In the spring of 2023, Parmigiani Fleurier introduced an all-platinum version of the popular Tonda PF Micro-Rotor. Even the sandblasted dial was platinum, and it had a date window at 6 o clock. Then, in the spring of 2024, the brand from Fleurier, Switzerland, introduced the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date. The omittance of a date window on that version made the Tonda PF look even cleaner and more understated than it already was. Now, as we creep up on spring 2025, Parmigiani Fleurier has combined those two versions and presents the Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Platinum with a casual Stone Blue dial.Wearing a Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF shows another watch enthusiast that you know your stuff. There ar...

In 1995, Casio added the DW-6900 model to its G-Shock line, marking an evolution in the design and functionality of digital watches. With its round case, Triple Graph display, and front-mounted light button, the DW-6900 quickly became a favorite among watch enthusiasts and professional users. Its 30th anniversary in 2025 is a good moment to reflect on the DW-6900 s legacy, its impact on culture, and the special DW-6900TR editions released to honor this milestone.The birth of the DW-6900The mid-1990s were still a period of transformation for wristwatch technology. Besides the square DW-5000 and DW-5600 series, Casio sought a watch that combined robustness with a unique aesthetic appeal. In 19...

There is no time to waste. The watch department at Hermes has been very busy - busy enough to release no fewer than six new watches ahead of next months Watches and Wonders. The novelties include a 12-set limited edition of three Hermes Arceau L Heure de la Lune watches in surprising colors plus two new versions of the Arceau Le Temps Voyageur watches. Another new model is the artistic Slim D Hermes Cheval Brosse, a limited edition of just 28 paintings - sorry, watches.The Arceau L Heure de la Lune has existed since 2019 but still looks fresh and original. Even so, Hermes felt inspired and created three new versions of the poetically complicated travel watch. The three variations on the L He...

It is no surprise that we receive quite a few messages concerning the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch. Over 500 articles on Fratello cover this chronograph, which results in some questions, especially from first-time buyers who are asking for some guidance when buying their first Omega Speedmaster.The current Omega Speedmaster Professional 310.30.42.50.01.001The classic Omega Speedmaster Professional MoonwatchDespite wearing my Speedmaster Calibre 321 (2020) and Speedmaster Apollo 11 Moonshine (2019) more often than my regular Moonwatch, I still feel if theres one Speedmaster to own, it s the standard Moonwatch model with a Hesalite crystal. Its a great watch to own and wear, and you should at l...

Seiko has released a flurry of special and limited Seiko 5 models since the collection staged a comeback in 2019. Today marks the debut of a new model, the Seiko 5 Mooneyes Limited Edition. Fans of hot-rodding culture in Japan, America, and worldwide should find this one fun.Mooneyes is a supplier of custom car parts and was founded in the 1950s in California by Dean Moon. The Sante Fe Springs-based speed shop is notable for creating the first Cobra for Carroll Shelby in 1962. After this, the company s two-eyed logo became legendary on the hot-rodding scene. As a car nut who lived in Detroit, I remember the stickers being common on custom classics. When Dean Moon passed away in 1987, Shige S...

Breitling introduced a new perpetual calendar chronograph caliber to celebrate the brands 140th birthday last year. The impressive movement was featured in a trio of rose gold limited editions. Today, caliber B19 gets a permanent foothold in Breitlings collection. This is the Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual Calendar.With such a descriptive name, I hardly have any work left to do. It kind of says it all, doesnt it? Well, lets try to dig a little bit deeper nonetheless.The Breitling Navitimer B19 Chronograph 43 Perpetual CalendarLets start with the obvious: the new Navitimer B19 combines a chronograph and a perpetual calendar in a 43mm case. This stainless steel housing featur...

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we re each choosing three non-Swiss watches with a budget of $20,000. The task is tricky, though, because $20,000 is enough to afford great pieces from the usual suspects, but it means being picky if choosing just one from a costly brand. Get ready for some surprises! For our listeners, the watch content begins after approximately 19 minutes.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Switzerland is the center of watchmaking, but there are numerous countries with credible watchmaking chops. Non-Swiss watches are extremely popular, with brands from Germany and Japan leadi...

There are two ways to handle the peculiar watches in the picture - with a focus on the design or the specs. Both are impressive. The steel and rose-gold-PVD-treated models are available in a limited run of 100 pieces each. Because theres an automatic Miyota 9075 flyer GMT movement inside their architecturally shaped cases, the price of US$750 makes these bang-for-the-buck watches. That is if you like the loud bang these watches make. The brutalist-inspired case shape and minimalist dial sure are an acquired taste. But I will be brutally honest with you: I love the Papar Anillo GMT.Lets round off the specifications of the Papar Anillo GMT Steel and Rose Gold so we can focus on the design. Des...

Welcome to another installment of Fratello Favorites! If you ve been following Fratello recently, you ll know that this time, we are sharing our favorite vintage watches under $5K. After Thomas kicked the series off and Daan presented his picks just before last weekend, I am third in line to present mine. Selecting them was fun but also quite a challenge because the set budget allows plenty of great options. Then again, I always try to find the watches that I would buy and would want to keep for a long time. That s when the search gets a little tougher. But just like the rest of the Fratello team of writers, I was more than happy to take on the challenge!As Thomas explained in his article, t...

Ever since Hodinkee Editor-in-Chief James Stacey posted an image on social media of a Doxa Sub 200T Divingstar, I knew I had to do a hands-on with one. Yellow is a color that keeps drawing me back. The Divingstar had already been on my radar, but seeing it time and time again wore down my very limited resistance to trying out a watch I might want to actually own one day.Doxa is an interesting brand. The company now specializes in dive watches but historically produced many different styles, including dress and daily watches. Since the Jenny family took over the direction of the brand, it has focused on a core lineup. That included the entry-level Sub 200, the battle-tank-like Sub 300T (think...

Is it Sunday already? Yes, it is, and well make sure you have a good last day of the weekend with this weeks episode of Sunday Morning Showdown. Daan and Lex will go head to head with two colorful chronographs. In one corner, Daan represents the Tudor Black Bay Chrono Flamingo Blue, which gives off serious Miami Vice vibes. In the other corner is Lex, who picked something Prince would ve loved to wear while walking through the rain, the dark purple TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox. May the best color win!You are probably very familiar with both the 41mm Tudor Black Bay Chrono and the 39mm TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Glassbox. The Tudor with a Flamingo Blue dial is a newcomer, though....

Mk II first released its Fulcrum dive watch in 2013. This is nothing spectacular in itself, although it is remarkable to realize that it was 12 years ago. The inaugural model was a 42mm dive watch inspired by the great military watches of the 1970s. The new Mk II Fulcrum 39 is an optimized version of that initial model. The most important update is a smaller case that s more in line with its 70s inspiration. It makes this Fulcrum a very tempting offering if you like the classic dive watches from that era. It s time to find out more!Let s first address the elephant in the room. As with all watches, our pre-programmed watch enthusiast brains will first go through the watch Rolodex looking for...

Marginal gains - the world of Haute Horlogerie moves forward in little steps. That is already a miracle since mechanical watchmaking is in its private universe where functionality is not an essential survival tool. Still, the leading traditional watchmaking houses continue to push the technical boundaries. You don t get a sense of evolution when you look at the three new perpetual calendar watches - two Royal Oaks and one Code 11.59. However, closer inspection of the dials tells you something is going on. When diving into the new Audemars Piguet caliber 7138, you will discover that the 423-part QP movement holding five patents is not about marginal gains but giant leaps.When I tell you the n...

Another Friday, another list! This week, well take a look at five great vintage Zenith watches. As I explained in last weeks list, that one and todays are a little homage to Zenith. The brand from Le Locle is one of my favorite watchmakers. By releasing a seemingly never-ending stream of exciting and often surprising timepieces, Zenith has shown what it means to be properly creative. But the brand s creative team does that based on Zenith s rich history. That s why it only makes sense to also look at five of Zenith s best vintage watches!Picking just five vintage Zenith models is tough from the get-go. There are simply too many great options to choose from. And what should we do with the El ...

RZE has been working hard over the past five years, claiming its rightful place at the table of established microbrands. We took notice at Fratello, as confirmed by our collaborative release just last year. Today, the brand introduces a rather interesting new stage in its development - digital timekeeping. This is the new RZE UTD-8000.I have often wondered why we dont see more microbrands venturing into digital watches. It seems so logical, especially for those aiming for hardcore tool watches at amazingly competitive prices. How do you make your tool watch cheaper and more robust? By throwing out that mechanical movement, dial, and handset, and replacing it with a digital module, of course!...

I ll always have a soft spot for RGM Watch Co. The independent brand and its founder, Roland G. Murphy, hail from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I lived in the area for two years and enjoy keeping up with the company s latest developments. Recently, I received a notice about the RGM 801/40, which piqued my interest. Finally, there s a smaller RGM with the 801 movement.It s hard not to be impressed by RGM s attention to detail. Dials often include guilloche or enamel while movements are heavily decorated. Frequently, the movements are inspired by those found in classic American pocket watches. This typically translated to large case sizes well above the 40mm mark. Now, with the new RGM 801/40, an o...

I am sure some of you have the one that got away. You know - that one watch you missed out on or simply never got around to chasing down. For me, weirdly, that is probably my favorite watch of all time, the Submariner ref. 14060M. When I was in a position to buy it, it was out of reach. Now that it is within reach, I have more pressing priorities. So when Nacho asked me to do a hands-on with one, I jumped at the opportunity. Heres how we fared.Why the Submariner 14060M?You may know from my earlier musings that my love lies with the older Submariner ref. 5508. A gilt 5512/5513 comes a close second. Still, this 14060M is the one I would probably buy if push came to shove.Why? Well, that s be...

The watch brand Robot has been around for seven years now and has convincingly made its mark in the watch world. The brand takes inspiration from the rich cultural and technological heritage of the Czech Republic, aiming to revive its traditions and legacy. Meanwhile, eight collections have entered the stage, and today, we ll introduce Robot s latest one, the Albatros.But let s first refresh our memory on the brand s starting point. Robot is one of many microbrands that have popped up in the last five to 10 years. As watches are not refrigerators or laptops chosen by consulting spreadsheets, it s good to learn the background of the companies producing these microbrand watches. What are their...

I looked back into my never-ending wishlist and picked a few watches that resonated with me. From one of the best Mimo date watches I ve ever seen to the triumphant Juvenia Arithmo, the reasons I have never added them are different. Either I came too late, I was too hesitating, or…… I could not find any. That s exactly the case with the rare Mimo Date Pointer watch. I first saw it three years ago in the collection of fellow Gallet enthusiast and watch collector Jack Tan. He has quite a fine taste for 1930sC1950s watches, including a whole bunch of Mimo pieces. What s most striking is the condition of his watches. They all look like they just came from the watch store.Image: Jack ...

On Monday, Thomas kicked off another series of Fratello Favorites. Our writers get another chance to share their favorite watches within a certain segment. This time, we are tackling vintage watches under $5K. Like Thomas, I d also like to add another filter to those search terms. As I m not very confident with or knowledgeable about vintage watches, I ll limit my search to neo-vintage ones. I already own a few, like my Cartier Santos Galbee XL, Explorer, and Breguet Classique 5907. All are from the 2000s, and I m very happy with both their looks and build quality.Usually, for such an article, I go to my Chrono24 Notepad and see what fits the search terms. However, I already mentioned most ...