Wrist Game or Crying Shame: TAG Heuer Super Professional
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, a unique user interface allowing potential wearers of wrist-related objects to express their opinions in an anonymous, stress-free environment.? Today, we’ll present you with the TAG Heuer Super Professional.? But first…Well, you all have a real penchant for watches named “Submariner” and that rang true with last week’s Tudor of the same name.? The reference 79090 – the last acrylic crystal beast released by Genevan-based – cruised to an easy 65% Wrist Game win.? Clearly, plastic is fantastic with this crew.? Well, a scant 10 years or so later, another Swiss-based company threw its hat into the ring and tr...
Hot Take: Singer Reimagined Track1 Chronographs
I can think of very few brands bursting onto the scene that made a swish in recently years, let alone one that landed with a bang. Singer Reimagined is one that has appeared on my radar since day one, loud and clear. An independent brand acclaimed for its 2018 GPHG award-winning Track1 chronograph, it hit Planet Horology like a red hot shooting star.Founded in 2016, Singer Reimagined made a mark with the inaugural Track1 model and continues to leave a trace with 4 more editions. The watch instantly garnered a GPHG nomination in the chronograph category. Back at the start, Balazs spent some time with co-founder/designer Marco Borraccino and introduced you to the first two editions HERE. Withi...
CODE41 DAY41 Edition 2 Is An Affordable Modern Skeleton Watch
While it often seems like everything has been done in the watch industry ad nauseam, there are certain strategies and concepts that receive less airtime than others. Whether new approaches - often termed as “disruptive” - are more effective than beating the same paper-thin drum that has been drummed to death over the past century is hard to quantify, but they do present an opportunity for us to reflect back on the industry and its practices in a way that would have been unthinkable 20 years ago. CODE41’s unusual tack is to pull back the curtain concealing production costs and profit margins. That same strategy has propelled the brand’s first few launches toward succes...
Pre-Owned Picks What's On Ben's Watch Wishlist?
Typically, I bring a specific theme to Pre-Owned Picks to focus my choices to a brand, era or watch type. A theme can be a healthy challenge that uncovers some interesting watch listings that would otherwise pass me by. Luckily, the search and favorites functions of Chrono24 make sifting through the vast library an absolute breeze. Even after a year of covering Pre-Owned Picks, many watches fell off my lists. Either by disqualification from the theme or not demonstrating the traits of appealing to a mass audience. These watches did remain on my wishlist, however, for a rainy day.As luck would have it on this day, at least in my area of Ol' Blighty, it's raining hammers and nails. Of course, ...
Hands-On With The Farer Maze GMT Watch
The Farer Maze GMT amazes and amuses me. Really, I haven't worn such a playful and imaginative watch for quite some time. And that’s in spite of the fact I am not a huge fan of its case shape. But the Farer Maze rocks on so many levels. Let's dig into it. When I?put on a divers watch, I?dont feel like I?have to go diving immediately. I?don't even think of water. The moment I?put the Farer Maze GMT on for the first time, I felt a jolt of energy course through me. It was the energy to do things. It sounds bonkers, I know, but I felt like I was suddenly some cool architect or crazy designer. No watch before made me feel like I want and could do other stuff, beyond that which had already b...
Airain Type 20 Chronograph Watch Faithfully Re-Introduced
The recently introduced Airain Type 20 Re-Edition faithfully matches the design and specifications of the original 1950's Type 20. That even includes a hand-wound, two-register, column-wheel chronograph with flyback function. Plus the remarkable countdown bezel and a domed Hesalite crystal.Type 20 chronographs are post-WWII aeronautical instruments, made to French government requirements. They’re basically based on WWII two-register chronograph from Hahnhart, Tutima, and Glashutte. However, Type 20 had to meet more stringent specifications. A flyback function was indispensable, plus the accuracy of within 8 seconds/day, a power reserve of more than 35 hours, and the ability to handle t...
The Fast And The Fratelli Shootout:? Mike's Sinn Vs. Nacho's Hamilton
It's time for a good, old-fashioned shootout! You might have noticed already that this week the pre-quarterfinal shootout for The Fast And The Fratelli began, with Lex and Ben, RJ and Thor, and Brandon and Rob battling it out. This is the stage where the voting really counts. It will decide who drops out of the competition, and who comes one step closer to taking first place. Today, it's Sinn versus Hamilton, and Mike versus Nacho. These two watches take plenty of inspiration from neighboring decades. The Sinn is a clear example of ’70s cool, with its sleek and stealthy black finish and bright red details. Going back a little less than ten years, the Hamilton looks to the late 1960s fo...
How Watches Work: What Is Ion Plating On Watches?
If you know what ion plating is already, then high five to you! For those of you who don’t, you’ve more than likely come across it before without realizing it. Ion plating is one of these terms used to describe coatings applied to watch cases and bracelets. Sadly, there seems to be a lot of misinformation about it, and sometimes the different terms get used interchangeably. So, what exactly is ion plating?As I mentioned, ion plating, or IP, is a type of coating used by brands on metal parts. It’s a type of PVD (physical vapor deposition) coating that comes in a range of different colors. It is a very durable type of finish, which not only has aesthetic benefits but also add...
Buying Guide: The Best Audemars Piguet Watches From The 1990s
We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is primarily focused on the most recent releases and developments, for many of us, a lot of the fun can be found in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. It’s a world full of history, remarkable watches, incredible stories, and quirky details. It inspired us to come up with a series of articles focusing on the best watches per decade from a select group of brands. Some of them are priceless, and some of them are still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Audemars Piguet watches from the 1990s.This week, we will continue our jou...
Longines And The FIS Alpine World Cup Lake Louise
Against a backdrop of ringing cowbells, Longines billboards, and soaring peaks, Canada's Jack Crawford takes up his position at the starting gate. He is only moments from dropping into the downhill course at Lake Louise, where he will plunge 800 meters, approaching speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. Months of pre-season training led up to this moment, and in a minute and a half, it will all be over. Crawford, who won bronze in the Men's Combined event at the Beijing Olympics last February, is a hometown favorite. But he'll have to stave off the likes of Norway's legendary Aleksander Kilde (who won the overall title last year), Switzerland's Marco Odermatt (last year's Giant Slalom cham...
Breguet Classique 5157 Vs. A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Thin
It’s no secret that we’re falling back in love with dress watches here at Fratello lately. Maybe it’s because we’re getting tired of the constant barrage of new tool watches, or maybe it’s simply because the holiday season and occasions to dress up are quickly approaching. Regardless, dress watches are on our minds these days, so why not organize a battle between two of the finest examples out there? This week’s Sunday Morning Showdown is between the Breguet Classique 5157 and the A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Thin. Both feature only two hands and a rose gold case. But don’t worry, there’s still more than enough that differentiates these two bea...
Hands-On: RZE Resolute Pro Jet Black Enamel
Sometimes I go into a review without any specific expectations. When the RZE Resolute Pro Jet Black Enamel first landed on my desk, I was pleasantly surprised by its intense black dial. It’s an immediate attention-grabber that creates an awesome level of intrigue and gives RZE’s modern field watch an instant boost in style. So I quickly found myself wearing the Resolute Pro and realized it’s a surprisingly comfortable daily wearer that didn’t leave my wrist. Knowing that the Resolute Pro Jet Black Enamel comes in at US$629 makes it even more impressive. It’s time to find out more.Having no specific expectations was a positive starting point with the RZE Resolute...
Hands-On: Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 In Green
The day before its launch, I briefly met the latest Avenger in a restaurant on the outskirts of Amsterdam. A storm had struck, and inside the restaurant, one could hear the wind becoming louder and louder as raindrops kept bombarding the windows. The new Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 looked completely calm and collected. Unshakable self-confidence is what you want in a superhero and a Breitling watch. Weeks later, with a clear blue sky over The Hague, the revamped, now much leaner and meaner Avenger landed on my desk at Fratello HQ in all its oversized glory. We cleared our schedules and decided to hang out for a couple of days. Read on to find out if we bonded.The new Breitling Aveng...
Oris Divers 65 Boogeyman And Aeroman By IFL Watches
Stockholm-based IFL Watches has been knocking out one customized release after another. The company’s watches contain dials that are painted by hand, a process that takes time and demands great respect. For its newest releases, IFL Watches brings the Oris bear back to the dials of two special versions of the Oris Diver Sixty-Five “Cotton Candy.” The Oris Divers 65 Boogeyman celebrates Christmas with a nice hint to a famous movie, and the Oris Divers 65 Aeroman celebrates the colorful Cappadocia Festival, where hundreds of hot air balloons create a visual spectacle in the Turkish sky. They join the IFL Watches Oris Divers 65 Candyman to complete a whimsical trio of watches.I...
Brand Groups: Pros And Cons How They Affect Watches
The modern watch world is dominated by a handful of brand groups. Think of Swatch Group, Richemont, LVMH, and the like. Whether you are shopping for a watch from Hamilton, A. Lange & Sohne, TAG Heuer, or Breguet, each of these brands is part of a group. As a casual watch buyer, you will probably not even notice. But if you look a little bit closer, can you see the effect of this huddling together on the actual offerings?Legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruijff is credited with stating, Every disadvantage has its advantage. Although, in actuality, this quote likely comes from Willem van Hanegem, it applies to today's subject. The influence of big brand groups is something of a mixed bag o...
Hands-On: Titoni Impetus CeramTech ZrO2 Black And White
The sports watch is one of the woolliest of watch categories. A dive watch has a set of ISO standards to conform to. A dress watch has a list of characteristics that should be displayed, even if one person might read those requirements more strictly than another. A pilot’s watch has legibility at its core. The sports watch accounts for a significant market segment yet seems to be defined best as “none of the above” as long as it has reasonable water resistance. However, the Impetus CeramTech ZrO2 from Titoni feels like a shining example of exactly what a sports watch should be.Legibility, toughness, water resistance, and the ability to look good on a bracelet or rubber stra...
Hands-On: Boldr Expedition Enigmath In Three Colors
The Expedition from Boldr is the brand’s self-styled “daily beater.” It has the dial of a field watch inside a dual-crown case with an internal timing bezel. The Expedition II saw a more angular case but with a similar dial layout. The Enigmath update to the series is more than just a new colorway. It brings a new dial style and additional functionality with a slide rule bezel.Often recognizable by its busy markings on a contrasting-colored, internal, rotating chapter ring, the slide rule bezel is mainly associated with the Breitling Navitimer but also with more affordable watches such as my own Citizen Nighthawk. I only tend to use the second crown on that watch to nudge t...
Retrieving NASA Rocket Boosters While Wearing A Seiko
Our Fratelli Stories series shares some of the wonderful and interesting backstories of our readers around the world. Today, we speak with Robert Eames, who is an enthusiast for all sorts of watches and has a fascinating backstory. One vintage Seiko has particular resonance with him.Fratello reader Robert Eames wrote in after a story we published on the Seiko 5 that I took with me to Asia. Thanks to Rob for sharing some details of his lifelong passion for Seiko watches.Rob is a humble guy but someone who has had an incredibly fascinating life. This includes working on naval vessels retrieving the NASA Columbia mission rocket boosters, which sounds like a super cool job! I spoke with Rob, and...
Hands-On: 2023 Cartier Tank Americaine Large Models
At Watches and Wonders 2023, Cartier introduced the new Tank Americaine. It excited me because I had tried on an older Tank Americaine a few months before at a get-together. It was a gold version with a date and a guilloche dial, and it unexpectedly charmed me. I assumed the Tank Americaine would be too elegant and delicate for my wrist, but I liked it a lot because it’s so different from many other watches on the market. Let’s look at the updated large version in both steel and yellow gold and see whether I’m still impressed.Together with the Tank Fran?aise from 1995, the Tank Americaine from 1989 is one of the youngest designs in the Cartier collection. Of course, it̵...
Leinfelder Munich Meridian Antiqua 2010 Chronograph
For the No.1 watch portal of the world – WatchUseek –? I just uploaded an article about the Meridian Antiqua 2010 chronograph from Leinfelder in Munich. An elegantly sleek looking timepiece with exceptional shaped pushers and a fly-back chronograph function. I think the pushers of this chronograph are stunning and serve as a crown guard as well!Read all about this exceptional sailor’s chronograph by clicking here....