With the holiday season in full swing, a good gift guide can be a valuable resource. This year, Hamilton helps out with that by putting the spotlight on five of its biggest icons. They are available through the Hamilton Holiday Gift Shop along with all the other great timepieces in the brand s extensive collection. Seeing the five watches next to each other is an immediate reminder of the great historical stories they tell. Let s find out more about the five icons that Hamilton picked for this year s holiday campaign.Hamilton Khaki Field MechanicalFor those who enjoy getting out and exploring the world, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical is a great option. This field watch is a respectful n...
If youve spent any time looking at case backs, youll have noticed the little engravings -30m, 50m, 100m, and so on. On the surface, it feels straightforward: 30m should mean you can dive down to 30 meters, right?Unfortunately, no, it definitely does not. But ask one brand, and it will advise you that 30m is fine for handwashing and splashes. Ask another, and it will assure you its good for surface-level swimming. So, whats going on here? Why does 30m not mean the same thing across the industry? Let s take a closer look!Water resistance - Where the numbers come fromWater resistance ratings are based on static pressure tests, usually expressed in bars, atmospheres (atm), or meters. A 30m or 3a...
I am far from prophetic when it comes to watches. I d much rather analyze trends on the back end and make sense of them. But I was tempted to predict the future once. In late 2023, I wrote an article stating that 2024 would be the year of brown dials. I should have known that it would not become a reality. There is a reason that I do not have any prophetic talents - or do I? As it turns out, I was a year too early. What didn t happen in 2024 ended up happening this year. In 2025, we saw a significant number of brilliant watches with brown dials. As the year comes to a close, A. Lange & S?hne adds to that list with the stylish Lange 1 Daymatic Honeygold.Before we dive into the details of ...
It s Sunday morning, which means it s time for a warm cup of coffee and a battle for the ages. In today s Sunday Morning Showdown, we re pitting two modern versions of iconic chronographs against each other. Both also come with beautiful blue dials. One is the current Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space that came out in 2024. It goes up against the blue-dial version of the Zenith Chronomaster Original that was introduced this year. The two watches represent great watchmaking history, but which of the two will triumph in today s Sunday Morning Showdown? Let s find out!Today s contenders are modern descendants of two of the most iconic chronographs in wristwatch history. The Zenith Chronoma...
On Halloween, Dave Sergeant and I visited the WatchPro Salon in London at the Freemasons Hall. We enjoyed taking a peek at the various watches on display, but we had our favorites, of course. One watch that stood out to me was the Ollech & Wajs OW C-1000 Y, a piece I hadn t seen before. The reason for the surprise was that this show was marking the watch s public debut. A couple of weeks later, one arrived in the mail, and I m pleased to share my thoughts.Back in March, Henry, my colleague from down under, tested the new C-1000 A, which is essentially a black-dial version of today s OW C-1000 Y. Normally, the introduction of a new dial color wouldn t necessarily receive separate ink, bu...
Breitling introduced numerous new models this year, including several in precious metals. On Friday, November 28th, Fratello and Breitling hosted an evening at the brand s boutique in The Hague to ensure our readers could go hands-on with these new watches.A golden evening with BreitlingThe evening started with a word of welcome and an introduction by Anthony Mak de Waay (sales director of Breitling Netherlands) to this years new Breitling models and a roadmap concerning the brands in-house movements. According to Breitling, the shift to producing movements in-house has increased to 60%, compared to 30% in 2022. The target of using 95% manufacture calibers is set for 2029. The B31 movement d...
End-of-the-year lists - many either love em or hate em. Im not going to take a side; instead, I will choose my five favorite watches that debuted in 2025 in this second installment of our current Fratello Favorites series. Thomas kicked it off with his five favorites from the hundreds of watches released this year. Now it s time for The Best Watches Of 2025, bearing the Lex Stolk sign of approval. I ll also include an honorable mention.The following six watches were selected strictly on subjective, personal, and often irrational grounds. Please keep that in mind when reviewing my picks for the best watches of 2025, listed in no particular order.The best watches of 2025 - Pick #1: Piaget Andy...
It s only been a couple of weeks since Thomas covered the AVI-8 CVRT 3775A Automatic. Now, the young brand specializing in military-themed aviation watches is releasing its next series of timepieces. With the new Flyboy Eagle Squadron Automatic Bronze 85th Limited Edition, AVI-8 pays tribute to the brave American pilots who volunteered to fly alongside the Royal Air Force before the United States entered World War II. The series features three distinct dial variations, each honoring one of the squadrons. Let s find out more.The great thing about military watches is that there is a tremendous amount of historical stories that inspire modern editions of the classics. With this AVI-8 Flyboy Eag...
Another Friday, another list! This week, we continue the series of our favorite watches of 2025. This week, we re focusing on our favorite GMT watches released in the past 12 months. After last week s list of dive watches, GMT watches are an easy second category. Just like last week, we picked our five favorites from a wide selection of possible candidates. Let s find out what they are.Before we get into our list, though, allow me to give a quick word on the overall number of options. As with dive watches, there were some great GMT watches that came out this year. All in all, though, there weren t so many options that picking our favorites was a daunting task. It makes us rethink the idea th...
I have a deep-running fondness for Nivada Grenchen s watches. Brought back to life in recent years, it was a brand that brought out a lot of interesting designs in the golden era of mechanical watchmaking last century. The wonderful thing about the modern brand is that it is one of the better ones out there in terms of faithful recreations of past designs. There is a certain dedication to getting the smaller details right. These can be anything from fonts to case sizes. And there s no better example of this faithful approach than the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic 35mm.The joys of a smaller watchMy colleague Balazs wrote an introduction to this release in 2023, which you can read here. I have a p...
Its October 9th, 2006, and this news flash appears on the Richemont website: Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group, is pleased to announce that it has acquired Fabrique d Horlogerie Minerva SA in a private transaction from G. P. P. International SA, Luxembourg. The watch brand Minerva was established by Charles Robert in 1858 and is based in Villeret, Switzerland. It has 22 employees and is today specialized in the development and manufacturing of high-end mechanical movements. Nineteen years later, were in Villeret, visiting the watchmaking atelier that has Institut Minerva de Recherche en Haute Horlogerie above the entrance. The manufacture is also known as Montblanc s Movement and Innov...
With its latest release, Awake has returned to the silver screen for inspiration. The new S?n Mi The Deadly Watch takes its cues from a film by one of my favorite directors. Quentin Tarantino s 2003 movie Kill Bill?arrives in wrist form, complete with the legendary colors worn by the star character, Beatrix Kiddo, played by Uma Thurman. For fans of the creator s exploitation films, this is a can t-miss introduction.In April this year, Awake released a pair of watches that paid tribute to the iconic Jurassic Park films. These pieces had small slash marks on their dials, representing the velociraptor and T. rex. While sharp talons aren t at work on the latest S?n Mi The Deadly Watch, the wor...
In the eyes of Beno?t Mintiens, a Ressence watch should tell the time in the most user-friendly way. That s why he came up with discs that are more intuitive to read than more conventional hands. Someone who s also intrigued by simplicity and functionality is industrial designer Marc Newson. Known for his work in the automotive, aircraft, and furniture industries, Newson combines innovative technology and craftsmanship to create timeless, fluid, and functional designs. Now the two designers have joined forces to create the oil-filled Ressence Type 3 Marc Newson.Beno?t Mintiens and Marc NewsonAs you might know, this certainly isn t Marc Newson s first endeavor into watches. In 1994, he founde...
We ve all heard that good things come to those who wait. In my case, I had to wait two years before the Benrus Ultra-Deep landed on my desk. That was purely the result of the never-ending stream of new releases that, unfortunately, made me forget about the brand s retro dive watch. But when the Ultra-Deep finally did arrive, it came exactly at the right time. As it turns out, occasionally, you need something familiar to surprise you in all the right ways. The Benrus Ultra-Deep did precisely that by giving me a friendly slap in the face.We see so many releases every year that it can be hard to keep up. When I first wrote about the Benrus Ultra-Deep in September of 2023, I expressed my desire ...
The collaboration between TAG Heuer and Fragment continues with the new Carrera Chronograph Fragment Limited Edition, bringing Hiroshi Fujiwaras keen enthusiasts eye to the modern Glassbox chronograph. This new release continues the ongoing connection between the streetwear brand and the Swiss watchmakers at TAG Heuer. Once again, we get a clean, monochrome iteration on a familiar theme.This latest collaboration sees 500 pieces produced, each priced at $9,000 / US$9,050 / $7,600 / CHF 8,150. Lets have a closer look!The text to the right states lightning bolt, referring to Fragment s logoFragment and TAG Heuers ongoing collaborationFragment sits at the crossroads of streetwear, design, and ...
When it comes to modern production techniques, 3D printing is not a common choice in the watch industry just yet. With the new GMT1, the startup brand Mozen demonstrates that 3D printing enables the creation of creative case designs that do not break the bank. On top of that, the new Mozen GMT1 uses an original way to display the time in another part of the world. It s time to find out more about this debut release.New brand Mozen is the brainchild of Italian-born industrial designer Simone Mancini. About a decade ago, he traded sunny Italy for the United States. That s where he found a fascination for American craftsmanship that he wanted to merge with his Italian design background. So Manc...
Dress watches are on the rise, especially among members of Gen Z. They like to mix the more formal style and smaller size with their oversized and informal wardrobes. But that, of course, isnt at all the way dress watches are intended to be worn. That s why Raymond Weil and seconde/seconde/ have developed a limited version of the Toccata Heritage. With a few handy pointers, they teach you how to wear your newly acquired dress watch. And don t worry if you forgot about the rules for a moment. Theyre right there on the dial and the case back to get you back on track.Last year, Thomas s article on the topic of watch etiquette spurred quite some discussion in the comments section. Of course, eve...
It seems the last few weeks of 2025 will be full of new surprises in the watch world. We guessed that after Dubai Watch Week, things would slowly wind down, but it looks like we were wrong. A late, surprising release this year comes courtesy of two British brands demonstrating that there is true momentum in watchmaking in the UK. Today, Christopher Ward and Studio Underd0g unveil the striking Alliance 02 pocket watch. Yes, you read that correctly, it s a pocket watch. But don t be fooled because this is anything but a traditional pocket watch. Let s find out more about the Alliance 02.In my mind, Christopher Ward and Studio Underd0g had already worked together on a release before. It s funny...
It s been a while since my last appearance on Fratello. However, those of you who have been reading for a long time may remember me as the previous photographer. For those who don t remember me, now you know. What you may also know is that Dubai Watch Week recently closed its doors, and I was fortunate enough to attend the fair. I was even luckier because I could spend the week with a Leica SL3 camera and two Leica watches, the ZM 1 and ZM 2. I also used the opportunity to capture some of the ambience that makes Dubai Watch Week such a special event, as well as some of the exceptional watches on attendees wrists.Dubai Watch Week - the new place to beDubai Watch Week was founded in 2015 by A...
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! With Thanksgiving barely in our rearview mirrors, we decide to spend time giving thanks to the watch hobby. In this installment, you ll hear what we love so much about this addiction and why. Settle in for this candid chat.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings In honor of Thanksgiving, we figure that giving thanks is well overdue. Today, you ll hear a lovable Balazs talk about all the things he enjoys about collecting watches and the industry. Mike chimes in with a few of his thoughts. If you were expecting another list, don t worry; we ll be back soon with more controversy. For n...
