Three Gift Ideas For A Watch Nerd Part #1
We know it’s early, but before you know we’re in the Holiday season and then you’re too late ordering gifts. If you don't have the nerve to wait until the very last shipping placement day, get ready. We have some ideas on how to please a watch nerd.Upholding the strict definition of the word gift, you have to make it a surprise, right? Letting the subject choose their own present is a bit… well lazy. However, trying to please the watch nerd friend or family member is not easy (and often not cheap). If lives do end up being spared, your wallet won't be. That's why we decided to put together a safe list of presents that might soothe a watch collector's soul.Image source...
Studying The Rado Captain Cook Dive Watch In Bronze
The Rado Captain Cook family first appeared in 1962. It disappeared not long after in 1968. For almost fifty years the Rado Captain Cook collection lay dormant. That was until 2017 when the 37mm steel version was revived. It was joined also by a reimagined 45mm version in a hardened titanium case designed for a modern audience.?Nowadays, we have the option of a much more versatile 42mm case to play with, but new for 2020 is the addition of bronze options to the line-up. Sure, it looks great, but there’s more to it than that…When bronze first became a mainstream thing in luxury watchmaking, there was quite a pushback against it. In fact, despite this rugged material finding its gr...
TAG Heuer introduces the Carrera Sport Chronograph 160 Years Special Editions
In the 160th year of Heuer’s existence, TAG Heuer has graced us with a string of Carrera releases. The year started with the Carrera Silver Dial Limited Edition. In June, we saw the release of the Carrera Montreal Limited Edtion. And today sees the brand releasing the new Carrera Sport Chronograph 160 Years Special Editions. These two new timepieces are the first limited editions based on the new Carrera Sport Chronographs equipped with the Heuer 02 manufacture movement. And they are an homage to a great Heuer classic from the 1960s.To celebrate 160 years of the Heuer name, TAG Heuer has not just paid tribute to its rich history. This year, the brand also updated its collection of Carr...
The Speedmaster Racing Imagining A World Without Moonwatch
The Speedmaster is and will always be associated with the Apollo program and Moonlanding forever, but that was not what Omega had in mind when they introduced it in 1957. This chronograph was made to measure intervals by scientists, engineers, athletes, but also by racecar drivers. The Speedmaster was the first watch ever to have a tachymeter scale outside the dial, on a bezel. In the very first advertisements of the Speedmaster, we find two men sitting in a sports car, implying they're using the chronograph to time laps or measure average speed using the tachymeter scale.Omega Speedmaster advertisementThe Omega Speedmaster Racing StoryFor those who don't know, the tachymeter helps you calcu...
Hands-On: The Raketa Copernicus Limited Edition
Raketa has been around since 1961, when it was launched to celebrate the first-ever manned space flight of Yuri Gagarin. Since then the brand has kept its eyes on the stars. Yet none of its timepieces reflects this passion for the cosmos quite like the Copernicus. The model is named after Nicolaus Copernicus, a Renaissance astronomer and polymath, famous for creating the first model of the universe with the Sun, instead of Earth, at its center. First launched in the 1980s, the Copernicus pays tribute to the Polish astronomer's discovery in a rather unique way. This special edition model gives a beautifully executed makeover to the current production model.Avant-Garde Soviet designRaketa's de...
The Glashutte Original PanoReserve Now With A New Strap
It is very to look at the Glashutte Original PanoReserve and not think of the Lange 1, a watch made in the same village. It's the elephant in the room, and I want it out of here as soon as possible. The Lange 1 debuted in 1994 and its most striking feature, the large date, was shaped after the digital clock in the Semper Oper in Dresden. The PanoReserve also has a large date that is called Panoramadatum. The watches also share an asymmetric dial layout with two separate dials for the time and running seconds plus a power reserve indicator. Luckily there are also a lot of differences between the GO and Lange watches so let's focus on that from now on.One of the most important differences betw...
Atelier Holgur Introduces The Modern And Stylish Fr?mand
We see many new brands and releases at the Fratello offices, but it’s not often that watches make a great first impression. All too often, new releases are a take on familiar designs. This familiarity obviously creates comfort, but sometimes you want to see something a bit more surprising. When we received the first glimpses of the new Atelier Holgur Fr?mand, that’s exactly what I felt. The excitement of seeing a watch that is not a derivative take on a classical dive watch makes for a great first release of this new Singapore-based brand. Let’s find out more about the modern and stylish Atelier Holgur Fr?mand.We watch enthusiasts are a weird bunch when it comes to design. ...
The Czapek Faubourg De Cracovie In Aventurine
The Czapek Faubourg de Cracovie has been with us now since 2018 and was the third new model line from the brand following its resurrection (or genesis, depending on your take). Named after the location of the third boutique opened by the mysterious Francois Czapek in Warsaw the first time around in the 1800s, it has always been a bit of a sleeper in the lineup with low production numbers and an even lower profile. I think that is about to change.The Faubourg de Cracovie has always had a bit of an identity crisis. It packs a cutting-edge automatic chronograph movement with very modern, technical finishing techniques visible through the display case back, but from the dial side, it looks more ...
Hands-On With The Kurono Calendrier Type 1
My love of Japanese independent watchmaking is no secret, but it took me a while to acquire a Kurono. While I am a staunch advocate of online purchasing, when it comes to lesser-known brands at over $2,000, I still like to touch something first. And if I can’t experience the model in question, then I do like to see another piece of their work. With small brands that do limited-production runs, that is always a challenge. But going hands-on with the Kurono Calendrier Type 1 might prove a sweet-sized point.To be honest, when it comes to Kurono, it is a case of being too late to the game for me. I've fallen for the brand’s smaller three-hand models long after their half-minute sell-...
NEW: Omega Speedmaster & Olympic 1932 Chrono Chime
To state that Omega did a thing would not come close to doing these two new watches justice. But Omega most certainly did something big here indeed. Today, we see the fruits of the brand’s Project Colibri with the introduction of two watches that share the same brand-new movement. An extraordinary, complicated movement, in fact, with a development time of no less than six years. It’s time for you to meet the new Speedmaster Chrono Chime and the Olympic 1932 Chrono Chime.Omega's watchmaking historyIn 1892, Omega released the first minute repeater for the wrist. Up until then, minute repeaters were only available as pocket watches. For this occasion, Omega created a miniaturized ve...
Tissot's Gifting Collection For Festive & Special Occasions
Happy Diwali! This week is the Festival of Lights, which has officially kicked off the season of festivities across the globe. Next up is Thanksgiving, followed by Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year, Orthodox New Year, Lunar New Year, and so on. Of course, not everyone has a family like the United Nations, but as long as you’re not a hermit, there may just be someone special you would like to indulge with a thoughtful gift. To save you some legwork, Tissot has put together a gifting collection with a selection of watches for your loved ones.For him and for herTop of the most coveted list is the Swiss watchmaker's recent sensation, the PRX line. If you think this is a recycled idea from last...
#TBT An Overlooked Seiko Champion Alpinist 85899
As I write this, it’s almost midnight on Wednesday, and I am a bit behind on my #TBT submission for this week. This morning, I woke up in Bucharest and pitched hard at a conference, only to rush to the airport to get home. I am tired, yes, but I feel like a champion. I made some fantastic business contacts, got home in time for my evening routine with my kids, and even uncovered the fascinating military background of one of the watches I scored recently (stay tuned; that’s coming soon). But the watch on my wrist right now also makes me feel like a champion. It’s my Seiko Champion Alpinist 85899. There’s just something so special about this little ray of sunshine, how ...
Introducing: The Ming LW.01 Special Projects Cave
Today, we’re excited to bring you news of the new Ming LW.01, a watch from the brand’s Special Projects Cave. Buyers will have a choice of movements in this watch, but the result will be one of the lightest timepieces on record. This is an exciting release after my own heart because it’s rich with materials and design innovation.I’m always excited to cover the latest release from Ming. I own several pieces, and while they all boast different levels of innovation, they primarily hail from the brand’s more affordable lines. The company does delve into pricier realms, though, and today’s Ming LW.01 is a prime example. However, once I do my best to explain it,...
Hands-On: The New Christopher Ward C1 Moonphase
Christopher Ward is on a bit of a roll, releasing interesting new watches that push the brand’s boundaries. While I am a big fan of the C65 Dune series, it is one of Christopher Ward’s more functional tool-watch lines. But another side of the brand is a lot more experimental, a good example being the chiming C1 Bel Canto. Similarly, the new C1 Moonphase introduces a new aesthetic for Christopher Ward. While a watch with a moonphase indicator is not necessarily new in the catalog, the materials and the design of the new C1 Moonphase are. This particular piece marks CW’s venture into minimalism and comes with a gorgeous aventurine dial.Christopher Ward is rapidly expanding it...
The Best Watches Under $5,000: Thor's Picks
I approach these stories with trepidation, especially when the budget nears $5,000. I still have a lot of nice watches well under the mark and plenty that I desire. So, unlike Balazs, who tried to squeeze all as close to the top line as possible, I'll try to offer a slightly wider range of prices, emphasizing quality. As with many things, that might not pan out. But for now, these are my favorite picks for the best watches under $5,000.In terms of subjectivity, this is a freer story, and it will reflect my moving away from vintage inspiration and reissues. After owning a lot of 1950s/’60s-inspired divers, I seem to have reached my fill of retro, and now I’m gravitating towards mo...
Fratello Talks: Wearing Classically Sized Watches
It’s time to crank up your Bluetooth speaker, whip out your AirPods, or put your headphones on! A fresh episode of Fratello Talks is here. This week, Daan and Laurits join your host Nacho to chat about wearing classically sized watches. That’s right! We’re talking a 36mm maximum and a 32mm minimum, with a 34mm sweet spot. These numbers read a bit on the smaller side, but once upon a time, a 34mm case was the standard. Anything bigger would’ve been considered “jumbo” or “oversized.”Today, the standard has shifted upwards, with 36C38mm being a reasonable size for a watch and 39C42mm covering the lion’s share of all releases we see hit the m...
New: The Nomos Tangente And Orion Neomatik Dore
We know Nomos best for its minimalistic, Bauhaus-inspired stainless steel watches. However, the brand has quite a few references with gold accents and even offers watches with full-gold cases. Now we can add two more references to this list because the brand from Glashutte has released the Tangente and Orion Neomatik Dore. Both watches feature an in-house automatic movement and a touch of gold on the dial. Let’s take a look at these chic new references from Nomos.Nomos Tetra “Ode to Joy”One of my favorite Nomos watches is the Tetra “Ode to Joy” ref. 445. It’s from the brand’s square collection and features an olive-green dial with gold-colored hands....
The Audemars Piguet 5043BC "Ultra-Thin" And Caliber 2003
If 100 people were asked about the first words that come to mind when “Audemars Piguet” is spoken, I wager that almost all would respond with “Royal Oak.” That signals how popular Gerald Genta’s groundbreaking 1972 design has become. However, before this and even after the Royal Oak was released, Audemars offered a very different type of watch that comprised most of its sales. The “Ultra-Thin,” often equipped with the mechanical 2003 caliber, was an essential dress watch, if not the essential dress watch.Patek Philippe receives the lion’s share of adoration for its vintage offerings. The brand was influential in watch and movement design and pr...
Always Popular A Watch From Your Year Of Birth
If you are into collecting watches, it seems to be some kind of quest or grail to – at some point – get a watch from your year of birth. Just recently, I paid attention to some topics on TimeZone and the UK based TZ-UK watch portal about getting a watch from your birth year. It seems that Omega, and Breitling are very sought-after brands for the birth year purpose, as they are when it comes to watch collecting in general as well.Earlier this year, I had the same goal, getting a nice watch from my year of birth, 1977. Since Omega is the brand that started this watch madness for me, I was always on the lookout for a Speedmaster Professional ref.145.022 that dates back to 1977, but...
The Digital Sports Seiko A829-6019 That Went Into Space
Yesterday, I blogged about the Dutch astronaut wearing a Seiko during his STS61A mission in 1985. It seems that the Seiko handed out to the astronauts of mid-1980s missions, is the digital chrono A829-6019 model as pictured below. It was available in two versions, the SMGG11 and the SMGG13 (black bezel and LCD inlay).The picture above was found on The Digital Watch Library and it says that this watch was produced in 1982. Furthemore, the website states that these watches have not been “assigned” or selected by NASA, and were only “personal” choices made by the astronauts themselves. However, Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels cleary states in an interview in a recent magazi...