Finally, it s my turn to tell you about my picks for the best watches of 2025. Several of my colleagues have already published theirs. Some chose watches that I d also scribbled down for my list. Luckily, though, there were many great releases this year, so I m happy to report that I can still highlight five of them that haven t been mentioned as favorites yet. There are some rather pricey watches on the list, but there were also great releases on the more affordable end of the spectrum.Before I get to my top five, I ll touch on some of my colleagues favorites, as these watches might also have been on my list. Both Lex and Jorg already featured the Laventure Marine Type 3, but I m not asham...
The Seiko Astron SSH187 and SSJ039 form a pair of limited editions built on a familiar Astron GPS Solar platform. The models share a new dial concept based on swirling stars, executed in a dark turquoise tone with a subtle glitter effect. These, then, are aesthetic changes rather than technical ones. Still, we figured they are well worth covering.The new Seiko Astron models carry over the proven 5X83 and 3X62 calibers but introduce a more expressive dial and a fully black-coated titanium exterior that gives the familiar shapes a different vibe altogether. Lets have a closer look!The new Seiko Astron SSH187 and SSJ039Seiko s Astron collection has always focused on autonomy and accuracy. Since...
Parmigiani Fleurier is a remarkable player in today s horological landscape. The brand s design aesthetic is unique, with the clever use of color being particularly admirable, and the technological innovations are nothing short of impressive. These aspects have made Parmigiani Fleurier both easy to love and easy to reject. Let s be honest; it s certainly not a brand for everyone, but that makes it more interesting. The latest proof of that is the wonderful Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante Arctic Rose. Despite being a simple new dial variation of an existing model, it feels remarkably crisp and fresh.But before I get deeper into the details of why that is, let s ponder the uniq...
Im in the market for a go-anywhere, do-anything watch. My search begins with a set budget of between $4,000 and $5,000 and a list of must-have features, including a GMT function, a depth rating of at least 100 meters, and an automatic movement. Apart from a measurable amount of money and spec list, there are also very important yet much less tangible factors at play. There s personal taste, for instance, but also a history with watches of different brands, which means my view on watches is clouded by brand experience and perception. I have a good idea of whats on the market, at what price, and whats to my taste. Still, a bit of advice can t hurt anyone, right? And thats why I decided to ask ...
Good morning, Fratelli, and welcome to a new Sunday Morning Showdown. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, something sweet, and sneak up somewhere next to the Christmas tree. This week, we ll put two watches up against each other that could both perfectly serve as Christmas dinner watches. They re both rectangular with silver dials and blue hands, but that s about where the similarities end. Thomas will defend the Cartier Tank Americaine, while Daan will do the same for the recently updated Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Monoface Small Seconds.Let s see which of these two rectangular watches from the Richemont Group will emerge victorious in this battle. But first, we ll take a look at what happen...
Why buy a pre-made icon when you can create a personalized Aikon like no other? Watch brand Maurice Lacroix (founded in 1975) and customizer Label Noir (established in 2011) have teamed up before, but now theyre collaborating on something else. Instead of creating special limited editions to get you all excited, the two entities now do what you tell them to do. In the online configurator, a 42mm Aikon canvas is waiting for you to express yourself horologically.Maurice Lacroix turned 50 in 2025, and besides having prepared some special celebratory creations this year, the brand from Franches-Montagnes also has a gift in the shape of something you have to build yourself. In collaboration with ...
Weve almost reached the end of 2025, and what a year it was for horology! First of all, I have the feeling it really flew by. It started with a bang when LVMH hosted its watch week last January, and just last week, I returned to Paris for Breguet s 250th-anniversary celebration.My picks for the best watches of 2025In between, it was a busy year with exhibitions (Watches and Wonders, Geneva Watch Days, WatchTime NYC, Dubai Watch Week, and many more) and brand-organized events. Luckily, at Fratello, we have a relatively large team that can cover most of these exhibitions and events.But what did all this activity bring us? Well, 2025 was an excellent year for watches. Weve seen numerous cool ne...
Another Friday, another list! This week, we continue the series highlighting our favorite watches of 2025. It s time for our favorite chronographs. Whereas last week s list of GMT watches wasn t easy to compile due to a lack of spectacular options, we were not left wanting this week. If anything, 2025 has given us an abundance of great chronograph options, with some pushing the envelope of what watches in this genre can be.Unlike the last two lists, we had no trouble picking our top five chronographs. Let me rephrase that: it wasn t difficult to find five watches that could be on this list. We had a tougher time trimming this list to just five. This year gave us many impressive chronographs ...
Oris introduced an update to the ProPilot Date last month. I wrote the introduction article based on the press materials, and now I am back, having had hands-on experience with the new models. So, the big question of the day is: does the refresh make the ProPilot better? Lets get into it!Well cover everything new and everything that stayed the same. By the end of it, I should be able to tell you if Oris successfully future-proofed its modern pilots watch.Updates to the Oris ProPilot DateThe Oris ProPilot Date has been around for about a decade in its turbine-inspired form. The original model came in several colors, of which the core model was matte black with stark white luminous numerals an...
What shook up the watch industry in 2025? There are plenty of things, I suppose, but since the watch industry is a multifaceted entity, I think I should elaborate. In terms of innovative watchmaking, 2025 proved to be an interesting year. Many prominent brands released technical innovations that demonstrate how the universe of mechanical timepieces is continually evolving.August 1st, 2025, will forever be a memorable day for people working in the Swiss watch industry. It won t necessarily be in a celebratory way, though. August 1st is Swiss National Day, commemorating the formation of the core of Switzerland in 1291 by the three cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden. However, on August 1st...
As 2025 winds down, it s the perfect time to reflect on some of the standout microbrand watches released this year. Thats precisely what were doing in this weeks episode of Fratello Talks. Nacho, Daan, and Thomas are back in the studio. Each has brought a list of three personal favorites - plus plenty of honorable mentions - for a lively discussion. If you appreciate the creative, unconventional, and often boldly experimental world of microbrand watchmaking, this episode is one you wont want to miss. But before we begin, it s time for a quick check of whats on the guys wrists.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings This podcast player is ...
A little over a year ago, Echo/Neutra floored me with its Rivanera. The brand s modern take on the classic dress watch quickly became one of my highlights of 2024. In fact, it impressed me so much that I added one to my collection. Now, a little over 12 months later, the Italian brand surprises us with the follow-up to the inaugural Rivanera. The three new Rivanera Piccolo models are smaller but have at least as much presence as their two bigger brothers. Will Echo/Neutra be able to floor us again with this new Rivanera Piccolo series? I had a chance to find out.Let me start with a small confession: I have only worn my gray-dial Rivanera a handful of times. However, that s more because I kee...
For its latest 5 Sports collaboration, Seiko teamed up with MGM to celebrate the Pink Panther. It s a joyful reminder of the prank-loving cartoon character I got to know through the famous series of movies that began in the 1960s with Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau. Six years after the 1963 premiere of The Pink Panther movie, the animated character received a dedicated cartoon series, which further solidified his fame. Now, 62 years after his silver-screen debut, the Pink Panther is still a beloved character. The sophisticated pink prankster is the star of this new Seiko 5 Sports Pink Panther Limited Edition SRPM07. Let s find out more!If you are over 45, you are likely to have ...
Last year, Serica introduced its new 6190 M.S.L. (Mean Sea Level) collection. With the black, white, or gray dials and non-numerical hand-applied indexes, the watches are dressier alternatives to their sportier field-watch predecessors. Today, the Parisian brand adds another playful yet elegant dial variant to that dressier lineup. Let s take a look at the new Serica 6190 TXD with a black and beige tuxedo-style dial.Serica s 4512 TXD from 2022In 2022, Serica also released a TXD version as part of its 4512 collection. That version had a black and white dial with faux-patina California numerals. As I wrote in my introduction article, I liked the overall design but felt the color combination wa...
Not too long ago, I wrote an article highlighting the Favre Leuba collection. The immediate standouts for me were the Deep Raider divers. The Deep Raider Renaissance is a great modern evolution of the classic Deep Blue from the 1960s. However, it was the Deep Raider Revival that stood out even more to me, as it brings back the classic aesthetic of the Deep Blue, executed with modern production techniques. As you will understand, I was more than happy to find out more about these two models. The big question was, of course, whether my feelings going into this review would be confirmed. It s time to find out.Let me shortly explain why my initial connection to the Deep Raider Revival was strong...
What do you do when you have a good thing going? You double down, of course! Formex spent years developing a ceramic Essence with best-in-class finishing and a first-ever ceramic micro-adjustable clasp. The Swiss brand fitted it with a skeletonized dial for its debut earlier this year. And then, Formex doubled down indeed. This September, we saw the introduction of the Ceramica with regular dials and a new Soprod caliber. Today, we get another addition in the Formex Essence Ceramica Automatic COSC Dark Matter 41mm.This latest addition looks beyond our skies for inspiration. The good folks at Cadranor crafted the dial out of meteorite, innovating the traditional methods as they went. So, even...
As you well know by now, I love a good list. As the Fratello resident listophile, compiling a list of my favorite releases of 2025 should be easy. Well, that depends on how you look at it. I have seen an abundance of stellar releases this year. That s also where the challenge comes in. If we can only pick five, that is the problem. But as always, after a process of killing multiple of my darlings, I ve ended up with my list of this year s favorites. Did I stick to five? Please read on to find out.As Lex mentioned in his article, I would like to emphasize that this list is highly personal, irrational, and not compiled with spec sheets or price tags in mind. Thank you!The best watches of 2025 ...
Following a pause in Speedy Tuesday events (the last one took place at the end of 2023), we invite you to register for the upcoming Speedy Tuesday event in Hong Kong. This event will take place on January 13th, 2026, and will be co-hosted by Omega.Speedy Tuesday Hong Kong Event 2026Nothing beats meeting other like-minded enthusiasts and collectors. That s why we ve been organizing Speedy Tuesday events since 2013. Initially, we organized these events locally, and later, with the support of Omega, we expanded them worldwide. They re a great way to get in touch with other Speedmaster fans and collectors and to see some of the rarest Speedmasters in the world.A great Speedmaster-packed timeOur ...
Earlier this year, Seiko unveiled new King Seiko Vanac models. The legendary Vanac name dates back to the 1970s, when it represented the creative and extravagant side of the King Seiko line. The modern Vanac models show significant influence from the 70s classics. Although they are nowhere near as flashy, they have similar, angular cases and tone down the dials without rejecting their roots. King Seiko now releases two new dial variants with the SLA093 and SLA095. The two models also introduce a new aesthetic with leather straps. Let s find out more!I took a deep dive into the world of King Seiko for a series of Buying Guide articles. Each article in the series covered five models from a pa...
Just in time to start celebrating the most wonderful time of the year, Nomos Glashtte drops its third run of limited-edition Club Sport Worldtimer models. Both the Roam and Reverie feature champagne-colored dials, but the color accents differ: the Roam showcases sky-blue and green accents, while the Reverie has touches of yellow and red. Each model is limited to 175 numbered pieces.Earlier this year, Nomos unveiled the Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer at Watches and Wonders. The brand launched the line with two standard models and six 175-piece limited editions. The watches have a 40mm steel case with a 9.9mm profile and a 48mm lug-to-lug measurement. The colorful dials impressed with their v...
