What I need this morning is a lighthearted watch talk over a nice cup of coffee. A strong yet creamy flat white would be nice - since its a 1980s Australian invention, I consider it the most easy-going coffee out there. I also want to keep it nice and light and colorful. That could be a reaction to the inevitable rain and gray skies that come with autumn. Luckily, my Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide Benzilla arrived just in time to brighten the day. And both the graffiti-inspired G-Shock Street Spirit collection and the Richard Mille RM 88 Automatic Tourbillon Smiley will put a smile on your face.This is not the first time that the Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide makes its appearance on Fratello. And...

The new Grand Seiko SBGX353 Skyflake is 34mm. Even mentioning this vintage-pure diameter to your WIS friends five or six years ago would have raised eyebrows to new heights. I can imagine the comments, Red Bar members dropping their Big Pilots on the GTG pub table in shock. A new watch not aimed at ladies measuring 34mm? Surely, the world is coming to an end. But this is 2022, and the large-cased beauty of Seiko and its Grand big brother is shrinking. Yes, my friends, this is a good thing.But even if the picture is different, this is not an odd size for a men s watch. Vintage has been cool for decades, and while prices are ever-rising, the old Air-Kings and Oysterdates were delectably sized...

Hardmetal - a name that, for a former music journalist with a specific interest in all things metal, always had a special ring to it. I was into thrash metal, speed metal, and also funk metal, but hard metal would surely also have been a subgenre I was down with. Hardmetal is an alloy that Rado patented in 1962 when it released the DiaStar, the very first scratch-resistant watch ever created and also the first timepiece featuring a sapphire crystal. The watch has been in continuous production ever since and has become the best-selling Rado model ever. But for the jubilee watch that debuts in 2022, Hardmetal was canceled. Instead, Rado booked another even harder star material to shine on the ...

As a vintage-watch nerd, I don t need any new modern watches. Well, actually, I do need one. You see, my wife would like to have a new Reverso. The problem is that there is nothing in the current JLC portfolio that would bring us into a boutique.Every couple or work team has inside jokes that don t make sense to anyone but a few people involved. One or two words are usually enough to get provoke those knowing snickers. These moments come up irregularly and spontaneously. Usually, they occur when someone is picking on another or in situations that recall an impactful moment from the past. Whatever that was, a few trigger words bring up that special moment of understanding, shared experience, ...

Vintage-inspired field watches are having a moment. We have seen many brands offer a take on the famed mil-spec A-11. The original A-11 performed admirably in WWII, and Praesidus has improved upon the specifications, bringing the design to modern spec. But Praesidus has also gone a step further, producing a watch that is a near carbon copy of a Waltham A-11. The brand has made two versions and two sizes, allowing the vintage feel to be as original as the wearer decides.Timekeeping is of the utmost importance for military precision. Upon entry into WWII, the U.S. Military recognized the need to equip troops with a reliable timepiece that would serve them well on the front lines. The A-11 spec...

Every Sunday, we let two watches (and authors) compete against each other. Often, we choose two watches from different brands in the same style, complication, or price category. This week, however, we have two incredibly similar watches in our Sunday Morning Showdown. The Grand Seiko White Birch SLGA009 versus the SLGH005. These pieces have subtle differences that are hardly noticeable at first glance. The ultra-smooth sweep of the seconds hand might give away that one is a Spring Drive powered watch, while the other is not. But the now-famous White Birch dials also show subtle but important differences. One thing that is exactly the same, though, is the retail price of $9,500 ($9,100).Does ...

I m of the opinion that every watch collection should include a time-only, manual-wind watch. There s a comforting element to a watch that tells the time simply yet is dependent on manual input to run. In a multi-watch collection, there s less stress in winding and setting a manual caliber than what is required with an automatic with a date complication or worse. There are no off-limits windows of time for adjusting it because there s no date or other complication to set. A hand-wound watch is happy enough to be wound and worn when needed and just as happy to wait in the wings until the next winding. Plus, there s generally a symmetry and classiness that no other watch style quite delivers.I...

As this is a subjective two-part story meant to inform, I ll start with a disclaimer to avoid any misunderstandings about something as simple as watch hands. Yes, I m talking about the hour and minute hands. And I know the Fratelli will be eager to jump into the comments with a style that I missed. That is all good, as I have looked at the 10C15 most well-known shapes. And by all means, feel free to disagree if I proclaim a certain brand to have the best kind of spade hands in the business (that would be Kikuchi Nakagawa, hands down).First of all, this is not meant as an encyclopedical story to struggle through; that s for my book deal when I retire. I will not endeavor to drag you through t...

The tsunami of new watches may have just hit us barely a month ago at Geneva Watch Days 2022. The toll, however, is already subsiding and turning into a distant memory. Now that we have regained some composure, certain pieces seem to have gradually surfaced to salience. When it came to Bvlgari, it took me some time to recognize how concise and comprehensive the launch presentation was. And that alone is no mean feat for any brand to accomplish. Between Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie, from top-of-the-scale to entry-level mechanical timepieces, the luxury house has it all covered masterfully.The golden celebrationsUnsurprisingly, the spotlight is on the Octo Finissimo novelties. Dominat...

On October 21, Grand Seiko and Fratello will host an event for fans and enthusiasts of the brand in the Grand Seiko boutique at La Place Vendome in Paris. Not only will you be able to experience the latest Grand Seiko watches, but also to be introduced to the European chapter of the GS9 Club.During our last year s Fratello x Grand Seiko event in ParisFratello x Grand Seiko Paris Event – Meet GS9 EuropeThe GS9 Club is a membership organization specifically for Grand Seiko watch enthusiasts and owners. It is an initiative by Grand Seiko Europe and starts on October 1st, 2022. There are already GS9 Clubs in Japan and in the United States of America. Members of the GS9 Club will get privat...

During our editorial meetings at Fratello, we often find ourselves discussing how changed over the decades. We seem to agree that the vibe surrounding the brand is not quite the same as it once was. And so finally, RJ asked me to write down some musings about the subject. Not data-backed empirical analysis, but just my personal view on the topic. He asked me to take the perspective of the question: when did become a luxury brand?So why me? Well, because I have only recently gotten more involved with modern . As a former vintage dealer, my focus was on ye olde Rollie. Thus, the difference between those worlds is particularly striking to me. Now, I am well aware that I am treading on thin ic...

At the Fratello offices, we often discuss affordable watches. The question of what affordable means, however, is obviously a very personal one. We decided to set the affordable budget for this list at $1,000. So what watches in this price bracket are the best in the long stream of new releases that were unveiled in 2022? We have compiled a list of ten choices that our editors loved for various reasons. All of them are great options under $1,000.Picking ten watches is not always easy. Why? Because sometimes it is hard to choose, and sometimes there is simply an abundance of options. In the category of releases under $1,000, we have seen a ton of great releases this year. But it was still a to...

Whenever I meet someone new and tell them what I do, they often quickly assume that I own a . And to be honest, I have owned one in the past, but I sold it not long after I got it. Sometimes, my new acquaintance will act surprised I don t have one, and I feel like I kind of have to explain to them why I don t. Of course, I don t have to, but it did make me wonder why there isn t a in my collection anymore. So for anyone interested, here goes my own personal backstory on why I don t have a to call my own.Last year, Jorg wrote an article on five reasons why you need a and five reasons why you don t. In it, he more or less analyzes why people, in general, should or should not buy a watch fro...

If you love Japanese culture, you will probably be familiar with the Japanese form of theatre known as kabuki. If you are unfamiliar with the name itself, you will probably recognize it when you see the image of a play below. Kabuki inspired Seiko to develop two new models for its Presage Sharp Edged Series. Both models feature dials that are inspired by the colors and patterns used in kabuki. The Seiko Presage SPB329 and SPB331 show that the mixture of traditional Japanese culture and modern design leads to surprising results.When the aptly named Sharp Edged Series debuted in 2020, Seiko introduced a concept with sharp-edged case designs combined with dials inspired by Japanese culture. As ...

For a story that started 84 years ago during a ski race in the Swiss Alps, Tissots timing to reminisce with a vintage-inspired model was peculiar. Back in July this summer, the heritage watchmaker introduced the 42mm chronograph Telemeter 1938 in two color variants to do just that. Nevertheless, it is a story worth telling because it captures the very start of Tissots sports timekeeping history.How it all startedOur timing is better now as we edge into the last quarter of the year. As the story goes, the protagonist was Vital Thiebaud, and the year was 1938. Thiebaud helped mold the future of the Swiss watchmaker when he used a Tissot chronograph to time a race at the Swiss ski resort of Vil...

How many different hand styles do you know? Well, listing them off could keep us here all night. Yet, if you re anything like me, you can t stop staring in wonder when you see Juvenia Architect Protractor. It is unprecedentedly innocent, simple, amusing, different, and powerful all at the same time.I promised myself that on #TBT, I would only feature watches I ve worn or watches that come with a personal story from one of you, the Fratelli. The reason was simple: wearing a watch is a highly personal and emotional experience. When I do the writing, I try not to be factual but rather to convey the true sensation - how it is to wear a particular watch and why it feels so different than anything...

No, I m not being ironic here. Embrace your inner child and let a cartoon watch liven up your day. It doesn t have to be a cheeky-colored kid s watch, either. The best cartoon watches can be discreet, and truly legit horology at that.For many people, cartoons are a blissful memory of childhood lost. Others, however, carry the enthusiasm to our grave… literally. The Japanese Emperor Hirohito was buried with his favorite watch, and contrary to your preconceptions, it was no . Keep reading, and you ll be surprised, perhaps even tempted. From Timex Peanuts watches for under $100 to an AP costing hundreds of thousands, there are cartoon watches for every budget.Bvlgari Gerald Genta Arena ...

It has now been six months since the launch of one of the years most talked about watches. The Omega Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch sent shockwaves through the watch community after its announcement on the 24th of March. We all witnessed the phenomenon of people queueing overnight for the launch, hoping to get their hands on one. I witnessed this with my own eyes at the Rotterdam boutique, where hundreds of hopeful punters claimed a spot in the line. The hype was real. And its grip on the watch community (as well as a fraction of streetwear enthusiasts) did not loosen for quite some time. But half a year later, we ask ourselves: has the hype truly died down? In a world of lightning-fast tre...

American watchmaking, watch culture, and watch market were in the spotlight during the Dubai Watch Week Horology Forum 8 Moves New York. The watch event, which took place last weekend in NYCs Meatpacking District, was comprised of panels, debates, and watchmaking and watch-photography masterclasses. And yes, while discussing the present state and future perspective of American watchmaking, the spirit was definitely along the lines of MAWGA. Hollywood actor and self-taught horologist Aldis Hodge proved to be the most ambitious. With his brand A. Hodge Atelier, hes aiming for Haute Horlogerie status. And to keep things firmly rooted in present-day relevance, there was an insightful talk about ...

Dear Fratelli, in the morning, do you choose a watch to match your outfit or the other way around? I must say, I do a bit of both. Some days, I really feel like wearing a certain watch, and I ll choose the right clothes to match it. Other days, I just get dressed quickly and then walk over to the watch box to see which watch fits that day s style best. It s not always easy to choose the right combination, though. Well, now there s Hegid who makes those early-morning decisions even more difficult!You might not immediately notice it when you look at the offerings on the French brand s website, but when you take a closer look, you can see that the same watch cases appear multiple times. The sam...