If you are on the lookout for an affordable field watch, the chances are pretty solid that Hamiltons name will be at the top of your shortlist. With a pretty extensive range of Khaki Field watches available for under 1,000, the brand has a lot to offer. The latest addition to the Khaki Field King line-up is a stealthy full black version. I went hands-on to determine if this black version offers a new perspective on the familiar Khaki Field King.I like black. If you know me a little bit, you know thats my go-to color with pretty much everything. I have explained this before in articles. Its not a conscious effort. Whenever presented with a choice, I gravitate naturally towards anything black....
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50 years ago, Neil A. Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon for the first time. This remarkable historic moment was a giant leap not only for the culture and science but also for Omega making the Speedmaster Professional one of the most recognisable watch in the world.Releasing limited series of the legendary Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 50th Anniversary in Moonshine Gold, along with the stainless steel model, or hosting Speedy Tuesday World Tour, are just examples how Omega celebrates the first landing on the Moon and the Moonwatch legacy. With the market reevaluation and a drastic shift in consumer behaviour, a new dimension of collecting watches is dedicated to its enthusia...
John Holbrook recently bought this omega Submariner ref.1680 (approx. 1972), with red printing on the dial. As you can see on the photo below, the watch is quite worn. The bezel is incomplete (mind the missing luminous dot) and the bracelet is stretched. The watch case is still sharp edged, which means that this watch hasnt been polished much before. Especially on older omegaes, the sharp edges are gone most of the time. This is mainly due to polishing of the case by a non omega service center. A lot of watchmakers who are asked to buff the watch to get rid of all scratches, polish a bit too fanatical. The movement in this watch is caliber 1570, seems to be in good condition and is still run...
The Speedmaster Rising Sun is probably not new to you, as a Fratello regular, but the truth is that it is still a very under-the-radar watch.In this video, Karina and I talk about the Omega Speedmaster Rising Sun, the limited edition for the Tokyo 2020 Games. The Games have been postponed to later this year, but the watches were already introduced in the Summer of 2018.Only in Japan The Rising SunThe Omega Speedmaster Tokyo 2020 Rising Sun reference 522.30.42.30.06.001 was officially only for the Japanese market, just like the other four models that were part of the Tokyo 2020 collection. Officially, all these watches are sold out, but you can still find them on the pre-owned market.Somehow...
You must think I've lost my marbles, surely the omega Explorer II is a tool watch. Or am I simply on a roll after a well-read article on Explorer I alternatives this week? Well no, and I'll give you my reasons. Unless your daily choice is a vintage Daytona or an 18K white gold AP, the Explorer II is not a tool watch not anymore. Not for mere mortals anyway. It is a fresh white-dialed GMT watch, perfectly comfortable for traveling, in most cases under an expensive shirt. But even as the omega underdog it is rather predictable. The Grand Seiko 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition is the sharp alternative. But what about the sensitive Zaratsu polish? Well like the omega, it's not a tool is it,...
Designer Gerald Genta started his own brand in 1969, however, this talented haute horlogerie designer also did design work for numereous other watch brands. He is responsibles for some all-time watch classics that were produced in the 1970s. The most spectacular designs are those of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus, Vacheron Constantin 222 (Overseas) and the IWC Ingenieur.However, like I wrote before in the blog post on the Vacheron Constantin 222, these watches become unaffordable. A vintage 222 in stainless steel will cost you around 10.000 Euro, and I only found 1 for sale on chrono24.com. Do you love the vintage Patek Philippe Nautilus ref.3700 and want to save up f...
This episode of 52Mondayz is kind of a goodbye to a watch. Soon, I will say goodbye to this beautiful Omega Seamaster 600 PloProf from the first generation. But before it is that time, let me talk a bit about this iconic divers watch from the 1970s.Omega Seamaster 600 PloProf54mm in width, 45mm in length and 15mm thickAfter four years of extensive testing Omega produced the first generation of the PloProf in the beginning of the seventies. The Compagnie Maritime dExpertises (short Comex) and well known professional diver Jaques Cousteau were of help to Omega with developing the first?waterproof watch designed and built solely for the diving professional. The watch was nicked PloProf, derived...
Maastricht is (just like The Hague) one of the nicer cities in The Netherlands ?? My girlfriend and I went there this weekend to relax a bit and do some shopping. I took the opportunity to check out some watchshops in Maastricht!The first shop I paid a visit was Scorpione. The shop is located near the central station of Maastricht and besides watches, they also sell jewellery in gold and silver. The watches they sell are all vintage and displayed in the shop and on their website. The owner of the shop showed me two Movados, a gold chronograph and a steel chronograph. Both with inhouse Movado calibers. The stainless steel model featured an hour totalizer and the gold model didnt. The owner of...
Dear Fratelli, we need your help Back in August and September, you decided on the best summer watch in our Summer Splash contest. It was the Omega Seamaster Professional 300 that came out on top. Its only fitting that such a competent and undeniably good-looking dive watch took the crown. However, the season has changed, temperatures have dropped, and summer now seems like a distant memory. That can only mean one thing: it's time for another Fratello contest This time, it's chronographs that take center stage. But not just any chronograph will do. This time around, we're talking racing chronographs. Put on your helmet, fasten your seatbelt, and fire up your engine: the Fast and the Fratelli ...
We all know that James Bond has worn a lot of watches throughout his years of dazzling us on the silver screen. Many of them were included in the film for commercial reasons. Some were the actors choice. Some have aged well, others not so much. However, in the wake of the curtain falling on the Daniel Craig era, I thought it would be helpful for Barbara Broccoli and co. to have a few modern suggestions of which watches 007 should wear next time they head out into the field (or for dinner).James Bond has lived a very varied life over the years. As such, Ive picked one or two watches for his six favorite activities, which I deem to be driving, diving, fighting, listening to evil villains regal...
Hamilton is no stranger to Hollywood super productions. The brand with American Spirit and Swiss Precision has been on the wrists of the silver screen stars for decades. 2020 brings us yet another collaboration by British film director Christopher Nolan and Hamilton. The movie is Tenet, and the watch is the Khaki Navy BeLOWZERO.Many of us remember Agent Jay and Kay in the 1997 sci-fi comedy Men In Black (played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones) sporting the quirky/futuristic-looking Hamilton Ventura watches. Who can blame them? Even Elvis loved the Ventura, after all. Or how can we forget the most popular Hamilton of recent years, the Murph? This very model took its name from one of the mai...
Erik sent me an email with the link to his website a few days ago. It is about photography and horology.See for yourself, click here....
Welcome to 2022 from Wrist Game Or Crying Shame This year, things are gonna be great I can feel it We will kick off this year hot on the heels of an Omega release from just yesterday The five-year-old Omega Speedmaster 60th Anniversary is in play. Before we get to it, thoughTravel back to late 2021 with me when I showed you the Cartier Ballon Bleu 36 automatic. I really had no idea how that one would go, but the watch took us out on a high note with a 60% Wrist Game triumph Folks truly campaigned on behalf of that watch due to its comfortable bracelet and lovely looks. Im impressed This week, were on point the first week of January is always Speedy week as we look at the Omega Speedmaster...
Today, the 27th of April is Kings Day in the Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander van Oranje celebrates his birthday and therefore I will show some watches that have a bit of orange (oranje) in them.King Willem-Alexander is also a big fan of watches, and you might even see him wearing an Omega Speedmaster once in a while. I personally think it is cool that he wears a Speedmaster while he can (and probably does) wear any high-end brand on any day of the week. His wife, Queen?M exima Zorreguieta, often wears a omega.FOTO: ? GTRESONLINEAfter seeing an image of Willem-Alexander in a Dutch newspaper, I thought I recognized a Speedmaster on his wrist. After going through dozens of images of our King...
After a couple of more open-ended topics, here we have a nice, simple, technical question to answer: Why do watches tick?Almost all watches tick. Generally, you will hear people saying that quartz watches tick and mechanical watches sweep. While this appears?true on the surface, it isnt technically correct.?There are very few mechanically-powered watches that dont tick. The most famous of which is the Grand Seiko Spring Drive?system. Exactly how that works and how it differs from more regular escapements is a conversation for another day. In the meantime, lets get back to the straightforward question posed: Why do watches tick?Every watch has a power source. For the sake of simplicity, lets ...
Thats the question that keeps Michael Sandler of TZ busy ?? A lot of reactions, and it almost seems to be a omega vs Other brand.It is nice to see all those opinions, and sometimes Patek is getting the same blame as omega. Do you want it because it says Patek? Pfff unbelievable. Some people tend to forget that buying a watch is very personal, either you like it better than the other or you dont. Most of the time people cant even explain why they like the other one better. And they dont have to in my opinion. It is about taste, not about a name on the dial, especially not with watches with these kind of names on it.Oh btw, it is this watch:and this one..Personally, I would go Patek. To me, it...
Weve been covering the Omega Speedmaster on a weekly basis now for many years and in the comments section of these articles, countless questions have been asked about the watch. We have selected some of the most common and reoccurring Speedmaster questions and done our best to provide the answers. Should you find yourself in need of more information about this Omega classic, then read on, as you might just find the answers you are looking for.The Omega Speedmaster is hotter than ever before, not only because of its popular editions like the Silver Snoopy Award 50th anniversary but also because of the recent long-awaited update on the movement and bracelet. You could also say, that these new ...
Bvlgari brought the mythological motifs and iconic Italian style with the highest precision that created a seductive dream on a big scale ?the smallest tourbillon for women.And, of course, welcome to this first installment of Karinas Korner, where I will put the spotlight on womens watches here on Fratello Magazine. I would like to kick off with the new collection of Bvlgaris Serpenti Seduttori watches.A Serpenti Seduttori is bornFirst conceived in the late 1940s, the Serpenti collection has long been known for its strong design. Uncompromisingly elegant, the artisanal aesthetic stands out thanks to a unique combination of vibrant colors and precious stones. But the most memorable of charact...
Let's make no mistake here: being able to collect watches at all is a privilege. Spending 10,000 on a watch is an even bigger one. I have friends who would love to start a watch collection, but the hobby is simply too expensive for them. I also recall that I had some issues wearing a watch at this price point, as I felt it was just too much money to spend on one piece. What if you lose it, or it gets stolen or damaged? That's a lot of money to tie up in one watch.If you have 10,000 to spend all at once, you may immediately start to look for watches that are around that price. Thus, you will end up with a collection of one, and despite what some may tell you, that's not a watch collection. So...
Today, Roger Ruegger pointed out to me that The Crossing is being presented by IWC on their website. The Crossing has been played in front of 1700 guests during a gala night organised by IWC at the SIHH watch fair earlier this year.The text below is a short summary of the official press release by IWC:IWC presents the short film of a multimedia performance by the Sydney Theatre Company, interpreting the story of how the watch manufacturer was founded and starring Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes. The watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen is celebrating the online premiere of ?e??? ?Minutes of a Separation?e??? , with the lead roles played by Oscar winner Cate Blanchett and Hollywood actor Jo...