One of Hamilton s biggest successes of recent years is the Khaki Field Murph. The watch became a fan favorite after it played a pivotal role in the 2014 blockbuster Interstellar. Then, in 2019, the Murph was released to the public in a 42mm version. Despite its great commercial success, most watch fans would have loved a smaller version of the watch. Hamilton made fans happy three years later by introducing a 38mm model, which showed that the design worked well in both sizes. But how would a version with a white dial be? I had the chance to find out in a hands-on experience with the new white-dial Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 38mm.As die-hard movie fans will tell you, a modern remake of the or...
Sometimes, an item can become so ubiquitous that we fail to question its history. Such is the story of the Movado Museum Watch. Sure, there s a commonly told story, but for an item that even horology neophytes recognize, the history is brief and lacking. What started as a typical fact-finding mission turned into an ongoing search for more.You re instantly forgiven for uttering the words Who cares? after reading Movado Museum Watch. After all, the once-pure design has been raped, pillaged, and left for dead in every way imaginable over the past 60 years. The idea of a simple watch that evoked a sundial with the Sun at high noon started and ultimately became the face (pun intended) of the curr...
The Cartier Santos-Dumont was one of the first wristwatches ever made. Louis Cartier designed it at the request of his friend, the Brazilian pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont. He was looking for a watch he could read while flying. The Cartier Santos(-Dumont), with its signature square shape and quirky screws, is now a true icon. The Santos-Dumont is the dressier option next to the regular Cartier Santos, which often comes in bigger sizes and on an all-steel or full-gold bracelet. In today s Sunday Morning Showdown, we ll put the current variations of the Santos-Dumont up against the vintage ones to see which you prefer.Mike will defend the vintage Cartier Santos-Dumont, and Daan will fight for the...
What is green, loud, and low and will go around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 22nd, for hours on end? Well, any ideas? Its the Lamborghini SC63 hybrid racing car prototype! The number 63 Lambo in striking Verde Mantis, piloted by Italian drivers Matteo Cairoli, Andrea Caldarelli, and former French Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean, will compete in the IMSA TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks endurance race this weekend. I m not sure if any of the drivers will wear a watch during the six-hour race, but if they want to wear something matching, theres the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in the race cars livery ready to take a stint on their wrists.The high-...
Jaeger-LeCoultre creates some of the most complicated watches on the market. Today s Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 is a stunning example of this. The movement may not be new, but it s wildly impressive and sits in an equally mesmerizing pink gold case. This is one to savor for its details and artisanship.One of my first nice watches was a manual-winding Jaeger-LeCoultre Heraion. It was a gift from my parents for graduation and still is a lovely piece. Since then (more years ago than I care to admit), I ve kept up with the brand. My favorite models normally come from the Master or Master Control lines because of the focus on precision. The Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 offers that...
Another Friday, another list! This week, we continue our exploration of legendary movements. For this list, we have selected five classics with the famous Valjoux 72. As you will see, this chronograph caliber powered some of the most legendary watches that horology fans love. That s why creating a list of the five standout Valjoux 72-powered watches makes sense. Let s check them out!The history of the Valjoux 72 and the Valjoux 23 that the former was based on is most definitely worth an article on its own. But as we discuss our top five watches powered by the movement, let s stick to some quick facts. The Valjoux 23 debuted in 1916 and was a big success for the movement manufacturer founded ...
I confess that I look forward to anything Rick Marei and his team create. Recent offerings from Aquastar and Synchron have all been exciting, well made, and relatively affordable. Now the new Aquastar Airstar Chronograph further ups the approachability ante. This is certainly one of the cooler recent releases.There are a lot of 60s skin-diver-like watches on the market at different price points. Aquastar, however, feels like the brand with the greatest right to use the style for modern renditions. After all, the brand was among the earliest adopters of the utilitarian, slab-sided case design in the late 50s for the Model 60. Aquastar also produced chronographs using the same case style, an...
Today, we ll look at the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date. This is a wild piece, and it debuts an innovative case material that took over five years of development. Get ready for some bright visual stimulation!The Audemars Piguet Concept offerings are typically filled with new technology from the brand. In a sense, they re like futuristic concept cars, but these watches go into limited production. A quick look at the various Concept pieces for sale on Chrono24 reveals many prior Royal Oak offerings, and none are below the six-figure mark! That s worth remembering when looking at the new Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph because AP hasn t provided...
In January 2023, Zenith released the first Defy Skyline Boutique Edition. The release flew under the radar for most watch fans, but it was a stylish version of Zenith s popular integrated-bracelet sports watch. Later that year, the brand unveiled a boutique-only version of the Defy Skyline Skeleton as well. Now it s time for the third addition to that boutique-exclusive lineup with the Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Boutique Edition. Judging from first glance, this might be the best of the series yet.Zenith is no stranger to boutique exclusives, and this Defy Skyline Boutique Edition series is certainly not the only one. Earlier this year, the brand released two boutique editions of its pil...
A flyback countdown chronograph with a date at 9 o clock and a 3Hz beat rate… A mic-drop meme would be enough now to introduce the seemingly unique Airin Regatta Chronograph that resurfaced in France.I have been following French graphic designer and watch collector David Renou, aka @Super.Compressor on Instagram, for quite some time now. I like his taste in watches, and many of the timepieces he has posted in recent years are unusual, interesting, novel, or hard to find. When he posted a sneak peek of his Airin Regatta Chronograph with a Valjoux 237 earlier this year, I was instantly hooked.Image: @Super.CompressorA design that shoutsI have owned this watch in parts for 10 years now. I...
I have a weird, ambivalent relationship with the TAG Heuer Monaco. While I am a great fan of its design and legacy, I am not a fan of the actual watch on my wrist. Or at least, I wasn t. That s why I was a little apprehensive when going into this hands-on review. The Monaco s square shape and the fairly boxy case have never won me over. Having said that, I do greatly enjoy the design as an object. Add the famous Steve McQueen story, and you will have a watch that demands respect from a historical point of view. That s also why I am always open to trying a new Monaco. Keeping an open mind can lead to pleasant surprises, and that s exactly what happened with this green and titanium Monaco.When...
Cabot Watch Company (CWC) has a strong and loyal following, including among some of the writers here at Fratello. The British-based brand is known for its military-issued timepieces. Today, we take a closer look at the new CWC 6BB-WR Chronograph.For a small and relatively young brand, CWC has quite a lot of history. It was founded in the 1970s by Ray Mellor, who had been the representative for Hamilton in the United Kingdom until the brand shuttered its business there. Undeterred, Mellor decided to establish a company of his own and maintain the military contracts that Hamilton once had with the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) for rugged, hardy watches. In addition to military contracts, C...
Welcome back to Fratello Talks. Should you wear your watch while playing sports or exercising? It s a question we often hear. What could the possible risks be for your beloved mechanical timepiece? Or is there no real reason to be worried at all? In today s episode, Nacho, RJ, and Lex explore these questions and speak from personal experience. They also look to some sports professionals to see what their approaches are and whether they should serve as an example in the first place. So, whether you re living life on the edge, wearing your mechanical watch no matter what you re up to, or playing it safe and breaking out the G-Shock when the going gets tough, tune in to hear the guys take on t...
You can find inspiration in tradition and at the bottom of your glass. Seiko found it in both places. The SPB447 is a watch in the Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series that presents itself with a glossy urushi (lacquer) dial and a GMT function displaying two time zones. Seiko also presents two new Presage Cocktail Time models inspired by the scenery of Tokyo at night and with a dial interpreting the Night-time Tokyo, an original cocktail created by Star Bar owner Hisashi Kishi.It s important to do things in the right order, so before we take a sip of the two new Presage Cocktail Time models, lets first inspect the fine craftmanship that made the SPB447 from the Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Seri...
These days, the focus seems to be on whopping power reserves and in-house calibers, with even mid-tier brands jumping on the bandwagon. But if you know your vintage watches, youll be aware of a time when everything wasnt measured in the number of bridges, cogs, and pinions a brand produced by itself.In the car world, the image is more realistic. Even a few years before the increased sharing structure brought on by electric tech, BMW set the bar for in-house production with what was considered a very high 40%. With all the focus on in-house excellence and alternative chronometric certifications, Im feeling drawn to a fairly simple yet sturdy ETA movement. The 7001 has been in production since...
Oris released its redesigned Aquis line in April at Watches and Wonders 2024. Included in that update were three sizes of Aquis Upcycle with dials made of recycled PET ocean plastic. I had a few opportunities to interact with all of the new Aquis models, and each time, I kept returning to the Upcycles. The subtle elegance of the updated case and bracelet combined with the truly unique dials captures the attention and imagination like no other watch. I ve only found the specific feeling I get from the Upcycles in one other arena - modern art, particularly, Gerhard Richter s abstract paintings.It s no surprise to regular readers of Fratello that I have a great love for Oris. I was a fan of the...
When we think of Louis Moinet, chronographs come to mind. After all, the company s namesake invented the complication in 1816. Today, though, we ll look at a different level of functionality. The moonphase complication is also traditional, but the new Black Moon Limited Edition ushers a novel method of displaying the lunar cycle.Admittedly, a stodgy moonphase indicator isn t my favorite complication. I don t mind dressy, antiquated-looking watches, but a view of the Moon and stars ruins more dials than not. Therefore, when a watchmaker attempts to show the heavens in a novel way, I sit up and take notice. The Louis Moinet Black Moon succeeds with a modern yet legible take on the subject.The ...
The third time s the charm. Well, the Minase Fratello M-3 Shiro exclusive edition sure is charming. Fratello s third take on the M-3 again makes the versatile model available outside Japan, and it looks crispier and cooler than ever. This time, the star of the show is a frosty white dial that is clean and dynamic thanks to a subtle structure and carefully applied Japanese lacquer. Then, touches of red and blue put some color on the face of our latest collaboration with the artisans at Minase. The result is a clean, subtle, comfortable, and versatile wristwatch with a great story.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings For our latest c...
The Submariner is, for many, a default watch. That may not be true for most watch enthusiasts, but as a cultural object signifying success or as just a good watch, the Submariner is way up there. Earlier this year, loaned me a Submariner so I could have a chance to develop personal thoughts on a watch I d rarely handled for more than a few minutes. Over four weeks, I got to take this particular watch, the 126610LN, on multiple ocean trips and work journeys. Here are a few thoughts.Separating the Submariner from what it represents is no easy task. Part of that challenge is that the Submariner represents different things to different folks. For some, it s the watch they buy to mark a signi...
As always, Geneva Watch Days this year showcased many great watches to discover. One of the highlights for quite a few people was the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Rose Gold. The second timepiece from the revived Daniel Roth brand builds on the first release from last year. As I explained in the watch s introduction article, the rose gold version of the Tourbillon seemed even more stylish than last year s Tourbillon Souscription. Most of all, it is proof that the resurgence of Daniel Roth was achieved with class and great care.Only a few weeks ago, I ended my introduction article wishing to experience the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Rose Gold on the wrist. I was curious whether the rose gold version was...
