Although I dont wear it often, I still like my Chronoswiss R??gulateur Automatique a lot. Great dress watch and first real Chronoswiss watch (introduced in 1987 as a hand wound wrist watch).Christopher Meisenzahl mentioned the review on the Chronoswiss Digiteur at The Purists forum last week, and I thought that you might be interested!Enjoy the review by William Riepl on the Chronoswiss Digiteur Click here to read it...
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Welcome to the Fratello Holiday Gift Guide 2019: The Watches!? We have a cool assortment for you that includes both classics and new watchesenjoy and Happy Holidays!Over 5.000 Euro (or USD or GBP)Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 (9.100 Euro)Well, you knew a gift guide form Fratello would be thick with Speedmasters, so here is our first of two to make the guide: the Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8.? I wasnt sure about this one when it debuted at Baselworld 2018, but then I saw it months later on the wrist of Roy Davidoffand I loved it (RJ called it the best of the DSotM collection).? What amazes me on this watch is the impressive dial detail thats crafted to look like the surfa...
All I can say is I'm deeply envious of older collectors like RJ who had the chance to wear and enjoy these iconic designs, wrote one of our readers below an article about the Royal Oak Jumbo. With many enthusiasts unable to fulfill their watch dreams these days, Im afraid this readers sentiment is all too common.Sitting across from me is Ignacio, our Managing Editor. And then we have editors like Jorg and Daan, who also stepped into the watch game not too long ago. As you can read in this article, one of Ignacio's absolute dream watches is the omega Explorer II Polar. But with the current market value of omega watches, it might stay a dream. For Jorg, its an even tougher pill to swallow. Ive...
This watch was already shown as a pre-SIHH 2015 release a while back, but nothing beats to see a watch in the flesh. I suspect that this watch was chosen to be a shown to the public as a pre-SIHH release for a few reasons, one of them is that it is commemorating the 185th anniversary of the Baume Mercier manufacture in 2015 and that it is a limited piece. So orders could be given in time. Another reason might be that Baume Merciers SIHH 2015 presentation had a strong focus on the Classima collection. We will get back to the Classima collection soon, but first well have a look at this Baume Mercier Clifton 8-Day Power Reserve 185th Limited Edition watch.Baume Mercier Clifton 8-Day Power R...
Oh, shoot me. This Panerai Forum is something I set-up with the help of some Panerai enthusiasts. The Dutch omega Forum is quite popular, so I wondered if there would be space for a Dutch Panerai Forum as well. Panerai is a brand that I have the famous love hate relationship with. I had this wonderful PAM 113 and sold it because I thought I could do without. Boy, I was wrong. I really missed the whole Panerai experience.. being a Paneristi, buying and changing Panerai straps once in a while (or too often). So, about a year after I sold it, I ran into this great looking Panerai 000. As good as new. And the enthusiasm was immediately there again. Anyway, as a result, I started the Dutch Paner...
Want a watch wallpaper for your desktop? Jocke created www.watchwallpapers.com where you can download several very high quality photographs of watches for free. Certina, Seiko, omega, Omega, Dreadnought etc. Also check-out his tutorial section!Photo by Jocke. Ofcourse....
omega is the king of the luxury watch market today. That is by no means a bold or shocking statement. If anything, its so undeniable, at this point youre probably checking who wrote this article to make sure his name isnt Captain Obvious. And while some of the brands hot models, like the Submariner, Explorer, and vividly colored Oyster Perpetuals are on the simpler end of the horological spectrum, others show the range of horological capabilities the brand possesses. Watches like the GMT-Master II, Daytona, and Sky-Dweller are all examples of complications that the brand excels in not just producing, but producing really, really well.Some complain that omega doesnt make any complicated watch...
Although youll find Breitling not very often covered on this and other websites, they are still highly in demand according to the numbers we showed you last week. The Navitimer is our favorite Breitling model and comes in many variations. One of the models that looks a tad bit different from the others is thisBreitling Navitimer 01 Blacksteel. Lets have a look.Breitling Navitimer 01 BlacksteelJust recently I had a Navitimer in my hands from someone who was visiting our office. A Breitling Navitimer with an automatic B23 calibre (based on Valjoux 7753), probably from around 2011 or 2012. How different is the look of this Breitling Navitimer 01 Blacksteel compared to the Valjoux 7753 powered...
Iconic ChronographOne of the most talked about watches this year is without a doubt the new omega Daytona 2016 model, with black Cerachrom bezel. But what is all the fuzz about? Let me try to explain this to you in this article, about the omega Daytona 2016 model, some of its predecessors and perhaps, about dreams.Truth to be told, I do not own a omega Daytona and I never actually did. My Fratello Watches colleagues Gerard, Bert and Michael do own Daytonas, from vintage to new, and I have tried the previous model (reference 116520) more than once. I love the watch, both vintage models and the new (lets say after 1988) models. It is one of the most iconic chronographs and only few things have...
Every November, the Movember Foundation (founded in 2003) encourages men to grow their moustaches to raise money in support of 1200 health projects world wide. The Movember Foundations mission is to help men live happier, healthier and longer, and raise awareness (and funds) for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Oris announces their partnership with the Movember Foundation and introduce to you the Oris Movember Edition. A special edition timepiece that is based on the iconic Divers Sixty-Five that weve praised here many times. Part of the sales will go to the Movember Foundation.Oris Movember EditionThe Oris Movember Edition has the original 1960s Oris...
The Omega ladies' novelties are here to shine and this collection is no exception. The Constellation Petite Seconde in Sedna Gold adds a bit of the sparkle we all need in life.?From Cindy Crawford to Nicole Kidman, the iconic Omega Constellation was seen on the wrists of many it-girls especially in the late 90s and early 00s. The last few years have seen something of a revival. I've met so many wonderful women wearing the latest generation of Constellation or its previous versions, so much so that Omega has decided to bring back another well-known model the Constellation Petite Seconde.The Very First Constellation Petite SecondeAs part of the Constellation collection, in 2016, Omega released...
We are gliding on very thin ice here. Does a privately modified omega 116520 in full black PVD coating open a taboo topic?I have a friend that wants me to hear me say I like modern omega Daytona watches. He wants it so badly that he left me his 116520 for a week so that I would test it out and feature it on 52Mondayz. A week later, I got a text message asking what the verdict is. My reply? Im not feeling it. But, after much heckling, I gave the watch another chance. It stayed on my wrist a month longer. And then for another four weeks after that. I could easily start a new series called 12Monthz because of this Daytona and how I postponed writing about it multiple times. People in advertisin...
Like choosing a favorite offspring, ranking my chronograph collection is a tough call. In reality, I regularly cycle between my Breitling Chronomat, Omega Speedmaster, and omega Daytona. Any one of these chronographs suits a particular mood or event. But thats not useful for budding buyers looking to purchase their first and perhaps last great watch. For you, I present an objective and subjective ranking of these iconic chronographs based on personal experience. At the end is the score determined purely from their position in each category. And, as we are all hooked on the Winter Olympics, which watch do you think will take home the gold medal?For more detail, the watches in question are the...
Trust me, I tried and tested the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso more than once, but it is not for me. And I feel bad, because I love the looks and want to like it, but I just cant. Rectangular watches are not for me, there, Ive said it. But if there is one rectangular watch to buy, it is the Reverso in my opinion (no offence to all the Cartier fans). Ive tried many different versions and sizes, at some point even there square shaped Squadra, but that didnt work at all for me. I have the same issue with the classic Heuer Monaco for example. It is not for me. I tried again this time with this blue Reverso Tribute Small Seconds from Jaeger-LeCoultre. Lets have a closer look.Beautiful Blue Reverso Tri...
Perhaps the most recognizable luxury watchmaking brand in Japan has just passed its 60th anniversary. Since its inception, Grand Seiko has been a pioneer in the fields of technology and aesthetics. There are few brands whose component finishing is as well-regarded as the masters of GS. And now, to mark a very important birthday in Japanese culture, Grand Seiko is debuting a rush of novelties.It can be hard to put into words the extreme admiration a watch lover can feel for their favorite brand. To verbalize what is often a completely visceral emotion can make a man or woman sound mad. But for many of us, it is totally understandable. Fans of Grand Seiko will surely be pleased to see that thi...
We spend a lot of time talking about the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo on Fratello (because we love that line dearly), but the Octo Roma line has a lot to offer also. In fact, while the Finissimo is truly groundbreaking, its unerring thinness can, for some, be a dealbreaker. The Octo Roma takes the gloriously architectural lines of its slimmer (and squarer) brother and delivers them with the kind of elegant machismo we might expect of the horological embodiment of the worlds most famous and enduring empire.Rome wasnt built in a day, or so the saying goes. When it comes to a watchmaking corollary, the establishment of Bvlgaris reputation could hardly be more perfect. These things take time. Even tho...
Welcome to the third and final Wild Card round. Yes, this competition has spiraled into something much WILDER than we could ever have imagined, but weve got to roll with the punches and listen to the community. With the shadowy Kraken Kartel pulling the strings from 30,000 leagues beneath the sea, the Fratello Summer Splash has all the creative license it needs to grow in any way its participants demand. And so now we present the remainder of the Fratellis picks. I hope you enjoy sifting through them and picking your favorite as much as I did assembling the list.As with the previous two Wild Card rounds, the top two will go through to the Wild Card Decider, which will be published following ...
Trust me when I say that a lot of timepieces go through my hands on a weekly basis. And as soon as this watch landed on my desk it had my attention. While saying that, it is worth noting that to me, like many others, Montblanc is a brand of top quality writing instruments. It can be hard for me to see the watches without the pens cropping up in my minds eye. However, the Montblanc Geosphere 1858 did not suffer from the same fate. From the first moment, it had my complete and, for once, undivided attention.As you might expect given the creative aspect of my day job, I also have an interest in design. Actually, before I ended up working in real-estate (back in the day), I spent some time at th...
You'd have a hard time convincing me in March that we would see any more watch releases. With fairs postponing to next year, or cancelling, how would brands react to an unfamiliar release schedule? Even the Grande Maisons such as omega and Patek, set our expectations very low and swore off 2020 unveilings. But the story of this year, in general, is of remarkable resiliency in the face of adversity.As it transpires, 2020 has been a tremendous year for new watch announcements. Just flick through our help page for all new watches, and you will witness a wide variety of price points, innovation and fascinating designs. We are aware that many digital outlets are vying for your eyeballs these days...
Yesterday, I finally watched volume 2 of Kill Bill. The first part was great in my opinion, and the second part is nice, but not great. In fact, the only reason to see it is to finally witness how Bill is being Killed.Anyway (to keep it on-topic), in part two I noticed this omega Daytona she (Uma Thurman) uses to check her predictor-stick. At first I thought it was cool that she has such a nice masculine watch. Later on, when I examined the still images on my PC, it was clearly a fake Daytona. What a bummer....