Entering in a new decade always breeds predictions of what well see and experience for the next ten years: New technologies, new entertainment, new world events. At least one thing that carries over from the last decade is the vintage re-edition trend from luxury watch brands.Longines Heritage 1946Fresh from Longines is the Heritage Chronograph 1946. The 1946 pays tribute to a watch from the Longines archive.Although vintage fatigue set in for me towards the end of the last decade, Ive always felt that the Longines Heritage collection has existed outside of the fauxtina fad. Possibly down to the everlasting designs of Longines that the timepieces seem contemporary yet classic in any era.The ...
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Like last year, a word of thank you to my sponsors Steiner in Maastricht, Henrik at SubGMT, Squiggly and Blancier watches. For 2008, 121Time will be added as well.Next, thanks to all contributors (special thank you to Gerard Nijenbrinks for posting some messages while I was away) and all people who used to comment button ?? Also, to all people who mailed me with hints or suggestions for new topics. I hope to keep up the frequency of posts (at least once a week) like the last few months or even better ;).2007 has been a bit in the light of omega, since that brand got my interest more and more, but I will try to cover a broader range of watches in 2008.Thanks, visitors of this Fratello blog Ha...
We have decided to make the Ads From The Past a recurring series of articles where we find the best in watch advertising. In the second article of the series, its now time to look at some Omega ads and see what remarkable things we can find. We have selected eleven ads from the past to find out what makes them iconic, funny, or strange.Omega has a rich tradition in advertising that goes back to the beginning of the 20th century, so there was a lot to chose from when we selected just eleven ads for this article. Some of the advertisements are real works of art, and others are very technical and factual to emphasise the features of the watch.11 Omega ads from the pastIt is fun to see where the...
In this weeks You Asked Us episode were answering a question regarding choice of a sports watch with a manufacture caliber. It came from one of our readers and reached us through the contact form on our website. Considering the three watches the writer proposes himself, he not only seems to look for a sports watch, but it should be a chronograph as well. Heres the message:This Week's Question: Which Manufacture Sports Watch to Buy?Dear Fratello Watches, I am about to buy a sports watch, I would like to own a watch of an excellent technical level, possibly of manufacture. I oriented myself towards these models:1. Zenith El Primero 1969 ref. 03.2040.400 / 69.C4942. Vacheron Constantin Overseas...
I will keep you updated on a Basel 2009 novelties the next coming days, both here and on our partner site, Perpetuelle.com. The company that keeps their secrets very well, is of course omega. Too many people their introduction at BaselWorld 2009 today will be a bit of a disappoint perhaps, but to me, it is great to hear that they keep things as they were ?? With a few exceptions of course, like the new ladys Daytona.The new update on the DateJust (being called DateJust II on various forums) has been done very nicely in my opinion (except that the diameter of 41mm might be a bit big). They have their lessons learned from the introduction of the Day-Date II last year. Other omega news is tha...
One of the things that makes a Grand Seiko outstanding in most cases, is the dial. We all know the Snowflake and Mt. Iwate for example, but now they also have added hammered and?radiant pattern dials to their collection.I will get to the hammered platinum Grand Seiko SBGZ001 somewhere in the next weeks but want to have a closer look at the more affordable stainless steel Grand Seiko SBGY003 first. Limited to 700 pieces only,? but with a friendlier price tag than the gold and platinum watches from the Spring Drive 20th anniversary collection. For this occasion, Grand Seiko introduced a number of new manual-wind thin dress watches with Spring Drive movements.Grand Seiko SBGY003Using a hand-wou...
Roll up, one and all, March Mania has reached its second round At this stage, our eight competing writers get a rest. Rob and Dave will present our weary warriors remaining four watches over the next four days, with each post featuring the winners of two first-round votes.Today we have the four top dogs from Mike and Tomass groups. The writers arent going head-to-head just yet, so the seedings attached to each watch stay put from the previous round. By the end of the week, well be down to the final two from each initial group of 12 as we barrel towards the showpiece final. As always, what we need from you is simple: vote for your favorite watch and let us know why in the comments below. Reme...
This version is the M28 large size version powered by a cal. R18 movement. It might not have any unusual or special features, but it is a classical, very well executed manual wind movement that is sufficiently refined to qualify for the Geneva Seal. The dial is a unique shade of copper that is a very close, but not exact, match for the case. A nice touch are the polished, reflective arabics; but by far the highlight of the dial are the beautifully blued and gently curved hands. Enjoy the photographs MTAll images can be clicked on for larger versions....
Please, may I order one Croissant central chronograph hand for my Patek and two Sword hour hands for my omega watches? Oh, lord, I also need that Pistol hand for my Cartier Tank. Sci-fi? Not at all. The charismatic, creative, and passionate French Romaric Andr|, the brains and soul behind seconde/seconde, pivots his artistry towards unexplored waters. Besides uniquely fine-tuned vintage watches, seconde/seconde started selling strictly limited runs of daringly creative and carefully manufactured watch hands. Whenever you feel like it, you can install these handsets on the vintage watch of your choice. Will it ruin the design of your vintage watch, or on the contrary, will it make it even the...
Natural lines and precision engineering combine in a collection of timepieces designed especially for women who seek-out elegance with an edge. The well-known dial in new colors, couple with Omega's female-focused communication strategy surely foreshadows the success of the new Seamaster Aqua Terra for ladies.Among many ladies' releases of 2021, the ones I was waiting for the most have just appeared. As the creator of Omega Ladies Club, Omega watches are the ones I love and the ones I wear. Therefore, last week when Omegas novelties arrived at HQ and landed on my desk, my heart immediately went out to the new Seamaster Aqua Terra for ladies.The Powerful DialThere are few better additions to ...
After the dust clouds settled at Baselworld 2019, the Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time 5520P was one of the most talked-about watches of the fair. Another great introduction is the updated version of the Patek Philippe 5235R Annual Calendar Regulator. It may be less talked about than the Alarm Travel Time 5520P, but its at least as divisive.Its funny how most of the discussion about Patek Philippe as a brand is about the design of their new watches. There is hardly anyone that doesnt think that Patek watches are technically brilliant and that their level of craftsmanship is almost unparalleled. The design of new Patek watches, on the other hand, does cause a lot of discussions. Some of the d...
Some people say open-heart dials are pass??. Well, call me old-fashioned, but I think thats poppycock If done right, dials that reveal the beating heart of the watch can be some of the most intriguing dials out there. This is especially true when paired with a high-frequency movement. And when it comes to Zenith, high-frequency is the name of the game For Watches Wonders 2022, Zenith introduces the newest generation of the Chronomaster Open. This classily executed and wearable watch puts the balance and escapement of the 5Hz El Primero on display. Paired with Zeniths signature tri-color motif, it just may have you wearing your heart on your face?Did you know that Zenith was the first brand ...
When I think about cartoon characters and watches, nothing stands out quite like Mickey Mouse. Over the past 90 years, hes been featured on the dial of countless numbers of watches. From high-end pieces to inexpensive quartz souvenirs, Disneys most popular character transcends culture. Todays Gerald Genta Arena Retrograde Smiling Mickey Mouse definitely falls on the exotic side of things, but it scored well with our team.The Gerald Genta Retrograde has been with us since 1996 under the Arena name. Its a watch that Genta developed and it continued even after Bvlgari bought the brand in 2000. It has come in many different forms, case materials, and designs. Regardless of the exact variant, the...
Here we are, race fans in the final race of The Fast And The Fratelli competition The last four weeks have seen 30 other contenders come and go, all in our quest to determine the best racing chronograph watch released in the last decade. Up until a few days ago, we thought the final round might see two Speedmasters facing off against each other. But the Fratelli have spoken, and such a race wasnt to be. Instead, today, in the very last race, two heavyweights of watch history are going head-to-head!Interestingly, both watches are tightly connected to the year 1969. It was the year of humankinds first moon landing, and the year the first automatic chronograph sprung on the market. This time t...
Another rare bird passed by my studio the other day: the?Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph?City of Sails (ref.25860IS.0.1110IS.01).I must admit that APs are not my speciality (we have RJ for that), so I dont have a lot to say about this one other than some observations on the aesthetics and design of the piece: For a watch this large, its surprisingly light since it is a combination of stainless steel and titanium. Even more impressively, there does not appear to be any degree of compromise made in the finish, which is amazing as titanium is an incredibly difficult material to work with especially polishing. The dial isunique. It brings to mind several things swimming pool, Chinese ce...
Last year we brought you the Speedmaster World Cup; this year, were ratcheting things up a gear with Fratellos March ManiaHere at Fratello, we love a good competition. Why? Well, we simply love the sweet smell of victory. No, Im kidding, as much as watching my fellow editors crash and burn at my feet would amuse me, the closest I got to sniffing the title last year was a Semi-Final flattening at the hands of our eventual Speedmaster World Cup champion, Balazs. As such, the smell of victory is unknown to all but one of our team. And while the sharp saltiness of last years tears has sustained the rest of us into 2021, were sick of swallowing defeat. Its time to go back to war. How about you co...
Since a couple of years there is a trend of watch brands opening their own boutiques or flag ship stores. This way, the watch brand has more control with respect to the quality of the sales staff, has direct contact with its customers and perhaps decreases the number of watches disappearing into the grey market. Also, the brand is able to create the perfect atmosphere for its clients that fits the brand in the best way.Will retailers disappear? I dont think so, at least the big chains (think Wempe, Tourneau etc) will survive as well as shops that really specialize in certain (niche) brands (think Chronopassion, Marcus etc). Small individual stores might get into trouble in the end, due to ...
Welcome back to This Week In Watches for August 8, 2020 the Retro Edition. Ive been on vacation for a couple weeks, but Im back and ready to share the news.Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Sedna Gold BlueThe new Blancpain Fifty Fathomas Bathyscaphe Sedna Gold Blue is a watch that blends a retro case design with modern touches. Its hard to dislike this clean looking model, but I just cant pull of the 43mm case. If you can, though, this Sedna Gold piece adds a new blue dial and comes on either a nylon or sail-canvas 23mm strap. The brands caliber 1315 automatic works away inside the 300 meter diver. The price of entry for feeling blue is 22,660. More information can be found on the Blancpai...
The Dutch have a reputation for being cheap. The English expression going Dutch doesn't help curtail that reputation. And neither does the joke, Who invented copper wire? Two Dutchmen fighting for a penny. It's also true that we I am Dutch, I can't help that pride ourselves on our sparing ways. A recent study revealed that the thrifty Dutch spend significantly less than any other European nation on holiday gifts and celebrations. Germans spent the most, Dutch the least. So trying and explain to a Dutchie when and why paying over retail for a watch makes sense seems to be a task of biblical proportions. But if I succeed in that, the rest of the world automatically also gets it, and that's why...
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 it's the turn of the omega Cosmograph Daytona 116500LN. Let the battle commence.Last week, everyone imagined that Robs attempt to defend the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 series might cause him fatal damage. Surprisingly and unexpectedly proving the worth of these polls he lost out to Balazs b...