Hands-On With The Grand Seiko SBGP013
For the people that are Grand Seiko devotees - like we are at Fratello - keeping up with the slew of new releases this year has been a full-time commitment. Now imagine if you are a watch enthusiast that is just getting into the magic of Grand Seiko. The maze that Grand Seiko has built can be hugely overwhelming. Do you go for mechanical, quartz, or Spring Drive? Do I go for a timepiece from the Elegance, Sport, or Heritage collection?? Well, we have an answer for you. If you are looking for an entry-level quartz Grand Seiko watch, look no further. The new Grand Seiko SBGP013 is your pick.For me, Grand Seiko is probably the only brand where I would first ask myself what kind of movement I wo...
Hot Take: Geneva Watch Days Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Collection
Traveling out of the central GWD hub to visit Jaeger-LeCoultre might sound like a slog when you consider how packed our schedule was, but trust me, this is a brand that rarely leaves me wanting. While I’m often a bit on the fence when it comes to press shots of JLC’s master collection, they truly come to life in the metal. Jaeger-LeCoultre has a magic touch. When it comes to imbuing the simplest - almost plain - designs with just enough je ne sais quoi to transform them into wearable classics, there are few brands able to compete.When I saw the new Master collection released online earlier this year, I wasn’t just unbothered. I was actively bored by it. Flat, lifeless white...
What Is The Best Summer Splash Watch? G-Shock Vs. Omega
With the summer still very much still alive and kicking, it is time for our third Summer Splash quarter-final. In our third of four match-ups, we have two watches lined up for you that are on totally different ends of the spectrum. The “serious” Omega Seamaster 300M came out on top in Robert-Jan’s battle of the divers. It takes on the absolutely bonkers-looking G-Shock MTG-B2000PH2A Blue Phoenix that took the first spot out of Jorg’s three picks. Can the G-Shock upset the Omega and have a shot at the title or does the Omega halt the rise of the “Blue Phoenix”? Time to find out!Let’s kick things off with what might be the biggest surprise of the first...
You Are Cordially Invited: Fratello Grand Seiko Event in Paris (2021)
Much time has passed since the last Fratello event, for reasons known to all of us. So, we are extremely happy to announce that we will be having our first event on October 1st after an extensive hiatus. We feel very proud that it will be in partnership with an incredible watch brand: Grand Seiko. To top things off, the event will take place in a very special location - la ville de l’amour - Paris!Together with Grand Seiko Europe, we have organized an event for 15 of our readers in the beautiful Grand Seiko boutique on the Place Vend?me in Paris. The event will start at 11:00 AM when we will welcome you to the Grand Seiko’s Paris location together with Frederic Bondoux, President...
#TBT A Big Vintage Beauty: Gallet By Racine Excel-O-Graph (2021)
To find a sleek Gallet Excel-O-Graph chronograph watch from the 1970s with the desirable Excelsior Park movement is no easy feat. Many Gallet collectors are out there, searching for one even as we speak. What always puzzled me is the fact that for such a striking design coming in at an admirable 42mm diameter, it is a vintage watch that gets suspiciously little coverage. ?Think of any top-of-the-line watch and I bet you will find a ton of adverts, catalogs, books, or online forum threads that would take two lifetimes to read. The Gallet Excel-O-Graph flies low on the radar, and there isn't much at all out there to study. That's why I reached out to Gallet enthusiast Daniel Horton. For years ...
Dave's Best Watches Of 2021 so far: Moser, Urwerk, Czapek & More!
In case you’re not fortunate enough to own a perpetual or annual calendar, we’re now in September. The 9th month. So that’s three-quarters of the way through the year. We’ve seen plenty of new releases, but some were better than others. I appreciate that it’s hugely subjective, so I thought I’d do a roundup of my top five watches of 2021. I’ll also be providing some of the reasoning why these watches made the cut. And who knows, maybe by the end of the list you’ll find yourself adding something new and unexpected to your own!I’ll be honest, this was a tough list to compile. I went back over the Fratello archives to recall some of the earl...
Genteel Handmade: How To Design The Perfect Watch Strap (2021)
Genteel Handmade is one of our preferred strap makers for good reason. Aside from the wealth of leathers, linings, and stitching options, there is always someone on hand to assist with the creation of the perfect custom strap. However, before you set about building your dream watch band, you need to get a feel for what kind of strap looks good with what kind of watch. Having been inundated with questions on this matter, Genteel Handmade decided to take the opportunity to provide followers with a more detailed response…The importance of a watch in a man’s wardrobe cannot be understated. It says more about the individual wearing it than any other accessory. That expression of self ...
Charles Girardier Hits Geneva Watch Days For The First Time 2021
Reborn brands are all the rage these days. In fact, they’ve been popping up apace for the best part of a decade. However, it isn’t so common they meet with long-term success. By now, you all know about Czapek. You’ve probably heard of Vertex and Fears (especially if you, like me, spend a lot of time in England). But have you heard of Charles Girardier? No? We hadn’t either… We went along to a meeting set up by my former contact at Schwarz Etienne, Estelle d’Hubert.In 2018, Patrick A. Ulm visited the museum of Agatha Christie (no joke). There he found an old pocket watch by Girardier. His research continued and he decided the name should be brought back to ...
Style Icons And Their Watches: Agnelli, Davis and McQueen (2021)
The world of watches is very much part of the wider universe of style. Wearing a watch the right way is not a stand-alone thing. Clothing can elevate the presence of a watch greatly. It’s no coincidence that the legendary men are often also considered style icons because of their choice of watches. Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, and Sean Connery are just three examples of icons whose names are forever connected to watches they wore.When it comes to style, originality is often key in being labeled a style icon. For this first article, I have selected three style icons and their watches. While not all their stylistic choices when it comes to watches have stood the test of time, it doesnR...
The Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB355J1 "Rock Face"
It almost looks like it’s becoming a tradition now. For the third consecutive year, Seiko is launching a limited edition of the Prospex Alpinist. And again, it’ll be exclusive to the European market. It certainly seems like there’s a strong fanbase here for Seiko’s adventure watch. This year, it features a gray textured dial and blue accents all around. Let’s take a quick first look at the 2022 Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB355J1, which the brand has nicknamed the “Rock Face”.To be completely honest, I could never really understand why there are so many fans of the modern version of the Seiko Alpinist. To me, it always seemed like there were too many thi...
Everyone Needs One Of These Iconic Chronographs
Iconic chronographs. For most of us, a list of five or six watches immediately pops into our minds when thinking about them. Chronographs have become culturally significant ambassadors of this watch world and have helped shape it into what it is today. In this article, we dive into what we feel are the must-haves if you’re serious about building a full chronograph collection or if you’d just like to own one of the most iconic watches in the genre. Either way, we hope it’ll help you find the right chronograph for you.When we started thinking about this list, so many thoughts sprung to mind, and not just the specific watches that should be on it. Though those alone can lead t...
Sinn's Seemingly Boring H-Link Bracelet
Great weather and warm temperatures make us thirst for outdoor activities. For watch lovers, these conditions are a welcome justification to grant sporty watches on bracelets a prominent role in their rotations. It was in doing so that I discovered some of my Sinn watches once more. I guess my ever-persistent focus on watches on bracelets has sharpened my perception of bracelet designs. Anyway, I was struck by the strong feel of the brand’s H-link bracelet design and how well it fits the watches. That is remarkable because there was a time when I considered this type of bracelet not very attractive. What has changed?In the past, my perception of Sinn’s H-link bracelet was dominat...
It's #FliegerFriday With The Lume-Dial Hanhart Night Pilot
I'm still big on vintage-inspired watches, and I have a particular fondness for the Steve McQueen connection of my Hanhart 417ES. It comes on a black leather Bund with an Alcantara lining and is very comfortable for a big, legible pilot's watch. This has actually made me toy with the idea of trying a Bund strap on some more modern watches, but Hanhart seems to have beat me to it. The #FliegerFriday Night Pilot is future-proof retro and mission ready in an all-black case with a full-lume dial.Hanhart is pure in its vision of avionic inspiration, but the brand’s forays into the world of more modern sports watches have perhaps been less than successful. This is all about to change. Marryi...
King Seiko 44-9990: An Undeniable Vintage Masterpiece
The King Seiko 44-9990 is a classic reference from the Japanese brand that seemingly makes (or has made) a watch for everyone. Incredibly, this dressy watch is approaching its 60th birthday. Good design is good design, though, as it is the basis for an incredibly popular current series of watches with the King Seiko name. Today, we’ll look closely at this style icon and discover why it’s still relevant.A quick gander at the interwebs will reveal a number of well-informed articles on the history and development of the King Seiko 44-9990. I’ll refer to some of those along the way and keep the historical exposition brief. So, why feature this watch on Fratello at all if plenty...
Big Impressions From Small Brands At Geneva Watch Days 2023
Once again, we covered Geneva Watch Days this year, and what a show it was! I had two intense days there filled with big impressions from small brands. And within the barrage of glamour from these contemporary grails, some impressions remain on my wrist. Should I leave it unwashed for luck?I was unhappy last year, having to stay home for the third GWD, so it was good to be back. Sure, the brands were in the same locations this year, but there's a difference. After Jean-Christophe Babin's first kick-off in 2020, the event has continued to evolve, and missing a year made me see it. As an intimate space where the brands get up close and personal, it's simply my favorite kind of watch fair, and ...
Vintage Perfection: The Grand Seiko 44GS 4420-9000
This certainly won’t be my last article about vintage Grand Seiko on Fratello, but it does represent a milestone. The Grand Seiko 44GS is easily my favorite vintage reference from the brand and one that definitely belongs in any collection. This is a landmark piece with highly unique styling and world-beating finishing. I couldn’t be happier to finally add one.In 2013, I was fortunate enough to pick up a lightly used SBGW047, the relatively faithful reissue of the Grand Seiko 44GS. This was and is a highly collectible piece that does a nice job of mimicking the watch that we will discuss today. If I travel back to that time, I can still recall reading the announcement article and...
IFL Watches Debuts The Citizen Tsuyosa Time Is Money Concept
We have all heard the phrase “time is money,” but what if you could make it come to life visually? Leave it to the team at IFL Watches to put a fun spin on that. For its newest release, the Stockholm-based brand whimsically embodied the concept using the dial of a Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic. It’s another limited-edition IFLW take on this watch that once again shows how its classic style combines nicely with a playful dial. Let’s take a closer look!If you didn’t know by now, we love the special dials?the?IFL Watches team manages to create. This resulted in the special collaborative IFL Watches Fratello CasiOak Moonlander unveiled two weeks ago. The watch shows per...
Hands-On With The Laurent Ferrier Classic Auto Sandstone
If one thing is true about Laurent Ferrier’s watches, it’s that his designs are boldly understated. The watches don’t try to impress anyone with skeletonized dials, and the case shapes are nothing out of the ordinary. These aren’t watches you wear because you want to impress people from a distance. With timepieces like these, it’s all about the details. You wear a Laurent Ferrier watch because you thoroughly enjoy the attention to detail. These are watches made for their wearers’ pleasure, not for others around them. The very same is true of the brand’s new Classic Auto Sandstone with its three-dimensional wide-screen date window.As Mike mentioned in...
Hands-On: Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite
You’re a happy and lucky soul if you can put sunshine in your pocket. But if you can't manage to do so or that's too abstract, what about putting some sunshine on your wrist? All you need to do is strap on a Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite, and you're golden. This watch will help you treasure your summer vibes and will even keep the blue Mondays that are coming at bay.Say what you will about the Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite, but it does have flair. This watch won't go unnoticed. Yes, some will shy away from the prominent orange and blue hues, and others will embrace them with the excitement one must feel upon having finally captured a rainbow. No matter your ...
Introducing: The Sinn 156.1 And 156.1 E
Have a quick look at the images in this article. Isn't the 156 just the archetypal Sinn watch? Wellno, it’s actually not. This model is an adaptation and evolution of Bundeswehr-issued pilot's watches from other brands. However, you can leave it to the good people at Sinn to take a good thing and make it better. These are the new Sinn 156.1 and 156.1 E.The latter model is a 300-piece limited edition for $4,290, while the Sinn 156.1 is a regular-production model with a price of $3,950. The 156.1 E comes with a black leather strap and a bracelet. The 156.1 comes on a leather strap as standard but can be configured in any way you like on Sinn’s website. Let's dive in!From Leonidas t...