During the writing of the Buying Guide series, I found out about so many great watches that we dont talk about often enough. One brand that stood out along the way was Zenith. The brand has created so many fantastic watches that would it be great to see more of them return in the form of modern re-issues. Obviously, most of Zeniths stand-out timepieces are chronographs. With a rich history in chronographs overall and especially with the El Primero movement, the brand has always been a leader in the genre. One of the most beautiful examples, in my opinion, is the A277. This watch, which hails from the 1960s, is a perfect example of a diving chronograph done well. And now, its time for its glo...
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As I am writing this article about my favorite pieces from Watches And Wonders 2021, I find myself surprised at the list of watches Im about to talk about. I know what I like when it comes to watches. Ill happily admit that I have an eclectic taste that is quite different from the rest of the team here at Fratello. Compared to the others, Im certainly a little less traditional.With that in mind, I thought I would give my take on the releases weve seen from Watches Wonders 2021 so far. What are some of the more left-field releases that I loved? Which watches make my top five? Im ready for the Fratelli to tell me I need new glasses or something similar, but let me assure you this; I was weari...
Welcome watch fans, to another very special episode of Watching Sports And Sporting Watches. Today, I (Rob) am joined by Fred Buyle, Ulysse Nardin ambassador, professional freediver, passionate conservationist, and, perhaps most interestingly for our community, a real watch guy.Youd probably expect a lot more ambassadors to be as into watches as Fred clearly is, but it really isnt the case. Ive encountered sports stars and celebrities that have no idea what their agent is telling them to strap to their wrist. I think thats a real shame. When I was working for NOMOS Glashutte, we discussed the possibility of hiring an ambassadorasomething the brand has never done frequently. We came close to ...
I already shared my thoughts on this years BaselWorld show a few weeks ago (in this article) where I briefly mentioned Chronoswiss. Like many other brands, Chronoswiss grabbed back to one of their original models: the R gulateur. However, Chronoswiss restructured their collection of watches and uses two pillars: Sirius and Timemaster. These names were used for specific watches in the past, but the collection became so big that they used these names as families. You could say that the sporty Chronoswiss watches belong to the Timemaster collection and the classic watches to the Sirius collection.Ive never been a big fan of the Timemaster and that didnt change with the addition of some newer / ...
In December 2008, I notified you that the Heiniger-era of omega ended with the resignation of Patrick Heiniger after being CEO for 16 years. Before that, his father Andre Heiniger lead the most famous watch firm from Geneva since 1963. From December 2008 till today, Bruno Meier lead omega into the twenty-tens. Evil sources assumed the resignation of Patrick Heiniger had something to do with Bernie Maddofs scandal, but was never confirmed.Today, I tell you that Bruno Meier is already being replaced by a new CEO. Former head of omega Italy Gian Riccardo Marini (64) has been appointed as omegas new CEO. Gian Riccardo Marini had been managing omega Italy since 2000 and is now ready for the next ...
Lets have a look at three omega watches that hardly get attention from enthusiasts. It doesnt mean these are all easily accessible or even available at all, but they might be an interesting alternative to the Datejust, GMT-Master and Explorer models, for example.In every price segment, you can find something nice. In a lot of these segments, there are omega watches that might fit your taste and budget either new or pre-owned.?Every watch enthusiast probably recognizes the conversation discussing possible next purchases based on your love for the design, the complications and price and someone answers: For that money, there are some serious contesters. Ever thought about a omega?. Its an a...
Is there such a thing as a fair contest? When I started writing this article, that was the first question that popped into my mind. But then again, should a contest be fair? Of course not The question arose most likely because I am slightly biased when it comes to my two contestants. But The Fast And The Fratelli is all about you, determining our readers favorite chronographs. So we will see how fair this match-up between the Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph 40 and the Tudor Black Bay Chrono turns out to be. I have faith in you, Fratelli Get ready to put the pedal to the metal!Before we get into this contest, lets remind ourselves what we are looking for. You, the Fratelli, will vote to dec...
We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is primarily focused on the most recent releases and developments, for many of us, a lot of the fun can be found in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. Its 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 are priceless, some of them still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best TAG Heuer watches from the 1990s.This week we will continue our journey through watch his...
Before I will rattle about the new Drive de Cartier, a few words about the changes at Cartier, that brought the brand to release this new and different mens model. Cartier is known for their historic collection and design details from these early models, that?often come back in new collections. Cartier always relied on their rich design history. Since 2008 however, Cartier changed slowly from a Maison in design, to a powerhouse of ?mechanical calibers.About ten years ago, the brand built a huge 30.000m2 manufacture in La-Chaux-de-Fonds and led by Carole-Forestier Kasapi, the brand?launched one movement after another, from the 1904MC automatic caliber (that became the base caliber for a coupl...
Grand Seiko has had its foot on the gas pedal ever since the start of 2022. We have seen a string of exciting new releases from the Japanese brand, and it doesnt look like GS is planning on slowing down anytime soon. To celebrate the 55th anniversary of its legendary 44GS, the brand introduces two limited-edition models with dials inspired by the stars in the sky. Both models are executed in Ever-Brilliant Steel and feature the latest hi-beat and Spring Drive movements. Lets find out how bright the stars shone when Grand Seiko created these two new watches.Grand Seiko takes the celebrations of the 55th anniversary of the 44GS seriously. We saw the first of the 55th-anniversary models announc...
Its Speedy Tuesday Admitted, I rarely discuss my own watches here. Once in a while I mention a purchase briefly, but I am not keen on addressing my personal collection of watches. For this Speedy Tuesday, I am making an exception as I was blown away by the many enthusiasts reading and responding to the write-up of our friend Christopher Beccan just a few weeks ago. This week I will talk about my Speedmaster 3594.50 also known as Replica or Re-edition that I got from my wife (and daughter) in 2013.Omega Speedmaster 3594.50As some of you know I became the proud father of a little daughter (Charlotte). To celebrate my first Fathers Day, which was not long after the birth of Charlotte, my wife...
From the press release by NAWCC:On September 10 2010, the National Watch and Clock Museum will unveil for the first time a complete collection of all eight James Bond wristwatch models provided by Seiko UK These eight watches have been identified for the Bond Watches, James Bond Watches exhibit by Mark Mills (former Technical Support Manager with Seiko UK).? Mills was Eon Productions contact person at Seiko from 1977 through 1985.Dell Deaton of JamesBondWatches.com and Guest Curator for Bond Watches, James Bond Watches, was given unprecedented access to documentation and Mark Mills' personal recollections with the support of Seiko Watch Corporation in Tokyo, Japan. Prior to Deaton's initiati...
Look at the brain on you, watch friend, its This Week in Watches for August 17, 2019.I must admit, I really enjoy Quentin Tarantino movies.? Theyre stylish, long, full of crafty dialogue, great musically, ridiculously detailed, and tend to be obnoxiously violent.? Yes,?I can safely say that a new film from Tarantino qualifies as a must-see for me.? I was a freshman at university when we somehow made our way to the mall movie theater to see?Pulp Fiction and to this day, I still think its the most incredible film Ive ever seen in a theater.? And so, it was this past Thursday night that?Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the mans 9th film, opened here in Germany and my wife and I paid more than dou...
The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch in Moonshine Gold. There is an almost magical ring to those words that refers to the brilliant Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Apollo 11 50th Anniversary. That is, up until now. Today Omega introduces two new Speedmaster Moonwatch models in Moonshine Gold that show how glorious the combination of Omegas proprietary gold looks with two new very classy colors. The first comes in full Moonshine Gold with a very dark green dial and bezel. The second model comes with a panda dial executed in gold with black subdials and a black bezel. Both Speedmasters are proof that an Omega Speedmaster in Moonshine Gold is something truly special.It doesnt seem that long ago that Ome...
Here in the Fratello office, we were standing in front of one of the big monitors to watch the preparation and launch of the New Shepard (named after Alan Shepard). On our wrists, the Omega Speedmaster (hey, it was a Speedy Tuesday) and on the wrist of the Blue Origin, also Omega Speedmaster watches. So which watch did they wear exactly? Keep on reading.Wally Funk and the rest of the Blue Origin crew. Photo (c) APWe watched the New Shepard NS-16 flight with a lot of interest, not in the last place because we love everything that has to do with space. And on this very special date, July 20th, 52 years after the Moon landing by the Apollo XI crew, Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, Wally Funk...
New Coke, the Porsche 996, and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace all things that, upon introduction, were meant to be better than their predecessors. On paper, they probably were or perhaps they tested well amongst some group of people thought to encompass the product's target market. But we know what people ultimately thought. On the other hand, there are countless examples where a follow-up product or idea marks a vast improvement over the prior generation and the marketplace responds positively. Just consider about every piece of electronic or connected technology you own and how the bulk of these items have brought marked improvement, usability, and dependability with each new rendition. Wi...
And now I'm in trouble. The angel consistently perched atop my right shoulder with a consistent message: don't buy a yellow gold omega. They're too expensive, they're too loud, and after all, it's yellow gold for goodness sake, shouted the haloed figure. On the sinister shoulder, the fellow with the pointy tail appeared with that lustful voice cooing, you truly want a gold omega: they're the horological version of forbidden fruit, the 24oz Porterhouse that calls your name when the 8oz filet will do just fine, or the V12-powered (pick your German marque) sedan that drives a sledgehammer through the word overkill. Well, since today's article extends beyond this very sentence, you don't have to...
Breitling brings out the big guns with the Chronomat 42 B01 Red Arrows Limited Edition. As the name suggests, this version incorporates the RAF Red Arrows insignia. Not only that, but the famous flying diamond nine formation of the Red Arrows jets is displayed prominently on the dial, in place of the B logo.In my first hands-on review of the revived Chronomat, I referred to my Frecce Tricolori as a guilty acquisition. Typically guilt turns to resentment, and I feared the Chronomat would end up sitting unloved in the watch box. As it turns out, the opposite happened, and I find myself fighting the urge to grab the Breitling FT over all the others, including some review pieces. It might just b...
I have always been drawn to double brand names on a dial. Baume Mercier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe and so on. Not because of the importance of a brand or about recognition, but I just like a long written double name. The typography is of importance here of course, as well is the positioning of the name. Unfortunately, as names did became more important, brands tend to print (or apply) them in a larger or even more bold font than they did before. A good example is Audemars Piguet, or even Patek Philippe. I think Baume Mercier also increased the font size a tad bit over the years. In my opinion it isnt necessary, but who am I. I assume the marketing gents and ladies gave it a good t...
Gone since 2011, but not forgotten. Not by me, at least. I have said this many times before, so as you might know by now, I once bought a omega Explorer II. That was the wrong omega for me. I should have bought a two-tone Datejust Turn-O-Graph 116263 with a gray dial on a Super Jubilee bracelet with a concealed clasp instead. That watch would have stayed in my collection. But for one reason or another, I never bought it. Sure, I can find a pre-owned one in good shape, but an updated version with a better movement, bracelet, and clasp would also be kind of nice. Let me introduce you to a watch that was introduced in 1953 and served as the blueprint for the 1954 Submariner. Yes, 2022 might be ...