Seiko Astron GPS Solar (SSH003) With Calibre 5X Movement
The Seiko Astron GPS Solar receives an update that will make it thinner, smaller and less energy consuming. Oh, and there is a very cool new bracelet that comes with it. Although this watch will be available from December onwards, we had the opportunity to see, try and photograph it already.Besides the impressive technology and its specifications, the watch really looks good. Perhaps you remember Michael Stockton’s hands-on review of the previous/current Seiko Astron GPS Solar (find it here), I think it is a safe bet to say that this new version (we have reference SSH003 here) would fix the minor issues (mainly based on size) he had with that one.Seiko Astron GPS Solar 5X series –...
This Week in Watches: October 12, 2019
It’s This Week in Watches for October 12, 2019 and there’s loads of news to share.Hi there, watch lovers and welcome to This Week in Watches.? We’ve got quite a bit of news this week so let’s quit the chit-chat and get into it.Seiko Prospex LX Line Limited EditionSeiko brought us two new LX divers that will come out in November.? Fitted with calibre 5R65 Spring Drive movements, each of the watches will be made in limited editions of just 200 pieces each.? First up is the reference SNR041J1 with what Seiko is calling a “violet gold” Ceramet bezel and brown dial.? The watch features a titanium bracelet.? Next up is the reference SNR043J1 which contains a ...
Watch On Your Wrist? Fratello Instagram Contest 2020 Round 16
Welcome back to our Watch On Your Wrist? Instagram extravaganza! Tag your watch snaps with #fratellowatches to be in with a chance to win!Every week, we select four images. You can vote in the article for your favorite image. The winner moves on to the semi-final round (held every fifth week between the previous four weekly winners). Win that and you’re into the final, which will be held at the end of the year. There will be five finalists in 2020 and ten from next year on.Basically, if you like winning things - and there will be a prize for the champion of 2020 - this year represents your best shot. So get snapping, get tagging, and get sharing. And don’t forget to vote (once) f...
5 Watches from the 1980s that are still cool today
Welcome to the Eighties! Also known as the “Greed Decade”. As I came into the world in 1977, I grew up in the Eighties with all its decadence and glory. But the one aspect that has always stuck with me is its horrible style. It was big, loud, and over the top. But now, in my early forties, I have fully embraced the 1980s as an era that influenced me greatly. So creating a list of the watches from the 1980s that are still cool today was like eating a burger with David Hasselhoff: it’s not always stylish, but it sure is a good time!Where to begin with a list like this? Let’s lay out some basics about this, or else we will end up with an out of control party that feature...
Examining The Zeitwinkel 273 Saphir Fume Watch
What do you know about Zeitwinkel? If you’ve been around the watch industry for a while, chances are you’ve seen or heard of this small, independent Swiss brand at some point. Its most famous model, the Zeitwinkel 273 Saphir Fume with its distinctive smoked sapphire dial, is a fine ambassador for the brand. As it turns out, it’s also something of a metaphor for the brand’s presence…The Zeitwinkel brand has lingered on the edge of my consciousness for many years now. The 273 Saphir Fume has floated in and out of my mind, a spectral figure quietly going about its business in a world of loud brands and showy watches. The watch, like the brand itself, is something...
Is The Bronze Gold Speedmaster Chronoscope The Best?
No less than 7 different variations of the recently introduced 43mm Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope can be found in the Omega catalog. I had the opportunity to have some hands-on time with the Speedmaster Chronoscope in Bronze Gold last week, the watch with reference 329.92.43.51.10.001. As I already did an in-depth overview of the steel models, you won’t find many differences in terms of functionality and dimensions, but this model provides quite a different wearing experience. Plus, the looks alone make the Bronze Gold Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope worth talking about!Speedmaster Chronoscope in Bronze GoldThe Speedmaster Chronoscope is not the first watch that Omega has introduced in t...
The Time+Tide Zenith Defy Classic Skeleton Night Surfer
Our friends from down under have today launched a new collaboration with Zenith. The Aussies announced the collaboration over the weekend with a slickly produced teaser video. Said video indicated we were looking at something from the Defy range, but the finer details were well obscured. Today, we get to see the Time+Tide Zenith Defy Classic Skeleton Night Surfer in all its glory!It didn’t take a super sleuth to work out that we were getting a new Defy model. The case was quite evident in the teaser video, but that was just enough to pique our interest and keeping us guessing until the full reveal today.Enter the Night SurferSeeing the fully lit images gave me a welcome surprise. The T...
Best Boring But Brilliant Watches IWC Portugieser Chronograph
The Portugieser debuted in 1939. IWC built it at the request of two Portuguese businessmen, who requested a wristwatch that was as accurate as a marine chronometer. Pragmatically as watchmakers are in Schaffhausen, IWC put a marginally altered hand-wound Calibre 74 pocket watch movement in a 41.5mm case, put a leather strap on it and the Portugieser was born. It wasn't until 1998 that the IWC Portugieser Chronograph was introduced. The current model still looks like the one from 23 years ago and has proven to be a modern-day brand icon. Does that strike you as laziness on IWC’s part or sound boring? Why change a winning formula, you could riposte.The first Portugieser bears the referen...
The Technos Sky Diver A Proper Vintage Beauty (2021)
Today, finding a great vintage watch for an equally attractive price can be a real chore. The word has been out for several years now with few secret corners to discover when it comes to either models or places to look for them. Sometimes, though, a bit of patience and luck converge, and that old magic feeling returns. Today's Technos Sky Diver is a perfect example.After something like seven years of writing for Fratello, it's hard not to become reflective and somewhat sentimental. I look back at my older articles from time to time and the watches often define a point in time.? For example, I can recall buying the watches, where they were from, and how it felt when I finally saw them for the...
Introducing: The Longines Record Heritage Chronograph
I’ll be honest: I’m not much of a black-dial guy. Sure, black goes with almost any attire, but if I’m not buying my “one watch,” a black dial would always be my last choice… That is, of course, unless you pair it with gold. More specifically, gold print, hour markers, and hands. Then, my friends, it’s a whole different story. That combo is enough to make me weak in the knees. I’m not alone in this sentiment either, judging from the massive popularity of black-and-gilt-dialed vintage watches. And Longines, a watchmaker with 190 years of history, certainly has a few of those in its back catalog! Channeling the spirit of some of its 13ZN chronogra...
New: Breitling Endurance Pro IRONMAN Limited Edition
I feel as though we are living in a post-MoonSwatch world. It’s tough for any new release in a polymer case with a quartz chronograph caliber to shake comparisons to the Bioceramic MoonSwatch. Such was the splash of the Omega Swatch collab that there’s a distinct line between pre- and post-launch in the watch landscape. So much so that the Breitling Endurance Pro, which came before the MoonSwatch, has been cast in the shadow. This may have to do with the higher price point of the Endurance Pro - over ten times more than the MoonSwatch - but also the Breitling’s unique shape as opposed to the iconic lines of the Speedmaster. Not to be outdone, the Endurance Pro returns with ...
Serica Introduces The New Ref. 8315 GMT Chronomtre
These days, GMT watches seem to be the latest craze, and this is not without reason. For many watch fans, the GMT is a favorite complication thanks to its timezone-transcending practicality. I also love a great GMT watch. That’s why I am all ears when a new GMT model is unveiled, especially when it comes courtesy of the Parisian brand Serica. Serica’s founder Jer?me Burgert has built his brand on a combination of vintage styling and a great eye for technical detail. Today, Serica releases the 8315 GMT Chronomtre. The brand’s third model combines a new complication with plenty of familiar charm. Let’s find out more.What I love about Serica is that Burgert walks his ow...
The New NOMOS Club Sport Neomatik 37mm With No Date
In Glashutte today, NOMOS introduced two Club Sport Neomatik models in a new 37mm size. These are a follow-up to last year's introduction of the Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date, a release that introduced both the sunray finish and an Oyster-style steel bracelet to the Club Sport line. Now, NOMOS complements the 42mm release with a more moderately sized 37mm take that also does away with the date on the dial. A more balanced feel pairs with a case size that feels more suitable to the aesthetic of the watch. Sure, the Club Sport Neomatik is a sports watch. But the Bauhaus minimalist approach that the Glashutte brand takes in its design was perhaps not best suited to the larger size. Regardless, we...
?Hands-On: The New William Wood Fearless
I think the genre of field watches should be up for debate, as the preconceptions are many. While some of you equate a field watch to the Explorer ref. 1016, for most, it’s a simple recipe - all-brushed 316L steel (no polishing, please), a sub-40mm case size, and a simple charm. The dial should have big Arabic numerals and, often, a fairly unreadable inner circle of 24-hour digits. The new William Wood Fearless, however, has twisted the tale.We are used to brands using evocative imagery and heritage in what now is considered a big USP - the back story. Today, the origin of a brand or a model works just as well as the perfect case size, and William Wood has a powerful story. The brand ...
Daan Spends A Week With Lex's Grand Seiko SBGX341
Welcome to the first installment in a new series of articles called “Fratello Watch Exchange”. Here at the Fratello office, we try on each other’s watches all the time, but we don’t usually borrow them for long enough to take them for a proper spin. In this new series, though, that’s exactly what we’ll do. We’ll pick a watch from a colleague’s collection and wear it for a while to see what we think of it. Today, I have the honor to kick things off with Lex’s beloved Grand Seiko SBGX341.It doesn’t sound very respectful, but I think we can call this one Lex’s daily beater. I overheard him saying once, “This one was on the ...
#TBT Seiko 6458-600A Diver: A Farewell-Summer Song
I just realized that it has been over a year since I last featured a Seiko watch on #TBT. I know, it’s almost criminal not to feature any Seiko watch for such a long time. Let’s fix that with a find that has been queuing on the #TBT list for some time now. Meet the orange-dialed fortress, the Seiko 6458-600A. Today, I will try to explain why I find it one of the most underrated quartz Seiko divers from the 1980s.Last week, summer gave us a proper goodbye where I live. The temperature is dropping, coats are coming out, and the leaves are turning into warm autumn colors. When my eyes landed on the Seiko 6458-600A, I felt like this vibrant dial was the best equipment for a chilly da...
Otsuka Lotec: The Coolest Japanese Brand You've Never Heard Of
We cover all of watchmaking at Fratello, and for the last five years or more, our horological world has been marked by a huge retro-nostalgia wave. From budget Kickstarter watches to $10K+ big-brand offerings, many lean heavily on timeless sports watch designs and mid-century inspiration. Then, in the upper echelons, we have a mix of precious metal and avant-garde creations that most of us could never afford. Otsuka Lotec, however, takes a much different approach, and I think you’ll agree that it’s all the better for it.I'll admit to nearing my fill of vintage-looking watches and being drawn to more industrial future-chic watchmaking. It’s a genre where brands like Urwerk, ...
What's On Your Wish List For Future Watch Releases?
Let’s face it: watch releases don’t always fulfill enthusiasts’ every wish. The recent release of the Breguet Type 20/XX left many of us disappointed. Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 in Bronze Gold wasn’t the stainless steel diver that a lot of us hoped for. I even sensed that some people were let down by Tudor’s latest Pelagos FXD in black.RJ already addressed the fact that watch brands cannot just focus on watch enthusiasts’ needs?simply because they also need to make a living. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have our wish lists, of course. In the case of that Breguet, it could’ve been a tad smaller, and it could&#...
Fratello Talks: Gold And Two-Tone Watches
Welcome, one and all, to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, RJ, Morgan, and your host Nacho gather around the mics to discuss gold and two-tone watches. Each has a different level of experience and many opinions regarding the topic. RJ is a bit of a gold-watch connoisseur, owning more than a couple of 18K heavy hitters. Nacho has dabbled in gold but has never dared to go two-tone (yet). And Morgan has not yet owned a watch with precious metal at all. However, he certainly seems ready to enter the world of gold and two-tone watches....
Date Windows: Embracing Their Functional Beauty
As an admittedly vain man, I understand the wristwatch as more than an instrument, embracing its jewelry-like presence. After all, the adage that men are not allowed to wear any other jewelry still rings true, especially when your partner catches another order confirmation pinging on your phone. But to me, functionality is still king, including date windows.I never leave the house without a watch, I sleep with one on most nights, and I feel naked without one. Even with the constant glare of Apple screen lighting from phones and tablets, I still check the time and date on my watch. Yes, unlike many watch enthusiasts these days, I enjoy a date window, which is the most overlooked complication....