When Fortis introduced the Flieger collection in 2020, it offered classic Flieger DNA with various complications. Three-hand automatic, chronograph, and Triple-GMT options ensured there was something for everyone, whatever your tastes. For me, the collection is classic Fortis.Fortis managed to combine the Flieger concept with its signature tool-watch aesthetic. The resulting watches were a unique and wholly modern interpretation of what a Flieger watch could be without losing that je ne sais quoi that makes Fortis, well, Fortis. Now, in 2023, the brand from Grenchen offers some beautiful, refreshed color palettes to expand the Flieger collection further.Flieger F-39 and F-41Let s start with ...

Were beyond excited to introduce the Fratello Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph, an electrifying new collaboration! For one week only, we will have 50 pieces available exclusively in the Fratello Shop at an early-bird price of $1,499. The week-long pre-order period will be open from Monday, March 20th at 4:00 PM CET to Sunday, March 26th at midnight, ahead of a larger-scale release in June 2023. This time, we have worked with Nivada to create a new line that is not based on just one vintage timepiece. Instead, it take inspiration from two vintage models from the brands immense catalog - the vintage Chronosport (for the case) and the Racing chronograph (for the dial) - and provides a moder...

I was looking for a watch that I shall not mention in the Fratello safe, but?instead, I stumbled upon some watches that I liked but had doubts about when I first saw them last spring. My eyes fell on three versions of the Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400, neatly tucked away side by side in a watch box. In particular, the blue and pink versions grabbed my attention. The gray, my favorite at the time of release, I left behind in the safe, but the two colored iterations took a turn on my wrist throughout the day. And seeing and enjoying the matte pink and blue dials made me fantasize about possible future color variations.It s the combination of having Watches and Wonders 2023 just around the corner...

We re back with another review of a vintage Japanese watch, and this time, the King Seiko 4420-9990 is in focus. This is a neat reference, and I m happy to share two examples that, like Voltron, will hopefully come together to make one lovely example. Or will they?In 2022, I decided it was finally time to (re)take a look at vintage King and Grand Seiko. For whatever reason, I had kept my collection to one piece after picking up the 2013 44GS reissue. That watch is nothing to sneeze at, but as the resident vintage Seiko kook here at Fratello, it was high time to turn my attention to the good stuff. Since then, I ve been busy. I purchased and wrote about the lovely King Seiko 44-9990 and Grand...

The enigmatic moonphase complication goes in and out of fashion like watch sizes, and I have a personal penchant for the genre. With classic iterations from mid-range brands like Longines up to grail Pateks, the classicism still reigns supreme. For many of you, the very name conjures up images of small-cased watches with guilloche dials and blued hands. But chances are the new Farer Moonphase will change your perception.With cool competition coming in from the likes of Linde Werdelin and small independents, perhaps it s a lunar renaissance. Its no secret that I consider myself half-British and love the quirkier offerings from the UK. The colorful brand Farer now joins the fray with a small-c...

GMT watches are hot! And that must be the exact reason why both Seiko and Mido have added a GMT complication to one of their classic divers. For Seiko, it also counts as the introduction of an all-new GMT movement in the 6R series. And for Mido, it actually marks the first time that the brand has released a standard-production Ocean Star GMT in a size smaller than 44mm. Let s take a look at both the Seiko SPB383 and the Mido Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer and see which one of the two brand-new GMT divers is your favorite.In some respects, these two watches are quite similar. Both trace their roots back to watches from the 60s, the era when dive watches took off among the general public...

Junghans is known for its clean aesthetic. The Bauhaus design that inspires most of the models in the brand s lineup is typically best executed in stark black and white. This is not to say that color cannot add to the execution. This is clearly the theme of Junghanss spring novelties. The use of color, subtly in some applications and boldly in others, offers a fresh take on some of the German watchmaker s most classic designs.The Junghans Max BillMost think of the Max Bill line when it comes to Bauhaus design in watches. This classic look is instantly recognizable. For this year, Junghans has added a new Chronoscope Bauhaus model and two new MEGA Solar models. While color may be the theme fo...

Sadly, the chances of a landfall through a lottery win are very slim since I dont buy lottery tickets or scratch cards. Instead, Im watching my stock fund investments stay in the red while waiting it out, and I happily uninvested in the crypto rollercoaster. But that doesnt stop the imagination from running wild occasionally, and this story is the perfect vehicle. Writing about watches and putting together an article on my grail watches is difficult enough. Choosing which watches I d buy today with an unlimited budget is near impossible, and these three might change over the coming year. Sadly, my budget won t.Ive developed a more cautious attitude to collecting lately, and this sparks the i...

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 take a look at the Cosmograph Daytona. What are the best references from the line of this ico...

As a vintage guy, it s always exciting for me to see brands being relaunched. Often, though, my feelings are somewhat ambivalent. It is rare that a watch company comes back to the market with a strategy and lineup that I m entirely on board with. Nivada Grenchen, however, is an example of a rebirthed brand done right. I m lucky to be friends with Guillaume Laidet, the man behind this and other brands. We have a relationship that goes back years, and I reviewed almost all Nivada models when they came to the market. So I thought it would make sense to sit down with Guillaume and chat about the brand, the beginnings, and what the future will bring for Nivada.He shared some exciting things with ...

On a couple of occasions recently, in the comments, other Fratelli (perhaps who are waiting patiently for theirs or are considering taking the plunge when the list opens again at the end of March) have mentioned that they would appreciate my writing an article on the Czapek Antarctique to give some insight as to what it is like to own. There had been mention of a week on the wrist sort of article, but given that I wear it in rotation with several others, I didnt really think I could do that!As I have had my Antarctique Viridian Green for over a year now, though, and with the new models imminent at Watches and Wonders, it seemed a logical time for a retrospective. Did it meet my expectations ...

If it were possible to invite all the watch fans in the world to the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture in Le Sentier in the remote Vallee de Joux, the Swiss brand would possibly be the most prestigious in the world of watches. Thats quite the statement, but what JLC does and has been doing for ages in the one-of-a-kind valley where creating complications is second nature to local watchmakers is extraordinary. And it shows. La Grande Maison is housed in an immense production facility that has been expanding over the years, and it houses many breathtaking metiers. So why isnt JLC the most famous watch brand out there? By breaking down the brand, well find the answer to that question.The story start...

For some collectors, the later Gallet Flying Officer with a Landeron movement is way too far from the original clamshell pioneer. But is it??I have to say that until last week, I had never worn the original clamshell Gallet Flying Officer chronograph. My biggest surprise was how present the 34.5mm case felt on the wrist. But we will talk about the original Flying Officer in another #TBT story. Today, we are going to focus on its later version from around the mid- 70s.The issue with landing an early Gallet Flying OfficerIt is not easy to get your hands on the original clamshell Flying Officer. I have been after one for a few years now, but I haven t gotten lucky yet. Some Gallet Flying Office...

Today, I am proud to share the design ideation stage of VPCs debut watch. I have been postponing this one so that I could share a big chunk of progress in one go. And a big chunk it is! Finally, I have something visual to show you. Max Resnick and I started with my original concept and generated several different possible design paths from it. We then took the elements that spoke to me to come up with the preferred path. Today, you will see that journey from many rough ideas (divergent thinking) to that one path (convergent thinking) for the case and bracelet.I will show you some of these different paths and how we went through a process of elimination. I am proud to share this with you beca...

There are some horological experiences that I m almost certain I will never have - reviewing an A. Lange & S?hne Saxonia or owning a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duoface, for example. Never say never, but Im pretty sure neither will ever happen. I do find these watches stunning and unique, and I truly do want to experience them. However, like many of you, I have a limited budget, I dont live near a JLC boutique, and I don t even feel comfortable stepping inside one. I yearn to experience a Reverso each time I see a photo of it online, just as I yearn to strap on a Cartier Tank (you know, the tiny one with the solar-powered movement?). So I turn to micro/independent brands that, thankfully, h...

Buying a pre-owned watch can be daunting at first, especially if you are new to the game. You read horror stories of fake watches or watches with incorrect parts. And you would not be the first to end up with a watch that is not functioning properly. For many, this is reason enough to buy nothing but brand-new watches from authorized dealers. But you may be cutting yourself short there. Buying pre-owned can be an attractive option for several reasons, but only if you can do so with confidence. I aim to boost that confidence with a few practical pointers.At Fratello, we have a broad reader base. Some of you are lifelong collectors, while others are just dipping their toes in watch waters for ...

The anger surrounding the new Swatch MoonSwatch Mission to Moonshine Gold was very visible in the comments section on our website. It was less noticeable during the Swatch pop-up sales event in Zrich on March 7th. We did a report here, but we also want to discuss the watch itself a bit more in-depth. How does the story sit with us, and do we like the watch as such? Listen to our Fratello Talks podcast for this week to find out.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Wrist checkBut as always, we start with a wrist check! RJ is wearing his newly acquired Breguet Tradition 7027BA, as he mentioned here as well, while Nacho sports ...

As a consumer of fine watches, I think watch brands can hit the nail on the head in different ways. This can be in design, movements, historical accuracy, and - most relevant to the watch we will discuss in this article - fit and feel. The Breitling Emergency II, while undoubtedly very capable, suffered from a size that was just not viable to regular consumers. At 51mm in diameter and almost 22mm thick, you d either have to be a bodybuilder or a fighter pilot who wears it exclusively on the outside of your flight suit sleeve. To say the Emergency II was a niche product would still be an overstatement. There was virtually no one who could justify such a piece.The first 43mm Emergency (produce...

Bamford is the king of collaborations, but the British brand has come a long way from coating customers watches in its proprietary Military Grade Titanium Coating (MGTC) layer. These days, Bamford creates bespoke watch designs for a variety of applications. Its Automatic GMT watch is helpful for travelers and global liaisons alike. Therefore, Bamford s latest collab with British shirt-maker Thomas Pink and its smart attire collection fits the lifestyle of business jet-setters. I own a Thomas Pink shirt and admire its quality, so I was keen to see what the combined efforts with Bamford could lead to.We ve seen similar collaborations with Bamford and the Peanuts comic before, featuring the Sn...

TAG Heuer Carrera reissues are still hot, with a generous choice of reimagined chronographs available. And TAG Heuer is getting it right. With the release of the 39mm panda-dial limited edition for the LVMH Watch Week in January, I felt a tickling sensation of desire, but it still felt a bit big. Dont get me wrong; the sharp-lugged 39mm case we have seen in the Silver 160th, Monte Carlo, and green and cherry colors is a great design. But the dressy smallness of their 60s forefathers is even more tempting.The thing is, many buyers like me are put off by the vintage complexities of the movements and scarcity of parts. After spending close to $1,000 on servicing a Chopard chronograph last year...