Imagine taking a $500 watch and giving it to the Artisans de Geneve workshop to create something truly unique. That s sort of what happened to one beaten and forgotten Prim Sport watch, which I received as a Christmas gift from my beloved watchmaker Tomas Sinal in 2019.You have read about Tomas Sinal quite often in the last six years I ve been carrying the #TBT torch. My watchmaker, now also my good friend, is one of the most curious minds with patience and understanding of my exploratory heart. Many times, I brought him timepieces with movements, complications, or states of disrepair that most watchmakers would not even touch. Although he often had to take a deep breath, he never disappoint...

TAG Heuer isn t shying away from ultra-modern styling lately. Or, I should say, the brand offers a choice of modern and classic watches, even within the racing-themed Carrera line. For those who tend to prefer vintage looks, there is the Carrera Glassbox. If, however, you are more into futuristic designs, we have something for you today - the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Extreme Sport. Whats in a name? Well, in this case, everything. These are some pretty extreme sports chronographs but still slap-bang on-brand for the TAG Heuer Carrera collection.We took the chance to get a sneak peek at three of the four new chronographs. In addition to the watches you see here, there is a fourth one in b...

To me, among all the big brands out there, Oris really sticks out. Ever since I bought my first luxury watch, the dressy Oris Art Blakey, I ve found it charming how the brand makes everyone smile. The new Divers Sixty-Five LFP Limited Edition, a watch made in collaboration with the French Professional Football League (LFP), should do just that. It also raises awareness of CNAPE, a federation that unites Frances childrens charities, and its joyful annual childrens football tournament. Image: FEP Image: FEP That tournament is called Tournoi des Defenseurs de l Enfance (Tournament of Defenders of Childhood). The LFP and its partner CNAPE organize it to raise funds for France s chil...

Hello, and welcome to Fratello Talks! Today, we re talking about Geneva Watch Days 2024. Nacho, RJ, and Lex come together after spending some time in the Swiss capital and recount their experience. They start by giving you a taste of what made this year s show feel different from the previous three and end up walking through some highlights. They had three intense days with many appointments and hundreds of new watches from seemingly just as many brands, so this episode will only cover some of the watches that truly stuck with them. But before we get into it, let s see what watches are, quite literally, stuck to their wrists today.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing co...

We were all quite excited here at Fratello when Longines announced a new 39mm version of the Legend Diver last November. Not only did we love the new dimensions, but the omittance of the date was also met with applause here. With a denim-like blue and a black version on offer, something told us more colors might be on the horizon. So while this new release does not surprise us, we do appreciate the additional choices.This is the 39mm Longines Legend Diver as we know it from last year, now with three more dial options. You have a choice of terracotta, green, and gray. Lets have a closer look!The historical context of the Longines Legend DiverThese three new dials arent just random additions t...

Surprise, surprise! Swatch will offer the Omega Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch for sale online in the United States and China starting today. Most likely, the brand chose these countries because they have huge areas without any Swatch boutiques nearby. But while they are the first, with some luck, they won t be the last.The online sales will start only for the following four models of the MoonSwatch - Mission on Earth, Mission to the Sun, Mission to the Moon, and Mission to Mars. These models were among the first 11 versions that Swatch debuted in 2022, which was easily the biggest watch launch we have ever witnessed. Interestingly, the MoonSwatch still draws a lot of attention from people....

It s no secret that I am a fan of both Unimatic and GMT watches. And in all fairness, the Italian brand has released some amazing GMTs that I would have loved to add to my collection. But there is a right time for everything, and the timing just might be right with the release of the new Modello Uno U1-GMT and Modello Quattro U4-GMT. The two watches return to Unimatic s beginnings with a Japanese Seiko movement, which makes them the most affordable GMTs the brand has ever released. I had a chance to go hands-on with the Modello Quattro U4-GMT. It introduces a new fixed stainless steel 24-hour bezel that is purposeful and looks awesome to boot.Immediately after I laid eyes on the two new Unim...

With $10K to spend, I decided to play it safe on the brand side and a little wilder on the color side. Thats why I ended up with a furiously red Grand Seiko, a sinister black IWC, and a Zenith that makes me slightly indecisive: do I decide on the version with the green or the black dial? I will choose at the end of this Best Watches Under $10K article.First up is a watch that Grand Seiko released very recently. It is a limited dial variant of an existing Elegance model. My watch of choice is the C-shaped SBGY035, an edition of 700 pieces priced at $9,200. I considered the Omiwatari (SBGY007) with its pale blue dial for this shortlist but decided on something more punchy.The best watches unde...

One of the most recognizable elements of the early G-Shocks is the famous brick-wall pattern. Did you know the pattern was deliberately chosen to emphasize the toughness of G-Shock s timepieces? It s a fun visual play on one of the brand s key features. G-Shock has created six new references with a rainbow brick pattern to celebrate that toughness in style. First, there are three versions of the G-Shock Square 5600, and second, the brand created three similarly themed versions of the G-Shock CasiOak 2100. I had a chance to check out five of the six new models to find out which one is my favorite.When five new G-Shocks land on your desk, it can be overwhelming. Your instincts tell you to look...

Every once in a while, we see comments and questions on the Speedmaster that need to be addressed. One of them is about the water resistance of the Speedmaster. It s often mocked for the lack of water resistance, but what many don t seem to know is that, according to Omega, it s safe to swim while wearing the current Speedmaster Professional with caliber 3861.We ve covered the iconic Speedmaster nearly every (Speedy) Tuesday since 2012. But Fratello goes back to July 2004, and between then and 2012, the Speedmaster was a recurring topic as well. This resulted in receiving a lot of questions about the Moonwatch and all of its variations. For this article, we have selected the most frequently ...

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we have a different episode style. Your friendly co-hosts check in while on the go at Geneva Watch Days 2024. Ultimately, we try to give you a feel for the non-stop schedule and what it s like to be at a show. There s no banter beforehand, so let the audio roll! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings We re back from Geneva Watch Days 2024, but while we were on the go at the show, we turned the microphones on for brief segments. You ll hear us discuss our schedules, brands, individual watches, people, shoes, and more! We hope you like it. If not, we ll be back with a...

Tool watches are not only popular but also often uncomplicated and dull from a design point of view. How refreshing it is to see and wear the Frog300 from Oceanix (or OX for short). It has a non-conventional case shape, modern-styled bold hands and indexes, and refreshing colors. Furthermore, it contains an innovative safety feature, so let s dive into it!The OX Frog300The story of Oceanix/OX started in 2021 at a beach bar in Andalusia, Spain. It was then and there that Joseph Bolart decided to create the nearly perfect diver s watch. His vision was to earn respect in international watchmaking by creating remarkable timepieces that challenged conventional norms. After the company s establish...

While the 44GS might be Grand Seikos most famous model, another impressive watch came out just one year later. Aptly named the 45GS, this was a high-beat hand-wound watch in a similar design. Now Grand Seiko is reviving that model with the new SLGW004 and SLGW005. Grand Seiko opted to remain faithful to the original, which shows in several authentic details. In short, these are surely worth a close look.Before we get into the nitty-gritty, the headline is that the SLGW004 is 18K gold and priced at $32,200. Grand Seiko will make only 200 units of this watch. The SLGW005 is stainless steel and priced at $10,400. A total of 1,200 pieces will see the light of day this November.Grand Seiko 45GSYo...

Can Seiko s famous Marinemaster moniker apply to two very different watches in the Prospex line? If the introduction of the new, smaller Marinemaster last year wasn t enough to accept, the brand just hit us with another curveball. Seiko just added two new Marinemasters to the catalog, and they aren t in line with last year s 62MAS-inspired Marinemaster watches. The new Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver s Modern Re-interpretation SLA077 and SLA079 have Marinemaster on the dial as well. Is this a confusing or logical step into the future? Let s break it down and see if we can find out.For many watch enthusiasts, the Marinemaster name is synonymous with the series of high-end dive watches that started w...

The French word millesime means vintage and is most often linked to great wines and champagnes. The new HYT T1 Millesime series offers a vintage-inspired dial matching the contemporary look of HYTs most understated creation. And just like a millesime wine, the new trio of watches refers to a limited period. The HYT T1 Millesime series in brown, purple, and green will only be available from September 2024 to April 2025.By introducing the four watches in the T1 Series earlier this year, HYT created a buzz. Sure, maybe it wasn t as big a buzz as in 2012 when the brand burst onto the scene with the H1, the first wristwatch that used fluids to indicate time. Still, the less-is-more T1 debuted qui...

Don t you love how the designers at Grand Seiko keep using Japanese natural phenomena and settings as inspiration? Of course, I m not a fan of all Grand Seiko watches, but I enjoy reading through the press releases and looking up the places and things from which the dial colors and textures are derived. It s like taking a trip through Japan. The new Grand Seiko Evolution 9 SLGA025 and the Hi-Beat SBGH347 both have dials inspired by Japanese waters. In the case of the SLGA025, it s the turquoise Atera River in Nagano Prefecture. As for the SBGH347, it s the frozen Nanataki Falls in Iwate Prefecture.Although both watches have dials inspired by Japanese waters, they re also very different. Apar...

We knew there would be plenty to celebrate going into this year. As the 25th anniversary of the final year of the last millennium, there is a lot to reflect on. Indeed, 1999 was a defining meeting point for fashion, art, technology, and culture. The onset of the new millennium inspired a surge of influential works that are still resonating today. One such horological masterpiece is the A. Lange & S?hne Datograph from 1999. Todays release continues this years celebration with a 25-piece limited-edition Datograph in yellow gold with a delicately adorned dial and tremblage engraving. Otherwise known as handwerkskunst (or craftmanship), this sophisticated style has been applied to exclusive ...

Our Sunday Morning Showdowns are usually quite sensible. Okay-relatively sensible. We often pit two attainable everyday watches against each other to see which wins the popular vote. Well, today is a bit different. Today, we have a brawl between two Nouvelle Horlogerie watches that, unless you are reading this from the sundeck of your 200-foot yacht, are completely unobtainable. This is the Urwerk EMC SR-71 versus the MB&F Horological Machine 8 Mark 2, two high-end, ultra-modern, highly creative, and unconventional watches.We are sometimes criticized if two SMS competitors arent perfectly comparable in every way, including specs, price, genre, color, and so on. Well, today is a statement...

I was surprised and intrigued when word got out last year that Daniel Roth would make a comeback. As a fan of Roth s watches, I was eager to find out whether the LVMH designers would honor his famous double-ellipse case design in style. When the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Souscription came out in March of 2023, I couldn t help but smile. Seeing that familiar style that I love so much return in all its updated glory confirmed the brand s relevance and the good eye of the LVMH designers who worked on the design. Now, roughly 18 months later, the brand introduces the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Rose Gold. It s the same watch but in a rose gold case with a stunning rose gold dial featuring pinstripe guil...

As someone who lives and breathes watches daily, I make it my business to keep track of as many brands and new releases as possible. However, there are a select number of brands that I avidly follow. Laurent Ferrier is one of them. The company designs piercingly clean watches that resonate with me. Today s new Classic Auto Sandstone is exciting, but with a date function, is this as captivating as its time-only counterparts?That s right; I have a soft spot for Laurent Ferrier. Of all the high-horology brands making non-futuristic-looking pieces, Ferrier is leading the pack. Somehow, this small producer is beating the most formidable and historic brands that have long dominated the game. That ...