A journey through Jaeger-LeCoultre's premises and factory in 60 photos.
We understand that a review of a visit isn't half as good as visiting the manufacture yourself. Just like a review of a watch is never as good as owning the watch and reviewing it yourself. But both might help you to get some insights which might trigger you to go and get your own experience. So here it is, our photo report of a visit to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture in Le Sentier. As excellent as it was if you would ever get the possibility to visit it yourself, don't hesitate, go. We started with yet another delayed KLM flight from Amsterdam to Geneva but arrived just in time not to miss dinner in the evening. Up in the mountains at Le Chalottete, lovely as...
NOMOS Glashutte Ace Jewelers @NomiesForLife Limited Edition Club
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen watch brands team-up with their very own dedicated community channel, but it’s certainly one of the first times we’ve seen a retailer broker the deal. We’ve all heard of the Paneristi. We at Fratello are intimately acquainted with the #SpeedyTuesday community supported by Omega. But now @NomiesForLife joins the fray. Thanks to NOMOS Glashutte’s faithful friends at Ace Jewelers we all have another limited edition to fawn over. And it does deserve some serious fawning…This feels like a dream come true, even though it is not my dream. This collaboration marks a very special moment in the watch creation community. It ...
Wrist Game or Crying Shame: Hamilton Khaki Aviation Aluminum
Hey folks, welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame where today we’ve got a humdinger of a specimen with the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Aluminum. But first…Last week, I classed it up around here with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Perpetual Calendar and you folks responded in a big way. This stunner brought home a massive 89% Wrist Game win. If you were getting warmed up for more complications, then today’s Hamilton Khaki Aviation Aluminum just might come off as a cold shower. I’m sorry about that, but I really like this watch.It’s hard to believe that the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Aluminum debuted all the way back in 2014 at Baselworld. But is it so hard to believe? I ask tha...
TOP 5 Vintage GMT Watches
Most watch complications are related to our actual whereabouts. Take the chronograph, power reserve, and alarm or minute repeaters as examples. I?always found it fascinating that the GMT presented a?complication that referred to the events or reality related to you, just happening in any far corner of the world. Today we look at my favorite vintage GMT watches.?I?like simple solutions. That's why I?prefer ref. 1675 from 1959 to the ref. 16750 introduced in 1983. Pointing to its primary feature, which was an extra GMT hand, the later GMT Master II ref.16710 allowed it to be set independently. That resulted in the possibility to read not two, but three time zones. GMT-Master 1675#1 GMT Maste...
Hands-On With The Venturist Watch By Lebois & Co
A few years ago, long before the introduction of this Venturist watch, I was contacted by a young Dutch guy with big horological dreams. This guy, Tom van Wijlick, was so passionate about watches, that besides collecting, he wanted to make his own watch.This story so far is not unique though. Even back then, in 2014, when Fratello wasn’t as big as it is today, we received many of these messages from guys who wanted to create their own watch. The difference between Tom van Wijlick and most of the others was that Tom was destined to build a brand, instead of running just a watch project. After resurrecting an old brand name, Lebois & Co, he introduced the Avantgarde Date watches. Aft...
WatchPro Salon In London: 50 Brands Put Their Best On Display
Our good friends at WatchPro have some exciting news for watch fans in and around the London area (or anyone that fancies hopping over to Her Majesty’s land of plenty for a couple of watch-fuelled days). Read on if you’d like to take part…In fact, if you get there at the right time, this promising event will be fuelled by more than?just watches. From 14:30C17:00 on Friday the 12th of November, the event will enjoy a soft start with the Champagne VIP Preview. Following that, general admission starts at 5:00 for the Opening Night Cocktail party.WatchPro SalonThe next day will kick-off at 9:30 am and the event will run until 18:00 giving all attendees plenty of time to visit t...
Fratello On Air: Laurent Lecamp, Managing Director Montblanc WD
Laurent Lecamp has a background in the luxury industry but began his career in fine watchmaking in 2010. As of January 1st, 2021, he is the managing director watch division at Montblanc. I sat down with him, virtually, and recorded our conversation.Lecamp likes to get his hands dirty. He founded independent watch brand Cyrus in 2010, basically doing everything from sales to development of the collection, finance, marketing, etc. Then he started at Carl F. Bucherer in 2014, becoming the CEO for the Japan market and board member. Lecamp stayed there for nearly six years until January 1st of this year when he joined Montblanc to become the Managing Director of the watch division.Montblanc 1858 ...
Auction Report: Omega, Patek Philippe, Cartier, And More
Thank you for tuning in to the Fratello Auction Report. As some of you may know, auctions have continued to boast strong results this year. This coming after a surprisingly bullish run in 2020 amidst pandemic issues that reshaped the landscape of the watch business. World record prices have been set by online buyers, watch dealer trade shows have transformed into WhatsApp groups, Baselworld is pretty much dead, and modern/new watches have taken a firm position at the forefront of dazzling record auction prices.Since most buyers are more comfortable pulling the trigger on a new or recent watch online versus a vintage watch, it can, in part, explain why watches from the 1990s to new ones among...
This Prim Sport Watch Made It Across The English Channel (2021)
The timeless design of the first water-resistant Czech watch for the mass market made it one of the most beloved and most collectible Prim watches of all time. If you like it, make sure to get the first generation Prim Sport before it becomes too expensive for what it is!A number of famous Czech actors wore them shortly after they were released in 1971. They were popular and they still are. Fifty years ago, on July 30th, The Prim Sport was also on the wrist of the first Czechoslovakian swimmer, who made it across the English Channel (known to the French as La Manche). In his book La Manche - My Destiny, Frantisek Venclovsky explains, he had to borrow money from his grandmother to buy it. He ...
The Longines Heritage Classic Limited Edition For Hodinkee
With the Longines Heritage Classic Limited Edition For Hodinkee, the New York-based crew once again show us that being precise doesn't have to collide with great style. Au contraire, being fashionably late is simply not done with the chronometer precise watch that will have you arrive on time and in style. Limited to 500 pieces, the watch is a classic with some contemporary tweaks.The Longines Heritage Classic Limited Edition For Hodinkee looks familiar, and yet it also has your brain scramble for clues. You think you've seen this watch before, but where, when, and how? Well, you haven't seen it before, it just looks a bit like the Heritage Classic Sector Dial (L2.828.4.73.0). The brushed st...
New Grand Seiko Elegance Collection Spring Drive SBGY008 Watch
Recently, Seiko has been celebrating its 140th anniversary. This milestone also coincides with 20 years of the Japanese brand’s ingenious Spring Drive movement. The beating heart of this watch has been developed by an elite team of craftsmen at the brand’s Micro Artist Studio in Shiojiri. And it seems that each time Grand Seiko releases a Spring Drive watch, it comes in an even more mouthwateringly beautiful packagethis time capturing the wintery backdrop of Shinshu.The three-handed Grand Seiko watch paints a lasting memory of the snowy scenes that surround the brand’s manufacturing facility for its Spring Drive watches. It features a pink gold case with matching faceted h...
The Five Best Bvlgari Watches on The Market Right Now!
I love a good list because it really makes me think. I find myself see-sawing between picks for hours, wondering whether I can include the curveball I can’t take my eye off over one of the more “obvious” choices whose omission will no doubt rankle the masses. However, that is my cross to bear (talk about first-world problems). As such, I gamely tackled a question posed to me in the office the other: what are the best five Bvlgari watches on the market right now? Some of my picks may well be low-hanging fruit, but I’ll wager the top five contains a couple you didn’t see coming. Read on to find out…Bvlgari is an odd brand. It has, perhaps most like Cartier, ...
NOMOS Glashutte Club Sport Neomatik 42 Date Blue (2021)
The unthinkable has happened. NOMOS Glashutte has released what will be regarded as an incredibly sporty bracelet in comparison to its previous (and wholly unexpected) effort. Three years ago, the thought of NOMOS releasing a metal bracelet at all seemed almost farcical. Following the warm reception of the brand’s first metal band, we saw the totally bonkers “limited edition” rally bracelet that debuted on this month’s Autobahn Director’s Cut. Now we have something entirely new for the brand and yet entirely familiar for the rest of the industry. Say hello to the NOMOS Glashutte Club Sport with a sunray blue dial and its thrillingly “normal” bracelet...
Omega Speedmaster '57 Video Review
We recently had our hands on the 2022-released Omega Speedmaster ’57 collection. Our in-depth article can be read here, but we also decided to shoot a video with the new Speedmaster ’57.The new Omega Speedmaster ’57 is an upgrade of the previous version, with a new in-house developed (hand-wound) movement and a smaller case diameter (40.5mm instead of 41.5mm). Due to the new movement, it also has become thinner. In this video, RJ explains the details of this watch and how the former broad arrow models inspired it. The black sandwich dial and the blue versions are featured in this video. In total, there are four different dial versions available (see below). Each model is av...
Hands-On: La Petite Seconde Louis Horror
I didn’t grow up celebrating Halloween each year. Honestly, for this article, I had to look up when Halloween is actually celebrated. But the celebration - originally dedicated to remembering the dead, including the saints (hallows) - has grown a lot in recent years. I noticed this during my time in Spain, and now it has also reached the Netherlands. I’m not sure how big it is in Switzerland or France, but Louis Erard and seconde/seconde/ thought it was a good opportunity to make another joke. Your attention, please, for La Petite Seconde Louis Horror!Last November, both brands presented us with their first joke, Le Regulateur Louis Error. It was based on a pun that many watch lo...
Watches You Don't See Every Day: , Urwerk, And More
It’s not every day that about 40 guys show up at a restaurant and bring (part of) their watch collections with them. It allows you to see pieces you’ve never seen before or even compare watches you’ve never been able to put next to each other. But it also teaches you about the different approaches there are to watch collecting. And those are just a few reasons of why I enjoy these get-togethers so much.When I arrived, there were already a few guys standing around a table with their watches laid out in front of them. The fiery watch discussions had already taken off. Modern vs. vintage , straps vs. bracelets, in-house vs. ETA movements… You know the deal. But it was al...
Tradition Weighs Heavy On Breguet, But It Can Also Be A Blessing
Believe me when I say that I don't want to write anything presumptuous, but contemplating watch brands and subsequently writing down thoughts and ideas is something I thoroughly enjoy. And so that's exactly what I'm going to do in this first installment of Breaking Down The Watch Brand. First up is Breguet, the most famous name in watchmaking, but not the most famous brand in watchmaking. Why could that be the case? Let me give it a go and try to answer that question.I will not go into the life of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747 Neuchatel, Switzerland 1823 Paris, France) because that has been done more than enough, if not here, then most certainly somewhere else. But I have to say this: apart fr...
Hands-On: The Polo Ralph Lauren Vintage 67
Sometimes curiosity gets the best of you. This is what happened to me when I was asked whether I'd be interested in checking out the new Polo Ralph Lauren Vintage 67. Only having been provided a couple of press images, I looked past my gut reaction to what I couldn't help but believe was just another fashion watch. What I saw was something rather interesting - a well-sized, charming, slim, hand-winding watch, and on a Bund strap, no less. Now, I've never been shy to admit that I do love a good Bund strap. Perhaps not on every watch, but the vintage-inspired aesthetics of the Vintage 67 certainly seemed to suit it nicely. A few days later, the watch arrived. Without giving too much away, I'll...
Better In Bronze: Picks From Hamilton, Tudor, Oris, And More
CuSn, also known as bronze, is an alloy consisting primarily of copper (about 88%) and tin (12%). An entire age of humanity bears the name of this metal. And though these days it isn't used nearly as widely as it was between 3300 BC to 1200 BC, it certainly has found new life in the watch market (and continues to enjoy one in the nautical milieu). Until recently, bronze watches were somewhat of a blind spot for me. I didn’t really get the appeal. I suppose sometimes it comes down to finding the right watch for the metal. This got me thinking about watches that are somehow inexplicably suited to the warm-toned king of patina-prone metals. After a brief chat with some of the editors at H...
MeisterSinger Neo 36 And Neo Plus With Green Dials
MeisterSinger has released two new variants in its Neo collection in a bold green hue. The Neo is the leanest and one of the most minimalistic pieces in the German brand's lineup. With its thin, round case and single-handed dial, the Neo has a timeless style that looks as if it has been around for decades. The simplicity of its dial is the master stroke of Manfred Brassler, the founder of MeisterSinger. Since relaunching in 2015 with a design renovation, the Neo has offered classic retro expression with modern touches.The Munster-based watchmaker has been busy with its high-mechanical watch launches of late. First, there was the Singularis with its in-house movement, then came the Bell Hora ...