Hands-On: Mido Ocean Star GMT
I occasionally wear a 1959 Mido Multifort. My dad lived and worked in Liberia around that time, and he bought it in Monrovia, the nation's capital. He was actually torn between two watches. First, there was the GMT-Master worn by the Pan-Am pilots that flew back and forth to the former US colony, which, in 1847, became the first African republic to proclaim its independence. Then there was the aforementioned Mido Multifort. He picked the Multifort because of the movie ads that said Mido; a watch to dine with, to court with, and to sport with. If only my dad had hung out and drank with cool pilots more instead of going to the movies, I could now be wearing a vintage Pepsi. Instead, I have a ...
Thomas's Favorite Watches Of 2022 Seiko, Baltic, Omega
For me, as a watch aficionado, 2022 has been quite a special year. It feels like it has been longer, but I moved from Amsterdam Watch Company to Fratello only this May. And that was just a couple of months after releasing my debut book on the vintage Datejust. These were two significant milestones in my journey. The big difference between vintage dealing and watch journalism is the fact that no new watches get released in the vintage space. As such, this question about my favorite watches of the year is a new one for me. Never before have I been so close to all watch-related news, covering new releases every week. Some of those releases made me pull out my wallet, so I pretty much have to i...
Available Now: Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition
You might have seen that we introduced our latest collaboration watch last week, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition. Today, we are very excited to announce that it’s available in the Fratello Shop and ready for shipping within five business days. That means it’ll be on your wrist (or under the tree) in time for Christmas!Oris is a brand that is near and dear to the hearts of the Fratello team and our community. Known for producing excellent-quality watches that offer fantastic value for money given the engineering and specs, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition is no different. The Divers Sixty-Five is one of Oris’ most popular collections, b...
New: Oak & Oscar Olmsted FEW Limited Edition
I’ve known Chase Fancher since he first appeared in the press lounge of the now-defunct Baselworld back in 2015. None of us knew who he was or how he got there, but he was friendly, a bit quirky, and super passionate about the watch brand he was about to launch. Eight years and many successful watches later, his passion project/watch brand has finally gone full circle with this new release. The Oak & Oscar Olmsted FEW Limited Edition is the perfect blend (no pun intended) between whiskey and timepieces.I love this project and what it means to Chase and his Oak & Oscar family. The watch perfectly combines the essence behind the brand with its love for whiskey in an elegant and f...
Hands-On: The 41mm Bell & Ross BR 03
Why did an instrument that was never meant to be worn on the wrist become a successful wristwatch? Because the idea was brilliant, it came at the right time, and it was very well executed. The original BR 01 that debuted in 2005 measured a whopping 46 46mm and was quite hefty too. But it was also like nothing else, and it satisfied the need for a bigger and bolder timepiece. It also worked because of the immediate association with the coolness of being in the cockpit as a pilot. The new 41mm BR 03 is a toned-down, refined version of the previous 42mm BR 03 generation, and that watch, of course, owes everything to the granddaddy, the BR01. Is a square watch still hip, and does a 1mm decrease ...
My Seiko Diver Journey Part Three: A Final Grand Upgrade?
About two years ago, I wrote two stories about my Seiko obsession and collecting journey, and after that, I was content. For me, my newly strap-upgraded SLA023 Marinemaster is still the king of Seiko dive watches, no matter its brutish size. Its predecessor even won our Seiko World Cup. So why am I questioning myself? Have I come to the end of my Seiko diver journey, or is it destined to continue?After many years and probably around 15 Seiko divers or more circulating through my collection, I miss some. Sure, there are also some that I wouldn't recommend, but I have a deep love for these tool watches, as you can tell from the first and second parts?of this series. Even if prices keep increas...
Hublot Square Bang Unico King Gold
In Dutch, we have a saying, Op elk potje past een dekseltje. That literally translates to, For every jar, there's a lid that fits. So, my dear Fratelli, the Hublot Square Bang Unico King Gold might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it will appeal to some. De gustibus non disputandum est is a Latin saying that means, In matters of taste, there can be no disputes. So let's not argue about the aesthetics of the exuberant watches crafted in the Swiss town of Nyon. Instead, take note of the facts and figures that describe the 42mm gold chronographs with either a matching precious metal bezel or a contrasting one in black ceramic.Yes, I know, a lid on a jar is normally round, so you can screw it o...
New: Doxa Sub 300 "Great White" Topper Edition
Topper Fine Jewelers in Burlingame, California has created some truly memorable collaborative limited-edition watches. Brands like Zodiac, Seiko, and Fears have been featured on one or more of the 14 pieces thus far. The latest release is the Doxa Sub 300 “Great White” Topper Edition. It’s a cool piece with enough differences from the serial-production models to matter.Indeed, Topper has released some attractive limited editions. Today’s Doxa Sub 300 “Great White,” however, might be my favorite. It’s a great-looking watch, but it’s more than a dial variant. As we’ll see, there is a notable mechanical change that should prove popular with ...
Czapek Fratello's Promenade Transparencies "Viridian Green"
After proudly introducing you to our latest Czapek Fratello Promenade Transparencies “Viridian Green” edition, we are now thrilled to launch it in the Fratello Shop. This watch is our second collaboration with Czapek, and we couldn’t be more excited thanks to the overwhelmingly positive feedback you all have given us already. The great news is that you can pre-order this limited edition in the Fratello Shop as of today, with only 50 pieces available.If you’ve not had the chance to read the introductory article from earlier this week, now is the right time. The Czapek Fratello Promenade Transparencies “Viridian Green” is a watch with an interesting story. I...
Hot Take: The New Nezumi Tonnerre Monochrome
Stockholm-based Nezumi Studios has been in business since 2011 and making affordable, traditionally designed watches since 2015. The focus is on sporty pieces, such as divers, GMTs, chronographs, and field watches. Now a new variant enters the collection. The Tonnerre Monochrome chronograph, with its classic color scheme, is sure to be a hit.Nezumi’s watches are hard to dislike. The designs are familiar yet fresh and use reliable Japanese movements. Also, all the pieces are assembled in Germany. Best of all, most models are available for around $500. For someone interested in a non-mainstream brand, these are solid options. Today, we get one more with the Tonnerre Monochrome chronograp...
Event Report: Celebrating Breitling's 140th Anniversary
Last week, we organized an evening with Breitling at the brand’s impressive boutique in our hometown of The Hague, Netherlands. We invited a fairly large group of Fratelli to look at the current Breitling collection. But Fred Mandelbaum, our special guest, was also there, and he brought part of his extensive vintage Breitling collection. So there was time to review the brand’s history, but we also certainly touched on what Breitling is now and what its future will bring. Below, you’ll find an impression of what the evening was like along with some pictures by our photographer Max.The Breitling boutique in The Hague is located on a prominent corner of the Hoogstraat, right i...
Muhle Glashutte Introduces The New Sportivo Line
Muhle Glashutte is known for its sporty and reliable timepieces. For 2024, the brand has big news with a brand-new line of watches. The Sportivo collection consists of three models made for sports, the office, and everywhere else. We’ll provide a brief overview of each release.The Muhle Glashutte Sportivo line includes a chronograph, GMT, and compass date. As we’ll see, all these watches have rotating external bezels, screw-down crowns, and a 300m water resistance rating. The pieces share a 42.5mm stainless steel case design and rely on Sellita automatic movements. Additionally, the watches come on a canvas and rubber strap that uses 100% recycled PET bottles. Oyster-style bracel...
Hands-On: The Spinnaker Croft 42 Skeleton Automatic
When the Spinnaker Croft 42 Skeleton Automatic landed on my desk, it instantly reminded me of two watches. The first was the skeletonized Rado Captain Cook in all its various guises. In all fairness, that’s not a bad visual reference. The second one was a little closer to home, though. In the 1990s, my brother owned a Swatch Irony Automatic Diaphane Skeleton, which I loved. While the Spinnaker is inherently different as it is a stainless steel dive watch, it still made me smile as it reminded me of a great memory from more than two decades ago. But could the Croft 42 Skeleton Automatic stand on its own? Let’s find out!Spinnaker is a brand with an extensive collection of dive and ...
Bernie's Exploitation Of A Robbery Sponsored by Hublot
The fact that Bernie and his girlfriend got robbed last month, is an excellent marketing tool for Hublot. Although pretty sure it was a JLC that got taken from his wrist, it now seems to be a Hublot. You can read more about the robbery here.The money making machine Bernie Ecclestone knows how to turn something negative into something positive (money).Thanks to JIFF for the tip and the original post at a Dutch car blog can be found here....
Quick Shot: The Hublot Masterpiece Collection
All images may be clicked on for larger versions.I was given an hour with the Hublot Masterpiece collection recently – these uncommon pieces were traveling through Kuala Lumpur as part of the Journey Through Time exhibition. These three pieces represent a significant and welcome departure from the staple line of Big Bang offerings and their myriad variants; however tastes and preferences will of course be personal. Hublot has gathered a team of watchmakers called the “confrere horlogere”, specifically to develop highly complicated pieces in small series. Please note that the watches photographed were non-functioning prototypes, so I am unable to comment on the running and u...
Breguet 5447BR Classique Grande Complication
It has been a while ago that we covered Breguet here on Fratello Watches (in this article by Ming Thein on the Breguet La Tradition). There is no specific reason about the non-coverage, except that the brand wasn’t really on my radar. The brand always appeared to me as very classic – with the exception of the Marine and Type XX/XXI collections – and very expensive. Although Breguet didn’t change much, perhaps my taste for watches did.Just recently, I’ve started to warm up to Breguet’s classic round fluted cases and hand guilloche dials. It is probably because my collection consists – with just a few exceptions – of sporty watches. For formal oc...
Watches & Pencils #8 Sandwich Dial In-depth
Today I would like to discuss a tasty' topic: the sandwich dial. After grasping some (historic) facts I will discuss some recent examples from different brands.History and FactsLuminosity to the maxBetween 1930 and 1940 the first sandwich dials were introduced. Although there are several models with a kind of ?sandwich' construction from that time (e.g. the Longines 13ZN Chronograph or IWC cal. 83), the term and construction was mostly introduced by Officine Panerai and presented by one of their primal Radiomir models. Around 1938, Panerai watches were still exclusively developed for the Royal Italian Navy and so they had to be very functional and robust. One request from the navy was to mak...
An A. Ganster Compressor, travelling Watch Around the World. #watw
Watch Around the WorldRecently, when we were in Vienna (Austria) during an event, we met up with a loyal reader of Fratello Watches. Let’s say his name is Markus, you’ll find him on Instagram as @vintagewatchzilla. Except being a Speedmaster and Speedy Tuesday fan, Markus had a very nice idea. Not long ago he bumped into this very nice compressor-type of watch, which bears the name of supplier A. Ganster in Graz (Austria).Not much can be found on this watch dealer, however he sure supplied nice watches. The compressor watch here is of much the same construction as watches of more known brands, and bears the same signs as many other watches manufactured according to the brevet #31...
Hands-On Staudt Praeludium Hand Wound Review
Yvo Staudt and his WatchesFor those who aren’t familiar with Staudt Watches, a small recap. Staudt Watches was found by Yvo Staudt. Yvo (1991) is actually a professional musician and plays classical accordion. He studied in Italy for two consecutive years with one of the best classical accordionists in the world. While being away from family and friends during that time, he finds some peace in studying mechanical watches.He falls in love with a timepiece that he simply can’t afford. He tries to search for an affordable alternative, but without much luck. Instead he decides to do it himself. Design and create a watch he will truly like and enjoy. He teaches the art of designing an...
#TBT Taking a Look at the Heuer Carrera 12 Dato Reference 2547
Standing on the beach with a beer in my hand. No, that's not an alternative take on a classic hit from The Cure. It was me and it was this past August somewhere in the Algarve of Portugal.?? Actually, my phone was nearby and when it rang, the Dutch-infused voice of Paul, our nearly in-house watchmaker, spoke on the other end. Paul informed me that an older watchmaker friend of his was going through his drawers watchmakers seemingly have loads of those and found an old Heuer that he was interested in selling. Paul called me with a simple question. Was I interested in buying a Heuer Carrera 12 Dato at a reasonable price? Oh, and did I mention that the watch was on its original Gay Freres beads...