Although the Bvlgari Octo receives a lot of attention these days, theres another icon in the brands collection that shouldnt be overlooked. The Bvlgari Bvlgari Today, we introduce to you the Bvlgari Cities Special Edition 2020.Originally introduced back in 1975, the Bvlgari Roma was given to 100 of the brands best clients. Even in those days, without e-influencers, it mattered. As a result of Bvlgari gifting these watches to certain clients, the brand received tons of requests to extend the production of the Bvlgari Roma. There was an analog and a digital version (I tried to find a pre-owned digital version but without much luck) that had BVLGARI and ROMA engraved in its gold bezel. Then, in...
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In a year where prices finally seem to be stabilizing, I think there will be a ton of attention on the May auctions in Geneva and those that will take place in April in Monaco and Hong Kong as well (after this article is being written). The pandemic resulted in a massive price hike among newer watches, but specifically with some of the smaller independent brands and then the bigger icons like omega sports models, Patek Philippe Nautilus, and AP Royal Oak. We've also seen Cartier make a big leap in the past years. Meanwhile, in the vintage watch market prices have remained somewhat the same and now appear to again offer better value than their modern counterparts.For example, when a recently ...
Now that the James Bond No Time To Die has been postponed, Id like to cheer you up with a selection of used Omega Seamaster James Bond watches.Since 1995, Omegas have adorned the wrist of secret agent James Bond. In Goldeneye, he could be seen wearing the quartz version of the Seamaster Diver 300M, reference 2541.80. When No Time to Die?eventually hits theaters, he will be wearing a titanium Seamaster 300M with an in-house-developed self-winding movement. Besides the watches he wears in the movies, there are also some limited editions dedicated to 007.In this article, I will show you 5 Omega Seamaster James Bond watches. These are all used Seamaster limited editions that commemorate one of t...
Single subject watch auctions have clearly graduated from the absolute exception to somewhat of a normal occurrence. We've seen remarkable results from the Christie's Speedmaster auction of almost 2 years ago and the trailblazing Bacs Russo team has done the same with auctions focused on the Daytona and the Datejust. For fans of a given type of watch, watching and/or participating in these auctions must seem a lot like the scene when the lucky children are first turned loose in Willy Wonka the Chocolate Factory. For those who like variety or who don't favor the featured watch, it probably feels like a serious case of overhype. Well, whatever your interest level, today, I'll discuss the upc...
Its Speedy Tuesday, the moment you have all been waiting for This week, we have a numbered edition in store for you. It means it is not limited or a special edition, but a regular collection model with an individual number. Yong Wee from Singapore, one of our readers and fans of Speedy Tuesday, sent us photos of his much beloved Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 3577.50 From The Moon To Mars watch.As you can see, this Omega Speedmaster Pro From Moon To Mars has three different sub dials. The Earth is shown on the sub dial at 9 oclock, the Moon at 6 oclock and Mars at 3 oclock. It also contains the wording From The Moon to Mars on the dial starting at 5:30 to 3:30 in modest writing. The fac...
Welcome back to A Brief History Of Time. Today, we present the second installment in our multi-part series on the history of omega. If you missed Part One, you can check it out here.When we left off in 1945, omega had just celebrated its 40th anniversary. It had marked the occasion with the introduction of the Datejust, the first automatic watch with a date window. The now-famous Jubilee bracelet had also made its debut on that very model, and omegas post-war recovery was off to a great start. Whether founder Hans Wilsdorf had any idea just how important the next 15 years would be for the company is up to speculation. Nevertheless, these years would mark not only a series of impressive techn...
The first step is standing up and saying it out loud: My name is Thor and I am a watchaholic. Some of us reached this stage in our watch collecting years ago but failed to realize it. You might have one display cabinet with ten watches; that's all good. But if you have another 40 at your office with weekly DHL deliveries there instead of your house, you're in trouble. If you have the walk-in closet full of dusty watch boxes like me, then maybe it's time to trim the fat.The definition of a collector from The Free Dictionary says that it is a person who collects books, paintings, stamps, etc., as a hobby or investment. So while it may be tempting, I'm not getting myself into the hot topic of b...
Buying your grail watch. Something that some would say can only happen once. But others, myself included, would say can happen as many times as you want it to. As we progress into the world of watch ownership we are constantly redefining terms. Most of us will be able to look back to a fairly humble first most expensive watch we ever bought. A term that is typically redefined by your latest purchase. At some point, those lucky enough to take the leap will find themselves owning a true luxury watch. Would I have ever thought, way back when I bought my first mechanical watch, that just three years down the line I'd have a Speedmaster to call my own? Probably not. I didn't even think it three d...
When it comes to creating mesmerizing and original dials, Grand Seiko is an industry benchmark. Snowflakes, white and green birches, the brilliant blue sky over Mt. Iwate at dawn it's the beauty surrounding the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi translated into dial art. But GS is not the only brand with an obsession for dials. That's why it's time to present you with five dialed-in alternatives to Grand Seiko watches. Well start in Japan with Minase, fly to Malaysia to visit MING, then head over to Glasgow in Scotland to check out AnOrdain. Then well travel to a small German town to take a look at Glash 1tte Original, and end up back in Japan because Seiko's Presage collection could offer a fe...
The moment everyone has been waiting for has come. Today we announce the winner of the competition. Firstly, we'd like to thank all of you that entered our March Mania giveaway and helped to make it such a huge success. Your engagement, votes, and, of course, comments are everything to us.The person who saw this comingCzapeks Ad lie is the most beautiful creature ever made by the Watch Gods, it is as simple as that, I want her, need her, and someday she will be by my sideDoes that look familiar, watch fans? Thats right, it is one of 60+ comments left by Ron_W throughout the March Mania tournament. In a legend-making move, Ron_W predicted the victor long before anyone else thought it had a re...
In our Sunday Morning Showdown, 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. Today's match-up is all about smart/casual steel watches from the Crown. Ben and Jorg select an entry level omega each between the recently introduced Oyster Perpetual ref. 124300 and the Datejust ref. 126300.In previous editions of our Sunday Morning Showdown series, both the omega Datejust and the o...
Hublot did what Hublot does and made a splash with its colorway swathe of new releases this week. Asa devoted follower of the brand, it is my pleasure to present the Hublot Big Bang Integral Ceramic novelties, the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire, and the Classic Fusion Orlinski Blue Ceramic.Lets start with what is fast becoming a bread and butter range for Hublot. What would be an absolute showstopping proposition for most brands now feels so organic coming out of Hublots stable that it would be easy to miss the update altogether. The Big Bang Integral Ceramic line is not new. Weve seen the black version before. However, this week, that stealthy model was joining by three new opti...
Happy Holidays from the good folks at Wrist Game or Crying Shame Well, thats just me, but no matter. Weve made it through Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, St. Nicholas Day, and the UK not letting anyone in without quarantine. Oh, strike that, Im particularly salty about the latter, and it looks like Christmastime in London will have to wait yet another year. Alas Returning to our subject, this week I offer you the perfect holiday gift in the form of one Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Ultra Thin. But firstThe last time we came together, I showed you a Bell Ross BR-03 92, and despite all the whining and crabbing (hi, RJ!), a full 58% of you decided that an equilateral polygon is wor...
Today on Speedy Tuesday, we'll return to a watch we've reviewed before, the Omega?Speedmaster Apollo XI 35th Anniversary limited edition. Why is that? First off, selfishly, I get to spend time with one whenever I visit my parents because my father owns the watch you see here. But more importantly, and more germane to events over the last month, this model strikes me as a really great companion piece to the recently released SpeedyTuesday edition. I say this simply because today's subject is, to date, Omega's only Speedmaster Professional done in panda guise that's been offered globally. Introductions aside, let's enroll in a refresher course on a beloved limited edition.The Speedmaster Apol...
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...
This week, Balazs takes the reigns and welcomes the fastest Canadian swimmer of all time, Olympic medalist Brent Hayden, to the smooth booth.In a wide-ranging chat, Brent and Balazs explore the mental pressures endured by professional athletes. They track the human side of the sport, and they delve deeply into a couple of unexpectedly personal issues that place our watch collecting hobby in sharper context.This is the longest WASP episode ever, and it really makes use of every second. This is why we created this podcast to mold a perfect fusion of our love of sports and watches. Brent Hayden is not only a pro athlete. Hes an inspiration to those around him. He is also a genuine watch nut, ha...
On July 21st, 1969, the Omega Speedmaster became the Moonwatch. Before that, it was just the chronograph that astronauts used onboard the spacecraft and during their spacewalks.It ascended to the legendary status it holds today after rigorous testing. Understanding exactly what the Speedmaster went through to reach this level is fascinating. We reported the testing procedures in how the Speedmaster became the Moonwatch. If youd like to read about the failed competition, you can do so here.This article contains a lot of reference numbers. Dont let that confuse you. But if you have any questions, or need further clarification on anything, just ask us in the comments section below.Edwin Buzz Al...
This week has seen some very interesting emails pop through into the Fratello inbox. A new watch that gets me hot under the collar, a Speedmaster with genuine space-flown provenance, and brands adopting new technology to help beat the forgers and fraudsters.Zenith Defy Skeleton CarbonThis edition is named The Party In My Pants Edition'. Why? Well, as the name of this edition suggests, there's a party in my pants, and this watch is the sole reason. To my friends, it's no secret that I am a fan of what Zenith has been doing recently, especially the Defy range. From the moment the brand relaunched the Defy series back in 2017, I've was hooked. The combination of the angular case shape and the s...
A few Tuesdays ago, Omega introduced its new Moonwatch Master Chronometer. The drop included the Speedmaster Canopus 310.60.42.50.02.001. 18-karat white gold is not new to Omegas Speedmaster, but this specific Canopus alloy is. In this article, I take a closer look at the Speedmaster Canopus and explain why its my favorite new Moonwatch Master Chronometer.I showed a picture of the new Speedmaster Canopus side-by-side with my Speedmaster Moonshine on IG and in the SpeedyTuesday Facebook group. People immediately tend to make their favorite known (a common thing that happens when a picture shows two watches) or ask how one compares to the other. It also makes me think, which one do I like bes...
When a brand states that it is independent, it's challenging for buyers to make a distinction. To the end consumer, a nice watch is a nice watch. Whether its financed by an umbrella corporation or benefactor, to us, a timepiece is a product of design and watchmaking. However, when it comes to Oris, the independent nature of the brand seeps through to the fresh, innovative, and occasionally bonkers watch concepts. Today's release combines those three sentiments the Oris Aquis Sun Wukong Artist Edition. I delve into what makes this new Sun Wukong limited edition such a left-field curveball from the team in Holstein.I always get excited whenever Oris brings out a new Aquis limited edition. For ...