Les Noble Watch Roll You Can't Go Without A Watch Roll
Watch Roll – One of the most useful accessoriesWhen you own two watches you could say you already have a collection. So if you travel, even if it is to meet up with other watch collectors, or for a weekend away with your girlfriend, you need something to carry your watches in. A watch roll is the perfect solution. Now, they come in different sizes, materials and quality. Today we will have a look at the watch roll by Les Noble.Les NobleLes Noble, a Dutch company that is specialized in accessories like credit card holders, wallets, passport holders, leather iPhone cases etc, also carries a canvas watch roll in stock. The watch roll is nicely delivered and protected by thin paper and a c...
Watch Strap Review Part 24. Lac Crado
Lac CradoA nice leather strap can really change the look of your watch. Whether it's vintage leather with gorgeous patina or suede that's as soft as plush it gives character to any timepiece. A color-coordinated stitching can look cool if it's not pushed too far. Like black and white for a Submariner or a Speedmaster, a dark blue and red for a GMT-Master Pepsi and so on. Then you have the exotic leathers as materials. While I agree that less is more and sometimes people go to the extreme with these materials, I can also appreciate a nicely done croc strap for one of my watches. Our October edition of Watch Strap Review brings you a strap maker from Singapore?who mostly deals with exotic le...
Seiko Divers, no more SKX. What are your alternatives?
The dust has settled down. Meanwhile, most of us are used to the fact that Seiko doesn’t supply its enormously popular SKX 007 and SKX 009 models anymore. When taking mechanical diver’s watches seriously, if possible at all, what are your options in Seiko’s current line-up of automatic diver’s watches?Starting with the Seiko SKX 007/9 USP’s…one size fits allFirst, to possibly come up with alternatives, let’s have a look at the SKX’s specifications and USP’s (Unique Selling Points). I’ll start with its – for a diver’s watch – a moderate size of 42,5 mm. Although people with a small size wrist, say below 17 cm, will ...
Red Bull Cliff Diving championship in Bilbao, Spain with Mido
Bilbao is the largest city in northern Spain and the 10th largest overall in the country. It is an industrial port city with a population of about 350.000 people. Other than being an important place for the northern Spanish industry, Bilbao is also the capital of Biscay, one of the territories of the Basque country. The landscape is just beautiful with large mountains on both sides, and the Nervin River that runs through Bilbao.As far as architecture is concerned, the best-known building is the Guggenheim museum. It was built in 1997 and designed by architect Frank Gehry. This amazing building is home to pictures and sculptures by many contemporary artists such as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel B...
MeisterSinger N 01 40 mm
Our Watch of the Week is the MeisterSinger N 01 40 mm. The original MeisterSinger but a new model nevertheless. With its 40-millimeter case diameter it is three millimeters smaller than the classic model in our collection. Only three millimeters? In the world of watch design, that makes a huge difference. Although wristwatches are now designed larger than they used to be, a watch 43 millimeters in diameter is still a very striking piece, not discreet, but a genuine eye-catcher. The size matches the N 01 very well, as it emphasizes the practical, instrumental character of the model. However, the watch is far too big for some wrists.And as some N 01 enthusiasts had wished for a more elegant...
Wrist Game or Crying Shame: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Perpetual Calendar
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame where you can choose whether you’d like a serious watch or not. We’ll find out with today’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Perpetual Calendar. But first…Last week I gave you the Seiko 6159-7001 Professional diver for consideration. Even though it carried a stiff price tag, the watch swam away with a 67% Wrist Game win. I was happy to see Seiko get some love in this Swiss-dominated arena. Today, we’ll do a serious 180 with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Perpetual Calendar.Growing up…I know that the world has become more casual and as a native South Floridian, I could live in shorts and flip-flops for the rest...
Hands-On With The Seiko Presage SSA411 and SSA413
Over the last couple of months, Seiko has graced us with quite a few new Presage releases. The Presage line is known for its incredible craftsmanship when it comes to the dials of the watches. Recent releases featured beautiful enamel and porcelain dials, created by Japan’s extraordinary craftsmen. But great craftsmanship also comes at a price. If you are not willing to spend a thousand Euros or more, the new Seiko Presage SSA411 and 413 might just be the watches for you.Seiko has focused quite a bit in 2020 on extending its Presage line of watches. We have covered quite a few of them here at Fratello. The main aspect that stands out with all the releases is the incredible dials. Rob w...
Get packing for a #Safari with the best gear, watches and a Porsche
Not many words stir up emotions and a sense of adventure like being asked to get packing for a #Safari. You might consider it a hashtag, travel goal, or lifestyle. It evokes adventure, warmth, and dusty dunes. Like me, you might even have memories of a mythical rally, where cars as unlikely as the Mercedes SL and Porsche 911 battled through the desert. The word Safari will conjure up images of consummate style with a dusting of sand. You might be an urbanite at heart but will feel the need to google flights to Tunisia or Dakar after reading this, while wearing gnarly-soled suede boots. So pack your finest duffel bag and read on.Seiko SNJ029 SafArnieA demure 38mm skin diver is all well and go...
#TBT A Provocatively Worn Seiko 62MAS Small Crown (2021)
Does the top condition rule apply to every watch? Today we will challenge the holy mantra that pristine condition is the ultimate key in determining how much we can enjoy a watch. For the purpose of this study, we will be looking at none other than the top collectible Seiko 62MAS diver.That morning I woke up quite early. It was not even 7 am when I put my daughter in her bike carrier and headed to the bakery to grab some fresh croissants before my wife and son woke up. I didn't want to make much noise before we left, so I grabbed the first watch I had on hand. Symbolically enough, it was last year’s prime acquisition, a small crown Seiko 62MAS that came fitted on the most badass bracel...
Vacheron Constantin Metiers d'Art Chinese Zodiac Year Of The Tiger
As the final months of 2021 draws closer and the year of the Ox comes to an end, Vacheron Constantin thinks ahead not to January, but to February first. This is when Chinese New Year celebrations will take place and the year of the tiger will begin. The Swiss brand marks the transition into the new year with two limited edition watches that pay tribute to the auspicious animal. A symbol of good luck that drives away evil spirits, the Tiger also represents power, authority, and strength. Brought to life by Vacheron's highly skilled craftspeople these watches are true horological masterpieces with added symbolic value. These pieces will surely take a place of pride in just a lucky few collecto...
Top Small Independent Watchmakers You Might Not Know About
Independent watchmakers are definitely some of my favorites in the industry. In fact, I’d go as far as to say they are my favorite. I love the creative freedom they can enjoy, not shackled by huge investment groups and boards of directors, each with their own conflicting ideas of what the product should be. That kind of approach works for some brands, but it leads to dull and sterile watchmaking for others. However, there are still plenty of small, independent watchmakers striving to invent and push the boundaries of their own creativity. So here are a few that you might not have heard of…Photo credit: SJX WatchesAkriviaFounded in 2012 by Rexhep Rexhepi, Akrivia has gone from str...
The 11 Most Iconic Sneakers And The Watches That Go With Them
This is going to be a highly debatable list. It's going to be far too short of a list. That's also why it's going to cause some annoyance amongst sneakerheads and time geeks alike. First of all, there isn't room for all the iconic trainers of the past - you will find either your favorite shoe or even brand missing - and why I paired the shoe with a certain watch was a very subjective process. This is not exact science people, it's a gut feeling. But it comes from a true love for both sneakers and watches, so please keep that in mind. So, with that disclaimer out of the way, here we go! The 11 most iconic Sneakers and the watches that go with them.Before we really start, please take note that...
Hands-On With The Nodus Avalon II Bronze
When we speak about the history of watchmaking, we typically mention France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. The last was made famous by Hamilton, Elgin, Waltham, Benrus, and Ball, among others. Of all these brands, Benrus is perhaps the only “survivor” of the OG American watchmaking tradition. That doesn't mean that some of these brands don’t still exist, such as Hamilton and Ball, which moved their home bases to Switzerland. However, the boom of independent brands over the past few years has defined 21st-century watchmaking in the United States.Given that Hamilton and Ball are no longer American brands (both moved their HQ and production f...
A Case For Future Watches: The Doubled-Hand Chronograph
The three-handed watch is a simple standard of telling time. The addition of hands marks the inclusion of additional complications. A GMT hand tracks another timezone. Chronograph hands and sub-dials measure elapsed seconds, minutes, and hours. These extra hands and relevant complications are tacked onto the original concept and mechanism of simple time tracking. They are task-specific, and their functions are quickly recognized depending on their orientation. But a radical approach to adding three extra hands to the simple time-only watch could open the door to multiplied functionality and blur the lines on what task a watch’s extra hands are there to do. I’m talking about a dou...
Introducing: The Grand Seiko SBGW281 And SBGW287
Since the original debut of Grand Seiko’s Seasons collection in 2019, the artisans in Studio Shizukuishi have continued to pay tribute to nature and the 24 seasons, or sekki, as they are referred to in Japan. Having started with the 62GS style and then GMT designs, Grand Seiko now releases two new season-inspired models in the Elegance line. These two releases - SBGW281 and SBGW287 - feature manually wound movements and focus on seasonal transitions with the beautiful dial work we have come to expect from Grand Seiko.In the last three years, we have seen Grand Seiko expand the Seasons series into the Flow of Seasons collection. With the previously mentioned 24 seasons in Japanese cultu...
The Best G-Shock Watches Of All Time A Fratello Top 10
Casio G-Shock holds a special place in the hearts of all of us at Fratello. Almost all of the team members own one or more G-Shocks that get plenty of wrist time. I own five different models that I still wear regularly when going out to play tennis. G-Shocks look good, have a ton of functions, and can take a serious beating. What more could you want? With the 40th anniversary of the G-Shock brand approaching, we decided to create a list of our ten favorite G-Shock models. Hopefully, this Top 10 will shed a light on the incredible number of great models that the brand has released over the last four decades. Let’s find out more.When we discussed a list of the ten best G-Shocks, the firs...
The New Fears Brunswick Is A Very British Sports Watch
Independent watchmaking is not what it used to be. We still have hundreds of wannabe Kickstarter brands delivering the usual polarizing goods, but there are fewer than before. As in any developing economy, there is a rising middle class - the medium-sized brands. With the safety of moving from Kickstarter gambling to regular restocking, it's getting closer to the big-brand experience. Spoiler alert: the new Fears Brunswick 40mm fits the profile.I'm not talking about bricks and mortar. Let's just accept the fact that online purchasing is ever on the rise. I even have a confession to make: 90% of my watch purchases are sourced from the internet, even if I have ADs close to me. And yes, it does...
Speedmaster Fans: Join The WATCHPRO Salon On Nov. 12
On November 11th and 12th, the biggest watch event in the United Kingdom will take place. WATCHPRO Salon is a prestigious event, but we are making it accessible to everybody with a passion for watches, says Lucy Cheesewright, head of WATCHPRO Live.Over 50 brands will be exhibiting at the WATCHPRO Salon 2022, including Czapek, Grand Seiko, Laurent Ferrier, Oris, Parmigiani Fleurier, Doxa, and many more. WATCHPRO Salon is an event where seasoned collectors and recent converts to the joys of horology can indulge in their passion, says WATCHPRO co-founder Rob Corder.Talking about the Speedy Tuesday community and watches in LondonWhat's more, I will do a talk about the Speedy Tuesday community an...
Hands-On: Ollech & Wajs OW M-110 AS
Today, we take a closer look at the Ollech & Wajs OW M-110 AS, a tactical watch with a surprising level of detail. This is my first time going hands-on with a watch from O&W, and I’m excited. I’ve admired the brand’s watches from afar, but a chance run-in along with a clumsy move led to communication with the team there.Every so often, my clumsiness is fortuitous. A few weeks ago, I attended the World Time UK event at Heathrow Airport. I got up early that day, and my friend grabbed us each a cup of tea at the hosting hotel. I carried the covered paper cup with me while perusing the watches. When I came to Ollech & Wajs, I wanted a closer look at the brand’...
A Look Back At The Latest Mr Jones Watches Releases
Mr Jones Watches is on a roll this year. The perennial fun-watch favorite for many of us here at Fratello, the brand is diving deeper into the realm of mechanical watches for 2023. Not that long ago, we saw the release of “A perfectly useless afternoon” with an STP1-11 Swiss automatic movement inside. Now, at the end of the summer and beginning of autumn, Mr Jones is giving us many more with “The Accurate,” Beam me up!”, and “Enjoy the ride” in mechanical form. In addition, a new quartz art piece named “Short Fuse” makes its debut. Finally, for those that missed out on the limited release earlier this year, “Berry Late!” makes...