Introduced in 1953, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is widely regarded as the first modern dive watch equipped with a rotating unidirectional bezel with a diving scale. Like many great products, the Fifty Fathoms was born out of necessity. With more humans than ever before venturing into the deep, the world needed a reliable, purpose-built watch for divers.The story of Blancpains Fifty Fathoms is a very interesting one that clearly demonstrates its pioneering spirit. It is a story about two quests for a dive watch, one by Blancpain s then-CEO Jean-Jaques Fiechter and another by French naval officers Bob Maloubier and Claude Riffaud. These quests resulted in the watch that we know today as the Fi...
When does a young brand transcend its status as a microbrand? After more than ten years, Stockholm-based Nezumi Studios ticks all the boxes with ease. With some racy collaborations to its name including Porsche-tuning icon Ruf, Nezumi has become a small brand to inspire others in the genre for sustainable growth. At the same time, while introducing new watches to the collection, the Voiture Chronograph has evolved slowly but securely. Still retro-evocative but mature, I go hands-on with this Nezumi Voiture VQ3.201The Voiture is the original and first chronograph from the 11-year-old design studio s horological debut in 2015. It is a testament in itself to see the same model with the same des...
What do Panerai and Hummer have in common? Arnold Schwarzenegger is one correct answer - the Governator is the original civilian Hummer driver AND a passionate Panerai wearer. Another answer is a military history with a civilian follow-up. For quite a while, Panerai was the hottest ticket in town. But ever since the 2007C2009 Great Recession, Panerai, the king of XL watches, seemingly has been less relevant. Disappointed Paneristi lamented the endless limited editions and especially the launch of the S-sized Luminor Due with a water-resistance rating of 30 meters. And theres also the confusion that surrounds the in-house and non-in-house movements. I guess its time to break down the brand Pa...
One of the most discussed releases this year has been the Omega Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch. Whether you like it or not, we never saw a watch get so much attention before, not only in watch publications like Fratello but also in the mainstream media. I can t remember seeing the new release of a watch brand covered on national television.The most talked-about watch of 2022On March 24th, Swatch announced the MoonSwatch models - 11 pieces that all had their own destination. It was a complete surprise to most people, except the few journalists (including us) invited a week earlier to Swatch HQ to look at this new secret project with Nick Hayek Jr., CEO of Swatch Group. On March 26th, the Swa...
Jardur never reached the level of fame that Longines and Breitling did. That s probably the reason that the brand often stays under collectors radar. Yet, the black-dialed Jardur Bezelmeter with genuine red markings is one of the most intriguing and attractive vintage chronographs for me.I will never be a pilot. That means I ll never use my Jardur Bezelmeter for its intended purpose. The closest it gets to real use is when I sit on a plane and take it for a business trip abroad. This week, I am in London, so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to take the Bezelmeter up to the sky and show it to you on this week s #TBT.Jardur redRed printing on a dial is always a juicy detail. Usuall...
When we talk about Casio, the first thing that pops up in most people s minds is G-Shock. But Casio also offers several models under its Edifice sub-brand for people who are into watches inspired by the world of motorsports. The designs of many of the Edifice watches can be described as modern and sometimes even futuristic. Additionally, the timepieces offer a wide array of different functions, making them modern tool watches that incorporate the fast-paced racing world. The latest addition to the Edifice collection is the ECB-2000D series, which takes design inspiration from the suspension of formula race cars. Additionally, the Edifice Sospensione ECB-2000D-1A introduces a new case constru...
This is a special article for me to write simply because 2022 is the year that I started writing for Fratello. It s nice to look back because boy, did I enjoy it! But I also thought it was going to be a difficult article to write. Choosing the best watches from all of the great releases this year seemed like a monumental task. But actually, when I looked back at them and my own purchases this year, the list quickly filled up. Most of them are fairly unexpected and within reach for most of us. However, there s also some surprising grail material in there to keep dreaming about in the years to come. Did I say years? Maybe I should even say decades.Becoming a writer at Fratello has opened my ey...
Fratello Talks dress watches! In this first episode, editors Nacho and Robert-Jan are joined by shop manager Laurits, and the three of them talk about dress watches. What is a dress watch, and why would you need one? This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings However, we start the episode with a wrist check, of course. RJ is wearing his Omega Constellation Globemaster in Sedna Gold, Laurits is sporting a Explorer on a leather strap, and Ignacio is wearing his vintage Tissot Calatrava in 14K gold. You can debate whether the Explorer on a leather strap is a dress watch, and we do so in the podcast. This Fratello Talks podcast is an...
Titoni has been knocking out releases at a rapid pace lately. The latest is the brand-new Seascoper 300 dive watch. It is a new addition to the Seascoper lineup after the Seascoper 600. This new diver combines familiar influences with typical Titoni elements. On top of that, it is powered by a COSC-certified Sellita SW200-1 movement. Is the new Seascoper better than its bigger brother? Time to find out more about the new Seascoper 300.Straight out of the box, the new Titoni Seascoper 300 has some strongly familiar vibes. In a category defined by the Submariner s design, the Seascoper follows the archetype in many ways. But there are definitely design elements that make it recognizable as a ...
Introduced in the city where MI6 resides, the new Omega Seamaster 300M celebrates 60 years of 007. Although James Bond has been wearing various watches from several brands in the past 60 years, since 1995, it has been the Omega Seamaster. In the presence of no one else than Daniel Craig, the most recent actor to fulfill the role of 007, the new Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond 60th Anniversary has been introduced to the press and special guests.But before discussing the new Omega Seamaster 300M, let s step back for a brief moment and look at the other Seamaster watches dedicated to the secret agent from London. As written in the introduction, it has been since 1995? that James Bond has been w...
Do you know why I love doing the Watch Strap Review column? One would think that watch straps are a boring subject. You could not be further from the truth, though. So many fabrics, designs, ideas, and unique straps are on the market that the options are endless. Whether you are looking for a specific style, like the Bund, or straps made of Icelandic reindeer leather, theres undoubtedly an atelier making them. And we have reviewed them already. However, this months brand, Joseph Bonnie, is not remarkable for the above. Instead, it s for the audience that I feel the brand caters to. Collectors of vintage watches are a special breed of enthusiasts - a group of people that is hard to please. Ye...
What is Korea most famous for? According to foodies, it s kimchi. Motoring enthusiasts say it s cars, and Android users claim it s Samsung. But what do watch fans say when they think of Korea? Maybe Rolens because it reminds them of the Swiss king of watches, but my guess is that a lot of watch aficionados stay silent when they try to connect Korea with timepieces. That could be a very positive thing for microbrand Varon Chiri, which will launch its very first watch on Kickstarter come November 29th. The Varon Chiri Blazer is presented in five colors, and we received the blue version of the ambitious all-arounder.With globalization comes knowledge, among many other things. Before the interne...
I have just had a chat with Phil Toledano, known as @misterenthusiast on the Gram and from his podcast Viva Bastardo. Phil is a conceptual artist and connoisseur of Italian four-wheeled exotica. His cars are always of the quirkier kind, and so are his watches. In a world of diminishing love for the politically incorrect smell of petrol fumes, Phils studied garage is as fascinating as his off-trend wristwear. In my story on modified watches a couple of weeks ago, there was one watch I omitted for a reason. The question is, with this Submariner mod, did Mister Enthusiast and King Nerd go too far?Phil made a short run of modified Air-Kings and Submariners?with renowned engraver Johnny Dowell,...
This year has been a pretty exciting one for watches. I had the most pleasurable experiences during Watches and Wonders 2022 with Patek Philippe, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Grand Seiko. And later this year, I bumped into my favorite MoonSwatch at Zrich Airport. And when I put this list of the best watches of 2022 together, I realized its a very eclectic list. That s not because of the different brands, but rather, it s because of the different materials used. Theres a platinum, a steel, a titanium, a ceramic, and a Bioceramic watch on my list. And every single one of the watches I picked was on my wrist this year. That was a criterion that every single watch had to meet to make it to my top...
Back in the day, things were simple. You just bought one watch - a single timepiece that would do the job at all times. Today, even if you re not a watch collector or enthusiast, you probably already own several watches. And I don t know about you, but my watch collection consists mainly of sports watches. However, there are occasions when a sports watch isn t very appropriate, especially from a style perspective. In those instances, I will often choose one of my vintage watches because they re generally smaller (and thinner) and fitted with leather straps. Finding a nice, modern dress watch is difficult, especially with a limited budget. For this article, I asked the Fratello team to come u...
Climate change is not about the world getting hotter. Its several accelerated changes that are knocking the cycles off balance. Environments are simultaneously drying out while rising sea levels risk flooding. Responding to these peak weather events requires dedicated task forces stationed in the most affected areas. Thats where Coulson Aviation comes in. This Canadian aerial firefighter crew tackles wildfires across the globe in places of threat. Using a variety of aircraft, vast quantities of water extinguish fires near built-up settlements. But its not just about responding to the issues. As part of Oris s Change for the Better campaign, the brand seeks to help others understand and preve...
Today, Hamilton releases the Murph 38mm. But let s rewind for a brief moment to 2014. It was then that Christopher Nolan cemented his reputation as a master of chronology. We had seen the producer/director play with time before in classics such as Memento and Inception. The 2014 epic Interstellar was a movie only he could make. Nolan approached Hamilton and requested two watches. One was a standard Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date, the other a custom design that would feature heavily as a plot prop. The latter became known as the Murph watch.Hamilton released the Murph to the public in 2019. It was received with great enthusiasm but was also often criticized for its size. At 42 52mm and nearl...
On December 11th, Phillips will auction off a very special Omega Speedmaster Professional ref. 145.012-68SP. The reference number alone may not seem very special, but what if we told you that this watch was issued to NASA in 1968 and used during training for Apollo, Skylab, and even Space Shuttle missions?The Speedmaster Pro 145.012-68SP that will go up for auction in December is one of the watches that Omega sent to NASA as part of their agreement. As you probably know, NASA qualified Omega s Speedmaster 105.003 with caliber 321 in 1965. Omega then shipped these watches to NASA for use during training and in space (the last watch worn on the Moon was a 105.003, on the wrist of Gene Cernan i...
Fratello On Air is here, and Balazs and Mike are back together between extensive travels. This week, we talk about a number of random subjects and then move on to the main topics. New Excelsior Park is in focus as well as the massive Deepsea Challenge. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings We have been keeping the road hot! Mike has just returned from a two-week trip to the USA where he was all over the place, and Balazs is getting ready to leave for another visit to Japan. Luggage enters the discussion yet again, and Mike is curious if Rimowa s service department will live up to his expectations (update: sadly, not so far). ...
Price increases happen for a lot of brands, but no brand does waitlists better than . You may get on the waitlist at your favorite authorized dealer (AD), but while you re waiting for your watch - and for who knows how long - the price increases just continue to happen. To me, the idea of a waitlist in itself doesn t sound like something I d like to be a part of. But it s even worse when you sign up for something at a certain price and then that price just keeps creeping up while you re standing in line.This last year has been a particularly bad one to be on the waitlist for anything. A friend of mine bought a new 36mm Explorer in October 2021 for $6,050. That watch now retails for $1,100 m...
