If the concept of owning a mechanically-groundbreaking watch resonates with you, Vacheron Constantin's new releases will be your thing. The Traditionnelle Tourbillions fit neatly into this storied Swiss brands catalog while evolving the modern idea of ?Haute Horlogerie?for women.2020 has been a good year for womens watches. It started with Bvlgaris Serpenti, released during the LVMH Watch Week in Dubai. That watch was fitted with the world's smallest tourbillon. Following its release, I had high hopes. The mold was breaking. Brands were becoming more experimental. At last, they were taking risks with womens timepieces. I had hoped that this year, we might finally catch a glimpse of what ladi...
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In 2021, Omega updated the iconic Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with the caliber 3861 movement. A very good reason to update our Speedmaster Buyers Guide as well!This guide dates all the way back to 2014, and since then, a lot happened. Not only did we have our own way with Omega and the two Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday watches (in 2017 and 2018), Omega also introduced a number of interesting Speedmaster watches to the collection. What about the Speedmaster Calibre 321 from 2020, or the new Moonwatch Master Chronometer models in gold? Time for us to update this Speedmaster Buyers Guide.In this Speedmaster Buyers Guide, we give you an overview of the most important references of the Speedm...
Pulsographs or pulsometers could be found not only in chronographs but also on classy three-handers. So lets dive into some of the best vintage pulsation watches on the market.Most vintage watches have a rate of five beats per second or 18,000 beats per hour. When you consider that, it seems amazing that a physical object can operate for such a long period of time. 18,000 beats per hour equate to 432,000 beats per day, and a gob-smacking 157,680,000 per year. Thats nearly 160 million opportunities for something to go wrong. And yet they beat on. Well-made movements continue to function for decades after the balance wheel was set on its way. And since these mechanical marvels are working so h...
It is Moonwatch Weekend here on Fratello, and at several other places, as it was exactly 50 years ago that Armstrong and Aldrin set foot on the Moon. Accompanied by the Speedmaster Professional.We usually try to keep our Moonwatch enthusiast for a Tuesday, but we feel were allowed to do so this weekend as well.From the authors of the book Moonwatch Only, you will now also find this smaller hardcover book called A Moon Watch Story. It is not an addition to Moonwatch Only (we reviewed the 2nd edition here), but an alternative for those who dont want to shill out 250 (or more, since it is officially out of print and prices rapidly increased for a copy on eBay and elsewhere). And although I whol...
In 2021, Omega updated the iconic Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with the caliber 3861 movement. A very good reason to update our Speedmaster Buyers Guide as well!This guide dates all the way back to 2014, and since then, a lot happened. Not only did we have our own way with Omega and the two Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday watches (in 2017 and 2018), Omega also introduced a number of interesting Speedmaster watches to the collection. What about the Speedmaster Calibre 321 from 2020, or the new Moonwatch Master Chronometer models in gold? Time for us to update this Speedmaster Buyers Guide.In this Speedmaster Buyers Guide, we give you an overview of the most important references of the Speedm...
Montblanc has some interesting watches for you in store this year. One of them is the Timewalker Manufacture Chronograph. In this article, we will give you a first look and some of our thoughts. Starting at just below 5000 Euro for an in-house chronograph (up to 5290 depending on the strap / bracelet combination), it could become a very serious option for those who love chronos with a manufacture movement.TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph Panda DialDuring the presentation, Montblanc actually referred to this watch as Paul Newman style themselves (sigh), but if you can look past that statement, theres actually a cool watch being offered here. It is powered by a three register chronograph mov...
Introduced at the BaselWorld 2010 exhibition, the Tudor Heritage Chrono was the talk of the day for months to come. Authorized omega/Tudor dealers created waiting lists for people who desperately needed one. The vintage Tudor Monte Carlo Chronographs ref.7149, 7159/0, ref.7169/0 and the 7031/0, the original models on which the Heritage Chrono is based, skyrocketed to 10K Eur and over. I have written an in-dept and chronological story on the Tudor Monte Carlo a while ago already for MotoringExposure, click here to read it.The Heritage 70330N and the Monte Carlo ref. 7169/0, photo courtesy of Ryan5446A few months after the Heritage Chrono became available in stores in June, I see them popping ...
The omega watch everyone has been waiting for is there, partly that is. This means that there is a Pepsi bezel for the new style GMT-Master II, it also means that omega decided to use it on a 18 carat white gold watch first. We sat down with omega in Baselworld and had a look at the new models and would like to start with this omega GMT-Master II 116719BLRO first.As you know we have a weak spot for the GMT-Master watches and covered them many times. An overview from the very first mid-1950s omega GMT-Master models to the latest models with Cerachrom bezel can be found here. After omega introduced the GMT-Master II 116710LN (Lunette Noir) in 2005 and last year the 116710BLNR (Bleu Noir), we c...
Timekeeping has been an integral part of space exploration since long before the first manned rocket flight. To watch lovers, nothing better represents the union of time and space than the watches of the explorers who dared to set out into the great unknown. Until now, the focus both for the missions and watches was limited to Earths orbit and the Moon. But with missions to Mars on the horizon, watch companies are jockeying to become the brand for Mars that Omega has been for the Moon.Omega isnt sitting this one out either. If the Omega Speedmaster Professional was good enough for the Moon, it can go to Mars, right? Fortis believes its Official Cosmonauts Chronograph will win out. The brand ...
In recent months, we get more questions about the 1990s Speedmaster Professional watches than ever. The ones with tritium dials and hands, that tend to age nicely and turn yellow.It is something Ive been saying all along the 1990s Moonwatch is the next best thing You can still find them with boxes and papers, and they do look awesome with the tritium on the markers and in the hands turning yellow. Even more interesting perhaps, are the versions with display backs. A hesalite crystal on the dial and a sapphire case back what a combo This article is originally from 2016 (go figure), but in light of the recent requests we received for more information about these watches, I decided to revise th...
We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Chronomatic. The watch portals and mostly watch enthusiasts such as Jeffrey Stein (@on_the_dash) have already summed up everything factual about the Caliber 11, its development, its originality and break-through meaning. So, I think we can allow ourselves to be a bit sentimental now, right?Breitling is my OmegaYou know that RJ sold a?car to get his first Speedmaster? Well, the time I?wanted my first Breitling I?didn't do that. Not that I?didn't want to, but I?didn't have a car or anything else I could sell for that matter. It was in 2002. I?came to the capital city of Slovakia as an 18-year-old student with just enough money to cover the rent fo...
So you've just bought your first luxury wristwatch. For the sake of argument, and being this is Fratello, let's make it one of the brand new Master Chronometer Omega Speedmaster Moonwatches. To a lower level of detail, let's say this is the Hesalite version with a matching steel bracelet. Quite a nice catch perhaps it was a gift to yourself for reaching a milestone or just something you always longed for. Maybe it was a strong interest in the space program that brought the Speedy to your attention.Whatever the occasion may be, you've handed down 6,100 to land the Master Chronometer Moonwatch with Hesalite and you're happy. But now you want to go deeper into this hobby and you're wondering ho...
Let me start by saying that it always amazes me that there is such a gap between results from auctions and from the normal marketplaces for watches. Todays Phillips auction results are no different, and you also need to deal with buyers premium and deal with taxes. The latter should be always dealt with if you buy abroad (or outside EU for EU residents for example). I will get back to the differences in prices later, lets have a look first at the Speedmaster watches that were part of todays Phillips auction in Hong Kong.The Hong Kong Watch Auction: SIXToday, there were 10 Omega Speedmasters?up for sale during the Phillips auction this morning (my local time). Phillips was so kind to send me ...
Lets see if the new Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Worldtimer in Sedna Gold is something I can cosign.I'm not particularly a fan of gold watches. Unless they are white gold, that is. I have nothing against the alloy or anyone who wears a timepiece made of gold. I like the tone of rose gold, even yellow gold, and I also have some gold (plated) vintage watches. Mind you, I bought them for the importance of their movements or the model (like this Omega Moonphase Jumbo), not for their case color. Now white gold or platinum is a different story. Granted, they look like steel, and I guess this is why I like them. I think that gold does not go well with my skin tone. Or so I thought. Until I was offered...
When I finally got my shot at writing about watches for aBlogtoWatch way back in 2015, I was set an initial task that would serve as my probation: three articles to be turned around in a week. If they were up-to-scratch, I would become a member of the team. Given the years Id invested in earning that opportunity, the pressure I felt was immense. No surprises, then, that the subjects of those three trial articles have remained in mind ever since. One of them, The Zenith Academy Georges Favre-Jacot 18k Gold watch recently popped up on Zeitauktion and brought memories of that experience flooding back.I fancy myself a pressure performer. In any sporting contest, while never the superstar, I alwa...
My First Encounter with a Gold Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo XIWhen I bought my first Speedmaster in October 1999, it didn't take long to get in touch with other Speedmaster enthusiasts. One of them referred me to a watch maker that was close in my area that was more or less specialized in Speedmaster watches. I got in touch with him and the first time we met he was wearing this crazy gold Speedmaster Professional with burgundy bezel and engraved caseback filled with red lacquer. At the time, I didn't know about this specific model but I knew it was something special. Apparently, I had the honor to come across the gold Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo XI numbered edition, refere...
Right before the Christmas madness will break loose, Oris introduces to you their new Artelier Date Diamonds models in 33mm. A mid-sized case watch for women whereas the watch was previously only available in a small 28mm. This Artelier Date with 12 brilliant-cut diamonds on the dial might be a great gift (for your wife, girlfriend, or yourself of course!) for Christmas.Oris Artelier Date DiamondsStarting at 1800 Swiss Francs for the version on a leather strap and 2000 Swiss Francs for the one with the stainless steel bracelet, this 33mm stainless steel watch competes with a number of other ladies watches out there. Whats especially nice, is that Oris made sure to fit a see-through case back...
We take a look at the new, limited edition Longines Heritage Military 1938.It was truly a month ago that we were right here talking about the newest addition to the Longines Heritage collection with the sector-dialed Classic model.? That 38.5mm model proved to be a popular watch with our readers and the comments were quite favorable.? I had the chance to pen that article and I walked away suitably impressed with the fact that the watch lacked any extraneous writing on its dial about the movement, etc and declared it a positive change in direction for the brand that once adorned every vintage-inspired model with both a date window and an automatic movement.? Todays model is one such example a...
By now, you may have noticed I have a strong affection for Oris watches. For me, it kicked off with the Divers Sixty-Five that I purchased in 2015. For Oris, this vintage-inspired model was a crucible for the revitalization of the brand. From there, Oris has gone strength-to-strength. By releasing a myriad of limited-edition models, chronograph options, and recently the third bronze Carl Brashear edition with Calibre 401, Oris has certainly kept us on our toes. Today, Oris unveils a trio of bronze watches with surprising Cotton Candy color codes for its latest trick.The new Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy receives a complete Bronze treatment on the bezel, case, and bracelet. However, most app...
This is the second installment of the Pre-Owned Picks series. In this weekly Pre-Owned Picks series, a Fratello editor will select some watches from the pre-owned market and explain why it is an exciting offer (or watch).As you could read in our first Pre-Owned Picks article in collaboration with Chrono24, the pre-owned market is enormous. And logically, it is only going to grow as more people will buy and sell their watches. Every week we will select a few pre-owned watches from their offers and discuss them here. Basically, for this weeks episode, I picked a few watches that are either always on my radar or watches that are on my wishlist. Without further ado, lets have a look at this week...