Andre Le Marquand's Timeless Spaceman Audacieuse
It’s safe to say that 1969 was a strong year on all fronts, including for the watch industry. If the Moon landing is not enough, think of the first automatic chronograph conquering wrists or quartz watches waving their hands to them with a sneer of the coming revolution. That was the general context when Swiss designer Andre Le Marquand put pen to paper and started to design the Spaceman watch.As much as I like bizarre watches, I like the underdog stories. And that’s what Le Marquand’s Spaceman was. It was a hit-or-miss concept that the public would love or hate. The large oval case had a conical domed crystal half hidden by a colored metal visor - yes, just like a space he...
Hands-On: The New Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0
Today marks the return of a very special watch from the 1970s, the Girard-Perregaux Casquette. After successful prior reissues, we now get a version in titanium with accents in yellow gold. I got a chance to go hands-on with it to see what's what.Girard-Perregaux will produce only 820 of these, which is a mere 10% of the 1976 original's production numbers. The new Casquette 2.0 costs CHF 4,750 and will be made available to current Girard-Perregaux owners first. If you own a GP watch, you can get priority access via the brand's website until November 14th. The remaining watches will then go on sale in select boutiques for anyone to buy. It’s worth keeping in mind that this may well be t...
Hands-On: The New Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto Classic
Christopher Ward surprised friend and foe with the C1 Bel Canto in November 2022. It perfectly symbolized the brand's talent for democratizing luxury watches. Today, one day before the model’s second anniversary, CW introduces a new version. I have had the chance to try the new Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto Classic. This is how we fared.The new Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto Classic comes in four dial colors - gold, green, silver, and blue. You can choose between an Oyster-style bracelet and several leather straps. My review unit is the silver model on the bracelet. The watch costs $4,550 on leather and $4,885 on titanium.Christopher Ward C1 Bel CantoToday's updates are purely aesthetic...
Halloween Watches From Bell & Ross, Mr Jones, Scurfa, And More
What better way to celebrate the dark day of Halloween than with some scary wristwear? I’m not talking about electrified watches that’ll zap you in the night, but it could mean some newfound color for your watch box. In fact, some Halloween watches are cool all year round.This year, I have found great examples, including usual suspects like Mr Jones Watches, full-lume casework, and embroidered grails. And if you’re not a horror fan, why not try a delicious slice of pumpkin pie?Bell & Ross BR-X5 Blue LumFrom square flight-instrument purity to retro-touched field watches, Bell & Ross has made its mark. And after meeting big dog Carlos Rosillo in London a few weeks bac...
Fratello Talks: The Patek Philippe Cubitus
This week on Fratello Talks, we examine the Patek Philippe Cubitus. Nacho, Lex, and Daan join forces to discuss this hotly debated release from one of the world’s most prestigious watch brands. Initially leaked via a magazine ad, the watch did not receive the warmest welcome from watch enthusiasts. And despite journalists at the launch event providing some positive silver lining to Patek releasing its first new collection in 25 years, the online rhetoric remained rather cynical. Today, we speak on the topic and provide our honest take on what has become one of the year’s most polarizing new releases. But before we get into it, it’s time for a wrist check....
Patek Philippe In America By John Reardon
Patek Philippe in America is a book on how this brand conquered the United States. The sub title of the book, Marketing the World’s Foremost Watch, covers it pretty well. The impressive dimensions of this hard cover book – 13″ x 11″ – and the 360 pages with over 500 images reveal that this must be something special. The arrival of Patek Philippe in the USA has been documented using archives, photographs and numerous advertisements starting in 1860. The author of this book, John Reardon, did an excellent job creating such a valuable treasure for collectors and admirers of Patek Philippe watches.Patek Philippe in America contains 8 chapters covering the marketing ...
Photo Essay: A Benzinger 6497 Skeleton
One of Benzinger’s specialities are their skeletonized and fully engraved watches; they obviously have no dial (nor do they need one) to best show off all of the details. The owner of this piece related an anecdote – he passed it on to a fellow collector, quite well known in horological circles, for his opinion on the finishing. He asked for a loupe and examined the watch – then seconds later, replied ‘I can’t tell at all, the entire damn thing is engraved!’Mechanically, it’s a fairly standard Unitas movement (aside from the elaborate decoration, of course). Not a lot else to say about this one, other than enjoy the photos. Click images for larger.MT...
Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Green Review
Linde Werdelin is a friend of the show for some years now. We did quite a bit of coverage on this Danish design brand founded by Morten Linde and Jorn Werdelin. So let’s cut straight through the chase and talk about their Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Green.Just before our Summer holiday started, we received – for reviewing purposes – the SpidoSpeed Green chronograph, as introduced to us during the BaselWorld 2014 exhibition. We’ve had a SpidoSpeed chronograph in the past for review purposes as well, but this time it was a bit different. Why? Well, the SpidoSpeed chronograph as evolved a bit over the years. Although it did not lose its unique shape and powerful appearance...
Fratello Watches Introduces The Mythique by Peter Roberts
We introduce you to the latest project of watch maker Peter Roberts: The Mythique. After the Concentrique timepiece was introduced, Peter Roberts was asked to create and develop a chronograph watch with a new artistic look and using a skeletonized movement. He succeeded doing so with The Mythique timepiece.Here on Fratello Watches we love skeletonized timepieces, as long as they are not too classic in their appearance. Peter Roberts was convinced that thee were already enough skeletonized pieces on the market for everyone’s taste. He gave the skeletonized theme a lot of thought and came up with the concept of The Mythique. Only available in a small series, as a one-off would be too exp...
Speedy Tuesday Collector's Corner: Could I ever be a one watch guy?
Welcome back to our Collector’s Corner feature, where we give the microphone to you: our dear readers and watch fans.?Not long after we published our Dusseldorf Speedmaster GTG report, we received a message from one of our readers, who wrote us the following:“….thanks for the great ‘Speedmaster GTG Dusseldorf Event Report' and the last ‘Collector's Corner’ article, I really enjoyed reading and looking at the photos.?Here is a thought I have flirted with could I ever be a one watch guy? If I was able to acquire my Grail then maybe. Well, I just acquired my Grail, a 69 Speedy and I am totally smitten by it. It truly is timeless (no pun intended) It looks ver...
#TBT Omega Speedmaster 105.003 Ed White
Today on #TBT, I'll take a look at one of my favorite watches: the Omega Speedmaster 105.003 Ed White. Yes, I know, this is two weeks in a row for me with a Speedmaster, but I figured that any time is a good time to speak about a straight-lugged Speedy. Andthis one has somewhat of an interesting background that's worth a listen.A Straight-Lugged SpeedmasterA few years back, I decided it was time to get serious about tracking down a premoon Speedmaster. At that time, vintage Speedmasters were nowhere near as expensive as today, but they were still not easy to find and, much like today, were often filled with replacement or incorrect parts. Still, I hadn't decided on what watch I wanted and I ...
HUBLOT BIG BANG SANG BLEU
Playing with polygons for an affirmed graphic identityThe art of tattooing reinterpreted on the iconic Big BangHublot and Sang Bleu create an original intriguing and eye-catching piece. Its construction is reminiscent of the symbolism in the geometric shapes so dear to Sang Bleu. It evokes the harmonious and proportional relationships derived from Leonard de Vinci's Vitruvian Man. Shapes that characterize Maxime Buchi's tattoo designs and echo the quest for perfection and the worship of symbols that bring his work to life.Ricardo Guadalupe & Maxime Bu?chiCelebrated during Fashion Week in London in February, the collaboration between Hublot and Sang Bleu takes the form of a glass and meta...
The Cartier Tank Is A Legend Celebrating 100 Years
This year, Cartier is celebrating the 100th anniversary of their Tank watch. Created by Louis Cartier in 1917, inspired by the (then) new Renault tanks that were used at the front during WW1. Based on this design, Cartier has made beautiful variations; the Tank Louis Cartier, the Tank Ame?ricaine and the Tank Franc?aise.Cartier Tank is a LegendThe Tank design has been copied by many, but there’s only one original of course. The Tank is a rectangular watch, but not exactly, as the sides (also referred to as brancards) are a tad bit longer than the center part of the case. It allows the strap to become part of the overall design of the watch. Most Tank watches are characterized by having...
MeisterSinger Watches Designed On a Human Scale
MeisterSinger Makes Timepieces For People Who Refuse To Be Hurried by SecondsSince 2001, a unique type of mechanical wristwatch has been produced in the Westphalian city of Munster unique because it has just one needle-thin hour hand that shows the time precisely to the nearest five minutes. In this regard, company founder Manfred Brassler draws on the technical and cultural tradition of early horology.Less hectic, more heavenly: Lunascope, the first MeisterSinger with a moon phase moduleFor more information, visit www.meistersinger.com/en/collection/single-hand-watches/lunascope/infos/Clocks.htmlSingle-hand watches a concept founded on traditionTower clocks from the Middle Ages also did the...
Hands-On Omega Speedmaster Alinghi Watch Review
About a month ago, we introduced to you the Omega Speedmaster Alinghi. I read a lot of comments on the fact that a Seamaster wasn’t used for this partnership, and I get that. However, Omega sent us a Speedmaster Alinghi for a hands-on review, and here are my thoughts about the watch. And the partnership.Omega introduces this watch as a special edition. Meaning there is no unique number on the case, aside from the serial number. That means this watch will be in the collection for a certain (unknown) amount of time. My guess is that it is more or less the same as with the Speedmaster Tintin, although there was no partnership there (as we know all too well). Perhaps this watch will be in ...
Fortis Builds On Brand History With New Sky-Born Watches
Fortis is not a new brand. In fact, it is one of the oldest and more significant brands of the last century. Originally founded in 1912 (a good year for watches; a bad year for behemothic ocean liners), Fortis made its name by producing the first automatic wristwatch in 1926. That’s a pretty important step in the history of our industry. And now, more than 100 years since its birth, the company is experiencing something of a renaissance under the direction of current owner Jupp Philipp…Philipp is, first and foremost, a fan of the brand. He grew up with and around it. He has treasured the company’s heritage as any museum curator worth their salt would their collection. When ...
Hot Take: Geneva Watch Days Chopard Continues To Make Noise
Our visit to Chopard during the Geneva Watch Days event took us out of Geneva central to Meyrin.There, we visited the Chopard manufacture, which is home to:A) A really sexy Japanese garden.B) The kind of bar I think every boozehound would kill to have in his man cave/her she lair.C) A well-appointed and curated museum detailing the history of the brand.The star of the show here was the Alpine Eagle collection. It was the first time I'd had the opportunity to handle these pieces myself. And, I must say, there were some very nice touches I'd not noticed before.Aesthetically, the stand-out features of the collection are the dial and the steel itself. Firstly, the dial pattern is - and I hadn't ...
Hot Take: Geneva Watch Days Louis Moinet
If a brand is built in the image of its owner, then Louis Moinet is built very well. Simply put, the brand and its creations are as bonkers as the characterful Jean-Marie Schaller whose personality is riddled through every single thing the brand does. And it’s not just the products. Jean-Marie Schaller's eccentricity infects everything LM touches.The staging of this presentation was hands-down the best thing we saw during our time in Geneva and was the best advert for what Geneva Watch Days can offer that Baselworld and SIHH never, ever, in a million years could. The GWD format favors journalists. Having to float from location to location had a really positive effect on our energy and ...
The DOXA SUB 600T Pacific Emerges At Geneva Watch Days 2021
The new DOXA SUB 600T Pacific is here at Geneva Watch Days 2021 and we have live pictures. It’s not every day that we get a new case design from the smaller brand, so fans are understandably excited. The should be because this release looks like a good one.Over the last year, DOXA has been busy with some relatively exotic dive watches. The carbon-cased SUB 300 models have certainly been popular. Our main man Balazs has been a notable fan while I was a bit skeptical. I finally saw it in the - errrrr, carbon, and I was impressed. It’s a neat addition and slightly out of left field, which is laudable. Still, when I think of DOXA, I think of retro goodness and metal. The new DOXA SUB...
Wrist Game Or Crying Shame: Zodiac Super Sea Wolf
Are you ready to take the plunge with Wrist Game or Crying Game? Today we’ll look at a unique one with the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf. Before we dive into that one, though…Last week, I regaled you with “what-if” scenarios for the Daytona Leopard. Very few of you joined me at the party, though, which is a bit sad and unfortunate. It’s 2021, you should all learn to live a little and dream. A mere 20% of you found the fun in this felonious feline. Pity… Well, this week’s Zodiac Sea Wolf ends the tom(cat)foolery, so let’s get serious.The Zodiac Super Sea WolfThe watch world is as wide as it is deep and there are always new areas to explore. On the othe...