It has been a long day today (Tuesday), traveling this morning from our Fratello offices in The Hague to the Paradeplatz in Zrich. But not as long as the day was for some of those who queued up to cop one of the new MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon models with the Moonshine Gold chronograph seconds hand. The first customers already queued up at 3:00 AM, while the special location only opened up at 7:00 PM. What kind of people were in the queue, and how was the atmosphere? Were there only scalpers, or did we see proper Swatch and Speedmaster enthusiasts?Queues on the left and right sides of the buildingMission to Zrich on March 7thAfter a bit of a detour (via Geneva, and then to Zrich by tra...

Seiko has graced us before with a Naomi Uemura limited edition. Back in 2021, the brand celebrated the 80th birthday of the Japanese explorer. Unfortunately, he disappeared after reaching the summit of Mt. Denali in 1984 at age 43, but he left behind a great legacy in exploration. Today, we see the release of the next limited edition in honor of Uemura. The Seiko Prospex SLA069 celebrates the conquering of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe. The watch introduces a special dial depicting Mont Blanc and features a special blue bezel. It s time to find out more.Naomi Uemura is one of those legendary names that will you definitely know if you are a fan of mountaineering. The Japanese explore...

We are all aware of Seiko s great stream of new releases. Most of them are in line with what we know from the brand, but sometimes, Seiko manages to really shock us. Today, the brand expands its popular Prospex collection with three more models. But they are not just simply three additions to Seiko s collection of dive watches. With the Prospex SPB381, SPB383, and SPB385, Seiko introduces the first three mechanical GMT divers to the Prospex collection. Two are regular additions to the permanent lineup, and one is a special Save the Ocean limited edition. You know I was all ears when these were revealed, so it s time to find out more.Seiko has jumped on the thundering GMT train running throug...

Bernard Arnault, the 74-year-old French entrepreneur with a staggering estimated net worth of around US$200 billion, is the driving force behind LVMH. He runs one of the most successful businesses in the luxury industry and rubs shoulders with presidents and other people in the highest places. The man that took over his fathers construction-turned-real-estate business when he was 30 built a luxurious empire that he constantly wants to extend. Not everything he does works out, though. For instance, Arnault failed to acquire French Maison Hermes. But rumor has it he has set his aim on another famous French house. Will Cartier be the new pearl in the LVMH crown?Buying other companies seems to b...

Since 2012 Bvlgari broke seven world records with its Octo watches. What better way to celebrate a decade of records with another one? Enter record number eight. The 2022 Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra is the worlds thinnest mechanical watch with a height of just 1.8mm - its the same height as a 20 euro cent coin, but it will cost you $400,000. Will this record ever be broken? Bvlgari thinks its an absolute record that will probably never be beaten. Lets find out if theres a solid or a wafer thin argument behind that bold claim.It all started ten years ago when Bvlgari decided to take on Piaget in the ultra-flat watch department. It paid off. The brand scored no less than seven world records w...

From my own experience as a customer, it s not easy for any watch brands to get on my shopping list if I m not watching them already. There is a lot of competition in the $2,500 range, but the Alpina Alpiner4 has some aces to get noticed. I was never a big-case watch guy. Honestly, with each millimeter over 41, my interest in a watch falls exponentially. So you may wonder what am I doing here with a 44mm wide, almost 16mm tall chronograph today. Well, as one old saying goes, it s not difficult to get it on when you are in the mood to get it on, is it? So, when Nacho asked me to look at the news from Alpina, it was a good opportunity to have a fresh look outside of my usual vintage garden.Fro...

If you google this watch, one of the first headlines you ll see names it the The Vacheron Constantin Overseas 37mm (Without Diamonds). Clearly, this cool reference was earmarked for women only back in 2017. It was a time before most men allowed themselves sub-40mm watches, with will also work for men as the go-to phrase for a review. This particular headline read as if the reader might not even want to bother with a 37mm watch without diamonds.We are in 2022, things have changed, and small is the new big. Many of you know this by now, but I am happy to wear smaller watches without feeling emasculated, metrosexual, or effeminate. Sure, Ill still rock 40-44mm chronographs and divers tools. But...

Its not that you didnt do anything last weekend. On the contrary, you probably did too much. But do your colleagues really want to hear about it? Stuff like cleaning the shed, a run that left you completely out of breath, and a visit to the in-laws are things better kept to yourself. But you cant just show up at work with nothing to talk about. Thats why we present you with a couple of watch conversation starters you can casually drop when youre having a break. Check our coffee corner watch talk featuring Tissot, Frederique Constant, and Audemars Piguet - and an auction of very special Royal Oak models to be precise - before you head over to the pantry, the water cooler, or the cafeteria, an...

With its origins in a love for vintage and a fascination for microbrands, Batavi is a brand that has aspired to bring something unique to the table. Whether in terms of design or color, the Dutch brands watches have always had a unique flair to them, resonating with its motto, modern design, vintage soul. Today, we are happy to introduce the latest addition to the brands offerings, in the form of the Batavi Geograaf GMT and Wereldtimer models. The brand uses the same clever mechanism on both to achieve the rather useful complication. Coming in well-aligned to the brands previous offerings, the four new models introduce new colorways in pleasant pastel tones.You might already be familiar with...

Almost every brand has watches everybody knows and wants in their historical product timeline. And then, on the flip side, are the watches nobody really cares about. Yet nearly every brand also has a few unique one-off models that hold a very special place in particular collectors circles. The Tissot Mediostat is such a niche vintage watch. But I am telling you, it has a lot of potential.As a warmup, you could start by reading my second-ever #TBT story published on Fratello. The Unstoppable Tissot Mediostat Chronograph covers all you need to know about the Tissot Mediostat. Today, three years after publishing the Mediostat story, I will keep it short and simple. Here are my top five argumen...

For the past few years, theres been one thing you can bank on: Breitling nailing its new releases. Under George Kern, the brand has gone from strength to strength, leaving a rocky start to the relationship that saw the startling redesign of the Navitimer in its rearview mirror. Now, the focus is on the AVI collection, which has, over the past couple of years, defined its own design language with aplomb. Today, were taking a look at five of the new Breitling Super AVI B04 Chronograph 46 GMT watches. But be warned they are not for the faint-hearted.Using the original 1953 Co-Pilot ref.765 AVI as its base, Breitling has released five chronographs inspired by four iconic fighter planes. There ar...

The Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe is not a name that rolls easily off the tongue. But without even seeing the watch, you just know whats coming. If your collection consists of scratched-up G-Shocks and military field watches, youll have one of two reactions. For me, it s like listening to my wife, the astrophysics buff, talk about black holes and neutron stars. I m simply left feeling slightly inadequate. Alternatively, you will consider selling your tool-watch collection to buy 147 lottery tickets in a rush of enthusiasm.These are valid reactions to any new watch from Greubel Forsey, and the Double Balancier Convexe is no exception. Like the Greubel Forsey Balancier S2 in my story...

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is primarily focused on the most recent releases and developments, for many of us, a lot of the fun can be found in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. It s a world full of history, remarkable watches, incredible stories, and quirky details. It inspired us to come up with a series of articles focusing on the best watches per decade from a select group of brands. Some of them are priceless, and some of them are still affordable. In this last installment of the series, we will take a look at the best A. Lange & S?hne watches from the 2000s.By the turn of th...

Timekeeping has been an integral part of space exploration since long before the first manned rocket flight. To watch lovers, nothing better represents the union of time and space than the watches of the explorers who dared to set out into the great unknown. Until now, the focus - both for the missions and watches - was limited to Earth s orbit and the Moon. But with missions to Mars on the horizon, watch companies are jockeying to become the brand for Mars that Omega has been for the Moon.Omega isn t sitting this one out either. If the Omega Speedmaster Professional was good enough for the Moon, it can go to Mars, right? Fortis believes its Official Cosmonauts Chronograph will win out. The ...

All right, Ill admit it, Im a Serica fanboy. So please excuse my excitement while you re reading through this quick look at the latest dial variant in the brand s 4512 field-watch lineup. Ive never actually owned a Serica watch, but Ive always been interested in the brand s designs. Serica is basically a group of watch enthusiasts designing unique, tough, beautiful, and affordable watches for other watch enthusiasts. And I think this new California TXD variant of the Serica 4512 field watch is a perfect example of that. Although, the actual watch might not be perfect in itself. Please, let me explain.If youre not familiar with its watches and Serica as a company, please make sure to read Jor...

Watch Strap Review is back after taking some much-deserved time off in February. Ben penned the last two articles, but I had to take the wheel back for this one. Finally, the world is opening again, which means we are back on the road. That, however, does not mean that you will be without your monthly dose of strap reviews. On the contrary, we hope to bring you more from ateliers and events like Watches and Wonders. Today we have a traditional company from Greenwich, Connecticut. North Street Straps sent me four beautiful straps that I ll take a closer look at today.Four straps, all individually packed with a friendly personal note for me; this was the content of the parcel that landed on my...

I believe you have to be a specific person to buy this watch for daily use. I just don t know HOW specifically specific. But what I do know for sure is that Yema LED Kavinsky hides bucket loads of character.You know that kind of situation when you think you don t know somebody, but eventually, you realize you know him or her in some way? Well, this happened to me with French musician Kavinsky. My musical preference leans more towards the Stravinsky end of the spectrum, so you can imagine I felt nothing when I found a press release about the Yema collab with Kavinsky. As I was pretty sure Stravinsky doesn t need a watch anymore, I took to good old Google to figure out who this guy was.Now we ...

When the watch brand from Biel dropped a new small-seconds version of the Aqua Terra, I wasnt sure what to make of it. The central-seconds model appears better balanced and therefore remained the superior and preferable AT, in my opinion. But when Jorg and I went through the extensive AT collection online, we spotted something interesting. Something different. Something that got us very curious. Amidst a sea of black, blue, and gray dials, the reference 220.12.41.21.02.005 caught our eye. That s the 41mm steel AT featuring a silver dial with beige detailing and a matching beige rubber strap. We had to see that watch in the metal, so we asked Omega to send it over. That wasnt a problem, and t...

This is probably the only watch in the world with a pair of pushers at two and eight o clock that need to be pressed at the same time. And the purpose of the Securiton watch is no less fascinating than its design. Join us on an exciting exploratory journey of a unique wristwatch with a built-in alarm-triggering system. It s the wee hours of a quiet Tuesday morning, April 26th, 1977. All the visitors at Musee D Art Et D Histoire left the building many hours ago. A bored night guard looks at his wristwatch with a cable attached to it that disappears under the sleeve of his perfectly ironed white shirt. It s 02:54 AM. He finishes his cup of coffee and gets ready for another security check aroun...

Im a major fan of blue! I was always proud of my colorful wardrobe until my wife said, But everything is blue! Thats also why I got myself the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight in this color. It matches the rest of my wardrobe perfectly. I love wearing this watch on its proprietary bracelet, and the feeling of confidence it inspires in me. Some people complain that they cant get the right fit, but, for me, the bracelet works very well. Though Ive tried wearing the watch on other straps, the bracelet is still my favorite by far. When I saw this blue sailcloth strap by Artem, however, I immediately knew it would be a perfect alternative!Weve already reviewed and discussed a few of Artems straps. So ...