Hands-On With The G-Shock MRG-BF1000E-1A9 'Frogman'
Going hands-on with one of the G-Shock MR-G series models is always an experience. G-Shock MR-G line is the brand’s most premium line. It combines exclusive materials with ingenious technical solutions and an incredible level of quality and finishing. The brand’s latest new offering is the G-Shock MRG-BF1000E-1A9 which celebrates G-Shock’s 40th anniversary in style. On top of that, this new Frogman model also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the G-Shock Frogman models. The brand has made sure that it’s not just any new G-Shock. This colorful Frogman is big, bold, and will cost you a pretty penny. And Casio will only produce 700 pieces of this limited edition. Rightf...
Hands-On With Two New Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm
This June, Hamilton added two more colorways to its hit collection, the Khaki Field Mechanical. Jorg covered the release here on Fratello, but in the meantime, I have been able to go hands-on with the white and blue models. Consider this an impromptu follow-up to his introduction article.What do these new Hamilton Khaki Fields look and feel like in the metal? What are they like to wear on a daily basis? And how do the colors work out in real life? I will do my best to answer all of these questions and more in this article. Let's have a closer look!The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mmFirst things first: a quick recap of what we have in front of us. The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm...
Something really exclusive
A watch by Roger Smith, using George Daniels’ co-axial escapement. Read on at ThePurists…Oh by the way, “At the moment, Series 2 is expected to be in the region of ?30,000.00 and ?35,000.00, excluding VAT.”...
Paneristi Vancouver GTG
The Paneristi Vancouver Get ToGether reports (2 parts) can be found here and here at Paneristi.com.Nice to see so much variation:...
Hands-On With The Tempest Commodore
Tempest might not immediately ring a bell with you, to be honest it didn’t ring a bell for us either. This changed when distributor FORaSEC contacted us and introduced us to Tempest watches. An appointment was quickly made and we received a couple of Tempest watches to write a review and take some pictures. Keep on reading if you want to learn more about this micro brand and the new Commodore watches.IntroductionTempest is a so-called micro brand and focuses on delivering interesting and unique designed watches for an attractive price. Unique designed means that it is by no means a sticker brand, so all parts are made on the specification of Tempest (with the exception of the movement ...
Speedy Tuesday My Top 5 Omega Speedmaster Watches
Since we started with Speedy Tuesday in 2012, we receive many e-mails from readers about advice on Omega Speedmaster watches. The content of these e-mails vary from questions to help us authenticate a vintage Speedmaster, give advice where to buy a Speedmaster as well as which models to go after. In the past, we did a Speedmaster Buyer’s Guide?series to give some pointers for those who are in the market for a Speedmaster. However, giving advice on which Speedmaster to buy is difficult, as there are so many?different models and just as many differences in taste.Top 5 Omega Speedmaster WatchesIn this article I will give my personal Top 5 Omega Speedmaster watches, based on new or at leas...
#TBT Jenny Caribbean 1500 for Philip Watch
Today we'll take a look at a significant watch in the history of dive watches: the Jenny Caribbean 1500. Just to clear the air preemptively, the name on the dial states Philip Watch, but as I'll touch upon later, Jenny did build the watch. Perhaps innovation was easier in the 1960's because the market was comparatively wide open and hungry, but with the Caribbean, we shall see how David actually stood up to the Goliaths of the era. #TBT is here and it's time to go deep!The Jenny Caribbean 1500 is from the family of the first commerically available 1000M diversJenny (as always said, pronounced like Yenny and not like the character in Forest Gump) was founded in Switzerland in 1963 and basical...
Report IAAF World Championships And Seiko Timing
IAAF World ChampionshipsSince 1985, Seiko is the official timer of the?International Association of Athletics Federations, or IAAF in short. This year, Seiko invited us to come to the IAAF World Championships in London and – amongst others – have a look at the actual timing equipment and activities during the event. I have to admit that mostly watch European and World Championship soccer games, like most Europeans, a bit of Olympic Games and on January 1st I traditionally watch the ski jumping competition in?Garmisch Partenkirchen. Mostly on television, and only rarely I actually go to a stadium to watch sports. Only last year I visited athletic games for the first time, in Amste...
Speedy Tuesday: Interview With A Collector On His 1985 Speedmaster
Speedy Tuesday is about sharing the passion for Speedmasters. No more, no less. Whether you have one Speedmaster or three dozen (or more), the collector’s lot centers on their love for the Speedmaster watch.I like to hear stories about Speedmasters. What triggered someone to buy a certain Speedmaster or a Speedmaster in general? Every time I see someone wearing a Speedmaster, I am not too shy to ask about his or her watch. Without exception, there’s always a story to it. Whether it was passed down, or Moon landing related, or simply a gift for a graduation, all the people I have asked about their Speedmaster know exactly what they are wearing. And, best of all, they know why.Spee...
Top 4 Watches That Make You Appear Smart Selected By Andreas
Whether you are reading this because you would like to communicate your smartness more effectively or because you’d like to compensate for lack of smartness, you have arrived at exactly the right place. Here’s my rundown of the Top 4 watches for making anyone look smart.Far too often, unfortunately, watches are worn to communicate wealth. This doesn’t do justice to our beloved timepieces. Nor does this attitude value the craftsmanship that watchmakers invested in their design and manufacturing.Fortunately, it does not have to be this way. Watches can be appreciated for their other, truer values. Designing a watch in a way that makes you appear smart requires a lot more than...
Should Limited Edition Watches Become Regular Production Models?
We give some straightforward thoughts on turning a Limited Edition watch into a serial production piece and use the Doxa 300 as the latest example.I was sweating my tail off in a hotel last week when Balazs sent me a WhatsApp message. We were talking about something and then he asked if I had seen the latest Doxa 300 releases. I hadn’t and as a fan of the unique brand, I felt a bit left out. Well, for some reason, it had sailed into my junk inbox and all was soon rectified. These were no limited edition models, though. No, Doxa was adding six(!!) SUB 300 “no T” models using the famous slim cases. And honestly, I was kind of ticked.Non Limited Edition Doxa 300’sIt was ...
What Is The Best Summer Watch? Let's Find Out Together (2021)
Friends, watch lovers, Fratelli, lend me your ears: you have spoken and we have listened. After the roaring success of the March Mania tournament, we put our heads together to conceive our next vote-based extravaganza, and we are pleased to announce that from tomorrow and for the next month, the Summer Splash tournament will take place on the pages of Fratello. Our goal? To find the best summer watch. But we need your help. Sign-up for a Fratello account and play along. You never know, you might even win a prize…The rules are simple: watches must be water-resistant to 100 meters at least, they must cost less than $5,000, and they must be available. That means sold-out limited models, v...
A Brief History Of Time: Porsche Design's Brand History (2021)
The two brands Porsche Design and Porsche are often assumed to be one and the same. But only recently, the Design Studio became part of the car manufacturer. Since then, the ties between Porsche Design watches and Porsche cars have become even stronger. Although there have always been links between the two companies, Porsche Design has created an impressive portfolio of non-car-related products - including watches. Let’s go back and explore the history of Porsche Design’s watches.The history of Porsche Design starts in 1972. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, generally known as F. A. Porsche (but also as “Butzi”) founded the Porsche Design Studio in Stuttgart, Germany. F. A...
How Watches Work: What Is An ANA-DIGI Display? (2021)
OK, it’s confession time. Ana-digi watches have never really been “my jam.” Other than a G-Shock from my wife that I wore as a beater years ago, I have never expressed any interest in owning (or heaven forbid purchasing) an ana-digi timepiece. So when Rob assigned me this article, I was, admittedly, less than enthused by the subject matter. However, if there’s one thing I’ve noticed so far in my short time at Fratello, it’s that I. KNOW. NOTHING.Or, at very best, not nearly as much as I thought I did three months ago. Therefore, every research article I tackle ends up becoming an incredibly beneficial learning experience. Indeed, each is an adventure that ...
Casio: Master Of G Mudmaster, Gravitymaster, And Frogman (2021)
Here at Fratello, we love GADA (Go Anywhere, Do Anything) watches. For those of us collecting on a budget, having something hardy and reliable to take the knocks life throws at it is high on the list of purchasing priorities. While the watches from Casio in question today are about as far removed from a dress watch as you could imagine (and thus cannot go literally anywhere or do literally anything), they are, in the spirit of the term, exactly the kind of value proposition quartz behemoths our team covets.While I’m firmly in the Mudmaster camp (as a long-time lover of both the modern reference GG-B100-1A3ER and its forerunning range mate, reference GWG-1000-1A3ER), I’ve recently...
#TBT How A Cosmic Crown Made Me Buy A Stellaris Watch
This watch could easily be nicknamed “the poor man’s Omega Seamaster CK2913”. It’s a rather tiny watch with a likable dial, enigmatic branding, a “crippled” hour hand, juicy lume, and a cosmic treatment to the crown grip. This Stellaris is my kind of watch.I think it came to me in one batch with the Lanco Baracuda. Well, before it came to me, I bid on it spontaneously. Judging by the insignificant name on the dial, my purchase couldn’t have resulted from a long hunt. I didn’t have the slightest clue that such a watch existed, and it was a rather impulsive purchase while yawning and waiting for Lanco to hit the auction block. And since I landed ...
Strap Check: Bremont S302 On A Mustard Paratrooper Strap
Being a strap addict is a condition that forces one down a path of trial and error. Not every strap works on every watch and vice versa. But every now and then, a serendipitous match of strap and watch happens that simply works better than anything else. This was exactly what happened when the Bremont S302 met the mustard-yellow Paratrooper strap from Cheapest NATO Straps. Most of you will already be familiar with the Swedish strap brand, which continues to lead the affordable watch strap market.Now, you should always be careful when visiting the Cheapest NATO Straps site as you might end up with more than you bargained for. Prices are tempting, and discounts are ever present; it's a challen...
How To Spot A Fake Vintage Datejust Dial
When Nacho asked me to write an article on how to spot a fake vintage Datejust dial, I knew I would have to give away a bit of a teaser from my book. The example used in this article comes from The Vintage Datejust Buyer's & Collector's Guide. If you have the book, you will surely recognize this blue atrocity. Buying a vintage Datejust can be daunting for the uninitiated. Here are a few things to look out for if you are new to the game, some tell-tale signs that you may be dealing with a fake dial. Of course, fake dials are only one of many potential issues, but you have to start somewhere, right?Below, you will find a replica dial for a 16xx reference Datejust. That should put it in ...
Fratello's Top 5 Integrated-Bracelet Watches
Another Friday, another Top 5! Last week, we dipped our toes into the world of modern sports watches with integrated bracelets. We took a look at some of the more affordable options. But what about the not-so-affordable options? As you would expect, it’s a playing field with quite a few usual suspects. Having said that, they do make for impressive timepieces. That’s why we decided to take a look at our favorite options without a budget cap. This week’s list gives you simply five options for modern sports watches with integrated bracelets. No budget restrictions are necessary.As I mentioned last week, the most interesting development in the integrated-bracelet segment is the...
New: Synchron Military Poseidon Black Edition
Today, we’ll discuss the new Synchron Military Poseidon Black Edition, the latest release from Rick Marei’s retro-themed brand. In many ways, I think this watch qualifies as the most traditional Military model yet. Plus, with its more typical black dial, it makes for easier reading than past variants. Let’s take a closer look.Synchron has been a nice little surprise since Rick Marei resurrected the name back in March 2021. Thus far, we’ve been treated to two models that pay tribute to the 1970s Doxa Army. The watches have been fun, limited in nature, and, in my view, an overall treat for the eyes. Before we get to the latest Poseidon Black Edition, let’s take st...