Professional dive watches are ten a penny these days. With dive watch history spanning over half a century, it’s difficult for brands to offer something new in the field. Thinking about genuinely useful features for active divers is more than simply bumping the water resistance and adding a helium escape valve. While Delma’s new Quattro covers you with both of those features, the ingen

We're not all lucky enough to have been able to buy the watches we wanted 20 years (or longer) ago. Everything has become much more expensive, not only watches, of course. But what if you want to own a vintage Omega Speedmaster today?There's good news and bad news. Let's start with the bad news. Any Speedmaster with caliber 321 is, in collector's condition, priced above $10,000. Even the last gene

I love the unpredictable output of Max Busser and Friends with their M.A.D. (acronym pun intended) timepieces. That last word is one I’d like to avoid as I find it too vague, too pompous even. But anything emanating from the M.A.D. house is pretty far from a mere wristwatch. This, of course, also includes the new M.A.D.1 Green.This year, I had the joy of attending Geneva Watch Days, and the

Some brands fit their watches with a dial made out of recycled plastics. Others combine a watch with a strap made out of old fishing nets. These, among other things, are all initiatives to make watches feel more sustainable. Nowadays, sustainability is a feature that contributes positively to the value of a watch. But what would happen if sustainability weren’t just a bonus feature? What if

We’re back with an electrifying episode of Fratello On Air. Balazs is on the mend, and we’ve decided to have a go at quartz watches. Yes, we realize that some of our listeners may not feel any love for these battery-powered beasts. Nevertheless, we’ve come up with a quartet of interesting pieces. Oh, and we will, of course, touch upon the recent “SwatchPain.”

In the ornate corridors of horology, every tiny detail can sway our perceptions and experiences. From the rhythmic cadence of a tourbillon to the tactile feel of a bezel, every element and each nuance matters. Among these nuances, the unassuming crystal plays a pivotal role. It acts as a window into the watch, allowing us to read the time while protecting the delicate mechanics within. But as with

As of today, Seiko's Presage collection has three new models to underline the art of dial-making. The brand has added two urushi (Japanese for “lacquer”) dials and one enamel dial to the Presage Craftsmanship Series. Unlike many other brands, Seiko likes to share the names of the artisans behind new creations. The enamel dial has been done by Seiko's master craftsman Mitsuru Yokosawa a

An opisometer is a small instrument with a tiny gear wheel integrated into its edge that you run along a surface to measure the length of curved lines on topographic maps, charts, schemes, and plans. It’s also called a map measurer, meilograph, or curvimeter, and believe it or not, someone made it into a watch complication. Meet the Dulux Curvimetre.It has been three years since I first lear

The Gumball 3000 kicks off on September 14th in Saigon and culminates in Singapore on September 22nd. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the rally-style event that blends exotic cars, celebrities, and five-star treatment, and the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Gumball 3000 is the official watch for the event. If participants don’t purchase all of the 150 pieces, enthusiasts will get a chance.I&#

As I write the first sentence of this article, summer has left us for this year. Here in the Netherlands, it’s the first of a seemingly long streak of days below 20 Celsius or 68 Fahrenheit. It is just as much a psychological adjustment as an actual meteorological one. As the sunlight changes, leaves start falling off the trees, and light, airy clothes are replaced by warmer attire to suit

The flyback function is arguably the epitome of technicality in sports watches, and it can be an expensive collection goal. Many of you will know the snap-quick function from Patek Philippe and uber-horology from the likes of A. Lange & Sohne. However, as manufacturing techniques improve, so does the possibility of (comparatively) affordable flyback chronographs.In 2024, we have seen new versi

Just the other day, I’ve been contacted by Nigel Brown of the HumansInvent website. HumansInvent did a very nice feature on tourbillons and discusses the use or benefit of this complication. HumansInvent performed a bit of research and asked several subject matter experts whether a tourbillon is actually useful for a timepiece or whether it is just to show-off the skills of a (master) watchm

Arnold & Son was one of the biggest surprised for me at this year’s Baselworld. The timepieces showcased to us by one of their master watchmakers were both from Arnold & Son’s Instrument and Royal collection. Let us start by showing you the Arnold & Son HM Perpetual Moon timepieces from the Royal collection. In this article, we feature both the blue guilloche dial version i

We love our watches there's no doubt about that. That's why you're here, right? There are all those other things surrounding them though; watch winders, watch rolls, tools perhaps but most importantly straps. No decent watch site can function without a strap review. That was in my head when I came up with this idea and presented it to RJ. Nevertheless we gave it a twist. We would like to introduce

Before Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher switched to Audemars Piguet, he was Omega ambassador since 1995. Omega honored him with many pieces, starting in 1996 with a Speedmaster Reduced model. These models came in different colors. Below is the yellow version we covered earlier.Michael SchumacherSchumacher was active in Formula 1 from 1991 till 2006 and returned in 2010 to be active till 2012. H

I have always been drawn to double brand names on a dial. Baume & Mercier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe and so on. Not because of the importance of a brand or about recognition, but I just like a long written double name. The typography is of importance here of course, as well is the positioning of the name. Unfortunately, as names did became more important, brands tend to print (or apply)

With today's look at the Seiko H558 Arnie, we find ourselves heading down a precarious path into the realm of the celebrity watch. Don't worry, we'll speak a little about the man this watch takes its name from, but we'll spend more time on why this product of the 1980's deserves more recognition aside from its relation to a film star and politician. Oh, and lest I forget, this watch falls under th

Golf and watches go together very well. Although there are only very few golf players who actually wear a watch during the game itself, the association is clear. Precision, prestige and enjoying the finer things in life. Last weekend was the final of the Omega European Masters 2018 in Crans Montana, Switzerland. A tournament that has been around since 1923 and title sponsored by Omega since 2001.O

We are proud that the Fratello team was chosen to be the first to lay hands on a Yema Speedgraf prototype that goes on pre-sale next Friday!I always find an unusual way of introducing my wife to a new watch that occupies (or is about to occupy) our household. Whether for a week or forever. Anyway, the evening when I unboxed the Yema Speedgraf prototype stamped 0000, we went for dinner to town. Bef

The F-43 has returned to base. Why? Because it’s come home to welcome the brand’s newest recruit to an evergrowing aerial squadron. The Fortis Flieger F-43 Bicompax was well-received, lining the nest for its smaller, but no less impressive brother. For quite some time, Fortis fans have been calling for something a little smaller, a little lighter on the wrist, and a little bit special.