In March last year, Tudor revealed a daring version of its Black Bay Chrono with a pink dial. Leading up to the release, some people already spotted the watch on David Beckham s and Jay Chou s wrists. The same happened this week with, again, British football superstar David Beckham and Taiwanese singer-songwriter Jay Chou. Both of them were wearing a Tudor Black Bay Chrono with what looked like a turquoise dial. Well, today, Tudor takes away all our doubts because the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono with a Flamingo Blue dial is now officially available, even to non-superstars.Pink is a color more brands play around with from time to time, especially on limited editions related to the fight agains...
I already thought 2024 had a nice ring to it, but 2025 sounds and looks even better. The fact that it s such a round number also suggests that there will be several anniversaries this year. Then again, I suppose most people don t have the foresight to choose a specific year to start a watch company. Well, anyway, we did take a look at some of the best-known watch brands to see if they have something to celebrate this year. Fittingly, we ended up with a list of 25 notable anniversaries.Some relate to the founding of the brands themselves, and others commemorate the introduction of their most famous models. So, without further ado, let s take a look at the watch world s anniversaries in 2025 i...
Another Friday, another list! Attentive readers will notice that this is our second list article this week. On Wednesday, we put the spotlight on regulator watches, an often-forgotten style that deserves more attention. Today, we ll continue our regular Friday series of lists with our picks for the best modern reissues of great classics. The watch industry thrives on looking into the past and bases many of its releases on that. We decided to pick the top five watches we feel do their vintage counterparts the greatest justice in the modern day.Before we start, here is a quick note on what a modern reissue should be. For most of us, that would be a remake of the original watch but powered by a...
Every journey has an end and inspires us to set out on a new adventure. Today, we celebrate #TBT, one of the longest-running columns in Fratello s history. We are happy to announce that after 10 long years, our Thursday contemplation on vintage watches has gotten a refresh. Let s kick off a new Retrospective series with a special barrel-shaped Gallet chronograph.Mike started #TBT back in 2014. It was his words that got me riveted to my computer every Thursday, exploring famous or underrated vintage watches. One late evening in 2018, I found out that Mike wandered into my city. Encouraged by my wife, I dropped him a message, and a few hours later, the three of us were talking watches in a pub...
Now, I must admit that trendiness does not appeal to me in watches. I like style over fashion, and something built to last, like a watch, suits that mindset. Still, watches arent immune to the fashion cycle. The latest hot trend is undoubtedly the geezer watch. The hippest individuals in our industry no longer walk around with chunky sports watches. Instead, they now don jewelry-esque, small, vintage alternatives.If that bug has bitten you, here is the Pre-Owned Spotlight for you. Today, I will dig up a handful of vintage watches that bring out the fashionista in you. An oversized army jacket, loafers, and silk neck scarf are optional but recommended.Image: Watchcollectors.co.ukPre-owned gee...
Welcome to this week s episode of Fratello Talks. How much should you spend on your first watch? It s a valid question we ve all faced at some point. However, there are plenty of different ways to answer it. Today, Nacho, RJ, and Daan delve into the topic and discuss their approaches to budgeting for a first watch. It s worth mentioning that we aren t talking about a first-ever watch but, rather, a first nicer watch. Whether you ultimately decide to go all out or cleverly invest a smaller amount to test the waters, we hope today s discussion will help you navigate the subject. Now, before we get into it, let s see what s on the wrist.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing...
The IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar IW3750 from 1985 is an important watch for IWC and the entire Haute Horlogerie universe post-Quartz Crisis. Master watchmaker Kurt Klaus built a perpetual calendar mechanism on top of an automatic chronograph, which reignited interest in complicated horology and made people look at IWC differently. The innovative watch brought prestige to a brand mostly known for its more instrumental creations. Plenty of perpetual calendar watches are in the IWC collection, but you will not find a single Da Vinci reference in the current lineup. Forty years after its conception, its time for a remake of the IW3750.I wouldnt go so far as to accuse IWC of neglecting the Da ...
Time flies when youre having fun! It has been a full two years since I set off on an adventure to build my dream watch, the VPC Type 37HW. Fratello offered me the fantastic opportunity to chronicle and share the journey with you all. Today, after having fulfilled all preorders, I would like to finish the series with one final retrospective and some musings on my plans from here on.Sending the finished watches off to their new owners is a beautiful milestone that marks the end of the first stage of building my humble watch company. As such, it also forms a natural end to the Building A Watch Brand series here on Fratello. I will continue to share regular updates but no longer in my capacity a...
Regulator watches are not often the first, second, or third pick for a collection. The watches with a large central hand to indicate the minutes and smaller sub-dials to display the hours and seconds are an acquired taste. This non-coaxial configuration might seem odd initially, but quickly enough, you will get used to reading the time accurately. The separation of elements also makes for distinct dial layouts that can look brilliant. We have selected five examples of exciting regulator watches that perfectly show how versatile this style can be.Regulator watches are often associated with classical timepieces. Until recently, that would have made sense. In the last few years, though, we have...
In 1965, 61 years after Paul Cattin and Georges Christian founded the company, Oris revealed one of its most iconic models, the Oris Divers. Then, five decades later, it took the form of a heritage reissue called the Divers Sixty-Five. Today, it s time to celebrate the original s diamond jubilee with the presentation of the Oris Divers Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary Edition.Oris Divers Sixty-Five 60th Anniversary EditionLast year, Oris celebrated its 120th birthday with a 40mm black DLC-coated Divers Sixty-Five housing its in-house-developed caliber 400. It was a tour de force in many ways and perfect to celebrate the company s 120th birthday. Although most people love that Oris developed a mor...
Which strap do you wear your MoonSwatch on? Are you still using the original strap, or have you ordered some third-party options? Well, listen up because, in a surprise move, Swatch opened an online strap store specifically for the Omega Swatch MoonSwatch. The two-piece straps are made of rubber and have a two-tone design, a textile texture on the outside, a Moon-like surface texture on the inside, and a Velcro closure. There are 11 color options, one for each of the original MoonSwatches, and they come in five different sizes.Finally!Let s be honest: it was about time that Swatch launched a new strap collection for the popular MoonSwatch. The original straps look great, but they are a bit...
Its a tradition! A new Omega Speedmaster comes on a (Speedy) Tuesday, and today, we even get two. Meet the Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Meteorite models, one with a black meteorite dial and another with a gray meteorite dial.Speedmaster Moonphase MeteoriteOmega had a wonderful 2024 with great new Speedmaster releases, and the new year starts with something special! Here, we have a 43mm stainless steel Speedmaster with a moonphase indicator and both Northern and Southern Hemisphere moons.The main dial is a slab of iron meteorite, and the two moons in the 6 oclock sub-dial are made of lunar meteorite. We saw the latter before on the case back of the 2019 Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary e...
Welcome back to another episode of?Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss the watch community and how to find a group of like-minded (or differently minded) people within it. Whether you seek to meet people in person or online, there s even a great option if you don t live in a major city. For our listeners, the watch content begins after 25 minutes.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings At times, it feels like the watch community is an exclusive place. Flashy Instagram photos in New York show groups of people having fun around watches. But how can typical watch fans living in more rural areas have fun and meet people? Plus, ar...
After Swatch s Speedmaster MoonSwatch and Scuba Fifty Fathoms collections, we were waiting for the next Swatch Group classic to undergo a Bioceramic metamorphosis. But now it looks like Citizen Group is entering the competition with its new Bulova Snorkel collection. The inspiration for these Hybrid Ceramic watches comes from the brand s iconic Oceanographer Snorkel, nicknamed the Devil Diver in the 70s. The four versions derive their names and colors from different ocean creatures, and the affordable divers are water resistant to 100 meters.The vintage Bulova Oceanographer Snorkel is known for its C-shaped case and quirky cylindrical hour markers. While the new Hybrid Ceramic Snorkel colle...
When introduced the left-handed GMT-Master II ref. 126720VTNR in 2022, it seemed like the world this watch is intended to navigate had stopped - well, the world of watches, at least. It certainly made my head spin. It also had me write an article in which I voiced my confusion. That was almost three years ago. Recently, I had the chance to go hands-on with the GMT-Master II Destro, and since I am a strong believer in second chances, I grabbed it with both hands. I picked it up, put it on, and went in with an open mind, willing to learn to love a watch that is just so confusing.You cant give up after the first try. This applies to many things, including books. I was gifted Swiss novelist Al...
Get ready for a year of special Vacheron Constantin creations. To grab your attention, the brand s 270th-anniversary celebrations kick off with a watch you knew was coming - the Historiques 222 in steel. The much-anticipated watch made it to Fratello HQ ahead of the embargo. It was a perfect way to experience firsthand if the revamped 1970s icon in steel lived up to all of our high expectations.If youre a Vacheron Constantin fan, 2025 will be a year to remember. This year marks the 270th year of the Maison, which has made a name for itself by creating complicated, innovative, and elegant timepieces. What better watch to get the party started than the 222, a watch created in 1977 to celebrate...
In 2023, right after Wimbledon, I wrote an article questioning whether there was life for in tennis after Roger Federer left the sport as an active player. During that year s Wimbledon, the Swiss maestro received a unique welcome from the English audience. It showed people s respect and gratitude for Federer as a tennis player and human being. had already lined up a new generation of tennis stars. Now, eighteen months after that article, s grip on tennis has only strengthened. It s interesting to find out how the brand achieved that.The title of the article from 2023 might have implied that there was a possibility that wouldn t have a life in tennis after Federer s retirement. But we alw...
Beware, this is a low-brow edition of Sunday Morning Showdown! We usually stick to watches, but this week, the emotions may run a lot higher. This is, after all, a battle between former lovers. It is a showdown between former spouses, even. Daan and Thomas will perform some post-marriage counseling for a certain Miss Piggy and Mr. K. the Frog. Cant we all just get along? Nope. Not this week!But before we release these former lovers into the arena, lets quickly look at last weeks Sunday Morning Showdown.Last weeks Sunday Morning ShowdownThe contenders last week were a bit more serious. In fact, they were a lot more serious! Two generations of the ceramic-bezel GMT-Master II went head to head...
American statesman and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin once famously wrote, …in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes. Franklin died in 1790, so the phrase doesnt include price increases at the beginning of every year. Now, going through the entire catalog is an impossible task. Even if it werent, it would have led to an unreadable article. So, instead, we ll take a random sample. Well, it s not completely random, of course, because we ll pick some of the most popular models in the available alloys - steel, titanium, steel/gold, full gold, and platinum.Lets start by giving you the 2025 price increases in percentages before turning our eyes to what changes you will ...
Happy New Year, everyone. I wish you all the best for 2025. Have you already thought about your watch resolutions for the year ahead? Are you reorganizing, consolidating, splurging on new additions, or simply going to enjoy what you already have? I think my year will be some combination of those four. However, maybe I should consider more long-term planning because it will take courage, determination, and budget.Apart from a relatively cheap and obscure vintage Infra (made by Levrette) watch, I didn t buy any watches last year. That very much reflects my 2024 New Year s resolutions. Indeed, it was a calm year because of our new house and the fact that we were in the middle of a renovation. I...
