It s not the first time we mention it. Seiko and Grand Seiko reliably grace us with numerous brilliant releases every year. We decided to create an overview of the watches we covered on Fratello over the past twelve months. In this first of two articles, we will start off with Grand Seiko. The brand had another year full of great releases. Part of the new releases was centered around the 55th anniversary of the 44GS, which was introduced in 1967. But there were a lot more releases that caught our eye in 2022. So let s look back at another great year for Grand Seiko.When Nacho and I started talking about this article, we quickly understood that this would not be a walk in the park. With so ma...
After four years and 200 #TBT articles, there is still so much to explore. We ve discovered some fascinating vintage watches, especially this year. Which feature was your favorite in 2022? Was it a no-pusher chronograph, a watch with epic magnifiers integrated into the crystal, the only Bond watch, or a bezel-operated triple calendar??When I look back at the list of watches we featured on #TBT this year, I have to say that I am pretty impressed. I was afraid I wouldn t be able to feed your curious minds with new vintage watches, but it seems my worries were unfounded. Even better, there are already discoveries lined up for 2023. Before we get to those starting next week, let me share my pers...
The year is wrapping up in just a few days, and I have no new strap maker to present to you. Instead, I decided to reflect on the ateliers that we featured this year in the Watch Strap Review column. While we try to bring you a new company each month, sometimes it doesn t work out for various reasons, so we only released eight articles in 2022. Still, it s quite a lot, and there s plenty to choose from.So let s look at these companies and what each has to offer. Check out the articles (and strap makers) you ve missed throughout the year.ArtemI got COVID in January, so my activity was limited. Thankfully, Ben took over the column that month and wrote about his Artem Sailcloth Loop-Less? strap...
We are seeing a resurgence in interest in the dress watch. It might just be the natural ebb and flow of trends. After a period of dominance for sports watches, we are moving on to the next thing. Still, many watch aficionados have a hurdle to take before getting into dress watches. They might feel they are too formal, too classical, or too old-fashioned. If you feel that way, let me try to convince you otherwise. There is a world of watch joy to gain.The dress watch really is a perfect everyday watch as long as you manage to keep yourself relatively dry. If you take your watch off before showering and stay out of hard rain, there is no reason not to wear a dress watch. Lets get into it.What ...
This is only episode six or seven of Fratello Talks, and it s already the second time we find ourselves talking dress watches. It s clearly a hot topic, especially when Lex and Thomas get involved. It all started when Thomas chose his Omega Seamaster from the fifties as his go-to dress watch. Lex was stunned! How can a watch originally designed for water-based activities be considered a dress watch? Well, that s exactly what today s podcast episode is all about.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Wrist checkBut before we let the guys in opposite corners fight this one out, let s first check what s on their wrists. And let s...
In the past, brands like Longines, Tudor, Oris, and TAG Heuer dominated the mid-range of the watch market. But every year - and sometimes even multiple times a year - many watch brands increase their prices. It usually happens in fairly acceptable increments and often without much notice or any explanation. But then, all of a sudden, a few years later, all those fairly small increments have added up to a substantial amount. Their watches used to be quite attainable, but it now looks like they belong to a whole new league of upper-range brands. That leaves room for the new mid-range kings to stand up!When I first got into watches, I wasn t used to spending four-digit amounts of money on anyth...
You know that Im Norwegian. It s a given with that Norse god s name that brings me nothing but embarrassment. I mean, I dont ski, fancy glacier climbing, or even enjoy nature much either. But never mind, my dad has been living just outside London for 40 years, so I consider myself half-British by proxy. But that is only one of the reasons Ill happily fly the flag for the rapid rise of watchmaking on the Isles. Im well proud of the strong British players in the watch game. Furthermore, unlike the ubiquitous, trend-following retro divers and big sports watches, each of these brands manages to bring something new to the table. So I claim that 2022 has been the year of British watchmakingFrom th...
Michel Parmigiani had made a name for himself as a highly skilled restorer of antique timepieces and mechanical automatons when in 1996, the Sandoz Foundation supported him in founding his own watchmaking brand, Parmigiani Fleurier. This brand thrived, and those curious enough to approach it soon discovered its promising potential. Yet, for quite a while, it remained an insider s tip. This lack of recognition probably was a consequence of restrained marketing matching the style of the brand and the character of the man behind it. But in 2021, on the 25th anniversary of Parmigiani Fleurier, Guido Terreni became the CEO. By contributing his in-depth experience in the watch business, he gave th...
On the podcast today, Fratello editors Gerard, Lex, and I talk about one of the most coveted watches on the planet - the Patek Philippe Nautilus. With the first reference in front of us, the 3700/1A, we talk about the history of the Nautilus and how the demand for it has done a complete 180 in recent years. We also discuss which version we like best.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings #gallery-1 {margin: auto;}#gallery-1 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 50%;}#gallery-1 img {border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;}#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/me...
Anyone keeping up with news in the watch industry will have heard the name Megan Young. Born in Holland, Megan began her watchmaking career in Geneva. She gained experience and worked her way up through several renowned brands and retailers workshops. She is also an accredited watchmaker for more than a handful of the world s most reputable watch brands, including , Patek Philippe, Panerai, Cartier, Hublot, Baume & Mercier, Montblanc, and Frederique Constant.Today, she holds the director position at The Watch Atelier, a state-of-the-art service center founded in 2015 as Xupes Service and rebranded in 2022. Megan and her team of watchmakers offer everything from a battery change to a ful...
When the people behind Worn & Wound started ADPT, they set out to produce 100% American-made nylon watch straps. Five years later, it has turned into an actual watch brand with the introduction of the ADPT Series 1. The company name - pronounced adapt - is an abbreviation for All Day, Purpose, and Terrain. It s the spirit the brand wishes to channel with the utility of its products. And with the Series 1 models, ADPT has succeeded in creating a series of colorful watches that can be your colorful and affordable daily wearer in many different situations. Time to find out more about the ADPT Series 1.When I first laid my eyes on the ADPT Series 1, the first thing that stood out was that th...
Fratello On Air is getting ready for the holidays! In this episode, Balazs and Mike talk about holiday watches and gifts sure to please almost any watch lover. Enjoy! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Yes, we are firmly in the season of giving, receiving, or buying for ourselves! Therefore, we re here to discuss some of our favorite watches that debuted in 2022. Alongside these holiday watches, we ve also decided to mention some watch-adjacent gifts that will delight you. Stick around and tune in for another fun episode of Fratello On Air!Handgelenks KontrolleAfter some brief discussion on travel (in which Mike reveals tha...
In the last few years, I ve advocated for watches in precious metals. Certain steel sports watches have been hyped so much that they ve become more expensive than their gold and platinum counterparts. That does not make any sense to me at all. Besides this side effect of the hype for steel luxury sports watches, I also like the warmth and heft of precious metals. Putting on my 220g Omega Speedmaster in solid 18K gold or my yellow gold Day-Date makes me even more aware that I am wearing something special compared to their steel counterparts (there s no steel Day-Date, but let s take my steel Datejust as a comparison, then).It s not that I don t like steel watches. On the contrary, I love the...
As you know, we love our G-Shocks here at Fratello. Most of the team members have a strong preference for the classic square models, and I am no exception to that. But I also love the wilder side of Casio s G-Shock universe. The brand s MT-G line, in particular, has seen some releases that I absolutely adore. That s why I was curious to learn more about the new G-Shock MTG-B3000 series. The watches in this series come equipped with a new module that slims down the watches significantly. It makes the new MTG-B3000 line a great follow-up to the MTG-B2000 series. Time to find out more.The first memory of the G-Shock MT-G that comes to mind is the glorious MTG-B2000PH2A Blue Phoenix that I had t...
It is rather exciting to discover that Breguet has released a new iteration of one of its Grande Complication wristwatches without blowing its own horn. Perhaps for the latest Breguet 7637, the brand just didnt need to. This modern-day minute repeater traces its roots back to founder Abraham-Louis Breguets invention of the gong-spring in 1783. The Classique Repetition Minutes 7637 most certainly comes with its innate bells and whistles. And it is not just its chimes that are clean and beautiful. This new addition to the lineup also dons a blue Grand Feu enamel dial that is pure and timeless.A modern-day classicDark blue is a running theme for many of Breguets latest releases. Joining the con...
Recently, I bought a Squale Super-Squale with old radium lume and a brown degrade dial. It looks like it has been completely fried by the gamma radiation from that radium. Except- it s Super-LumiNova, and it s brand new. As a vintage head, I would have poo-pooed that not too long ago. Now I am happily wearing it. I think it is time for some introspection and re-evaluation of faux patina, or fauxtina for short.Could it be that I am just getting less watch-snobby as I age? Or is there merit to faux patina after all? Let s try to find out.Patina: for the love of agingOne thing that many of us love about vintage watches is the plethora of aging effects you can get. There is some mystery surround...
In 1913, Kintaro Hattori, the founder of Seiko, presented his first wristwatch under the name Laurel. It very much looked like a pocket watch fitted with lugs to accommodate a strap, and the crown was shifted to three o clock to make it easier to operate. Now, just short of 110 years later, the Seiko introduces the Presage SPB359J, a homage to that very first Japanese wristwatch. And it definitely looks like the original from back then, but there have also been some significant changes.When you re a brand like Seiko, you have a nearly infinite number of watches to choose from when making a re-edition. However, it s not so common for a brand to make a re-edition of its first wristwatch ever. ...
I am reluctant to say that these are the best watch releases in 2022, but for me, they are. At least they are the watches that left a lasting impression on me within the sheer tsunami of new releases that we ve seen this year. I realize that, so far, I have only bought only one of the watches from my list. That s probably a bit weird, but hey, my well of money isn t bottomless, unfortunately. However, money is no object when determining if a watch impresses me, as is visible in the spectrum of prices in my list. These watches range from $379 to $13,000.While money didn t influence my choices, let it guide the order of my list. I ll start with the most expensive watch, the Omega Seamaster Ult...
Wempe is launching a series of watches resulting from collaborations with brands from its portfolio. The famous jeweler will offer special limited editions of well-known watch models, which are exclusively available through Wempe s physical stores and online shop. These collaboration pieces will form the Wempe Signature Collection. Together with Breitling, Wempe created the first timepiece in this line, the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Signature Collection.The Navitimer is Breitling s best-known model. The brand presented the first watch carrying this name in 1952. Originally, Breitling created it exclusively for the US-based Aircraft Owners And Pilots Association (AOPA), which made it its o...
I thought it would be a nice start to the day, having a coffee while sporting a Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1A Jumbo. Ever since the Nautilus became THE hype watch, I became a Nautilus skeptic. Yes, Genta did a good job, and so did Patek, but not a $100,000 good job. Still, on the wrist, the original 3700/1A in particular is something special indeed. Yes, special enough to have a lengthy talk about it in the coffee corner. And if you want to spend some more time there before meandering back to your desk, you could also discuss the powerful Reservoir Label Noir Popeye, the off-roading Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Huracan Sterrato MB, and a very glossy book about exclusive Haute Horloger...
