Rado is one of those brands that I deeply respect, one that manages to offer a recognizable language and considerable diversity. On one hand, the Swiss brand offers its signature sleek ceramics in dark shades, but Rado also has its fingers firmly on the retro pulse with the Diastar and color-popping Captain Cook range. This time, we are invited into a world of fascinating movement and dial architecture laid bare with the new Rado True Square Automatic Skeleton.Since its early days in 1917, founded as Schlup & Co. in Lengnau, Switzerland, Rado has been an innovator rather than a follower, and it shows in its broad range. We wouldnt have the fashion-forward ceramics of Hublot or even Richa...
Another Friday, another Top 5! In this series, we take one classic watch and choose our five favorite references ever produced. Four of these references will be based on the historical importance of the specific watch in the grand scheme of things. Though there may be some overlap, its not a question of which references are the most collectible or of the highest value on the market. The fifth pick is our Fratello favorite that considers the current market price and collectability, potentially making it a sleeper reference. As such, the last pick could be described as our wild card. This week, we ll look at the IWC Ingenieur s history. What came before Genta s Ingenieur, and what came after? ...
Hi, my name is Vincent, and I am weirdly obsessed with GMT watches. So much so, in fact, that I wanted to write a two-part guide on 16 GMTs from independent/microbrands. As you certainly noticed, GMTs are the thing, the must-see show in town, the latest and greatest trend. This is true for both larger Swiss and Japanese brands as well as the smaller, younger ones that you may or may not have heard of. Theres a lot to choose from in terms of prices, styles, and even colors. There is a GMT for (almost) everyone and every budget. And this is because Seiko and Miyota released affordable yet capable GMT movements last year. My dream of owning a good, reasonably priced GMT has finally come true, a...
Since we here at Fratello love watches and collect them ourselves, we also like attending get-togethers (or GTGs) and discussing them. Doing so often leads to interesting discussions about watches and insights into why people chose certain ones. It s like a live comments section but with drinks and bites (yes, you can also have those while participating in the comments section). For this article, Joey Spreeuwenberg submitted a review of his A. Lange & S?hne Lange 1 Moon Phase ref. 192.029. Nothing less than a dream watch for him, this Lange 1 has also proven to be a GTG darling.A. Lange & S?hne Lange 1 Moon Phase ref. 192.029A timepiece that originates from a classic conception but f...
Handling the new Vacheron Constantin Overseas Moonphase Retrograde Date during Watches and Wonders 2023 got me thinking. I started pondering a guideline for customers who try to navigate the most erratic and emotional segment, the high-end integrated-bracelet sports watch. Prices of these watches have rapidly risen sky-high, but have their specifications done the same? When you pay more than $10K for a watch, you should get some measurable Haute Horlogerie value back, such as top-of-the-line finishing, an in-house movement, and also slimness. Its the last one that I will be focusing on today. The most measurable of factors allowed me to formulate a simple yet iron rule that applies to the hi...
Last week, we introduced our latest watch collaboration. For me, it s one of the most exciting as it s been such a long time coming. As we ve said before, such projects take time to come together. Still, this one has been in the pipeline for quite a while, and I m immensely proud to introduce the Fratello Straum Jan Mayen Limited Edition, available to pre-order now in the Fratello Shop! Over 12 months in the making, this watch is a labor of love and passion for the intrepid adventurers at Straum and the Fratello team.After we were big fans and supporters of their initial release in 2021, Lasse and ?ystein were receptive to working with Fratello on their follow-up release. The Fratello St...
The Baltic Aquascaphe is the French brand s popular dive watch that has won the hearts of many watch enthusiasts. If you ever make a shortlist of stylish, affordable dive watches, the chances are high that this will be on it. I love the looks of this retro-inspired diver a lot, and we have seen multiple executions of the watch. Among them were two bronze versions that debuted three years ago. Now Baltic decided to change things up and create a new bronze execution. The Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Marron introduces a brown dial and combines it with a black sapphire bezel insert to create a stylish new look for the Aquascaphe.Much to my shame, I must admit that I had kind of forgotten about the b...
I can easily find ten reasons why this Wyler watch could fetch up to $3,000. Do you know what the best part is? If you are lucky enough, you can find it in the wild for about a tenth of that price. That s because only a few collectors care. Let s look into it a bit more.I don t like talking about the monetary value of watches because I don t believe that s what our hobby should be about. Well, here I am, talking about the value anyway. I am thinking now about how I got there. The reason is that I have been wearing this Wyler watch for the last few days and it got under my skin. I realized how different it is from anything standard that I usually wear.I carried this Wyler in my mind for the l...
Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Frederique Constant remains among the youngest Swiss Manufactures. In its short history, however, the brand has become known for innovation. Offering in-house calibers and complications, Frederique Constant is constantly on our lips as a brand that offers considerable value and compelling packages. In celebration of 35 years, the folks behind FC have really outdone themselves, launching the Classic Tourbillon Manufacture!Rich historyFrederique Constant has much to celebrate in 2023. Not only is the brand in its 35th year, but 2023 also marks the first year it has exhibited at Watches and Wonders. During its relatively short history, Frederique Constant has d...
French small brands are slightly different, with sartorial nous and that certain je ne sais quoi. That almost-cliche term meaning I dont know what, or indefinability, is something I appreciate even more in our world of sameness. Sure, Charlie Paris does have some retro but modern Explorer-esque watches, like the knockout value-for-money 38mm Concordia. But the new Alliance is different and plays its sporty but dressy hand like a pro. Going hands-on with the Charlie Paris Alliance Moon Phase unexpectedly made me change my mind about moonphase complications.I ve known Charlie Paris s founder Adrien Sangle-Ferre for a few years, and the brand itself is now almost 10 years old. This shows on its...
Cartier s Prive collection is all about reimagining the classics of the past while focusing both on adapting them to current times and using mechanical movements. In recent years, the French maison already introduced re-editions of some of its most iconic watches. The majority of them are Tanks, like the Asymetrique, the Cintree, and last year s Chinoise. This year, it was time for the Tank Normale to make its reappearance, and boy, did Cartier deliver!The Tank Louis Cartier?and the Must derivative might actually be the better-known Tanks by now. Those are the models with the more rounded lugs and sides. Many different versions, colors, and even solar-powered models have been launched. But i...
Lex, Daan, and RJ discuss the watches that impressed them the most at Watches And Wonders as well as those that failed to spark their enthusiasm. They discuss the titanium Yacht-Master 42 in detail, first because it is very cool (according to Lex) but also very far away from previous Yacht-Masters (according to RJ). Here are the hits and misses from the Watches And Wonders 2023 edition!This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Wrist checkDuring this podcast, Lex is wearing the Timor Heritage Field ATP. He covered the watch in this article and explained its strong connection to the military pieces commissioned in 1939 by the Briti...
Do you ever think about oxygen? The chances are you dont really. I mean, under normal circumstances, you breathe the stuff subconsciously and automatically, and thats it. But when youre ascending the highest mountains on earth, oxygen is definitely on your mind. Or rather, the lack of it. The now-retired famous climber Reinhold Messner and the man who followed in his footsteps, Nimsdai Purja, managed to climb the worlds highest peaks without supplementary oxygen - something they thought long and hard about beforehand. Two new Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen watches in the 2023 collection also do without oxygen. And that is not just for show.During Watches and Wonders 2023, two new Montblan...
How much further can watch prices rise before buyers walk away? This years Watches and Wonders confirmed an ongoing development: watch brands are increasing their prices at an accelerating pace. On the one hand, it makes sense because sales in numbers seem unaffected, so the brands just take home a larger chunk of the market value of their watches. On the other hand, aficionados are turning away already. Could that be a sign of impending doom?Watches and Wonders 2023 saw the introduction of many desirable watches. Many, however, left us in shock about the accompanying price tags. Time to have a look at what is happening to watch prices and what it may imply for the future.Some recent watch p...
Two weeks have passed since Watches and Wonders 2023. And now we enter the territory where only the most remarkable of watches remain top of mind. Of course, these will vary from person to person. But for me, it s namely two novelties in the Tudor Black Bay line that occupy that spot. In a digital age when we re all thrust into a fast-paced news cycle and serotonin-chasing scroll frenzy on social media, it s worth noting those things that do manage to cling to our rapidly degenerating short-term memories. But before these thoughts slide into oblivion to be replaced by funny animal videos, flexy semi-nude influencers, and an incessant stream of wrist shots, I thought I d try to get them down ...
Fifty-three years ago, on April 11th, 1970, the Apollo 13 crew set course to the Moon. What NASA astronauts James Lovell (Commander), Jack Swigert (Command Module pilot), and Fred Haise (Lunar Module Pilot) couldn t have known was that a major problem would occur just two days later. The Omega Speedmaster Professional played a vital role in the crew s safe return and has led to the highest award NASA can give to staff and contractors, the Silver Snoopy Award.A Speedmaster Professional 105.012, similar to the one that the Apollo 13 crew used.Apollo 13 and the Omega SpeedmasterAll three astronauts were wearing their Omega Speedmaster Professional 105.012 watches, supplied by them to NASA. It w...
It had been a while since I last reviewed two Beaubleu watches, but then the brand contacted me to review a new timepiece. When I was asked to review the Parisian brand s Vitruve Date Steel, I was intrigued by its looks. The characteristic overall style of the Beaubleu case with the round hands stands out immediately. But for the Vitruve Date Steel, the brand combined it with a monochromatic steel look. A special dial and a mesh bracelet boost the design s modernity and sporty character. That s why I jumped on the chance to find out more.It s been almost three years since I reviewed two pieces from Beaubleu s Union collection. Back in 2020, it was my introduction to this microbrand from Pari...
The Daytona has never really been on my radar. It s a very nice watch, of course, and it might be one of the best chronographs out there. But the fact that it s so unobtainable has simply made me lose interest. So I ll admit that I had to look a few times before I saw the differences between the newest ones and the outgoing versions. They re certainly there, though, and if I had to describe the revised designs in one word, I d say skinnier.That mainly says something about the case, bezel, and dial design. There s also a new movement, however, we re not sure if it s slimmer than the previous one. Let s take a closer look at what s new for the 2023 lineup of the Daytona.Small changes, big im...
A few weeks ago, Vulcain presented its latest and greatest, the Chronograph 1970 s. A re-edition of a model from the past, this watch is a classic gem reborn. It has all the attributes that vintage fans love - a round case, pump pushers, 3-9 chronograph sub-dials, and five variations to choose from. The question is: can the Vulcain Chronograph 1970 s be viewed as a modern piece? Well, I m not the right person to answer that, but Ill still give my best shot in this article.Yes, I am a vintage guy at heart, and I can appreciate the watch from this perspective. It would be silly of us to think that in 2023 a brand like Vulcain is aiming for this niche group. The timepieces must meet modern stan...
With a decades-long track record of chromatic creations, Zodiac has never been afraid to go bold with colors in its watches. Today, the brand introduced the new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Skeleton 6-15 Dive Watch, which offers more than a nod to its most brightly liveried predecessors. But it s not only about color. If you manage to wrestle your eyes away from the Super Chroma K1 crystal bezel, you might notice that this Super Sea Wolf features a new skeletonized movement. This is a first for the brand and part of a methodical and prideful flexing of its watchmaking muscles. Think of it as a small taste of what the brand s movement manufacturer STP has up its sleeve for the future.Now, here at Fr...
