Wait, phones and football still matter today. Well, it s almost scary how symbolic and practical the Montilier Telefoot watch is today, almost 80 years after it was first introduced in 1946. My mind is genuinely blown!It was about a year ago when I first heard about the Montilier Telefoot. I was in touch with Sebastien Chaulmontet regarding another fascinating chronograph when he dropped a line at the end of an email, saying, If I might suggest a new target for you: the Montilier Telefoot.?You know what happened next…Research and huntThe name was pretty suggestive and intriguing. I read everything that I could find about it. That very same night, I scored an original full-size print ad...
Welcome to the wondrous world of dial typography! Much of the design language of the wristwatches we know and love today was set in the 1930sC1970s. That includes typography. And if you look closely at watches from that era, you soon discover some really quirky features. These features give away how these dials were actually designed and manufactured. Unfortunately, most of these quirks have been lost due to technical advancements, and some of the unique charm of these watches was lost in the process. So I decided to pursue the revival of such typography for VPC. I found a like-minded designer in Samuel Baker, who has performed some true wizardry for me, as you will soon find out.I have allu...
I m all for the serious tool watches and their rugged intent, just as I love the classic, uncluttered lines of a dress watch. I ll wear a diver s watch when snorkeling off the beach, or I ll even feel a more competent explorer on a ramble through the woods with a field watch. But what happens when serious brands stray outside of their comfort zone to give us bright, popping colors or video-game-themed wristwear?As a contrarian, weird dials and design fun equal five stars in my book. I know that bubbly dials or Mario karts racing around a tourbillon cage are unexpected. And yes, they ll have brand-purist collectors pulling their hair out. But I d suggest that they merely add to the allure an...
I don t think I ve ever met a watch enthusiast who doesn t like chronographs with a panda dial. The contrast between the main dial and the sub-dials just makes for a very elegant and easy-to-read look. It s not easy to get the proportions right, though. The size of the case, the dial, the sub-dials, the numerals, and the hands all have to play together in perfect harmony. That s certainly not the case on all of these (vintage-inspired) chronographs. But - spoiler alert - I think the dimensions on this all-new Depancel Legend 60s chronograph are nearly perfect.I ve often toyed with the idea of adding a chronograph with a panda or reverse-panda dial to my collection. I m still torn, though, be...
What better way to mark 175 years of watchmaking in NOMOS s hometown of Glashtte than with a new limited-edition watch? I think upping the number to three watches certainly does the trick. Today, NOMOS introduces a trio of new Orion Neomatik models. This limited run celebrates watchmaking in Glashtte, the German seat of the craft.In stark contrast to the latest NOMOS release - a quartet of Tetras that we covered a few weeks ago - the new Orion Neomatik models opt for a more traditional approach. But there s a good reason behind that choice. This trio of Orions is meant to pay homage to the watchmaking tradition, and it does so through traditional aesthetics. At the same time, the Neomatik ...
A watch as a design object is a tricky concept. As timepieces are highly functional instruments for practical purposes, they should predominantly be comfortable and usable. Having said that, we have seen plenty of brands explore the boundaries of what watches can look like and do. But what if you try to incorporate another art form into this endeavor? The new brand Lebond, based out of Barcelona, operates at the crossroads of watch design and architecture. Lebond s first release is the remarkable Siza. It is named after the legendary 89-year-old Portuguese architect alvaro Siza, who conceptualized this watch by taking inspiration from a pool that he designed in the 1960s. The result is quite...
The calming rhythm of the Pacific Ocean gently lapping at rocks is broken by the harsh cry of seagulls. A young boy is eating ice cream, his father watching in amazement as two freedivers emerge from the swell, carrying extra-long flippers and wearing massive snorkels. The pair look rather like sea monsters until they pull off the snorkels. The young boy immediately loses interest. I glance down at my wrist and see the seconds hand of the Synchron Military Poseidon sweeping around the dial.As this scene unfolds, I am preparing my underwater 35mm film camera. I review my internal checklist - look over the camera for sand and grit that might compromise waterproofness, check the seals and gaske...
Last year, French brand Awake released two NASA-approved timepieces that are part of the Mission To Earth collection. They were called Chapter I and Chapter II. Two months ago, the brand followed up with two new models. The new pieces were introduced as the Time Travelers additions to the Mission To Earth collection, and they stand out thanks to their meteorite dials. I had a chance to go hands-on with all four Mission To Earth models to find the commonalities and differences between the two series and the four different watches - and to find my favorite, of course.The Awake Mission To Earth Chapter I is a watch that I had seen online quite a bit before I actually got to experience the timep...
Are you about to get sucked into one of those shows about a lost artifact? Will it be an episode that plods on until the last minute to inform you that the lost city of X still hasn t been found? Of course not! This is Speedy Tuesday, after all, and we re here for you. Today, though, we thought we d recap some of the Speedmaster mysteries that have been solved since the beginning of this series. (A special thanks to teammate Lex for his participation in our cover shot - he looks as though he s unfurling the Dead Sea Scrolls!)Balazs and I were recently podcasting, and we commented about the Speedmaster mysteries that have been solved since Speedy Tuesday first came to light in 2012. We then r...
Meet the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer models. Today, the brand from Biel releases three new watches, two in steel and one in titanium, with ceramic bezels and dials made through laser ablation. Yes, there was an Aqua Terra Worldtimer with such a dial before, but these three new models add a distinct new aesthetic to the collection.Lets have a closer look at the new Aqua Terra Worldtimer watches and see what makes them special.New Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer modelsThe new Aqua Terra Worldtimer comes in your choice of titanium or stainless steel. Both feature a new brushed and polished ceramic bezel. This not only provides a unique look but great scratch resistance as we...
During our last day in Geneva for Watches and Wonders, a few members of the Fratello crew and I went to the Beau-Rivage. That s where a group of young watch brands had set up camp to show what they had to offer. Brands like Furlan Marri, Baltic, Vulcain, and Nivada Grenchen were there. You might know that those last two brands were brought back to life by Guillaume Laidet. Well, he was also there with one of his most recent projects, Argon Watches. The first watch from the brand, the Argon Spaceone, launched last Thursday on Kickstarter and got funded within minutes. Over the weekend, the counter went up to almost $700,000! Let s see what the fuss is all about.When you see the Argon Spaceone...
Fratello On Air returns with a rip-roaring episode where we ask you, dear listeners, to step away from the hype. There s a lot of it around these days, and it can be overwhelming. We re here to talk about it and have a little fun along the way. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Don t believe the hype! No, this isn t a discussion about Public Enemy. Rather, it s a discussion about watches and some of the brands that have been making their way back into the mainstream. The hype is well orchestrated at times - a little too orchestrated, as we ll see. It doesn t mean that the watches are bad, but are they the second coming? We...
I d happily admit to finding it difficult to choose my favorite watches under $1,000 from this year s bounty. Ill try not to be too personal this time, but thats precisely what is so good about this intensely satisfying pastime. I still get a kick out of lesser-known, budget-priced watches because this game is about personality. Find your style and stick with it; heck, it doesnt even have to make sense. And by that, I mean not going for the safe choices but allowing yourself creative freedom instead. And go with your instincts, man.Always follow your heart - well, except if your heart says to sell your year-old BMW to put down a deposit on a Tourbillon Noir from Hajime Asaoka. That would jus...
Windup Watch Fair - a multi-day, multi-vendor watch event - has come and gone from San Francisco. Organized by our colleagues at Worn & Wound, I attended all three days. In my opinion, it was a huge success. From Friday, April 28th to Sunday the 30th, hundreds of people came, handled watches they d never seen in person before, talked with brand owners and designers, and, of course, bought watches. The weekend was filled with excitement as we met both new watches and people. For me, it reaffirmed the great service that the Windup fair is to the American watch community. It also got me thinking that we need more events like this around the world.I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, not Sa...
The Astron moniker has had a strong association with technological innovations in the world of horology since 1969. Given its impact on the world of mechanical watches in the ensuing years, for some, it may even be a name that brings about angst and sadness. In its current form, however, Seiko uses the Astron line to continue to push forward quartz technology, equipping these watches with the latest feature set. The newest Astron GPS Solar models lean into a familiar design style that we have seen permeate the market in the last several years.Today, I ll guide you through the four latest references in the Seiko Astron GPS Solar collection - the SSJ013, SSJ014, SSJ015, and SSJ017.Irregular oc...
Who would have thought? Hublot and Nespresso teamed up to create the perfect watch to feature in Monday Morning Coffee Corner Watch Talk, the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin. This 42mm chronograph is a limited edition of 200 pieces, and the lightweight alloy used for the case, bezel, pushers, and crown contains 28% aluminum from recycled Nespresso cups. The watch comes in a box made from traceable oak, while the two straps are made from recycled materials and contain a small percentage of coffee grounds. But despite the presence of this ingredient, the straps dont have a coffee aroma. The new green and bright green Big Bang is a second-life luxury product that wont save the planet, but it ca...
There s no doubt that most of us are mainly focused on Swiss(-made) watches. I also quickly scanned a few of the Pre-Owned Spotlight articles we ve done, and most of them highlight Swiss watches as well. So why not go on a little excursion and see what Switzerland s northern neighbors have to offer? There are so many well-respected German brands around, so it shouldn t be too hard to find some nice pre-owned German watches, right?Thomas already went shopping for American watches recently, and I thought it was quite a good idea to focus on a particular country. So I simply made a list of the German brands I knew and started hunting down some gems over at Chrono24. In the end, I had a long lis...
When Cuervo y Sobrinos offered us a chance to check out its new additions to the Buceador collection, I jumped on the opportunity. I really enjoyed wearing the colorful Buceador Caribe in 2021 when we had it in for review. The summery colors and great wearability made the Buceador the perfect testament to the brand s Cuban roots. So when Cuervo y Sobrinos announced three new variations of the watch, I knew it would bring back those great memories of the first Buceador Caribe. Besides offering additional colors, the dive watch now also comes with a new movement and a new mesh bracelet, so there s plenty to check out.The story of Cuervo y Sobrinos resonated with me the first time I read it. As...
Over the past few years, Forstner has rapidly become the go-to name for aftermarket watch bracelets. The brand has become so well established that it s now rolling out third generations of some of its classic offerings. An update to its two former 7-Row predecessors, the new Forstner 9-Row Beads of Rice (BoR) stainless steel bracelet shows us how small changes can go a long way.The minute I got my hands on the bracelet, I knew exactly the watch I would use to test it. You see, these bracelets are fitted with straight end links. This means they should fit on just about any watch with enough space between the lugs and where the spring bar has enough clearance from the case. On a traditionally ...
On the heels of Frederique Constants recently released tourbillon in rose gold come two new limited editions featuring the same complication, this time in steel. Further democratizing what is normally a high-end complication is nothing new for Frederique Constant, and these two pieces may be more compelling than their predecessor.As enthusiasts, we tend to define watch styles largely by the complications or functions associated with them. Dive watches have rotating bezels, pilots watches might have a slide rule or GMT complication, and chronographs provide elapsed time with definitive accuracy. When we think of these types of tool watches, we tend to look for robustness in the case material....
