Two decades ago, Omega reintroduced the racing dial to the Speedmaster Professional. It was only for the Japanese market, and only 2,004 pieces were produced. As you might know, there are more of them around, but we ll get to that later.Speedmaster Japan Racing 3570.40First, lets go back 20 years. At that time, Omega was producing limited editions of the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, something that the brand stopped in 2019. One of the most coveted editions among them is this Japan Racing edition. As the name suggests, it was exclusive to Japan as the Speedmaster had (and still has) a massive following there. It wasnt the first limited edition for the Japanese market, and it was certai...
Today, we ll take a look at a vintage IWC 309, a watch that attracted me due to its likeness to another watch. This classic is no copycat, though, as it brings enough unique styling flourishes to the party. We also have the chance to discuss one of the more heralded movements in history.At the end of 2023, I penned an article on the iconic Patek Philippe Calatrava 570. To sum it up in just a few short words, it represents the peak of watch design to me and lacks absolutely nothing in the aesthetics department. Its primary demerit, though, is its severely high price of entry along with the challenge of finding a worthy example. Today s IWC 309 is a worthy watch on its own, yet it called to me...
Fratello On Air is back with another rip-roaring episode. This time, we talk about what starting over would look like for our watch collections. Of course, we give ourselves all the funds that we ve used in the past for watches and are armed with the knowledge we ve picked up over the last decade or so. We hope you enjoy it!This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings One of our favorite readers, Goldenyears, commented on our last podcast with the following:Sometimes I wonder what watches would I own if I could start all over again from scratch - have no watches but all the money I ever spent so far on every watch I ever owned, inclu...
In this installment of our Back To Basics series, we are truly going back to the fundamentals of the hobby. This time, we ask ourselves: how should you treat a mechanical watch to avoid damage? Again, this may be obvious if you are a seasoned watch enthusiast. But if you are new to the game, you may learn a thing or two that could save you some headaches and money.The following is almost all heavily generalized. Many modern movements are protected from the issues described. Still, it is wise to accustom yourself to treating all watches this way. Better safe than sorry, as they say, since it s easy to make a mistake while mindlessly adjusting your watch one fateful early Monday morning. Witho...
Why you own a particular watch is a deeply personal affair. No one should tell you what you should collect and wear, nor should anyone suggest how you should live your life. You like what you like, and you do what you want to do. That s why, in this article, I will only tell you about my journey into horology and why it took me nearly nine years to understand what I like. In a nutshell, they are simple-looking, legible, and purpose-driven watches - specifically, tool watches that I would describe as utilitarian. What does that mean, you may ask? Ill get to that in a bit.?There are many ways to define what a tool watch is. And perhaps we cant all come to a consensus on what that is, just as w...
I know, the Tudor Black Bay Bronze is a bit of a golden oldie - or a gold-looking bronze oldie. This version debuted on the Tudor menu in 2019, but why not have seconds almost five years later and find out if its still as tasty? What the watch does as soon as it comes to the table is grab your attention. Theres something about that mix of a ready-to-patinate alloy and the presence of gray. The warm tones of the bronze case with a slate-gray dial and bezel seem to produce a mysterious green hue - a layered flavor, you could say.Remember Baselworld? Well, it was once the biggest watch show on earth. Those days are long gone, but the Tudor Black Bay Bronze with its slate-gray dial is still here...
As you ve probably noticed over the past three weeks, most members of the Fratello team have shared their 2024 watch resolutions already. But before the month ends, I d also like to put my watch-related goals for this year down in writing. Can I guarantee that I ll fulfill them all? No, but since the wheels are already turning for the first one, hopefully, this article will spur my momentum.For 2024, I have some very clear goals, the first of which is selling at least four of my watches. Just as importantly, though, I ve sworn to travel from Japan to the Netherlands to visit my Fratello colleagues this year. I ll also continue striving to achieve the goals for which I fell short in 2023. Spe...
Louis Moinet (1768C1853) was the inventor of the chronograph, so it s always intriguing to examine the newest releases from the brand that bears his name. Today, we ll look into the Impulsion Onyx, the latest variant within a line that debuted in 2023. This is an elegant watch with a sporty twist and a serious dose of technical chops. Best of all, the inner workings are on full display.It was back in 2020 that I visited the Louis Moinet booth during Geneva Watch Days. I was able to meet the owner and creative director of the brand, Jean-Marie Schaller, and was impressed with how he made high-end watchmaking audacious. That may sound odd, but the space the brand rented was outfitted like a Vi...
Today, we ll go hands-on with models from the newest Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot series. These are great-looking watches that bring a healthy dose of everyday utility along with cues from pilot s watches. Expect great legibility and specs. Also, because this is Hamilton, all of that goodness is affordable.The Hamilton Khaki series will always have a special place in my heart. I think it was in the mid- 90s when I entered university in Pennsylvania. My parents came up from Florida in the fall, and one of the activities was to visit an outlet mall to stock up on cold-weather clothing - something I never owned back home. This was at a time when outlet malls were still novel, and during a visi...
Charlie Paris is one of those brands that I knew by name but had never gotten a chance to check out in real life. But when the new Concordia GMT caught my eye, I knew I had to learn more. This beautifully styled GMT mixes the classic aesthetic of a dive watch with a nicely integrated GMT function. On top of that, the brand chose some rather attractive dial colors to enhance the style even more. I had a chance to go hands-on with the Concordia GMT Dune version, which combines different shades of brown on the dial to make for a really attractive piece. Can this Charlie Paris Concordia stand out in the ever-expanding world of GMT watches? Let s find out.It s not often that a watch instantly see...
Today, I d like to share an interesting verdict from the Dutch Institute for Financial Disputes (Kifid) in a case between an insurance company (Achmea Schadeverzekeringen N.V.) and a consumer.The consumer had an insurance policy with an additional clause for valuable goods. Importantly, this additional insurance also covered the loss/theft of valuable goods outside the house.Not the Sky-Dweller in this storyA stolen Sky-DwellerThe client of Achmea Schadeverzekeringen lost his precious Sky-Dweller due to theft on the night of April 26th/27th, 2022. On the 27th, the watch owner filed a report with the police. At the end of that month, he also reported the theft to his insurance company. Ach...
Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown! We hope you woke up with a nice cup of coffee this Sunday morning and are ready to vote for your favorite watch in this week s battle of the divers. This week, it s going to be like David versus Goliath. In one corner, we have the new Formex Reef 39.5mm, which came out in December of 2023. It s going up against the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster, which Seiko announced last November. These are two brand-new divers with different price tags from two completely different brands. But could this battle be closer than the price difference might suggest? It s time to find out!Back in November, the introduction of the new Seiko Marinemaster was big news. With ...
Now, I have to admit, when I signed up to write for Fratello, I did not expect to ever write about Sir Elton John. But here we are! Granted, it s for a good reason. Christies is auctioning a plethora of items from his Atlanta mansion, including a watch collection. And what a watch collection it is! At first glance, this is exactly what you might expect Sir Eltons watches to look like if he resides at the fringes of your awareness. Upon closer inspection, however, there is some serious horological prowess going on sale here, indicative of an enthusiast who knows what hes doing. Lets have a look at some highlights!Elton John bought a four-bedroom, seven-bathroom condo in Atlanta in the early 1...
When you read the name Zenith, what comes to mind? Radios? Televisions? Well, at one point in its history, the watch brand Zenith was owned by the Zenith Radio Corporation of America, so thats not completely weird, especially if youre American. But for non-US citizens and, in particular, watch-focused ones, Zenith means El Primero - the movement that was (or wasnt) the very first integrated automatic chronograph caliber. The use of the word integrated is important here because Georges Favre-Jacot, the brand s visionary founder, imagined and realized the very first vertically integrated watch manufacture - indeed, just like the brand with the crown. If everything had gone exactly to plan, Zen...
British watchmaking has carved out a niche for itself thanks to a handful of strong brands leading the pack. And with the newest versions of the Fears Brunswick 40, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill attempts a daring feat. Together with top US retailer Topper, we are treated to a blend of Californian nature and British watchmaking.Many small brands have great backstories, making the buyer feel part of a revitalization or community. And Fears Watches has the real story of a family firm now run by the founder s great-grandson. Before we looked at the new colorful quartet, I chatted with Nicholas Bowman-Scargill about this latest retail collaboration.The new Fears Brunswick 40 with TopperI caught Nichol...
Another Friday, another Top 5! After two lists of the best watches under $1,000, we re staying on the topic of affordable watches. This week s list focuses on the best Seiko watches under $500. The Japanese brand used to be the undisputed king of affordable mechanical timepieces. However, with rising prices, we sometimes think those days are gone. But are they? We have selected five models from the different product ranges that perfectly show that Seiko still has some amazing options for people who don t want to spend a fortune.It s no secret that increasing prices are a constant annoyance in the eyes of watch fans. Many of our favorite brands have steadily increased their prices. As a resul...
Paul Newman made the Daytona famous for all kinds of reasons, but money wasnt one of them. Will Bradley Cooper make the Louis Vuitton Tambour a legend of the watch world? Well, when the American actor was an IWC ambassador, he didnt get a watch (nick)named after him. Also, once his deal with the brand from Schaffhausen ended, he posted a picture of himself wearing a watch from a brand that you dont buy for yourself on his Instagram page. And more examples prove the rule that watches worn by the celebs of today wont be the icons of tomorrow. But there might be a few exceptions.Okay, I used Bradley Cooper in the intro as an example of how ambassadors move from brand to brand. But if you want ...
Did anyone order pizza? Well, actually, I know many of you did. When Studio Underd0g founder Richard Benc and Time+Tide founder Andrew McUtchen seemed to launch a pizza watch last April, watch enthusiasts went wild. Unfortunately, it was a very well-played April Fools joke, and everybody could soon get back to what they were doing. However, requests for the watch just kept coming, so Richard decided to make the pizza-hungry watch crowd happy and put it into production. And now there s not just one but two pizza chronographs - the Pepper0ni and the Hawaiian.Richard and Andrew in the April Fools videoIt s not the first time that one of Richard s April Fools pranks has made it into productio...
In our series Exploring Evergreens, we have a look at watches that have been around for some time.? These are watches that have stood the test of time to become archetypes, sometimes even icons. Today, I am covering the Explorer ref. 16570 in the black-dial execution. This is the most worn watch in my collection, so I think I can write a word or two on how it aged over the decades.The 16570 generation lasted from 1989 until 2011, making this a true neo-vintage watch today. It is also one of the beloved five-digit references, combining more subdued styling with relatively modern, solid construction and sapphire crystals. Lets explore (see what I did there?) how it stacks up well over a deca...
Even though it feels like wearing a bar of chocolate on your wrist, the Sicura Safari knife watch is a pure wonder. It had been a long time since I put it on my wish list, and I finally got one. I really thought it would be much easier to find it…I was wrong. The Sicura Safari knife watch pops quite rarely. It s one of the watches that I tried to actively search for through multiple auction sites for years, but not a single listing showed up. I kept bugging one of my watch penfriends to let his Sicura Safari go, but he successfully resisted my annoying demands.Landing a Sicura SafariIn the middle of November last year, Rainer, another one of my watch penfriends, sent me an Instagram li...
