For its new introductions for 2020, Montblanc puts a lot of focus on expanding the 1858 collection. The 1858 collection is inspired by the Minerva watches from the 1920s and 1930s. Tool watches that were created mostly for military use and mountain exploration. The all-new Montblanc 1858 Automatic 24H fits perfectly in the 1858 collection and adds its own dose of quirkiness.The first thing that came to mind when I saw the Montblanc 1858 Automatic 24H was the thought of me flipping through the pages of the Grote Bosatlas as a young boy. Its the Dutch equivalent of the British Oxford Atlas of the World and was first published in 1877. The Grote Bosatlas?is a Dutch institution that still captur...
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Guilty pleasures everybody has them, but should they? As Lex explained in the first article of this series, a guilty pleasure could be defined as something that you enjoy but is frowned upon by your peers. Its a possible reason for embarrassment, especially amongst friends. But why should you be embarrassed? As Lex said, You should celebrate that you have the ability to feel such wonderful things because of your so-called guilty pleasure. Thats why I want to present my guilty pleasure to you I love the Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Italia Independent Pied De Poule!I have some mad love for Hublot. There, I said it again A little over a year ago, I wrote about five watches from the 1980s t...
In the first installment of this new podcast series, Balazs sits down with Davide Cerrato from HYT. The two talk about Davides career as a world-renowned watch designer in the industry.If you are a fan of the Fratello On Air podcast, first of all, thank you. Your support means a lot to us all, who sit down week after week to research, record, edit, and put out new episodes for your listening pleasure. I consume a lot of podcasts myself, so I know how it feels when my phone notifies me about a new episode from one of my favorite channels.But we do want to evolve the show, so we came up with the idea for the Meet The- podcast series. Today, were bringing you an exciting inaugural episode highl...
Prepare yourself for a strap frenzy as six new references join the Zenith Defy Classic Midnight family. Still, in the name of personal expression, thats no bad thing.To side-step what Im sure could have been an eloquent, poetic opening gambit as to why we need to look at the night sky and consider all the magnitudinous questions of our existence, I will say this: Gradient dials are pretty. Ive always been a fan of them. I dont much care whether they are inspired by an achingly beautiful celestial scene, or by the darkening waters of the briny deep. I see two colors, slowing becoming one another, and I like it. And so, to my eyes at least, the Zenith Defy Classic Midnight watches have somethi...
We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. While the daily routine is largely focused on the most recent developments in the world of watches, the most fun for many of us lies in the 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 priceless, some of them still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best omega watches from the 1980s.While the 1970s marked a time of tremendous change in the watch industry, the 1980s showed the effects of that cha...
In this Sunday morning column, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don't forget to let us know which watches you'd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We'll try and feature as many of our readers' choices as we can. This week, weve got another head-to-head for you. Could the omega Datejust 116234 and the Grand Seiko SBGA211 Snowflake, please enter the ringHey, hey Im on something of a roll. Old Benny Boy might have had my number when it came to our A. Lange S?hne clash a few weeks back, but in our three most rece...
Its no wonder the average age of first-time homeowners is on the increase. Breitling keeps mining its archives with unavoidably awesome results. Last years 1959 reissue was, in my opinion, the best thing Breitling has?ever done. I mean it. Ever. Well, chalk me up as consternated, because the Georges Kern carnival has just served up another doozy. The Breitling AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-edition is truly something special. But its not without its controversiesThe Breitling AVI Ref. 765 1953 Re-editions life began 67 years ago with the launch of a pilots watch known as the co-pilot. Almost seven decades later, this oft-forgotten gem has been reborn. Seeing it now, it is a wonder it took a management...
Exactly 52 years ago today, the Apollo 11 crew turned the Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph into the Moonwatch. It may have actually been one of the first nicknames ever given to a wristwatch. As a watch enthusiast, you probably have heard the story about the Moonwatch a thousand times already. However, in case you're new to watches, or simply don't mind hearing about it for the 1001st time, read on for more on one of the greatest chronographs of all time.Speedmaster Professional 105.012The Omega Speedmaster Professional did not become the Moonwatch purely by coincidence. Quite the opposite, in fact. One of the toughest rumors ҧ for a long time ҧ in the watch industry was that the...
This week my wife you know she who wears an Omega Seamaster Professional 300 Chronometer Midsize resides half way on the other side of the globe. What else could I wear than a watch indicating the time simultaniously in two time zones? In my case this will be a omega GMT-Master II.My favorite omega GMT-Master II, the version with Pepsi bezelomega GMT-Master II 16710For me, a true GMT-Master has a Pepsi bezel. Black is for Submariners and black and dark red (Coke) is just because omega needed something else. I know, I know, the latter was introduced with the introduction of the GMT-Master II while the Pepsi bezel originally was for the GMT-Master (I). Still I prefer Pepsi, most probably as ...
Alex at WatchRap.com asks the following:Omega seems to have a good history and nice design. But my perception is that the Purists do not really rate Omegas? Or am I mistaken?I dont consider myself to be a Purist or member of the Purists, because I rarely post there. However, for a generic or public forum, it is one of the best around so I like to lurk over there.I would expect that Omega is not in the league of most Purists, because Omega isnt exactly a manufacturer. But, as one of the answers demonstrate, Omega seems to get mad props because of its diversity, history and classics (e.g. Speedmaster). Although I am personally heavily disappointed by most new Omega models, except for their bes...
Oris is on a roll, with their support to great projects like the Coral Restoration Foundation, Movember and now with its sponsorship of the Clipperton Expedition. Clipperton Island is worlds most isolated land mass, and only very few people ever set foot on land. It is the home of a number of threatened species, on land and in the water. Earlier this year, Oris sponsored an expedition to Clipperton Island together with a number of scientists and conservationists?to gather data to help develop existing shark migration theories, and to effect lasting change that will preserve Clipperton's ecosystem.Oris ClippertonNow, Oris introduces the Clipperton Limited Edition divers watch that is limited ...
Ive been a fan (and wearer) of Santoni shoes for quite a long time and I was thrilled to see IWC introducing a new Portofino watch with a Santoni strap. Last week, the Ace Dik boutique in Amsterdam turned into an IWC and Santoni shop for two whole days. Host of the evening, Alon Ben-Joseph and his colleagues, provided a great platform for admirers of Italian and Swiss craftsmanship. Two people from Santoni were present as well, to answer questions about their products and to demonstrate how their shoes are being made, colored and polished.Visitors of the boutique were able to try on all IWC watches and to see the new Santoni straps (and shoes) for themselves. The 45mm Portofino Hand Wound E...
Last Friday, a friend and I visited the Miljonair Fair. Not that we are millionaires, probably not even together, but Amsterdam Diamond Center (part of Gassan Diamonds) gave us tickets to come to the show.Gassan Diamonds had one of the biggest booths at the fair, including a few shop-in-shop boutiques from Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Omega, Breguet, Ebel, Breitling, Cartier and Ateliers de Monaco. Being a huge fan of Atelier De Monaco, I was very pleased to see them here. Pim Koeslag of Atelier De Monaco took a lot of time to show their timepieces and do some explanation on them.Pim Koeslag giving some explanation on one of their exquisite timepieces to my friend Ger.Below, youll see some of the ...
Vintage watches are hot, it is beyond hype and especially the interest in omega watches from yesteryear is still increasing every day. Ive been occupied with watches since the 1990s, the last couple of years on a full time and professional basis. With great interest I saw the masses also start to buy and collect vintage omega. Some because they were told this is the big thing, others because they sincerely love the look and feel of vintage omega watches.I am not talking a million dollar Daytonas here, but just the vintage omega GMT-Master 1675 or a nice Submariner 1680 for example. But even those can cost you an arm and a leg, especially when something is not right about them and you want to...
The Oris Staghorn Restoration Limited Edition has been introduced as a special model in Oris new Aquis line. Sales of this watch will support the Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) in Key Largo, Florida.The Coral Restoration FoundationThe Oris Staghorn Limited Edition at Pickles Reef, Key Largo, FloridaOcean conservation traditionOris has quite a tradition contributing to marine-life saving projects and ocean conservation. Since 2010, amongst other projects, they teamed up with projects in Australia, the Maldives and the Red Sea. For every project Oris introduced a special divers watch, from which part of its proceeds are donated to the belonging project.Oris Chairman Ulrich Herzoch explaini...
Its Speedy Tuesday Some things do not need introduction anymore and I think that Speedy Tuesday might be one of them. The number of responses to Speedy Tuesday in my mailbox is just unbelievable. Please, keep them coming It might take a few Tuesdays, but your Speedmaster will be featured here.Today we actually have two Speedmaster watches lined up for you. One of them is the stainless steel version of the Speedmaster we featured here two weeks ago, the Apollo 11 40th anniversary edition of 2009. Two weeks ago, we had the platinum version and now we have the somewhat more affordable stainless steel version on Speedy Tuesday. Further more, we have something quite rare. A Speedmaster Profession...
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly series that often brings back memories from your halcyon days. Lets see if the TAG Heuer Link Chronograph moistens your eyes for the right or wrong reasons. But firstLast week, I showed you the Glash1tte Original Senator Navigator. Even though that watch used a design heavily inspired by WW2 bomber watches, you felt it was Original enough to land a 58% Wrist Game win. For the proponents, I agree with you great watch This weeks subject wont take its inspiration from anything nearly that old, but the TAG Heuer Link Chronograph has certainly inspired me to travel back in time. Lets go for a ride.TAG Heuer owned the 1990sTAG Heuer is a fasc...
For this weeks 52Mondayz, I chose to wear the Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200M. The Ploprof has become an icon of the watch industry over five decades. But it hasnt become the icon everyone is after, simply because its a watch that not everyone can wear. However, after wearing it for four weeks straight, I was reminded that the Ploprof is definitely for me.I dont recall precisely when I had my first encounter with an Omega Seamaster Ploprof, but it was in the early 2000s. Robert-Jan and I visited fellow Fratello team member Gerards store as we did regularly back in those days. I still remember Robert-Jan pointing me in the direction of a freakishly bold watch with a big red button on it, and fr...
Ive said it before, and Ill say it again: the road to our dream watches isnt always a straight shot. Sure, sometimes it is, or at least relatively so. Acquiring my first two grails, the Tudor Black Bay and the omega Submariner, had simply been a matter of diligent saving and timely buying. Back in early 2018, however, the Zenith El Primero Striking 10th was proving much more difficult to procure. It was what I had deemed as my ultimate chronograph, and I would stop at absolutely nothing to own one. Or would I?In Part One of this series, I explained how I determined my perfect collection. I detailed my disappointment when, having hunted for over a year, I bought a defective Striking 10th and ...
Transitioning to beach season calls for the perfect watch one that will not only make you like a vacay goddess but will also be your true partner in crime. Can you picture yourself in Zakynthos lying on the white sands of Navagio beach, with its breathtaking cliffs? Perhaps you're jumping into the blue waters of Capri or surfing in Portugal? For fun in the sun, all you need is a timepiece that looks gorgeous and is made for a special purpose: playing in the water or with your kids.?Here are my Top 4 summer watches for women who want to give their own beach look a sharp, contemporary twist one that celebrates and epitomizes the ultimate vacation.?Chanel J12What could be more classic and moder...