Alpina s tough Alpiner Extreme Regulator Automatic was introduced in late 2022. The first piece of the Alpina Alpiner Extreme collection was inspired by the brand s flagship model from 2005. A couple of months later, the Alpiner Extreme Automatic followed.? The collection consists of a line of tough watches that are attractive and competitively priced. For 2023, Alpina is choosing to further expand the collection by introducing an integrated bracelet. It s a smart and logical move that will make the Alpiner Extreme collection more attractive to a wider audience. The new Alpiner Extreme Automatic on a bracelet comes with two new dial colors. The Alpiner Extreme Regulator Automatic sees one ne...

The intricate nature of the Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 charmed me the day it was released and was one of the first subjects of my now-defunct YouTube channel Wristwatchism. It was actually the first time I had a $10,000 watch as a house guest for a weekend, and it made an indelible impression on me. Chopard has made the Alpine Eagle one of its most successful ranges in recent years, and the new XPS is a sleeker, even more distinct take on the 80s-inspired sports watch.We can start by dissecting the term sports watch, as this is a richly endowed take on the genre and a distinct blend of formality and tough steel. Steel, I might add, that has an indefinable sheen and is somehow more lustrous than...

It s the Fratello Show with our very special guest star!?It s time to play the music / It s time to light the lights / It s time to meet this Oris on the Fratello Show tonight.Oris ProPilot X KermitIf you recognize the line above, you will enjoy the video that Lex recorded with none other than Kermit the Frog. Both of them will be presenting the new Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition to you. It s a funky green-dialed ProPilot X that shows the friendliest Muppet on the first day of every month.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings You can watch the video with Kermit above or on our YouTube channel (here). All details of the Oris ProPilot X...

Dont get me wrong, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute models are great. Whats even more fascinating, though, is that Jaeger-LeCoultre shares with us the secret of the watchs attraction. Maybe if youre part of the Watch Illuminati you already know this, but for those who arent inside the inner circle, the secret of the Reversos eternal attraction is the Golden Ratio. This year, the brand from Le Sentier celebrates the mystical number 1.618, thats represented by the letter (Phi). How does JLC celebrate that? By introducing, among others, three Reverso variations that were created with the Divine Proportion in mind - the captivating Tribute Chronograph, the effortlessly chic Tribute Sma...

I believe it is safe to say that Parmigiani is on a bit of a roll lately. The brand has hit one home run after another under the guidance of CEO Guido Terreni. Now Parmigiani adds another series of new watches to its Tonda PF collection for 2023. If you are a fan of integrated-bracelet sports watches as well as Haute Horlogerie, stay tuned. This might be for you!This new Parmigiani drop includes a rattrapante GMT, a tourbillon, a micro-rotor automatic in platinum, a minute rattrapante, a three-piece set of calendars, and a split-second chronograph. Lets get into it!Tonda PF Minute RattrapanteLets kick things off with something unique and innovative. The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Ra...

I have always had a soft spot for the Bell & Ross BR03. The owner of a design agency that I previously worked for owned a stainless steel BR03-92. I always loved the look of the square watch with its ultra-recognizable dial design. In the years since its introduction, it has become a design statement that many people love, and over time, Bell & Ross has expanded the collection tremendously with many different iterations. The two newest BR03 releases are a bronze diver with a white dial and a blue GMT version. These two new pieces show the versatility of the BR03 design perfectly.Before we jump into the new releases, I want to say that it s great to see how far that BR03 design can be...

Let me be clear: this new watch isnt for everybody. The old version, however, was for way fewer people. Yes, the ProPilot Altimeter was a technical gem, but with its 47mm steel case, it was also a very hefty watch. It took not only a large wrist to wear it but also considerable arm strength. Oris has solved part of the problem. What the brand from the Swiss town of H?lstein did was replace the heavy steel case with one in carbon fiber - a very innovative type of carbon fiber. Yes, the oversized diameter stayed the same, but the new ProPilot Altimeter is now 1mm slimmer and way lighter. And the change in case material also resulted in a very technical and stealthy look, which is just what you...

I m not sure if the Aquaracer Professional 200 is the ultimate luxury tool watch for explorers (as TAG Heuer says it is), but six newly introduced models undoubtedly add to the luxury part of that premise. Until now, the Aquaracer Professional 200 was available in stainless steel only. That s very suitable for a tool watch but not very luxurious. TAG Heuer now takes care of that by adding gold to the series.TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200Let me start with the heavy hitters, a pair of solid 18K gold TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 watches powered by the new exclusive Calibre TH31-00. I ll get back to how excellent these new watches and their beautiful dials are, but I first want to ...

A year after the release of the Une Folle Journee collection, Trilobe adds the brand-new Dune version. Trilobe makes a small change with big results for an all-around rather spectacular watch.Une folle journee is French for a crazy day, and this is quite applicable here. It is not often that you run into a day displayed in three elevated circles, but that is what you get here. Lets have a closer look!Excuse me, what time is it?My natural tendency when I get this question is to stick out my watch toward the person asking. I seem happy to dislocate my shoulder, elbow, and wrist to provide a readable angle. I am not sure why I do this rather than just tell the person what time it is. But this i...

The Hermes H08 is a watch that breaks away from the typical style of the French fashion maison. Upon its introduction at Watches and Wonders in 2021, it was already clear that Hermes wanted to create something a lot more sporty. But that certainly doesn t mean that the H08 isn t as original or good-looking as the more classic watches in the collection. And now the designers dared to take the sportiness to yet another level. At this year s Watches and Wonders, the brand is introducing an H08 with a case made of a light and sturdy glass fiber composite.Back in 2021, Lex highlighted the sporty character of the Hermes H08. But he also mentioned how it s still very recognizable as an Hermes desig...

The Sky-Dweller was first introduced in 2012, and the annual calendar has grown in popularity among collectors. It s a large watch with complications, so it appeals to more than the normal buyer. This year, we have new color combinations and an update to the movement.It s hard to believe that the Sky-Dweller has been with us for over 10 years! Since that time, it has received its fair share of new dial colors along with versions using the Oysterflex bracelet. It has also been available in Rolesor (steel with a gold bezel) and in three shades of 18K gold. The 9001 automatic caliber with an annual calendar and multiple time zones has remained the same, though. This year, there are new dials...

Every year, Cartier adds a model to the Prive collection. This time around, we have the addition of the Tank Normale. No less than seven versions of the other Tank shape are being introduced, only in gold and platinum. These lofty Tanks, then, are anything but normale. Lets have a look at these 2023 Cartier Prive releases.I say that other Cartier Tank, but in reality, I should probably say the original Tank. This is a notion worth exploring in a little more detail.A tiny nugget of Cartier Tank Normale historyI do not want to regurgitate the entire genesis story of the Cartier Tank here. I am sure you know how the first Tank was released in 1917 and inspired by a Renault FT-17 tank. You are h...

This episode of Fratello On Air was recorded on the eve of Watches and Wonders. We talk about a couple of the newest releases before turning to our main topic. We choose an accessory, an article of clothing, and a watch for each other. After so many years and countless episodes, can we get it right? This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Yep, we re picking watches for each other along with an accessory and a piece of clothing. First, though, we hit upon some of the releases at Watches and Wonders. The new IWC Ingenieur, the TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox, and even the Biver debut pieces make our discussion.Handgelenks KontrolleBefo...

It s been 12 months since Vacheron Constantin took over Watches and Wonders 2022 with the return of its brilliant 222. For 2023, the brand focuses on a theme that it has excelled at in the past - retrograde watches. Timepieces in this category are often an acquired taste as they forgo the usual watch layouts we have come to know today. But the retrograde-style watch is a traditional one with a certain magical quality to it. Vacheron Constantin has released three retrograde models from three collections to emphasize this. Let s find out more.It s easy to say that Vacheron Constantin has expertise in creating retrograde watches. Because of its rich history and tradition, the Plan-les-Ouates br...

Can A. Lange & S?hne successfully meld its standout Odysseus sports watch with its technical chronograph wizardry? Thinking about a chronograph version of the Odysseus made me hesitate for a second. I love the regular Odysseus so much that adding a chronograph function to it just didn t seem right. But on second thought, it only makes sense that the brand would want to produce a chronograph variant of the Odysseus. But in good Lange fashion, the German maestros did not just add an existing chronograph movement to this sports watch and call it a day. Instead, the brand developed its very first automatic chronograph caliber for the new Odysseus Chronograph. The result is a chronograph watc...

Why are there so many watches without Muppets? [Cue an article full of inside Muppets references.] In short, The Muppets - the brainchild of Jim Henson - is a group of ridiculous, hilarious, often strange, and inherently lovable puppets that have graced television and movies for over 50 years. It may have been their chaotic antics and humor that relegated them to children s quartz watches through the 80s and 90s, but the love for The Muppets is serious. Children who grew into adults watching and rewatching Muppet movies now have buying power. Oris, the Swiss watch company committed to making people smile, has partnered with the puppet franchise dedicated to the same for an unprecedented w...

With these new racing-inspired TAG Heuer Carrera Chronographs, the brand is proving that the new Glassbox editions aren t the only pieces worth a gander. These pieces may only be new dial variants, but I had to look twice to see if there wasn t more at work. These are really good!A duo of racing-inspired Carrera Chronographs may sound redundant because, after all, the Carrera is the racing watch. Still, one look at these will reveal the automotive connection. TAG Heuer is releasing some really nice pieces this year, and that includes dial updates.The Carrera Calibre 02 chronographsIf we head back to September 2020 (let s not actually do that), TAG Heuer released the new 42mm Carrera Calibre ...

One of my favorite quests during a watch show is to discover some of the sneakier releases. You know, the pieces that don t scream at the tops of their lungs at 8:30 AM sharp on opening day. The Zenith Defy Revival Shadow is one of those watches. This is a smooth operator, so why not take a closer look?For the last few years, Zenith has been on a roll! The brand is making some of my favorite watches on the market under the Chronomaster and Defy lines. A retro piece that I ve checked out online on more than one occasion is the Defy Revival. The original Defy first debuted back in 1969 with a wild 14-sided bezel and an 8-sided case. It also came with a lovely Gay Freres ladder bracelet. A coup...

With Watches and Wonders 2023 now well and truly underway, Patek Philippe drops a whopping 17 new references. The new additions showcase the extent of the houses capabilities, from Haute Complications and Haute Joaillerie to sports watches.There are five new references in the Patek Philippe Grand Complications category. Four new models grace the Complications collection, two of which are pilots watches. Then we get four new Calatrava references, three of which are in a rather sporty style. Lastly, we have one Gondolo and three Aquanaut references. In short, we have much ground to cover, so lets get to it!Patek Philippe Grand ComplicationsLets kick things off with a big one - the Grandmaster ...

It looks like the time-only, non-diver, non-GMT Black Bay has finally grown up. It started as a watch with a glossy black or blue dial, an Oyster-style bracelet, and an ETA or Sellita movement. Then a sunburst silver dial was added, and now it s time for the next step. The case has been redesigned, and it comes on a Jubilee-style bracelet. Also, all of the dial variations (blue, anthracite, and light champagne) now feature a sunburst finish. And finally, they re all powered by Tudor s in-house COSC-certified movements. And that means it s the end of the curved smiley text on the dial.In addition to what feels like the final evolution for the Black Bay lineup, Tudor also introduces new dial c...