IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar by Bucherer
Yesterday, I had a phone call with a watch dealer that I know for quite some time. It was quite a while since our last conversation, so we had a lot to talk about. He told me that he bought this IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar, in stainless steel. I didn’t know about this version, only about the platinum version (click here to read about the platinum version).It seems that IWC made them as a ‘Bucherer’ special edition. Bucherer was founded in 1888 by Carl-Friedrich Bucherer, who opened his first watch and jewelry store in Lucerne, Switzerland. Nowadays, there are 18 shops in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. I was in their store in Lucerne a few years back, they have a pre...
The Watch Editor's Pick Stephen J. Pulvirent
Chronos24.pl and Fratellowatches.com are proud to present you this new, special, bi-weekly section dedicated to our fellow watch journalists and bloggers. Ever wondered what they really like? read on.Without going into the long-lasting dispute about who is a journalist, who is a blogger, and which of this two is better (like it matters) we tried to find out about a? more interesting topic: what are the personal favorite watches of watch editors and which timepieces would they purchase when having unlimited resources. In the next coming weeks (every other Monday) we will bring you some of the biggest names from the world of watch editors, both acclaimed authors with an impressive track-record...
Omega Speedmaster FOiS in Sedna Gold
If you are a regular reader of our Speedy Tuesday publications, you know that there are quite a number of variations on the Omega Speedmaster watch. One of them was this 2012 Omega Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” or FOiS in short. The Omega Speedmaster FOiS was initially introduced in 2012 as a 40th anniversary numbered edition model, to commemorate the fact that astronaut Wally Schirra wore an Omega Speedmaster (CK2998) in 1962 during his Sigma 7 flight.The 2012 stainless steel Omega Speedmaster FOiS has – compared to the normal Omega Speedmaster Professional – a?smaller case (39.7mm), lack of crown guards and the famous alpha hands instead of the white baton hand...
#TBT Angelus Chronodato
By the PairAs our host with the most Mike Stockton is busy with other things this week, I'm going to take over his world famous #TBT?to bring you yet another amazing time piece from a brand that failed victim to the quartz crisis; Angelus.A good few months ago when I did a guest appearance on #TBT I talked a bit about the Angelus L.E. that was issued to the Hungarian Air Force in the 1950's. I still have that watch in my collection but even then I was eyeing another model.I?love watches with complications, let that be a moon phase, chronograph, triple calendar or even just a date. When you have them combined, as in this case,?that's something worth a closer look. The Chronodato models??were ...
Watch Strap Review Part 27. Straps of BaselWorld 2017
After a bit of a break Watch Strap Review is back with a new article. This time we look back and discuss what we saw this year in BaselWorld regarding straps. We had more appointments than ever so I can honestly say that we had a great grip on what was going on. Nothing truly new hit the displays but a few reinterpretations and a handful of cool straps and bracelets. So without a further ado let's have a look what BaselWorld 2017 brought us this year.No more NATOThe first thing I recognized is the lack of NATO straps on the 2017 novelties. I mean they are still around and of course many still consider it the go-to strap for its versatility, ease of use and durability but the brands went on a...
This Week in Watches April 28, 2019
Hey, hey, hey, it's This Week in Watches for April 28, 2019.For many out there, you're coming off of school holidays surrounding last week's Easter Weekend.? That meant egg hunts, chocolate (I used to like those Cadbury Eggs one of them was enough for me), candy, environmentally unfriendly green plastic grass to line those Easter baskets, and food.? If forced to rank the big holidays in terms of food, I'd put Easter dead last.? No matter where in the world I've been, it's always full of things like ham, smoked fish, and other things that make me feel pretty damn unhealthy.? Anyhow, one thing I do like about Easter are the colors.? Pastels rock!? But getting back to the matter at hand, let's ...
Watch Strap Review 41 Dangerous9straps From Germany
What can we do these days when leaving the house is no option? We can rediscover a watch from our collection something we have not seen in a while. We can also get out the strap box and change some bracelets and straps around. Or, in case we want fresh stuff, we can order some new ones. Let's say, from Dangerous9straps…Watch Strap Review of April brings you a brand that, although hails from Germany, has roots in the USA. The man behind Dangrous9straps, John, comes from California but is living in Germany for close to 10 years now. He creates terrific leather objects (straps, rolls, pouches), and we will have a look at them today.Dangerous9strapsEven though we both live in Germany, I h...
Speedy Tuesday Antiques Roadshow Guest And His 5 Speedmaster
The Moonwatch doesn’t need any introduction here on Fratello (in case it does, go here), but this doesn’t apply to everyone. Like this guest on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.The BBC aired a new episode of Antiques Roadshow yesterday evening. One of the guests bought a Speedmaster Professional pre-Moon watch at a car boot sale. When someone offered him 50 for it, he luckily turned them down.However, he still didn’t have a clue about the watch. Watch expert Richard Price explained the importance of this watch to the owner, and why he was so right not to sell it for 50 quid to some shark (who probably knew very well what he was looking at). The owner paid only 5 for it at th...
April Vintage Inspiration: Unusual Wilmington Pocket Watch
I have chosen the aristocratic Wilmington with more than 60 numbers printed around the dial to disrupt your wrist quaran-time routine. If you are reading this article, it means it got through our editor. We actually never discussed featuring pocket watches at Fratello Magazine. Exercising my beloved freedom of speech writing to share my regular monthly dose of vintage inspiration, I decided to break all last standing taboos and put some really old school material in front of you. But I'm warning you, it's no boring grandpa business. The piece featured today has an edge. Let me introduce you to the artsy aristocrat Wilmington from the U.S.A.Editor’s note: You had me at quaran-time…...
Cartier Is Bringing Sexy Back With The Maillon De Cartier
Cartier loves to create bold luxury jewelry watches. Especially given the fact that a large portion of Cartier's legacy comprises magnificent jewels designed for royal families and the sweethearts of Hollywood’s Golden Age. The Maillon de Cartier aims to capture the same glamor in one spectacular, jewel-set object.Cartier has gone ultra-feminine. The desire to create an exceptional timepiece for women has led the French brand to accent the watch bracelet. As such, the Maillon de Cartier line is a sumptuous expression of sexiness.The chain-link bracelet is simply gorgeous. It overawes all other elements of this design and takes center stage as Cartier surely intended. The hexagonally sh...
Hands-On Review: Boldr Venture Chaigo (Limited Edition of 160)!
If you follow my writing, you’ll probably have seen that I’m a big fan of independent brands and microbrands. Today’s review is from one such microbrand, one that is no stranger to the pages of Fratello, the Boldr Venture Chaigo Limited Edition.People often ask me why I love microbrands so much, and it’s a difficult question to answer. If I had to guess, I would say that I favor the microbrands doing something different from a creative perspective. As most are limited by the movements available to them, they have to push their creative boundaries on an aesthetic level instead of the technical. Some brands know what they’re doing and form a strong brand identity ...
Independent Insights: A Carbon Fiber Customized Patek Philippe 5711 from DiW? Plus A New Muhle Glashutte Rescue Timer And The Cyrus GMT Retrugrade
Hey there indie fans. I’m back at it with another episode of Independent Insights. Whenever I see new releases or indie news that I find interesting, I will put together a short roundup. It seems I’m not alone in enjoying this area of the industry we call our hobby!This week, we see a new update to a non-military-issued German watch, a jazzy retrograde GMT watch, and carbon fiber 5711. If that sounds good to you, then read on!Muhle Glashutte S.A.R. Rescue-Timer LUMENMuhle Glashutte is perhaps not the first brand that comes to mind when you hear the name Glashutte. Maybe it has been overshadowed by its neighbors in recent times. That said, the German brand does have some pretty ta...
The Doxa Army Dive Watch Makes A Comeback!
Many Doxa fans have been waiting for this day. The gossip becomes a reality as the brand introduces their Doxa Army diver, a watch that is a modern recreation of a legendary military diver. To be true to their pioneering nature, Doxa presents yet another new material to their collection, ceramic. The new Doxa Army is a unique and limited piece for true brand fans.People around the brand have been talking about this day for a long time now. Finally, at an event held in New York in collaboration with Watches of Switzerland, the partner of Doxa, the new Army is introduced to the world.Doxa ArmyThe history of the iconic and uber-rare vintage Doxa Army diver goes almost hand in hand with the Sub ...
#TBT To Relume Or Not What To Do With Vintage Watch Hands?
I thought I was an “as-found” kind of a watch collector. Just get a watch serviced, and that’s it. That was until I found a beautifully patinated all-black Gallet Multichron 12 with a portion of lume missing from the minute hand. That got me thinking… should I relume or not?What was I to do? One part of me wanted to keep it that way as almost a sign of respect for what the watch was. Now, I don’t want to overcomplicate the sentiment here, but just as I don’t try to change people and I take them “as-is”, I always thought I’d prefer to take a watch with all of its dents, scratches, and even little cracks on its Plexiglass crystal.Missing lu...
I Paid More For This Omega Bond NATO Than A MoonSwatch
Yes, you read that title correctly. And it’s true. This piece of woven polyamide with Omega-stamped hardware is more expensive than a MoonSwatch. I must remind you the Omega Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch is a fully functional Swiss-made quartz chronograph with a bioceramic case, Hesalite crystal, Velcro strap, and surprisingly crisp dial. Judging by these two purchases, I am seemingly getting much more bang-for-buck with my MoonSwatch. Yet I appreciate both items dearly for what they offer. The Omega strap in question is the 21mm SPECTRE NATO, which mimics the early James Bond strap with five distinct stripes. This particular strap has gray on two inner lines with a black center and bl...
Introducing The Ressence Alain Silberstein "Carpe Diem"
Collaborations within the world of horology are a pretty common sight these days. But whenever the name Alain Silberstein pops up, I’m all ears. The legendary French watch designer has a design signature that always stands out. He is able to surprise me constantly and brings a smile to my face every time. His style of design has that power. And my anticipation grew even bigger when I read that Silberstein teamed up with Beno?t Mintiens from the Ressence. The end result is the brilliant Ressence Alain Silberstein “Carpe Diem'” that is presented by the new platform Grail Watch.?Generally, I do not live with a lot of regrets when it comes to buying watches. However, I have men...
Back On Cloud Nine With Patek Philippe
One of my biggest fears is that I take things for granted. And by things, I mean both immaterial and material ones. Let me focus on the material side of my fear since this is a watch website and not a self-help platform. When you see as many watches as I do - a privileged situation, I know - it can cause an overload of the senses. You go numb a bit. Watches start to look alike, and prices become numbers without meaning. That's bad. A watch journalist needs to be sharp and open-minded like a child. And during the recent Watches And Wonders show in Geneva, I did feel like a child again, and what I saw sharpened my senses. After an intense touch-and-feel session, I was back in on cloud nine wit...
Watch Strap Review 59 Swiss Time Watches
April's Watch Strap Review brings us a company from the UK with a Swiss name but Italian-made straps. Swiss Time Watches itself hails from England, though Gaetano, the man behind the brand, is Italian to the core. Well, let me correct that; Gaetano is, as he puts it, a proud Sicilian. So it is no surprise that while every leather goodie I received came from the UK, they are all made in Italy. As such, I was expecting fancy leather materials and classy straps, and Swiss Time Watches did not disappoint. But let's not jump the gun. Here are my thoughts on what I found in the package.In the parcel that Gaetano prepared for me were six straps. However, I'll only dissect four, as three of the six ...
Fratello's Top 5 Seiko Collaborations Ever
Another Friday, another Top 5! We usually take one classic watch in this series and choose our five favorite references ever produced. For this week’s list, we decided to change things up a bit. This time, we’ll take a look at the best Seiko collaborative efforts. Seiko collaborations are something to look forward to every time. The brand works with various partners and creates a varied mix of timepieces with a wild array of designs. It makes it impossible to pick just five, but we’re going to give it a go anyway. What are the best collaborative efforts in the history of Seiko?Where to start with this list? Seiko collabs are released frequently with various partners, rangin...
Hot Take: The Bremont MBII King Charles III Limited Edition
Next Saturday, the 6th of May 2023, at 11:00 AM GMT, Operation Golden Orb will begin. This is the code name given to the ceremony in which King Charles III will be crowned alongside his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort. All politics and opinions on monarchy aside - of which, as a Spanish national, I have plenty - this is history in the making. And to mark this most British of occasions, Bremont has announced it will be producing a limited run of 50 MBII watches. This Bremont classic will feature a regal splash of purple on its seconds hand and a specially engraved case back. But that’s not all that the Henley-on-Thames brand has up its sleeve to commemorate the coronation.The last time ...