Travel has returned and was in complete form during the summer of 2022. In addition to all those casual clothes that I pack, travel also means choosing a watch or two. So what did I decide to bring with me on my summer vacation?Ah yes, when it comes to packing my luggage, I still make a list. Even though I’ve traveled extensively for years, I either make a list on my phone or with a pen and

In 2018, I bought my first and only Grand Seiko watch, the SBGJ201. With its 44GS style case, high-beat movement, and spectacular dial, it was the perfect Grand Seiko for me. Even the later White Birch, Night Birch, the Nature collection, the SBGW, and the SBGY series, however beautiful they were, did not make me rethink my choice. Another famous quote, the best is yet to come, was always in my mi

Another Friday, another Top 5! Last week, we took a look at five of the best extreme dive watches out there right now. It seems like you Fratelli take quite a liking to these over-the-top divers. And along with the Oris AquisPro 4000m, it was great to see how much love there is for Seiko’s famous Tuna models. This week’s Top 5, however, is about a completely different topic. It’s

It’s not necessarily our MO to report on every new color addition that makes its way to the market. However, when a watch is in the form of the legendary A386 El Primero, it always catches our attention. The latest version of the Zenith Chronomaster Original “completes” the collection by bringing a logical option for buyers. Namely, there’s now a black dial with the familia

Introducing a new masterpiece from the artists at Louis Moinet - the Jules Verne Tourbillon To the Moon. As one of the true independents of artisanal Swiss watchmaking, Louis Moinet is a brand we follow closely. Today's release is something rather special and limited to just eight watches. Its USP? How about a combination of a tourbillon and a piece of the Moon to wear on your wrist?Let's have a c

There’s something about summer that changes the rules when it comes to watches. The smaller, dressy, cuff-friendly ones get a break in favor of big, bold, colorful pieces. Vintage Omega Constellations give way to Ploprofs, Reversos stand aside for Seiko Tunas, and Cartier Tanks bow out in favor of Panerais. Whether it’s the heat or lack of long sleeves to contend with, big watches thri

The TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox was one of our favorite releases at this year’s Watches and Wonders in Geneva. No wonder the brand is using that model to celebrate the 60th anniversary of both the TAG Heuer Carrera and the Porsche 911 (originally called 901). It comes in both stainless steel and rose gold, and its design pays tribute to the Porsche 901’s sprint from zero to 100km/h in 9

The breeze is changing direction, leaves are turning yellow, and legions of fans are packing up their SUV’s with coolers, cornhole gear, and mini-grills. It can only mean one thing - football season! The NFL is back, and it’s time to root for your favorite team! Breitling is here to help with the new Chronomat NFL collection. The best news is that there’s a version for every team

Watches can be a deeply impersonal affair. The rise of social media hype, luxury exhibitionism, and wristwatch “flexing” is very different from what watches once represented. It wasn’t all that long ago that they were simple time-telling tools with a little style thrown in (perhaps even some panache). This article is a celebration of watches as deeply personal objects, indeed, tr

Last week, we took an excursion to the land of Nouvelle Horlogerie. This week, we’re returning to our home territory of stainless steel dive watches. Seiko just presented us with two new references under the Marinemaster name. The SLA077 and SLA079 are modern interpretations of the famous 6159-7001 from 1968. As they’re in the more expensive realms of Seiko’s Prospex collection,

There is no need to introduce WatchUseek to you, the biggest on-line watch community on this planet. In the past, a number of limited or special edition watches have been created for WatchUseek. However, last weekend I came across this WatchUseek Edition Rattrapante by watch manufacturer TNT. As you can see, a very interesting ‘bullhead’ design with a rattrapante complication inside.To

The Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon: a long awaited black version of the famous Speedmaster watch was introduced during the BaselWorld 2013 exhibition (as we reported here). The delivery of the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon watches took a while, and still not every retailer has them in stock.So, after more than one year after the introduction of the Dark Side of the Moon let’s se

On August 25 I flew from Amsterdam to Dresden, to be in time for the inauguration of the new Lange building in Glashutte the next day. I wondered why they needed this new building, is there need for a higher production volume of these high-end Glashutte watches? When I arrived in the hotel in Dresden, I sat down with Arnd Einhorn of A. Lange & Sohne,?Director of Press and Public Relations, to

In search for a new classic, next to its long time (since 1986) popular SBB Swiss Railways watch, at the end of last year Mondaine introduced its Helvetica line.A clever step to use Helvetica, which may be the name of the most ubiquitous font around, as the name of a watch collection. It’s said that Helvetica is a font of such practicality and beauty that it is both ubiquitous and something

Last week, we were invited to join IWC on this beautiful location at ‘Kasteel de Hooge Vuursche’ to have a look at the new IWC Ingenieur Chronograph collection. Although we already saw them earlier this year in Zurich during the Passione Caracciola (report can be found here), we wanted to have a closer look.Goodbye GentaFrom what we understood during the presentation, IWC is moving awa

We don't do public service announcements often here on Fratello Watches. Aside from letting you know about the occasional stolen watch or fake, we figure that most of the hijinks occurring on the internet or elsewhere are so obvious that they don't warrant discussion. Today, though, and after a lot of thought, I think it's high time that we feature some fakes that are always on eBay and coming out

Everyone here at Fratello returned from their Summer holidays, so we thought it would be fun to ask the team which watch got most wrist time.We seem to have a solid mix of vintage and new watches, but what’s more interesting to see is that most of us feel the urge to select a divers watch. While most of us will only take a dip in the pool, Andreas is the only one who actually will dive with

When I just met my current wife, then girlfriend, I gifted her a TAG Heuer Aquaracer. She once showed me the watch in a display at a jeweller, and I kept it in mind.It was probably after our first year when I bought her this watch for her birthday. It made perfect sense because (unlike me) she’s sporty and slim and she picked a watch that fits her style. I never actually considered the TAG H

I have kept the Ball brand in active focus since 2015 when I first read about their Trainmaster Kelvin. The classy old-school shaped gold case with a black dial was the thing that got me. By that thing, I don't mean the disturbing date aperture that cuts halfway through the first index, but the temperature arc scale above six. With the Trainmaster Kelvin, Ball disrupted the usual set of mechanical

Welcome to Wrist Game or Crying Shame where watching campaign speeches is not required for participation. Today, we’ll vote on an oft-forgotten Girard-Perregaux Sea Hawk 7100. But first…Last week, I gave you a pure gimme with a ludicrously priced Submariner Hulk. That watch went down like Bruce Banner in an 87% Crying Shame loss. Still, I wonder about the 13% of people who voted Wrist