?Strap Check: A 24mm Pebro Strap On Thor's Schofield
As an unrepentant strapaholic, I read all of my fellow editors’ Strap Check articles with great interest. I'll also be honest and admit to buying way too many straps, for sure. I'm changing them willy-nilly, but have mostly given up on NATOs. They are cool in the summer, but I take watches off for swimming and showering, and those extra five seconds of fiddly off-and-on procedure drive me bonkers. I’ve had several instances when I bought a watch online and ordered a new strap for it before the watch arrived, so it is a deep affliction. This time, my strap check brings a touch of green by Pebro.Most watches these days have a 20mm lug width, especially if you've weaned off the 42-4...
Five Alternatives To The New Tudor Ranger
The new Tudor Ranger field watch is clearly related to its bigger (not in size, but in price) brother, the Explorer. I vividly remember the first time I saw a Explorer in the flesh. It must have been the late 1990s. I was on a train, and the guy across me was wearing this vintage Explorer. I asked him about it, and he told me he had already had his Explorer 1016 for a long time.However, we all know how that went down and what 1016s go for today. Luckily, Tudor came to the rescue recently with the new Ranger, a 39mm field watch with a manufacture movement for $2,880. My colleague Nacho wrote about it in this article. In general, the watch has been well received, but just like all releases, ...
Titoni Seascoper 600 CarbonTech With In-House T10 Caliber
The year was 1919. The location was Grenchen, Switzerland. It was then and there that Titoni inaugurated its in-house watchmaking facilities. Through generations, the historic Swiss manufacture has been resolutely creating impeccable-value offerings destined for overseas markets. Staking its claim back on European soil in recent years, Titoni has brought us incredibly attractive styles thus far. For a century-old independent brand still assured in the hands of the founding family, fusing material tech must be done right. What comes next is the Seascoper 600 CarbonTech, one of Titoni's most popular models in a brand new suit crafted in black carbon and ceramic.Family-run, Swiss, and independe...
Introducing: The IFLW Oris Divers 65 Candyman
Let's assume you are one of the lucky people who still have their summer vacation in front of them. You want to treat yourself to a nice watch to take to the pool and the beach, something truly bright and summery but also well off the beaten tracks. Well, the team at IFL Watches has something pretty compelling for you! This is the Oris Divers 65 Candyman.It is bright, it is fun, and it is still a proper water-going watch underneath its flashy exterior. Now, I don't know about you, but that ticks a whole lot of “summer watch” boxes for me.IFL WatchesIFL Watches - or IFLW - has only been around formally since 2019. A group of Swedish watch-loving friends teamed up to build a busine...
Fratello's Top 5 Recent Longines Releases
Another Friday, another Top 5! Last week, we discussed the best currently available integrated-bracelet sports watches without a budget limit. As many of you remarked, there were many more options outside the five watches mentioned. This week, we’ll focus on one brand specifically that is hot property at the moment. Throughout the last couple of years, Longines has shown a great focus on reclaiming the love of hardcore watch fans and wider audiences alike. We have picked five recent Longines releases that perfectly show why Longines is doing so well.This week, we’ll focus on just Longines. The brand is much loved among watch fans for its rich history and great number of historica...
Louis Erard The Horophile La Petite Seconde Metropolis
It’s been a while since I last visited New York City, but just one look at this new watch had me checking flight tickets right away. La Petite Seconde Metropolis, presented by Louis Erard in collaboration with Amr Sindi - aka The Horophile - clearly took its inspiration from the architectural giants of The Big Apple. It’s bold and gracious at the same time and combines craftsmanship with rich materials, just like those Art Deco buildings from yesteryear. Let’s take a closer look at this skyscraper for your wrist.A quick look at the overview of recent releases from Louis Erard tells you that this is a brand that dares to try out different things on its dials. There’s b...
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 1017 Alyx 9SM
Audemars Piguet is a watchmaker that needs little introduction, and just yesterday, AP introduced four new Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore references in collaboration with designer Matthew Williams of 1017 Alyx 9SM. Alongside them is a unique Royal Oak to be auctioned for charity. These new Royal Oak and RO Offshore models offer a unique aesthetic in both yellow and white gold. And while I'll never be able to own one, I find them pretty exciting.Introducing so many new references in the Royal Oak line is headline enough, but in addition, Audemars Piguet is collaborating with the fashion brand 1017 Alyx 9SM with input from Matthew Williams, the fashion brand's designer and founder. For those...
Creating A Better Conversation On Micro And Independent Brands
This is the first installment in a series of articles designed to make sense of what micro/independent brands are from the brands’ perspective. Here, we'll look at general traits that brands have in common, how they see themselves, and what values they work hard to uphold. Many words have been written and spoken about this subject before. And most of the time, the same information or points of view are being shared - those of journalists like me. Instead, let's get the facts straight from the horse's mouth.I’d like you to see this article as a way to convey the perspective of those who make the watches we love and cherish. I admire what they do. I wouldn't be able to do it myself...
Grand Seiko's Two New GMTs: SBGJ275 And SBGM253
The year was 1998. It sounds like only yesterday, doesn't it? Well, it was the year when Google was founded, the development of the International Space Station started, Bill Clinton had his relations with Monica Lewinsky, and Brandy & Monica and Shania Twain ruled the pop charts. So this is the backdrop against which Grand Seiko debuted its 9S family of movements. To celebrate that 25-year milestone, the house now releases two new GMT models - SBGJ275 and SBGM253.The 9S family of calibers has been a cornerstone of Grand Seiko since 1998. Over the years, GS introduced many variants with different complications. The two celebratory models are both GMTs dressed in blue. Don't fret that they...
The Best Watches Under $3,000: Balazs's Picks
As more and more of my Fratello teammates come out with their picks, it gets challenging to compose a list of the best watches under $3,000. I get that these are subjective lists, but we do not want to discuss the same brand and model repeatedly. I tried to be creative here while keeping my preferences in mind. You’ll see that my list also includes new, barely used, and vintage options.Nivada and Ming were the obvious choices. I picked Doxa as I’m a fan of the brand, while EP is a must in every (vintage) collection. Let’s start at the beginning, though.The best watches under $3,000: Nivada Grenchen Fratello Racing ChronographWhat else can I say about this watch that has not...
Hands-On: The Nivada Grenchen Chronosport
I’m not exaggerating when I say that the new Chronosport is one of the most anticipated releases from Nivada ever. The brand that knows how to create a re-edition did it again, and the watch community could not be happier about it. As always, we had the chance to go hands-on with the new Nivada Grenchen Chronosport, and I could not refuse. It took some time for the prototype to arrive, but it finally landed on my table. Here are my thoughts on it.You may have seen the new Nivada Grenchen Chronosport on Fratello’s pages before. We reported on its initial release when the news first hit the community. However, writing an article based on a press release differs from having the watc...
Seiko SRPE05 "King Turtle" Vs. Certina DS Super PH1000M
Welcome to this Sunday Morning Showdown “Summer Edition.” Last week, we put two high-end golden travel timers up against each other. This week, two stainless steel divers from the more affordable side of the watch spectrum will battle it out. Both the Seiko SRPE05 “King Turtle” and the Certina DS Super PH1000M STC (short for “Sea Turtle Conservancy”) are based on earlier models. One has “Turtle” in its nickname because its case shape reminds people of the animal. The other supports a non-profit organization that fights the threat of sea turtles’ extinction.These watches also both have big, utilitarian, capable cases and come with long rub...
Gasgasbones Velcro Strap for Speedmasters
Yesterday I received a velcro strap, made by Carl over at gasgasbones.com. This strap looks really great on my vintage Speedmaster and gives the watch its authentic ‘astronaut’ look! Today I wore the watch on the velcro strap while co-driving a classic Austin Healey 3000 from 1963. Both the driver and myself were wearing Speedmaster caliber 321’s.This strap is the ‘V1’ model from his website, with the NASA product number label and custom made length to fit my wrist perfectly....
Rare Omega Speedmaster Professional
The Omega Speedmaster Professional is the watch that seems to be the back bone of my watch collection and interest in mechanical wrist watches. It is the watch that started the whole madness for me. That’s probably why it is in the header picture of this website anyway ?? I have to admit though, that there are periods that I almost never wear mine and that it gets almost no attention at all. However, with the slightest trigger the whole obsession with this watch start all over again. The latest trigger has been a small GTG with a few long time watch friends. One of the guys was wearing this very rare Speedmaster Professional ref. BA 145.022. He also brought the original box which is a ...
Thomas P. Stafford's Gold Omega Speedmaster
It’s Speedy Tuesday! At the beginning of this year, I had the honour to meet NASA astronaut General Thomas P. Stafford. There we sat down, in the OMEGA boutique in Sochi. What to ask the man who probably has heard all questions a hundred times? However, General Thomas P. Stafford broke the ice by pointing at my Speedmaster Professional X-33 and saying “I wrote down the specs for that watch!”. Perhaps he is best known for his role in the Apollo – Soyuz mission in 1975, he was also on board of the Apollo 10 and two Gemini flights prior to that. However, General Thomas P. Stafford was also Chairman of The Board of Omega in America. He is now – together with Buzz Al...
Hands-On Grand Seiko SBGH001J Review
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to try another Seiko, the Grand Seiko SBGH001J.? I requested to borrow this watch from Seiko after I already had a bit of Grand Seiko experience with their SBGV009 timepiece (read my in-depth review here).That particular model though, had a quartz movement. You must know, that the Grand Seiko comes basically in three flavours: quartz, spring-drive and mechanical. Although I have a lot of respect for their high-precision 9F quartz movement, my real interest is in mechanical watches.So I requested this Grand Seiko SBGH001J from Seiko to perform a review. Ever since our contributing editor Michael Stockton infected me with this Seiko virus, my interest has ...
A Visit To The Glashutte Original Manufacture Photo Report
Glashutte Original ManufactureLast week, Bert and I traveled from The Netherlands (our home country) to Glashutte in Germany. It is only a one hour flight, from Amsterdam to Dresden. In Dresden, a driver awaited us with a welcome sign and a shiny black BMW 530. We’ve seen worse. As it was end of the day, we went straight to this beautiful design hotel (QF) and had diner with Rene Marx (Head of Digital Media) and Michael Hammer (PR) of Glashutte Original. It became immediately clear that we were dealing with some true watch passionates here. Bert and I were looking forward to the next day.German Watch Museum and?Watchmaking SchoolGetting up at 6:00 isn’t exactly a hobby of ours, b...
Hot Take: Panerai Luminor Due Models New Materials & Movements
We break down the newest additions to the Panerai Luminor Due lineup.It’s late August and we have news of five new Panerai Luminor Due models.? That strikes me as somewhat of a curious time of year to release a fairly large number of new models, but with summer over and people now turning their attention to the back end of the year (i.e. the winter and possibly bonus season for some) perhaps the timing makes sense.? Furthermore, it’s probably best to discuss the Due collection, with its oft-maligned 30 meters of water resistance, outside of prime beach and pool season or it may simply serve to feed those rabid keyboard warriors.? And discuss we shall as we break down the five new...
Hands-On: Rado Golden Horse 1957 Limited Edition
We take time with the Rado Golden Horse 1957.If you're following along here at Fratello, you'll note that this is the second review of a Rado within a rather brief period of time.? Recently, I reviewed a green-dialed Golden Horse, a watch that I concluded would make a great daily wearer.? I'll keep saying this until the effect wears off, but it's really nice to have Rado in the mix of brands that people like myself (whatever that means) would actually consider for a purchase.? Yes, the brand's modern watches are definitely turning in the right direction.? Today, though, we're going decidedly retro as we take a close look at the limited edition Rado Golden Horse 1957.The Rado Golden Horse 195...
Our Safe Queens and Watch Castles
Every watch nerd knows a few WIS (Watch Idiot Savant) terms. They are interesting because they are made up by us, watch lovers. In this episode, I want to zoom in on another famous definition: safe queen.First, we talk about the term itself and then take a look at some queens of Fratello team members.What Is A Safe Queen?This question has gone through my mind for several weeks now. Watch related websites show slightly different definitions. For me, it is not an expensive watch in particular. Yes, it is valuable. But, what’s valuable and what’s not is personal. For one, a safe queen might be a brand new sought after stainless steel sports . Every ding can decrease the potential re...