While there are no official announcements on new releases from the reborn Universal Geneve, we do have news. To refresh your memory, Breitling purchased the brand in December 2023 from Stelux Holdings. It has been made clear that new models, along with authorized retailers, wouldn t emerge until 2026. However, three new one-off SAS Polerouter references emerged in 2024, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the SAS transpolar flights from Copenhagen to Los Angeles.It s been quiet since the SAS Polerouter trio debuted in November 2024. Now, though, Universal Geneve is making good on its intent to auction one piece off at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XXI on May 10C11, 2025. The positive is...

Farer watches always stand out in the large crowd of available options today. The British brand creates watches that distinguish themselves through playful yet clever designs. The elegant case shapes, arrow-shaped brand logo, distinct numeral style, and colorful dials ensure that the watches are instantly recognizable. In particular, the colors stand out to me. Farer uses colors incredibly well. Not only do the designers pick colors that other brands often shy away from, but they also choose the perfect shades of them. With the new Farer Lissom collection, the brand once again shows the magic of well-designed watches in combination with a rich palette of colors. I had a chance to go hands-on...

I saw some potential in its attractive dial. But since it was so simple and powered by a pretty standard Valjoux movement, I truly didn t expect this blue-dial Gallet to become my beater. It s funny how, every so often, a watch I d least expect finds a way to wriggle itself into my heart.Despite what some may think, I do indeed pass on some Gallet chronographs. That applies mostly to later ones from the 1970s, when cushion cases and Valjoux-powered models made up a large portion of the offerings.A mysterious blue dialFor the record, we haven t seen a blue-dial Gallet chronograph officially printed in any of the brand s catalogs. In the last few years, I remember uncovering two loose blue dia...

What s the best cycling stage race in the world? Dont say it s the Tour de France because, I m sorry, that s wrong. The correct answer is the Giro dItalia, or the worlds most beautiful bike race. Never was a nickname so accurate. It all started in 1909, and the coming weekend sees the start of the 108th edition. Tudor is the official timekeeper of the three-week race. Since the watchmaker is also the proud name-giving sponsor of a participating team, releasing a Giro dItalia-themed watch seems appropriate. And thats why the brand is introducing the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Pink, a run of 300 watches in black carbon and showing pink details.Frequent Fratello readers might know the Tudor Pelag...

Every other week, we re bombarded with an onslaught of new watches. And though we re not too upset about it in principle, the incessant pace at which the majority of watch brands pump out new products has recently had us asking, Are watch brands doing too much? Today, on Fratello Talks, Nacho, Thomas, and Gerard join forces to discuss the topic. Of the three, Thomas has the unique perspective of owning and managing a watch brand. Gerard can provide some perspective as a former retailer and from his longtime involvement in watch media. Though we re usually thrilled to see new watches, we can t help but feel that things seem to be on a precipitous crescendo. Today, we dive into the topic and l...

If you re in Los Angeles or just looking for an excuse to be, make sure Saturday, June 7th, is on your radar. That s when Collective Horology s Open House returns for its second year. If you ve got even a passing interest in independent watchmaking, this is the kind of event you ll want to check out, especially since it s free to attend!Taking place from noon to 6:00 PM at The Aster, a luxurious members club right in the heart of Hollywood, Open House is LA s first and only event focused entirely on indie watchmaking. And rather than cramming into a packed convention hall, this one s different. It s smaller, more personal and intimate, and much more enjoyable. The vibe is relaxed, the watch...

Today, we re looking at the Nezumi Corbeau - Pan Am Edition. The Stockholm-based brand creates crowd-pleasing watches at even more likable prices. Plus, with quartz movements inside some pieces, they work well as grab-and-go options.We read plenty of comments on Fratello about the escalating prices of new watches. Therefore, it s nice to cover a reasonable new release occasionally. Nezumi competes in this market and, from our perspective, does it successfully. The Swedish brand assembles its watches in Germany and uses Japanese movements. It s a nice combination that resonates with buyers looking for an affordable, high-quality option. Now there s the new Corbeau - Pan Am Edition, a cool new...

Fans of dive watches were already spoiled for choice with Hamilton. The brands Khaki Navy collection features almost any style, from daily divers to hardcore, oversized submersible watches. From today onward, you will have even more to choose from. Hamilton introduces the 43mm Khaki Navy Scuba Auto GMT in two versions (steel and bronze) and the 46mm Khaki Navy Frogman Auto in an altered colorway.Lets get the accounting out of the way first. The 46mm Frogman costs $1,445. The bronze Scuba Auto GMT comes in at $1,595, while the steel version costs $1,445. Now, lets have a closer look!The 46mm Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman AutoIf this looks familiar, congratulations! You may consider yourself a H...

We have a practical mindset here at Fratello. We love our tool watches, most of us get lost in spec sheets, and form follows function is most often our motto. But we also have a romantic side. Especially when Mothers Day is nigh (its coming this Sunday!), we get in touch with our softer and more poetic side. And when you say poetic and consider watches for women, you think of Van Cleef & Arpels, the maison born of love. During Watches and Wonders, we were stunned by the new watches in the Van Cleef & Arpels Poetic Complications lineup. The impression these outstanding creations made led to this non plus ultra Mothers Day gift tip.For almost two decades, Van Cleef & Arpels has sho...

I admit I had to Google this one! That is all on me, though, as I m not into movies so much. Actor Colman Domingo was at the Met Gala 2025 sporting a yet-to-be-released Omega Speedmaster Professional in Moonshine Gold.Colman Domingo wearing an unreleased Omega Speedmaster. Image via Omega.Speedmaster reverse panda in Moonshine GoldColman Domingo has played many roles in movies and series, from roles in Law & Order and Fear The Walking Dead (109 episodes) to starring in one of the Transformers movies. Even though I love Transformers, I stopped watching the movies after the first two (which has nothing to do with Megan Fox disappearing from them). This means I also missed Colman Domingo st...

As I landed in Zurich last Monday, I wondered what flying must have been like 60 years ago. Besides the cigarette smoke, one of the most significant differences would ve been the vital role that analog tools played in guiding the plane to its destination and doing so safely and on time. Today, it feels as trivial as jumping on a train. But six decades ago, long before the digital era we live in today, it must have been a vastly different experience. The plane glided smoothly onto the Swiss tarmac in Zurich at exactly 13:32:55 local time after spending precisely one hour, 22 minutes, and 40 seconds in the air. I knew all this thanks to my trusty Speedmaster. Back in the 60s, that would have ...

It will come as no surprise to our regular readers that I love vintage watches. Some of you may remember that I recently purchased a vintage King Seiko ref. 45-7001 45KS. Now, some months into owning that vintage King Seiko, I have decided to modify it with a sapphire case back.After some research, I discovered a specialist shop, The Time Collective in Singapore, that sells sapphire case backs for vintage Seiko, Grand Seiko, and King Seiko watches. I fitted one to my 45KS, and today, I want to talk about why considering a sapphire case back for your vintage watch could be a great idea!Image: The Diamond BoxWhy get a sapphire case back for a vintage watch?Sapphire case backs are becoming incr...

Welcome to the latest episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we imagine certain current brands as independent watchmakers. The topic was a lot of fun to discuss and came as a suggestion from two of our listeners. Enjoy the show!This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Most of today s watch brands belong to large groups. Undoubtedly, this helped many survive the Quartz Crisis during the 70s. However, what if some brands went independent? In today s episode, we envision several companies on their own and what it would look like.HandgelenkskontrolleWe start our show with a bit of DIY talk. Then, Balazs mentions a recent auction of ...

Just six months after debuting with the ALD model in four dial options, Dennison has returned with a group of new releases. The big news is the brand s first collaboration, a new piece with Collectability. Four other watches join the catalog, proving this retro design is highly versatile.Last November, I reviewed the initial Dennison ALD watches. I was skeptical when I first read the press information and felt the pieces were seizing on the trend of modern 60s watches with stone dials. However, after seeing the watches in person, I realized that designer Emmanuel Gueit created something attractive and affordable. Sure, the watches have quartz movements, but that helps keep the pricing and t...

Not too long ago, I expressed my frustration regarding watch brands with no history of releasing sports watches with an integrated bracelet. I wrote, amongst other things, get a grip on your FOMO, embrace the JOMO, and do something else, please. As I expected, I was not alone in my opinion. One of the comments read: I absolutely love integrated bracelet watches, but I can see your complaint. There are not only too many, but some are faux-integrated bracelets. The article also reached MeisterSinger HQ in the German city of Mnster. I received an email asking if I wanted to do a hands-on with the new Kaenos I mentioned in the article. Maybe it would change my thoughts on the matter. I said yes...

Doxa is back again with a new release! This time, it s a variant of the popular and affordable Sub 200. The 42mm dive watch was released in 2019 at Baselworld, and this is the first major update.While in Geneva for Watches and Wonders and the adjacent events, we visited Doxa on our first night. We were able to see all of the Sub 250T GMT models, but the brand held a second case of watches on the back table until the second half of the meeting. Those pieces were under embargo for another month, but we had plenty of time with the new Sub 200. How is it new?? The bezels lose the sapphire insert and gain a polished stainless steel version. This small change is welcome and makes a big difference....

We knew something was coming from Tudor this weekend. We also knew it would be related to this weekend s F1 Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome. It had Tudor fans speculating what this new release could be. Especially after the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 team announced a full pink race livery for the race, the rumors of another pink Miami-related dial were rather loud. As it turned out, a new pink dial wasn t in the books just yet. But we did get a watch that introduced something far more exciting than a new dial color. The new The New Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25 is the first carbon fiber version of the brand s popular chronograph. Combined with a white, blue, and red dial, it ...

It s Sunday morning again, so it s time for another installment of our famous Showdown. Last week, we featured two rather expensive and hard-to-get watches - the new Land-Dweller and the new 40mm Patek Philippe Cubitus. That s why we re going for something a little more affordable and readily available this week. Both Nomos and Frederique Constant know how to excite watch enthusiasts with their great value for money offerings and attractive designs. Nomos recently stole the show at Watches and Wonders in Geneva with its new Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer. Let s put that up against Frederique Constant s Highlife Worldtimer and see what happens.The Nomos Club Sport and the Frederique Constant...

Sometimes we just want something a little unusual in the collection-something we can look down at and know is an entirely unusual or funky design. Today, we re looking at a few vintage and modern options for funky watches. However, I d ask readers to provide their suggestions in the comments!We saw at Watches and Wonders this year a decision by to bring some pastel colors to their Oyster Perpetual lineup. The brand also discontinued the Celebration-dial OP. Many other brands also played around with fun or funky designs. An honorable mention also goes out to NOMOS and the new Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer. It s good to see that the playful factor is alive and well. Today, we re looking at s...

The gold price stands at an all-time high. Still, gold watches command prices far exceeding the value of the material added to the base price of the equivalent watch in steel. Why is that? What makes gold watches so costly?The popular answer is because of greed. But that is cutting some corners. Lets try and find out what drives watch brands to price their precious watches the way they do.How much gold is in a gold watches, really?First things first, how much gold are we actually talking about here? Of course, it depends from one watch to the next. A full gold Day-Date on a President bracelet will weigh about 180 grams with the movement and crystal removed. Naturally, a slender dress watch ...