I am not a mono-brand collector, although sometimes it does seem that way. I have watches from all sorts of brands, but the majority are indeed from one brand - Omega.Although I ve touched upon the topic of Omega and its connection with my family before, I thought I would freshen up a story that I wrote a few years ago.Why do I love Omega?I am often asked why I only buy and wear Omega watches. Well, that s not entirely the case of course. I also own watches from other brands like Oris, Breguet, Nomos, , Hamilton, Seiko, Chronoswiss, Breitling, Swatch, G-Shock, and a bunch of other perhaps lesser-known ones. And in the past, Ive owned IWC, Sinn, Audemars Piguet, Linde Werdelin, and others as ...
The tennis world hosts as many watch enthusiasts as it does brand ambassadors. I recently had the privilege of sitting down for an interview with someone who is both of those things. I m referring to Matthew Ebden, of course. Two-time Grand Slam winner, the Australian most recently gained the title of 2022 Wimbledon doubles champion. In our interview, we delved into both his watch journey and his partnership with Bremont. Our paths first crossed on Instagram, where we connected due to our shared appreciation for the Bremont S302 GMT. Little did I know that this digital connection would eventually lead to an in-person meeting after Matt graciously invited me to attend the ABN Amro Open in Rot...
As people who write about watches, we at Fratello are lucky to have the chance to handle many of them. Sometimes we don t have a special bond with a watch, while others make us wish it was ours from the moment we put it on. For me, Ressence watches come very close to the latter category. I find the brand s way of displaying the time quite fascinating. It s different from what we usually see on most watches, yet it s a very intuitive way of presenting what time it is. I finally got to spend more time with the Ressence Type 1 Round, so let s see what it s like to wear a watch like this for a little longer than just a quick try.In between all the vintage-inspired watches we see hitting the mar...
Another Friday, another Top 5! This week, we ll dive into the world of tennis. With Wimbledon nearing its climax after almost two weeks, we have seen quite a few remarkable watches on the All England Lawn Tennis Club grounds. Many of the world s top players have sponsor deals with watch brands. Some of them are unsurprising, while others are anything but. The -sponsored tournament always has its fair share of watches from The Crown, and we ll mix those with some more exotic pieces. So without further ado, let s look at some of the best of this year s Wimbledon championships.Some of the Fratello team members are really passionate about cycling. Others prefer the even faster world of Formula 1...
You dont need pointing hands or hundreds of tiny gears to show off your horological street cred. This summer, your wristwear flex can play it by numbers and still lap up the compliments. If your impression of digital wristwear is based on Casio and Timex, prepare to have your mind boggled by these digital grails. From slender, weird-angled LED displays to mechanical satellites, the future is yours for the taking.Lets also make a point: digital watches are numeral-based time tellers with no traditional hands. Their displays can range from jump-hour windows to a dark future inhabited by the twisting, rotating satellites of an alien wrist-craft. Playing it by numbers has never been as cool as t...
The whooshing boom of the Pacific Ocean rollers could be heard as Australian pro surfer Matt Cuddihy snorkeled off the coast of Noosa, Queensland. He was picking up surfboard fins, a plastic hazard for marine life when he spotted a watch in the sand. It turned out to be a Submariner ref. 5513.The story of Matt Cuddihys discovery, first covered in depth here on Fratello after he shared an image on his social media, went global. Media outlets worldwide, including major newspapers in Europe, covered the story. Fellow watch publications and journalists chased it, and it eventually made its way into the international press. Finally, artist Bryan Braddy, (@badartnicewatch on Instagram) was even ...
If you re like me, you might think that Christopher Ward created one of the best professional dive watches under $2,000. The C60 Trident Pro 300, which Jorg covered almost a year ago, does come with many bells and whistles. Among many others are a comfortable case, great specs, and a distinct look that makes the C60 Trident Pro 300 unmistakably Christopher Ward. The British brand also has the habit of releasing bronze versions of its bestsellers, offering unique color combinations. In that spirit, Christopher Ward just announced a 42mm bronze ombre version of the C60 Trident Pro 300, a new edition that were going to talk about here. The C60 Trident Pro 300 - the perfect platform for a bronze...
Dear readers, I m going on a rally adventure, and I d like your assistance. I ve shortlisted four watches to pick from, each with pros and some with cons. An Omega and an Oris are my two modern options, while a Seiko and a Gallet are my two vintage candidates. Help me choose one.I turned 40 last week. It was a strange feeling, but I guess anyone who has crossed that bridge can relate. I was surprised at how much I thought about the milestone a few days before it happened. I don t want to go into much detail, but I just want to pinpoint the fact that I didn t think about watches at all. Serious thoughts about how I spent the last ten years and how I want to spend the next ten left no space fo...
Sometimes you need to start very close up to appreciate the big picture. The best way to appreciate a Roger Dubuis watch that comes with the Poin?on de Geneve stamp of approval is by doing just that. The exterior design of the new Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph (DBEX1046) is as loud, bold, and exuberant as you would expect. But even if the polarizing design language of the Meyrin-based brand is too extreme for your liking, the RD780 movement inside the new watch - Roger Dubuis s fifth chronograph caliber and its first with a flyback function - will enchant even the most skeptical watch aficionados.An inside-out approach to looking at watches is only appropriate when dealing with timepi...
As admirers of watches, at times, it seems hard for us not to become judgmental and defensive. But that is not what being a watch aficionado is all about. I would like to argue that it is a trap that can ruin our individual experience and that of others. It is the purism trap, and it is something to avoid. The key, I think, is to be a watch aficionado without being a watch purist. Lets explore this!I think we can reach enlightenment in this watch hobby if we remind ourselves of a few basic principles now and then. In fact, these ideas apply to any hobby. The key is to strive for joy over anything else - especially over being right.Purism is a problemPeople often seem to follow a specific pat...
Welcome to this week s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we offer you, our dear Fratelli, a public service announcement: get your watches tested for water resistance before jumping into the pool/sea/ocean this summer!This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Inspired by one of Lex s recent experiences, which serves as a cautionary tale, the guys keep it brief with summertime PSA. The moral of the story? Please don t risk the repair; get your watch tested before you get it wet! Morgan, Lex, and Nacho offer tips and advice on where and how to get this done. They also exchange some anecdotes about their experience with water-adjacent...
Today, we have news of the TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper, a watch that many of us did not see coming. The watch takes its cues from an ultra-rare 1968 Heuer model of the same name that sets the vintage world abuzz whenever one comes to auction. Consequently, creating a serial-production model inspired by an almost-mythical historical piece was a real surprise indeed. Let s assess whether TAG has met the mark or not.TAG Heuer, by virtue of its association with Heuer, boasts one of the more legendary back catalogs of any brand. While the bulk of the old-time racing chronographs may not inspire discussions about precision watchmaking, they resonate on a very different and perhaps more important lev...
Just in time for your summer holidays, we re excited to announce the Fratello Aquastar Deepstar II Pink Salmon Limited Edition. Our second collaboration with Aquastar will be available in the Fratello Shop for pre-order from July 19th at 16:00 CEST until July 26th at 16:00 CEST. We ve paired another beautiful and unusual colored dial with this fantastic design, and we re confident that you ll love wearing it!I m thrilled to announce that, once again, we ve teamed up with Aquastar to create a jaw-droppingly gorgeous watch. The Fratello Aquastar Deepstar II Pink Salmon Limited Edition is a watch that will appeal to a wide audience. As you ll see in videos and photos, the dial is a chameleo...
I must admit that I missed the introduction of Christopher Ward s Dune collection. It wasn t until I read Vincent s article about it here on Fratello that I got a glimpse of what is essentially my favorite Christopher Ward line. Vincent had a chance to check out the black-dial Automatic and GMT and a bronze COSC version of the Automatic. But there was more to the story. The standout piece of the Dune collection that truly celebrates the sandy colors is the C65 Automatic with a beige dial. As it turns out, it is a stellar and affordable daily wearer. Oh, and I got a taste of the Dune GMT too - a taste that I can t enough of.This story simply started with a color scheme. I have a huge soft spo...
The new Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase ($3,300) confidently sways into the room and immediately has all eyes glued to it. With its svelte, silvery dial adorned with subtle minute markers in between sharp, applied indices, a traditional moonphase display, and elegant, crisp lugs, it is quite a head-turner indeed. First impressions never lie, they say. Still, once you see the watch up close, you will find out that the classic face of the watch is paired with an athletic body.The face of the new Longines Flagship Heritage Moonphase is one of timeless beauty. Just look at the shimmering silver-white dial, the large dauphine hands that are silvered, polished, and filled with Super-LumiNova,...
The G-Shock Master of G collection is a favorite in the Fratello offices. Something about this series of ultra-functional G-Shocks makes it super impressive. These watches were created to withstand the most extreme conditions on land, in the air, or at sea while offering you an impressive set of functions. The G-Shock Mudman is part of the On The Land series that also features the Rangeman. But for the latest G-Shock Mudman watches, the designers went back to the drawing board and came up with something entirely new. We had a chance to check out the modern Mudman range, and it feels as competent as ever.Straight out of the box, the new Mudman watches look completely different from their pred...
Does the term Dot Over Ninety (DON) bezel ring a bell? When it comes to collecting or buying Omega Speedmaster watches, it s all in the details. After bringing back the beloved DON bezel on the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Ultraman in 2018, Omega started doing so more often. The Apollo 11 models from 2019 also have this feature, as do the 2020 Silver Snoopy Award 50th Anniversary and the Speedmaster Calibre 321. Then, in 2021, the standard Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch also received the DON bezel. There s also the very rare 220 misprint bezel, which you can find on some of the Speedmaster Professional ref. 145.022-69 models from 1970. And these are just the tip of the iceberg when it come...
The brand-new Uruga collection from Japanese watchmaker Minase presents an intriguing array of 42mm and 31mm options. Uruga is an acronym of the Japanese words uruwashii and () and miyabi (, also read as ga), which mean beauty and elegance. First impressions indicate that the brand is delivering on both principles.?Minase Uruga - an interesting case structureJapanese watchmaker Minase is no stranger to us here at Fratello. We collaborated with the brand on the Fratello Minase M-3 Very Peri. Now Minase is introducing a new series of watches under the Uruga collection in both 42mm and 31mm case sizes. Each offers the choice of a steel bracelet, a leather strap, and several dial colors fo...
We all know that Seiko releases an astounding number of watches every year. Because of that, it s hard to remember all or even most of them. But every year, we get at least one marvelous standout that will find its place in your memory. This year, we have already seen the SJE093 (a 38mm remake of the 62MAS), the third Rowing Blazers collection, the Prospex SPB381, SPB383, and SPB385 GMT dive watches, and the higher-end King Seiko SJE089 and SJE091. Staying on the higher end of things is the new Seiko Prospex SLA073. This new version of the 1968 Diver s Modern Re-interpretation combines some serious cave-diving-inspired style and an upgraded movement for impressive results.When it comes to Se...
Around this time last year, Zodiac released several watches that could contend for Summer Watch of 2022. Whether it was the white-and-blue-bezel Super Sea Wolf or the titanium Super Sea Wolf Professional, the watches used splashes (not just pops) of color to lean into a fun summer vibe. This year, Zodiac is at it again. The brand is utilizing a ceramic outer case to go with the bright colors, resulting in three watches that scream summer holiday! Here are the new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ceramic models, featuring fresh white cases and familiar, summer-ready colorways.Flashy and splashyLast year, Zodiac debuted its first use of ceramic in a watch case with the blacked-out ZO9595. The black case ...
