Yesterday, IWC introduced their new Pilot collection of watches at Airport Eelde in The Netherlands. Besides the product presentation, done by their Head of Design, there was also one of the TOP GUN pilots explaining to us how important time is for a pilot.In the picture above you see RJ pretending he is a TOP GUN pilot in a jet. In fact, the watch on his wrist is the actual watch of the TOP GUN pilot that was present during the event.IWC restyled a hangar, with two very nice planes (a Spitfire and a L39 jet), lovely stewardesses and a great bar and a long table with room for everyone to enjoy a superb lunch. Friend of the brand Michiel Borstlap (proudly wearing a Big Pilot) made sure there ...
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Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, a weekly series that makes you feel like a boss. Let's see if you'll own today's candidate, the omega Explorer II 16570 Polar. But first?-Last week, we did a 180 and featured an early 90s svelte dress watch from Vacheron Constantin known as the Les Historiques 31110. This one came in platinum and, if I may say so, truly looked the part. As for what part that was, let's give it the leading role as a winner because this watch took home a convincing 64% Wrist Game victory. You might also recall my remark that detractors lacked good taste? Well, my feelings remain unchanged.But for those detractors that loved the icy white color of the VCs dial, Ive go...
The Omega Speedmaster needs little introduction. It is one of the most talked-about chronograph watches in the world at least here on Fratello. But as strange as it might sound, the Speedmaster doesn't please everyone. Maybe you dont care about its Moon-going history, or perhaps you don't like the shape of the case. There could be any number of other reasons why the Omega Speedmaster doesnt suit you. With that in mind, I decided to make my own list of the top five alternatives to the legendary Moonwatch.Back in the late 1990s, when I was looking for an Omega Speedmaster Professional, there was one alternative that I briefly considered. It was IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph ref. IW3706, a 39mm...
Speedy Tuesday is here Although we love all the limited edition Speedmasters, mission patch models, X-33s, Flightmasters, Z-33, Moon phase etcetera etcetera models, we are the first ones to admit that some times it is just best to buy the original Moonwatch.The current Moonwatch is in our opinion the ref.3570.50 (as discussed and compared to a vintage Moonwatch in the recent past) but the real Moonwatch that has been used ON the Moon by Buzz Aldrin and other astronauts are the Speedmaster Professional models with reference number 105.012 and 145.012. At least, these are the reference numbers we know of. Perhaps during later missions the caliber 861 models (145.022) also might have seen the...
We visited the?Breguet Manufacture recently and witnessed how modern watchmaking can be combined with old watchmaking skills performed by artisans.Breguet overcoil, Breguet hands and of course, the tourbillon. We often use the name Breguet when talking about design elements or movements. Even when it is not about a Breguet watch. Breguet is a very old watch manufacture, that dates back to 1775 when founder?Abraham-Louis Breguet opened his first workshop in Paris. Responsible for many horological inventions in the history of watchmaking that are still being used today. In this article, I dont want to sum up those inventions (you can read about them here), but show you what Breguet is doing to...
Okay, Im going to keep this short, because Oris, for some unknown reason, has decided to release an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous watch with just three images. Normally I would wait until more become available, but I just cant contain myself. I wanted to be one of the first to share this with you because I think the new Oris Aquis Date cherry dial dive watch is an absolute beaut and deserves a lot more attention than the three images I currently have at my disposal seem likely to get it alone.You know we love Oris as a team. However, within that team, there are three distinct camps. There are the pilots, the traditionalists, and the divers. I am in the latter camp despite not being qualified...
Even if you don't follow watch auctions, you may know that the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 with its Tiffany Co. signed dial in the distinct color of the famous jeweler sold for more than $6 million at an auction earlier this month. Of the 170 watches made, this particular Nautilus 5711 Tiffany 170th Anniversary Limited Edition that normally retails for $52,635, was auctioned off to support the Virginia-based, non-profit Nature Conservancy. Its a special watch for a special occasion; that kind of explains the stellar price. But even when it comes to non-beneficiary auctions, watch auction prices still go through the roof. Why pay so much more for a Patek Philippe or omega at an auction with...
De Bethune DB26,?there are few modern manufactures as diverse as De Bethune: in addition to some extremely classical looking timepieces, there are also extremely avant-garde models on offer such as the DB26.Even the balance shape is unconventional teardrop shaped rotating eccentric masses on the end of blued arms, and no sign of a circle to be seen anywhere There is also a tension spring holding the balance bridge in place; presumably for a combination of both increased shock resistance and controlled endshake.This particular watch has a beautiful blue guilloche dial, with a neat touch at the 12 oclock position: a power reserve gauge. Unusually, the manufacturers name and all markings are p...
Welcome one and all to a very personal journey. Today, Ill be discussing my experiences of sourcing a new and entirely appropriate strap for one of my all-time favorite dress watches the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Jubilee. There is often a lot of discussion surrounding the nature of dress watches. And yes, it is true that the nature of formal attire is changing. But here is an example than can be defined no other way. The Master Ultra Thin Jubilee is a manually-wound, super-slim, two-handed slice of heaven. And while that pared-back simplicity might make it sound like a strap monster on paper, nothing could be further from the truthPairing new straps with old watch heads is fun. It i...
The word is out, the new caliber 321 has been introduced last week during a Speedy Tuesday event that we hosted in Biel. Last week we already published about this movement and shared some of the extra information that was not in the press release. But besides the introduction of this movement, there was also the Speedy Tuesday event in Biel. The second one, actually, as the first Speedy Tuesday event was held already in 2016. Before and in between, we did many more in different places (D1sseldorf, Amsterdam, Noordwijk, London, Munich, The Hague and in Geneva) and we will do more this year, worldwide.Speedy Tuesday Event (II) in BielLast week in Biel there were about 45 of our readers and Spe...
What makes a watch fan fall for a particular timepiece? Is it the dial? Or perhaps the case shape? Maybe the complication of the watch in question? When it comes to vintage watches, and especially chronographs, the answer is often, the movement.In this article, I collected 5 vintage chronograph movements that I find the most iconic. Clearly, I could have done a Top 10 or Top 20 article. And I might in the future. Until then, however, I hope you enjoy the list of my Top 5 iconic vintage chronograph calibers, listed in no particular order.Angelus 215It is no secret that the Angelus brand is near and dear to my heart. Partly due to its connection to the Hungarian Air Force, and partly because I...
Well, we finally made it to the last weekend of the Omega Speedmaster World Cup. What a ride its been. Weve seen surprise winners, remarkable comebacks, our fair share of voter fraud, and worthy watches left languishing in the group stages. The two watches that fell one step short, the Tintin and Snoopy III, now duke it out for your approval.Weve seen brutal character assassinations, indulged in well-worded arguments, and recoiled in disbelief as Mike failed three consecutive dope tests. Still, despite running the most sophisticated doping program since Lance Armstrongs USP team, Mikey couldnt propel his mighty Tintin into the Final. Instead, that pesky pooch from 2015 has marched on to face...
Last week, I had the opportunity to test one of my favorite watches at the sub-1,000 price point. I'm talking, of course, about the brilliant contemporary classic that is the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. However, something was a little bit different. Instead of the usual Khaki Field 38mm size, the watches placed before me were larger. A whole four millimeters larger, to be precise. Now, as far as I'm concerned, Hamilton already found the perfect formula with this watch, so how does its bigger counterpart fare? As you can see, nothing much changes in terms of design, and the proportions are well-maintained. But it's not only what's written down on paper that matters. So, grab yourself a c...
We spend a lot of time talking about the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo on Fratello. Quite frankly, its because we love that line dearly. But the Octo Roma line has a lot to offer also. In fact, while the Finissimo is truly groundbreaking, for some people, its incredible thinness can be a bit too much. The Octo Roma has that same Roman flair, but with a bit more muscle backing it up. Let's take a closer look at the WorldTimer version today.It isn't uncommon for a brand to labor away for years and years in the shadows, doing all the right things and getting none of the credit it deserves. Oftentimes, it takes one moment, one seminal release to make the watch-loving crowd sit up and pay attention. For...
Hello holiday shoppers and welcome to another installment of Wrist Game or Crying Shame. This week we take a look at the modern omega GMT-Master II Root Beer. But firstIt was just last week where we took a look at a 90s Omega Seamaster 120M in 18 karat gold. Clearly, this affordable looker still has the Midas touch because it shimmered its way to a 70% Wrist Game win. Folks, slowly but surely I will convert you to the splendor of gold. However, if youre not ready to go all the way, the horological industry has a compromise for you. The Europeans call it bi-color while us Freedom Fries refer to it as two-tone. Whichever descriptor you choose, this is a nice way to get a bit of everything. Thi...
Within the last two years, Ive found myself opening up to gold watches, including watches that are a combination of gold and stainless steel (bi-color). Actually, my first serious watch was a bi-color Omega Constellation. When I began collecting watches, I quickly shifted to stainless steel models, the occasional titanium watch and sometimes something PVD or DLC. Perhaps the most outrageous act of stainless steel is my Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo, a watch that has a price tag?that will buy you a full gold watch from many other brands.Buying Your First Gold WatchIn my watch collecting journey, Ive also bought gold capped and gold filled watches, but I didnt wear them often. Some left the ...
Its Speedy Tuesday An uncommon Speedy Tuesday, as we have a contribution from one of our readers about his unusual Omega Speedmaster Pro with reference number 145.0077 / 345.0077. Roman from Croatia writes us the following:Two unconnected events started this story.Purchase of a white dial Speedmaster in January, 2005.The OMEGAMANIA auction in April, 2007.In 2005 I bought Omega Speedmaster with with a white dial, Ref.No: DD145.0022 with a OMEGA 861 movement, Year of manufacture 1984. I wrote to Omega Switzerland to request some additional information about this watch.Below is the answer I have received from Mr.Jean-Luc Miranda, OMEGA Museum in February 2005.:?Your movement number is well rela...
Let me just start this with a disclaimer: for me, picking an easy Top 5 Watches of a rather exciting 2021 is almost impossible. I have fallen in love with wristwatches many times this year, from press shots to the hitherto unknown joy of handling a $100,000 piece of wrist art at, get this, an actual event. Remember those?So with this in mind, I went with my ten-minute instinctual scribbles. To be fair, these might not be my final Top 5 Watches of 2021, but my personal and strongest impressions of the year. Did I expect more actual events than the charming Geneva Watch Days? Yes. Was this a couple of days to savor, leaving my wrist dazed and confused? Absolutely.Thors Top 5 Jaeger-LeCoultre G...
Nihao, watch fans, it's time for This Week in Watches: the May 12, 2019 edition.? We've got lots to cover today!We have quite the lineup for you today and are pleased to feature everything from the relatively attainable to things that are only attainable once you've likely attained just about everything else.? That's a lot of attaining, isn't it?? So without further ado, let's get into This Week in Watches Fortis PC-7 Team WatchesWe've not heard a lot from Fortis in a while.? It seems they've been reinventing themselves under new leadership and perhaps the new PC-7 Team watches are the first of many new announcements.? Fortis has been in partnership with the Swiss Air Force Demonstration Tea...
In this article, we show you 8 interesting watches to wear this summer. Summer is about to start, and hopefully, it will be a nice one We deserved it. And in case you didnt spend your holiday allowance (not sure if thats a thing outside The Netherlands, but here its 8% of your annual salary you will get from your employer in May) yet, here are some options for a nice summer watch for all budgets.When I go on a holiday, I try to keep the number of watches I take with me very low. Most of the time, I will bring just two watches actually. An all-rounder and something really low-budget, like a Swatch or a Seiko SKX007. It also depends a bit on where I am going. On a campsite, I try not to bring ...