Back when Swatch Group, and, as such, Omega, was still participating in the now-defunct Baselworld, we always had our first appointment with them. On the first day, in the first time slot at 9 am, Fratello was there with the whole crew. Our friends at Omega knew what was interesting to us, but, even so, the trays of watches just kept coming and coming. This is why it could ve happened that we overlooked this beauty - the Omega Seamaster 1948 Limited Edition.Two years and some change later, I would like to amend this mistake. I remembered this watch from that last meeting. I even took a wrist shot of it back then. However, after that, perhaps because the 2nd Speedy Tuesday Speedmaster, the Ul...
Watches with integrated bracelets are booming right now. One of the original brands that introduced a watch with an integrated bracelet, introduced a new addition today. I am talking about the Vacheron Constantin Overseas self-winding 41mm in pink gold.While Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and IWC asked Gerald Genta for help, Vacheron Constantin approached J?rg Hysek. Initially introduced as their 222 model in 1977, it made its name and fame under the Overseas moniker. The Vacheron Constantin Overseas offers a large collection of luxury sports watches, in both stainless steel and in precious metals.Overseas Self-Winding 41mmDuring the Watches & Wonders show in Shanghai, Vacheron Constan...
Traveling around the world and exploring new strap makers, at least virtually, was one of the reasons I started Watch Strap Review. We have featured ateliers from about 15-20 countries, and we are not done yet. In our last article, we took a closer look at Zeigr from Germany. So, this month we re flying over the pond to one of my favorite cities in the world, New York. Well, Brooklyn, to be precise, to check out five excellent straps by B & R Bands.As soon as you click on this link to visit B & R Bands website, you realize that this is a pretty serious operation. To clarify, I mean, as far as the offers are concerned it will be easy for you to find what you want. This brand has ever...
Welcome to Wrist Game or Crying Shame where watching campaign speeches is not required for participation. Today, we ll vote on an oft-forgotten Girard-Perregaux Sea Hawk 7100. But first…Last week, I gave you a pure gimme with a ludicrously priced Submariner Hulk. That watch went down like Bruce Banner in an 87% Crying Shame loss. Still, I wonder about the 13% of people who voted Wrist Game. Do they own the watch already or perhaps just like the watch and not the price? If they like the price, I hope that someone else is watching their nest eggs. Today, we bring things down almost tenfold in price, but we re still going to look at another diver. This just might be one you haven t seen ...
For the people that are Grand Seiko devotees - like we are at Fratello - keeping up with the slew of new releases this year has been a full-time commitment. Now imagine if you are a watch enthusiast that is just getting into the magic of Grand Seiko. The maze that Grand Seiko has built can be hugely overwhelming. Do you go for mechanical, quartz, or Spring Drive? Do I go for a timepiece from the Elegance, Sport, or Heritage collection?? Well, we have an answer for you. If you are looking for an entry-level quartz Grand Seiko watch, look no further. The new Grand Seiko SBGP013 is your pick.For me, Grand Seiko is probably the only brand where I would first ask myself what kind of movement I wo...
Traveling out of the central GWD hub to visit Jaeger-LeCoultre might sound like a slog when you consider how packed our schedule was, but trust me, this is a brand that rarely leaves me wanting. While I m often a bit on the fence when it comes to press shots of JLC s master collection, they truly come to life in the metal. Jaeger-LeCoultre has a magic touch. When it comes to imbuing the simplest - almost plain - designs with just enough je ne sais quoi to transform them into wearable classics, there are few brands able to compete.When I saw the new Master collection released online earlier this year, I wasn t just unbothered. I was actively bored by it. Flat, lifeless white dials in pedestri...
We re back with our podcast, after handing over the mic to Panerai s CEO and Omega s Brand Heritage Manager, we decided o indulge in an old-fashioned watch rant again. This week, our opinion on the new watches and our favorites from the Geneva Watch Days.Our Fratello on Air podcast is available via Buzzsprout, Soundcloud, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Deezer,? Stitcher, and Spotify. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Geneva Watch? Days – PodcastWe attended the first Geneva Watch Days event with a small portion of our team. A four-day-long watch event in Geneva, held in the fancy hotels along the lake and in some of ...
A few weeks ago, we asked you to share your Speedmaster story with us, and with the Speedmaster community. Besides admiring other people s Speedmaster watches, it s the stories that make the watches truly special.The cool thing about Speedmasters is that there s often a very nice story behind the reason for buying them. People tend to purchase Speedmasters for a specific and special reason. These vary. For example, maybe you joined the Speedy club because of your connection or association with the space program? Perhaps your first Speedy was a gift, an heirloom, or a blind trade? We are interested in hearing and reading these stories. And we bet you are too! For this week s installment of Sp...
After more than 20 years, Frederique Constant found a perfect moment to resurrect its Highlife model. Watches with integrated bracelets are hot, and it was precisely this type of timepiece that was lacking in Frederique Constant s line-up. But not anymore, meet the new Highlife!Here at Fratello, we ve been Frederique Constant enthusiasts like forever. That already resulted in a Fratello-exclusive version of the Moonphase Manufacture, which you ll find in our shop as well. After we had the possibility to lay our hands on the brands latest offspring last week, we are now happy to introduce you to the:Frederique Constant Highlife 2020 CollectionFaithful to the original collection from 1999?the ...
Integrated bracelets have been in vogue for several years and most brands now offer a choice in this highly competitive arena. We re here to take a look at the contenders.The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus are popular icons. Aside from the fact that both are 1970 s Genta concepts, they also share a major design trait. Namely, they feature integrated bracelets. This look seems to fit the current trend of what has become an ever-widening grey zone between dressy and sporty. And so it makes sense that these watches are blazing hot today and nearly impossible to source. But what s a person to do if they re not on a first name basis with their local AP boutique? Well, the p...
Although not officially part of the Geneva Watch Days event, Panerai decided to open its doors to the traveling cartel of journalists and retailers to take advantage of the sudden influx of industry professionals over the 26th-29th of August 2020.We kicked off Thursday with a visit to the Panerai boutique in central Geneva. As it turned out, it was quite a revelation for all of us (RJ, Bert, Mike, and me). Many Fratello team members have owned Panerai watches in the past (and some still do). However, I do not, have not, and have never seriously considered it. Until now, that is…The closest I ever came to buying a Panerai, was buying horrendously cheap imitation cases to play with durin...
Welcome back to our Watch On Your Wrist? Instagram extravaganza! Tag your watch snaps with #fratellowatches to be in with a chance to win!Every week, we select four images. You can vote in the article for your favorite image. The winner moves on to the semi-final round (held every fifth week between the previous four weekly winners). Win that and you re into the final, which will be held at the end of the year. There will be five finalists in 2020 and ten from next year on.Basically, if you like winning things - and there will be a prize for the champion of 2020 - this year represents your best shot. So get snapping, get tagging, and get sharing. And don t forget to vote (once) for yourself&...
As one of the novelties introduced for the brand s 60th anniversary, Grand Seiko gave the SLGA001 Limited Edition 600M Professional Diver s the honor of presenting its all-new Spring Drive caliber. The 9RA5 caliber is slimmer, more precise, and has a greater power reserve than its predecessor.Grand Seiko Professional Diver s 600M?Spring DriveIn my first article on the Spring Drive principle - I think it was early 2006 - I said Spring Drive was a solution to a problem that didn t exist. That proved to be only partly true. The problem didn t exist indeed, but Spring Drive wasn t meant to be a solution. It became clear that it was an innovation. It was (and still is) an entirely new way of regu...
Last week, Omega introduced its new Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton Edition. I wrote how much the watch reminded me of the Seamaster 300M America s Cup from 2000, with the white gold bezel inlay.Omega made this new Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton watch available to us for a review. However, with the remark that the watch is not being delivered to the boutiques before October 2020. Well noted.We received both versions of the new Seamaster Diver 300M Nekton edition, with a rubber strap and with a stainless steel bracelet.Omega Seamaster Diver 300M NektonSince I already wrote the introductory article last week (click here), I will leave out the dry specs that were shared. In our hands, we have two Seam...
Compiling a list of the best modern luxury sports watches is like walking into a death trap. Can you actually come out alive? This is one of those lists that pretty much every watch enthusiast has an opinion on. But we like a good challenge here at Fratello. So I put on my armor and walked straight in. The mission? To come out on the other side, having found my Top-5 of modern luxury sports watches. A Top-5 that is irrefutably inspired by Gerald Genta s design legacy. But instead by the spirit of his designs rather than a variation on his designs. So without further ado, let s get out the swords and daggers!Modern luxury sports watches are as relevant as ever. And by that I mean, alternative...
Yvan Arpa is Artya. He is as colorful and as unapologetic as his watches. You may love that, you may hate it. But by gosh, you sure as hell notice it. The first time I noticed Yvan this week, was when he pulled up outside the GWD tent in time for the welcome drinks on Wednesday night, riding a beautiful motorcycle (one of his extensive collection), which had been decorated with marquetry. The watches are no less artisanal.I receive a lot of Artya press releases. Im always intrigued, but never really thought about buying one until I saw them in the metal. Some of the pieces are too much for me, but the creative thinking behind many of them is truly impressive. I love engraving and a few of th...
It s time for This Week in Watches for September 5, 2020 the new edition. There are more things to life than , so let s take a look at what else dropped.Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary L.E. SBGR321Our first new watch this week comes from Grand Seiko. GS is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year and continues to roll out new models under the theme. The 40mm SBGR321 comes in titanium and is powered by the 9S65 automatic. 2,500 pieces of this blue-dialed watch will be made and are available in October. Grand Seiko calls out the sunrise and how it radiates into their Japanese studios.I m not sure we need a story all the time because the blue dial looks lovely. That trend continues on the displa...
At what is increasingly looking like the last ever Baselworld, my favorite watch was the Ferdinand Berthoud FB 1.4. The brand hit a home run with the perfect application of its octagonal case design. Although that case shape was lifted directly for Berthouds original marine chronometers that carved his name into the history books, it always looked at odds with the classically-decorated dials and ornate complications. The 1.4 changed all that. It impressed the future/heritage-instrument angle and became the steampunk sensation Id always hoped it could.Perhaps the most charming thing about FB and its watches is the willingness to obscure the marvelous mechanics behind artful dials. This is to ...
The Air-King came about as a response to the popularity of larger cases with legible dials. Air-service men and women, especially in the RAF, would often opt for 33mm Oyster watches. Dont get me wrong - 33mm watches are practically diminutive these days, but back in the 40s, this diameter was considered oversized. Therefore, the continuation of this diameter became inevitable.From 1957 to 1990, the Air-King reference 5500 was in continual production. The Air-King may not have had chronometer certification - but the cost-effectiveness certified it as the entry point into the Coronet. During this time, it was typical for to partner with firms to gift Air-Kings to employees. Unheard of by ...
As a retailer, Bucherer is becoming increasingly famous. As a watchmaker, it is often ignored. That has a lot to do with the fact it is seen as a retailer first and maker second. And while that may be fair enough, there is some interesting stuff coming out of the Swiss brand.The first thing presented to us was the Carl F. Bucherer Patravi Travel Tec in four bright colors inspired by the seasons. Green for spring, yellow for summer, orange for fall, and blue for winter. It sounds like a great idea but you would need one heck of a personality to pull off one of these wrist monsters. The size of the thing is 46.6mm. Furthermore, the colors leave absolutely nothing to the imagination. Im not aga...
