Seiko Spectrum SVRD001
Available as per january 2006 and will cost you about 1900 Euro. The official Seiko site on this watch can be found here.Thanks Gadget.nl. Otherwise, I still would be able to tell people I liked Seiko for being innovative (Seiko Spring Drive). ??Btw, also via Gadget.nl, this clock that can bring you your voicemail messages…...
An Hour With Jorn Werdelin Linde Werdelin
Linde Werdelin is a relatively new brand in the horological world, but one that's already gained a solid number of fans of its unique timepieces. I spent some time with one half of the eponymous duo – Jorn Werdelin during his trip to Asia, kindly hosted by The Hour Glass in Kuala Lumpur. What follows is less of your traditional Q&A and more of commentary and opinion. My colleague Robert-Jan has also had a SpidoSpeed on loan for a few weeks and will be posting a more in-depth review and photos soon.The current collectionThe brand has a short, albeit interesting, history. Jorn Werdelin is a former investment banker and avid skier. Watches have been a passion in his life for as long a...
The Dottling Gyrowinder Turning Watch Winders Into Art
Watch winders have been topic of this blog several times in the past. In all cases, the principle of the winding system was always the same. Besides a few technical thingies like a rotating programme that could bet set manually or using a LCD display instead of just a simple switch, the packaging – or casing – was most of the time the most important aspect. A leather box, a winder with wood finish or just a low-cost plastic case. In all cases (no pun intended), they worked the same way.The Gyrowinder of German company Dottling, lead by CEO Markus Dottling, is something entirely different. As you may know, we are a sucker for NASA and Apollo stuff, so it was a nice surprise to lea...
Speedy Tuesday Omega Speedmaster Rattrapante 3540.50
It’s Speedy Tuesday! This week’s topic is about a very rare Speedmaster that you will will come across only seldom, the Omega Speedmaster Split-Seconds 3540.50 or Rattrapante. Introduced in 1999, this Speedmaster had an odd looking case and a carbon fibre dial and was the first Speedmaster with a rattrapante complication. Only few of these watches have been made during a short time span. There was even an Italian market-only model, with a blue dial. The regular version has a run of 5000 pieces according to some sources.Omega Speedmaster Automatic Rattrapante ChronometerThe version pictured above (photo credits Antiquorum) is the reference 3840.50, with a leather perforated racing...
Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic 1958 Tribute
At the dawn of availability, last week Fratellowatches attended the introduction?of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic 1958 tribute in The Netherlands. The presentation was held in the beautiful historic Admiralty room of the former Arsenal, now National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam.The HistoryIn the mid 20th century the scientific community was preparing a program of scientific explorations towards the International Geophysical Year 1958. Jaeger-LeCoultre decided to associate with this initiative by creating an exceptional precision instrument, the Geophysic watch.The most important design elements of the watch were readability, precision and reliability. Its calibre 478BWSbr movement was deriv...
#TBT Nivada Grenchen Datomaster
In past market updates, I've mentioned that one of the greatest attributes within the hobby relates to the fact that there are always new old models to discover. A daily browse on eBay or any number of forums will often reveal models for sale from brands long gone or slight model variants that may strike one's fancy. This near-continuous ability for discovery keeps the hobby fresh and also allows new entrants a way to buy something credible, while keeping things on a more affordable level. So, it's with this theme in mind that I bring you today's #TBT. You see, I hadn't come across today's subject until several months ago, but once I saw it, I knew I had to have one. I'll take you through th...
Bravur Scandinavia From Sweden Hands On Review
When one thinks of a style the world associates with Germany, Bauhaus comes to mind. In architecture, furniture design or watchmaking Bauhaus was, and to some extent still is, the most prominent influence for many. The clean lines, simple shapes and the heavy usage of monochrome all became the trademarks of this era. Not too far for Germany, just across their northern border lies Scandinavia. The territory that consists of a handful of countries also has a history with design. Ikea, the affordable and stylish furniture conglomerate from Sweden is one of the most known brands out here.? Bang & Olufsen from Denmark is another name many are familiar with. Just like in every other area of de...
Photo Report: An Evening With Blancpain (Fifty Fathoms)
Last week we organized a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms event together with the Tourbillon Boutique in Amsterdam. We invited a number of our readers to join us during an exclusive evening with Blancpain and to have closer look at the Fifty Fathoms collection. Blancpain brought all their 2018 novelties to the boutique, and our guests were able to try & feel them in person.Blancpain Fifty FathomsI am pretty sure you are aware of one of the most iconic diving watches in the world: the Fifty Fathoms. This diver was introduced in 1953, before the Submariner and Omega Seamaster 300 for example, and has some very interesting roots. Two French navy men by the name of Maloubier and Riffaud came up with...
Glashuttes Energy in View: The new Patria Power Reserve from Tutima Glashutte
Exquisite and enriched with an additional complication: the new Patria Power Reserve augments the Patria collection by adding a model with a power-reserve display at 9 o'clock.Learn more about the new Patria Power Reserve:? https://tutima.com/watches/patria/Arcing through a 300 angle and distinguished by its understated bicolour markings, the power-reserve indicator shows how much energy remains in the barrel to power this hand-wound watch. With this new complication, the Patria Power Reserve joins the ranks of fine manufacture timepieces that exemplify the savoir-faire of its Glashutte-based brand.This new wristwatch's classical 43-mm rose gold case is styled very much like the case of the...
Podcast: Fratello On Air Episode 8 (Dubai Watch Week 2019)
Dubai Watch Week 2019 took place from November 20th till November 25th. Fratello was there and recorded a podcast to discuss this horological event organized and hosted by the Seddiqi family in Dubai’s Financial Centre....
Visit Report: Vacheron Constantin's Trip Through Time
Recently, Fratello was invited to visit the Vacheron Constantin Head Quarters in Switzerland. In this article, we give an overview of the fantastic things Vacheron Constantin showed us during that day.Unlike most factory visits, we found our way to the Vacheron Constantin HQ within 30 minutes after touchdown. This is also one of the reasons we could do this visit in just one day, as the flight is only 1.5 hours from Amsterdam to Geneva. Without further ado.Vacheron Constantin through the yearsBesides Fratello, some other journalists were invited as well to visit Vacheron Constantin. As you can see above, the Vacheron Constantin building has an impressive architecture. Although I am out of th...
Speedy Tuesday Vintage Speedmaster Buyer's Guides
When you find yourself searching for a vintage Omega Speedmaster, we are pretty sure you are open to all the help you can use. The world of vintage (Speedmaster) watches can be a snakepit, and we’d like you to survive and find yourself buying a good watch in the end.Enjoying your vintage Speedmaster is partly based on being convinced you find yourself a proper one. When you have doubts about the hands, the dial, the case, or perhaps even the movement, it takes away part of the fun.?When you know something is not correct about a watch, it is up to up to decide if you still want to pursue it or leave it alone. It is therefore important to know what to look for, which details matter, and ...
Mike's Thoughts On The Fratello Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date Limited Edition
Earlier this week, we broke the news about our first ever Fratello Oris collaboration in the form of the Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date. If you read the release, you'll know this one is near and dear to me, so I thought I'd share some additional views on this limited-edition watch.It was back in 2019 at Baselworld when I first saw the newest Big Crown Pointer Date models. I was truly impressed. As I've mentioned before, I really enjoy how Oris manages to keep its models fresh by adding color. But Oris doesn't just run into the direction of trends by just adding the typical colors. Instead, they go in unorthodox directions that sound a little strange on paper but look incredible in person. The...
The Undone Aero Scientific is an?homage to P.V.H. Weems rotating bezel.
The Undone Aero Scientific is an homage to Philip Van Horn - short P.V.H. - Weems, who invented the rotating bezel. While rotating bezels nowadays are very much linked to diver’s watches, their first application was aeronautical. The rotating bezel was invented in 1929 - and patented in 1935 - to aid pilots with navigation.Customizable watches are Undone’s unique selling point. Hong Kong-based Undone produces watches with a personal touch to order. But the brand’s ability to customize is used as well to produce various popular collaborations. And besides custom watches, it can be seen that Undone respects and loves the history of watchmaking.Most vintage-inspired Undone wat...
Omega Speedmaster World Cup Semi-Final Preview (It Just Got Serious)
Y’all hold onto your hats, now. This thing just got stormy. We are racing towards the Quarter-Final voting deadline (MIDNIGHT CET TONIGHT, December 3rd). Our predictions are beaten, battered, and bruised. Ultimately, we came pretty close to calling how this would go but there were some disgustingly unforeseen bumps in the road of this, the latest round of the Omega Speedmaster World Cup…So how did your favorites fare? Two of the four Quarter-Finals were one-sided affairs (as we’d imagined they would be), but despite that, huge numbers turned out to vote for the losers. Despite not progressing, the FOiS and the Apollo XI 45th Anniversary model have their followers.…the...
#TBT Timex Waterproof 200 Feet Watch
There are many watches that mimick the popular Oris Sixty Five divers watch style. Many of them are exactly what you would expect of a?pure copycat watch. A?mess. The Timex Waterproof 200 Feet is different. Although it drops into the low budget watch category, it's surprisingly solid and consistent.Timex holds a?special place in a vintage collectors heart. So special, that there is often almost no space for it. Indeed, you either need quite a?hard-core fan or huge budget restraints to stay focused on Timex. Blame the cheap movements and chromed cases. Today however I will challenge both of these points and prove that even Timex has pieces worth looking into. Timex Waterproof 200 Feet today.T...
Celebrating 90 Years Of The Reverso In Parisian Style (2021)
An exhibition spanning five floors, covering just one watch model is not something every watch brand can pull off. But Jaeger-LeCoultre can, thanks to its Reverso. The Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931 exhibition in Paris is proof. That's why I traveled to Paris to see how Jaeger-LeCoultre puts its past and present Reverso watches on display.This year, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates 90 years of the Reverso. The watch that is named after the ninetieth birthday is the Tribute Nonantime, but to capture nine decades of Reverso in one watch is impossible. That's why the brand decided to put together a grandiose exhibition at one of Paris' most prestigious locations, the rue du Faubourg Saint-Hon...
Introducing The New Brellum Wyvern GMT LE.1 Ghost Chronometer
What's new about the Brellum Wyvern GMT LE1 Ghost Chronometer? If the name didn't give you a clue already, I'm sure the picture answered the question. The latest iteration on the brand's slim-and-sporty GMT model sees it taking on a black mantle. Both the dial and case have received a generous helping of the somber tone. However, it's not all doom and gloom. The Wyvern's signature color accents are still present, and the deep navy blue dial offers a subtle backdrop for the ensemble.If you've kept up with our coverage of new releases, you'll recognize the Brellum Wyvern GMT. I covered its release earlier this year and got a chance to go hands-on and share my experience with the watch. The Wyv...
The Fast And The Fratelli Shootout: Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback Vs. Omega Speedmaster Racing Co-Axial
And we’re back with another shootout round of The Fast And The Fratelli! Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen fire and flames. We’ve seen both some close wins and complete and utter destruction. It’s our contest to find the best racing chronograph, and if you ain’t here to race, take your “gas” back home! Today, Carl F. Bucherer takes on Omega in an underdog story for the annals of horology. Can the young Manero Flyback leave a Speedy in the dust? That is up to you, so don’t forget to vote!I can hear the maniacal laughter coming all the way from Germany. Rob’s oh-so-obvious pick must have him feeling pretty haughty. And to be completely ho...
Hands-On: The Retro-Styled Titoni Heritage Automatic Chronograph
The Titoni Heritage Automatic Chronograph isn't a contender in The Fast And The Fratelli. But it well could have been, if only it had roared into HQ before the Fratelli prepped and tuned their favorite racing chronographs for the competition. A bit of a shame, since the Titoni ticks all the boxes. It has a tachymeter scale, it's mechanical, and the combination of red and light blue numbers on an off-white dial is pretty awesome for sure. So, although the Heritage Automatic Chronograph won't win the race, I still took it out for a test drive.The Heritage Automatic Chronograph 94019 S-ST-682 is not the first model we’ve featured from Titoni’s history-inspired range. Rob wrote about...