You should have been there. The Yew Tree Ball (Le Bal des Ifs) was a masquerade ball held in 1745 by King Louis XV of France after the wedding between his son - the Dauphin Louis - and Infanta Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain. The ball took place in the gilded Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) at the Palace of Versailles, and it was attended by some 1,500 elaborately costumed guests. It was an opulent spectacle. The king himself and his entourage even appeared disguised as towering, sculpted yew trees. The sight so captivated attendees that the evening became known as The Yew Tree Ball. For those who want to return to the night of the ball, theres the Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tour...
The days are getting shorter, and November is approaching. That means the year-end Geneva watch auctions will happen again soon. Not all the houses are showing all their cards yet, but there are previews containing some interesting lots. Sotheby s will auction the Oyster watch that accompanied long-distance swimmer Mercedes Gleitze during her attempt to cross the English Channel. The house is also organizing an auction to celebrate Breguet s 250th anniversary. Phillips is the only auction house that has already revealed the upcoming lots. I browsed through all 209 of them and selected a handful of favorites. But let s first take a look at what Sotheby s has in store for us.Image: Sotheby sM...
It s hardly been a month, but Dennison isn t sitting still. The revitalized brand released the new ALD Dual Time in September to great fanfare. With distinctive retro 60s vibes, the watches recall the whimsically simple offerings from many brands during that period. We were able to see them in Geneva and can confirm that they re fun and well made. Now, building on that theme, the models are back with an enhancement in the form of the Dual Time Capsule Collection II.Increasingly, we re witnessing brands creating watches around specific watch shows. After all, who doesn t like attending an event and seeing a debut? This week, in the watch world at least, it s all about New York City. To celeb...
We have seen several releases from Unimatic over the last few months, but news around the Modello Due has been relatively quiet. Having said that, in the past few years, the team at Unimatic has come up with some great versions of this field watch that show how the classic silhouette perfectly suits the brand s minimalist style. Now it s time for the first Modello Due with a GMT function. The Modello Due U2-GMT World Timer is a logical next step in the lineup and a glowing display of the versatility that the brand s minimalist design approach allows.If you are familiar with Unimatic s collection, you will know that the Modello Uno is the brand s flagship diver. The Modello Quattro has the sa...
Late last year, Serica released the stylish Parade ref. 1174. It was the French brand s first step in the realm of dress watches, and it garnered much praise. Now, Serica takes the Parade a step further with two linen dials, transporting us to the 1960s and 70s, when linen dials were common in the watch world. As a result of the latest stylish dials, the Parade 1174 gets an injection of vintage charm that is hard to deny. Are these two new dials better than the inaugural sunburst ones? Let s find out.Serica s Parade 1174 debuted last November in a year full of remarkable dress watches from smaller brands. Efforts by Toledano & Chan, Berneron, Echo/Neutra, and Dennison immediately come t...
Today, we take a look at a new chronograph, the Aera C-1 Chrono. The brand, for those previously unaware, hails from Britain and was founded in 2018. Since the beginning, the small team has focused on designing minimalist, robust timepieces. So far, the company has produced a diver, a series of field watches, and a chronograph. The latest release is a follow-up to similar 2024 references, but as we ll see, the colorway is a nod to one of our favorite periods for chronographs, the 1960s.As a multi-focused collector, I ve learned to admire nearly every watch sub-category. However, chronographs have always been at or near the top of my list. Granted, I favor vintage models, but I have a lot of ...
When Jaeger-LeCoultre applies the Hybris Artistica and Grande Tradition labels, expectations rise. These watches are complicated, sure, but they are also theatrical displays of mechanical skill and decorative artistry. Today, the brand introduces two new creations under these banners, the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 and the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948. Each interprets the theme differently, one through the heavens, the other through our planet.Both watches push the boundaries of traditional complications. One offers a poetic reading of sidereal time under a domed enamel night sky. The other turns the globe itself into a horological stage. Join me for a closer look! The n...
Today, we ll look at tasteful updates by Blancpain to its Villeret collection. Aside from the well-known Fifty Fathoms, these are the watches most people think of when considering the brand. After all, this collection was an integral part of Blancpain s relaunch in the 80s. For today, three models have been reinterpreted with golden-hour hues. Let s take a closer look.When I began looking at watches during the mid- 90s, Blancpain was one of the first names I heard. Salespeople were well armed with the histories of brands, and we were told about the oldest of them all. Yes, Blancpain was founded in 1735. Due to the honor of being the oldest surviving watchmaker, it makes sense that one of it...
The Flyway Fata Morgana is the latest addition to Isotopes collection of characterful, design-first watches. Inspired by the rare optical phenomenon in which land and sky appear to merge, it represents perhaps more of a poetic concept than a mere wristwatch. This new 36mm model introduces a mirror-polished titanium dial to an already rather exotic collection. I havent handled the watch yet, so I cannot judge the effect in person, but the idea is undeniably intriguing.Interestingly, Isotope offers the Flyway Fata Morgana with a choice of two Swiss movements at different price points while keeping all other specifications identical. Its a limited run of 100 pieces, available now directly from ...
Well, well, well, Seiko is on a nice roll! Last week, we covered the new limited-edition Prospex GMT Seashadow, and it garnered the type of enthusiasm we used to see with all Seiko releases. Additionally, the limited edition of watches has already sold out. Today, it seems that we have another mega hit in the making. Seiko has brought back the Rotocall, a faithful reissue of its 80s digital watch also known as the Astronaut. Best of all, these watches are all part of the regular catalog.Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in! Of course, I ve never truly abandoned Seiko, but I probably went a bit overboard in my buying habits for a period. Therefore, I ve taken a break, but if l...
A retro watch is a modern watch evoking a style from a bygone era - usually, in the case of dive watches, the 1950s and 60s. Its hard to pinpoint exactly when the Retro Age began in the watch world, but I don t think we re far off by considering the introduction of the Tudor Black Bay in 2012 as a rough starting point. After that, other big brands didnt take long to follow Tudors lead. In the wake of the familiar names, freshly founded microbrands followed. Long live modern technology as a means to bring to life something that looks like it was lost in history. But familiar design cues have led to a retro-watch landscape that looks quite monotonous. And now it seems that retro dive watches ...
In 2013, there were two very significant releases in Omegas catalog. One was the Speedmaster Professional Racing, which Fratello quickly dubbed Tintin due to its story with the Belgian reporter and his adventures on the Moon. The other was the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon. It was a revolutionary watch at the time, as people had been longing for a black Speedmaster for a while. It was a black ceramic version of the caliber-9300-powered Speedmaster that Omega had introduced two years earlier, featuring a two-register dial and a domed sapphire crystal on the back. The case wasn t the only ceramic component, though, as the dial and bezel were also made of this scratch-resistant material.Thi...
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we try our hand at predicting the fortunes of four key watch brands. These makers all have great pieces in their lineups, yet we wonder if they have more in store to become absolute powerhouses. Or perhaps some of these companies will go in the opposite direction and become smaller with more exclusive offerings. Join us as we ponder the fates of these firms in five years.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Admittedly, with a relatively quiet market and turbulent global trade, it s easy to sit back and prescribe improvements for various brands. That s not why we re her...
Citizen recently organized a traveling exhibition showcasing its 55-year history with titanium. I was invited to the Paris edition, so I made my way to the French capital with my camera and notepad.In case you were unaware, Citizen was the first brand to make a wristwatch out of this lightweight metal. While titanium may be common today, it was far from an obvious choice a little over half a century ago. The material wasnt quick to give up its secrets, so it took a lot of technical pioneering. This unique exhibition told the story of how Citizen tamed titanium and made it a key part of its offerings.Citizen X-8, the first-ever titanium wristwatchThe need for a titanium wristwatchCitizen set ...
When the new Jack Mason Pursuit Pro models landed on my desk, I wondered what had just arrived in the Fratello offices. Were they field watches or dive watches? We are no strangers to timepieces that can fill both roles well. That s why Jack Mason calls the Pursuit Pro a series of rugged trail watches. They are a genuine step up for the brand in terms of the materials, caliber, and details. It s time to find out more about the two new Pursuit Pro models.For me, it s not necessary to label the Jack Mason Pursuit Pro as either a dive watch or a field watch. I will settle for a capable tool watch that functions as both of those perfectly well. And that was also what Jack Mason founder Peter Cho...
In the words of Daniel Arsham, My work is about collapsing time. Youre not quite sure if its an object from the past or the future. The Hublot MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire is a creation from the man who wants to confuse you and have you start wondering from what era this watch hails. Well, of course, it was made in the past and presented in the recent past, and it now exists in the present. I have no idea what will happen to this watch in the future, but the fluid design did make me contemplate the future of watch design. Where does it lead to, and more importantly, who will lead us? The answer might not lie inside the world of watches but, rather, elsewhere.The Hublot MP-17...
Longines has a long history when it comes to high-frequency movements. Way back in 1910, the company received the first patent for a pocket chronograph featuring such a high-beat movement and capable of measuring 1/10th of a second. In 1959, Longines presented its first wristwatch with a high-frequency movement that only deviated about 1/10th of a second per day. But it wasn t until 1967 that the brand introduced the Ultra-Chron ref. 7827, the first self-winding high-frequency wristwatch produced in high volumes. Now, Longines introduces a re-edition of that watch with the Ultra-Chron Classic. It comes in 37mm and 40mm versions and, of course, houses a high-frequency automatic movement.A Lon...
Nomos has done it again! With the new Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer Night Navigation series, the German brand shows us once more that colors can have a transformative effect. This goes beyond the simple change of the look of a watch, though. The new limited-edition Navigation Series perfectly displays how Nomos utilizes uncommon colors in remarkably smart ways to define itself as a brand. Especially in a Bauhaus-inspired universe, it is a powerful way to move forward without losing what has always made Nomos stand out. Let s take a look at the new trio of watches.Not too long ago, I wrote a review about the Traska Venturer GMT and mentioned the effects of dial colors on your mood and prefer...
It s Sunday morning again, so it s time to grab a cup of coffee and enjoy another one of our showdowns. Last week, we put two dressier moonphase watches from Longines and Tudor up against each other. This week, we re staying on the dressier end of the watch-design spectrum. However, we ll do so with two more valuable pieces made of platinum. Recently, A. Lange & S?hne released its minimalist Saxonia Thin in platinum with an onyx dial. That watch reminded us of last year s Breguet 5177, which is also platinum but with a black enamel dial. Let s see which heavy-metal dress watch will win the showdown today!Thomas is a big fan of all things Lange, so he ll defend the Saxonia Thin Onyx. Daan...
We started our series about the people behind watch brands names with Abraham-Louis Breguet, arguably the greatest watchmaker ever. This week, instead of presenting you with another name behind a brand, we would like to introduce you to watchmaker/inventor George Daniels, who wrote an essential book about Breguet s watchmaking philosophy. Like Breguet, Daniels got caught in a revolution. The rise of quartz movements in the late 1960s and early 70s threatened the very existence of mechanical watchmaking. Daniels worked hard to sustain the traditional craft by inventing numerous innovations and the famous Co-Axial escapement, now used by Omega and Roger W. Smith. He is also the father of mod...
