Let me put it this way: if you want a crown on the dial, looking at a shield instead doesn't cut it. Luckily, the Age of Alternatives seems to have ended. Yes, some references still play hard to get, but more and more watches that were in high demand over the last few post-COVID years are becoming available - first choices and alternatives alike.When was the last time you made a terrible watch dec

Louis Vuitton isn’t exactly a newcomer to the luxury watch market. However, in the past two years, we’ve seen a marked change in the fashion house and how it approaches watches. In 2023, the Tambour reappeared in its most competitive form yet, bearing an integrated bracelet. Earlier this year, a slightly dressier Escale rejoined the lineup. Both of these models make for elegant yet wea

The Omega Constellation Double Eagle model has been the biggest change of the Constellation line since 1982. Before that, only the 1952-1969 era counts. In the 70s there was no real clear and defined Constellation design. The Manhattan series, which seems to be some kind of??’code name’ for the post-1982 Constellation models, didn’t change much until 1995. Most post-Constellation

Cartier PashaBefore we come to this about 18 year old Cartier?Pasha, you should know that?(until about 10 years ago)?the production of Cartier watches was done very differently than it is today. It was ?around 2007, when there was a complete change in the way of working and that the production of actually everything, was re-arranged at Cartier.Manufacture in La Chaux-de-FondsWhen Cartier finally d

A sapphire setting for the record-breaking movementWhile the original design of the MP-05 LaFerrari was created to show off the beauty of its movement, its alter ego with its case carved out of sapphire is a movement which appears to be literally suspended in mid-air. All the details of this record-breaking movement can be admired from all angles. With the MP-05 LaFerrari Sapphire, Hublot takes us

A topic that kept our friend TLIGuy occupied for a while has to do with the use of calendars by astronauts during their mission. In fact, he asked a few astronauts about the H-shaped calendar they wore on their JB Champion bracelets, and at some point, he received an answer by one of them via e-mail.Timely Wrist CalendarThe astronaut answered that he suddenly recalled the brand name of the H-shape

This time we’re looking at a question sent to us through our contact form by Carlos from New York. Carlos inherited a Cortebert Chronograph from his grandfather. But in a side-walk collision he, unfortunately, lost one of the chronograph pushers, and he’s now looking at how to have the watch repaired.You Asked Us: How important is it to use an authentic part to repair my Cortebert Chro

In August, we introduced FinWatchStraps to you. A company from Finland with a rather large variety of straps. If you missed that article, please click here. For September, I had a few things lined up, but thanks to the ever so active German customs those projects fell through.Don't worry; I'll keep fighting with the system. In the meantime, an old friend got in touch with us. Max from Difues Leath

Welcome back to This Week in Watches for October 10, 2020 the Birthday Edition. Birthdays are this week’s theme because it seems so many people have them in October. There’s yours truly and so many others - the result of New Year’s revelry perhaps? Now, let’s try to find some suitable gifts.Norqain Freedom 60 GMTOur first apt birthday gift comes from Norqain in the form of

Being unique is “en-vogue” in a big way. People are naturally drawn to exclusivity and the idea of having something that nobody else does. That also goes for watch collecting. Look at how popular limited editions and numbered series of releases can be. That exclusivity can inflate prices on the second-hand market. It is down to the fact that people want what others don't, or can't, hav

As many of you know, Tissot found great success in last year's release of the PRX. The Le Locle brand followed up strong with the release of the PRX Chronograph. Yet I can't help but wonder: what's next? Will it be endless iterations of the PRX family of watches? Well, there's nothing wrong with playing your hit song at every gig, maybe giving it a little twist now and then. But in the end, the ti

You couldn't have missed the recent introduction of the Omega Speedmaster X-33 Marstimer. It was all over our website. And for good reason. It's not every day that you get to watch the launch of a tool watch that's made together with a space agency. The pros at the European Space Agency (ESA) came up with a wish list of very specific timing functions they need to operate their Mars lander on the R

Not all of us are Premier League footballers. Most of us have pretty normal jobs, and we would look ridiculous flashing a brightly colored Richard Mille. Add to that all of the horror stories about robberies, and the concept of “stealth wealth” starts to seem pretty attractive. There is something so cool about a watch that feels like business but that no one notices - a private menage

BOLDR has something exciting coming. Following the success of its Globetrotter GMT and Venture GMT, the Singaporean microbrand is turning its hand to a GMT dive watch. Its latest creation, the Odyssey Freediver GMT, uses the recently launched Miyota 9075, an affordable 4Hz traveler's GMT movement. The new addition to the Odyssey Freediver collection is one of the most attainable true GMT watches c

As RJ is traveling, I have the honor of taking over his Speedy Tuesday slot today. My old friends at Amsterdam Watch Company are bringing a watch to market. Now, that isn't something we would usually cover, but this one is quite special and provides a good excuse to revisit an interesting chapter in Speedmaster history. This is one of 35 Speedmasters that spent 365 days aboard the Mir space statio

I got my first taste of Serica a little over two years ago with the brand’s 4512. And what a great first taste it was! The 4512 was a modern take on a classic field watch done right with a ton of character to make it stand out from the crowd. In the next step for Serica, founder Jer?me Burgert decided to update the 4512. Today’s new version introduces a self-winding movement, a slimmer

Zenith has slowly expanded its Chronomaster Sport line with some great new models. After the first two versions in stainless steel with white and black dials, we have seen several variations that all look quite stunning. From the brilliant tricolor-bezel Chronomaster Sport Boutique Edition to the two-tone rose gold/steel and fully rose gold versions, it has become an impressive lineup. In the next

Today, we’re talking about the Ming 37.07 Monolith, the newest release from a brand we enjoy here at Fratello. The watch follows a tested formula of offering a DLC-coated variant of a prior release with deliberate design changes that should make it attractive for collectors. As always with Ming, the details are important and worthy of discussion.As the resident Ming fan here at Fratello, I&#

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we discuss time-only watches from the ’40s and ’50s. It’s a subject that Balazs knows well, and Mike is keen to pick his brain on it. This is a slightly different topic for us, so don’t expect the usual brands to surface. We hope you enjoy it.

It’s already been a little over a year since the launch of the Seiko 5 Sports GMT series. I can still remember the palpable excitement within the watch community when the watches came out. Some people had already seen some leaked images, and others had been simply hoping the concept would become a reality one day. In the Fratello office, we were also very positively surprised by the arrival