Sure, I saw the pictures, but who can trust pictures these days? I mean, some renderings you get from brands truly border on fakery. Reality sometimes has no place in those overly polished and touched-up depictions. You get no real sense of the hue of the colors used, the finishing, the shape, the proportions, and so on. And though the watches from JLC usually don't disappoint and the numbers and words in the press kit made sense, I only had the pre-produced photographs to go by visually. So I was a tad skeptical that's just how I approach things in my watch life, I guess before going hands-on with the steel Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Perpetual Calendar.What I wrote previously about the stee...
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Picking your favorite watch from a show like Watches And Wonders is something that you simply cannot rush. It's kind of like making a perfect cup of tea. Your head is a teapot, freshly filled with boiling water. The releases are the tea, which is immersed in the water and must be allowed enough time to fully steep before a perfectly brewed cup can be poured out. If you pour too soon, the tea will be too light, flavorless, and diluted. And if you haven't had time to see everything and let it sink in, your opinion, like the tea, will be incomplete. After a couple of days of mulling over everything we saw, the team comes together to share our picks. And after only a couple of rounds of Rock Pap...
Our friends over at Hodinkee did a very interesting hands-on review with Eric Claptons Patek Philippe ref.2499 Chronograph Calendar timepiece in platinum. Only two 2499 watches have been made in platinum, only one of them was sold on the market. Click here to read all about this magnificent Patek over at Hodinkees.Watch the video below for Ben Clymers visit to Christies in New York City.Up Close with the Patek Philippe Platinum 2499 owned by Eric Clapton from HODINKEE on Vimeo....
The Aquanaut is making its way through the ranks. The Aquanaut's design is a derivative of the Nautilus, and it always stood in its shadow, but the times they are a-changing. There are no less than 17 models in Patek Philippe's sporty-chic Aquanaut collection nowadays. And if that doesn't count for something, there are complications like the Travel Time and Chronograph models to add gravitas to the collection. Today Patek Philippe drops two white gold Aquanaut Chronographs in navy blue and army green gradient dials to further strengthen the ranks. The ambitious Aquanaut is on the rise.When introduced in 1997 the Aquanaut looked like a teenage version of the Genta-designed Nautilus. The round...
In 2021, Omega updated the iconic Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with the caliber 3861 movement. A very good reason to update our Speedmaster Buyers Guide as well!This guide dates all the way back to 2014, and since then, a lot happened. Not only did we have our own way with Omega and the two Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday watches (in 2017 and 2018), Omega also introduced a number of interesting Speedmaster watches to the collection. What about the Speedmaster Calibre 321 from 2020, or the new Moonwatch Master Chronometer models in gold? Time for us to update this Speedmaster Buyers Guide.In this Speedmaster Buyers Guide, we give you an overview of the most important references of the Speedm...
Exactly 6 years ago today, at the beginning of Speedy Tuesday in 2012, we featured Porsche 911 collector and fashion designer Magnus Walker and his Speedmaster Automatic 176.0012 from 1974. I thought it would be nice to highlight this feature once more, as it is not only a very cool reference but also to watch the documentary on Magnus Walker again (below).Magnus Walker and his Porsche 911 and Speedmaster. Photo (c) https://www.autickar.czMagnus Walker SpeedmasterYears ago, I noticed Magnus Walker wearing his Speedmaster Automatic 176.0012 (Mark 4.5) in a copy of TopGear magazine. I contacted him and asked him about his Mark 4.5 for a feature on Speedy Tuesday. He was happy to cooperate and ...
We who write for Fratello are passionate watch lovers like you. But our writing bears the risk of persuading ourselves to fall in love with one or the other watch or even follow one of the current trends in design. Next to the inescapable vintage trend and the continuously evolving diversity of structured dials in all imaginable color hues, the unbroken demand for what has been named luxury sports watches also haunts us Fratello editors in our dreams.Very few of these sports watches are indeed appropriate companions for really sporty situations. Many are too valuable to risk smashing against sports gear or on the ground when our enthusiasm gets the best of us. Others are plainly uncomfortabl...
Time keeps on slipping(everybody now!) into the future (thank you, Steve Miller Band). Thats a given, and its what our watches help us witness. But the way we interact with time is another matter. The evolution of the simple wristwatch, driven by professional needs, has brought us numerous different functions for recording time. Dive watches utilize the eponymous divers bezel. Pilots watches as a genre utilize many functions and complications, of which the countdown bezel and chronograph are merely two. All three of these functions measure specific intervals of time. And all three have thoroughly infiltrated non-professional watch culture. Each one divers bezel, countdown bezel, and chronogr...
It's the 25th anniversary of Parmigiani Fleurier, and the Val-de-Travers independent is celebrating in a big way. A total of seven new watches are being introduced, including three models in two different materials and a very special limited edition split-seconds chronograph. Variety is key here, as Parmigiani has all bases covered with these new releases. Starting with an ultra-thin two-hand time watch with a simple date complication and a micro-rotor movement. The brand is also launching a chronograph and an annual calendar. All four new models come on a nicely constructed integrated bracelet and feature a number of dial colors and textures.The Tonda family receives a whole new line of wat...
Fluted bezels are not a omega exclusive. Omega puts a fluted bezel on the Constellation Globemaster, for instance. But still, a bezel with multiple facets reflecting light has an inescapably strong omega vibe. But did you know that back in 1927, the Minerva Manufacture in Villeret made a fluted bezel? Well, it did. And in 1939, the brand produced a chronograph with a rotating fluted bezel with a red marking on it. And that last bezel is back. During Watches Wonders 2022, Montblanc presents the Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Red Arrow LE88. And in the same Montblanc 1858 collection, the brand also launches a new Geosphere travel watch with an extra chronograph function, plus an icy cold dive...
You love mechanical watches but dont want or cant afford to pay thousands of dollars for them? There are quite some alternatives on the market for small(er) budgets and beginning watch enthusiasts, like the watches from Guy David. This label is from Gassan (with whom we did an interview earlier this year) and aims at the young and starting watch enthusiasts with this line-up of fashionable mechanical watches for a very friendly price.For instance, this mechanical automatic diver is water resistant to 200 meters and has a diameter of a whopping 47mm.AC Watch Company sells them via their web shop, prices start at 199 Euro. Watches come with a 2 year warranty....
Welcome to This Week in Watches for May 2, 2020. Today, were all about fun and I think weve got the right watches to turn that frown upside down.Nivada Grenchen Returns Thats Fun!Speaking of fun, Nivada Grenchen is back due to the work of a couple French entrepreneurs. Theyll be kicking things off with modern reissues of the Antarctica and the Chronomaster. The Chronomaster is one of the most popular semi-affordable vintage chronographs under the sun and it came in loads of variants. In fact, it came in so many variants that it inspired its own reference book called?Chronomaster Only. Orders will begin in June and deliveries are expected for December. Figure on 1,600 on a Tropic and 1,800 on...
Right off the bat, I know what youre thinking: Ben, you think the world needs another Omega Seamaster variation? Thats fair, and we did get a slew of new Omega releases, mostly within its sea-faring collection. Yet, my suggestion to Omega is to consider dive watches that dont plunge to the ocean floor but are pretty comfortable in the coral reefs. Im referring to reimagining the Seamaster 120. It shouldnt be a 1:1 recreation of a particular reference, but instead, a modern reinterpretation with a sprinkle of heritage flair.Just this week, news of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep dominated the watch world. Id been saying for a while that a civilian version of the record-breaking Planet O...
Omega has been the timekeeping partner for the Olympic Games since 1932. The last time should have been 2020, but it seems that it is at least postponed till this year (if the planned Tokyo edition goes ahead at all). However, the show must go on, and the Winter Games are already planned for 2022 in Beijing, 14 years after the city hosted a historic summer competition.To celebrate the countdown to the start of the Beijing Winter Games 2022, Omega introduces to you a special Seamaster 300M.Seamaster 300M Beijing 2022 EditionWhen Omega introduced the current Seamaster 300M collection in 2018, it took a step forward concerning innovations and technology, and a little step back regarding design....
And it is awesome. It may sound like it has a slightly anachronistic name, but rest assured its origins are savory. Famed for its starring role on the cover of Manfred R?sslers book, The Zenith A3818 Cover Girl with its identifiable minuterie is a stone-cold classic thats been given a red hot makeover.I say makeover, but its really more like necromancy. The Revolution ?bZenith A3818 Cover Girl watch became part of brand lore when it was featured on the cover of R?sslers retrospective. As one of the best watchmaking books ever written (seriously, it contains a wealth of interesting brand information), the famous facade fell into legend almost immediately.Vintage vibeThe models case, which wa...
When it came out in 2012 BaselWorld was buzzing because of it. The buzz kind of died and so did BaselWorld, but that's an entirely different matter in the nine years that followed. The flagship model omega presented as some kind of uber GMT, but it never quite make it to the top of people's wish list. Partly because it all started with models in various precious metals with hefty price tags. But also because a complicated annual calendar with dual time zones is very un-omega. But still, the omega Sky-Dweller is the misunderstood genius you need in your life.I declare 2021 the year of the omega Sky-Dweller. And that's because since this year the ostentatious Sky-Dweller in steel with a wh...
When thinking of Bell Ross many relate the company to the popular and conspicuous designs of the BR Instruments. It is pretty obvious that these square watches were responsible for exploding the manufacturers popularity, but Bell Ross was very active even before the BR timepieces existed. Bell Ross had built a solid collection of more traditional watches, of which one of the best sellers was the Vintage 123. The Vintage 123, attracted many watch enthusiasts thanks to its palpable high quality, simple and clean design, and great value. These are all reasons why it is still in demand today.Presently the Vintage 123 is attracting many clients, albeit different from those who are attracted to...
A few months ago, I wrote about the non-fitting NATO strap on James Bonds watch in the Goldfinger movie (click here for the article). I also stated that I really dont like NATO straps on omega watches.Still from GoldfingerIn one of the comments by Dell Deaton (THE James Bond watch authority), he more or less wrote me that I shouldnt be so harsh on NATO straps Live and let live. Perhaps he was right, as I got a few NATO straps a few days ago from UK Watch Strap and I am slowly getting used to wearing such a strap on my t-dial omega Sea-Dweller.The straps start at 5.99 UKP (add one pound for the striped models) and are of excellent quality. Attaching them is a piece of cake and they feel quite...
We see omega watches go up for auction all the time. But it doesnt happen that often that we see the legendary omega Submariner ref. 6200 go under the hammer. Live bidding for a 1954 omega Submariner ref. 6200 is currently underway at the English auction website Watch Collecting. With the auction ending today, the highest bid is currently a little over 150K in British Pounds. Its a remarkable figure because the Watch comes without a bezel insert or the original bracelet. Lets have a closer look.Whenever one of the first omega Submariner references comes up for sale, its usually big news within the watch bubble we live in. When a Submariner ref. 6200 shows up; thats even more special. Submari...
Breitling's newest elegant but sporty timepieces are moving the womens watchmaking towards a new kind of youth-influenced, minimalistic aesthetic. The latest Navitimer 35mm collection perfectly captures classic codes which are true to Breitling's DNA, while taking a modern approach to the brands signature model.The Breitling Navitimer Automatic 35 comes with four different dials: mother-of-pearl, blue, copper, and silver. The case available in stainless steel, 18-karat red gold, and also a mixture of the two measures 35 mm in diameter and just 9.92 mm thick. The case itself is sporty and modern, while the size makes the whole design more feminine and elegant.Flowing from the case middle are ...