It is time for another round of Fratello editors favorites in a specific segment. This time, we are looking at the best watches under $2,500, and I get the honor of kicking it off. Now, while $2.5K is a huge amount of money by any measure, it is starting to feel quite limiting within the watch world. Of course, there are many great options, but compiling my list confirmed just how many watches have crept up recently.Still, I feel we should be very critical at this price point. I believe that $2,500 should buy you a watch that doesnt feel compromised. Many mainstream brands shove the segment aside as if it is pocket change. Well, it isnt, so lets have a look at some of the best watches under ...
Watches and robots have a closer relationship than you might think. Early 18th-to-19th-century automatons were built to mimic human or animal movements and were powered by clockwork engines, not unlike those found in a complex wall or table clock. This might seem a very lateral way of introducing the Robot watch brand, but bear with me.Robots are also automatons, and like Robot Watch, the name has a Czech origin. The term was coined in a more than 100-year-old play written by a Czech playwright, using the Czech word for forced labor, robota. I bet Elon Musk doesn t know that, but what does it have to do with this small brand?Robot WatchesAfter starting as Bohematic, entrepreneur Josef Zaji?e...
If only watches could tell stories! This watch, which belonged to Titanic passenger John Jacob Astor, would certainly have a story to tell.On April 14th, 1912, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg. It was just after 11:40 that night. The ship, which had been touted as unsinkable because of the leading technology used in her construction at the time, had foundered by 2:20 the next morning. Sadly, 1,523 people lost their lives, including 815 passengers and 688 crew members. As many as 700 survived the tragic sinking. Many more could have survived, as the ship had a lifeboat capacity for 1,178 people, but panic overcame many of those on board.Image: Henry Aldridge & SonThe Titanic passenger wh...
As a fan of Armin Strom, I have had the pleasure of reviewing many of the brand s previous models. Back in 2019, I was following the story of the then-new Gravity Equal Force, and while the watch was and still is out of my financial reach, I was amazed by what the Biel/Bienne Maison presented us. With the latest release, Armin Strom is upping the ante by introducing the Gravity Equal Force Ultimate Sapphire Purple.?The name is a mouthful, but the watch is jaw-dropping. I reported on the first Gravity Equal Force in 2019 and went hands-on with it a year later. Today, Armin Strom is releasing its latest watch, and it offers more than meets the eye.Gravity Equal ForceThe Armin Strom Gravity Equ...
I know quite a few people who cant wait for the return of the Swatch Neon collection, and the 1992 Grand Prix SCJ101 is the most famous of them all. Nacho is a big fan, has a few, and still wants more. RJ is also a fan but has never found one in good condition. Last year, the Neon To The Max revived the original in a revamped design, but it didnt hit all the right notes, according to the connoisseurs. Is there a model that comes close to the OG Grand Prix among the six new Swatch Neon watches? And if not, are the alternatives good enough to brighten your day?The 1992 Swatch Grand Prix SCJ101 is a charismatic, coveted, and collectible watch. This chronograph, in its 37mm case with popping col...
Vintage is a treasure trove for dedicated collectors. Within that little sub-universe, there are grail watches that stand out above the rest. Today, we are looking at one that is pretty high up on many aficionados lists. This is the Submariner ref. 6200, also known as the King Sub. My friends at Tempus had one in for service and kindly provided a ton of great pictures of the process. This gives me a good excuse to have a closer look at this rare beast.The Submariner ref. 6200 is also referred to as the Explorer-dial Sub for its atypical numerals at 3, 6, and 9 o clock. With an estimated 300 produced almost 70 years ago, this is about as collectible as they come.Image: TempusThe Submarine...
The Gruen Curvex certainly ranks as an important line of historical watches. These pieces used a variety of curved cases and curved movements. During their two decades of production, they were the pinnacle of style and rivaled more expensive brands. Gruen also has a deep tie to America, which brings something different to the story.The Gruen Curvex is hardly unknown, but it often escapes mention when collectors discuss iconic pieces from the more formative years of the wristwatch. The Curvex line of watches debuted in 1935 and was revolutionary due to the curved, wrist-hugging case designs. More importantly, the watches contained curved in-house-designed movements that followed their case sh...
It has already been just over two years since the Omega Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch came out. At the time, the lines in front of the Swatch boutiques were unheard of in the watch world. Although the hype isn t as huge anymore, new versions, like the recently introduced Snoopies, keep the Bioceramic phenomenon alive and kicking. This week, TAG Heuer and fashion/lifestyle brand Kith also took a stab at the collab game with their TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith re-editions. There are 10 of them, and they re all made of sandblasted stainless steel. The Formula 1s are much more limited in numbers than the MoonSwatches and sell for a much higher price. During today s Sunday Morning Showdown, we ll ...
Japanese independent watchmaking has a particular charm, often showing a spare yet intricate way with dials and small-cased sensibility. With a few quietly released collaborative efforts, Hida-san s main focus is on a small output of orders. Nevertheless, the 2024 releases from Naoya Hida & Co. show a more extroverted side to the brand coming through.Naoya Hida is the thinking man s option, with his atelier offering bespoke and exclusive Japanese minimalism. It s a world in which dial art is rendered in pure metal, engraved, and obsessively filled with lacquer, but this year, there is a colorful twist. If you also include one of the best yet quirkiest alternatives to the Reverso, there s...
Tudor has announced the release of a special FXD chronograph. The Pelagos FXD Chrono Tudor Pro Cycling Team Edition commemorates the brand s relationship with the Tudor Pro Cycling Team (a Swiss professional development road bicycle racing team that participates in the UCI Europe Tour). It should come as no surprise if this latest release from Tudor is giving you dej vu. My mind first went to the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chronograph Alinghi Red Bull edition released last year.It looks like (thus far) Tudor is utilizing the FXD chronograph platform to highlight the brand s relationship with various sporting endeavors. From a design point, this makes sense. Tudor emphasizing its burly 43mm chronogra...
Vintage King Seiko presents a fantastic opportunity for affordable options that reflect excellent watchmaking. The King Seiko 44-9990, also known as the 44KS, is one such example.Recently, I had the opportunity to acquire a King Seiko 44-9990. For many newer enthusiasts, King Seiko is a name that is more familiar in the context of the modern Seiko brand. That modern context has King Seiko as a product line that sits somewhere in between Grand Seiko and Seiko. But in the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, King Seiko represented some of the best of what Seiko had to offer. During that decade, King Seiko and Grand Seiko were essentially in-house competitors, each with a separate factory. The concept...
A tourbillon is less relevant now than ever. What was once advantageous in a pocket watch became less so in a wristwatch, which is naturally subject to a broader range of motion. With cheaper quartz modules outperforming all but the most accurate mechanical movements, a tourbillon remains a display of watchmaking ability and intricacy. A rotating carriage mounted in the heart of the dial draws the focus even further. The CIGA Design Central Tourbillon Mount Everest Homage Edition is one of a few watches in which such a complex mechanism could be overshadowed by other aspects of the case, dial, and hands. Let s take a step back and drink it all in.Browse the CIGA Design website, and you ll se...
Another Friday, another Top 5! This week, we continue our trip through the universe of pre-owned gold watches. After last week s list that highlighted some amazing gold sports watches, it s time to focus on the Datejust. If you ask most watch fans about their favorite Datejusts, their answers will be either a stainless steel or two-tone reference. But have you ever thought about a Datejust in full yellow gold? The gold Datejust might not be part of the current collection, but that s why a deep dive into the past models is even more interesting. We have found five yellow gold Datejust references from the past that show the brilliance of this model. Let s jump in.Last week s article on full...
The 70s were an extraordinary era in the watch industry. That decade gave us some of the most fantastic designs and timepieces that are still sought after among vintage collectors. Just think of watches like the Omega Flightmaster, the Zenith El Primero TV (ref. 01-200-415), or the topic of this article, the Amida Digitrend. While the Flightmaster or the El Primero played in a different league than the Digitrend, the Amida s design language was undeniably distinct. After many decades of passivity, in 2024, the iconic Amida Digitrend is finally back.?As a fan of the original and who has owned multiple examples over the years, I received this news with pure excitement. Could the new Amida Dig...
It is not often that I get to review a watch I ve owned in the past. When Nacho put the Seiko SRPE05″King Turtle on my desk, it was like unexpectedly running into an ex-girlfriend. So this review is a bit different for me. I am basically taking an ex out for coffee to compare how we both fared since the breakup. This can only end well-right?Luckily, we split up on speaking terms! And I can already tell you that we got along just as well as in the past. Join me for this hands-back-on review.The Seiko SRPE05 King Turtle upgradesThe Seiko SRPE05 is an interesting watch in the brands impressive dive-watch catalog. It bridges the gap between the entry-level divers and the mid-range ones. It...
I still can t usually remember how to use a compass bezel, but the prospect of a tougher, even more versatile Hamilton Khaki is tempting. By offering two of the subjectively best-sized case designs, the Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition covers most bases.We covered this release late last year, but it slipped under my radar, and I have recently rediscovered these rugged Khaki sports watches. By name and nature, this is a field watch, and as you can see from Nacho s sharp shots, it s a natural fit.What makes great versatility in a sports watch?In 2024, the wave of vintage-inspired wristwear is still as strong as it was two or even four years ago, and the Khaki line has become very important for ...
The Seiko Motorist is a watch that doesn t pop up for sale often, so once an opportunity came, I didn t hesitate much. It s not perfect, but it is good enough. It s fairly worn but aged in a way that gives it a unique character. And it s green!Some Seiko watches are not easy to find. Take the Seiko Voice Note M516-4009 as an example. It took me quite a long time to land one. The same thing happened when I tried to hunt down the first hand-wound quartz watch, the Seiko 8T23. A few years ago, Seiko 8T23s easily sold at auction for close to or slightly above the $2,000 mark. If one were ever listed with the Buy It Now option, it would disappear instantly. The demand was high.Some things change,...
Rising watch prices, particularly for some brands classic models, are creating opportunities to look further afield. Today, we look at five vintage, neo-vintage, and more recent secondhand options that are worth exploring.Last month, an article I wrote garnered quite a lot of attention. In it, I mentioned French philosopher Denis Diderot and the message about consumerism that we could take from his writing. In a nutshell, Diderot was caught in a consumerist trap in which he felt compelled to buy more and more expensive objects to justify a fancy new dressing gown. The bottom line of that article was to encourage a conversation around looking further afield for neo-vintage or secondhand opti...
The months leading up to Watches and Wonders are exciting ones in the Fratello office. Every week, we receive new teasers and press releases. This year, there were also a lot of brand-organized previews. That s great because the more we know upfront, the better we can inform you, our readers, about these new watches. However, it s almost impossible to keep track of all the watches released during the week-long show. There are simply too many of them, plus, there are surprise releases like this gorgeous Cartier Tank Americaine in platinum with a salmon pink Art Deco dial.Tomas just wrote an article on the Must de Cartier Tank Art Deco. That watch came out in 1995 to commemorate the 1925 Inter...
Hello, and welcome to this week s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we wrap up our Watches and Wonders 2024 coverage with a debrief episode featuring Nacho, Thomas, and Lex. The guys take some time to go over some brands (and their corresponding releases) that we missed in episode one. They also discuss the general mood of the show and how it reflects on the overall state of the watch industry today. Despite promises made several weeks ago, we recorded this one on a Friday afternoon, so you ll also get your fair share of banter and jokes throughout. However, let s first take some time to perform a mandatory wrist check.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Chan...
