Last year, I shared the story of finding an Art Deco Oris watch in a suitcase. I had been looking through the case at a vintage shop here in Sydney when I saw something glistening. It turned out to be a rather battered and rusty Oris watch. It didn t run, but I liked the dial and look of the watch, so I bought it with the idea of seeing if I could get it working again.A love of old objectsOne of the wonderful things about this hobby is that it helps us appreciate not just flashy new objects but old ones as well. Sure, there s a lot of excitement about large events like Watches and Wonders. These shows reveal the new timepieces that brands have to offer. However, I also like going down vintag...
If you are a regular reader of Fratello, you might be aware that I adore the Credor Locomotive. Gerald Genta s remarkable creation is one of those standout watches that most either love or hate. There seems to be no middle ground when it comes to the watch s extravagant looks. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with the first modern version of the Locomotive about a year ago, and it left me seriously impressed. It proved that Genta was an absolute master of proportions, giving the watch so much impact on the wrist. So it comes as no surprise that I was delighted to take the follow-up for a spin. With a beautiful green dial, this first modern regular-production model is more proof that...
Well, well, well… It appears that Certina isn t standing still and allowing microbrands to have all the fun with color. The new DS-X GMT collection consists of five new models. One visited us at Fratello HQ, and it marks a real departure for Certina and the Swatch Group in general. Gear up for fun, affordable, and holiday-ready!Admittedly, I really miss seeing the Swatch Group and its bevy of brands at a large show like Watches and Wonders. While these shows aren t the be-all and end-all of watch publicity, I d love to see brands like Certina get more collective coverage. These shows help in that regard, but for now, we ll have to remain thankful that we ve had the chance to get our mi...
Fabian Spartacus Cancellara is a Swiss cycling legend who not only won multiple world and Olympic championships but also wore the Tour de Frances yellow leaders jersey for 29 days and won eight stages. The last time Cancellara raced in France was in 2016, and this year, he returns to the biggest bike race in the world as the owner of the Tudor Pro Cycling team. The team makes its TdF debut this year, and the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Yellow celebrates that memorable event and the successes of the team owner. Youve seen this carbon-cased cycling chrono with Tudor red details and in Giro dItalia pink, and now theres a black and yellow version in a limited run of 300 numbered watches. You can ha...
Chronoswiss is by no means the biggest name in watchmaking, but the brand from Lucerne is always instantly recognizable. For instance, it has a reputation for using the biggest crowns in the business. Joking aside, Chronoswisss use of XL onion crowns, coin-edge bezels, and regulator-style dials in bold and bright colors made the brand stand out in the watch universe. The Pulse One Sand has all the recognizable elements, but Chronoswiss reworked them and used them in its first watch with an entirely new design featuring an integrated bracelet and case. Is this a future-proof design or a jump-on-the-bandwagon creation?Well, what do you know? After writing an article titled Stop Releasing Sport...
Summer means sunny blue skies, bright colors, and plenty of swimming in lakes, pools, or the sea. That s precisely what the new Swatch ScubAqua collection stands for - summer fun. The semitransparent watches are big, bold, and colorful. They take inspiration from graceful fluorescent jellyfish swaying in the current. Options include daring blue, red, or yellow in combination with white Bioceramic or a more modest all-black or clear and white version. Which one would you go for?Since Swatch introduced its Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms collection, there has been a greater focus on the brand s more water-resistant watches. There used to be many of those in the collection, and the Scubas seem r...
Panerai launched a deluge of Luna Rossa editions at Watches and Wonders 2024. After a more back-to-basics showing this year, not including the Perpetual Calendar GMT Platinumtech, the Luna Rossa editions return with two new Luminor models. Panerai also announces its extension with the Luna Rossa sailing team, continuing a partnership that takes us to the 38th America s Cup in 2027. The subsequent chase for the Auld Mug trophy will occur in the Campania region of Italy, Panerai s homeland. While not quite Panerai s birthplace in Florence, a landlocked city, the races will mostly center on the coast of Naples. Under the watchful eye of Mount Vesuvius and azzurro skies, the area will provide a ...
Like many watch brands, TAG Heuer regularly produces limited or special editions. The difference, and advantage, however, is the brand s history and involvement with top-tier motorsports. Legions of racers wore vintage Heuer watches during the golden age of racing in the 1960s. None, though, stand out quite like the Monaco. The groundbreaking square watch is inextricably linked to Steve McQueen and Gulf Oil. Today, we go hands-on with the latest Gulf-themed Monaco Chronograph and declare it one of the best limited editions in recent history.From a distance, it s potentially easy to dismiss yet another McQueen-inspired Monaco. After all, the brand has leaned heavily on the iconic actor s imag...
It s that time of the week again, and we are back with a heated Sunday Morning Showdown. This time, Daan and Jorg will battle it out in a clash of lightweight titanium divers that they would love to wear this summer. Daan picked the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph. Its solar-powered quartz caliber makes it a great worry-free option. Jorg picked the Christopher Ward C60 Trident Lumiere, which stands out thanks to its solid Globolight hour markers. It combines sheer fun with over-the-top lume performance, making it a different but equally great pick for the season. Let s find out which watch will win!When we asked Daan and Jorg to pick this week s contestants, Daan mentioned th...
Dive watches are what got me into this hobby. As the proud owner of a Tudor Black Bay 58, I can appreciate as much as anyone the appeal of a good, solid dive watch. Such a timepiece is a good starting point for those just getting into the watch hobby. Why? Well, that s because it offers a good mix of capability, water resistance, and (one would hope) build quality. Plus, a dive bezel is not just a fidget spinner but also a genuinely useful tool, whether you re scuba diving, free diving, or simply measuring elapsed time when you have pasta cooking in a pot of boiling water.A quick note on dive watches?There are a few legendary or highly popular dive watches, such as the Submariner, Tudor Bla...
Fifty years after the Girard-Perragaux Laureato s inception, the 42mm Infinite Gray version debuts, flaunting a glorious Grand Feu enamel dial. GP doesnt say anything about this new reference being a special anniversary watch, but the artisanal dial does make it special.Not too long ago, I wrote an article offering Girard-Perregaux unsolicited advice. The article proposed cutting back on the number of references in the Laureato collection. Well, heres the new reference 81010-11-3475-1CM, a watch that GP should never axe from the collection. The steel Laureato 42mm Infinite Gray combines contemporary and classic beauty, meaning it will always look good, regardless of the era and trends.The Gi...
I remember the first time I was drawn to learn more about a Venezianico watch. The brand s Nereide GMT debuted in 2022 in several attractive colorways. I recall being intrigued by the monochromatic version of the brand s travel watch. Fast-forward three years, and I am again intrigued by a monochromatic version of one of the Venetian brand s watches. This time, the modern integrated-bracelet sport watch honoring the Venetian Arsenale, Europe s first major industrial shipyard, gets a special Platino dial. Let s dive in and see what it s all about.When I first saw photos of the Venezianico Arsenale Platino, the watch s look immediately made me want to learn more. We had the earlier Arsenale mo...
Another Friday, another list. Freshly back from two weeks of holidays, Id like to properly kick off our overview of the first half of the year. This week, we ll focus on our five favorite dress watches of 2025 so far. While that may not be the first category you think of, it s certainly a good one. We have seen a great number of brilliant dress watches that impressed us, which made choosing this category easy. Picking our five favorites, however, was a much harder task.There have been so many great releases at different price points. In the end, we selected a series of watches from renowned brands. That doesn t mean we didn t look at more affordable options, though. Some are so good that you...
As you might know, Chopard produces watches with two distinct certifications. In its Geneva atelier, the brand creates L.U.C timepieces that bear the engraved Poin?on de Geneve. The Geneva Seal is primarily concerned with the aesthetic quality and craftsmanship of the movement. While watches bearing it must also meet specific, strict chronometric requirements, the sternest criteria relate to traditional finishing techniques and the movements manufacture within the canton of Geneva. Qualite Fleurier certification, however, evaluates the entire watch, focusing on accuracy, durability, finishing, and real-world performance through painstaking testing. Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier, a historic...
This is the new Straum Fratello Jan Mayen Titanium Edition. If youre getting a sense of dej vu, thats no accident. This latest evolution of Straums flagship design builds directly on one of our most successful collaborations to date, the original Jan Mayen with its bold red dial and dramatic lava-inspired texture.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings But this time, its all about purposeful refinement. The same visual DNA remains, but the execution is sharper, lighter, and more versatile. The watch is still unmistakably a Jan Mayen, but it s reimagined in Grade 5 titanium and paired with Straums brand-new integrated rubber strap sys...
Breguet didnt choose any random date for the release of the new Classique Tourbillon Sideral 7255. June 26th marks the 224th anniversary of the tourbillon, one of Abraham-Louis Breguet s most notable inventions. Actually, June 26th, 1801, was when Breguets invention was patented.Inventor of the tourbillonInterestingly, in those first years around the patent, Breguet produced 40 watches with tourbillons. Breguet Head of Patrimony Emmanuel Breguet (yes, a descendant of Abraham-Louis) shares that the watchmaker produced the first three working tourbillon watches before 1801. In the first 10 years after the patent s granting, Breguet also sold 10 tourbillons. Among the buyers were George III and...
Today on Fratello Talks, we are joined by special guest ?ystein Husby, co-founder of Straum watches. RJ and Nacho sit down with him to talk all things Straum, including the brand s origins, meeting co-founder Lasse Farstad at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, how their background in design and love for Norway s wild nature has inspired their watches, recent innovations, and finally, the new Fratello Straum Jan Mayen Titanium. Our second collaboration with the brand is available for pre-order from now until July 3rd at 6:00 PM CEST. So, whether you re already a fan of Straum or have yet to discover what the brand offers, we recommend you tune in to this episode. Before we get into...
The Baltic Hermetique has been a bona fide hit since its introduction in 2023. Since then, the Besan?on, France-based brand has added new models to the lineup, including additional colors and bronze-cased pieces. Today, and just in time for the warm-weather holidays, a collection of four Hermetique Summer watches has been announced. These brightly colored field watches look like the perfect accompaniment at the beach or pool. Best of all, they re affordable and almost immediately available.Vividly hued watches have been in vogue for several years, but I rarely tire of them. After all, they re still rarer than the typical black-, blue-, green-, or white-dial timepieces. Plus, colorful watches...
The 1972 catalog lists it as the Gallet Maritimer, although it says Yachting Timer on the dial. You choose. The new designation is still connected to water use…well, sort of. I hereby announce with all due respect that I turned it into my Gallet Soft-Boiled Egg Timer. And I love it!I will start with an honest disclaimer today: I have no intention of disrespecting the original purpose of this Gallet tool watch. You know that I am a Gallet enthusiast and brand researcher. I collect Gallet watches, and I enjoy playing with them. Since I don t sail, I won t use this Gallet Yachting Timer for its intended purpose. However, I like the design so much that I didn t want to keep it in a safe. I...
Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! Please forgive us for the tardy release, but Balazs is traveling far away on the west coast of Canada. This week, we discuss the idea of a summer watch. Normally, this topic inspires lists of dive watches, but we take a slightly different track. Enjoy!This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings If May and June are predictors, this summer is shaping up to be a hot one! Therefore, it calls for putting some thought into one s wristwear. In this episode, we conclude that a summer watch isn t simply one to use during two or three weeks of vacation. No, it is a watch that can work throug...
