For IWC, 2009 is the year of the Aquatimer relaunch. IWCs first Aquatimer saw daylight in 1967 and I doubt that one of these first models ever saw some water, because they didnt look very water resistant. However, looks might be deceiving because IWC claimed it to be water resistant to 200 meters. Anyway, between 1967 and now, IWC has had several sports watches (GST, Ocean, Aquatimer) suitable for use below the surface.The new line of Aquatimers have been presented at SIHH 2009 and a number of jewelers organized introduction events for their customers (click here for the Ace Jewelers presentation earlier this year). One of my personal favorites this year, is the IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Edi...
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A few weeks ago there was a small get-together in Vienna, Austria, with some pretty serious Omega collectors. We say Omega, not Speedmaster, as people also brought in some pretty decent other Omega watches. Our very own Berti joined a Saturday in Vienna and took pictures of all the horological candy that was brought along.Vienna CallingOrganized by some very serious Omega collectors (some watches might look familiar if you are an avid Omega follower on Instagram for example) in Austria, it was by invitation only, as trust is often the most important aspect when it comes to these things. If a get-together is not organized by a brand or boutique, imagine the struggle with a venue and its secur...
Weve reported on a blue dial Speedmaster 105.012 and a blue dial Speedmaster 145.012 before in our Speedy Tuesday features, but never on an earlier reference with this dial colour. These dials are still a bit of a vague territory, at least for us, as no one exactly know how many of these watches are around or how they ended up in production. Was it by special request or did Omega just fiddled around with colour options? One thing is certain though, they exist and are original.Blue Dial Speedmaster 105.003The previously reported blue dial Speedmaster reference 105.012 and 145.012 were Professional watches, this 105.003, of course, isnt. Interesting to see that Omega used this beautiful blue/g...
Last weekend Gerard and yours truly went on a trip to the most southern part of the Netherlands for a get-together at Bulang Sons. Speedy Tuesday was the main theme. Due to the nature of the event, the location was undisclosed with the request not to post anything on social media for the obvious safety reasons. So, in the early afternoon, we arrived with other watch collectors from various countries. Awaiting us was a smorgasbord of horological delightsCommunity-driven Speedmaster EventThose who have been at one of our Speedy Tuesday events have already know what they entail. Speedy Tuesday is mainly about the community of Speedmaster enthusiasts and therefore shouldn't only be limited to w...
Sometimes watch collecting or enthusiasm goes past the love for watches. It is about stories and heritage that has more meaning than the watch itself. Today, Fratello Watches brings you the story of RAF Squadron Leader Frank Wright Walton (Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order,?Distinguished Flying Cross and bar) and his Omega 30T2 pilot's watch.Not too long ago, I received a message from Julian after I posted a military Longines that was sent to a Londoner in the RAF Pathfinders in 1941. Julian told me that his grandfather was also in the Pathfinders in WWII, as a Squadron Leader of 109 Squadron and that he had inherited his RAF issued Omega 30T2 timepiece.Frank W. Walton on the left.RAF ...
If all tanks were made by Cartier, wed have the time to live in peace. Such were the famous words of French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. He's so right. Everybody prefers a (boring) life of peace over the horrors of war. Cartier's Tank is like a gun with a flower in the barrel. And of all the Tanks that Cartier built, the Cartier Tank Louis Cartier is probably THE Tank. It followed the Tank Normale in 1919, and it was the second Tank that Cartier launched. Even in its modern guises, the watch is still relevant today.All Tanks in the Cartier collection stem from the same idea. The design takes inspiration from a Renault tank in service with the French Army during WWI. Imagine looking ...
The watch wish list a piece of personal information that we keep hidden from our partners and spouses, scared by the thought of what theyd think if they only knew of our secret schemes. Schemes which, more often than not, lead head-first into the purchase of a new watch. Challenged by RJ, I recently wrote an article detailing the watches Id buy for under 1,500. Once it was published, a number of people contacted me to ask if I had plans to actually buy any of them. This made me realize that I do get asked about my watch wish list quite often. I cant be the only one who has a list on their phone containing the dream watches they would like to someday buy, right?I must preface this by lettin...
Looking back to 1949 for inspiration, and embracing more contemporary design of their watches, in 2018, Omega introduced Tr sor a new line for women. Two models from De Ville sub-collection are the latest Omega release to have fallen for the romance of diamonds and ultra-slim cases.Historically speaking, while men still preferred to rock traditional pocket watches, two women? Queen Elizabeth I, and Queen Marie Antoinette revolutionized the way of wearing timepieces. At that time, both ladies ordered discreet and chic repeaters on a diamond bracelet called wristlets. With the release of the first wristwatch in 1810, bejeweled cocktail timepieces become extremely popular among women, resulti...
NicoH, posted a picture of his new watch strap on TimeZone. Nothing special you think.Looks even a bit old, you might think. You are right. It is about 50 years old. This strap has been made out of leather from a Mercedes Benz 300 SLR dated 1956. It gets even better. The car belongs to Jean Todt, who is the executive director of Scuderia Ferrari, the Ferrari companys Formula One constructor.His car needed a new leather interior and a strap maker could lay his hands on the original leather interior and decided to make some straps out of it. 40 straps have been made, individually numbered and stamped.Click here to read the full story, including more pictures....
There are some watch/strap combinations that are classic, timeless, and with which you can never go wrong. Take, for example, the trusty gray NATO. Gray is a neutral color that pairs well with any steel or titanium watch. Even black DLC or PVD watches look great on gray. A black or brown two-stitch leather strap will also look good on just about anything. And black alligator, overused and boring as it may be, is a perfect match to any dressier watch. But life is too short to stick to classic pairings. Sometimes, going over the top with color, patterns, or texture is the way to go. That, or a strap that perfectly matches and complements the basic color scheme of the watch in question. And tha...
Last week, we discussed whether or not watches would ever become obsolete. Hopefully, we went some way towards allaying any fears you may have had on that front. This week we dig into whether the frequently heralded return to smaller, more classical diameters is finally about to crest the horizonFor several years now, the watch industry seems to have been waiting for a sudden and stark reversion to smaller watches. Its a funny thing for the industry, which is, one would assume, in control of itself to a degree, to be waiting for. But, of course, no commercial enterprise can operate in ignorance of its customers desires. And so, while the watchmaking industry does tend to dictate what is cool...
I am back from my trip to Italy. Maybe I will post some pictures later on. Besides Rome, Perugia, Siena, the Trasimeno lake I visitted Florence. And ofcourse, the Panerai boutique. The salesperson gave a tour in the small Panerai Museum they have some floors up and it was marvelous. Didnt take pictures of it though, as I have seen loads of these on other websites (Paneristi.com).I wonder what is up with the Italians when it comes to watches. I just saw 1 Panerai in the wilde, in Rome. Just 1. Couldnt make up what it was because I saw in in a flash on someones wrist. It was just omega all over. I wonder how many of them were real, because even the guy serving ice cream on the campsite wore a ...
We value your opinion, dear readers, and you should let us know what the finals are going to look like. In this round of the Summer Splash, its the Doxa Sub300 Carbon versus the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M. The choice is up to you, dear Fratelli, so cast your vote at the end of this article. Your pick will potentially go on to win it So who will it be? The great white shark or the cheeky yellow tropical fish?Omega Seamaster Diver 300MThe summer is coming to an end this week in The Netherlands, where I live. Temperatures are dropping and I noticed I am picking business shirts and sweaters over my polo shirts again. It makes the white dial Seamaster Diver 300M even more versatile, as I cant see...
What is the most functional complication out there? No, let me rephrase, no, re-word that. What is the most FUNctional complication out there? Allow me to answer that. I think the mechanical alarm is a strong contender. Yes, the GMT would be my first choice for the most practical complication. But alas, there's very little fun to be found in a watch with a second timezone. On the other hand, an alarm watch and one with a timer function, especially is both practical because it tells you when the pasta is ready and fun because it does so with a charming vibration. The buzzing new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer in rose gold is equally charming and practical. And its new colorway ...
If you, or your kids, find yourself bored in the house and in the house bored, you can now grab your Caran dAche coloring pencils and download Omegas coloring book.To be honest, I have lots of things to do and when I am not working I have my newly founded hobby with my fellow Fratelli to work on (click here). But if you have a kid, or more than one, you will probably run out of ideas at some point to keep them occupied. These days can be quite a bit of a challenge, as you know.Omega Coloring BookYesterday, Omega sent out a link to a wonderful book with drawings to all their newsletter subscribers. You can download the 20-page book from their website, print them, and start coloring. My daught...
News from the? Vall e de Joux in Switzerland. Jaeger-LeCoultre proudly presents their AMVOX2 Grand Chronograph Limited Edition (ref?Q1972473) in 18 carat pink gold. Restricted to 50 pieces only and inspired by race driver?Adri en Fern endez who started his racing?career?in 1973. Why?Adri en Fern endez? Good question. In 2010, he became official driver for the Aston Martin Works Team and as you probably know by now, Jaeger-LeCoultre has a long term relationship with Aston Martin.Just like the first AMVOX chronograph, this limited edition Grand Chronograph also features the vertical trigger chronograph, which means you have a single-pusher system by using the sapphire crystal. Thats right, you...
I remember being very enthusiastic about the re-invented omega Milgauss watches in 2007. I am a regular visitor of several omega forums, and most active on the Dutch omega forum, as writing/reading posts in your mother language still works best. It occured to me that only few forum visitors/members have a omega Milgauss in their collection (or as their only watch). When I just visited the sales corner of das R-L-X forum, I noticed quite a few for sale, including those with the green saphire crystal called omega Milgauss GV.Although the odds were different one year ago, the Milgauss doesnt seem to be an immediate hit as I expected it would be. The period where prices were over the list price ...
Tribute to Ferrari and Haute HorlogerieToday weve visited a number of brands, but one of the most impressive pieces was definitely the Hublot Masterpiece MP-05 LaFerrari. This watch is not only a tribute to the manufacturer of super cars from Maranello, it is also a watch that proves the watchmaking skills from Hublot. A power reserve of no less than 50 days due to its 11 barrels in the movement and a vertical tourbillon.The caliber HUB9005.H1.6 movement consists of 637 parts of which 108 are used for jewels. The large movement measures 45.8mm x 39.5mm. Hublot is producing this Masterpiece MP-05 LaFerrari in a series of 50 numbered pieces. Each with a price tag of 300,000 Swiss Francs (inclu...
When it comes to Grand Seiko's headline release of the 2020 calendar, there's a lot to discuss. Caliber 9SA5 is an entirely new movement released in time to mark the commencement of Grand Seiko's second 60-year cycle. It hammers home the point (as if anyone had forgotten) that the Grand Seiko mission statement is, and always has been, that the best can always be bettered.For six decades, the Japanese juggernaut has stuck to its founding principles. In the hearts and minds of Grand Seiko's chief engineers and designers, even the idea of excellence can stagnate if allowed to stand still. As such, they set about designing a brand new caliber from the ground up. And rather than save time, money,...
This week's You Asked Us is about the most asked question since about a year or two: Is this watch [name any model or brand] a good investment? Every single day we receive this question via email, our contact form, Whatsapp, or direct messages on our Facebook and Instagram channels. I thought it might be a good idea to give a generic answer to this commonly asked question, as we roughly give the same answer to this question all the time.You Asked Us: Is This Watch A Good Investment?Please don't feel offended if you read your own question to us below, they aren't bad or wrong, we just want to show the type of questions we receive concerning watches as an investment.What is a better investment...