It is not often that we come across collectors who have this gold Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch BA145.022 in their collection. We have covered this specific model a couple of times in our Speedy Tuesday feature, but it remains to be a rare find and sight. The price on these watches drastically grew over the last couple of years, which might have something to do with the rare sightings of these gold

We receive a lot of questions from people that “give” us a budget and ask us about the best watch they can buy for that. That’s too difficult to answer without knowing you to be honest. A watch is so personal, we wouldn’t even recommend buying a watch for someone else only if you really know that person. We made an exception when an Italian reader asked us what to buy for h

Do you feel cool when you spin your 60-year old bi-directional bezel on your diver in both directions? Hold your horses. There is a watch that rotates its plexi crystal in both directions: the Basis Alarm Watch!Full disclosure. I cheated on my Vulcain Cricket. Actually, on my four Vulcain Crickets. I got a bit tipsy in a bar at Budapest airport while waiting for my plane. Being in a good mood, I g

We had the opportunity again (click here for the first interview) to ask Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston some questions. So we did, on golf, watches, and hip hop.English professional golf player and soon-to-be father Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston was in The Netherlands for an event, and we could ask him some questions. Johnston, who has been nicknamed ‘Beef’ since his youth (an

Choosing between a or an Omega is a question nearly as old as time itself. With all the hype surrounding the new Submariner Date, we ponder whether the stalwart Seamaster 300M is actually the better deal.No matter the aspirational product, two fierce rivals typically exist within the space. Cars, clothes, cameras, and most certainly watches are great examples. When it comes to dive watches, there

It’s This Week in Watches for September 19, 2020 and I’ve dubbed this one the “Enjoyable Edition”. Why is that? Well, I think we have some nice news indeed.Mido Belluna RoyalSometimes, there’s something extremely enjoyable about a basic, nice looking watch. In fact, I’d say that’s what we have here with the new Mido Belluna Royal series. These watches feat

And the other half is in Geneva, just like Rob and Lex were a couple of weeks back. While they were there, they got to check out an enthusiast-favorite from the F.P. Journe collection, the Chronomtre Souverain with a Havana dial.Before we explore this model, if you haven’t seen our other features on the F.P. Journe models they saw, I encourage you to do so (here?and here). For those not-so-

My dear Fratelli, we watch geeks have some introspection to do. We need to have a close look at our priorities. I hope you are up for that! Why? Because we need a shift in our focus. We might just be a little too preoccupied with the spec sheet. And that might just be hurting the joy we have in our lovely shared passion. Or I should say the joy we allow ourselves to have. I touched upon this in my

I will not create a Top 5 or Top 10 list of the best chronograph movements ever produced. Like most Top XYZ lists, it would be utterly subjective. However, if I had to create such a list, Excelsior Park, as a movement manufacturer, would be on it. Next to the likes of Valjoux, Lemania, and Venus, EP sits on the top of the mechanical-chronograph-caliber mountain. In my time as a vintage collector,

In case you want to visit the upcoming Dubai Watch Week that’s happening this weekend, please be aware of one very important thing: it's being held in New York City. The watch fair, which normally takes place in the Middle East, has put itself firmly on the map of important horological events. The move to NYC is temporary, and it will put the important American market and watch culture in th

If you've delved deep enough into the world of horology, you'll have certainly come across a number of watches made of ceramic. The material's key features make it one that lends itself beautifully to creating a watch case. But only a handful of brands possess the technical chops and knowledge to master the art of ceramic. Rado is a perfect example of this. Founded in 1917, the brand got an early

In the world of watches, it takes a long time for change to happen. But, when it does, it flourishes. In my opinion, 2022 has been the year of color. We’ve seen a lot of brightly colored dials in watches, but one color has criminally been missing. Any guesses? OK, I’m sure the images have already given the game away, but would purple have been your answer? Well, it should have been. A

In 1965, Citizen introduced the first-ever timepiece made in Japan that boasted a mineral crystal. According to the brand, at that point in time, it was also the world's slimmest automatic watch with a display of the date and day of the week. Citizen named it the Crystal Seven to honor these features that represented its watchmaking advancements. Fast forward to 2020, the Japanese giant revived th

A watchmaker once told me that designing a chronograph movement is more challenging than other complications or mechanisms (including a tourbillon). We often take a chronograph movement for granted, but it is a beautiful example of microengineering. The Omega Speedmaster chronograph (not all Speedmasters are chronographs, by the way) is already an exciting watch, but some variations come with an a

As someone who regularly covers new Oris watch releases, it’s clear that I have a strong affection for the brand. My interest in Oris stems from the Divers Sixty-Five from 2015. For Oris, this mid-century-inspired dive watch was crucial for the brand’s revitalization. The Divers Sixty-Five retro revival spawned many variants, including the range’s first chronograph in 2018. Fast-

Fratello On Air returns, and while we planned to discuss yacht timers, we never got there! It’s a fun episode where we discuss Andrew Grima Omega watches, Doxa, the new Tudor Pelagos FXD, and the “SwatchPain.” We got a bit carried away on some of the subjects, but we think you’ll enjoy our talks about some interesting brands and details. Enjoy, and yes, we will come back to

Today, we’ll delve into a special watch that has gone up for sale in Hong Kong. A Roger W. Smith Series 2 is our subject, and as we’ll see, it’s a very special prototype version. This is a slightly different topic than what we’re used to, but I think it’s highly worthwhile. After all, Smith’s watches rarely come onto the market, and when they do, we get an oppor

First impressions don't always last. My parting reflections on the Maurice de Mauriac Rallymaster II couldn't be further removed from the initial impact it made. Last year saw the first Rallymaster, a 40-piece limited collaboration between Racquet magazine and Zurich-based watchmaker Maurice de Mauriac. The watch was a tennis-heavy design in pastel pink. This year, the doubles partners have teamed

A flyback countdown chronograph with a date at 9 o’clock and a 3Hz beat rate… A mic-drop meme would be enough now to introduce the seemingly unique Airin Regatta Chronograph that resurfaced in France.I have been following French graphic designer and watch collector David Renou, aka @Super.Compressor on Instagram, for quite some time now. I like his taste in watches, and many of the tim

I have a weird, ambivalent relationship with the TAG Heuer Monaco. While I am a great fan of its design and legacy, I am not a fan of the actual watch on my wrist. Or at least, I wasn’t. That’s why I was a little apprehensive when going into this hands-on review. The Monaco’s square shape and the fairly boxy case have never won me over. Having said that, I do greatly enjoy the de