There will hardly be a better time to feature my Gallet Basketball & Football Timer than now, just a day before the Euro 2024 quarterfinals begin. However funny it may sound, imagine me sitting on the couch and starting my timer the moment the next match starts. That ll be me tomorrow!Collecting pocket watches is not that cool. Besides my watchmaker and a friend from Prague, I don t know many collectors who systematically expand their pocket watch collections. If I had to guess, I d say that for every pocket watch I own, I have about 40 wristwatches. We do not cover vintage pocket watches much either; my latest contribution was a story about my Wilmington four years ago.?You can only ima...
One of the perks of my line of work is that I sometimes get to experience watches I wouldnt have normally sought out. Nacho requested the Sinn 903 for himself to test but found his schedule overfilled with management responsibilities and handed the watch to me. So I strapped on the newly revamped Sinn 903 St II and wore it for about a week. Here is how we got along.I love these impromptu hands-on sessions as I tend to approach them with more of an open mind. Of course, our job is always to be as neutral as possible. Still, when we request certain watches for ourselves, it is usually because we already have some positive or negative feelings about them. In the case of this particular style of...
It has already been nine months since our last series of articles about the best watches under $5,000. I had to look up my choices from last time (new watches from Longines, Tudor, and Seiko and a pre-owned pick from Omega). I still stand by those picks, but my mood is slightly different these days, so I will swap them out for watches I would consider at the moment.Yes, $5,000 is a chunk of money, so lets spend it wisely. When you add the pre-owned market, you have so many exciting watches to choose from, and you can easily spend days or weeks browsing the interwebs to find that one special piece that fits this budget. We can say its a buyers market today, so if you have the money and are co...
This review was tough as this Zelos made a big impact with its materials and slim, demure case. Going hands-on with the Zelos Nova 37mm Tantalum has been a pleasure regardless of value, brand image, and size, so staying objective was quite challenging.First impressions from press shots left me with an image of too much action for the dressy size. This is a known mistake of many small brands. Im not using the term microbrand here as Zelos is one of the genre s progenitors and busted out of it many years ago. But how did I go from an impression of material overload to a deep infatuation with the new Nova 37mm? It has been a surprising journey of appreciation.Zelos goes from ber-tool watches t...
For me, summer is about disconnecting and a taking more relaxed view of life, even if I seem to be working a lot. This also extends to wristwear, and as a collector at heart, nothing makes me happier than some new wrist fun for the sunny season. With that in mind, I ve found several cool and fun summer watches for less than $500 each.Why so cheap? I am a strong advocate for value, even if I have some expensive watches in my box. Why? Summer is about traveling with the family, all its associated bumps and scrapes, and fun days at the beach. It s also about not having to care that much, right? But still, it s worth having an accurate time-telling tool, which means your phone and all its notifi...
If you frequent social media, there s a good chance that you ve run across the Delugs rubber CTS straps recently. The brand is making a splash for the summer season and has released some new models and colors. Full disclosure: Delugs sent me a handful of straps for review. Specifically, I requested straps for my Ming watches and Tudor Black Bay 58.Rubber straps are a funny thing. I don t wear them often. When I do, it s typically during summer and involves water. However, if I m not heading to the water and it s hot, a rubber strap is often sticky on the wrist. However, FKM rubber has helped the situation and does a nice job of warding off dust. With that in mind, it sounded like fun when De...
At the end of last year, we had three Sartory Billard flying tourbillons in the office. I remember how impressed I was with those watches. Seeing them in person was also a good showcase of the bespoke work that Sartory Billard has become known for. The brand s latest release is another interesting display of traditional craftsmanship. Together with Martin Pulli, Sartory Billard releases two limited editions of its SB07 with maki-e dials created by Japanese master artisan Kosetsu. The result is an intriguing pair of watches.You know you are looking at something special when you see a picture of these two new Sartory Billard SB07 models. The handcrafted dials draw you in immediately. I can onl...
Many pilot s watches, especially those of the Flieger variety, are designed with a specific purpose in mind: their wearers must be able to read the time in a split second. That s why the dials feature large numerals, hands, and markers. This results in an iconic look that has many fans worldwide. On the other hand, because of its iconic status, it s also difficult to come up with a Flieger watch that has a completely different look. Laco does try, though, with its colorful limited editions. Come take a look at the new Laco Augsburg and Aachen, both with a matte dark green dial.This is the fourth time Laco has launched a more colorful limited-edition version of the Augsburg and the Aachen. Ro...
We recently introduced the new Louis Vuitton Escale Automatic collection here. It s a collection of time-only Escale watches that use Louis Vuitton s LFT023 movement. In this video, RJ discusses the Louis Vuitton Escale rose gold models in detail.Louis Vuitton Escale AutomaticThis year marks the 10th anniversary of the Escale collection. Louis Vuitton showed the Escale Cabinet of Wonders models earlier this year. Now the brand has introduced the time-only rose gold and platinum models, which should remind you of the hardware on LV trunks. You can find all of the watches specifications below.You can also watch the video on our YouTube channel. For more information, visit the Louis Vuitton we...
Yes, youre looking at a new watch. The Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5396G-017 is a watch with a very familiar face. But that face underwent some serious yet subtle cosmetic surgery. The reference 5396 has been around since 2006 and has become one of the most recognizable Patek watches around. The vertical design, which shows day and month apertures at 12 o clock along with a date indicator and 24-hour sub-dial with an integrated moonphase display at 6 o clock, makes for a striking and, by now, classic dial design. This layout replaced the more conventional face of the very first annual calendar wristwatch, Pateks reference 5035, which debuted in 1996. The latest iteration of the reference ...
In March 2019, Omega introduced the Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 50th Anniversary edition in Moonshine Gold. This watch is a modern reproduction of the 1969 gold Moonwatch presented to US President Nixon, Vice President Agnew, and all active NASA astronauts at the time. That watch also became available to the general market, with a slightly different case back engraving. In total, 1,014 examples were produced and sold. This month marks the 55th anniversary of the Moon landing as well as my fifth year owning the Apollo 11 50th Anniversary model. It s time for a long-term review of this watch.Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 50th Anniversary in Moonshine GoldThe 2019 Speedmaster ...
It has been quite some time since I wrote a hands-on review of a modern watch. When the news announcing the revival of my beloved Mondia Top Second hit our press mailbox last September, I instantly volunteered to look at it. A deep green sample of the new Mondia Top Second eventually landed safely on my desk, so here we are.I am a vintage watch nerd, but when someone says Italian watch brand, Unimatic is what springs to my mind first. I do not wear my only Unimatic watch as much as I used to a few years ago (blame Gallet), but it s still present in my collection. And we can t ignore how vocal Unimatic is on social media. But there is another interesting story I have associated with Italy, an...
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we take a listener s suggestion and discuss how we research watches before buying. We ve touched upon this before, but it s a constantly evolving topic that deserves an update. For our beloved listeners, the watch content begins after 19 minutes. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings If you re a watch collector and enjoy vintage, landing a great specimen often requires research. In this episode, we mention some of our most common tactics. Some of these processes are tried and true, while others are more recent. They re all helpful, though, and can lead to a rewarding re...
What a surprise! After the two Mission to Moonphase Snoopy releases earlier this year, I did not expect to see an additional set of MoonSwatch models. Only the teasers on Swatchs Instagram account a few days before June 11th gave away the idea that we could expect something new.The MoonSwatch successThe first 11 MoonSwatch models were introduced two years ago, just a few days before Watches and Wonders 2022. Honestly, they stole the show even though they were not part of the Geneva exhibition. The queues were insane, bringing a whole new crowd to the world of watches. The MoonSwatch was the talk of the town, and the crazy demand and long lines got coverage on the 8 oclock news. It was a bril...
White-out designs and stealthy black go in and out of fashion, but seeing a resurgence of stealthy cool this year underlines that black is black. And sometimes that is just right.Whether you want literal stealth wealth to go with your fave black suit or are employed as a secret operative, thats your business. But for whatever reason, there is something about a lack of color that brings out the best in a good watch design.Blancpain Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms Ocean of StormsWithout eliciting quite the hype generated by the MoonSwatches (thankfully), the Bioceramic collab has taken a mechanical turn. Powered by the automatic Swatch System 51 caliber, Blancpain dropped a plastic (sorry, Biocer...
As Mike Stockton recently announced on Fratello, TAG Heuer has updated its large Aquaracer. The 43mm model got a 1mm downsize, new caliber, and new dial, among other changes. Mike did a great job describing all the changes but did not have the chance to try the new watches on. Since then, I have, so lets explore how these changes impact the subjective experience of handling and wearing these TAG Heuer Aquaracer Date and GMT models.Let me refrain from rehashing all the specs here. Instead, let me refer to Mikes introduction article from last week. This will be a part 2 of sorts, expanding on his foundation.Downsizing the AquaracerLet me start with the new dimensions. The case shrunk by 1mm in...
Another Friday, another Top 5! This week, we re looking at some affordable dive watches. It s been a while since we made a list of divers that don t break the bank. Knowing that it s the most popular watch category, it only makes sense to look at some of the latest releases, especially since we see new dive watches coming out almost weekly. The popularity of these preferred daily wearers is unwavering.As usual, a list of only five picks is just too short. But when it comes to dive watches, any list seems too short. There are so many great options out there that choosing can be quite tough. The first thing to do is set a budget. I just mentioned that we have picked affordable divers. The firs...
Longines has certainly mastered the skill of downsizing. I m not talking about getting rid of any of its personnel; it s more about shaving some millimeters off its watches. We saw it happen with the Legend Diver and the Spirit. Both were first introduced in bigger sizes. Later, the legendary Swiss brand also introduced sub-40mm options. The same happened to the Longines Conquest collection we re talking about today. It was already available in a 41mm case, and now it s also available in a more compact size. Let s see what the new 38mm Longines Conquest feels like.I don t have any Longines watches in my collection, but I have to say, the Legend Diver, Heritage Classic, and Conquest Heritage ...
Theres a new hyperwatch on the starting grid. Its the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in Verde Mantis. This energetic green hue also dominates the livery of the SC63, the first Lamborghini hybrid racing car prototype that will race in the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend. The car also competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship (Hypercar class) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (GTP class). The watch, however, is in a class of its own. This third version of the chronograph that debuted in 2023 is a boutique-exclusive LE of 88 pieces bearing the Poin?on de Geneve and plenty of high-performance DNA.Last year, Roger Dubuis launched two Excalibur Spider ...
Seiko serves three new cocktail-inspired watches, and I am slightly concerned that going hands-on with all of them at once will lead to delirium. The new Seiko Presage Cocktail GMT watches come in outspoken flavors. Theres the SSK037 Skydiving in refreshing light blue, the whiskey-inspired SSK039 Rusty Nail, and the fruity SSK041 Acacia. Whats your cocktail of choice?The Rusty Nail is my favorite. Favorite cocktail, I mean. The 1-to-1 or 2-to-1 ratio of Scotch and Drambuie on the rocks served with an orange peel is my pick of the three cocktails Seiko serves. I like light blue, but a mix of rum, Blue Cura?ao, and lime juice is not my poison. And neither is a combination of gin, Benedictine, ...
