The 1969 Omega Speedmaster Mark II was based on the original Alaska Project watch that Omega developed for NASA. For a long time, these watches were completely underrated. They could be had for less than 1000, and sometimes, even for half of that.Those days are behind us, but the Speedmaster Mark II 145.014 is still a very interesting watch to acquire. It has the same movement as the normal Speedmaster Professional from that period, which is the Omega caliber 861. The watch also has a number of improvements. I use quotation marks, as many collectors perhaps dont see them as such. But for Omega at the time, they certainly were, hence the Mark II designation for the Speedmaster Professional.Om...
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Welcome back to our Watch On Your Wrist? Instagram extravaganza Tag your watch snaps with fratellowatches to be in with a chance to win!Every week, we select four images. You can vote in the article for your favorite image. The winner moves on to the semi-final round (held every fifth week between the previous four weekly winners). Win that and youre into the final, which will be held at the end of the year. There will be five finalists in 2020 and ten from next year on.Basically, if you like winning things and there will be a prize for the champion of 2020 this year represents your best shot. So get snapping, get tagging, and get sharing. And dont forget to vote (once) for yourself Obvious...
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, our weekly series where you decide if a watch has what it takes to spend time on your precious wrist.? This week, well head back to the time of Maverick, Goose, and the Iceman with a look at an 80s/90s chronograph in the Breitling Cosmonaute.? But firstI honestly need to start choosing more controversial watches because you readers keep finding favor with the pieces in our series.? Last weeks Omega Aqua Terra Railmaster in steel and 39mm stormed to a landslide 71% Wrist Game win and that was despite a few cranky comments!? Bring em on, we love the entertainment and, after all, we always have the last word? So, if last weeks rider of the rails got y...
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, one of the classiest classics is up for discussion. We give you, the Cartier Santos De Cartier Large.Who would have thought it? The Cartier Santos is becoming a regular player on the Fratello rotation. I for one think that makes for an interesting conversation topic. But not all Santos watch...
Years ago, when Omega introduced their Co-Axial technology and silicon balance springs, they raised the warranty to 4 years (instead of the standard 2 years, which is also mandatory by European law for example). Now, Omega takes it one step further and decided to raise the warranty on all of their watches to 5 years, regardless of which watch model (or type of movement that is inside).Effective July 1st 2018The new 5-year warranty will take effect from today, November 2nd, 2018 and will also be applied to any OMEGA watch purchased on or after July 1st, 2018. So yes, this also means your (and ours) Speedy Tuesday Ultraman will have the 5-year warranty. Yeeee.Raynald Aeschlimann, President and...
When Patek Philippe introduced the 5524(G) during Baselworld 2015 it was the talk of the show. Yes, its old news in 2018 but it's something we could not neglect mentioning when talking about the new 5524R-001. The famous Geneva manufacture had a number of amazing years: Patek Philippe celebrated their 175th anniversary in 2014 with a very (and I mean very) strong lineup. 5270G or 5951P come to mind when I think of that year. One would think, as it normally is in any industry, that after such a strong year the next one would be a decline but not at Patek Philippe. While the 2015 line-up was not as strong as the previous years it did introduce us the 5524. The biggest issue many had with that ...
Well, now, this is something rare Ive seen a great many watch concepts in my time. Ive seen just as many great watches. What I havent seen so much of, however, is a watch that pays such literal respect to the sketches that birthed it into our material world. Here, the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Automatic 10th Anniversary (reference 103672) brings the original pencil sketches of Bvlgari's Product Creation Executive Director Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani to the dial.This is too cool. Ive loved the Bvlgari Octo Finisissimo from afar since it was launched. And while I still maintain that the Octo Roma is a better fit for my wrist personally, I will stand on any mountaintop you like, screaming at the...
First conceived in 1999 by Patek, the Twenty~4 watch became a fleeting icon. In its day, it championed the renaissance of timeless, feminine design in the rectangular form. As such, it quickly gained popularity with women wanting to wear a Patek timepiece on their wrists. But after fading from the spotlight, is it ready to retake old ground once more?After producing different variations of this rectangular timepiece, 2018 saw an automatic version in a round case join the Twenty~4 family. However, the allure of the petite, rectangular Patek was kept alive by the gold timepiece which paid homage to the 90s releases. This October, Patek has reinvented the aesthetic of the very first Twenty~4. U...
Happy Monday to you, Fratelli, and what a Monday it is Today is the start of LVMH Watch Week, and that means well see a plethora of new watch releases. The groups watch brands TAG Heuer, Hublot, Bvlgari, and Zenith all have a bunch of new stuff up their sleeves. So allow Jorg and I to kick the week off with a few of the first new watches that caught our attention. In Jorgs article, hell be showing you some highlights from Hublot, while Ill be introducing the new Zenith Defy Skyline.Last week, Daan de Groot made his editorial debut on Fratello, writing about the new Zenith Defy Revival A3642. Its a near-spitting image of the first Defy wristwatch that Zenith released back in 1969. And in term...
We've all seen watches made from carbon fiber. But, this futuristic-looking material imparts more than just aesthetical benefits to watches. It's strong, and it's lightweight, and, depending on your tastes, it looks pretty darn cool too. That said, what actually is it? Let's find out!Thankfully, its is one of those materials that give a lot away from the name alone. Carbon fiber primarily comprises carbon atoms bonded together into long chains or fibers. As we've already established, these fibers are incredibly strong and lightweight; two characteristics most welcome in watchmaking. It is around five times stronger than steel and twice as stiff. Though carbon composites are more robust and s...
For 8 long years (2001-2009), Thierry Nataf (ex-CEO of Zenith) did a great job in destroying a brand that was one of the few well respected chronograph manufacturers. With flamboyant designs, parties and ditto prices, Nataf knew how to step on the toes of watch lovers and collectors. Zenith wasnt Zenith anymore. Although the use of certain high-tech materials were welcome, he succeeded in ruining designs. The Zenith Defy and Defy Xtreme watches really make me wonder what people are thinking when buying this watch. Terrible. Ariel Adams of aBlogToRead once did a nice article on the resemblence between Nataf and that other Precious Lover.Anyway, since I started using Twitter recently, I stumbl...
Roll out the red carpet because Wrist Game or Crying Shame is back This week, we take a look at the omega Yacht-Master 40 Oysterflex. But firstThank you, thank you very much for the warm welcome back to the stage. Yours truly has been in South Florida for the better part of a month for the sole purpose of finding a couple timely needle jabs. On that front, this trip is a proper success. In fact, and Im sorry to my European brethren, its infintely easier to stumble upon a vaccine down here than just about any type of omega in an AD. Truth Still, my time is drawing to a close here and Im sick and tired of restaurants, general freedom, and gaiety. Its time to return to Europe where I can enjoy ...
Boring is best. I consider it soothing and much better to deal with than large periods of extreme excitement. I like a watch that soothes rather than tries to whip me in a state of frenzy. And nothing soothes like a classic steel Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso with small seconds, blued hands, and a bit of guilloche on a silvered dial. But I won't call that type of Reverso a masterpiece, that title is reserved for a very picturesque and rare version that still has a boring side to it.The fact that I like boring watches like the doesn't mean I've always liked the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. I mean, I liked it, but I never really loved it. That's why earlier this year I conducted an experiment with a R...
Welcome back, race fans, to another installment of The Fast And The Fratelli Were on a mission to determine the best racing chronograph of the last ten years, and Week 1 of the prelims was packed with excitement. Two Speedmaster favorites wiped the floor with their opponents. A mean Massena LAB proved fairer than a Farer, while a snazzy Seiko toppled a tried-and-true Tissot. A Chopard slapped a Singer, a Sinn trounced a TAG, and a righteous omega roasted a racy Richard Mille. Oh, the drama. Oh, the speed And oh, the alliteration!The rules of the contest are simple. All contending chronographs must be mechanical. They must be capable of tracking elapsed time for at least one minute, and they ...
Wrist Game or Crying Shame gets classy with the omega Submariner 16803.After our debut article of Wrist Game or Crying Shame a couple weeks back, where a colorful Omega Speedmaster got trounced, it seems you werent sure if you wanted to shake off those Smuggler's Blues to give last week's contestant, the Ebel 1911 Chronograph, a Wrist Game win.? In what Id call a ridiculous set of circumstances, the voting ended in a dead heat at the time of publishing.? Really, its 50/50.? Apparently, the opportunity to own a true 1980's style icon that houses an equally legendary El Primero movement for under $2K didnt prove to be tempting enough for more than 50% to swing your (Jan) Hammer down on the buy...
Welcome back to another installment of A Brief History Of Time. Todays spotlight is on Chopard. In Part One, we went over the brands history, from its founding in 1860 to the release of its first manufacture wristwatch in 1997. Since the release of the L.U.C 1860, the brand has done some spectacular things in the world of horology. Many of these, however, may have slipped under the radar of the casual watch enthusiast. While Chopard is still a huge name in the jewelry industry, let's face it: you're probably not here to read about that. This is a watch publication, after all. So, with our focus on its watches, today, we'd like to shed some light on just a few of Chopard Manufacture's greates...
And so we now move into the end of November, and towards December. The final month of what has been a somewhat unorthodox year, and indeed not what any of us had predicted when we welcomed-in 2020. It's been a slightly quieter week in the world of watches in terms of news, but that doesn't mean we've had nothing of note.We've seen Laco begins its countdown towards its centenary, Nezumi Studios launch a collaboration with thrash metal legends Anthrax, MBF release the uniquest piece unique youre likely to find, and IWC drop a colorful Big Pilot. Let's have at it This week, Rob and Dave take it in turns to present their top watches of Week 47, 2020.Laco Edition 95Rob: As a long-time lover of Ge...
Theres a line from a song in the musical Chicago that goes, give them the old razzle-dazzle. It seems that Ulysse Nardins design team may have taken that to heart when working on the latest iteration of the Freak X. One look at this new watch from Ulysse Nardin and my eyes are drawn in by the mesmerizing geometric dial pattern. Now, if I can just tear myself away from it for a moment-Photo credit: Smithsonian Magazine (smithsonianmag.com)Origins in maritime camouflageWhile the jarring and sharp contrasting black and white lines make me think of something from a Batman villains wardrobe, the original inspiration for this stems from a specific type of camouflage used by the British and America...
I like the hypothetical and that brings us to a seemingly outlandish question that may become a little less so. By the end of this article, you will get to answer whether youd put down your hard-earned money to buy a steel sports omega even if you dont want it. It seems like an easy one, but lets seeI dont daydream enough, but when I do its often about scary great white shark encounters or hitting a World Series deciding homer in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a full count. Sometimes, though, I think about watches. And when I do, its a thought thats probably not too original. Ive got this wild plan where Im in some sort of out of the way town and there just so happens to be a omeg...
Speedmaster Professional Pre MoonIt is Speedy Tuesday today, which means it is our recurring topic: Speedy Tuesday Every week we pick a Speedmaster and put it in the spotlight here at Fratellowatches. This week, we have the follow-up model of the Speedmaster we covered here two weeks ago (click here).Our reader, who would like to stay anonymous, has this wonderful Speedmaster Professional Pre Moon ref.145.012 model that he purchased from the son of the original owner. The Speedmaster Professional Pre Moon watch was originally purchased on October 9th, 1969. Just a couple of months after the Moon landing. This Speedmaster Professional Pre Moon watch is complete with all documentation (and rec...