Omega Seamaster 300This is the watch we've all been waiting for since Omega started to tease us via their Facebook page. We already did a guess some time ago (here), but now we finally get the chance to try the watch and see it in the flesh.Based on the original Seamaster 300 CK2913 from 1957, Omega introduces the new Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial in a number of different flavours. The name Master Co-AxialC as this confused a number of peopleC is referring to the anti-magnetic movement. Omega introduces 69 new watches with 8 different calibers that will carry an anti-magnetic movement based on the 15,000 gauss movement they introduced in the Seamaster Aqua Terra last year.This Seamaster 300...
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Introducing the new Breitling Chronomat that takes design cues from the future-classic 80s watch. The new Chronomat continues a burgeoning trend of revisiting heritage models from Breitling's esteemed back catalog.Under the leadership of Georges Kern, we have seen the Ref 806 from 1959, and Ref 765 from 1953 get the revision treatment. Also, the recently announced Top-Time with bow-tie dial. But these come from the Willy Breitling era. For some collectors, Breitling didn't begin until the 1980s.Legendary FutureFirst, a little bit of history. Breitling, during the 70s, was in a bit of a rut. This was true for many Swiss brands, left reeling from the onset of the quartz crisis. omega and Patek...
For IWC everything began in 1868 with the American engineer and watchmaker, Florentine Ariosto Jones, who decided to leave the USA and travel to Switzerland to look for new and better business opportunities. Basically, he wanted to escape the cost of labor in his home country, and use more affordable labor in Switzerland. Not long after, he founded the International Watch in Schaffhausen where he used the force of the river Rhine to power his machines. With its American roots, IWC has since become a household name in the Swiss watch industry. Let's have a look through the IWC brand history highlights.Florentine Ariosto Jones was a man with a plan. Jones was born in New Hampshire in 1841 and ...
Theres no stopping Grand Seiko Today the brand introduced its third new reference for 2022, the Grand Seiko White Birch SLGA009. Granted, the other two (SBGA471 and SBGH295) were US-market exclusives, but thats not how the internet works, of course. When news of the new White Birch reached our inbox this morning, I had to look twice to see how it differs from the 2021 Grand Seiko SLGH005. But after taking a closer look, I can confirm that it indeed does!If youre as old as I am and used to playing computer games on PC, Amiga, or some old-school consoles, the title of this article might sound familiar. It refers to a proper old-school game from 1989, called Xenon II The Megablast. Normally, se...
Normally, I refrain from writing separate articles on variants of the same watch, but when I picked up a second Gallet Multichron 12 Valjoux 72, I felt it was time to spread the news. On TBT, I've had the pleasure of covering an Excelsior Park 40 EP40 Multichron and it is one fantastic watch with an equally stupendous movement.? My fondness for these watches was also shown when we named the Gallet one of our 5 More to look for in our Top 5 Vintage Chronographs article. However, as the 1960's are really my wheelhouse when it comes to chronographs, the V72 truly speaks to me. Yes, I've said it before, this is essentially the Chevrolet 327 V-8 of watch movements ? used all over and still relat...
A few years ago, U-Boat jumped in the gap at that time of big watches. A Panerai wasnt affordable for everyone, so U-Boat produced large quartz watches and had a wide network of resellers. You could even get them at most clothing stores for men. Clever marketing made U-Boat a big name and even people who didnt care about watches, seem to know this brand. Heck, someone in a clothing store even asked me whether I was wearing a U-Boat, while it was a Panerai.Perhaps not fully justified, but Ive never given U-Boat watches a proper look. Dimer send me a few of his pictures that he took of this U42 model and telling me that he was very impressed by the watch and the watch box. Since I know Dimer...
Welcome to This Week in Watches for June 6, 2020 the surprising edition. There were some unexpected releases this week so lets take a look!Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer ManufactureIts always surprising to see a Frederique Constant in gold and I must say that this weeks Classic Worldtime Manufacture was a pleasant one. FC will make a maximum of 88 of these world timers with a polished 42mm rose gold case. The in-house FC-718 automatic toils away and allows the wearer to rotate an inner bezel via the crown. With its dark blue dial and striking details, I think this is a serious looker. And while FC might not be your first choice when youre considering a mega spend, this one comes in a...
Remember when the first Omega Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday came out in 2017? Our reader Shawn was the first to pick it up at an Omega boutique in the USA. Now, 2 years later, we ask him about his fascination for the Speedmaster.The Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday wasnt his first encounter with Omega or the Speedmaster though. The story of Shawn is probably recognizable for many of you, but definitely interesting to read. He talks about the Speedy Tuesday community, his grail and the story about picking up his first Speedy Tuesday making him feel like a wrist model.QA With Speedmaster Enthusiast ShawnOn January 10th, 2017, together with Omega we introduced the first Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday watch ...
I remember getting my Seiko SPB143J1 about two years ago. Its well-balanced design, brushed steel bezel insert, and gray sunburst dial really spoke to me. But I knew it was going to be a chunky and heavy watch, especially on the bracelet. So by the time it arrived, I had already gotten some straps for it. I got myself some single-pass NATOs and a Tropic strap, but the best match for me was a green/gray two-piece NATO I got from Esprit NATO. I have since gotten rid of the SPB143J1, but Im still enjoying the strap I got for it!Im not entirely sure how I ended up on the Esprit NATO website. Its a company operating out of Paris that offers the usual leather, nylon, and rubber watch straps also o...
All aboard for another voyage on the S.S. Wrist Game or Crying Shame. This week, we examine a watch that feels a bit polarizing to me: the omega Yacht-Master II. Before we leave for seaMarco Polo Marco Polo Ah, just kidding. Last week, I brought you back to the days of Studio 54 with the Piaget Polo. Folks, this equestrian-intended watch bracelet engaged in quite the horse race and it went down to the wire. Sadly, the Polo lost by a nose in a 51% Crying Shame result. Something tells me that todays omega Yacht-Master II will finish far more decisively. Lets see which direction.The omega Yacht-Master IIThe omega Yacht-Master II left the boatyard way back in 2007 and has motored on under its ow...
During our stay in New York for the Speedy Tuesday Event there, we interviewed Terry Virts.Terry W. Virts Jr. (1967) is a former NASA astronaut, and Colonel in the United States Air Force and was the special guest of our Speedy Tuesday Event in New York a few weeks ago. A full report on that event can be found here. Before the event took place, we had a brief moment with this former Space Shuttle astronaut and resident of the Internation Space Station. We sat in the bar of The Beekman Hotel in New York City and talked about how one becomes an astronaut, the difference between the Shuttle and Soyuz space crafts (he flow on both), the Speedmaster X-33 he used onboard, his watch collection and ...
The omega GMT-Master (II) finally stepped out of the shadow of its diving brother, the Submariner. With the introduction of the ceramic Pepsi and Batman (on Jubilee) recently, the hype is real. Long waiting lists and market prices far over retail result in disappointed customers, but that doesnt seem to slow down the demand. On the contrary.I can imagine why the omega GMT-Master II is so much in demand. It is a great daily companion, with the added value of an extra timezone. I had my share of GMT-Master watches, including a few vintage 1675s and a GMT-Master II 16710. When I was ready to purchase a GMT-Master II Ceramic or Batman in 2017, I was confronted with the above-mentioned demand for...
Just before the SIHH kicks off, a couple of brands that are not part of that exhibition are introducing new watches as well. Oris is one of these brands and they introduce you to the new Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition. The first bronze Oris Carl Brashear sold very well, and in the meanwhile has become a true collectors item. Prices on the market are well over the original retail (of 2600).Now, Oris comes up with the Carl Brashear Chronograph limited edition. Limited to 2000 pieces in total and this time, with a chronograph complication. For the background on the Carl Brashear connection, follow this link, where you will find an in-depth review on the first edition.Oris Carl Brashe...
The Cartier Pasha celebrates its 35th birthday this year. With the help of designer G rald Genta, the Pasha de Cartier (as the French say) was meant to be a sporty/sportier watch than they had in their collection at that time.Sportswatch is not the word that comes to mind when I look at the Cartier Pasha. Having said that, compared to the watches in the collection back in the day, it really fit. According to Cartier expert George Cramers book, Cartier The gentlemans files, the Pasha was meant to be a masculine, sportive, and waterproof watch, but with the stylish elements that are so typically Cartier.The original Pasha was introduced in a 38mm diameter. That certainly wasnt a small size ba...
Today marks a special day, not only is it the birthday of my beautiful daughter, it is also the fourth anniversary of our Speedy Tuesday feature and the 70th birthday?and?the last working day of Stephen Urquhart, CEO of Omega.Stephen Urquhart was born May 31st 1946?in Trinidad and has both Swiss and British nationality (Scottish father and a Portuguese mother).?He started working for Omega in 1968 as an International Account Manager and as he told me during an event last year he got to communicate with NASA during that time because of his perfect English, which was something quite uncommon in Switzerland in those days. He worked for Omega for 6 years (must have been an exciting time!) befo...
The Globemaster Annual Calendar debuted in 2016, and not too long ago, it received a few dial updates. One of them is the green-dialed model that I have here, reference 130.33.41.22.10.001. To tell the truth, when the 41mm Globemaster Annual Calendar came out in 2016, I wasn't immediately a fan. I love the 39mm Globemaster, but the annual-calendar version that came one year later had a few things about it that I didn't appreciate. The 12 months written on the dial was the most notable one, as I found that the text was too in-your-face. At least thats how it looked in the press images.But as soon as I put the watch on my wrist, I found that it wasnt disturbing at all. There are some watches t...
For the people that are Grand Seiko devotees like we are at Fratello keeping up with the slew of new releases this year has been a full-time commitment. Now imagine if you are a watch enthusiast that is just getting into the magic of Grand Seiko. The maze that Grand Seiko has built can be hugely overwhelming. Do you go for mechanical, quartz, or Spring Drive? Do I go for a timepiece from the Elegance, Sport, or Heritage collection?? Well, we have an answer for you. If you are looking for an entry-level quartz Grand Seiko watch, look no further. The new Grand Seiko SBGP013 is your pick.For me, Grand Seiko is probably the only brand where I would first ask myself what kind of movement I would ...
It's time for a new GMT from Grand Seiko This is exciting news because you, dear readers, have a thing for watches that measure more than one timezone and especially when they come from this upscale brand. Are you ready to check out the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 GMT duo?It's true that Grand Seiko offers all types of watches from dress to sport. However, the brands GMT pieces are some of its best. Within the Sport collection, one can find a GMT powered by Spring Drive, a Hi-Beat automatic, an automatic, and even quartz Sign me up for one of those tasty SBGJ Hi-Beat references Today's models represent a very slight departure from the Sport collection because these watches are termed the Grand Se...
To start, let me make one thing perfectly clear: the omega Tiffany Oyster Perpetual doesn't exist. When something is turquoise blue, it's not automatically Tiffany Blue. In omega's current lineup you will find three references with that soft shimmering color that reminds me of a tropical sea, not a New York jeweler. The first reference is the Oyster Perpetual 31 and the models that follow measure 36, and 41mm. But good luck buying any of them, because Tiffany Blue is the watch color of 2021. Dealers don't have em, and on the secondary market, prices are soaring. The watch world has lost its marbles. Once again.The hype is real. Since Patek Philippe dropped the Nautilus 5711 signed Tiffany C...
Exotic materials titanium, ceramic, and carbon. What do we think of them for our watches? Tune in to the latest episode of Fratello On Air to find out what Balazs and Mike have to say.What happens when two vintage watch lovers come together to discuss exotic materials? Well, we had to open our minds and consider alternatives to our beloved stainless steel. In the first of a two-part series, we talk about materials that find their way to watch cases. Titanium, ceramic, and carbon are in play, and while they arent our favorites, we come up with some suggested models.Getting into exotic materialsAs always, we begin with the Handgelenks Kontrolle. Balazs is rocking his vintage Heuer Montreal and...