Here we have another dubious but amusing and probably short-lived patented watch that I hadn t heard of before. The St. Blaise Alertic Key-Watch from 1955 can t be attached to thicker keys from the 70s on, but otherwise, it seems quite functional.First of all, and most importantly, it s romantic. If I had a 1940s or 1950s classic car, I can vividly see myself using it. And I wouldn t be afraid that it could collect many scratches and eventually break. Sadly, my oldest cars are from the 1970s, and I can t attach the St. Blaise Alertic Key-Watch to any of their keys. Well, after holding the #TBT torch for about five years now, you can already suspect that it doesn t stop me from enjoying the ...

Clasps have a massive impact on both the aesthetic and wearing comfort of a watch. Somehow, even in 2023, not all watch brands seem to have mastered the folding clasp. Time to have a closer look at what makes a good folding clasp. What great examples can we find, and what poor examples do we just have to mention?Just to keep things manageable, I will limit myself to clasps on bracelets. If you would like me to do the same for clasps on straps, let me know in the comments below.The simplest early folding claspsThe simple single-sided folding clasp has been around almost as long as the watch bracelet itself. The watch bracelet became common from the 1930s onwards when Gay Freres started to sup...

I have always enjoyed the classic Chronoswiss watches. When I got seriously into watches in the early 2000s, I was quickly drawn to the unique style of the Kairos, Regulateur, and Delphis. The Chronoswiss Delphis has always been a personal favorite from those days. Over time, Chronoswiss changed a lot. The brand currently creates watches that fuse the classic Chronoswiss style with new materials, vibrant colors, and remarkable movements. The latest addition to the brand s extensive lineup is the Delphis Venture. This watch combines the classic Delphis style I love so much with a spectacular dial. It s a great follow-up to the 18K red gold Delphis Oracle that was released during Watches and W...

No, I didn t buy any specific watches when my son and daughter were born. But now that I have a few watches, I do enjoy the idea of handing them both down a watch when they re older. I m not sure exactly which watches yet, but for my daughter, it will probably be one of the smaller ones. For my son, though, it might be a little more challenging because, as it turns out, he seems to be left-handed. I m not saying he isn t able to wear any of my sinistra watches, but he might prefer a dedicated destro model. That s why today I m taking a look at the best watches out there with the crown on the left side of the case.My dad is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to which side he uses for what. He...

Surprise, surprise: the much-anticipated Blancpain Swatch collaboration gets its big reveal a few days early! And here we thought we d all have to wait until September 9th to get the official word on these watches. Well, the joke s on us! Meet the highly anticipated Blancpain Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms collection. With these five new models, partners Swatch and Blancpain bring a vibrant and accessible twist to a legendary dive watch. Let s sea if they can slug it out of the park!Now, don t let the homophone, misplaced baseball metaphor, and eye-roll-inducing pun confuse you. These watches are all about paying tribute to Earth s oceans, the divers and watches that brave them, a...

Breitling, a staple in Swiss horology since 1884, is making waves yet again, this time with 20 new references. The private-equity-owned brand is introducing two new sizes to its iconic Navitimer collection. Adorned with radiant mother-of-pearl dials, lab-grown diamonds, and traceable 18K red gold, the Navitimer 36 and 32 are making a grand entrance. Boosting their presence is the star power of none other than Oscar-winning actor Charlize Theron.A quick throwbackIntroduced in 1952, the Navitimer wasn t merely a pretty face framed by its trademark beaded bezel. It was initially designed as a tool watch for aviators and featured a circular slide rule for navigational calculations. Fast-forward ...

If, like me, you have ever found yourself going down the Panerai rabbit hole, you have undoubtedly come across Panerai strap culture. If you havent, trust me, its a thing! Paneristi are more than typically likely to get something custom made for their prized square possessions. Browsing the internet, youll find several aficionados who have acquired leatherworking skills just to make straps for Panerai watches. I figured I should dive in and share with you, Fratelli, what this is all about.I decided that I would ask my compatriot Olaf Lugten of DStrap?to make me a fully custom strap. Although Olaf doesnt limit himself to straps for Panerai, he is one of the OGs of the genre. As it turns out, ...

Whether you love or hate the MoonSwatch, it worked miracles for the Swatch company! Since March 26th, 2022, Swatch has been back on everyones mind again. I had never seen queues in front of a shop for a watch before. I d also never seen so much coverage about watches on television, in newspapers, and other non-watch media. The no online sales approach infuriated many people, especially those who werent exactly near one of the just 110 Swatch Boutiques worldwide. Now, with a new Blancpain Swatch collaboration debuting in a few days, will we see it happen all over again? Or will the partnering brands, strategies, and public reception mean it s entirely different this time around?Mr. Nick Hay...

The new Panerai Navy SEALs collection is the expansion of a collaboration that began in 2022. This time, there are three new limited-edition models and an ultra-limited piece that comes with an experience. Not only do we have more watches to choose from, but the pieces are now available outside of the USA at Panerai boutiques.Last year, the Panerai Navy SEALs collection debuted with a regular-production piece and two limited editions. The PAM01324, produced in a 162-piece run, was a Carbotech Submersible GMT. The PAM01323 was a similar, non-limited 44mm Submersible in stainless steel. Finally, Panerai launched a 20-unit Submersible Chronograph Experience model called the PAM01325 in a massiv...

With the Zandvoort race approaching, I had the opportunity to talk to former F1 World Champion Jenson Button about racing and watches. I am one of those guys who only started watching F1 when Max Verstappen entered the competition in 2015. Before that, I occasionally watched it when my friends or roommates were in front of the television to see Michael Schumacher clinch many Grand Prix victories. While it is often held against me that I only got into F1 due to Verstappen, it has now been nearly eight years that I have followed F1 passionately.F1 ZandvoortI was able to attend last weeks F1 race in Zandvoort thanks to an invitation from . Zandvoort has a race circuit from 1939 that was an offi...

I just watched Band of Brothers and The Pacific again on HBO Max, two very impressive shows of 10 episodes each on World War II in Europe and Asia, respectively. Closer to home is the story of my grandfather, who received a navigator s watch from an American pilot at the end of World War II. Unfortunately, that watch was lost somehow after it broke down and got put in a drawer. My father, however, remembered that it had a light-colored dial.Praesidus A-2 Bud Anderson editionMilitary-spec watchesWatching those series encouraged me to hunt for military watches again. Theres the Dirty Dozen for the RAF, but the US military used A-11 watches, initially produced by Bulova, Elgin, and Waltham. Sup...

Our friends over at Worn & Wound have teamed up with Brew Watch Co. for a second collaboration. This time, the two have come up with an attractive series of chronographs in unique colors. The watches, according to Worn & Wound, are eccentric timepieces for eccentric people. Well, then, I guess you can call me eccentric because they are downright attractive. Lets take a look at the new Brew Worn & Wound Metric Chrono Regulators.The Brew Worn & Wound Metric Chrono RegulatorsThe Brew Worn & Wound Metric Chrono Regulators are a trio of watches in different colors. Limited to 200 pieces per color at US$549 each, these look like fun and joyful takes on a 1970s chronograph...

A standout release in the overly crowded world of watches was the Horage Supersede GMT. The stylish GMT came out about a year ago and certainly caught some attention. And that wasn t just because of its stylish and sporty looks. No, Horage also fitted the Supersede GMT with the great K2 movement, an in-house micro-rotor caliber with fantastic looks and modern-day specifications to match. In the next step for the Supersede line, Horage now introduces the Supersede Date, a three-hander that surely will win a lot of people over. Yes, it really is that good.Horage is one of those brands that I heard about and then would forget about until I saw something on social media or Fratello s own Dave wo...

What do you think, is there a need for more vintage-inspired racing chronographs with accessible price tags? Well, brands like Nezumi Studios and even Seiko think so. With the prolific use of the VK series of hybrid meca-quartz movements, brands are also offering us a chance to appreciate thoughtful design and finishing for less. Im all for it and am still enjoying surfing the retro wave, especially with this Yema Rallygraf Meca-Quartz Alpine Endurance Team piece.Even if I, as a watch writer, see a lot of retro-tastic wristwear, for the average Joe on the street, this might still be a fresh approach and a welcome diversion from his Apple Watch. It seems that wrist computer serves as the gate...

Yes, Fratello On Air is back with another episode where we cover the latest release from Tissot and the highlights from Geneva Watch Days 2023. Of course, we speak about additional topics and watches as well. Oh, and one of your hosts has suffered a recent injury but has still managed to make it to the microphone to bring his voice to the world of watches. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Oof, Balazs took quite a tumble on his bicycle the day before recording and is working through a couple of sets of stitches. His voice is a bit off on account of an upper lip that is several times its normal size. But hey, he s here for ...

We all know the SKX, the Alpinist, and the Turtle, to name just a few of Seiko s most famous models. But what do you get when looking further than those usual suspects? I went out on a little stroll through the more than 20,000 Seiko watches currently listed on Chrono24. And instead of picking out the best examples of vintage Seiko divers, I ll highlight a few of Seiko s watches that don t enjoy as much fame as their peers. Here goes today s Pre-Owned Spotlight.With a long history and a huge global reach, Seiko has manufactured millions of watches over the years. During my stroll, it was surprising to see how many of those watches belonged to the same family. Apart from the famous models I m...

Compare it to how an agitated bull reacts to a red flag. The bright yellow Casio G-Shock GA-B2100C-9A CasiOak sure had a strong effect on me. Yellow is a color that is associated with joy but also with danger. And this new and updated CasiOak, which now features solar power and Bluetooth, evokes both. It made us want to test this G-Shock in challenging conditions. So thats what we did. The result was kind of shocking and maybe not suitable for the faint of heart.The different G-Shock CasiOak models are immensely popular timepieces. I get it. The watches have an interesting shape and colorways I can get behind. To my taste, however, two elements were missing in the collection - solar power an...

There s no doubt about it: the Tissot PRX is the biggest hit for the brand in a long time. After the quartz and automatic 40mm versions and the 35mm quartz models, in June, Tissot released the PRX Powermatic 80 35mm. This is a watch that I know many of you were waiting for, so I went hands-on with several of them to see if they capture the PRX magic.Here, we have four flavors of the PRX Powermatic - black, blue, green, and a new white mother-of-pearl dial. Lets dive in and see if these are the Tissot PRX versions we have been waiting for!Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 35mm specsLets get the spec sheet out of the way first. This is actually quite simple: except for the 5mm size difference, the Tiss...

Here is a tough question for today: do your nice watches make you an unpleasant person? This is tough because it is a highly complicated and culturally dependent subject. But it is also a tough question because we, watch lovers, may not like the answer too much. Sometimes you just have to face the tough questions head-on, so, Fratelli, lets bite the bullet and dive in.For starters, we should split the question in two. One: do other people perceive you differently if you are wearing an expensive watch? And two: does wearing an expensive watch actually change your behavior? As a former consultant in subconscious consumer behavior, this is right up my alley. So lets see what we can uncover.What...

Ah, the simple pleasures in life- a good nights rest, a summer-evening sunset, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning. Somehow, the new Tissot Heritage 1938 Automatic COSC also kind of falls into the Simple Pleasures category. Inspired by Tissot watches from the 1930s, it s a traditional-looking piece that doesnt need all the bells and whistles that watchmakers can come up with to make it attractive. This watch is the equivalent of a black coffee made in a percolator with premium beans you ground yourself. You really dont need a Grande Complication watch or a quad venti white mocha cappuccino to enjoy a good start to your day.I dont know how much a quad venti white mocha cappu...