In 2018, Krayon, the brand founded by independent watchmaker Remi Maillat, won the Innovation Prize at the Grand Prix dHorlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) with its Everywhere watch. Four years later, Krayon bagged another GPHG award. That time, the complicated Anywhere won first prize in the Calendar and Astronomy category. With the new Krayon Anyday, a new GPHG seems ready for the taking. According to the brand, the Anyday is the worlds first mechanical agenda watch, and I can t fault that statement. To find out what a mechanical agenda watch exactly is, please continue reading.Krayon is young and different. The brands founder and owner is Remi Maillat, an incredibly talented watchmaker who debuted...

It s now my turn to pick the best vintage watches under $5K. Most of my colleagues have already taken their shot, and while some of their choices could have made my list, I ve opted for unique selections. Let s see what you think.Now, before I get into my picks for the best vintage watches under $5K, I ll share some overarching thoughts. First, $5K is a challenging target value. I say that because there are many great watches under $2.5K and loads of options around or slightly above $10K. Core models from , Patek, and others really aren t out there for around $5K. I suppose there are Datejusts, but most would be overpolished or sport a relatively blah dial. Still, I ve pulled together a list...

Following Breitling s acquisition of the renowned Universal Geneve brand, the Grenchen-based watchmaker has done it again with another iconic name in chronographs - Gallet. With Gallet, Breitling, and Universal Geneve, the group will cover a wide range, from entry-level luxury to the high-end segment and everything in between.Gallet Multichron Regulator from 1936 - Image: GalletGallet s heritageIn a separate article, Fratello member Tomas Rosputinsky will guide you through the history of Gallet watches. It s a long and rich history indeed, with Julien Gallet having founded the brand in 1826. With a great feel for significant moments, Breitling CEO Georges Kern is reviving Gallet exactly 200 ...

When IWC released the Ingenieur Automatic 40 at Watches and Wonders in 2023, it was a return to the classic 70s-style integrated-bracelet look. It draws heavily upon the Gerald Genta-designed Ingenieur SL ref. 1832 from 1976. These collectible vintage watches are expensive and rare, so having a modern alternative makes sense. Two years after the debut, we revisit the watch and look at the latest blue-dial version.Keen watch fans in the early 2020s wondered when IWC would return with a moderately sized Ingenieur with an integrated bracelet. After all, brands including Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Chopard, and Girard-Perregaux had great success with their entries during this period. In 20...

For the first time ever, Cartier will showcase a curated selection of heritage watches from its iconic Tank collection in the heart of Amsterdam. The exhibition will take place in Cartiers beautifully appointed boutique on the P.C. Hooftstraat - a location the Maison has proudly called home for exactly 50 years. This milestone coincides with another major celebration: the city of Amsterdam s 750th anniversary.Cartier boutique Amsterdam. Image by Alexandre Tabaste.Cartier s 50th Anniversary in AmsterdamCartiers journey in Amsterdam began in 1975 with the opening of its first official boutique in the city. Since 1994, the Maison has made its home on the P.C. Hooftstraat, just steps from the ic...

It is no secret to regular readers that I like the Zenith Defy line of watches. These are some of the very few integrated-bracelet sports watches with a clear identity. They do not take the design-first approach of, say, a Royal Oak, nor do they strive for elegance like a Laureato. Zenith, instead, pushes into more technical, modern territory. My gripe, however, has always been size. The models I tried always felt a tad too big and bulky for my taste and style.So when Zenith released a 36mm version, that piqued my interest. Could this be the one? I spent some time with a blue Zenith Defy Skyline 36 to find out.The Zenith Defy Skyline 36Lets start with the basics, though. What we have here is...

Another Sunday, another showdown! This week, we ll dive headfirst into the world of luxury dive watches, and two examples with legendary lineage will go head to head. The first is the latest iteration of the Sea-Dweller, a watch that finds its roots in the late 1960s as the professional brother of the Submariner. The second is the brand-new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tech BOC IV. The origins of the Fifty Fathoms go back to the early 1950s when Blancpain introduced the first version of this iconic dive watch. But this battle is not about the glory of the past. It s all about which watch can take the crown now as a modern luxury diver.Today s battle is a funny one. Both Blancpain and are proper...

Even though the Astron GPS Solar is 13 years old, I still find the tech fascinating because of the constant evolution of the movement and the design. So, of course, I was interested to read the press release accompanying the release of the edgy Seiko Astron GPS Solar Dual-Time Chronograph 5X83 in four new colorways. The Japanese powerhouse watch brand gives us three new Astron watches in the regular collection and one limited edition with a touch of gold.The latest iteration of Seikos solar-powered and GPS-network-connecting caliber debuted in March 2024. As is often the case with Seiko, good things come in fours. The Astron SSH158, SSH159, SSH161, and limited-edition SSH163 impressed with t...

The Orient Bambino was many watch hobbyists first mechanical timepiece. Its classic looks punch much higher than its affordable price point, and the exhibition case back tickles the hearts of many new enthusiasts. This year, Orient celebrates its 75th anniversary. For that occasion, the Japanese watch manufacturer introduced two limited-edition models of the Bambino with a white dial. One is a 40.5mm three-hander, and the other is a 41.5mm version with two additional sub-dials for the weekday indicator and a Sun & Moon (day/night) display. The former is limited to 9,500 pieces and the latter to 5,500 pieces. Let s take a look before they sell out.In addition to the two limited-edition m...

It s my favorite and, I m sure, many of our readers most anticipated time of the year - the start of the Formula 1 season. Even with a record 24 Grand Prix races last year and six Sprint races preceding the main event, the winter break felt long. Also, 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the first F1 world championship season in 1950, which had its first race at Silverstone Circuit in the UK. Grand Prix racing existed before 1950 but not as a world drivers championship as it is now. Formula 1 held a pre-season event at London s O2 Arena to celebrate this milestone, with all teams showing off liveries for the upcoming season. The event was perhaps a bit too flashy and cringe for the Formula ...

I have spent plenty of time around the iconic Day-Date. Those watches, however, were all vintage or, at best, neo-vintage. My time spent with the current generation is limited, to put it mildly, so I felt it was about time I tried on a pair of thoroughly modern DDs in the contemporary 40mm size. These are the white gold ref. 228239 and the rose gold ref. 228235.Will these watches make me feel proudly presidential or unbelievably unworthy? Lets find out!Ref. 1803 - Image: Bulang & SonsA touch of Day-Date historyThe Day-Date is widely regarded as the brand s flagship model. This wasnt always the case, though. introduced the Datejust in 1945 as its most luxurious offering, available onl...

I have become somewhat of the Fortis Novonaut guy at Fratello. Not on purpose, I might add. But I must say I am quite a fan of Fortis s latest version of its chronograph for space explorers. The Novonaut series debuted in October 2023 as the follow-up to the famous B-42 Cosmonauts Chronograph. After three initial stainless steel models, Fortis released the Novonaut AMADEE-24 Mars Analog Mission Timer. That titanium limited edition showed what a lightweight Novonaut could offer. The new Fortis Novonaut N-42 Titanium Legacy edition is the regular-production version of that watch. It combines the best traits of the AMADEE-24 and the stainless steel Legacy Edition, resulting in the best Novonaut...

The Yema Yachtingraf had been on my list for years. When the opportunity came to snap an untouched piece in an original box, I didn t hesitate. Then, it sat on my list of article ideas for a few years. Well, its time has finally come, so let s look at it.I don t think it s just me; most collectors I know get excited when the discussion turns to yachting chronographs. Visually, they are so vivid that it seems like they are talking to us. They are colorful, playful, and have interesting, often uniquely shaped hands in the race-prep-timing register. The sub-seconds counters on regatta timers are smaller and pushed into the background. On the contrary, the minute counter is often augmented and p...

When Rado reintroduced the Over-Pole as a limited edition in 2022, it came as a single stainless steel model. Today, nearly three years later, a historically correct version in yellow gold PVD is here. With gold-colored watches increasing in popularity, this latest Rado is an elegant option for those who still enjoy tool-watch functionality. We ve been fortunate enough to go hands-on with this limited edition and are excited to share all the details.Though 2019 feels like a long time ago, I still remember stumbling across a vintage Rado Over-Pole on Yahoo! Japan Auctions. The watch looked like a Captain Cook diver, but it contained much more detail. The concave arena bezel was filled with ci...

Two days ago, we attended an event called Watch Valley. It s set up annually by Swatch Group brands like Tissot, Rado, and Certina to show their novelties to retailers and the press - kind of like a mini Baselworld. This year, Mido was there for the first time as well. We were expecting to see some updates to the Multifort TV and Ocean Star ranges, but we also saw something completely new and rather exciting. The Multifort 8 Two Crowns is Mido s take on the steel integrated-bracelet sports watch. Fortunately, the embargo lifted today, so we can tell you all about it.Mido s Multifort collection consists of several different styles. There is the Patrimony line, which has a classic and more vin...

Did you know humans have been making ceramics for at least 26,000 years? They ve done so by subjecting clay and silica to intense heat to fuse and form ceramic materials. Mind you, traditionally, these were not dishes, as you might expect. Rather, they were small, sculpted figures. Only in the 1970s did ceramic enter the world of watches. Omega, IWC, and Rado pioneered the non-metallic material that stands out because of its resistance to scratches and antioxidizing and hypoallergenic properties. But a coincidental observation made me think about the ancient substance that has evolved into a high-tech material. Ceramic is the new gold. Whereas gold watches somewhat follow the price of the pr...

We would all love to have an unlimited watch budget, but that s not the case for most of us. But that doesn t mean we can t have some hypothetical fun and select the watches we d buy with $10K, $20K, and $30K. On today s episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, RJ, and Lex run through their picks at those three price points. Technically, they can choose from new, pre-owned, or even vintage watches. But as you ll quickly see, their picks all benefit from the interesting prices on the pre-owned market. Now, before getting into their watches of choice at these three price points, let s see which ones are on their wrist.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie ...

Hamilton is no stranger to working with creative teams behind movies to produce imaginative watches. Now, with the introduction of the Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition, the brand has a watch appearing in an upcoming video game. It s a fusion between a traditional tank and a futuristic techno-apocalyptic creation. This watch is most definitely worth a closer look!Who can forget the cuff-like Hamilton?Boulton that appeared in the legendary film 2001: A Space Odyssey? This watch kicked off more than six decades of special Hamilton watches in cinema. But what about video games? These highly realistic epic-like games often feature real actors and use their voices, so it makes sense to in...

Omega s Deep Black series is a sub-collection within its Seamaster Planet Ocean line. The watches all have a 45.5mm brushed black ceramic case with a 600m depth rating. Today, the brand from Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, adds two new references to the four current ones by introducing the popular worldtimer complication. You have the choice between versions with gray or turquoise accents.Two years ago, I was at the launch of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Chronograph Deep Black ETNZ Edition in Barcelona. That watch fully catered to the crew on the Emirates Team New Zealand boat that won the 37th America s Cup. It came with a regatta countdown timer and featured accents in the team s signature turquoi...

I was recently watching a video on the excellent 5 Watt World guitar channel on YouTube. Host Keith Williams discussed catch-and-release guitar collecting as a way to enjoy the hobby. This makes a lot of sense for guitars as each has a different feel and sound, triggering different playing. You could even argue that you become a better player as you move from one guitar to the next. It got me wondering, does this approach to enjoying a hobby work for watches as well?Then, I realized that catch-and-release behavior is indeed quite common in the watch world but under a different name - flipping. It gets a bad rap, and its perpetrators are often cynically referred to as serial flippers. The ter...