Hands-On: The Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph
Mille Miglia, the famous Italian endurance race, started in 1927 but suffered several interruptions (namely, World War II and cancellation after several fatal accidents). However, since 1987, the race from Brescia to Rome and back has been consistently organized annually in May. To be able to resume the race every year, they were looking for sponsors, and Chopard has been supporting Mille Miglia ever since. When it resumed, only cars built between 1927 and 1957 qualified to participate in the classic race. These days, there's a Green version of the race as well. I guess the Mille Miglia organization needed to get the green light from the government to keep the classic race going.Mille Miglia...
Why I Bought It: Panerai Radiomir PAM00210
Have you ever fallen for someone who you thought wasn't right for you? I have. Her name is Pam. Panerai Radiomir PAM00210, to be a little more precise. I had a massive crush on her for the longest time. But she didn't fit my image of what suits my style and character. And, admittedly, I thought she would look ridiculous on my arm.Okay, I reckon I have milked that spiel dry by now. Let me cut to the chase: I bought a Panerai! And, regardless of the doubt up front, I am over the moon. Let me take you on a little personal journey that finally led to this unavoidable outcome. This is why I bought my out-of-character Panerai Radiomir.Out of characterRJ asked me if I wasn't a little hypocritical a...
Hands-On: Parmigiani Tonda PF Skeleton In Platinum
The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Skeleton is nothing new in itself. The brand introduced the model in stainless steel and rose gold back in 2022. Those two versions presented a monochromatic aesthetic that was very much in line with the stainless steel Tonda PF Micro-Rotor. The brand mixes things up with a platinum case and and blue dial for this latest iteration. The result is the most technical-looking Tonda PF of the collection. How does that balance out the classically inspired design of the Tonda PF? I had a chance to find out.Platinum, by default, is an impressive material. Its understated presence might fool you, thinking it is stainless steel. But the moment you pick up a platinum wa...
SMS: Aquanaut Travel Time Vs. Overseas Dual Time
It’s Sunday morning, so it’s time for another Sunday Morning Showdown! So make yourself a nice cup of coffee and let our writers make their cases before you get to decide which of the two watches is your favorite pick. This week, it’s the battle of the luxury travel watches. Jorg will make a case for the white gold Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time ref. 5164G. Mike will defend the honors of the pink gold Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time with the green dial. Both watches were introduced during Watches and Wonders this year and present a new take on a familiar silhouette. Which of the two will come out on top? You decide!This week is a battle of two new watches that d...
Watch straps
Besides replacing straps when one is worn out, I am probably not the only one who think it is fun to switch straps once in a while to give a watch a different look.Ever tried to buy a strap for your watch from the original manufacturer? Ever found a tray of Omega straps at the Omega dealer or a tray of IWC straps at the IWC dealer? It is not easy to get accessoires like straps and buckles at your dealer, especially when it is about watchmanufacturer accessoires. Only a few brands have their dealers stocked with buckles and straps, like Sinn, Panerai and I was at one time lucky at an Omega dealer ??Usually, the only other brand for straps at jewelers is Hirsch. However, I can???t find myself ...
Watch straps
Besides replacing straps when one is worn out, I am probably not the only one who think it is fun to switch straps once in a while to give a watch a different look.Ever tried to buy a strap for your watch from the original manufacturer? Ever found a tray of Omega straps at the Omega dealer or a tray of IWC straps at the IWC dealer? It is not easy to get accessoires like straps and buckles at your dealer, especially when it is about watchmanufacturer accessoires. Only a few brands have their dealers stocked with buckles and straps, like Sinn, Panerai and I was at one time lucky at an Omega dealer ??Usually, the only other brand for straps at jewelers is Hirsch. However, I can???t find myself ...
The Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Heritage Review
Launched in 1992, Bell & Ross was founded by Bruno Belamich and Carlos Rosillo. The first Bell & Ross models were very similar to those of Sinn Spezialuhren and officially, this collaboration lasted till 2002 (although Bell & Ross made their own models long before that year). Most people who started their interest in watches just recently, probably know the BR Instrument watches best.In 2005, the first BR instrument was introduced and Bell & Ross clearly have been inspired ever since. They have been introducing various models based on the famous flight panel instruments, including the BR 03-92 that’s now being featured on Fratellowatches. A 42mm glass bead blasted steel...
Omega Speedmaster Buyer's Guide Part 2
During the week, we get a lot of questions by e-mail about buying an Omega Speedmaster. We thought it was about time that we made an article that's basically an Omega Speedmaster Buyer's Guide. If you are already a Speedmaster collector, this might not be interesting to you, as I will cover some basic information as well. This is Part 2 of the Omega Speedmaster Buyer’s Guide, with a focus on sourcing a (vintage) Speedmaster. Part 1 discussed the Omega Speedmaster collection briefly and can be found here.Buying a new Speedmaster watchSourcing a new Omega Speedmaster is not that difficult. You can either go to an Omega boutique, Tourbillon Boutique (Swatch Group concept), an authorized d...
Breaking: Rare Vintage Heuer Autavia Found!
Vintage Heuer is about as hot as it gets right now and today’s news should come as rather exciting for fans of the brand.? People are clamoring for the early manual wind models right now and they are especially focused on the Heuer Autavia.? Well, today, we’re pleased to share a brief story behind the discovery and purchase of an extremely rare variant.? It defines fantastic and was located just last week on eBay – where else?- by one of the foremost Heuer enthusiasts on the planet: Jeff Stein.Yes, some guys have all the luck (as in timing), but it helps to possess a discerning eye as well. Jeff, as most of you know, owns and manages the great resource, On the Dash. He also...
Hands-On With The Panerai PAM 615 Luminor Submersible
A few weeks ago, I received the Panerai PAM 615 (or?Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automaic Titanio in full) for a hands-on review. This Panerai PAM615 as well as its brother with a titanium?bezel, the PAM 614, were introduced in Geneva earlier this year. I’ve had a couple of Panerai watches myself and we’ve done reviews on several models in the past, but it is the first time I actually tried and tested te Panerai Submersible for a longer period.Panerai PAM 615 ReviewOperating the Panerai PAM 615Even though the Panerai PAM 615 has a 47mm diameter and is – by all means – a big watch, it didn’t shock me when I strapped it on my wrist. I don’t...
On The Wrist For A Month Omega Globemaster Review
Omega ConstellationYou probably know me best for being an avid Speedmaster fan and collector. But my passion for watches started actually with the Omega Constellation. I wrote about this in-depth when I did a write up on the Sedna gold version of the Omega Globemaster. Anyway, the Globemaster is part of the Constellation family. The Globemaster has a history with the old Constellation watches. In the past, there used to be a legal issue with the name Constellation in the USA, so Omega used Globemaster instead. This was only for a short period though, and only few of those watches are around.Omega Globemaster ReviewEven though the in-depth Omega Globemaster review as pointed out above contain...
Podcast: Fratello On Air Episode 4
The 4th recording of Fratello on Air, this time with Daniel Muller and Michael Stockton talking about several of their favourite watches and answering a listener’s question.In this episode 4, Michael talks with Daniel (as RJ was on holiday during the recording) about the Top 3 watches in their collections that get most wrist time, about Daniel joining Fratello and about his role (Head of Operations) and answering a listener’s question about their favourite sub-40mm sports watch. Below, an overview of some of the mentioned watches, and all the links to articles/websites and people mentioned in this episode....
Pastiche Patches Where Every WIS Finds Something They Like
If you are frequent on the Instagram watch scene, I'm sure you've already come across Pastiche Patches.To me, Pastiche Patches falls into the same category as @adpatina or @ctournierwatchdraw. They fill a void in the watch community, a void we never knew before. But when we see their products, we need to have them, even if we have no idea what we are going to do with them. I mean, we – grown-up men and women buy Lego sets of rockets and lunar modules. Build them then proudly display them in the living room. ?Or collect beer bottle caps that commemorate one of humankind's greatest achievement. Perhaps, just as I hinted above, collect vintage magazine ads of our favorite timepieces, fram...
Wrist Game Or Crying Shame: Sinn EZM 12 Rescue Mission Watch
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame where voting remotely has always been part of the new normal. This week we review a barely worn Sinn EZM 12 that needs rescuing. But first…In the case of LL Cool J, the opening line of “Mama Said Knock You Out” is one of hip hop’s most famous. “Don’t call it a comeback” spat the rapper because, as he mentioned, he’d been with us for quite some time. Well, for LL it was a bit of a return to form and people went nuts.With last week’s TAG Heuer Monaco CS2110, though, this was a comeback because the renowned chronograph had actually been absent. But sadly, at least in your view, this Monaco wasn̵...
Hamilton Khaki Field Murph Auto Joins The Fratello Shop Catalog!
As a watch reviewer, it is quite common to find yourself experiencing Deja Vu. We cover thousands of watches throughout our careers. Most of these write-ups will be standalone pieces, focused on new releases or classic throwbacks that deserve attention. But every so often, you run into a watch that just won’t leave you alone. Luckily, for me at least, the Hamilton Field Khaki Murph is one of those pieces I’ve had the opportunity to cover on several occasions.The watch first appeared in Christopher Nolan’s 2014 sci-fi epic as a central character. Gifted by Coop to his daughter Murph, this particular Field Khaki was used by a future version of Coop to communicate with his dau...
Grand Seiko SBGJ237 Better Than A Pepsi?
Instead of the planned trip to Tokyo earlier this year to see the new Grand Seiko watches, we received two boxes (or more like suitcases) with Grand Seiko and Seiko watches. Most of it under embargo, of course…Despite Covid19 messing up our travel plans for 2020, the advantage is that we had a lot of time with these (and other) watches that made the trip to our office. One of the watches that grabbed immediate attention was this Grand Seiko SBGJ237. A smart looking GMT watch as you can see from the pictures.Grand Seiko SBGJ237Even though the green one (SBGJ239) was speaking to me a bit more at first, as I wrote in a previous article (click here) on Fratello, the blue and white version ...
Hands-On With The Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono Watch
The panda dial is without question one of the most iconic dial color configurations out there. But although slapping two black sub-registers on a white dial might make it a panda dial, it doesn’t necessarily make it a great one. One of the brands that perfectly understood that is Hamilton. The Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono is the perfect example of a panda dial done very well. I got the opportunity to go hands-on with it and experience what it is that makes this model such an attractive piece.There is something magical about the high contrast black and white dial that gives the panda dial its wide appeal. It’s a stylish statement like a mobster’s black shoes with white s...
#TBT The Vintage Seiko 6139-6002 Blue Pogue Chronograph (2021)
…this might be a?solution. This blue dialed Seiko 6139-6002 is one elegant chronograph that’s smart and casual. And you need one. ?It's hard to believe that it has been five years since Mike reviewed his blindingly yellow treasure, the Seiko 6139 Pogue. Why are we writing about the same reference again? It's pretty simple. There are watches that aren't worth writing any articles about (pardon my arrogance), watches worth mentioning once in a blue moon, and then there are watches you can’t write enough about. The Seiko 6139 belongs to that last category. Actually, I am quite surprised we haven't covered it more since. Tune into those Pepsi tones, we are about to improve our ...
The Oris Hodinkee Divers Sixty-Five Cal. 400 Limited Edition (2021)
Oris has slowly but surely been equipping more of its watches with movements from the in-house Calibre 400 series. Earlier this year, we did see the bronze Divers Sixty-Five Carl Brashear that featured the Calibre 401 and a small seconds sub-dial. Now, the time has come for Oris to release the first Divers Sixty-Five with the standard Calibre 400. It comes in the shape of a khaki dialed, 38mm limited edition piece. Time to find out more about the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Cal. 400 Limited Edition For Hodinkee.Things have been busy in the small Swiss town of Holstein over the last 12 months. Oris has been focussing on releasing a great variety of watches. Here at Fratello, we even had the pleasu...
Summer Splash: Rob Round 1 Laco, Aquadive, TOCKR (2021)
Roll up, roll up! The summer has hit The Hague and Fratello is keen to celebrate. After the fizzing success of March Mania, we are back with the Summer Splash. A new knock-out competition conceived to find the very best summer watch out there, according to YOU, the Fratelli. And guess what? You can win prizes! No, there won’t be a watch available this time but there WILL be some of the finest water-firing weapons money can buy: the Spyra 2 water cannon is reputedly the strongest of its kind ever made. Fancy getting your hands on one? Read on and take part in the comments section of this article.This time around, eight writers will choose three of their favorite summer watches and pitch...