Grand Seiko is the unofficial master of finding inspiration in natural phenomena. Many of the brand’s dials are crafted to resemble skies, waters, and landscapes found all over Japanthese two new USA-exclusive limited editions are no exception. The Grand Seiko SBGA507’s blue dial is inspired by the sky over Lake Suwa at dusk. In turn, the SBGA509’s red dial imitates that same sk

Look, I'm a simple guy. Life is complicated enough, as are some of the finest watches in the world. Why the way you strap your watch onto your wrist also needs to be complicated eludes me. And when I say complicated, I mean anything other than the tried-and-tested, highly functional, and relatively simple pin buckle. I have experienced watches with folding buckles that were more complicated to und

After Thomas kicked our new series of Fratello Favorites last Friday, I am the second in line to pick my favorites under $10K. As Thomas said, it’s a budget that leaves you spoiled for choice. It’s also the maximum budget that I would seriously consider when buying a watch. While there are plenty of new available models, of which I have picked three, I also highlighted some pre-owned p

Oh, shoot me. This Panerai Forum is something I set-up with the help of some Panerai enthusiasts. The Dutch Forum is quite popular, so I wondered if there would be space for a Dutch Panerai Forum as well. Panerai is a brand that I have the famous love – hate relationship with. I had this wonderful PAM 113 and sold it because I thought I could do without. Boy, I was wrong. I really missed th

Speedmaster Pro Ref. 145.012-67Today we feature one of the most popular vintage Speedmaster watches with a caliber 321 movement: The Speedmaster Pro reference 145.012. We have featured this specific reference number many times before here, as it was one of the watches that was worn by an Apollo 11 crew member in 1969. Also, as it is one of the most common caliber 321 Speedmaster models, it means y

I mentioned several weeks ago that #TBT would begin exploring some “different” areas. Hopefully, with recent discussions on pieces such as the King Seiko and Oysterdate Precision, we've taken solid steps towards fulfilling that message. Today’s subject will continue to push the boundaries for this series. Yes, this week's #TBT will likely prove controversial because the selected

Olympic WatchesSince we are in the middle of the Olympic Games 2016 I thought it would be nice to publish a Watches & Pencils special with a gold angle. We take a look at a few (historic) Olympic watches’ and try to reveal their sportive core'. Most of these watches are quite rare so I needed to look up for pictures on forums and shops. I would like to thank everyone who gave permission

There are always watches that are high on your wish-list while knowing you probably will never actually own one. Simply because it’s (far) out of budget or because they are only produced in limited numbers and hard to acquire. And sometimes it’s even both. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it in some way which is exactly what happened when we had the A. Lange & Sohn

It has only been a little over a year since Omega successfully released the new 42mm Omega Seamaster Diver 300M at Baselworld 2018. It feels like a long time ago, but it hasn’t been that long since the new Seamaster Diver 300M created quite a buzz at Baselworld.The renewed edition of? Omega’s iconic diver’s watch received a lot of positive critics and has become one of our favour

Friend of the show Lawrence “Larry” McGlynn has a website called Space Artifacts, which is worth a visit if you’re into space-related topics.Larry is also known for his role in the Space Dealers TV show (Discovery channel) where he hunts down valuable items that were used in space (and on the Moon). He also loves the Speedmaster, and he has helped us on a few occasions to sort ou

I'm not a big golf fan. Until yesterday, I couldn't even tell my bogeys from my eagles. But I am a huge enthusiast when it comes to creative watch movements. And I dont just mean Haute Horology. I like it when manufacturers are creative with everyday-kind-of-watches. You can easily overlook Citizen Challenge Golf. But you should not and in today's #TBT you’ll learn why.To frame your expectat

Vintage Hanhart chronographs are a solid part of many vintage watch auctions. A strong military heritage, Steve McQueen’s endorsement, and striking visuals mean they have become quite sought after. Today we will look at the two modern reinterpretations. The smaller monopusher Hanhart Mk 1 and double pusher Hanhart TwinControl. I remember when I first learned the story behind the red chronogr

When I picture the 1930s, I am transported to an era of boundless creativity - an age of booming prospects and extravagance. Of course, history distorts reality, as hardship is consistent through all decades - some just more than others. But the Art Deco spirit of the ’30s shines prevalently in media and advertisements of the day. Thus, it proves a challenge to dissociate this decade from th

Since 1987, the Fortis Flieger watches have been a cornerstone of the brand’s lineup. The Flieger watches from back then looked quite different from the Flieger models introduced by the Grenchen-based brand just last year (click here). It’s clear that Fortis has made a great investment into these models, which have continued to evolve over the years to reach their current style The new

The decision of which watch from my collection I would first write about for Fratello was an easy one. I don't have the most extensive collection, and within the core group of watches, only a couple are interesting enough to warrant a closer look. However, one watch in the collection is definitely an eye-catcher and conversation starter. Nothing rare, nothing fancy, but certainly a watch that I tr

How many independent Japanese watch brands do you know of? With Seiko, Grand Seiko, Citizen, and Casio dominating, we don't often see a new brand pop up from Japan. Or, to be clearer, a brand that makes affordable watches (as in, around $500). So it's nice to come across a brand that does something that feels familiar and new at the same time while staying accessible. The brand, in this case, is N

You’re probably right, I might have overdone it a bit with the title here. But isn’t a dive watch the most common choice when starting a watch collection? And isn’t it the kind of watch that most enthusiasts frequently wear? My answer to both of those questions is an emphatic “yes”. But why? Especially in today’s world where most of us are full-time desk divers,

If you've been a fervent Fratello reader for the past year or so, you might have heard of Traska watches. I covered the Venturer GMT a couple of times and the Seafarer, the brand's super-compressor-style diver. Both models, objectively speaking, offer great value, with good movements, great finishing, hardened steel, and attainable price tags well below $1,000. So you might be interested to know t

Welcome to another edition of Sunday Morning Showdown. Today, our editors go head to head in a battle of the GMT divers. It’s a category that is not extremely popular with watch fans. But there are quite a few options out there that combine the functionality of diving and traveling in one watch. Recently, we have seen quite a few new dive GMTs from different brands. In today’s match-up

It is not a secret that we love our Speedmasters here at Fratello, and it’s great to see (and talk to) others who share this passion for these amazing chronographs. A few months ago, I met with one of our readers, Arjun, and we talked about Speedmasters for a while. To me, one of the perks of this job is to talk about the things we love with like-minded people. After we met, Arjun decided to