The Millesime collection by Raymond Weil took us by surprise when it launched last year. Once in a while, a watch comes along that just seems to work. The design and the execution just click. The Millesime is such a watch. So when Raymond Weil announced new models, I was keen to give them a try.Today, I am testing the 35mm Automatic, the 39.5mm Moon Phase, and a new green-dial Small Seconds model on a bracelet. These models will become available in September.The Raymond Weil MillesimeIn case you arent yet familiar with the Raymond Weil Millesime, let me give you some background. Millesime means vintage in French, and these watches certainly look the part. However, if you follow my writing, y...

Hello, and welcome to this week s episode of Fratello Talks. This topic is familiar to all those who spend enough time around watches and especially to those who consider themselves collectors. Buying, selling, and trading watches comes with the territory, and though a decision may seem solid at the time you make it, you may always regret it. In this week s episode, Nacho, RJ, and Morgan discuss keeping regrets to a minimum when buying, selling, or trading watches and offer advice in doing so. But is it possible to avoid regrets altogether? Before we answer that, let s take a look at what s on the guys wrists this week.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Cha...

It s funny; I was in this same position last year. Having recently attended Watches and Wonders, one of the watches that most caught my eye during the week of releases was not actually at the show. Instead, it was over at Time To Watches. Behrens, one of my favorite brands, released a new watch in a new collection. I ve made no secret of my appreciation for Behrens. I ve waxed lyrical about my love for the brand s modern stylings and excellent relative value for money. With the hyper-modern appearance of the 20G and futuristic leanings of the Perigee, I would forgive you for thinking the brand is perhaps a one-trick pony in this regard. However, when Behrens announced the new Kung Fu, it pro...

Though often overlooked in the Seiko catalog, the Presage collection contains some good watches, including the Cocktail Time and Classic models. My favorites, though, are the Style60 s watches, so I was happy to take the new SRPL07 and SRPL09 for a spin. As it turns out, these steel-bezel versions are my new favorites in the Style60 s series.At first glance, it seems that the Seiko Presage Style60 s SRPL07 and SRPL09 simply offer a new bezel. But there is more to the story than that. They also introduce a slightly smaller case and a wonderfully comfortable new bracelet. These factors combined make these two new watches the best in the Style60 s lineup. I liked them so much, in fact, that I d...

Is the hype for luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets over? If you look at a benchmark in this market segment, the steel Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo, which sold for four times retail at the height of the wave, is now going for just twice the price on the secondary market. So, yes, the ultra-hype might have died down, but that doesnt mean high-end watches with integrated bracelets are done for. Still, it is fair to ask if a price drop of an icon has consequences for newcomer watches that have yet to reach a similar status. How desirable is, for instance, the new Gerald Charles Masterlink Blue in light of current market developments? I went hands-on with the watch with a lot on m...

The team at Fratello continues its yearly quest to highlight some of our favorite watches available on the market today. We are currently deep into exploring those that we consider to be the best watches under $2,500. After missing out on the sub-$1K picks, I m pleased to provide my two cents at this price point. It s still within what I d consider my comfort zone (albeit less so than the picks under $1,000). Still, as it goes year after year, watches you thought you could reliably list within a specific price bracket have either been discontinued or increased in price. However, it would be unfair to say we are not spoiled for choice at this price point.In fact, there are so many brilliant o...

Just two months ago, Chronoswiss announced a new, modern design direction at Watches and Wonders 2024. Don t worry, hallmark characteristics such as reeded bezels and onion crowns still exist. However, the watches look more contemporary. Today s three new ReSec Manufacture models continue the theme and bring bold dials for good measure.In late March, Chronoswiss debuted the Strike Two Golden Gear and H2O models. These pieces ushered in a new era of design for the brand. Still, one look at these watches leaves no doubt about the maker. The onion crown is there in an updated form, and the case design also looks more modern. However, the beautiful, often bold dials remain. Now we have a trio of...

The contemporary Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris debuted six years ago. Since then, new variations have emerged, including a chronograph, a perpetual calendar, and the Mariner Memovox alarm model. But a multi-time-zone version was missing from the revived lineup - until today. The Polaris Geographic is a travel watch with one of Jaeger-LeCoultre s signature complications. One glance at the newcomer tells you its a JLC, just like what happens when you see a Reverso. Its not just the dial layout but also the placement of the two crowns that are typical of the brand. It makes you wonder why it took the manufacture from Le Sentier six years to come up with this functional luxury sports watch that proud...

Fratello On Air returns with an on-location episode where we discuss overpriced vintage watches. Specifically, we bring up models from Tudor, Cartier, Seiko, and . Yes, these are fighting words, but someone had to say them! We hope you enjoy the episode! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings This week, we re together in London as Balazs traveled in for work. Close listeners on either side of Balazs s hotel room must have thought it was a nerd convention, but, no, it was just another recording of Fratello On Air! We focus on overpriced vintage watches in this episode and question several stalwarts. We don t dislike these watche...

Panerai unveils a 44mm stainless steel Luminor with automatic GMT caliber and a 10-day power reserve. As part of the Complicazioni collection, which includes chronographs and high-end complications, the GMT allows the tracking of dual time zones. With the polished cushion-shaped case, sandwich dial, and recognizable crown protector, this new PAM01482 includes many notable Panerai features. But while the model plays it safe and stays within the Panerai formula, the combination of details makes for an attractive watch. Is it enough to inspire would-be Panerai owners? Lets find out.Following Panerais Luna Rossa-heavy campaign at Watches and Wonders, many on the Fratello team wondered if this wa...

Retro is still surfing a big wave of popularity, which is the unassailable truth. Though I often start articles by pondering whether or not we ve reached peak vintage love, it s still here, and I have nothing against it. But if you want something different, how about some futurism for less than $3,000?Sure, I love the feel of the 37mm Black Bay 54, but there is room for tech-cool and intensely modern watches. Modern can mean $100K Urwerk genius but also affordable watches that defy outdated categories. Why stick to the codes of dress watches and pilots or divers tools? Here are 10 examples to give you a taste for modern, even avant-garde watchmaking for less.SpaceOne TelluriumWith brands l...

The Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV is a chronograph from the Grand Tour series of the cycle-crazy Swedish brand. The color of the sub-dials and the central chronograph seconds hand clearly state, I am a Giro dItalia Watch (please read this in your best Italian accent). Since the famous stage race is in its final week, I thought it would be appropriate to take the 38.2mm steel chronograph for a ride to find out what kind of watch it truly is. Is it a watch you wear on the podium while lifting the Trofeo Senza Fine above your head? Or is it a chronograph you want to wear on the bike while climbing the monstrous Stelvio?Not too long ago, I wrote a little something about Bravurs new Team Heritage Colle...

Although $2,500 is not nothing, its a very difficult budget to work with - or so I assumed. Initially, I thought I would always go vintage or pre-owned with this budget. For example, it can buy you a nice vintage Longines, Omega, IWC, Breitling, or Jaeger-LeCoultre. But I checked with our managing editor Nacho, and the assignment was to curate a selection of new watches. Diving into the watches available within this budget positively surprised me, though. I found several worthy timepieces from microbrands and bigger, well-known brands alike.Weve offered collaboration watches in this price range, such as the Aquastar Deepstar II, Nivada Grenchen Racing Chrono, Straum Jan Mayen, Oris Divers Si...

The Tissot Chemin des Tourelles is a straightforward daily watch with a slightly formal air. Before the rise of sports watches as everyday pieces, this Tissot model would have been considered a watch - in other words, not the type of piece that an enthusiast site like Fratello normally covers. However, the new Chemin des Tourelles Squelette adds just enough pizazz to warrant further examination.Open-worked-dial timepieces are a different breed. High-end pieces show incredible workmanship, ingenuity, and detail. More affordable offerings display battery-powered movements and bring some level of style to what might otherwise be very boring watches. In the middle, though, some companies display...

I love watches that refuse to stick to a genre and offer a clean-slate perspective that doesn t look back in time. Going hands-on with the J&Berg B2, I see both of these qualities and put Finland on the map of microbrand cool.Titanium is very much the material du jour, but I have a conflicted relationship with the light metal. Don t get me wrong; its prowess is undebatable. With its corrosion-less and lightweight properties, titanium is great for sports watches. I m just not overly happy with the light feel of titanium bracelets, but on a canvas strap, it works great. Add a slim 38mm case design, and we re really talking.J&Berg and the freedom of small brandsFinland and the Nordics, ...

Can the Tissot PRX become any more popular than it already is? With a full collection of quartz and mechanical models in different sizes, the PRX is one of the biggest success stories of the watch industry in recent history. It makes you wonder how Tissot can make that story even better. One simple way is by introducing attractive new dial variations. That s exactly what the brand has done with today s new green-dial PRXs. The first is a dark green PRX Automatic Chronograph, and the second is a light green PRX Powermatic 80 available in two sizes. These watches will surely be new hits in a super successful story.As a Tissot PRX owner, I have asked myself occasionally whether I d like to crea...

Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. The temperatures are rising, and the Sun is showing its face more and more often. It s time to get ready for summer and choose the right dive watch to wear. Today, we re putting two vintage-inspired divers up against each other, both of which could serve very well as your next summer watch. One is the recently introduced 39mm Doxa Sub 200T, and the other is the Aquastar Model 60 re-edition. Get ready to vote for your favorite.Both these divers have been inspired by watches from the past. They re capable of resisting an underwater depth of 200 meters, and they both have a retail price of around $1,500. Other than that, Mike and Daan can surely find ...

We ve all heard it: You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation. This advertising slogan became almost as iconic as the watches themselves. That s understandable, too, considering how it tugs at the heartstrings and strongly implies superior quality. But what charges a watch with heirloom quality? And why are watches so well suited to it?Lets have a closer look at watches as heirlooms. We must start with the core question: what makes us want to pass objects on to our descendants? I dont have the answer, but I have some ideas. Warning: I am about to overthink things severely and get slightly sentimental. If you are here for the water resistance an...

In the latest installment in our Fratelli Stories series, we talk to Graeme. He s a Scottish collector with a passion for vintage tool watches, and his Tudor Submariner has a special place in his collection.Vintage watches are a wonderful opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts alike. The sheer number of options available to us at all sorts of price points boggles the mind. Some of us get into vintage watches after focusing on modern releases as we gradually find the appeal of vintage grows as our tastes change. For Fratello reader Graeme, vintage watches have long taken center stage with his interest in horology. This passion for vintage is evident in his collection.It all starts with a ...

Last weekend was a big one for the renowned auction houses. All the famous ones in Geneva had incredibly impressive timepieces under the hammer. Some amazing watches, including rare or unique vintage ones, were in the avalanche of timepieces we saw for sale at the yearly spring auctions. We went through the different results and picked our favorite auctioned watches that stand out not because of their prices but because we love them. It s as simple as that. Here is our list of five favorites from the recent auctions, including the Monaco Legend Exclusive Timepieces auction that took place a few weeks ago.Image: Monaco Legend AuctionsAuctioned Watch #1: ref. 4113 - $3,284,000You knew this wa...