of timekeeping, finishing with the crown jewel of the Patek Philippe Museum, the Caliber 89, the most complicated watch ever made. Enjoy the video and see a lot of special Patek Philippe watches.Want to know more about the...
Watch Strap Review Anniversary Edition Part 25. Two Stitch Straps
Two Stitch StrapsA little over two years ago, on 13th September 2014 the first Watch Strap Review was published on Fratello Watches. Since then, I tried to bring a new strap maker to your attention every month. A few times RJ or Mike took over, we might have skipped a month but we are still here. This is the 25th episode of Watch Strap Review and I have yet another country to add to the ever-growing list. This edition is about a very sympathetic young business from Serbia. Ivan together with his two partners?C is taking this thing seriously. Despite his young age of 25 he communicates, acts and runs his business with such professionalism it's pretty outstanding. He is also a fellow watch jou...
#TBT Hands-On with the Breitling Chronomat 808
While it's often overlooked or under discussed when people talk about the most beautiful vintage chronographs, the Breitling Chronomat 808 warrants consideration.It would be easy to cast this watch aside as a less-equipped version of the far more popular Navitimer, but as we'll see, that's a patently unfair categorization. In terms of both intent and history, the Chronomat is truly a significant watch.I've waited a long time to write a dedicated article on the Breitling Chronomat 808. We've featured the model as part of the Breitling Experts Interview article from a couple years back, but there's been little said since. The reason is pretty simple; the culmination of my procrastination and t...
Hands-On With The Seiko Presage Urushi Byakudan-nuri Limited Edition: SPB085
We had the pleasure to go hands-on with the Seiko Presage Urushi Byakudan-nuri, or reference SPB085. I say pleasure, but this watch has a dial that is quite difficult to capture if you’re without the proper equipment. And it is exactly that dial that makes this Seiko Presage SPB085 so special.Although Seiko is rushing out limited editions like there is no tomorrow (just like many other brands), I have to say that many of them simply look stunning as well. The demand from the market is for limited editions, so brands like Seiko just simply fulfil them by releasing one every once in a while. Yesterday during an event we organized with Blancpain, one of the guests made a remark that limit...
This Week in Watches: November 30, 2019
Welcome to This Week in Watches for November 30, 2019.? For those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving, we hope you had an enjoyable one and are still working through those epic leftovers.? For those who didn’t perhaps you decided to take part in the madness known as Black Friday.? If you’re still looking for something new, perhaps this week’s news will present an idea…Wolbrook ReturnsFirst up on This Week in Watches is a look at some new watches from a brand that disappeared some 50 years ago: Wolbrook.? Wolbrook made watches that were assembled in France, but the ones I recall used skindiver cases that were found on many brands of the day.? Interestingly, Neil Armstro...
Your Guide To the Affordable Swatch Group Dive Watches
As a follow-up to our recent guide to mid-range Seiko dive watches, we’re back with another helpful article. This time, though, we’re looking at diving tools from the Swatch Group below $1,500.A quick look at the Swatch Group shows a staggering 18 different brands in the portfolio. From Swatch itself up to Breguet, this massive company offers something for every budget. The heart of the lineup, though, brings some serious value to prospective buyers with a lot of pricing overlap. This is especially true when it comes to mechanical divers below $1,500. We often talk Seiko when it comes to great value in this sporty sector, but don’t count out the Swiss. Swatch Group has uppe...
Dirty Dozen Dons Bronze Hands-On With The Vertex Bronze 75
With the year that we’ve had, it has been somewhat overlooked that 2020 marks 75 years since the end of the Second World War. While of course we should pay remembrance to our veterans and fallen heroes every year, 75 years is an important milestone. Soon there will be a time that every man, woman and child who experienced World War II first hand will no longer be with us. We should savor any opportunity to pay thanks and respect.My grandfather served as an RAF navigator on a Lancaster bomber, operating in 93 successful missions. I was always fascinated to hear about the camaraderie of his squadron but also the sacrifices made. The latest watch by Vertex pays tribute to all who served d...
Top 5 Watches I Bought This Year, Omega, Seiko, And Aquadive
It’s been a good year for Bobsled Bobby’s Box of delights. Not only has it got its own nickname now, but it’s also welcomed several new additions from all over the more affordable end of the luxury watch spectrum. Nothing on this list of my Top 5 watches exceeds $3,000. Some of them come in at ridiculously affordable prices. And when I say affordable, I mean affordable. I’m not the kind of guy to assume that everyone can easily lay their hands on $1,500 to buy a new watch at the drop of a hat. But $28? I reckon that’s something we can all at least aspire to…I know these lists aren’t often ranked, because, as all parents find, it’s tough to choo...
Raketa Leopard 24 Watch Uses Genuine Submarine Steel For Bezel
If you didn’t wake up this morning having dreamt of owning a new Raketa watch built with genuine submarine steel, go back to bed right now and try again. For those of you that rolled back the duvet with this rather specific desire locked in mind, welcome. If you’re looking for more information on (and some awesome images of) the new Raketa Leopard 24, you came to the right place.Oddballs always stick in the memory. Raketa has quite a track record of creating charming anomalies imbued with an on-brand character. Not all of them hit the mainstream mark, but then, that’s kind of the point. Raketa is a long-running, fervently supported brand in its domestic market. It knows wha...
The Ultimate Guide To The 1969 Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11
This article is all about the gold Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11, reference BA145.022-69. The gold commemorative watch was presented to all the active NASA astronauts in 1969, to the US President and Vice President, as well as to some other officials. It also became available to the public, with a slightly different inscription on its gold case back.We've covered it very often, especially when an astronaut's gold Speedmaster has come to the surface or when we saw an interesting example for sale or at an auction. This gold Speedmaster is also referred to as a Tribute to Astronauts watch. It was the first gold Speedmaster that Omega created, and it was offered to the active astronau...
Hands-On: The Poetic Blancpain Villeret Quantime Complet 6654
The Swiss town of Villeret is the birthplace of Blancpain, and the brand's most traditional, dress watch-like models are found in this namesake collection. When someone says, “Blancpain Villeret,” it conjures images of white dials, elegant hands, and even moon phase displays for some extra panache. The Blancpain Villeret Quantime Complet 6654 could be the poster boy for traditional Haute Horlogerie. Imagine an archetypical dress watch with a bit of complicated fluff, and you might well imagine this very same watch. But does it even fit in our modern world? I tried to find out.With a steel case, a white dial, and a couple of complications to make it more interesting, this Villere...
Three New Omega Globemaster Annual Calendar Models
Are you looking for a beautiful watch to pair with your ugly Christmas sweater? A classy companion for the happiest time of the year? A way of keeping your eye on the time between spiked-eggnog-and-turkey-induced naps? Omega has your back! Not just one, but three new stunning models for the Globemaster Annual Calendar lineup are introduced just in time for the end-of-year festivities. These rather festive releases include a steel watch with a pale pine-green dial, a two-tone model with a burgundy dial, and a Sedna Gold bezel, as well as one in full 18K Sedna Gold.As the end of November rolls around, and December sneaks up on us all, there's no better time to get into the festive spirit. And ...
The Fast And The Fratelli: Omega Speedmaster Apollo 8 Vs. Breitling Chronomat B01
It’s Omega versus Breitling - two major players in this last round before we go to the shoot-outs starting on December 1st. In the left track, we find a modern interpretation of the classic Speedmaster, the Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8. It’s been praised for its use of ceramic materials and the beautiful, laser-ablated decoration of the movement. In the right track, we have the modern version of the iconic 1980s Chronomat, featuring the return of the rouleaux bracelet.#gallery-1 {margin: auto;}#gallery-1 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 50%;}#gallery-1 img {border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;}#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see galler...
Introducing: The New Doxa SUB 600T In Six Brilliant Colors
It's beginning to look a lot like a dazzling rainbow of angular, chiseled dive watches! While everyone is still out enjoying the first snowfall of 2021, Doxa has been keeping busy in the workshop, chiseling away at the Sub 600T. And those late nights have certainly paid off, right in time for the festive season. Is there a better time of the year for the brand to spoil its army of passionate fans with a cornucopia of colorful divers? Not really, no. This late-fall release from Doxa sees its lesser-known 1980's design hit the spotlight. And calling it a strong comeback feels like the understatement of the year.Allow me to introduce you to the Doxa SUB 600T. Or should I say, re-introduce? That...
The Citizen Promaster BN0220 Is The Guilty Pleasure You're After
The Citizen Promaster BN0220 is the least expensive fun I’ve had watch-wise this year. From a glance, it may look goofy, but students of the vintage Japanese diver game will recognize this beast. After trying one, they (and anyone else who dares) will realize that Citizen has done a very, very good thing here.A few months ago, I was cruising some of my favorite Japanese sites when I stumbled upon a slew of funky-looking Citizen watches. I’m a huge “student” of vintage Japanese dive watches, so they were instantly familiar, yet somehow different. See, back in 1982, Citizen released a rather stunning titanium diver with a nutty 1300m water resistance rating. With number...
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M In Canopus Gold
Last week, Omega celebrated James Bond’s 60th anniversary. The brand introduced a Seamaster Diver 300M in blue with the iconic wave dial from the ’90s and a moire animation on the case back. Through its social media accounts, Omega hinted at that watch prior to its launch. To everyone’s surprise, however, Omega also introduced a Seamaster Diver 300M in Canopus Gold with a gray silicon dial and green and yellow diamonds on the bezel. It is a design that clearly links back to the late Ian Fleming’s house on the northern shore of Jamaica.During World War II, Fleming was working as a naval intelligence officer for the British Royal Navy. In 1942, he visited Jamaica in tha...