Nodus is a relatively new brand that has quickly made a name for itself. With a passionate focus on creating increasingly better products, the Los Angeles-based brand has gained a dedicated following. We covered multiple prior Nodus releases that show great design versatility. It makes it interesting to follow the brand s journey. With the new Contrail GMT, the third generation of the Contrail line, Nodus has created a series of traveler s watches that immediately piqued my interest. A modern flyer-style GMT in a relatively slim case for well under $1,000 - what s not to like?Nodus has been around since 2017, but I first discovered the brand in 2022 when Dave wrote an article about the Avalo...

Walking around in everyday life, you might spot a watch or two. If you re lucky, you ll see something interesting on someone s wrist. Depending on where you live and work, it will likely vary, but these encounters are not exactly common. However, from the minute we stepped onto our Geneva-bound plane, it was clear that this was not the regular crowd. On the contrary, this was the Watches and Wonders crowd, and everyone s wristwear of choice reflected that. The watch spotting was on another level. A Vacheron Constantin Overseas Everest Chronograph on the shuttle to the plane was the first. Then came an IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar on the gentleman across the aisle and a Cartier Baignoir...

We have added several new items to the Fratello Shop in the past few weeks, so it s time for an update! We re happy to present new strap variations, watch rolls, watch pouches, and the official #SpeedyTuesday caps in three colorways.Atelier Romane Fratello PouchesFor those who travel with more than one watch or want to keep their watches safe, we have several pouches in the Fratello Shop. Recently, we added watch pouches from Atelier Romane. After speaking with the brand s owner Mickael, we worked out a small, curated selection of products that he and his small team in Paris could produce for Fratello. These are some of the finest leather watch accessories we have ever used, and they re al...

Nezumi Studios is known for its big-value chronographs, and despite the rising prices of wristwear, this doesnt appear to be changing. After 13 years in existence and nine years of creating mid-century-inspired sports watches, the Stockholm-based brand is now an established player on the watch scene.David Campo, founder and lead designer of the Swedish microbrand Nezumi, has realized that change for the sake of it isnt always a good thing. Evolution is the name of the wrist game, and alongside offering a field watch and the latest Explorer-cool Aviera GMT, circa-40mm chronographs are what Nezumi does best. With the return of the Tonnerre, we see the brand sticking to its 60s guns with a str...

A Watches and Wonders impression is best served cold. A little distance from the fair is necessary to transform impressions into organized thoughts. Six days should do the trick. So, what impression did the biggest watch show on Earth make on me? Well, going through my notes led to this story that includes some hot and cold watches I saw during an ultimately lukewarm Watches and Wonders 2024.So, this is what happened when Watches and Wonders 2024 opened its doors on Tuesday, April 9th at 8:30: everyone who had something to post - the fair welcomed 49,000 visitors, including 1,500 media folks - ran to , Patek Philippe, and Tudor, the brands that dont do embargoed press releases ahead of the f...

Welcome to this week s episode of Fratello Talks. In this special long-form episode, Nacho, RJ, and Morgan discuss Watches and Wonders 2024. There s much to unpack from this year s fair, so prepare for an extended episode. The trio tackles topics including the general atmosphere of the fair, noticeable trends from brands and the industry overall, and many of the show s notable releases. This year s show was slightly slower than what we ve seen in the past. Nevertheless, there were no fewer releases from the 54 participating brands. Do you want an idea of what it was like to walk the halls and touch (and feel) the watches? If so, tune in to this episode of Fratello Talks! Before we jump into ...

Belfast is not high on the list of cities we associate with watches. But the capital of Northern Ireland plays a pivotal part in the story of the young Nomadic Watches. The brand s name relates to the city s famous shipbuilding industry. Additionally, Nomadic s home base is visually integrated into the design of its watches. I was happy to learn more about Nomadic and, more specifically, its dive watch, the Marai 401. I had a chance to go hands-on with the Crimson Dawn version of the retro-styled diver. It s time to find out if watchmaking and Northern Ireland are a great match.While watchmaking and Belfast don t necessarily go hand in hand, the Northern Irish capital does have a long histor...

It was one of my first Baselworlds, perhaps in 2016 when I heard the news that Angelus was getting resurrected. The brand was going to present something mind-blowing that year. The anticipation was almost unbearable as, at that point, (vintage) Angelus had started to become one of my favorite brands. But while the U10 was a design marvel, it was far from the vintage Angelus DNA. Many new, forward-looking Angelus models have hit the market since, but then came the Instrument De Vitesse, a vintage-like watch inspired by an Angelus model that never existed.The La Fabrique collection in the brand s lineup focuses on watches with a heavier vintage vibe than the other models. While this watch is n...

Watches and Wonders is a somewhat overwhelming experience. You are bombarded with new watches left and right, making it hard to separate the good from the average. But when the dust settles, some watches linger in your mind. Some have that X factor that most lack.These are those watches for me. These are the Watches and Wonders 2024 releases that impressed me the most. Without further ado, lets get stuck in!Watches and Wonders 2024 favorite #1: Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir in yellow goldI have always had a soft spot for Cartier. The Tortue, in particular, was a favorite. However, it was always a bit of a rare beast, hard to find and very expensive. While I was delighted to see it make a comeb...

The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris takes place on the 26th of July, so mark your calendars! This also means that, as of today, it s only 100 days away. Omega is getting ready for its 31st time as the official timekeeper for the event. To get us all in the mood, the brand is releasing two new models of the Speedmaster Chronoscope - one in stainless steel and the other in nothing less than 18K Moonshine yellow gold. Both are fitted with a dial in the black, white, and gold colors of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.Instead of in the Stade de France, the opening ceremony will take place around the river Seine. That s a world first. We can do it, and we are going to do it, said Frenc...

I was genuinely excited when the second Christopher Ward C65 Dune GMT was officially announced about a month ago. The first version of this watch blew me away last year. I had a chance to wear the C65 Dune GMT for a couple of weeks, and by the end of that time, I knew I wanted one. There was only one small problem: I missed the release of the 200 pieces, so I was too late to get my hands on one. A little less than a year later, I had a chance to find out if the second version of the same watch was the one for me.The world of luxury watches is not a place to live with regrets. That s why I m usually okay with missing out on a release or not having bought all the releases I wanted to. First, i...

After a three-week break, Fratello On Air returns. One of us traveled to Geneva, while the other went to Florida. Both of us saw fancy cars, but only one of us saw impressive watches. The question of who might have a surprising answer! Watches and Wonders 2024 has come and gone, and, frankly, it was a bit of a stinker. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Watches and Wonders 2024 certainly delivered on the first half of its name. The second part? Not so much in our opinion. There were several nice releases, but we ll go on record to say there wasn t a shocking piece that set the watch world on edge. We discuss why it was such...

Mark Nagle is a passionate collector of vintage watches. His focus is vintage timepieces from World War One. We spoke to him about this particular fascination as part of our Fratelli Stories series. Read on.Like many of you, I am a fan of vintage watches. Sure, we cover a lot of new watch releases here at Fratello, as we should. New watches give us the technical benefits of modern manufacturing, rugged build quality, water resistance, and a host of other improvements. But as Lex recently noted in our podcast for which Thomas was wearing a vintage Omega Speedmaster, there is something quite magical about vintage.Meet Mark Nagle, a reader inspired by the development of VPCFor Fratello reader M...

Trilobe is a brand that impresses watch fans more and more with every release. This year is no different for the young Parisian watchmaker. Building on the success of the Les Matinaux collection, Trilobe introduces its first complicated watch. The Les Matinaux L Heure Exquise Series is its first take on a moonphase watch. But if you know anything about Trilobe, you ll know it s not just a watch with a moonphase complication. Prepared to be amazed once more by the original take on watchmaking that Trilobe has created.In 2018, Trilobe burst onto the scene with its inaugural Les Matinaux collection. Rene Char s 1950 poem collection inspired the name, and the watches presented a time display wit...

As you may know, I am a long-term admirer. I wrote a book on the vintage Datejust, and I both own and have owned several crowned watches over the years. This years Watches and Wonders, however, sees the brand lean further into a realm that I find myself struggling to appreciate. So, as I sit in the W&W press lounge, I wonder: is this the year I lose touch with ?Although this is merely an exploration of a personal opinion, I feel this sentiment might resonate with others in our watch community. Perhaps it won t with regards to specifically but with larger shifts in the market. If so, do let me know in the comments below!Five-digit sentimentalityI have declared my love of the five-digit...

The Watches and Wonders hangover is not something to joke about. Its not the days of constantly swimming against a constant stream of champagne that wear you down. It s not the standing in the cold, early morning hours waiting for a scheduled shuttle that never arrives. It isnt even the average of 21,000 steps you do daily while running from one end of the exposition hall to the other. Rather, it s the never-ending stream of impressions that slowly but surely starts to take a toll. After spending four days filled to the brim with touch-and-feel sessions, interviews, and one-on-ones, the body and mind slip into a buzzing state with a constant vibrating of the muscles and brain. It s the feeli...

I knew Canadian architect Frank Gehry for his work on the beautiful and impressive Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. However, through Louis Vuitton, I learned that he was also responsible for the Fondation Louis Vuitton building in Paris (2014) and the Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul (2019). The latter inspired a remarkable watch, the Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Poin?on de Geneve Sapphire.Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul - Image: Louis VuittonFrank Gehry and Louis VuittonIt took two years from the first discussions between Louis Vuitton and architect Frank Gehry to finish producing the watch. This Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Poin?on de Geneve Sapphire Frank Gehry provides an uninterrupted ...

Maybe it s because I experienced Watches and Wonders from a distance this year, but I have the feeling there weren t really any big showstoppers among all the novelties. However, that certainly doesn t mean there weren t any good releases. And who buys those showstoppers anyway? That s why, for my list of favorites, I ve chosen a trio of watches that I would want to wear right here and now. Whether it be the Santos de Cartier Dual Time, the 38mm Hublot Big Bang Integrated, or the Hermes Cut, I would be very happy to add any of these watches to my collection.Yes, indeed, there are some great new releases on the dressier side as well. Look, for example, at the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric, these ...

When we think of watches, our minds are often first cast to Switzerland s many manufacturers. But Germany makes fantastic timepieces, and perhaps it is worth giving Switzerlands larger northern neighbor a look too when on the hunt for a new watch. Let s look at some German watches!Switzerland has a proud tradition of watchmaking that we often celebrate here on Fratello with tours of watch factories and features exploring the history of Swiss watch brands or the significance of new models that riff on the heritage of older references. But it is not just the Swiss who have heritage, quality, and value on offer when considering a new watch. Yes, Japan has many options covered for the discerning...

It s Sunday morning! To be more exact, it s the Sunday of Watches and Wonders. It s the last day of this year s fair before it s in the history books. With the Fratello team back home and the Genevan dust clouds starting to settle, it s time for our first Sunday Morning Showdown featuring one of the novelties presented at the fair this year. And what better way to do that than with a good ol vs. Tudor battle? Many were disappointed with the new introductions and pleasantly surprised with the Tudor novelties. So it s time to put the two brands against each other. Can the newly introduced black-dial Tudor Black Bay Master Chronometer beat its bigger brother, the Submariner 124060? It s tim...