We've all seen watches made from carbon fiber. But, this futuristic-looking material imparts more than just aesthetical benefits to watches. It's strong, and it's lightweight, and, depending on your tastes, it looks pretty darn cool too. That said, what actually is it? Let's find out!Thankfully, it’s is one of those materials that give a lot away from the name alone. Carbon fiber primarily c

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. While the daily routine is largely focused on the most recent developments in the world of watches, the most fun for many of us lies in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. It’s a world full of history, remarkable watches, incredible stories, and quirky details. It inspired us to come up with a

The tourbillon is perceived as a horological status symbol or badge of honor. But is it simply an anachronistic invention that only belongs in the most traditional watches? Well, for many, this complication (if it can even be called that) is the watch-collecting endgame. Not a particular watch, mind you, but the tourbillon itself. Such is the pull of this enigmatic collection of parts, usually no

It first appeared on the scene in 1999, but despite its unconventional appearance, the Oris Regulateur Der Meistertaucher was a hit. Please remember, in those days, you could still buy a sports with a bit of discount at your AD. Watch lovers were also a bit more adventurous. I mean, they weren’t afraid to try to stand out in their peer group - if you think I'm implying that the majority of

In this week's Sunday Morning Showdown, we present the battle of the batteries with two brands well-known for their quartz offerings, Grand Seiko and Cartier. We have GS-owner Thomas defending the quartz offerings from the Land of the Rising Sun. Cartier-wearing Daan will represent the French house. Since Thomas’s GS is hand-wound and Daan's Cartier is automatic, they will both have to step

There are a few brands that keep me intrigued with every release, and Zodiac is one of them. The combination of great designs and funky colors always makes me curious to find out what is next. One of this year’s highlights for me was the blue-dial version of the white-cased Super Sea Wolf Ceramic. In retrospect, it was my favorite summer watch of this year by a mile. With the new Super Sea W

Today, we’ll take a quick look at a recent release known as the Alpina Alpiner Extreme California. This is the latest addition to the Alpiner Extreme collection, which features bold, sporty watches. For this model, readability is the key with its recognizable dial.The Alpina Alpiner Extreme California is a tough-looking sports watch with equally beefy specs. The dial will be familiar to watc

Stealthy all-black watches are an interesting phenomenon. They often look stylish, and a PVD or DLC treatment can completely change the aesthetic of a steel model. But some watches wear a black outfit better than others. With the new Brellum Pandial LE.5 DD DLC Full Black Chronometer, I had the chance to check out an all-black version of the brand’s classic Pandial sports chronograph. This 3

The shock was so big that I went into a state of denial for many months. Do you know the feeling when you, with your sleepy head, try to put on your watch and drop it on the floor? It is, quite literally, a breathtaking affair. And the blanket of disappointment that wraps itself around you when you find out the watch has stopped working might also be familiar. It happened to a watch that I bought

All right, folks, I hope you’re not tired of our series on the best watches under $5,000 just yet! It’s finally my turn, and I’m happy to see that my picks have not yet been taken. The final list will come from Thor later this week, but with me going second to last, there was always going to be a risk of having to pick from the leftovers. However, as risky as it was to have writt

If you ask someone to draw or describe the perfect dress watch, I’m sure it would look a lot like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin. Its classic case with elegantly sweeping lugs looks good on anyone’s wrist, and the dial is one of the cleanest and most legible in the industry. In short, it’s truly a masterpiece of a dress watch. Now Jaeger-LeCoultre is introducing a new blu

The new Ming 37.02 Minimalist is the latest release from the popular independent brand. As the model name implies, this is a straightforward execution. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking that Ming Thein and the team have forgotten to obsess about the details. They’re all here on this affordable option.During one of our podcasts several years ago, Balazs and I discussed mode

Starting a watch brand from scratch is quite a risky venture. First, you invest a lot of time in developing a design. Then, you need to find other parties who want to help you realize what you had in mind. Finally, you’re dependent on whether people actually want to buy what you created. Because of all these risks, many (new) brands launch watches that look a lot like what’s already ou

Whenever the Norwegian brand Straum unveils something new, we are all ears at Fratello. Most of you will know we love the brand and collaborated on the Fratello Straum Jan Mayen Limited Edition. In a new adventure, brand founders Lasse Roxrud Farstad and ?ystein Helle Husby created three special new dials for the much-praised Jan Mayen watch. The dials are made from basalt rocks that the two men p

The Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT was one of the most commercially interesting releases of this year's Watches and Wonders. Unlike most of the exotic Haute Horlogerie releases at the fair, this was a watch we might actually go out and buy. At the same time, it was such a long-awaited and aesthetically predictable watch that we weren't that impressed. Ah, there it is, is how I remember responding to seein

Sternglas has come a long way since its first watch debuted in 2016. The earliest models were straightforward Bauhaus-styled watches. While this design still governs the brand’s offerings, straightforward dress watches no longer dominate the catalog. Today’s Merion diver is a good example of how Sternglas has expanded.When I recall my formative collecting years, Seiko loomed large when

On the 8th of November the doors to SalonQP in London will open. One of the most interesting items during the event will be the launch of a new watch brand with a ‘Made in England’-slogan called Meridian. This hand crafted watch – of which you see one of the early sketches below – has been manufactured in Norfolk, England.The case, case back, hand-stitched leather strap or

Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the brands that has the most mechanical movements to pick from, all in-house developed and crafted. They can proudly say that they first design a watch and then create the movement for this particular design, instead of the other way round that we often see so much. Large watch cases with only a small mechanical movement inside is not something you will encounter from th

Formex is back with a bang and presents the new TS 3100 line. Featuring the patented and unique case suspension system, the new Formex looks sporty, yet has a very refined finish and is limited to 999 pieces. The brand is known for their motor sports inspired designs, which remind of the design of high performance racing cars. The carbon fiber bezel and the red accents on the dial and hands, add t

Quite spectacular for Speedmaster enthusiasts is the auction at Bukowskis tomorrow on October 25th in Stockholm. Two first generation Speedmaster watches, reference CK2915-1. This means not only the first generation, but really the very first (‘-1’) models.According to Bukowskis, the pristine CK2915-1 from June 1958 is the most prestigious watch they’ve ever auctioned. Both Speed