With more than 55,000 visitors, Watches and Wonders 2025 saw the fair s greatest attendance to date. In his closing press release, President Cyrille Vigneron proudly named it a must-attend professional event and a platform for watchmaking maisons to express their creativity. I agree, although, after 26 touch-and-try sessions, one discovers a pattern revealing that brand creativity is moving very much in the same direction. All brands are very proud, and many, if not all, found one reason or another to celebrate something.The overall vibe at the show was very positive. Still, the lack of variation in presentation creativity meant we quickly lost focus on promotional videos emphasizing brands ...

Less than a month ago, I found myself in a White Lotus-esque setting on an island in Thailand. I ll spare you the details of the moment I stepped on a frog with my bare foot, but the scenery was incredible (it was my first time in Thailand). Still, I was there on a three-day mission! Louis Vuitton was announcing its collaboration with watchmaker Kari Voutilainen. The two parties are producing a limited run of only five LVKV-02 GMR 6 watches, and they invited watch media to cover this special introduction.Louis Vuitton and Kari Voutilainen in ThailandLouis Vuitton also invited many clients and utilized this stunning location to showcase the latest novelties. It was captivating to view the Lou...

Fortis is a brand that is constantly on the move. In the last six months, we have seen new versions of the Novonaut N-42, a new model range with the Vagabond V-40 GMT, and even new movements. For its latest releases, Fortis introduces two new Flieger models with black cases in two sizes. But the biggest news is that all four watches are powered by the new Fortis manufacture Werk 7, which was developed with La Joux-Perret. I had a chance to gain some hands-on experience with all four variants.It probably comes as no surprise that the Novonaut N-42 is my favorite Fortis watch. I have spent quite a bit of time with the different stainless steel and titanium variants, and they never fail to impr...

With the dust settling after this years Watches and Wonders, it is time to pick our favorites. I spent countless hours preparing release articles, and a handful of watches stuck with me. In my view, these are the best Watches and Wonders 2025 releases. Just like last year, I picked a Cartier. Unlike last year, however, my other two favorites are from Parmigiani and Angelus.I pondered whether to put the Land-Dweller on my list. I love the case and bracelet, and the new caliber is also impressive. Unfortunately, I feel the dials are so off-putting that I would never aspire to own one. That means it could not get more than an honorable mention here. So, with that out of the way, lets explore m...

One of the understated hits this year at Watches and Wonders was the 34mm A. Lange & S?hne 1815. If this is the peak of the trend for slight watches, then we small-wristers have been well rewarded. Today, we ll take a closer look at the two variants of this charming dress watch.The longstanding 38.5mm 1815 from A. Lange & S?hne doesn t exactly qualify as a behemoth. Still, the brand saw an opportunity to offer a smaller watch. Indeed, appealing to those who enjoy a more discreet look on the wrist isn t the worst idea. Plus, a new 34mm case works on a smaller wrist and works for women. As we ll see, though, the latest 1815 wasn t only about downsizing. Lange has introduced a new calib...

It s time for our first Sunday Morning Showdown after the craziness of Watches and Wonders 2025. As you can guess, we will create new matchups based on the watches introduced in Geneva. These provide us with plenty of picks for the upcoming weeks. In this first post-Watches and Wonders matchup, Mike and Jorg go head to head with two highlights of this year s fair. Mike picked the yellow gold 1908 on the new Settimo bracelet, while Jorg picked the new pink gold version of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds on Milanese mesh. Which watch will take the golden crown in this battle? Let s find out!The funny thing about today s two contenders is that they are brilliant var...

An all-black vintage chronograph with the design chops of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche makes for an intriguing vintage option. Today, we re looking at the Valjoux 7750-powered Porsche Design Chronograph 1 by Orfina.I love blacked-out watches. There is something particularly cool about them. The IWC RAAF with its black ceramic case has been a personal favorite recently. Today, though, I ll highlight one of the first blacked-out watches. This Orfina Porsche Design Chronograph 1 watch is not only an attractive and sturdy chronograph from the 1970s but also an important piece of industrial design history. Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time with a vintage example and wanted to shar...

Though it seems like an age has passed, Watches and Wonders 2025 closed its doors just less than a week ago. The intense week-long event sees media, retailers, and other interested entities tread thousands of steps onto Palexpo s uncanny light brown carpet as they flock from appointment to appointment. This is where we first get to lay eyes and hands on the hundreds (if not thousands) of new watches. After the week is over, we go back home for a bit of R&R and let it all sink in. As tradition dictates, we then take turns picking our favorites. You ve already seen those of a few of my colleagues, and now it s my turn to lay the cards down on the table.This year, I ve kept things simple, w...

Another Friday, another list! After a week without a Top 5, we are back with a new one. Watches and Wonders 2025 is over. Now that the dust clouds have settled, it s time to talk about favorites and the best of the show. In our current Fratello Favorites series, you can read all about our writers highlights from the event. In this week s Top 5, we will stick to the most significant watches based on horological developments and trends that we saw during the fair in Geneva. Let s find out what they are!Just to elaborate a bit on this list, it s not a selection of favorites. This list is based on the relevance of the timepieces in a wider context. After a long week, we saw some amazing new tec...

Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali were each others opposites. Coppi was an assertive, ascetic, and ambitious athlete, while Bartali was a calm and devoted Catholic who enjoyed a glass of wine with his pasta. Coppis nickname was Il Campionissimo, which translates to Champion of Champions. Bartali was called Il Pio, meaning The Pious. The great rivalry between the two cyclists who competed against each other in the 1940s and 1950s never stood in the way of deep respect for each other that later turned into a friendship. Their duels on the road were mythical clashes that enchanted and inspired a nation. The Breitling Top Time B01 Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali limited editions aspire to catch the sp...

Last week was the second time I attended Watches and Wonders Geneva, and it was almost just as impressive as the first. Palexpo is still an immense venue, and the booths make it look like you re in a shopping center full of huge luxury watch boutiques. It also still amazes me how many people are involved in the watch industry, and during that week, many of them were there. Of course, we were there for the watches, and luckily, there were plenty. If I look at my favorites, it seems it wasn t a revolutionary year for releases because most of them are new variations of existing models. Thankfully, that doesn t make them any less enjoyable to look at and dream about.My visit to Watches and Wonde...

Independent watchmakers can apply for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize until April 15th. It will be the second edition of this competition that takes place every other year. For the last edition, more than 1,000 artisans submitted their creative projects. In the end, the jury selected the Regulateur Detente RP1 watch from the Swiss Raul Pages. This watch with a pivoted detent escapement was crafted and finished entirely in-house by Pages. Regulateur Detente RP1 by Raul Pages Regulateur Detente RP1 Louis Vuitton Watch PrizeThe invitation to apply for the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize is open to independent watchmakers worldwide. A dedicated team, in close collaboration with Enrico Barbas...

Just when the watch world is beginning to settle into the quiet post-Watches and Wonders pace, Blancpain shakes things up by introducing a version of its 42mm Fifty Fathoms in steel.Recently, I had the pleasure of spending some time with the 42mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in titanium. Now the brand has introduced a new stainless steel version of its iconic Fifty Fathoms diver. With the 42mm models previously only available in titanium or gold, the introduction of a steel version makes a lot of sense.The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in steel?The watch has a 42.3mm diameter with a 14.3mm case thickness. It features a 300m water resistance rating, a black sunburst dial, and a domed sapphire bezel inse...

A Mimo watch has been on my wishlist for almost a decade. Although I am on a hunt for different Mimo models, I simply couldn t resist this tuxedo tank. With an original strap, buckle, and even the brand tag, it looks like it just left the Mimo factory.Mimo is one of the brands we need to look at closely in the coming years. In the early 1900s, the company released multiple innovative watches, including the Mimo-Meter, one of the most fascinating big-date watches I have ever seen. Another interesting timepiece was a double-sided Mimorex watch. One of my longest hunts is for the Mimolympic, a tank watch with a basic monopusher chronograph function, likely released for the Olympics in 1936.Hist...

Eckhart Tolle once said, What a liberation to realize that the ‘voice in my head is not who I am. Who am I then? The one who sees that. While those are wise words indeed, thats not the question I ask myself. I want to know what kind of Tank I am. I know Im not a guy who would rock a Tank Fran?aise or Chinoise. The discontinued Tank Anglaise was never my cup of tea either. The Tank Americaine, however, is most definitely a watch that resonates with me. During Watches and Wonders 2025, Cartier presented a yellow gold version of the Tank Louis Cartier with an off-white dial that made me wonder if that would be the Tank I could wear as a daily driver - sorry, beater.Its time to grow up an...

Whevener Jaeger-LeCoultre dusts off the Hybris name, you know you are in for something special. Whether it is Hybris Mechanica or Hybris Artistica, you can rest assured your jaw will drop. Well, this new effort does not disappoint in that respect. It does not disappoint in any respect, really. Well-maybe price, but hey, what do you expect? This is the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Artistica Calibre 179. Lets have a closer look!Priced at US$565,000 and limited to 10 pieces, this is a true unicorn watch. This is possibly the first and likely the last time you will ever see it. Still, that doesnt stop us from enjoying (and salivating) from afar, right?The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris A...

Picking highlights from this year s Watches and Wonders is not a simple task. But it s a matter of abundance rather than a lack thereof. Watches and Wonders 2025 was a show with many highlights in different categories and at different price points. Nevertheless, I have managed to whittle all these highlights down to my favorite releases from this year s show.There are two ways to go about this list. Should I just pick my Watches and Wonders 2025 favorites regardless of price? The easy thing to do is choose the stunning high-end and precious-metal releases that immediately stand out. In reality, though, I always keep an eye open for watches that could realistically make it onto my wishlist of...

Welcome to this special installment of Fratello Talks. This is the Watches and Wonders 2025 debrief episode, where Nacho, RJ, Daan, and Lex share their highlights from this year s show. We also discuss just about every brand and novelty released at the fair. Honorable mentions go to some of the novelties released at the other events that took place in town last week. It s not unfair to say that it was the biggest this ever-monumental week for the watch world has been in recent times. There s a lot to take in. So whether you want to hear our take on a specific novelty or to find out what our favorites are, make sure to tune in to this long-form episode of Fratello Talks. But now, tradition di...

It s no secret that we are fans of the Tissot PRX here at Fratello. Multiple team members, including yours truly, own a PRX Powermatic 80, so we meet any new addition to the lineup with great interest. The latest expansion of the extensive PRX collection is a pair of red-dial versions of the PRX Quartz in 35mm and 40mm cases. We had a chance to see them up close and find out how these compare to the other models in the collection.Putting a Tissot PRX on my wrist is like coming home. I have had my black-dial version for three years at this point and still love it to bits. I might not wear it as religiously as I used to when I first bought it, but any time I do, it puts a smile on my face. The...

Every year, in the months before Watches and Wonders, we receive a lot of press releases and watches up front. That way, we re well prepared when the fair finally opens its doors. This time, we also asked Hermes whether it would be possible to get a preview of what the brand was working on. However, the maison stayed suspiciously silent. Last year marked the introduction of the all-new Cut. While 2025 was a little less revolutionary, with the return of one of Hermes s signature complications and a cheeky horse, there s certainly enough to talk about. Let s take a look at the new Hermes Arceau and Cut Le Temps Suspendu and the Arceau Rocabar de Rire.In 2011, Hermes introduced its unique Le Te...