I know, I know. You were expecting RJ to bring you an article for this week’s Speedy Tuesday, but you are going to have to deal with me, the photographer. Remember me? I introduced you to my Explorer ref. 124270 in my first-ever article about my GADA watch, which you can read here if you haven’t already. But don’t worry; I will tell you the story of how I met your mothe-…

Miyota is one of the biggest players in the modern watch movement market. The subsidiary of Citizen is a favorite among microbrands and larger brands alike. With the 9000 series and new customization options, Miyota broadened its scope to higher-end watches. We felt it was about time, then, that we have a closer look at this Japanese movement maker.If you have recently purchased a watch from Balti

Frederique Constant is a brand with many faces. These days, the sporty Highlife line plays an important role in the brand’s catalog. However, in the beginning, Frederique Constant made a name for itself with a classically inspired collection. That’s why it makes total sense that Frederique Constant chose a classic silhouette to celebrate its 35th anniversary. And this is not just any w

You’d think it wouldn’t be too challenging to pick watches under $5K. There are so many fabulous timepieces on the market, and $5,000 is plenty of money to get a model from so many brands. This is all true. On the other hand, if you have five grand to spend on a watch, you probably won’t want to pick something for 12 hundred. Instead, you’ll want to aim for something that m

The Gallet Multichron 12 Decimal is as rare as a hen’s teeth, with only three examples known before this one. Watch purists may not accept this one because I managed to put it together from old parts. Still, everything is genuine and correct for the period.First, I encourage you to read Mike’s eight-year-old story on his “basic” Gallet Multichron 45 Decimal, which doesnR

Bow down. The Freak deserves your respect. In fact, the Freak is the mack daddy of everything we call Nouvelle Horlogerie. In 2001, a bizarre and unexpected watch appeared from the Ulysse Nardin atelier in Le Locle, and it shook the world of watchmaking on its very foundations. This world was not yet ready for an alien-like mechanical watch without hands, without a crown, and without a dial that t

To start this article, let me ask a quick question: can an abundance of something good lead to overkill? Let me be a bit more specific. I love the Hamilton Khaki Field collection. It’s one of the watch world’s most loved and respected series. I adore multiple models, like the white-dial Khaki Field Murph, the black-dial version of the Khaki Field Mechanical in bronze, and the black-dia

The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony feels like a classic collection that has been around forever. However, you may be surprised to learn that it celebrates only its 20th anniversary this year. Still, it stands on the shoulders of much older VC creations in spirit and style, as we will see in a moment. To mark the occasion, Vacheron Constantin collaborated with designer Ora ?to.?to has carefully push

Welcome to this week’s episode of?Fratello Talks. Watches are many different things - functional objects, fashion accessories, charming anachronistic timekeeping companions… The list goes on. But one thing they aren’t is funny. In the world of watches, the only thing more serious than the timepieces themselves is their prices. But does that mean there’s no room for humor an

A few months ago, I wrote about the non-fitting NATO strap on James Bond’s watch in the Goldfinger movie (click here for the article). I also stated that I really don’t like NATO straps on watches.Still from GoldfingerIn one of the comments by Dell Deaton (THE James Bond watch authority), he more or less wrote me that I shouldn’t be so harsh on NATO straps “Live and let li

I am the first to admit that the coverage on Seiko watches here at Fratellowatches is far below par. However, I will try to end that trend and report more often about these Japanese gems. Currently, there is a thread active on the TimeZone forum that asks members to show off their precious Seiko watches. The Seiko Sports 100 watch as posted by Robmks got my full attention, what a beauty!Seiko Spor

Omega's remarkable first automatic chronographIn 1971, Omega launched the Speedmaster Mark III Automatic, the first automatic chronograph of the brand. It was presented as the next step in the Speedmaster-series: a self-winding Speedmaster. The watch featured the new, automatic chronograph movement c 1040, housed in a funky chunk of steel. In retrospect, there is a lot to love about the Omega Spee

It was 2007 and I was window shopping at a watch store that had low to mid range watches. Brands like Festina, Casio, Tissot and Certina were in there, mostly sports models and of course mostly chronographs. Two watches stood out of the crowd for me; the Tissot PRC 200 (which I bought, not there and then but that's a different story) and the Certina DS Podium. It was a fairly new model line within

Collabs are hot. Whether it is in fashion, cars or watches, people love the collaborations that lead to creative results. Bucherer has been doing collabs with watch brands and labelled them “Bucherer Blue Editions” for quite a while now. Just recently we showed you the Vacheron Constantin Bucherer Blue Editions watches, and now it is time to make it a bit more sporty with the Blancpain

We are thrilled to announce the release of our exciting new publication: Omega Seamaster 300M Diver Magazine. Tracing 25 years of an icon in 25 articles, this methodically-researched magazine?follows on from the success of our Speedy Tuesday edition. From the icon’s birth to the release of Omega’s current model, this publication plunges deep into the details of the Seamaster Diver 300M

Simple but strong. If you value the story and originality more than the movement inside your watch, REC watches should stay on your radar. Today we take a closer look at their recent release of the REC RJM Bluebird, a limited run of 334 pieces.Your watch doesn't need to be signed by a watch manufacturer that was founded 200 years ago to have one hell of a story to tell. And if you like WW2 stories

Linde Werdelin has always been a brand that has chosen its own path in the watch industry ever since Morten Linde and Jorn Werdelin founded the brand in 2002. From creating the ultimate functional tools to releasing unique pieces of art, the brand has made some remarkable watches over the last 17 years.The all-new Linde Werdelin Oktopus Volcano is the latest remarkable release that shows once agai

I think I have told this many times, but here it comes again; the beauty of the watch community is that it’s so vast and colorful that even after many years, you’ll still find new and exciting things to discover. Sometimes, thanks to the internet, these things come to you. Most of the time, I’m the one hunting for new brands for our Watch Strap Review series. Other times, luckily

Some brands focus on providing excellent leather goods, whereas, sadly, some other brands seem to treat them as an afterthought. It was, then, somewhat refreshing when I first came to see and learn more about the Scottish brand, anOrdain's approach to what I think are some of the best leather goods around at this price point.I don't know about you, but I have found that my love of watches has take

As soon as we mention Japanese independent watchmaking, from microbrand to Haute Horlogerie (please message me the Japanese translation, someone), you will get immediate associations to the dial art of Grand Seiko, so strong is their brand in 2021. The rise and expansion of GS as a separate brand has only just opened our eyes to Japan's more hidden horological offerings. So while you might think i