Last week, my colleague Thomas showed you some pretty awesome vintage Omega Seamasters. I will counter with some vintage Constellation watches soon, but I already had planned to feature some vintage gold Day-Date models instead.Both Michael Stockton and I bought Day-Dates in 2022, and they ve become pretty solid companions on the wrist. Who says you can t wear a gold watch every day?My Day-Date on the Fratello Signature Strap Baranil Olive GreenThe Day-DateBack when I started collecting watches, the Day-Date was my guilty pleasure. I loved the watch, but it also had a reputation as a watch for a certain crowd.The Day-Date got mocked for being a status symbol worn by the wolves of Wall Stre...
Today, Fratello reader John Cote from the United States shares the story of his new favorite vacation watch, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra. Though he often exclusively wears vintage chronographs, he needed something different for his travels in Greece. He needed a watch that could take a beating, wouldn t make him a target for robbers, and that kept proper time. Without further ado…I have been a very frequent business traveler and vintage watch wearer for most of my adult life, but picking a vacation travel watch has always seemed a difficult proposition. Vacation travel is different. It may involve crossing time zones, just like business travel, but it often involves adventure and ex...
If you think the design of the new Ralph Lauren RL867 above looks familiar, you re completely right. The famous fashion designer launched his line of watches back in 2008 and introduced the RL867 one year later. At the time, it was only available in a fairly small 27.5mm square case. If you look at the brand s website today, however, the RL867 is only available in a rather large 35mm size. So that s probably why Ralph Lauren is also adding not one but two smaller options to the lineup in 28mm and 32mm cases. Both will be available in sterling silver and 18K rose gold. Let s take a look.Just like Nacho, I wasn t too aware of the watches that Ralph Lauren had to offer. Of course, I have seen t...
Welcome to another edition of Sunday Morning Showdown. Today, two editors jostle for position with two watches of a similar persuasion. Expect no holds barred as these writers vie for your votes to be crowned the winner. In this fight, we have two fully ceramic dive watches with automatic calibers. As a surprise twist, both are certified by METAS as Master Chronometers. Even more serendipitous is the dark aesthetic of both watch dials and bezels. Despite the ceramic materials and black-on-black tones, these watches are metal (as in heavy metal music) as hell! Our writers are ready, so let s get this battle going.Today s showdown is a follow-up to a previous outing. We put the then-new Tudor ...
Let me start by thanking you for the reception of the first episode of Building A Watch Brand. It has been heartwarming to receive your messages of encouragement and support! In this second installment, I will share some more details about the brand. I have a name and an idea of what the brand should be. As promised, I will share the journey even though it is all still in development.Perhaps needless to say, everything I show you here is still very much in the works. Some things might evolve along the way, while other aspects might stick around. But I promised to share an unfiltered journey, and this is what I am working on at the moment.So the name is-Okay, exciting moment. Drum roll, pleas...
As many of the other Fratello editors have mentioned, this is an incredibly difficult article to write, also for me. It has been churning around in my skull for more than a week, forcing me to take notice of my habits. From my annoyingly changing taste to involuntary Chrono24 binge-clicking, I am still struggling to consolidate my collection, and that is goal number one. But when my notebook had the title of Thors Watch Goals For 2023 with a deadline today, I got rattled.Well, I made a good go of a proper collection reduction over Christmas, and it worked a charm. Two sizeable watches have been sold, and I only have one big boy left, my Marinemaster 300 (not counting G-Shocks). My desire wil...
It s time to start making predictions for this year! With LVMH Watch Week 2023 already in full effect, it might seem like we re late to the game. Still, it s always fun to share what we hope and expect to see in terms of watch trends. What will brands hit us with this year? And will the new introductions actually have the power to influence us? It will be fun to see what the industry will deliver and what hits we won t be able to pass up. In that light, we thought we d make a list of our expected trends for 2023. Some of them build on the trends we saw last year or the last few years, while others might turn out to be too far-fetched.But before we jump into this year s predictions, let s tak...
Every once in a while, my friends or even random people send me pictures of a watch they inherited. As I m more into watches than they are, they ask me questions about what they re dealing with and what they should do with it. I think that the last one is a very personal decision, but you do have a few options, of course. As I expect there are more people out there with the very same questions, I thought it would be nice to go over the possibilities here. Hopefully, this article will help you make up your mind about what to do when it happens to you. Alternatively, it might encourage you to finally do something with that watch you inherited that s just lying in the back of a drawer.When I st...
Last November, with a great spectacle in London and in the presence of Daniel Craig, Omega introduced the Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond 60th Anniversary edition, reference 210.30.42.20.03.002. Its a special version of the Seamaster 300M with lots of interesting elements. Omega sent us this watch for a review several weeks ago, and Ive gathered some thoughts about it that Id like to share with you in this article.For the 60th anniversary of the James Bond movie franchise, Omega decided to come up with this special Seamaster 300M. It is special because it uses design cues from past models and because it has an animation of the opening sequence of the 007 movies on the case back. When I first...
I have hardly ever been as excited as I am today. The mystery of the Gallet Big Date chronograph puzzled me for years. Was it real or not? Not even the greatest Gallet collectors I know could help. All that changed when I bought a copy of the Joseph Hagn Wholesale Merchandise Catalog from 1958.Let s take it from the very beginning. And when I say very beginning, I mean my very first story for Fratello. It was on January 10th, 2019 that I introduced you to the Venus 211 caliber in a Bucherer chronograph. Four years, two days, and more than 300 of my stories later, we are here again with the fascinating Venus 211, featuring a big date that goes from 00 to 39. As befits a proper anniversary cel...
*Sigh* Price increases… The topic in nearly every home. Last December, I paid $3.17 per cubic meter of gas and $0.83 per kWh of electricity. My family and I live in a relatively (small) modern house, and we make sure not to use too much energy. Despite that, the energy bill was $625 last month. And I am not even talking about the gas prices for the car these days, or worse, the prices we pay at the supermarkets. Before the COVID-19 lockdown, we paid around $90 per week for most groceries with a three-person household. Today, we pay almost $180. Prices have increased drastically across the board. Sure, the government is taking some measures here, so the energy bill will stay somewhat se...
Back in 1980, Carlo Crocco shocked the watch industry by releasing the first Hublot watch. It combined a case in yellow gold with a black rubber strap. This combination was deemed blasphemous by the traditionalists. Until then, rubber had been perceived as a material used for cheap, mass-produced quartz watches. But Crocco s idea turned out to be a visionary one and, over time, became an industry standard. To remind us of that very special first Hublot watch, the brand introduces the new Hublot Classic Fusion Original in three different materials and three different sizes. It shows that Crocco s creation is as relevant and exciting as ever!To me, the Hublot Classic Fusion is one of the indus...
Let me dedicate today s Pre-Owned Spotlight to vintage Seamaster bargains. Bargains? Well, yes! These 1950s and 1960s Seamaster watches in the non-diver format are seriously undervalued in my book. And with the trends moving away from big sports watches, this might be a good time to snap one up. The only fair reason for them being relatively attainable is the fact that there are a lot of them. The great thing is that leaves us spoiled for choice!Two recent articles led me to this subject. First, Nacho shared his hunt for a 90s Seamaster diver. Second, I recently went hands-on with a platinum ode to the original vintage Seamasters. So when I was asked to do a Pre-Owned Spotlight article, vin...
Once again, LVMH Watch Week hit me a lot faster than I expected. Following a great 2022 for the brand, Zenith shows its hand and is looking strong. Its no secret that I am a fan of the big Z from Le Locle and feel its strength in the watch world is still underplayed. It is actually a complete coincidence that, only two days ago, I wrote a story on the brands efforts from 2022, and the wheels have already started rolling for 2023.I feel that Zenith has a well-thought-out portfolio for the first big event of the year, with the Defy series showing us a newfound breadth. From sleek 36mm Defy Skylines to a current-catalog Revival piece and the brash Defy Extreme Glacier, a one-brand watch collect...
Were you always intrigued by oil-filled watches? I was! My first encounter with them dates back to the 1990s. At that time, almost simultaneously, Sinn, Bell & Ross, and Kienzle presented their first oil-filled models. Today, U-Boat boasts a full series of attractive oil-filled watches, and I got to try out the Darkmoon 44 MM Grey SS.Sinn reluctantly transformed an existing diver s model into the 810Q and eventually rated it to 8,000 meters. SIOK, the Italian agent for Kienzle, presented The Deepest in titanium, which was rated to 9,000 meters. It was later even updated to 12,000 meters while using a resin case. Bell & Ross had the Hydro Challenger (later Hydromax) rated to 11,100 me...
Three hundred sixty-five days of 2022 are over and done with, and the next three hundred and change lie in front of us. The start of the year offers an opportunity for introspective thought. You can call it soul searching or just chalk it up to a bit of casual (and maybe slightly festively hungover) philosophizing. Regardless, its as good a time as any to set yourself up for a good rest of the year. Though defined goals are often a good way to set yourself up for failure, theres still a noble aspect to these long-term goals that I cant help but admire. Furthermore, as watch enthusiasts, its worth noting a few watch-related goals for the year. Whether its to finally get your hands on that elu...
Getting off the starting blocks early at LVMH Watch Week 2023, the TAG Heuer portfolio looks like a good reason to pop over to Singapore. Yes, I know, I make it sound like the LVMH Watch Week is actually close to us in wintry Europe, but once again, it is a long flight away for good reason. The Asian market is very important to all brands within the group, so I get it. And to kick off LVMH Watch Week, TAG Heuer is on a roll.Lets face it, the European watch-fair season will never return to its pre-pandemic glam, and were pretty much digitally savvy now, even when it comes to purchasing untried watches online. Still, Id love LVMH to put the pin in Europe for 2024. Id be there for sure because ...
Meet the new Seiko Prospex SLA065, a new interpretation of a template set back in 1965. The original 62MAS has garnered legendary status, inspiring a series of reissues in different segments over the years. Today, Seiko adds another to that lineage. This SLA065 is a limited edition in the Save the Ocean collection.Seiko s 62MAS-inspired reissues come in different price ranges. The SLA065 is a top-of-the-range model, coming in at $3,000. Lets have a closer look.The new Seiko Prospex SLA065The watch we have before us is clearly a descendant of the 62MAS. The original design language is still very much alive in this watch. It is a little bit bigger, however, at 41.3mm versus the original 38mm s...
Nearly one year ago at the annual LVMH Watch Week, Zenith launched the Defy Skyline collection. At this years event, held in Singapore for the first time, the Swiss watchmaker is unveiling a new addition to the family, the Defy Skyline Skeleton. The novelty features an open dial with an open-worked El Primero automatic movement. This high-frequency 5Hz skeleton watch comes in a 41mm case with a blue or black dial.The Defy Skyline familyWe were able to get a sneak peek of the blue Defy Skyline Skeleton fitted with an integrated steel bracelet to share with you. The model is an extension of the standard Defy Skyline model, which Thomas reviewed here last year. It has exactly the same octagonal...
With the introduction of the hand-wound Oris Big Crown Calibre 473, another important step in the evolution of the long-running Big Crown Pointer Date makes its appearance. The watch also shows Oris s determination to stand out from a movement perspective once again. The Oris Movement Creation Program outdid itself with the introduction of Calibre 473. The movement, featuring a five-day power reserve, elevated anti-magnetic characteristics, and a 10-year warranty, also has a neat trick up its sleeve in the form of a movement-side power reserve indicator that looks very neat indeed.The new Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 is a reinvented Big Crown Pointer Date. The recently introduced Big Crown Wal...
