Nivada Grenchen has been on a roll since its return in 2020. We ve seen quite a few releases during this time, and many have sold out their initial runs. Today, Nivada brings us a color addition to its production lineup with the new Depthmaster Orange. However, there s something fun that s along for the ride, and it s the announcement of an orange 10-piece limited edition using NOS components.In just four short years, Nivada Grenchen and its CEO Guillaume Laidet have released a flurry of models under the resurrected brand. Indeed, Nivada now boasts five model lines with a host of models in each. It s great to see such commitment, and the fact that the watches are reasonably priced makes it a...

Unlike Nachos enviably controlled feelings on this subject, I am unsure what to do or wish for this year. With rocketing expenses and a year of some big swaps behind me, I feel like calming myself down purchase-wise. I started a consolidation challenge this past autumn, and it worked. I sold about seven watches and only bought two. But what does that mean for my 2024 resolutions?As I once read in a well-written article by fellow Fratello writer Lex, perhaps its enough to enjoy the watches I write about without necessarily finding ways to buy them. I often have short- and long-term review subjects that give me temporary joy. But when I do buy something, one thing is for sure: it aint going to...

Oh, Cartier, you keep seducing me with your Roman numerals, quirky case shapes, and beautiful bracelets. I m already quite happy with my stainless steel Santos Galbee XL from 2006. But, of course, other designs from the French Maison also appeal to me. This edition of Pre-Owned Spotlight is the perfect opportunity to vent those feelings. That way, I might not actually have to buy another Cartier watch for myself anytime soon.Last year, I wrote a Pre-Owned Spotlight article full of Cartier CPCP watches. I know, I might be obsessed, but I can t help it. Cartier s designs are simply so irresistible. That last article, though, was full of very unattainable, very expensive watches. Today, I ll tr...

Welcome to the year s third episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Nacho is joined by Morgan and RJ to discuss the most important watches of the last five years. We looked back and carefully selected nine pieces that we consider to be the most influential, impactful, and interesting horological creations of the last half-decade. Swiss watch brands present hundreds (if not thousands) of new watches each year. In an effort to innovate, iterate, and attract potential customers around the world, these brands are on an endless quest to expand their catalogs. However, not all new watches are created equal. These nine are the ones we consider to have had the greatest impact on the world of watches.This ...

The idea of a relatively expensive Chinese-made watch is still quite foreign to most collectors. The landscape is changing, though, with more mature products coming from the massive country. One such rising star is Atelier Wen, a brand I had the chance to meet in late 2023. Even though its watches are essentially all-new, the brand has already revised its most popular model based on customer feedback. Today, we look at the new Perception 2.0.I m as guilty as most when it comes to thinking about the idea of a Chinese-made watch. If one truly decides to research most Swiss-made watches, though, it might come as a surprise that components are often produced far from any Swiss canton. Bracelets,...

Traveling with luxury watches can be challenging if you don t follow the rules. Arnold Schwarzenegger found that out the hard way when he was detained at Munich Airport in Germany when flying in from Los Angeles today. The Terminator was quizzed about a one-off Audemars Piguet he had on him. The unique piece will be auctioned at a special World Climate Summit held tomorrow in Austria. The Governator was quizzed under tax law about the unregistered piece for about three and a half hours before he was released. Did Schwarzenegger take a big risk bringing the watch? For those wondering what could get you into trouble while traveling with luxury watches, we have some tips to avoid getting into a...

The RZE Resolute is getting a fresh coat of color. Today, the brand introduces a new Desert Tan colorway for the Resolute and reintroduces Urban Teal and Arctic Grey. Starting the year off strong is not something most brands do. It s a tradition for Switzerland s watch industry to go into a state of hazy hibernation each winter. This will end soon, with an exciting roster of releases lined up for debut over the coming weeks. But in the meantime, while the seasonal lull remains, agile and tireless micro/independent brands like RZE are making the most of the opportunity. With some of the classic colorways discontinued, it s great to see RZE bring back some color to this brilliant value proposi...

As it has been said before, dive watches are perhaps the most ubiquitous style of watch out there. In fact, they re the type of watch that many budding enthusiasts first go for and that many veteran watch lovers proudly own and enjoy. This can easily be explained by their aesthetic versatility and solid build. That is, of course, if the watch is indeed well thought-out and constructed using quality components. If thats the case, then we find ourselves owning a watch that could last decades and can do it all. For some of us, thats all this obsessive hobby is about - finding the one timekeeping device to rule them all. And I might have found a very good option for you in the Tusen? Shellback V...

In early October, Unimatic released two new professional dive watches. That in itself is nothing spectacular because we see brands constantly release professional divers. But for the Italian brand, it was an interesting next step. Over the past couple of years, Unimatic has become known for releasing timepieces that stand out through their great designs, combining various visual concepts with the signature minimalist Unimatic style. With the Modello Uno U1S-PD5, the brand created a dive watch that uses that same style but also means business as a professional dive tool. It s time for a serious hands-on.If you are a regular Fratello reader, you know that I am a fan of Unimatic. My fascination...

Picture this: it is summertime, and we fire up the kamado barbecue in the backyard. I put in the pizza stone and let it heat up. In the meantime, my fiancee kneads the dough that she prepared earlier into that familiar flatbread shape. We team up to add the homemade tomato sauce and mozzarella, and then we carefully slide a pizza shovel underneath and put our creation on the hot stone. A handful of minutes later, we have a steaming, crunchy pizza with the creamiest cheese and a hint of wood fire in the taste. We throw on a few fresh basil leaves and realize that life doesnt get much better.This, to me, is the essence of good food - a small number of high-quality ingredients, each crucial to ...

In 2018, Omega introduced the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 for the 50th anniversary of the mission where astronauts saw the other side of the Moon for the first time. Now it s 2024, and that watch gets an update, kicking off what we expect to be a great year for Speedy lovers.The Apollo 8 crew (Anders, Lovell, and Borman) - Image: NASAIn December 1968, NASA astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders were the first humans to travel to space with the Saturn V rocket. Commemorating this mission, the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8 got a great reception in 2018 and quickly became a much-loved Speedmaster edition outside the Moonwatch series.The new Apollo 8N...

Today, Seiko is introducing a pair of new Presage Cocktail Time watches inspired by drinks from the famous Star Bar in Tokyo. As we ll see, there s a watch aimed at ladies and one targeted at gents as well. Both feature gradation dials that take their cues from drinks by master cocktail maker Hisashi Kishi and the Tokyo sunset.In September 2022, Seiko announced its first collaboration with the top-rated Star Bar and Hisashi Kishi, its head bartender. Seiko chose to use its Presage Cocktail Time watch as the foundation for a pair of watches with partially open dials. However, with their 40.5mm case diameters, both models were aimed at men. Today, we have a new pair of watches in two sizes. Le...

Here in the Netherlands, we had a fun, long-running TV show called Te land, ter zee, en in de lucht (On land, at sea and in the air). In it, people tried to get as far as they could on land, in the water, or through the air in their homemade vehicles. Most participants crashed right when they hit the bottom of the ramp. Some made it a little further, and only a few made it to the bell to stop the time. This TV show was the first thing that came to my mind when I looked at Yema s new Urban Sport collection. It consists of three new versions of the Rallygraf, Yachtingraf, and Flygraf - one watch each for the land, sea, and air.The 80s-inspired watch case and bracelet for these three new watch...

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we talk about curating our watch collections. That s a large topic with a lot of room for discussion. How have our interests changed over time, and where do we go to look for help? Enjoy the casual discussion between two watch addicts who own and admire a wide variety of pieces. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Watch collections are a funny thing. Some folks stick to one or two themes, while others seem to have no rhyme or reason. Both of us seem to fall into the latter camp, but we do enjoy certain genres more than others. This week, we discuss what we look for, h...

Not too long ago, Jorg shocked me when he advocated brown-dial watches. He even wrote that the first step to popularize them would be to make brown the dial color of 2024. Now, Im not saying that Jorg is a man of poor taste. On the contrary, he sure has a keen sense of style, and most of the time, we appreciate similar things, like watches. But when it comes to the color brown, hes on his own. I might be old-fashioned, but when it comes to this most earthy color, the classic saying no brown in town is my motto. When it comes to watches, that is. Also, this motto covers both the city and the countryside. But since I dont want to be all negative at the start of the year, I have an alternative ...

Disclaimer: I am particularly fond of independent brands and British watchmaking, and when it comes to Garrick s watches, these are temptingly combined. The Norfolk-based brand produces a particular line of timepieces that makes those two qualities particularly visible, even worn on its watchmakers sleeves. So excuse me if I view the new Garrick S2 Deadbeat Seconds through a slightly subjective lens.My being torn on the entire concept of deadbeat seconds might offset this. I know this complication adds another layer of accuracy to a hand-built mechanical movement, but I still love the smoothness of a high-beat caliber. We will see if Garrick can win me over with a stopping seconds hand in a...

Saffron will cost you over $10,000 per kilogram, so at least $10 per gram. Why is it so expensive? Well, to make one gram of saffron, you need 150 hand-picked crocus sativus flowers. The threads of the flowers are dried to serve not only as a seasoning and coloring agent in food but also as medicine. Saffron was likely first used by the Assyrians in the seventh century BCE. Now, how about the watch? The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Shades Saffron from Bienne, Switzerland, has a price of $7,300. This steel watch weighs 133 grams, meaning you pay slightly under $55 per gram. So, per gram, the Omega beats the spice when it comes to exclusivity. With that out of the way, lets focus on the colorful...

I belatedly wish you all a happy new year, my dear Fratelli! As one of the last Fratello writers to jot down my 2024 horological resolutions, I hope youre not tired of this theme yet. I can only promise that my plans differ quite a bit from those of my colleagues, so this article should be a bit different. Not least of all, this is because there is major uncertainty in my near future.As you have surely read before, I am in the middle of starting a watch company. After more than a year of development, 2024 will see me launch my debut watch. Naturally, this will affect my watch-collecting hobby, whatever the outcome. If you are tired of the VPC-related talk, youd better skip this article; I ca...

Peren is a microbrand that came onto people s radar with the release of the Nera. While not the brand s first watch, its minimalist design and great attention to detail stood out immediately. Sometime later, Thomas and Nacho were impressed by the Nera Rogue models that they reviewed. So I was curious to learn more about the new Peren Regia dive watch. This model is part of a two-watch launch alongside the Regia X. These two watches are the next step for the brand, cementing the distinct design style that its founder Andy Bica created. It s time to find out more.It s funny how the brain works sometimes. As watch enthusiasts, it seems we love nothing more than finding hints and aesthetic refer...

Another Sunday, another showdown! This week, two luxury integrated-bracelet sports watches with sub-seconds layouts and micro-rotor calibers face off. In the red corner, we have RJ defending the Louis Vuitton Tambour. In the blue corner, Thomas is fighting for the Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 XPS. Who will emerge victorious? You decide!Louis Vuitton and Chopard aren t often mentioned in the same breath. Yet, they offer two rather similar watches. Each can give the other a run for its money. This week, we aim to find out which you, dear Fratelli, appreciate the most.Breguet Classique 5157Last week - Perpetual 1908 vs. Breguet Classique 5157But first, let s have a look at the results of last week ...