During our stay in New York for the Speedy Tuesday Event there, we interviewed Terry Virts.Terry W. Virts Jr. (1967) is a former NASA astronaut, and Colonel in the United States Air Force and was the special guest of our Speedy Tuesday Event in New York a few weeks ago. A full report on that event can be found here. Before the event took place, we had a brief moment with this former Space Shuttle

We’re big fans of all things Seiko here on Fratello. Up until now, we’ve covered almost all the notable lines from the brand, but it’s high time that we give the modern Seiko Alpinist its due.The Seiko Alpinist is a fascinating watch. It’s a watch that was originally conceived for adventurers. As you’ll read below, it started off as a simple piece during the late 1950

I came up with the idea for this article almost two years ago. Anytime I spotted something unusual that belongs to this category, I saved it. Last week I?finally shortlisted the TOP 10 craziest seconds hands I’ve seen (so far). Let us know which models you would add to this list in the comments section below.It’s probably no surprise to learn that a few odd-ball brands have made it ont

Last year, TAG Heuer celebrated the 50th birthday of an icon. The Heuer Monaco was one of former CEO Jack Heuer’s finest contributions to watchmaking (and, unwittingly, the silver screen). Following a rush of special edition timepieces dropped in 2019, TAG Heuer treats us to three more references (two dial colors) in the same vein. As 2020 slides towards non-existence, the TAG Heuer Monaco r

Let me start with the price because if I say the easiest, you’ll likely want to know how much it costs. Well, for a Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 watch in steel with either a blue or a black dial you’ll pay $670. Alternatively, you can add an extra $25 for a version with a white dial and rose-gold-colored accents. What you get for that price is something not previously available at the pric

Getting bright, consistent, and crucially long-lasting colors out of vegetable-tanned Shell Cordovan leather is difficult. In fact, it’s so tough to guarantee colorfastness that only a handful of options are available. You can get pretty much any color you want using chromium dyes, but the resulting quality of the strap and its appearance, suppleness, and lifespan is often the trade-off. Flu

That’s right, we’re back at it again! And gosh, how we missed it. Brand events where our readers can meet, mingle and learn are finally possible once more. Our first post-pandemic event took place at the Vendome Grand Seiko Boutique in Paris. Frederic Bondoux (CEO Grand Seiko Europe) and his team treated us on an unforgettable, information-packed day. Finally traveling again,

Under his reign, Thierry Stern saw a sports watch morph into a hyped commodity. I am, of course, referring to the basic steel Nautilus. When the hype was in its early days, Stern tried to deal with the annoyance by raising the price of the watch to an unrealistic level. But that didn't scare off anyone. It led to the rather Draconian measure of canceling the watch altogether. Stern now focuses on

It might seem like a cliche, but big watches can wear smaller. Sometimes, though, this flips back the other way, and this time, it's a compliment. By introducing the Maen Skymaster 38 MKIII, the Swedish brand proves that a 38mm case diameter can feel more substantial than you’d think. And that suits the accomplished evolution of Maen’s vintage-tinged chronograph to a tee.Today, vintage

The movement is one of the most crucial and costly parts of a mechanical watch. No wonder, then, that it is often used to judge a watch's quality and value proposition. But aside from comparing watches with the same or similar movements, how do we judge them? Sometimes we go by proxies, such as in-house or not, decoration levels, or accuracy. But do those really tell you whether a watch movement i

Panerai is known for its Navy SEALs collection created in honor and in the spirit of the US Navy SEALs. The brand recently released a quartet of new models within that adventure-focused collection. This time, the watches feature a desert theme with beige accents and desert-camo straps.The release consists of four new references - the time-only PAM01518 in steel, the time-and-date PAM01669 in titan

At first glance, the two new Resolute models in this review look very familiar. But don’t be fooled because they are new additions to RZE’s Resolute series. One is a beautiful Spruce Green version of the Resolute Pro. RZE created this special edition with Project Forest, an organization with a mission to capture carbon by rewilding Canada's backyards. While it is technically just a new

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss military watches new and old. We’re not here to discuss our favorite models, but we hit upon some major themes with these pieces. Some of them come from disgraced regimes, while newer models are similar to high-fashion collabs. Stick around to see what we think!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For the third year in a row, Zenith presents a limited-edition watch to support this noble cause. In 2022, the Swiss brand made a Chronomaster Original with a very pink dial. Last year was the Chronomaster Sport’s turn, and now the Zenith Defy Skyline lends its dial to raise money. No less than 20% of the proceeds of the 100 limited editions will go

Aside from making complicated wonders, Glashutte Original has a Vintage Collection that takes inspiration from former models. The Sixties references have consistently been some of my favorites since launching in 2015. During this lengthy production period, the German watchmaker has produced several limited-series models with gorgeous dials. The Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition we’ll review

Fresh from the press, Richemont acquires Minerva… There goes their independancy, but here comes (probably) watches!! Finally, after all those prototyping, rumours etc… this might??be their chance to fight themselves back on the market.Here is the article as it was published this morning on Richemont.com:“Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group, is pleased to announce that it has

When I bought my first Speedmaster Professional (on the 1st of October, 1999), I was completely captured by the beauty of this historical chronograph. Weeks, perhaps even months, I was browsing the internet for more detailed information on the Speedmaster series. It rapidly occurred to me that buying a vintage Speedmaster wasn’t something easy, as it – like always – is in the det

An Astronaut’s Speedmaster!Fratellowatches is excited and proud to show you one of the actual astronaut’s Speedmaster Professional watches worn by Reinhard Furrer. Reinhard Furrer was one of ESA’s astronauts during the Space Shuttle mission in 1985.On the 30th of October 1985, the Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off from Pad A of Launch Complex 39 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Last Friday, Christie’s in London was having “the 50 years of James Bond” auction, where Bond fans could bid on officially used items in the famous 007 movies. We are – of course – especially interested in the watches that Bond wore in his movies.In Skyfall, 007 is again wearing an OMEGA Seamaster on his wrists. Both an Aqua Terra and a Planet Ocean, two sub collectio

It’s October and that means it’s #Seikoctober for those of you who play along on Instagram.? As I write this, Robert-Jan also happens to be in Japan checking out all things Seiko.? So, what better than to talk a little about one of the brand’s most famous pieces: the Seiko 6159 Tuna.Welcome to what we'll call a #TBT extra on Fratello Watches. Every so often, a reader writes into