How can a brand grow while maintaining exclusivity to uphold the perception of a luxury brand? Increasing accessibility was the right strategy for a while. But this democratization of luxury is becoming a thing of the past. Traditional clients and affluent newcomers in the world of luxury demand exclusivity. For them, luxury is all about excluding and not including, and higher-echelon brands recognize that view and react to it. Strong and prestigious brands focus intensely on an affluent target audience, making them less affected by economic and geopolitical mood swings. They are not worried that their prices are antidemocratic. It is a way to regain a position of aspiration rather than easy...
Tudor released the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25 for this years Miami F1 Grand Prix. The watch celebrates the collaboration with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) Formula 1 team with a 2,025-piece limited run. I got a chance to go hands-on to see whats what.I was delighted to get this opportunity because it allowed me to test my preconceptions. I must admit, I am not a big fan of collaborative special-edition watches. I am also not generally a fan of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono, so I shouldnt like this watch at all. Lets see if that is indeed the case!The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25But first, lets quickly recap the specifications of the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25. You get a 42mm forged...
Gerald Charles has rolled out a steady slate of releases in support of its 25th anniversary. Among these debuts are new versions of the Maestro 3.0 Chronograph, which feature metiers d art in the form of tapisserie Clous de Paris dials. The releases also include two case materials.I spent time at the Gerald Charles booth at Watches and Wonders 2025. I saw several new pieces during our meeting, such as the GC Sport Tennis. The highlights, however, were the new Maestro 3.0 chronographs. As we ll see, the two new pieces include highly detailed dials and impressively thin cases.The inspiration behind the new Maestro 3.0Naturally, Gerald Genta s designs have inspired the Gerald Charles collection...
As Nacho pointed out a few weeks ago, 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of NASA s qualification of the Speedmaster for use in space. As youve probably noticed, theres no new Omega Speedmaster Professional to commemorate this qualification by NASA. Instead, the folks at Omega chose to discuss the Speedmaster s qualification on the brand s social media channels and with the press.Flight Qualified for all Manned Space MissionsTo correct a common misconception (also by other media titles), we are talking about the watch s qualification for EVA use here, not certification. Many people still refer to this process by NASA as certification, but NASA doesnt certify things. So instead of the Moonwatch b...
What happens when one of horologys most radical voices tries its hand at something classically elegant? You get the MB&F SP One. At just 38mm across and 12mm thick, its the smallest and slimmest watch the brand has ever made. But dont let that fool you. This might be a more compact, dress-watch-adjacent MB&F, but its still a stage for theatrical mechanics and levitating design in true MB&F style.Originally nicknamed Three Circles, the SP One centers around a trio of floating components - the mainspring barrel, the balance wheel, and the brands signature tilted dial. All sit within a domed sapphire pebble-like case, creating a sense of weightlessness and symmetry that turns the wr...
Welcome to another installment of Fratello On Air. This week, we respond to a listener s request for a strap episode. Today s show covers how to choose, which brands we enjoy, and pairing specific watches. Enjoy it! For our listeners, the watch content begins after approximately 21 minutes.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings There s no other way to put it - Balazs is a strap monster! His Watch Strap Review articles are legendary and quite literally span the globe, as far as covering different makers. Comparatively speaking, Mike is a novice, but he s learned a few tricks from the master. Today, we address the topic from many...
Yema s current catalog mainly consists of sports watches, so it s nice to see a new dressier option, especially because it has quite an original design. The inspiration for the all-new Yema Granvelle s cushion shape came from the arches in the courtyard of the Granvelle Palace in Besan?on. The building also houses the Museum of Time, and the city is the capital of the French watchmaking region, where Yemas workshops are located. Inside the new Granvelle is the company s slim micro-rotor CMM.20 caliber.Earlier this year, Yema announced that it shifted to using Swiss-made Sellita movements instead of proprietary calibers for its entry-level mechanical watches. This allows the company s watchma...
The names are the same, but the looks are very different. A hands-on experience with the new Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Chronograph revealed strong similarities between the black-and-rose-tone model and its green sibling made of plasma high-tech ceramic. With a matte black ceramic case adorned with a rose-gold-colored PVD-coated steel turning bezel, the chronograph version of the Captain Cook looks metropolitan. Dark green is a new color for the collection, though, and it gives the scratch-resistant timepiece a more outdoorsy vibe. Previously, a Captain Cook chrono was only available with a steel case and two counters. Now we see the debut of two three-counter models with ceramic ca...
The 39.5mm Formex Baby Reef represents, to me, the sort of value for money we were once accustomed to with Tudor s Black Bay series in the COVID era. Although that was just a few short years ago, Tudor is moving upmarket, allowing brands like Formex, Longines, and Sinn to sweep in and fill its former shoes. How did this change happen, and what does it mean for those of us who still seek quality watches on a 2020 Black Bay budget? That s what we ll consider today.I remember purchasing a blue Tudor Black Bay 58 new in 2021. At the time, this was one of the hottest watches around. There were waiting lists for it as customers with money to spend due to COVID lockdowns yearned for the allure of a...
As watch fans, we re used to brands and timepieces being attached to impressive feats. Some examples are jumping from planes, diving to ridiculous depths, and shooting off into space. Now Fears has opted to sponsor the Great British Odyssey, an attempt by record-setting ocean rower Angus Collins to row unassisted around the United Kingdom. The new Fears Odyssey Edition commemorates this, and the brand has produced a special Experimental 01 model for Collins on his journey.As mentioned, it s not novel for watch companies to attach their names or specific models to exploration or sporting attempts. Today s new Fears Odyssey Edition is most impressive, though, because it supports a charity for ...
This week, Omega launched two new versions of its 38mm Railmaster. One features a gray gradient dial, while the other has a beige gradient dial. They share a flat, matte, time-only layout, which sets them apart from the current Seamaster Aqua Terra lineup. The new Railmaster is also $1,000 less expensive than the similarly specced Aqua Terra. So we thought it would be a good idea to put these two watches up against each other to see which you prefer. Get ready for another installment of Fratello s Sunday Morning Showdown!Daan went hands-on with and wrote the introduction article for the new Omega Railmaster, so he will defend the new family member. Thomas went hands-on with both the colorful...
Thanks to a curious local collector, today, we can share a snippet of a story about a watch from a brand many of us are fond of - Enicar. Today s story is about uncovering a vintage Enicar Sherpa chronograph with a genuine Australian racing pedigree.Australia has a rich motorsport culture. There is a wide range of these sports with large followings here. Not least of these are Formula 1 and MotoGP. There are also the Bathurst endurance races. Today, we are looking at a vintage Enicar Sherpa Graph watch discovered by an Australian collector. As the story reveals, the watch s owner was a real-deal racer who couldn t have had a more appropriate timepiece.The Enicar Sherpa GraphEnicar is an inte...
Possibly one of the most unexpected novelties released during this years Watches and Wonders was a double-retrograde calendar watch with a 40mm pink gold case. Now, a timepiece of that size, in that material, and with that complication - I mean no disrespect to double-retrograde indications - doesnt sound too surprising when you think of the traditional Haute Horlogerie players presenting their novelties at the salon. But in this case, the modestly sized, Poin?on de Geneve-certified day/date watch was made by a brand that generally makes more voluptuous, exuberant, and extravagant timepieces. This relatively introverted watch celebrates the brands 30th anniversary and caught many, including ...
Louis Moinet is known for creating fanciful, typically extravagant watches. They often feature tourbillons, complex complications, exotic materials, and open dials. Today s Louis Moinet 1816 flips this script as a pared-back modern chronograph with strong cues from the brand s past. It s a marvelous hybrid that sounds odd but works perfectly.Louis Moinet makes watches with a link to the company s formidable history. In 1816, the brand s namesake watchmaker completed the world s first chronograph, the Compteur de Tierces. This inspires today s Louis Moinet 1816, a watch that seamlessly blends old-world traits with modern materials and design.The Louis Moinet 1816One glance at the new 1816 sho...
Just under a month ago, Breguet unveiled its stunning new Souscription 2025 watch, a remarkable addition to the collection that commemorates the company s 250th anniversary. Now, were excited to introduce the second piece in what seems to be an impressive lineup of watches to expect in 2025. Meet the newest Breguet Tradition Seconde Retrograde 7035.Breguet Tradition Seconde Retrograde 7035As a passionate enthusiast and proud owner of the Breguet Tradition 7027, I was thrilled to discover that the new Tradition Seconde Retrograde 7035 has embraced a more understated size. Whereas its most recent predecessors measured at least 40mm across, this new reference has a 38mm diameter.Breguet inventi...
The 39mm Longines Legend Diver is one of those rare watches that all of us at Fratello HQ like. While most watches spark at least some kind of debate among Fratello editors, the Legend Diver is universally admired. So when Longines releases a new dial variant, we pay attention, especially when it is a crisp white dial, perfect for summer.The new Longines Legend Diver in white costs $3,800 on the beads-of-rice bracelet. Lets have a closer look!A refresher course on the Longines Legend DiverSince this new white version is technically the same as the existing Longines Legend Diver, lets kick things off with a quick recap. The stainless steel case has a pleasing 39mm diameter and 47mm lug-to-lug...
You will remember a Ball watch once you encounter one. The brand s distinct style immediately stands out from the large crowd of watches available these days. Several of Ball s watches have tritium micro-gas tubes that light up in the dark. This unique form of lume has led to an instantly recognizable numeral style that defines the design of the models that use it. It had been a few years since I last reviewed a Ball watch, but I thoroughly enjoyed the last one, so I was happy to learn more about the brand s Roadmaster M Model A. This limited-edition release combines a GMT function with a mechanical alarm. We don t see this combination often, so I was eager to check it out.I had to look up h...
Over the past six years, the current Seiko 5 Sports collection has become widely diverse. First announced in August 2019, spec-wise, it wasn t a direct successor to the famous SKX dive watches. However, with the discontinuation of the SKX series and the SRPD models visual link to those watches, it s clear where the inspiration came from. With the new Seiko 5 Sports SRPL83, SRPL85, SRPL87, and SRPL89, the brand pays tribute to the predecessor of the SKX, the Seiko 7002 diver.Do you know what came before the popular SKX and after the famous Seiko Turtle? It was the Seiko 7002 series of dive watches. Hardcore Seiko fans will have known that answer, but for plenty of people, that might have bee...
When Ming offers to send you a watch to spend time with, you dont say no, even if it s something you have seen before. The Ming 29.01 Worldtimer hit the market almost exactly two years ago. This week, the model received an upgrade or, better yet, a line extension with the new Ming 29.01 Midnight. While it is very similar to its predecessor at first glance, this new timepiece offers more than meets the eye.I first saw the new 29.01 Midnight in Geneva during one of the recent watch soirees. Normally, I m not a huge fan of all-black watches, but it caught my attention with its wrist presence.MingMike, our resident Ming aficionado, knows how much I support the brand. Luckily, Im not the only Fra...
Did you know an amagnetic mechanical watch is a key part of an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) divers equipment? Admittedly, I didnt. However, as it turns out, the slightest magnetic disturbance can set off explosives, rendering any battery-powered watch dangerous to EOD divers. Because of this, the French Navy turned to Serica for an amagnetic mechanical alternative. I got a chance to go hands-on with the new Serica 5303 PLD.The Serica 5303 PLD can be ordered starting May 20th, 2025. This new version of Sericas diver costs $1,690 and comes with the familiar mesh bracelet and a secondary elastic Serica PLD strap. Lets have a closer look!The Serica 5303 PLD shares most of its specs with the...
