Do you want to hunt with the hounds and run with the hare? In that case, Seiko has got you covered. What? Is that too cryptic for you? If you want an ultra-precise quartz watch that connects to GPS satellites circling the globe and takes its energy from light but looks like a traditional, mechanical chronograph, Seiko has something for you. The Japanese mega-brand presents three Prospex Speedtimer GPS Solar Dual-Time Chronograph models with traditional looks and a high-tech powerplant, the caliber 5X83 you would normally find in the brands Astron collection. Yes, this is your lucky day.Putting modern tech in a watch with a traditional and trusted look might sound good. What if I tell you the...

Tudor s release of the Black Bay 54 in 2023 underlined the ongoing trend of smaller watches. In this feature, I consider what it s like to live with Tudor s Black Bay 54. This is less about specs and more about the vibe. Read on.While I appreciate a chunky tool watch as much as the next person, smaller watches just feel better on my wrist. You see, I have quite small wrists, each measuring around six inches in circumference. Thankfully, though, this has been a real advantage for me when collecting watches. For one, I have been able to thoroughly enjoy 34mm cases, which has opened up a wonderful world of vintage and neo-vintage watch options.My perfect case diameter starts with a 3Look no fur...

Seiko s Prospex range is rapidly growing and not just with dive watches. After last week s introduction of the new Marinemasters, we are now treated to two Speedtimer chronographs. The new SRQ051 and SRQ053 might look familiar. That s because, last November, we saw two Speedtimer models inspired by the same 1972 Seiko chronograph as these watches. The first (SRQ047) came with an ever-popular panda dial, and the second (SRQ049) was a limited edition with a reverse panda dial. Today s two new additions also have reverse panda dials. It s time to check out what differentiates them from last year s SRQ049.Those two watches from last November marked the start of the second series within Seiko s m...

In this edition of Speedy Tuesday, we look at an experimental Omega Speedmaster that is a thing of real beauty. NASA introduced my dream version in the early 1970s, but sadly, it was never a production model.The Omega Speedmaster needs no introduction. Suffice it to say, the Speedmaster is one of the most iconic watch designs not just of the mid-20th century but also of all time. The Omega Speedmaster is also a watch that I ve never owned nor seriously lusted after. In fact, I must admit that I don t currently even own a watch from Omega, whether vintage or modern (that needs to change). It seemed my time to write about this sad state of affairs was overdue, and what better opportunity to do...

It s time for another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we cap off Geneva Watch Days 2024 with our favorites from the event. We saw some fascinating watches and met new and old acquaintances. For our listeners, there s not much banter in this episode! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings We ve returned to our respective countries, are we are fully rested and ready to go. Still, the glow from Geneva Watch Days 2024 hasn t completely left us. We spend the show talking about our favorites from the week before, and we think you ll enjoy the variety.HandgelenkskontrolleWe spend some time discussing the new Grand Seiko 45GS re...

Seiko introduces three new dial variants to its higher-end King Seiko models. These are last years SJE089/SJE091 under the hood but with fancy new dial textures and colors. This pushes them a bit further away from their austere 1965 KSK ancestor and into modern territories.Today, Seiko releases a lavender (SJE107), blue (SJE105), and red (SJE103) model. Each has a unique pattern, while all three share a color gradient or vignette effect. Meanwhile, the price remains the same as last years silver and black models at $3,400. Lets have a closer look!A quick recap: SJE103, SJE105, and SJE107 specificationsConsidering the pace at which Seiko drops new watches, you would be forgiven for not knowin...

We have all heard the phrase time is money, but what if you could make it come to life visually? Leave it to the team at IFL Watches to put a fun spin on that. For its newest release, the Stockholm-based brand whimsically embodied the concept using the dial of a Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic. It s another limited-edition IFLW take on this watch that once again shows how its classic style combines nicely with a playful dial. Let s take a closer look!If you didn t know by now, we love the special dials?the?IFL Watches team manages to create. This resulted in the special collaborative IFL Watches Fratello CasiOak Moonlander unveiled two weeks ago. The watch shows perfectly how much detail and car...

If one thing is true about Laurent Ferrier s watches, it s that his designs are boldly understated. The watches don t try to impress anyone with skeletonized dials, and the case shapes are nothing out of the ordinary. These aren t watches you wear because you want to impress people from a distance. With timepieces like these, it s all about the details. You wear a Laurent Ferrier watch because you thoroughly enjoy the attention to detail. These are watches made for their wearers pleasure, not for others around them. The very same is true of the brand s new Classic Auto Sandstone with its three-dimensional wide-screen date window.As Mike mentioned in his introduction article, Laurent Ferrier...

You re a happy and lucky soul if you can put sunshine in your pocket. But if you cant manage to do so or thats too abstract, what about putting some sunshine on your wrist? All you need to do is strap on a Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite, and youre golden. This watch will help you treasure your summer vibes and will even keep the blue Mondays that are coming at bay.Say what you will about the Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite, but it does have flair. This watch wont go unnoticed. Yes, some will shy away from the prominent orange and blue hues, and others will embrace them with the excitement one must feel upon having finally captured a rainbow. No matter your feelings a...

Have a quick look at the images in this article. Isnt the 156 just the archetypal Sinn watch? Well-no, it s actually not. This model is an adaptation and evolution of Bundeswehr-issued pilots watches from other brands. However, you can leave it to the good people at Sinn to take a good thing and make it better. These are the new Sinn 156.1 and 156.1 E.The latter model is a 300-piece limited edition for $4,290, while the Sinn 156.1 is a regular-production model with a price of $3,950. The 156.1 E comes with a black leather strap and a bracelet. The 156.1 comes on a leather strap as standard but can be configured in any way you like on Sinn s website. Lets dive in!From Leonidas to Sinn 155, th...

One of my most memorable meetings during Watches and Wonders earlier this year was with Parmigiani Fleurier CEO Guido Terreni. This very charismatic watch CEO was impeccably dressed, talking about the history of fashion and how the new Toric collection was designed with todays sartorialists in mind.Terreni is glad that menswear is getting attention again after seeing the casual business wear endorsed by Silicon Valley types. For him, dressed in a beautiful suit, shirt, and loafers, expertly selected in the hotel room that morning, I reckon its natural, and he probably doesnt need to think twice about what works and what doesnt. I write this with a little envy as, more than once, I ve needed ...

The breeze is changing direction, leaves are turning yellow, and legions of fans are packing up their SUV s with coolers, cornhole gear, and mini-grills. It can only mean one thing - football season! The NFL is back, and it s time to root for your favorite team! Breitling is here to help with the new Chronomat NFL collection. The best news is that there s a version for every team.We re in the air, we re on the ground, we re always in control. And when you say Miami, you re talking Super Bowl! I warm up my pipes every Sunday morning with the Dolphins fight song, and if I m feeling fortunate, I may belt out Gridiron Heroes for my second team, the Detroit Lions. It s a ritual that millions adhe...

Watches can be a deeply impersonal affair. The rise of social media hype, luxury exhibitionism, and wristwatch flexing is very different from what watches once represented. It wasn t all that long ago that they were simple time-telling tools with a little style thrown in (perhaps even some panache). This article is a celebration of watches as deeply personal objects, indeed, treasure houses of memories and emotions.My grandfather Fritz s choice of time-telling tool is emblematic of the era in which he grew up. Born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, Fritz Meister served as a member of the Swiss military as a sharpshooter during WWII. This was a period when Switzerland faced the real prospect of a...

Last week, we took an excursion to the land of Nouvelle Horlogerie. This week, we re returning to our home territory of stainless steel dive watches. Seiko just presented us with two new references under the Marinemaster name. The SLA077 and SLA079 are modern interpretations of the famous 6159-7001 from 1968. As they re in the more expensive realms of Seiko s Prospex collection, we thought the Oris Aquis would be a good matchup price-wise.Being the stainless steel dive watches that they are, both the Seiko and the Oris offer water resistance to 300 meters. Also, at 42.6mm and 43.5mm, respectively, they re quite comparable size-wise. Apart from those characteristics, though, there are quite a...

I have never mastered packing light, which bit me during Geneva Watch Days 2024. I carried a relatively heavy backpack with camera gear, a video kit, and a daily swag collection. That s not normally an issue, but the heat and humidity in Geneva were no joke. Then, my colleague Dave Sergeant took me on a very scenic route to the top of the old town to see the new Urwerk EMX SR-71. Thankfully, it was worth the trip.People moan and complain about the abysmal weather in the UK, but when I think about my time in Germany or the very recent visit to Geneva, I ll take the odd 17 day in August over the pounding heat in mainland Europe. Still, Dave, a UK citizen, was destined and determined to make m...

The time has come to wrap up our Best Watches Under $10K series, and I have the privilege of closing out this latest run. Doubling the budget from $5K unlocks a wealth of possibilities, and today, I ll be looking to exploit those, even if it does call for a bit of finessing. Still, while I settled for three watches with our previous price points, I ve managed to assemble five picks this time. And looking back at them now, it s a slightly dissonant group of brilliant watches that come together to form a collection I d be happy to own.Now, $10K is a respectable sum to most of us. It s certainly more than I ve ever spent on a single watch. So it s worth noting that these picks are my aspiration...

Another Friday, another list! This week, we look at five gentlemen s GMT watches that stand out because of their distinguished presence. These aren t your typical GMT-Master-influenced timepieces. No, this is a list of the more classical-looking GMTs, multi-time-zone/traveler s watches that fly a little more under the radar. So don t expect any colorful rotating bezels with large numerals here! You probably have an idea of where we are going with this, so let s get into it.Just allow me to make a few quick remarks before we unveil our five picks. We are not looking for classic worldtimers or dual-time watches with sub-dials. While those can offer quite a distinguished look indeed, we wanted...

Conveniently, spinnaker is one of those words that is the same in English as in Dutch - and French and German, for that matter. That makes it easy to remember this watch brand s name. And with a name like Spinnaker, chances are that the brand has a link to the aquatic world. Indeed, its portfolio confirms this as most of it consists of dive watches. For my first hands-on taste of Spinnaker, I had a chance to check out the Dumas GMT, a hefty timepiece based on the brand s Dumas diver. I was happy to find out more about this colorful GMT with a design heavily inspired by the famous professional dive watches from the 1970s.To say the Spinnaker Dumas GMT dented the desk when it landed on it woul...

Our schedules were full at Geneva Watch Days 2024, but one of the most anticipated sessions was a late-afternoon meeting with Biver. We knew the young brand had a secret new release on the way, but details were scarce. The team, including Pierre Biver, showed us the new Biver Automatique line comprised of four references. Thankfully, we didn t have to wait long for the embargo date.We were excited to meet with Biver. After all, the name is highly familiar to anyone who follows watches and the industry. Last April at Watches and Wonders, the Carillon Tourbillon debuted with fanfare. I liked it, but I enjoy more scaled-back pieces sans complications. So when we heard rumblings about a simpler ...

The 2024 edition of Geneva Watch Days was the hottest ever. Not only did the temperatures soar to unprecedented heights (30+ degrees Celsius), but more brands also showed their goods than ever before (52), and the number of visitors compared to last year increased by more than 70% (13,800). Some watch insiders expected an event held under a dark cloud due to slowing growth numbers. But the vibe was very good in the five-star hotels and air-conditioned brand boutiques around Lac Leman where the event took place. Yes, we live in complicated times, as the participants and visitors at GWD underlined. But these complicated times call for complicated watches. Its avant-garde, groundbreaking, and s...