Another Friday, another list. This week, we picked a that many of us praise as one of the brand s best - the Explorer. Introduced in 1953 with its signature 3-6-9 dial, this watch has become a favorite within the enthusiast community. Some of the Fratello team members own one, and I am sure plenty of our readers do too. But what if you are looking for something different or more affordable? There are plenty of options for finding an alternative to the iconic Explorer. We compiled a list of five of our favorites, so let s find out what they are.When it comes to finding alternatives to the different icons, we generally tend to end up with comparatively affordable ones. But this time, it is a...
Ask yourself, how many hours have you spent playing Pac-Man? That may be hard to recall, but quite possibly when you were in your teens in the 1980s or 90s, it was many, many hours. Pac-Man is undoubtedly the most iconic arcade game ever. Since it only requires a joystick and simple movements, it s easy to play, making it fun for millions of people. Now ask yourself this: do you want to play with the Krayon Pac-Man? The watch celebrating the video game is based on the Anywhere collection, a mechanical tour de force capable of indicating sunrise and sunset anywhere on Earth. This time, the calibers mechanics play the iconic game.Did you know Pac-Man was the games second name? It was origin...
The Longines Hydroconquest has been a popular dive watch in the slightly more accessible segment since 2007. Initially sold in both automatic and quartz versions, it offered an attainable taste of serious dive-watch prowess from a heritage brand. The Hydroconquest underwent a major overhaul in 2018 and another in 2023. While that latest generation updated the GMT model, no V3 time-and-date diver was available yet. That changes today.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings I got a chance to handle the new Longines Hydroconquest in 39mm and 42mm sizes. A total of six colorways enter the standard collection. I went hands-on with the 39mm v...
Today, we re back with a hands-on look at the latest Brellum watch. Fans of the small but communicative brand may recognize the styling of our current subject, but there s a difference. The new Duobox Triple Calendar Moonphase has an icy-blue hue, and it looks fantastic! Join us as we take a closer look at this limited-edition chronograph.Last April, we introduced the then-new salmon-dial Brellum Duobox Triple Calendar Moonphase. The watch was well received with its impressive array of complications and commanding presence on the wrist. Now, the design is back with a new dial color that works perfectly with either of the available case materials. We spent some time with the watch in our head...
It has become an annual tradition for Nomos Glashtte to release 36mm and 38.5mm Club Campus models with two new dial colors to celebrate spring. The Club Campus is the perfect youthful series in which to explore new hues. As some of you might know, I love Nomos for leading the way in using uncommon colors and combinations of them to create some of the best dials in the industry. For the two new spring 2026 introductions, Nomos chose two great colors. The first is All Olive, a beautiful and rich dark green. The second is Full Rose, a soft pink that also works very well with the Club Campus. Let s find out more.We have covered the new spring Club Campus models over the past four years, so it ...
With the introduction of the new Omega Constellation Observatory, the watch manufacturer from Bienne returns to the roots of this collection, which began in 1952.? These new watches are available in steel, yellow gold, rose gold, and platinum, and we got a chance to check out two of the nine options.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings The predecessors of the Omega Constellation ObservatoryThe Constellation was Omega s flagship collection and came to life after the great success of the limited-production Centenary models a few years earlier (in 1948), the brand s first automatic chronometer watches.Omega Centenary from 1948Rene Bannw...
Spend enough time around watches, whether at events, in boutiques, or just talking to fellow enthusiasts, and you start to notice the same talking points coming up again and again. Certain topics seem to define how we think about watches today. In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho is joined by Lex and RJ to unpack those recurring conversations. The idea for the episode came to Lex while chatting with a friend and watchmaker in Geneva, a reminder that even at the heart of the industry, the same themes keep resurfacing. From in-house movements to size, heritage, and hype, the trio explores what really drives modern watch conversations and the impact these exchanges can have on the industry...
One of the most intriguing natural phenomena is the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. Witnessing this display of colors in the sky is on the bucket lists of many travel lovers. I haven t seen the spectacular green, red, and purple night skies, but I know from friends that they are mesmerizing. The Moon and the aurora borealis, the name for the auroras in the Northern Hemisphere, inspired Nordic Marine Instruments to create the new Lun?r. The watch depicts the Nordic night skies and features an intriguing double-moonphase display with a distinct, glowing bonus. I had a chance to try out the Lun?r for a few days and find out more.My first encounter with the Nordic Marine Inst...
A decade ago, Arthur Gerbi, founder of the Merci concept store at 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais in Paris, introduced the first watch under the Merci Instruments name. Like John Mayer at the time, he felt that traditional watchmaking houses no longer adequately accounted for the expectations of true enthusiasts. The watches under the Merci Instruments brand served as affordable alternatives. He took more risks with the designs, made them divisive, and received widespread praise, especially from watch enthusiasts. To celebrate this 10th anniversary, Gerbi is introducing the Merci Instruments Beaumarchais collection, consisting of six new watches.Don t worry; at $470, they re still as affordable a...
Oracle Time has announced its second watch event for the enthusiast community. Hands On Horology will take place on the 13th of June, 2026, at Protein Studios, Shoreditch, London, UK. Showcasing over 45 brands, from independents to globally recognized watchmakers, the event will have something for everyone. There will also be ample opportunities to place watches on wrists, where they belong, hence the name Hands On Horology. Taking it further, some watches will be available for purchase, making them nice souvenirs for the trip home. The single-day event will be split into morning (09:30C13:30) and afternoon (14:00C18:00) sessions.As many will agree, Watches and Wonders is more about the peop...
Dive watches remain the most democratic category in watchmaking. While certain icons now cost several thousand euros, the truth is that the core DNA of the dive watch, robustness, legibility, and reliability, is still alive and well in far more accessible territory. In fact, $1,000 might just be the sweet spot. At this level, youll find Swiss heritage brands, Japanese heavyweights, and a new generation of microbrands producing serious tools with proper specifications, including sapphire crystals, ceramic bezels, and dependable automatic movements. Today, we ll highlight 10 of the best options available today -?but we re just getting started!Now, there s one thing to note before going further...
Goodbyes are never easy. Nevertheless, after five years in production, Greubel Forsey is removing the Balancier Convexe S2 from the catalog. The brand follows this strategy to maintain extreme exclusivity, preserve high secondary-market value, and ensure a focus on innovation and hand-finished quality over mass production. The two farewell creations - one in black ceramic and 5N red gold, the other in white ceramic - will be limited to just 11 pieces each. This makes these convex-cased, 44mm watches (41.5mm excluding the bezel) the most exclusive executions in the series. If you have ever had the pleasure of trying or owning a GF Convexe, you will agree that these entry-level sports watches ...
Last week, I reported on a new high-end Citizen Eco-Drive 50th Anniversary Edition with a beautiful green washi (Japanese paper) dial. In the same week, Citizen also introduced two new watches powered by a brand-new Eco-Drive caliber. The new lightweight Photon models feature state-of-the-art dials that combine an intriguing design with the latest in Citizen s Eco-Drive technology. Let s find out more about the new Citizen Photon limited editions.Just one glance at the two new Citizen Eco-Drive Photons, and you ll know the dials offer something special. The Photon was inspired by scientific research into light, resulting in an innovative design that reflects the evolution of Citizen s Eco-Dr...
Orient Star keeps the good times rolling with its next 75th-anniversary timepiece. As part of the Sports Collection M42, this Japanese dive watch complies with the ISO 6425 standard for diving timepieces. Because of this, it can officially be labeled with Diver s and also state the 200m depth rating. The stringent tests ensure this watch performs for its potentially life-saving duties. But even with tough parameters, Orient Star adds a little embellishment with a blue-to-black gradient dial. The 1964 1st Edition reimagines one of Japan s earliest dive watches, the Olympia Calendar Diver. With its chunky indexes, Broad Arrow hour hand, and steel bezel, the latest version looks the part. Limit...
Welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. Blink twice, and another seven days have flown by, bringing us to our favorite moment of the week. This time, Daan and Thomas take to the ring to defend two mid-century-inspired everyday watches. Daan represents the Baltic Hermetique, while Thomas defends the new Tissot Visodate.These watches are more competitive than you may assume at first glance. The Baltic costs $744.15 on a bracelet, while the Tissot comes in at $875. Both are available with retro beads-of-rice bracelets (one of a few options for the Baltic), and both can serve as versatile daily watches with verve. The one glaring difference reveals itself in the Tissots name - a date complic...
When the announcement of the Fears Studio Underd0g Mim0sa landed in my inbox, I did not expect to eventually swim into the Pacific Ocean with one on my wrist. Yet that is exactly where this watch eventually found itself, bobbing around just off the coast of Sydney, thoroughly disproving the idea that colorful collaborative watches belong only in watch boxes or on Instagram feeds.This piece is the third and final installment in the collaborative trilogy between Fears Watch Company and Studio Underd0g, and when the Mim0sa appeared, I knew I was going to buy one. The reasons were simple - the story behind the collaboration, the design execution, and the fact that this was the final chapter. S...
This introduction article is a bit different from the majority of release articles. Sure, I will go into the watch, the Jack Mason Palmera Skin Diver. However, it is the sales model that I find most interesting about this release. Jack Mason introduces this watch alongside a new program called Born & Raised, a founder release model. There s plenty to unpack here!Bridging the gap between presale, crowdfunding, crowd-sourced design, and a fanbase-first approach, the Born & Raised program seeks to solve some of the problems many smaller brands run into.The Jack Mason Palmera Skin DiverFirst things first, though. Lets start with a look at the watch. The Jack Mason Palmera Skin Diver repr...
Last year, Jorg reviewed the Berlin by the Hamburg-based brand Sternglas. Back then, it was a quartz-powered version of the watch inspired by the first train connection between Hamburg and Berlin, established in 1846. Now, the Sternglas Berlin is back, but it eschews the engraving on the case back commemorating the opening of the Berlin station in Hamburg. Instead, the watch features a sapphire-equipped display case back through which you can view the newly-fitted Japanese Miyota automatic movement.In addition to the new movement, Sternglas introduced the Berlin Automatic with some new dial colors. For the quartz-powered version, you can choose between black, white, green, and sepia gold. Th...
Another Friday, another list. For this week s Top 5, we look at another classic. The Cosmograph Daytona is one of the brand s most iconic pieces in the watch world. The stainless steel versions of the racing chronograph are notoriously difficult to source through a dealer, and pre-owned prices are generally higher than retail. That s why we compiled a list of five chronographs that could be great alternatives to the Cosmograph Daytona. Let s find out what they are.For any iconic model, there are plenty of alternatives. The same goes for the Daytona. But can these watches actually replace the brand s iconic chronograph in your heart and collection? The answer to that question will always ...
The Dominique Renaud Pulse 60 has the same rhythm as a normal resting human heart, which is around 60 beats per minute. The slow-beating 1Hz watch also has deluxe-industrial looks created with Haute Horlogerie methods. The Pulse60, which comes in a Grade 5 titanium or pink gold and Grade 5 titanium 40mm case, is a fascinating creation with a large 20mm balance wheel creating a zen-like vibe. And in case youre wondering, Domique Renaud is the Renaud from Renaud & Papi, the acclaimed complication-specialist company that created movements for brands like Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, and A. Lange & S?hne, to name but a few.Dominique Renaud has rockstar status among watchmakers - and f...
