True Story. On an evening at the beginning of 2018, I was sitting on the couch at home after a full day of being a watch journalist. The doorbell rang and my wife opened the door for one of my best friends. He entered our living room and the first thing he noticed was the watch I was wearing. The conversation went a little like this:-HeyHey-What is that on your wrist? (my wife starts to sigh at this point)Cool eh? It just came in today, it is the first Omega Constellation Manhattan' from 1982 in bi-colour. I have been looking for one like this for ages, and now I found one complete with box and papers. (my wife leaves the living room)For a moment, he just stared at me and I thought he was ju...
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The 2022 omega Novelties are here For many watch fans, this announcement is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Aside from the reality that none of these watches will be easy to obtain at retail (or from your retailer), its still fun to look and see which prognostications were realized. Hint: none of them!Ill admit that I put very little thought into predicting the 2022 omega novelties. Im always wrong, and I definitely would have been this year Still, there are some relatively interesting updates here. I say, relatively, because its foolish to think that omega is going to surprise with something wildly outlandish. Slow and steady wins the race with this goliath, but there was on...
Remember our previous article on the Chopard L.U.C. Engine One by our contributor Angus Davies? Earlier this year, during BaselWorld, we got?acquainted with the Chopard L.U.C. Engine One H Tourbillon in titanium. Limited to 100 pieces only.L.U.C. Engine One H TourbillonThe L.U.C. collection of Chopard is as you probably know already their most prestigious selection of watches that are being manufactured in their Chopard facility in Fleurier, Switzerland.The Chopard L.U.C. Engine One H Tourbillon has more or less the same appearance as the previous discussed Engine One Tourbillon, but with a different shaped case. Clearly influenced by racing cars, the dial had a number of red accents and t...
Earlier this year I shortly briefed you about the new Longines Spirit Chronograph. In this article, we go hands-on with the 42mm Spirit Chronograph with silver dial and leather strap, my favorite of the collection.The new Longines Spirit Chronograph is part of the Sport collection. That surprised me a little bit, but it is indeed a sports watch. I have selected the 42mm version on a leather strap. Although I like the quality of the stainless steel bracelets of the Spirit collection, the leather strap gives it a bit more of a vintage look. Its a very personal choice, of course, and I can imagine there are many of you out there that prefer a bracelet. Without further ado, lets have a closer lo...
A couple of months ago, Robert-Jan had the opportunity to give an overview of the new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Deep Black collection. The watches are an interesting move from Omega as they were introduced outside of Basel and the debut actually occurred in New York. Theres no doubt that it has made waves.? We received a lot of traffic on the article and while most found the watches attractive, most wanted to see them in the metal umm, ceramic as it were before rendering judgment. I was of similar opinion, so when I found out that the collection was on a roadshow across the European Omega boutiques, I jumped at the chance to see them in Frankfurt. While my pictures won't get you any c...
When Michael wrote his article on the 1962 RADO Captain Cook, I was intrigued. However, I am not that much a fan of buying vintage divers so I was happily surprised when Rado introduced its new Captain Cook in 2017.A vintage diver surely is charming, but I like to wear my watches on daily basis. You can wear a vintage diver every day of course, but Ive had some nasty experiences with lengthy repair processes and unavailability of spare parts. Enter the new RADO Captain Cook. My most favorite edition is the steel one with the green bezel and dial on a beads-of-rice bracelet (thats why we carry it in our shop), but the new bronze cased Captain Cook is very interesting as well.Captain Cook Auto...
These days, watch purists love to hate the date. Well, the date window, that is. It breaks the symmetry of the design, they say. Its an eyesore, they claim. And of course, If I need to know the date, I can just check my phone. Now, I cant say these sentiments are totally invalid. As someone with a variety of watches and a smartphone, there are days when a clean, dateless watch is exactly what I want. But imagine you lived a hundred years ago. Youre in a sticky situation, with no calendar, no newspaper, and no human nearby to ask, and you urgently need to know the date. With nothing at hand but your only timepiece, you think, Golly, the date on my wristwatch would sure be the bees knees!Unfor...
In our double-talk, two of our editors share their bold opinions on just one watch. This week Karina and Robert-Jan discuss the new Omega release the 40mm Yellow Gold De Ville Tr sor.Although Omega is well-known especially for its sports watches like Seamaster Diver 300M or Speedmaster, its more elegant lines De Ville and Constellation are as significant as the ones mentioned before. Largely due to the remarkable stories of both lines and simply awesome designs. However, today let's have a closer look at the novelty from the De Ville Tr sor line.?The De Ville Tr sor CollectionThe Tr sor watches were launched originally in 1949 and housed Omega's famous 30mm caliber. In 2014, Omega decided to...
An exhibition spanning five floors, covering just one watch model is not something every watch brand can pull off. But Jaeger-LeCoultre can, thanks to its Reverso. The Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931 exhibition in Paris is proof. That's why I traveled to Paris to see how Jaeger-LeCoultre puts its past and present Reverso watches on display.This year, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates 90 years of the Reverso. The watch that is named after the ninetieth birthday is the Tribute Nonanti me, but to capture nine decades of Reverso in one watch is impossible. That's why the brand decided to put together a grandiose exhibition at one of Paris' most prestigious locations, the rue du Faubourg Saint-Ho...
Longines Conquest 1972 is a truly symbolic watch that stands out on so many levels.Oversized pre-1950s Longines dials have always fascinated me with their simple beauty. They might seem generic to an indifferent eye, but a trained collector can recognize them in a heartbeat. However, Im not quite as enthusiastic about the bulky and over-stylized indexes that you can find on some mid-fifties Longines models. Namely on the Longines Conquest, that in 1954 started a new model naming product strategy.My conquest conquered meTo keep the story short, let's fast forward two decades ahead when Longines introduced the Conquest 1972 Munich. It was a watch to celebrate their achievement in becoming the ...
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.Here's something a little different for you, dear readers. Previously, in Sunday Morning Showdown, two writers have adopted polarized positions on a single watch. Today, we're taking that idea and messing with it. Instead of one writer rating, while the other spends their time hating, we've picked one f...
Today on TBT we'll take a look at a omega that has flown below the radar for some time. It's a watch with sporting intensions, but it's not considered as a sports watch per se. Despite this, the omega 1625 Turn-o-Graph was actually issued to pilots in one of its earlier guises and features a toolish rotating bezel. Oh, and if you haven't figured it out yet, this omega just happens to come in gold.Let's get into a little bit of history (for more, head here to this more extensive article). The original Turn-o-Graph was introduced in 1953 and the 6202 that appeared looked an awful lot like the Submariner that was still to come. It featured a black inlay rotating bezel and was offered with eith...
For most horological aficionados, visiting their favorite manufacture is a necessary pilgrimage along the path. Ive had the privilege to visit a few in my time, however living halfway around the world makes this a bit more of an expedition than is convenient. However, on my last assignment to Switzerland, I happened to have a free day, and the folks at Jaeger-LeCoultre were extremely accommodatingEnjoy the photo essay its more of a story of how a watch is made, and a slight deviation from normal programming here at Fratellowatches, but I think youll find it interesting all the same.Images shot with an Olympus OM-D and Panasonic 20/1.7 and 45/2.8 macro lenses. Each image can be clicked on fo...
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. Omega steps up to the plate with the too-often ignored Railmaster. On the mound, pitching as if its life depended on it is the scientists darling, the omega Milgauss. This week its Jorg Vs. Ben. Let battle commence!Sunday Morning Showdown is a fluid concept. Sometimes our editors clash on opinions of a...
Temperatures drop, daylight hours get shorter, leaves turn yellow, then red, then brown and drop down from the trees. Fall is officially here, but Omega is already thinking ahead to the even colder season coming up immediately after and the de facto winter spectacle which it will bring. I'm talking, of course, about the Olympic Winter Games set to take place in Beijing next year. An event that inspires Omega's latest release, the Seamaster Aqua Terra Beijing 2022.An Olympic timekeeping championWe know that Omega plays a key role in all Olympic events. The brand has held the title of official timekeeper since the 1930s, and in today's modern world that holds more meaning than ever before. Wit...
Photographer Mike Mellia visited the special exhibit at the omega Service Center in NYC, showcasing the history of the Deepsea watches. From the very first giant domed 1960s model up to the latest version that James Cameron wore on his Deepsea Challenge mission.In addition to showcasing these historical watches, omega has recreated these watches for the exhibition as large-scale models showing cross sections of the inner case mechanisms.Mike Mellia took some pictures exclusively for Fratellowatches ?? Thanks Mike!Make sure to visit his official website as well, lots of cool photography. Click: www.mikemellia.com...
In today's installment of TBT, we'll talk about what I think is, hands down, one of the most perfect chronographs ever created, the Breitling 765 AOPA. In case you're in denial, have been reading elsewhere or are blinded by the fact that the brand's current offerings are far different (read: much larger) than its historic lineup, vintage Breitling offers a true treasure trove of goodies for the vintage chronograph collector. Well over a year ago, I compiled a lengthy interview with a couple Breitling experts and it ultimately covered but a fraction of the incredible models once offered by the aerospace-focused maker. Since that time, the brand has gained more and more respect amongst hardco...
This year, Omega not only introduced the 60th anniversary Trilogy and the Speedy Tuesday, they also brought us the Seamaster Aqua Terra 2017 models. Not too long ago, we published an article on the 15th anniversary of the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra (you can find it here), showing you an overview of these models since the start.Every year, the number of new references that Omega introduces in Basel is just mind-boggling. I wouldnt mind if they would take it a notch down, but I guess that theres a market for each and anyone of them. Most people think I am a Speedmaster-guy, which is surely true, but I also have a weak spot for the Constellation and some of the Seamaster models. Owning and havi...
Speedmaster 311.30.42.30.01.004Remember our post about the Speedmaster Racing a few weeks ago? Well, theres more to it During our appointment with Jean Claude Monachon (Head of Product Development) of OMEGA weve heard the true story about the OMEGA Speedmaster Professional 311.30.42.30.01.004 Racing that was introduced during Baselworld 2013.Tintin Destination MoonTintin Destination Moon (or Objectif Lune) is the 16th comic album of Herg s Tintin series. It was written 19 years before the Moonlanding (Apollo 11 in 1969) and 8 years before the first manned space flight (Yuri Gagarin). The story about Tintin, Haddock and professor Calculus continues in the next album, Explorers on the Moon (1...
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame and this week lets look at the racy TAG Heuer Kirium F1. Lets see if you fancy this once futuristic chronograph. But firstLast week, I served up a cold frothy glass of root beer omega style. I chose the newest two-tone omega GMT-Master II with a bicolor bezel. You folks were thirsty and ably chugged down this omega with a 71% Wrist Game bottoms up This week, we stay a bit flashy, but head back to the early 2000s with a watch well, the line anyhow that was once quite popular. Were choosing the most unique model in the lineup, though, with the TAG Heuer Kirium F1.The TAG Heuer Kirium Formula 1Noted TAG Heuer site calibre11.com tells us that the Kiri...