Some specially branded Heuer Carrera 2447NST watches were presented to the Volvo Board of Directors. An Alfa Romeo Rodania has a surprisingly sharp integration of the brand logo into the dial. And don t ask me who made the gold-plated quartz Ford watches, but I need one.Watch collectors often have another affection - classic cars. It s no secret that we have a few petrolheads on the Fratello team too, and I am one of them. I don t even own a modern car, and unless I really have to drive my wifes soulless SUV that I have zero connection to, I always prefer to grip the thin wheel of one of my old cars. Oh, and I do not need to highlight how satisfying it is to drive a classic car while wearing...

A bombastic week of watch releases continues today with the new Breitling Chronomat Automatic GMT 40. This new model carries on the strong trajectory of the Chronomat range since its relaunch and refresh in 2020. Curiously, this model foregoes the chronograph element of the Chronomat portmanteau (chronograph + automatic). Instead, the 40mm stainless steel collection focuses on its GMT complication and clean aesthetic. Yet, notable features such as the Rouleaux bracelet and bullet crown remain. As a huge fan and owner of the modern Chromomat, what are my feelings toward the new range? Read on and find out.Breitling celebrates the success of its Chronomat at every opportunity, not just in the ...

Don t worry, I won t be comparing these two classics to the bone. Yes, this will be a proper head-to-head, and I ll go over many of their characteristics. However, to enumerate all the specs one by one would totally miss the point. It s more about how I experience both of these divers. In the end, I buy a watch for the feeling it gives me when I m wearing it. Specs and finishing definitely play a big part in my enjoyment, but the price of a watch also calibrates my expectations of what it s supposed to offer me. I ll use my Seiko SPB317 and my Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe to try to explain what I mean. Today, it s entry-level versus Haute Horlogerie.But first, a little intro of the wa...

Grand Seiko is one of my favorite watch brands. The history, the quality, the unique aesthetics, the fully in-house build - there is just so much to love. It is no secret that the brand is moving upmarket, and the prices of its new watches reflect that development. If you care to look, though, you can find amazing Grand Seiko watches at bargain prices.Join me on the hunt for a Grand Seiko under $/$2,000. I know, I know, that is still a whole lot of money. But just compare the watches below to what you could get from similarly great Swiss brands. Trust me, this is one of the few realms of watch bargains that still exist in todays market.The rules of the gameI have given myself a 2K budget. Si...

I can t believe it s already been six months since I bought my Reverso. I guess it s true when they say that time flies when you re having fun. Indeed, one thing that has become very clear during these first six months is that my Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duoface is such a beautiful, different, and most of all fun watch to wear! It felt a bit like the start of an experiment when I bought it. Of course, I was convinced of my choice at the time of the purchase. But the Reverso is such a unique kind of watch that I was curious to see whether my love for it would stick around or slowly fade. I m happy to report that it has only increased over the summer!A lot of people refer to the Jaeger-LeCoult...

The Wings of Hope Limited Edition Big Crown duo from Oris is now fully released. The brand brought out the 38mm gold version back in July of this year. Now, in October, the 40mm steel version is available. Oris took this moment to expand on its partnership with the nonprofit humanitarian organization Wings of Hope. A press release can t fully capture all the good Wings of Hope is doing. I went and witnessed firsthand just what sort of work Wings of Hope does, and I returned humbled and inspired. Here s hoping that an article about a watch can impart a little more about the sort of good Wings of Hope and Oris are up to.Most (if not all) of you have heard of Oris. Many of you haven t heard abo...

A few days ago, Grand Seiko launched a handful of new watches, including a new version of the Omiwatari. The new Grand Seiko Omiwatari SBGY013 joins the Elegance collection and brings a crisp white alternative to the light blue hues of the original (SBGY007) introduced in 2021. Personally, I find this new reference to be somewhat more appealing than the previous model. Not only has the dial color changed, but Grand Seiko has also introduced a new bracelet. Inspired by traditional beads-of-rice bracelets, this new nine-link has a flatter appearance and is more modern yet still distinguished and elegant. The new dial-and-bracelet combo is coupled with Grand Seikos 9R31 Spring Drive movement. O...

In the second installment of our watch-exchanging mini-series, Im taking RJs Omega Speedmaster Replica 3594.50 for a spin. Replica? I hear you say. Yes, Replica, because back in 1997 when the model was first launched, that word did not have the bad connotation it has now. And to be fair, the Replica is some sort of replica of the very first Omega Speedmaster, the 1957 CK2915. I cherry-picked the Replica from RJ s vast collection of Speedy goodness. I had tried it on before, but this time, I got to wear it for a while longer.Why did I pick the Speedmaster Replica 3594.50 when I could have picked something gold, something Snoopy, or something 321? Because the Replica is the Speedy that sings t...

If you are a Fratello regular, you should need no introduction to Minases flagship Divido collection. Over the years, different members of the team have weighed in with a unanimous conclusion: the Divido is a (now not-so-hidden) gem. Exceptional casing and finishing aside, the Dividos dials come in three different styles - plain urushi colors, gold-dust urushi maki-e, and hand-painted shibo-urushi. The Japanese independent brands latest introduction is a new color for the collection, the Divido 2.0 Ice Blue.Three urushi dial typesHow do the three dial types differ? Although they use the same urushi material, its the techniques to apply them that set them apart and produce different aesthetic...

With the recent increase in the price for an Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch ($6,400 / $7,100), your favorite watch might have gone out of reach. In the past, Omega had a wonderful solution for this - the Speedmaster Reduced. In this article, I ll highlight this and some other alternative Speedmasters that you can pick up today for a lower price.After Omega discontinued the Speedmaster Reduced, the brand still kept Speedmaster models with smaller diameters in its collection. Let s not forget about the Speedmaster Day-Date models from the 1990s and early 2000s, which had a diameter of 39mm. However, Omega also added self-winding models with caliber 9300 that had a 44.25mm diameter. A...

It was quite something that Patek Philippe discontinued its iconic luxury sports watch in stainless steel, the Nautilus. Today, the brand introduces the Nautilus 5811/1G. It is a variation of the classic discontinued 5711/1A, now in white gold. But wait, there s more. One millimeter, to be exact, for an increase in size from 40 to 41mm.Even more important, however, is the new case construction, or better said, a return to the original concept behind the 1976 Nautilus 3700/1A. As you probably know, the case of that first Nautilus reference was a monobloc style, a two-piece (case and bezel) construction where the movement had to come out via the dial side. The case back was fixed and could not...

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the third annual NOMOS forum in Glashtte. This is the brands response to the demise of Baselworld a few years back. Now, instead of packing up and making the trip down to the big Swiss watch fairs, NOMOS keeps things in-house, much like its watchmaking. The brand invites a number of journalists and other content creators to come and experience the latest releases. NOMOS also provides insights as to the brands direction in the coming year and gives us a sneak peek at some of the exciting things to come. As this event took place in the brands home of Glashtte, we were also given a tour of the manufacturing facilities. Today, Ill give you a brief ins...

Fratello On Air is back with a new episode, and this time, we discuss the watch market. In the background, we bring up a couple of reports that have recently been published. There are some interesting numbers, but the market hasn t fallen apart to the extent that secondary prices are reaching retail. Will they? This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings The watch market is in a bit of turmoil lately as prices for hype watches have been on a six-month downtrend. We discuss the recent third-quarter watch market report published by Morgan Stanley and go through some interesting and telling figures. A recent report from Chrono24 contai...

Its getting close to that time again. The days are becoming shorter, and Halloween is looming in, now less than two weeks away. I know, watches are a serious business, but as my story on cartoon-inspired watches showed, the fun factor is real. And it can even include a touch of spookiness, perfect for this time of year. Let me inspire you to get the chills with the spookiest watches I could find. Just remember to keep the lights on.I will confess, one of the watches in this article costs more than some houses. But then again, that particular example is peak horology with a spooky but thoughtful intent, so read on. And do you know what? All the watches in this chilly tale can be worn irrevere...

Last week, we received a report on the pre-owned watch market from Morgan Stanley and WatchCharts. In their latest report concerning Q3 2022, we read that , Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe make up approximately 70% of the total trading value in the pre-owned luxury watch market. The report also indicates that prices are down 21% compared to March and April this year. But does that mean youll soon be able to buy one at retail? Well, it depends on what you re after.Not too long ago, I wrote that there are signs that authorized dealers and boutiques (which are not owned by the brand, except one in Geneva) seem to be getting more watches in stock. Even after that article, one of our guys b...

Why cant horology be a little bit more playful from time to time? This is a question to which Studio Underd0g provides the answer with each new release. The ultimate proof that the watch industry can be playful comes courtesy of an 11-year-old girl that designed this very special Halloween-inspired pumpkin version of the Studio Underd0g chronograph. Her idea resulted in two stunning pieces, one of which will go up for auction to raise money for charity. Let the bidding commence!Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of teaming up with Studio Underd0g for the April Fools Aubergine Chronograph. All profits from that special collaborative effort went to Cancer Research UK. Now Studio Underd0g i...

When Nacho asked me to write a retrospective on 2022, a year of watch collecting, my first response was, Already? We are halfway through October! But then I realized that, in my case, it might just be the perfect moment. I am going through a shift in priorities and perspective. Could I even be done? Seriously?Let me share what 2022 has been like for me - from a horological perspective, at least.A reality check in 2022Although I have been into watches my entire life, my acquisition of the ticking little buggers sped up over the past few years. These were the years I worked at Amsterdam Watch Company. They were also the years in which watches seemed to become the subject of more and more hype....

Lets start the week with coffee and pizza! Oh yes, and the homecoming of a Seiko chronometer and a Lange tourbillon pocket watch. The Seiko Museum has recently added a rare and important watch to its historical collection. It is one of the 73 Seiko Observatory Certified Chronometers produced in 1969 with movements that passed the rigorous 45-day Neuchatel Observatory Chronometer test. This particular watch was in the possession of the Swiss Kocher family. Fifty-three years after the watchs creation and precise achievements, its now back home and on display at the Seiko Museum in Tokyo. Also, a complicated pocket watch with a tourbillon makes its way back to its place of origin. The A. Lange ...

We all saw this one coming. The new Doxa Army regular-production models finally hit the market a few months ago. When I first saw Doxa s limited edition with Watches of Switzerland in the US, I knew this could only mean one thing. The unmistakable Army dial in a black ceramic case was a hit and sold out instantly. It was only a matter of time before the brand brought some iteration of the original Army back to regular production. After all, the vintage Doxa Army is the icing on the cake for many vintage-diver collectors. My favorite is the Doxa Army bronze bezel version. Let s have a closer look at the model.Although it might not be the most historically accurate one, the delicate little det...

In our Pre-Owned Spotlight series, we will bring some of the watches that crossed our path during the week to your attention. This is not sponsored in any way but purely based on what our editors come across and find interesting for whatever reason. This week, we shine the Pre-Owned Spotlight on a Cartier Santos, an Omega Seamaster 300, and a Oysterquartz Datejust.One watch from my collection that I regret selling is a Oysterquartz Datejust 17013. It stayed in the family and found a good home, but it s a watch that truly enjoyed wearing. One of my favorite Oysterquartz models is the ref. 17014 in steel and white gold. It s the watch I ve included in this week s pre-owned selection. Another...