We know Urwerk as a laboratory for very high-end, off-the-beaten-path creations. The latest release from the Genevan brand does not disappoint in either respect. This is the Urwerk UR-100 LS with a rather exotic new complication for those who think beyond our little blue marble. This watch indicates the time required for a sunbeam to reach each of the eight planets in our solar system.If that is not enough, the watch displays the time on Earth via satellite hours - you know, just to keep the space theme consistent. In that sense, this new complication suits the UR-100 platform to a tee. Lets have a closer look!Time via satelliteOf course, the first job of your Urwerk timepiece is to tell you...

To be completely honest with you, when Nacho sent me the press materials for this new Seiko release, I had never heard of Nausica? of the Valley of the Wind. Actually, I m not very familiar with any of Studio Ghibli s creations. I figured it would be an insult to write anything about it without knowing what I was talking about, so I decided to watch the movie as it was available on Netflix. That experience didn t turn me into a fan of the genre. However, I do get that this kind of cinema is quite powerful and could draw you in completely. That s why, for its Japanese Craftsmanship series, Seiko decided to create the Presage SPB437, a limited-edition watch inspired by this classic 1980s anima...

You re probably familiar with astronaut Ed White, who performed NASA s first spacewalk in 1965 as part of the Gemini IV mission. In the pictures of that spacewalk, you can see him wearing two watches.Unfortunately, Ed White died in a fatal accident with Apollo 1. His name will live forever, though, as the first NASA astronaut to walk in space. As a member of the Apollo 1 crew, White should have launched into space once more on February 21st, 1967. However, during a test on January 27th, he and fellow crew members Grissom and Chaffee all died in a horrible fire in the command module.Ed White wearing two Speedmaster 105.003 watches. Image by NASASpeedmaster collectors often mention Ed White s ...

If youre trying to find a theme in my five-watch collection, you can stop right now. The only thing that the five watches I selected have in common is that they frequent my wrist. Maybe you expected a more carefully curated selection in this installment of Fratello Editors Share Their Five-Watch Collections. Instead, you get a raggedy bunch that s eclectic at best. But you know what? I never pretended to be a collector. Instead, Im an acquirer of random timepieces that speak to me. They speak in different languages and sometimes in tongues, but I have a connection with all five of them.After handing over my five-watch collection to our in-house photographer Morgan, I started having doubts. S...

Fratello On Air returns after a one-week break. In this episode, we re discussing a topic suggestion from one of our listeners and readers. It s a question that likely comes into most of our minds at some point along the way. Namely, how do we enjoy watch collecting without always thinking about the next acquisition? We share our thoughts. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Our listener Cleon.XIII is responsible for this week s episode. In it, we talk about watch collecting and how to find satisfaction without moving on to the next piece. It s a tough one, especially for one of our hosts! Regardless of this, we provide some...

How s that? A G-Shock in the shape of Audemars Piguet s most iconic model, sporting a module numbered like Patek Philippe s most iconic watch? I can t believe that s a coincidence. I think Casio is joking with the watch industry on the other end of the spectrum. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that, though Casio will never admit it.My love for transparencyI ve always had a weak spot for transparent products, not just watches. Of course, we all - well, those who are old enough - remember the original 1985 Swatch Jellyfish. Otherwise, you may be familiar with the Clearly re-editions that are currently available in Swatch s Core Collection.Image: FalsotechoBut I also remember having the ...

The Piaget Polo is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. However, while the Polo name has survived, I ve felt that the recent models have had little in common with the first Piaget Polo from 1979. Whenever Piaget showed us a new Polo model, I thought (and probably shared my thoughts with everyone who didnt want to hear them) about those Polo models from the late 1970s and early 1980s. You know, the ones with the engraved horizontal lines - or gadroons - in the cases, dials, and bracelets. The only reminder of those in the modern Polo models is the texture of the dials. Well, that changes today with the Polo 79, marking the long-awaited return of the original Piaget Polo in full gold.I ...

The Seiko 5 Sports line, especially when using the SKX case, has inspired hundreds of references over the past several years. Whether they re inspired by manga, music, motorsport, or vintage watches, this line is like Japan s version of Swatch. To be fair, many of the releases pass me by. However, two models inspired by the legendary Rally Divers made me sit up and take notice. After all, the originals are some of my favorite watches of all time.It s truly wild how the Seiko 5 Sports divers have been used as a platform for just about every type of watch expression. Some bemoan this, and others rejoice. I simply see it as fun and a good thing that Seiko keeps giving us more choices. As far as...

As we gather here on this cold Monday morning in February to celebrate the life of the Milgauss, let us remember the color, antimagnetic properties, and accuracy it brought into the lives of so many watch fans. May its memory continue to inspire and uplift in the search for a worthy successor, and may we find strength in remembering the controversial and quirky timepiece as we navigate the watch world without it. Dear Fratelli, together, we can cherish the time we spent with the Milgauss and honor its legacy. We can also allow ourselves to look to the future with hope because there will - no, there must - be a new Milgauss on the horizon. The world of watches without one is just too bleak....

Automatic Spring Drive technology turns 20 this year! That seems like a fair reason for celebration. Grand Seiko felt the same and introduced this SBGA497 to mark the occasion. We get a high-intensity titanium creation with a familiar case shape and dial texture. Both pay homage to important references in Spring Drive history.The SBGA497 is a limited edition of 1,500 pieces. If you want to make it yours, you will have to part ways with $6,800 at your nearest Grand Seiko boutique or authorized dealer. Before you make up your mind about that, join me for a closer look at Grand Seikos birthday boy.But first, some Spring Drive historyOkay, first things first. The idea for a Spring Drive movement...

The subject of this article has become utterly ubiquitous. As a lover of traditional watches, however, I am shocked that one is currently on my wrist. Through some matter of luck and a Black Friday Christmas sale, I am now the owner of a second-generation Apple Watch SE. I have put it through its paces over the last two months in the only way that I can as a watch enthusiast.It has been some time since we have reviewed an Apple Watch on Fratello. Revisiting a more recent model lets us try to answer the question: does this watch belong in my collection?The Apple Watch SE: will I wear it?My thoughts on the Apple Watch have been the same since it debuted: why would I want my phone on my wrist? ...

Welcome to another edition of Sunday Morning Showdown! This week, we have a face-off between two watches from the same house. Its a battle of old versus new, gold versus steel, and most of all, unabashed luxury versus (relative) affordability. We would like to know which Cartier Tank you would spend your money on. Would it be the Tank Louis Cartier, also known as the Tank of Tanks? Or would you prefer the modern Tank Must SolarBeat? Which will be Fratello s King of Tanks? It s time to find out!When wearing a Cartier, you are not merely wearing a watch. You are wearing a style statement. The brand s creations are way too extravagant and stylish to be considered normal watches. On top of that,...

G-Shock is slowly introducing new versions of its classics within the Master of G line. This series of professionally specced watches contains some of the brand s most famous models. Among them are the Mudman, Mudmaster, Gravitymaster, Frogman, and Rangeman, the last of which is the subject of today s review. At first glance, the new G-Shock Rangeman GPR-H1000 is overwhelming, mostly because it is an intimidatingly big watch. However, the new Rangeman also offers various features that could make this the ultimate adventurer s watch. How does it hold up the concrete jungle? It s time to find out.Last year, I reviewed the latest-generation G-Shock Mudman, which was completely redesigned and go...

Our photographer Morgan Saignes started this #fivewatchcollection trend on Instagram, and Ive noticed that a lot of his followers joined in, either showing their collection of five watches or curating a five-watch collection from a larger one. As you may have noticed, we decided to turn this into an article series, and today, it s my turn to make some tough choices!Nacho stated in his article about his five-watch collection that having a one-, two-, or three-watch collection is more difficult. Unfortunately, the more thought I gave it, the harder it was to decide on a five-watch collection for myself. Also, it is a very personal collection of five watches and might be very far away from what...

This is the story of how a group of mates in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) banded together to turn their horological dream - an homage to an original RAAF watch - into a reality. If you have an interest in special military timepieces, this one is for you.It should come as no surprise that I have a particular fondness for International Watch Company Schaffhausen. The story of IWC is embedded in my family history, and I got to trace these steps in a visit to the IWC factory late last year. The connection doesnt end there, though, as when I got my first significant job in journalism and embarked on an adventure far away from home, my father gifted me his very own Mark XV pilot s watch. ...

Another Friday, another Top 5! This week, we will take a look at some oddball models. For this list, we selected five wonderfully strange cult classics. Some have a different dial that sets them apart from their regular counterparts, and some are unique models. If you are a fan, you will know about these watches. But if you are not, this list might surprise you. Either way, we feel that each of these five watches is cool in a strange way. So, without further ado, let s jump into Fratello s Top 5 Oddball Watches!Image: Bulang & Sons Turn-O-Graph ref. 6202The Turn-O-Graph is one of those oddball watches that fans love. Lex wrote an article asking to bring it back in its Datejust guis...

This month, Omega will be auctioning eleven sets of MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold watches in special cases through Sothebys. The goal is to raise money for Orbis to fight preventable blindness all over the world. If that sounds like something you want to be part of, you can get your bids in from February 12th to 24th.These eleven sets will be on display in eleven Swatch boutiques around the world until they go up for sale. Lets have a closer look at the sets, the cause, and the auction.Eleven MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold setsThe sets consist of all eleven MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold watches. We didn t cover them all too extensively on Fratello when Swatch released them throughout 2023. They are sligh...

Just like many of you, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the shots of enthusiasts five-watch collections on Instagram. In a way, it s nice to see people struggle to pick their five favorite watches (is that horological schadenfreude?). Above all, though, it s amusing to find out which watches people choose as their favorites and why. Up until now, I still haven t shared my five-watch collection. No, it s not because I didn t enjoy the series. I just thought it would be way too difficult to pick my five favorites.But then I proposed to Nacho that this challenge could also be a nice idea for Fratello. He agreed, and after he kicked off the series himself, of course, he asked me to write the nex...

It always sparks a debate when people read about the Holy Trinity of Watchmaking. Maybe that is because some perceive it as an outdated concept - a secret fraternity that has lost touch with reality. Still, Vacheron Constantin is considered one of the members of this unofficial club, alongside Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. Once, this imaginary membership meant something. It was back in the days that Girard-Perregaux, Blancpain, and Breguet also desperately wanted to join or replace the clubs original members. But times have changed. A German competitor appeared on the scene, and so did a range of young and ambitious creators of Haute Horlogerie, such as MB&F, Greubel Forsey, and Ri...

Late last year, I followed my colleagues thoughts on how would they spend their $25,000 budgets on a perfect watch collection. I had as much fun reading their articles as you did. Since no one asked me about how would I break the bank, I allowed myself to slightly adjust the brief. What would a perfect watch collection look like for me if I were only allowed to spend my budget on vintage timepieces?It is an interesting exercise indeed. Usually, when I think about vintage watches that I would like to add to my collection, it doesn t happen within any pricing frame. There isn t anything like budget left, so money does not restrict my thoughts. The decision usually comes down to my taste, the ...