It s another week, and Fratello Talks is back! This episode is all about and, specifically, about the Crown s uncanny ability to always come out on top. RJ and Lex join Nacho to discuss s inability to lose, make mistakes, or create a bad watch. But wait, is that actually the case? Sure, tops most lists out there in terms of popularity, sales, and iconicity of its watches, but surely not all that glitters is gold. Sometimes that glitter you see from a distance is a Cellini when you get up close! All jokes aside, join the guys for a discussion on the brand s perceived invincibility and a look at why this is the case. But before that, let s take a look at what s on the wrist.This video is bl...
In the world of heritage luxury, few names resonate with as much gravitas as Chanel. This year, the independent brand s watch division Chanel Horlogerie, a Swiss-based creative manufacture in its own right, unveils a pair of unique pieces for Only Watch 2023 - the Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa duo.The Mademoiselle J12 La Pausa is a summer version of the J12 in a limited edition featuring a graphical figurine of the late Coco Chanel. For Only Watch 2023, Chanel has created a pair of black and white unique editions. Each don a bezel encrusted with color-matched diamonds, rendering each version one of a kind. Further distinguishing this duo are the glossy cases and bracelets in highly resistant cer...
I guess it s finally my turn to talk sub-$3,000 picks! Don t get it twisted; I m glad I didn t have to go first. It s never easy to narrow down these picks, so having time can only be an advantage. And this list took me way longer than I expected. The process involved a lot of disappointment. Many of the watches I thought sat comfortably below $3K actually turned out to be more expensive. That s what happens with watches. You turn your back to them for a few months, and before you know it, the price has changed completely. However, I managed to narrow it down to just three under three. These are my picks for the best current watches under $3,000 plus one pre-owned pick at the same price poin...
The three new Grand Seiko Heritage Collection 44GS USA exclusives look sharper than any Grand Seiko watch has before. The 44GS case is already edgy, but the dials of the new watches make them look as sharp as a Japanese sword. The black SBGA489, dark green SBGA491, and deep red SBGA493 were made with the katana as a source of inspiration. The world-famous Japanese blade is the expression of exquisite craftsmanship but also of a sublime metal that has a very special allure.Crafting a katana is no mean feat. Its an ancient craft that can now be seen as an art form. Yes, a katana made by a master swordsmith is still a formidably sharp weapon, but the days of the samurai are long gone. Therefore...
Remember the first Omega Planet Ocean from 2005? I will never forget it because the orange bezel blew me away. Orange is a complementary color to blue, meaning it is the most visible color in a blue environment. That makes sense for a functional and instrumental dive watch, right? The Planet Ocean has come a long way since then. Take the Planet Ocean 600M in its 39.5mm brown ceramic case, for instance. And you don t just get a brown ceramic case, oh no. You also get a brown ceramic dial and shiny touches of Ceragold and Sedna gold. That color combination sounds a bit like an Omega Michael Kors collaboration, doesnt it? Lets find out how it works and feels on the wrist.Now and then, Omega c...
French brand Yema is on a roll, knocking out new timepieces every week, it seems. The Urban Traveler, Urban Field, and Superman 500 Dato are just some of the models that were released in the last few months. Last week, Yema announced its new Sous Marine line. It s a colorful collection of contemporary divers with a nice injection of vintage style. Overall, this new collection could be a new hit for Yema. I had a chance to go hands-on and get a feel for the new timepieces.As some of you know, I have a great soft spot for Yema. There is something about the style of the watches that I really like. On top of that, the brand has plenty of history, resulting in great stories from the past and watc...
While I m not necessarily a big motorsport fan, the Casio Edifice line of watches is always intriguing. The Japanese brand has made the world of racing the focal point of a significant branch of the brand s watches. The majority of the crossover is made visible by the design elements that Casio uses for said models. As a big design fan, seeing how design spreads from one product category to another is always interesting. This is why I m always curious to learn more about Casio s Edifice line. The latest addition to the brand s lineup is the Edifice Windflow ECB-2200P-1A. The Windflow models are inspired by the wind flow around race cars. It has inspired the designers to integrate some remark...
In early 2021, Omega introduced the current Speedmaster Professional model in stainless steel. Although I was able to resist my urge to buy one at first, I pulled the trigger in August 2021 and added a fresh, new Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 310.30.42.50.01.001 - the standard version with a stainless steel bracelet and Hesalite (acrylic) crystal - to my collection.How good is the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 310.30.42.50.01.001?In this article, I will share my thoughts on the current Moonwatch and whether I am still as enthusiastic as I was two years ago during the introduction. You might want to read this article if you are looking for a side-by-side comparison between the...
You know what they say: money can t buy happiness. But could money perhaps buy the promise of it? Well, I m no psychologist, but I can tell you that, for $245, Mr Jones Watches and designer Fanny Shorter give it their best shot! Today s review subject is a watch with a jumping-hour complication, a multilayered face, and a painted tiger with scrolling minutes in its stripes. To me, that sounded amusing at the very least, and after two weeks with the watch, I d love to share my experience. This is The Promise of Happiness from Mr Jones Watches.The opportunity to review this piece came after I wrote my take on the best summer watches. In it, I featured A perfectly useless afternoon, a fan-favor...
Both Mike and I are busy this week. Plus, I need to prepare for Geneva Watch Days. Don t worry; next week, we will be back and talk about the year s second most anticipated watch show. But until then, here s a special episode that I recorded a few weeks back with our podcast buddy. Mike and I have been featured on the Spirit Of Time Podcast, so it was time to return the favor.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Matt, one half of Spirit of Time, was gracious enough to get up early and record the episode. Matt and Gregg (the other SoT resident) hail from Southern California, so the nine-hour time difference was an issue, but w...
Sometimes things don t go as you planned. And that doesn t necessarily have to be a bad thing. For example, every summer, I spend about a month and a half in Spain with my wife s family. It s always difficult to select a trio of watches and leave the rest at home. However, this year, it looks like I should ve just brought only one watch with me, my Explorer ref. 114270. It simply turns out to be my perfect summertime companion.I also brought my Seiko SPB317, which I wore non-stop last summer, and my Serica 5303-3, both with a bunch of strap options. And although those are two great options for the summer months, it just looks like I can t be bothered to take them out of the watch roll. My E...
I know we are among friends here on Fratello, so this is a safe space. And since we are safe here, perhaps it is time to admit that we watch people are an odd bunch. We display some behaviors that non-watch people may struggle to understand. And unless your partner is a watch geek too, you probably know what I mean by that look. My dear Fratelli, we have to talk-I am not going to tell you to change. On the contrary, I love our collective oddness. Consider this some lighthearted self-reflection to arm ourselves against the cold outside world of non-watch people. They just dont get it, Fratelli, always remember that. Its them, not us.Watch people sharing #WOMWThis is one for the watch people o...
Our friends at Monochrome have teamed up with Armin Strom for their third Montre de Souscription limited edition. The result is a unique new version of Armin Stroms Gravity Equal Force watch. In keeping with the online watch magazines name, the new version comes in a gray color scheme. It is monochromatic but with the added warmth of maillechort, also known as German silver. Lets have a closer look.This new Monostrom, as I like to call it, is limited to 33 pieces. They follow the souscription model, where you make an upfront payment to get a production slot. To get your hands on one, visit the Monochrome shop on September 7th at 3:00 PM CEST.Armin Strom Gravity Equal ForceThe Armin Strom GEF...
The Scottish brand anOrdain has garnered significant attention here on Fratello. The brands craftsmanship and striking enamel dials provide a unique and somewhat-bespoke approach to watchmaking in their price tier. I ve been particularly interested in anOrdain throughout its development, mainly because of its beautiful enamel dials and relative transparency around the processes behind its watch builds. I would love to pick up a Model 2 from the brand s collection someday. For now, though, let s leave the watch-related daydreaming aside; there s other news to attend to, and it concerns Paulin Watches!It seems fair to say that anOrdain has built success upon success with its striking releases,...
Do you have any idea how long Ive been listening to our photographer Morgan telling me how badly he wanted a Tudor Pelagos FXD? Ever since he started with Fratello back in March. Yes, he desperately wanted to be part of the winning team. I am, of course, referring to the fact that the titanium dive watch, with its crisp blue dial and fixed lugs, won last years Fratello Summer Splash. Anyway, not too long ago, he managed to acquire the dive watch of his dreams, and ever since, Ive been looking at a very happy Frenchman. I decided to snatch the Pelagos off his wrist and see if the watch was also able to ignite a spark in my heart.I have a couple of very rational arguments for why I like the Tu...
One of the best parts of this hobby is the stories that watches have lived through and experienced. They result in battle scars (in this case, literally) and a fascinating window to history that these time-telling objects can provide. I recently sat down with a young Australian enthusiast who had accidentally come across a World War II watch that served in one of the war s most significant battles.A World War II discovered inside an old boxOliver Mann, 20, has been into watches since he was 13. His dad had been saving a small fund for him to access when he turned 13. In the first week as a teenager, he used that money to buy a box of vintage watches in Queensland, Australia. I remember buy...
I still enjoy and possess mostly sub-$3K watches. Sure, I have way too many in my watch box, but I am such a vain man that I need choices. So this is my market, and I know it. Consider these my fave and, frankly, the best watches under $3,000 at the moment. Now I just have to be careful not to find more watches for myself as Im seriously trying to consolidate my stash.Of the other editors takes on the subject, I just read Thomas s article while nodding my head to his astute choices. That includes the Doxa Sub 300, one that I sold and miss dearly, but never mind. Here is my take on a sports watch, a dressy piece from a fan-favorite brand, and a watch that seems to come from another planet. I...
With Wimbledon several weeks behind us, the tennis world has moved on from the majestic grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis Club in London. The tour will focus mainly on the North American hard courts in the upcoming weeks. It s all in the build-up to the US Open that will start on the 28th of August. With as the timekeeper and sponsor of quite a few players, it will be an interesting fortnight for spotting. But Wimbledon showed us that there is still only one king of tennis - Roger Federer. With the retirement of Federer almost a year ago, the new faces of tennis might be taking over. But will they ever be a better combination than Federer and ?Wimbledon this year was fascinating....
Are you ready for an epic edition of our famous Sunday Morning Showdown? We sure hope so because today s battle promises to start up a heated debate in the comments section. We decided to put the Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, two all-time classics, up against each other - no specific references, just the model ranges in general. As a former owner of a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, Daan will defend Blancpain s side, and Thomas will be in the corner. Let s get ready to rumble!If you need a little bit of background on both contenders, please check out our updated historical overview of the Submariner, which was originally written by Gisbert L. Brunner. For the Blancpain ...
Auction house Lyon & Turnbull presents an exciting auction for British watchmakers. In partnership with the Scottish Watches podcast and website, the auction offers one-of-a-kind British wristwatches to go under the hammer from August 16C23, 2023. The EveryWatch winning bids go towards the Maggies Centres charity, which funds free support for cancer patients and their families across the UK. You can see the watches in person at Lyon & Turnbulls Glasgow Gallery, 182 Bath Street, on Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd.Nine watch brands are participating in the auction, each with a piece unique based on its most identifiable model. From the lots below, you can see a strong focus on vib...
