Four years ago, H. Moser & Cie. gave the watch world the Streamliner Centre Seconds Matrix Green. The watch became a fan favorite and earned the nickname Green Dragon. Since 2024 is the Year of the Dragon in Chinese astrology, the return of the Green Dragon is hardly a surprise. The fact that the illustrious watch is re-released together with a purple-dial version is. And the violet version comes with an official name that makes a nickname instantly redundant - Purple Haze.The first-ever three-hand Streamliner was the 2020 Streamliner Centre Seconds Matrix Green. Later H. Moser & Cie. from Schaffhausen also released a Smoked Salmon version. And despite the latter looking a tad brown ...
It is Windup Watch Fair season once again! For my third consecutive year, I ve had the pleasure of attending the San Francisco event, this year from May 3rd to the 5th. Housed now in a new, larger location, even more vendors and enthusiasts came out this year to see and shop watches and share in the passion. Overall, I d call it a resounding success, and it bodes well for the upcoming Chicago and New York fairs.Look, I get the allure of Watches and Wonders -? the best of the industry all revealing their newest novelties at the Palexpo in Geneva. It s a wonder that more people don t go into hypoglycemic shock with all that wrist candy everywhere. But the Windup Watch Fair is definitely more m...
Have you heard of people wearing watches without winding and/or setting them correctly? I have. And to a point, I get why they cant be bothered to make sure the mechanical watches on their wrists display the time correctly more than twice a day. The correct time is everywhere - on your phone, in your car, on your laptop, and so on. Theres no practical necessity to have a watch keeping track of time these days. But a watch can still be a great accessory, a style statement, and an expression of personal taste. So, was the Cartier Santos-Dumont Rewind made for people who dont care about having the correct time on their wrists?Well, I wouldn t assume that all buyers fit that description, but som...
This hands-on is a classic case of save the best for last. One week ago, we published my hands-on review of the Citizen Super Titanium Eco-Drive Day-Date and Chronograph series. The third set of models we had in for review was the Citizen Super Titanium Automatic Small Seconds. After trying the three different model series, I can confirm that Citizen has three potential hits on its hands. But this mechanical Small Seconds version is the best in my opinion. I ve spent some time with all four variants, and I think this is the series that could appeal to regular people looking for one great daily affordable watch and watch fans alike. Let me explain why.When the different new versions of the Ci...
It has wide, massive lugs, a Grand Seiko vibe, a mechanical hand-wound movement, a date with magnifier, and no lume, just the contrasting beauty of the sunburst dial and polished hands and indexes. Oh, and let s not forget an attractive price tag. You might say these things make this Seiko Cronos Self Dater a perfect entry-level vintage timepiece.The first Seiko Cronos watch, manufactured by Daini Seikosha, had a central seconds hand and a big applied S symbol. It was released in 1958 as a thinner, higher-performance alternative to the Marvel line produced by Suwa Seikosha.Waterproof Seiko Cronos modelsJust a year after, in 1959, Seiko introduced its first waterproof wristwatch to the Japane...
Most of us know the young brand Awake from its NASA-approved Mission To Earth timepieces from 2022. In particular, the white and red model with its characteristic NASA branding stood out immediately. However, after that, Awake created several collections based on the brand s modern design signature. The latest addition to the lineup is a bit of a break from the norm. The new Awake 01 Titane Dare & Dream is a collaborative effort with Nicolas Barrome Forgues. Starting with a blank canvas, the artist let his imagination run wild and created a playful dial full of fun comic characters. Read on to find out more about this 50-piece limited edition.Seeing the worlds of street art and luxury wa...
Many of us have developed a deep affinity for Hajime Asaoka s Art Deco lines and Kurono Tokyo sub-brand. The story of Asaoka-san creating Kurono Tokyo so that he could actually wear one of his designs never gets old. In fact, it only deepens my respect for him. Now the Japanese watchmaker closes a circle by introducing the Kurono Tokyo 2024 Anniversary Reiwa model with a two-tone dial.This will retire the Reiwa model with a colorful flourish for the brand s fifth anniversary. Producing the most complex dial yet for the model also seems a fitting tribute to five strong years. After the copper-dial Reiwa model, released in 2019 to mark the start of Japan s Reiwa era, this is only the second wa...
Today s Venezianico Bucintoro 1969 is an example of a watch that has already come and gone. However, as space fans, we wanted to share it with you because it may have rocketed past your orbit. This was a surprising one when it hit my mailbox for many reasons that we will soon see. Let s take a closer look.When it comes to celebrating historic space feats through watches, one brand has a near-monopoly on the act. Naturally, I am referring to Omega and the legendary Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. However, several years ago, Omega decided to stop making limited-edition odes to the many space flights that have taken place. I suppose that has left room for others to consider entering the are...
Hello, and welcome! Thanks for tuning in to this week s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Nacho, Morgan, and Daan pick their desert island watches. Say one day you were unfortunate enough to become stranded on a desert island; which watch from your collection would you want there with you? Now, let s say it s not a life-or-death situation but more of a leisurely, perhaps even orchestrated self-stranding in your tropical location of choice (a holiday, if you will); what would be your watch of choice for the occasion? Join the guys as they have fun selecting timepieces for these hypothetical scenarios. But before we begin, and all conjecture aside, let s look at the watches on their wrists tod...
Contrary to what the title of this article may imply, independent watchmaking is nothing new. Most of the big names have been around for decades, and even their more meteoric rise is several years underway now. Still, the rise of independents is an indicator of a changing landscape that reaches beyond this handful of exalted creators. They are the tip of a much larger iceberg that is becoming a more and more prominent feature in the horological landscape.Answering a call for rarity, individuality, and uniqueness, small-scale watch companies are gaining traction. From microbrands to modders and from externally sourcing high-end watch brands to full-on independents, they are up and coming in a...
It s been a little over a year since Yema introduced the current version of the Navygraf. The brand s Navygraf II from the late 70s inspired the design of the watch. I had a chance to go hands-on with the Navygraf Marine Nationale GMT last year, and I liked it. The updated style and the great comfort made for an attractive GMT. The remarkable thing is that the GMT version hadn t received a follow-up until now. With the new Navygraf Slim CMM.20 Limited Edition, Yema releases a three-hand, time-only model that looks super stylish and is powered by the brand s in-house micro-rotor movement. It makes for a classy limited-edition version of the Navygraf that I couldn t wait to take for a spin.Wh...
Full disclosure: I dreaded the moment I had to choose the best watches under $2,500. Why? Because what I think is under $2,500 isnt anymore. Yeah, go ahead. Call me out of touch and old-fashioned; its okay. But you know what? My list of three watches came to me in a wave of clarity. And keeping within budget didnt prove an issue at all. The Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 and the King Seiko dont even cross the $2K barrier. And the Oris Rectangular stays $350 under $2,500.Me picking the Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 might not be the biggest surprise for Fratello frequenters. The watch, with its classic, bordering-on-retro looks paired with modern dimensions, caught my eye earlier th...
With the Speedmaster having been around for over 65 years, there are a lot of them available on the pre-owned market. If you are willing to look past the iconic Moonwatch, there are still a great many gems to explore. For this week s Speedy Tuesday installment, I have selected three pre-owned Speedmaster watches that are worth checking out.Speedmaster Reduced DA175.0033 - Image: TimeAnagram.comA two-tone Speedmaster ReducedWith the craving for smaller watches, the Omega Speedmaster Reduced or the current Speedmaster 38 series could be worth investigating. As I preferred to focus on the hand-wound Moonwatch iterations, I never got into buying the Speedmaster Reduced models. However, to my bes...
As I become more familiar with the Sternglas brand, I realize I m not as tuned in as I thought. On the face of it, this Hamburg-based watch brand embraces minimalism in its designs, albeit with considered bursts of color. The popular Hamburg line of watches, named after the brand s home city, is a typical example. It is a series of time-only watches with pencil hands, thin-bezel cases, and petite dial markers but with various dials that bring warmth and personality to each. The bold use of color is not something I was anticipating.Continuing the progression of the Hamburg range, Sternglas is launching a chronograph with vibrant colors and notable links to the city s nautical heritage. The Ha...
This is a story of pioneering adventurers. It is a tale about a group of expert cave divers that may never have surfaced if not for the tireless efforts of volunteers at the Oxford University Cave Club. It was also an opportunity for the watch brand to test out its Explorer 1016 on the expedition. This is the adventure tale behind a tiny Explorer ad clipping from the 1960s.The Explorer is one of the most iconic sports watches The Crown has ever made. After debuting in 1960, the sturdy 1016 Explorer was a mainstay for the brand until 1989. Besides a few technical updates, including an updated movement and solid bracelet design, the basic recipe remained the same. In 1971, introduced the E...
We re back with another episode of Fratello On Air, discussing several great recent watches that were quickly forgotten. Attention spans are short these days, which can be unfair to some excellent releases. We shed light on some of our favorite unheralded pieces. Enjoy the show! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings What have you done for me lately? We live in the now, and with new watches coming at us daily, it can be easy to forget something halfway decent from yesterday. The other problem is that some watches don t even receive coverage. Well, we re here to talk about recent watches that may have escaped your attention. One...
Panerais Watches and Wonders 2024 campaign was completely centered around the brands involvement in the Americas Cup. The brand is a sponsor of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team that competes in the prestigious sailing competition. Even the Panerai booth at the fair was one big Luna Rossa fest, with yachting graphics and even a prototype racing boat suspended from the ceiling.Naturally, all the new watches introduced at the event were Luna Rossa models. I wrote the introduction article before the fair and wore three of them in the meantime. Heres how we got along!Panerai Submersible Luna Rossa Tourbillon GMT PAM01405Lets kick things off with some unobtainium - the Panerai Submersible Luna Ro...
This IWC bracelet has completely transformed the wearing experience of my go anywhere, do anything timepiece, the Mark XV. RJ often advises always getting the factory bracelet on a watch whenever possible. No truer words have been spoken, it seems, as my journey in trying to acquire a bracelet for my IWC Mark XV finally paid off. It was a search that lasted well over a year.A watch with perfect dimensions for meThe IWC Mark XV ref. IW325301 has perfect dimensions for me. It has a 38mm case diameter, a (just over) 9mm thickness (almost 11 if you include the crystal), and a 47mm lug-to-lug. The heavily modified ETA 2892 caliber inside provides reliability, durability, and easy serviceability.T...
For decades, Fortis has enjoyed a well-earned reputation as a maker of space-ready watches. Until now, most of those watches have traveled to the International Space Station. Today s Fortis AMADEE-24, however, was built for Mars. More specifically, it was made for a simulation mission that recently occurred in Armenia.Watch enough TV, and it s easy to think that travel to Mars is right around the corner. However, there s still plenty to do before anyone sets foot on the Red Planet. Some of the activities underway include simulations of a Mars-like environment. Recently, the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) partnered with the Armenian Aerospace Agency on a four-week simulation mission in Armenia c...
Why have just one good thing if you can have two? The dial of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph shows the brands famous Grande Tapisserie pattern?and a smoky effect. The 37mm Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding doesnt have a three-dimensional effect on the dial but, instead, pairs the graduated effect with a case of hammered gold. In Le Brassus, AP s hometown in the Swiss Jura Mountains desolate Vallee de Joux, too much of a good thing doesn t exist - the harsh winters must have taught them that. I took a bite of both luxury sports watches recently, and it left me with the taste of creme br?lee in my mouth, among other things.Both the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph ref...
