Hands-On: Speake-Marin Ripples In The Wake Of Greatness
The Speake-Marin Ripples is uh well It's a watch, for sure. If you can look past the Royal Oak and Nautilus aura, it's even recognizable as a Speake-Marin. But only if you know the relatively small brand, that is. If you do, you will recognize the Big Ben hands. The small seconds at one-thirty are also an element typical of Speake-Marin. The shape of the case, not so much. “Because it's a new watch for the brand,” you say? Yeah, that too. But it’s also the mishmash of different borrowed design elements. Okay, I'll just say it: the very familiar styling cues make the Speake-Marin Ripples problematic to look at. To try and understand the Ripples a bit better - to give the wat...
Fratello Favorites: Watches And Wonders 2023
Watches and Wonders 2023 is officially over. We’ve all caught up on sleep and have had a weekend to mull over everything we saw. And though the trauma of it all will require years of therapy to recover from, we’ll share our favorites from the show with you today. Surprisingly, there was no overlap whatsoever. Everyone had a clear favorite (or two), but there was no bickering and arguing when the time came to lock in our choices. You may not see all your favorite editors’ names on the list, but everyone will get a chance to say their piece, whether on the site, on one of our podcasts, or on social media. So keep your eyes on all the Fratello channels to spot all our editor&#...
Hot Take: The AP Royal Oak Offshore "End Of Days II"
You might have read it, but did you get a chance to let the news really sink in? The Offshore turns 30 this year. That's three decades. Thanks to a healthy diet of regular facelifts, the watch managed to become a forever-young legend. During the watch's lifetime, some iterations have gained legendary status. The Royal Oak Offshore End of Days reference 25770SN was one of them, and now that bold stainless steel PVD-coated watch now has a modernized successor. It's the 43mm Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph in black ceramic with bright yellow details.The Royal Oak Offshore End of Days reference 25770SN was a limited edition of 500 pieces. And one of them was on the wri...
Mido Multifort TV Big Date S01E01: A Hands-On Intro
Am I going to try to put as many television references as possible into this article or not? I needed to ask myself that question before starting this hands-on introduction to the new Mido Multifort TV Big Date S01E01. Well, obviously, I couldn't help myself, as you can read in the subtitle. But I will refrain from saying this watch is like season 1, episode 1 of a potential hit series. From now on, I will keep it focused. So, without further ado, here's an objective review of a new watch with a retro-looking TV dial. Keep reading until the end, and don't switch channels halfway, now. Oh, darnAs a young kid, the most horrible thing on TV was not the 8 o'clock news. No, what truly upset me wa...
Introducing: The 39mm Doxa Sub 200T
Doxa is an absolute fan favorite, so when a new release comes to light, it’s bound to make waves. The Sub 200T is an all-new model, but there’s no mistaking it for anything else but a Doxa. This watch should be a big hit for the brand with its smaller size and incredible number of variants.Doxa’s current lineup of divers includes a wide array of vintage-inspired designs. The brand's back catalog is well represented with the Sub 200, 300T, and 600T. They’re well-loved, but if there’s a complaint, it’s that the brand lacks smaller watches. Today, everything changes with the new Sub 200T. This is a 39mm diver with an incredible number of color options. Doxa h...
Hands-On: Zenith Chronomaster Sport Boutique/Online Edition
I am always happy to try a new Zenith watch, especially when it’s made of precious materials. And that's precisely what this Chronomaster Sport is about, boasting a rose gold case, a spinel-, diamond-, and sapphire-set bezel, and a gold meteorite dial with diamonds.Chronomaster Sport 22.3100.3600/69.M3100This Zenith Chronomaster Sport in 18K rose gold is not for the fainthearted. Although I love gold watches (and I even own one with a dial with diamond hour indices), the additional gem-set bezel and golden meteorite dial make this model not for everyone. But hey, the watch showed up at Fratello HQ, and I was happy to volunteer for the hands-on review.We often hear that the Chronomaster...
Patek Philippe Introduces The 5370R Split-Seconds Chronograph
At times, it’s hard to keep up with all the new releases during Watches and Wonders. A good example is the stream of great ones from Patek Philippe. The brand unveiled a total of 15 new references this week that all deserve our attention. But where do you start? One glance made that very clear for me. Forget everything called Cubitus or Calatrava. The 5370R Split-Seconds Chronograph in rose gold is the absolute highlight from Patek Philippe this year for me. One look was enough to stop my world from turning for a minute. The brown Grand Feu enamel dial with sub-dials and a tachymeter scale in beige champleve enamel is breathtakingly beautiful. Let’s find out what the story is beh...
Fratello Talks: Watches And Wonders 2025
On this rapid-fire episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho and Lex take a short break from their busy schedules to discuss some of their Watches and Wonders 2025 highlights. On location at the YouTube studio at the show, they quickly run through some of the most notable releases, starting with and Tudor and moving on to some oddball favorites and unexpected head-turners. This episode only scratches the surface, of course. We’ll be back next week with a full-length episode to discuss more of the new watches. But before all that, it’s time for a wrist check....
Introducing: The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon
The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon is a remarkably impressive watch. It’s a tourbillon with a total thickness of just 1.85mm. This makes it the thinnest tourbillon-equipped timepiece ever. Let’s take a look.Bvlgari has had remarkable success with its Octo Finissimo line. The brand rightly points out that its designs have received more than 60 international awards and have set 10 world records. In 2014, Bvlgari introduced the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon. Its hand-wound movement was just 1.95mm thick.The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton from 2022A proudly Italian maisonIn fact, Bvlgari has made a name for itself in the pursuit of thin watches. Since 2014, the brand has produc...
New: Parmigiani Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante Verzasca
Not all introduction articles around Watches and Wonders 2025 need to be overly complicated. This will be a particularly simple one. Would you like to be done and dusted in a single sentence? Fine! Parmigiani released a green version of the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante. That's it! You can jump to the next article to keep up with the barrage of this year's W&W releases.Now, if you would rather have a little bit more of a background, or if you maybe aren't familiar with the GMT Rattrapante just yet, let's continue in more detail anyway!The Parmigiani Tonda PF GMT RattrapanteParmigiani Fleurier surprised us with a new approach to the popular GMT complication in 2022. The house has a knack for p...
Introducing: The Ulysse Nardin Diver Air
We're used to outlandish creations from Ulysse Nardin, but today's Diver Air may be the most extreme yet. The brand set out to create the world's lightest mechanical dive watch and has gloriously succeeded. Intriguingly, several collaborators were brought on board, including materials companies that normally work on automobiles.Ulysse Nardin takes me back to my earliest days of looking at high-end mechanical watches. Pieces like the Planetarium Copernicus and Astrolabium Galileo Galilei were audacious and expensive. Lately, the brand has focused on skeletonized watches made from advanced materials. Today's Diver Air continues this theme but takes it to the extreme.The Ulysse Nardin Diver Air...
Introducing: The Grand Seiko "Kiri" SBGW323
Grand Seiko introduced a wide variety of novelties at Watches and Wonders this year. The new U.F.A. models are, without a doubt, the most important ones. However, a humble highlight that also stands out for us is the new Grand Seiko “Kiri” SBGW323.?This new addition to the Heritage collection combines a modestly sized 36.5mm 44GS-style case with a stunningly beautiful purple dial. Add the friendly price tag, and there is a lot to love. Let’s find out more!We’ll get straight to business and talk about the dial of this new Grand Seiko SBGW323. As with all Grand Seiko models, the inspiration for the dial comes from Japanese nature. This time, the designers at the Grand S...
Hublot Celebrates Two Decades Of Big Bang Watches
There’s no denying it: 2025 truly is a year of anniversary parties. Some traditional watchmaking houses are celebrating centuries of Haute Horlogerie craftsmanship, while many individual watches are throwing birthday parties. Hublot is celebrating two decades of Big Bang watches this year. The outspoken sports watch is still going strong and continuing to evolve. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hublot's most emblematic collection, the original Big Bang design is fused with the current Big Bang Unico, resulting in five limited-edition Big Bang timepieces.The past, present, and future come together in the five limited editions Hublot presents to celebrate two decades of the Big Bang...
New 2025 JLC Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds Models
One brand stands out to me in the avalanche of new releases during Watches and Wonders this year. Jaeger-LeCoultre has created a remarkable series of new Reversos displaying an extensive range of models. The stellar Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds in pink gold on the mesh bracelet is the absolute standout. For me, it is one of the highlights of this year and a strong contender for Best Watch of Watches and Wonders 2025. However, the brand gives us much variety with its Reverso introductions. Another great release is the duo of new Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds models. It’s a welcome return of the Reverso Duoface with the famous Night & Day dial in two beautiful color...
Urwerk 1001 Zeit Device Hands On
Urwerk is almost a normal watch manufacturer, because just like many other brands, they’ve included a pocket watch to their collection of impressive timepieces. However, Urwerk wouldn’t be Urwerk if it wasn’t something really special. The UR-1001 Zeit Device is, in their own words, an uber complication both measuring and quantifying our era, from a solitary second all the way to a monumental 1,000 years. A 1,000 years? Yes, you’ve read it correctly.During our visit to BaselWorld 2012 we were able to see this beautiful UR-1001 Zeit Device in the flesh. The first thing you’ll notice when picking up this pocket watch is the weight and the size. The dimensions of th...
Watch Strap Review Part 6. Introducing: Bulang and Sons
For some reason, The Netherlands has always been one of the centers of Europe's watch scene. Among many famous (or infamous) watch nations the Dutch are in the foreground for sure. Just think about (international) platforms with Dutch roots like WatchUSeek, Troisanneaux (now closed), SomeTimeAgo, Monochrome?and last but not least Fratello Watches just to name a few familiar ones. So it is no surprise that they know a thing or two about the watch strap game as well. The company we are about to show you is much more than just a strap seller. Not that it is not hard enough to provide?these cool?straps we have shown you so far, but these guys took this to another level. What they offer is not on...
Sinn at Baselworld 2016: The Highlights
We say this every year, but it bears repeating; Sinn is one of our favorite brands. The German company makes great looking, high quality watches that are equipped with loads of innovation and, yet, they manage to price their timepieces on the right side of rational. We always have a great experience meeting with them at the big show, so we were very much looking forward to sitting down with Sinn at Baselworld 2016.First off, Sinn at Baselworld 2016 represented a slight departure. The brand went with a smaller booth this year, as they're clearly hard at work building a new headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.? Plus, they’ve been busy over the last year with new model additions an...
Junghans FORM a great lineup with 2017 novelties
Junghans at BaselWorld 2017Just a stone throw from the craziness of BaselWorld along the side of Hall 1 lays the Hotel du Commerce. For a week during the fair the building becomes the headquarters of Junghans. Sinceyears now, the Schramberg-based company holds their annual BaselWorld meetings here and we are always in attendance. It is not a regular catch-up though, Junghans offers more than an espresso and a chocolate from the bowl. They occupy the restaurant and invite their partners for a casual lunch & product presentation. It is a very rare occasion for us to get out of the halls to see the sunlight, sit down, have a proper meal, a nice glass of wine and do what we do best; discuss ...
Speedy Tuesday Moonwatch Only 2nd Edition Book Review
Almost a month ago, I told you about the upcoming Moonwatch Only 2nd edition (60 years of Omega Speedmaster). During the annual trade show in Basel, I received a signed copy of this 2nd edition of what I quoted as ‘this book sets a new standard’ in 2014. Let’s have a look at this Moonwatch Only 2nd edition book.Moonwatch Only 2nd Edition BookThat said, I can keep this review short and just say that the best book just got better. However, that wouldn’t do justice to the book and doesn’t answer the question why you should upgrade from the first edition (here is my review of Moonwatch Only first edition).The image above was taken during the book presentation at Bas...
Hands-On With The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph
A Patek Philippe watch isn’t your typical sports watch, even though they want to make you think otherwise with their Aquanaut and Nautilus watches. The new Aquanaut Chronograph does not change anything about this, but surely is an interesting and welcome addition to the Aquanaut collection. The Aquanaut is a beautiful and refined high-end watch, simulating to be a rugged sports watch based on its appearance: an all steel case and bracelet, or rubber strap. You could say the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph is what a Bentley Bentayga is to SUVs (except for being not ugly). You will rarely come across one in the mountains or desert, as you’ll more likely to see a Toyota Landcrui...