A lot has been written about the new Seiko 5 Sports, so we thought we’d take this new collection and discuss it on video. On the contrary to what people might think, it is not the official replacement model for the SKX007. But what is it then?After neglecting video for way too long, we recently started to record videos of our events and to review watches. It is a bit different from writing,

Welcome to This Week in Watches for October 3, 2020 the reunification edition. Today is the 30th anniversary of this holiday in Germany, so let’s unite and see what’s new in watches.Muhle-Glashutte x Meistersinger Germany UnityMuhle-Glashutte and Meistersinger are German brands, so it makes sense that they’re celebrating 30 years of German reunification. Each have decided to rele

We are living in a world where reeditions, heritage-inspired, and neo-vintage watches are becoming the norm. Certain brands seem to be oblivious to the year we live in. They spend more time going through their archives and recreating old models rather than focusing on research and development. Oddly, these neo-vintage watches are often just weak copies of the original vintage watches they are base

Can a microbrand impress with only one release under its belt? Based on essentially one release, the Parisian brand Serica greatly impressed many of the Fratello team members (myself included).? The Serica 4512 won me over with its charming presence characterized by some very distinct choices that set it apart from the stream of new brands that flood the market. Now Serica has released their secon

What makes an “icon”? What is the magic formula for a classic? And perhaps even more importantly, what, exactly, is in a name? These are questions that watch designers, manufacturers, and marketers have been asking for decades. Unfortunately, they are questions for which they are no clear-cut answers, even for the Zenith El Primero.In the end, the success of a watch, especially a famou

You (presumably) are a person seeking a watch. Perhaps you know which watch. Perhaps it’s THE watch. However, more than likely, you’re at least open to options, if not openly shopping. Here we present a few curated choices a la dating profile, with watches and the owners they seek. Today, it’s eligible German watches. A Stowa Marine Classic is pining for its Captain. This A. Lang

Last week Muhle-Glashutte invited us over to the north of Germany to celebrate their 20-year partnership with the German Maritime Search and Rescue Society (DGzRS). And what do you do as a watch brand to celebrate such an anniversary? That’s right, you launch a new watch! But not before we went on a trip with two rescue vessels of the DGzRS. After that the Muhle family presented us with the

Following last week’s launch of the Norqain Wild ONE - an event that I made the journey to Zermatt to witness - it’s time to take a closer look at the watches. Reading a press release with a handful of renders and images of a watch is one thing. Holding it in your hand and strapping it to your wrist, however, is something else. And it’s a different thing altogether to strap it to

The MoonSwatch has put Swatch at the center of attention in 2022. But as the legend goes, Swatch single-handedly rescued the Swiss watch industry in the 1980s. Swatch offered affordable quartz-powered watches, intended as disposable and fun accessories to spice up your look. When Swatch hit the scene in 1983, the Swiss watch industry was in terrible condition compared to just a decade before.Swatc

What I need this morning is a lighthearted watch talk over a nice cup of coffee. A strong yet creamy flat white would be nice - since it's a 1980s Australian invention, I consider it the most easy-going coffee out there. I also want to keep it nice and light and colorful. That could be a reaction to the inevitable rain and gray skies that come with autumn. Luckily, my Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide B

The new Grand Seiko SBGX353 Skyflake is 34mm. Even mentioning this vintage-pure diameter to your WIS friends five or six years ago would have raised eyebrows to new heights. I can imagine the comments, Red Bar members dropping their Big Pilots on the GTG pub table in shock. A new watch not aimed at ladies measuring 34mm? Surely, the world is coming to an end. But this is 2022, and the large-cased

Hardmetal - a name that, for a former music journalist with a specific interest in all things metal, always had a special ring to it. I was into thrash metal, speed metal, and also funk metal, but hard metal would surely also have been a subgenre I was down with. Hardmetal is an alloy that Rado patented in 1962 when it released the DiaStar, the very first scratch-resistant watch ever created and a

Last week, our first Speedy Tuesday event of 2023 took place in Japan. It was a one-day event in the beautiful Nicolas G. Hayek Center building in Ginza, Tokyo. Besides sharing our passion for the most iconic chronograph in the world, we were treated to a special presentation by Omega on Speedmaster dials. We also received a thorough explanation of the Spirate technology that debuted earlier this

Did you find yourself waking up today with an aching desire for a watch that is just a little bit more special? Something with a historic movement, perhaps? Something very limited so you don't run into others wearing the same watch? Maybe even something equal parts vintage-looking and sporty? Well, if so, then today is a good day. Montblanc and Collective Horology have got you covered! Introducing

Finally, after months of wondering when it would break cover, the new Seiko SPB411 Navigator Timer reissue is here. This might be the most highly anticipated release from the Japanese brand in some time, and it looks good! Today, we’ll look at the specs, pricing, and availability. Later, we’ll follow up with a hands-on review.When it comes to watches, we always seem to want what we can

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This time, we talk about alternatives for three of the most popular watches in existence - the Submariner, Speedmaster, and Calatrava. These watches aren’t one-for-one options but are either meant to give off similar feelings or serve a similar purpose. Enjoy the ride!

Brands introduce attractive and affordable watches every year, but I’m particularly struck by how many good offerings I’ve seen in 2023. If you’re in the market for such a watch, I can only imagine how hard it must be to pick the “right” one. I know we’re not at the end of the year yet, but let’s take a look at some of the best affordable new watches out t

“Wear a winner from Casio - The Chronograph is both a professional stopwatch, which allows you to be part of the action, and a super accurate electronic watch with an adjustment-free calendar.” This is a quote from a 1978 Casio advert promoting the 52QS-14B and F-100C, both of which used the advanced module 52, enabling elapsed time measurements to 1/100th of a second. Not much has cha

On April 6th, 1609, the Englishman Henry Hudson set sail from Texel with a Dutch ship called De Halve Maen (The Half Moon). He was sent on a mission to find a passage to the Indies via Nova Zembla. However, Hudson ignored his contract and decided to seek a structural passage. Via the Faroe Islands, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia, the ship finally arrived at what would later become New York on Septe

The idea of “going round in circles” is often used as a synonym for not achieving anything. This is because, when moving in circles, you keep returning to the same point where you started, having made an effort to advance without actually achieving anything. But when it comes to watches, this is not necessarily a bad thing. That’s why today, we’ll be discussing Ralph Destin