The current Milgauss was introduced in 2007, and I remember it wasnt an easy watch to get at first. However, one year later, I published an article on Fratello in which I wrote that the demand had been going down ever since and that the versions without the green sapphire crystal went for below $4,000 on the secondary market. But that was then, and this is now, and the Milgauss 116400 is already 15 years old. Milgauss reference 6451 - Image source: PhillipsA brief introduction to the MilgaussThe very first Milgauss was introduced in 1956 with references 6543 and 6541. This watch was developed for scientists, and according to our friends over at Amsterdam Vintage Watches, it was made for ...
In case you want to visit the upcoming Dubai Watch Week that s happening this weekend, please be aware of one very important thing: its being held in New York City. The watch fair, which normally takes place in the Middle East, has put itself firmly on the map of important horological events. The move to NYC is temporary, and it will put the important American market and watch culture in the spotlight. The watch event comprises panels, debates, and masterclasses. And while finding out where to go and what to do, I tried out the new Circula ProTrail Automatic field watch. Find out about the event and the microbrand field watch in this edition of Coffee Corner Watch Talk.This year s Dubai Watc...
If youve delved deep enough into the world of horology, youll have certainly come across a number of watches made of ceramic. The materials key features make it one that lends itself beautifully to creating a watch case. But only a handful of brands possess the technical chops and knowledge to master the art of ceramic. Rado is a perfect example of this. Founded in 1917, the brand got an early taste for innovation and has never lost its appetite for it. Rados motto since the early days has been, Si nous pouvons l imaginer, nous pouvons le fabriquer. Et si nous pouvons le fabriquer, nous le ferons! This translates to, If we can imagine it, we can make it. And if we can make it, we will! Its w...
In 1965, Citizen introduced the first-ever timepiece made in Japan that boasted a mineral crystal. According to the brand, at that point in time, it was also the worlds slimmest automatic watch with a display of the date and day of the week. Citizen named it the Crystal Seven to honor these features that represented its watchmaking advancements. Fast forward to 2020, the Japanese giant revived the model with the new Citizen C7 collection for the Asian markets. Now four of the variants from the C7 series have finally landed in Europe. We received two of them in our office, so lets s take a look.The originalAs a watch company that began life in 1918, Citizen s archives must be a treasure trove...
New York is the one you have to win, said Rod Dixon, winner of the 1983 New York City Marathon. That feels a bit like Neil Armstrong saying, You had to be there, when asked about the Moon landing, but we won t argue with a New York City Marathon winner. So New York is the one. Fresh-faced independent Swiss watch brand Norqain took that quote to heart by becoming the official timekeeping partner of the TCS New York City Marathon. Norqain is also now also a Strategic Partner of New York Road Runners (NYRR), the worlds premier community-based running organization, which is also responsible for organizing the New York Marathon. And the brand has some great things lined up to celebrate the occasi...
I like a nice vintage-inspired watch once in a while. You know, something that takes me back to the 1950s or 60s but with a modern movement and construction. But sometimes I feel I should be mindful of what I wish for. Some watches may be a tad too vintage and super niche. Take, for example, a parking-meter chronograph with a very specialized usage or, in the case, of the Brew Metric, a way to time the perfect espresso shot. Between all of you and me, Im not a coffee expert, but I do appreciate a funky backstory. Im also new to the world of chronographs, but I find myself smitten by the Metrics distinct retro vibe.?Decades ago, there were cool watches out there that had a very particular fu...
We re back again for another Sunday Morning Showdown! Last week pitted the Swiss Tissot against the Japanese Citizen. But today is an internal affair, as Tudor faces off against Tudor. We re featuring two 2022 watch models from the sister brand. The grand announcement of the new Ranger in London in July was swiftly usurped by the Pelagos 39 bombshell in Geneva the following month. Despite not being part of Geneva Watch Days (otherwise known as pulling a Hublot), Tudor grabbed the headlines with its diminutive dive watch, leaving the Ranger in the shadows. Yet, each watch serves its purpose admirably. Which one is better? That s for you to decide, so read on and cast your vote.Firstly, I ve ...
Born on Kickstarter in 2015, Redwood Watches is a young Canadian microbrand offering heritage-inspired watches with timeless designs. Following a no-nonsense approach, Redwood puts reliability and serviceability above all else. As things stand in the second half of 2022, the brand has two watches on offer. There is the Field V3, which is a time-only field watch, and the Tactical V2 diver. Both watches are designed with carefree wear in mind. So much so, in fact, that both are available with a choice of an automatic caliber or a solar quartz movement for the ultimate worry-free experience. The Redwood Tactical V2 Divers Watch is the brands latest offering. It s also the one that I spent a lit...
As youve seen in this Fratello Collectors Week, we, like many collectors, have a severe problem. Any collector will tell you that storing watches safely becomes a serious consideration as soon as a few pieces grow to double figures. While higher-value timepieces belong in a safety deposit box or a safe, accessing these watches is limited to the bank vaults schedule and your availability. For more everyday wearability and travel solutions, my selection consists of a watch box, a travel roll, and a watch winder, all from Wolf 1834.My collection cannot compete with those of my colleagues, but I desire to keep my watches organized. Leaving a sizeable watch collection strewn about the house is my...
Lugs are often a make it or break it feature on any watch. Of course, here at Fratello, one style of lugs is quite popular - twisted lugs. Known as twisted, lyre, or sometimes Bombe lugs, they ve been a defining feature on Speedmasters for many decades now. But their elegance is not relegated to just one watch or brand. With almost 100 years of history and some unique interpretations of the form along the way, there s no one way to twist a lug. Twisted lugs also happen to be one of my favorite looks on a well-designed watch.It s been almost a year since Jorg wrote his article on different lug styles. As he stated there, it s usually easier to spot when lugs don t work well design-wise than t...
Of course, I m a collector. This is Collector s Week! A few of our editors claim that they are not collectors and simply have more watches than most to match their moods and outfits. Really? Newsflash: in 2022, we see fewer watches on wrists than ever before. The curve on the watch-loving graph might be pointing upwards again, but in some countries, youll see 70% of wrists naked. So when you have more than eight or ten watches, youre a collector, no matter what you tell yourself (or your wife…). While not focused on one brand, Im a collector and have been for more than 10 years, but Ive changed my focus after a few insights. Be true to yourself and admit to your own taste, whether it b...
Last week s article on the most iconic chronographs definitely sparked a lively discussion among our readers. Thus, we decided to continue in the same vein this week with a list of the most iconic dive watches. Lists are always good fun to create because they re a great way to get an overview of what s out there. So what are the most iconic dive watches that should be part of your collection one day? We ve compiled a list of eight pieces that we think fit the bill.Just like with iconic chronographs, there is a number of essential dive watches that immediately come to mind. But, to be honest, it s not a large number. In other words, after listing a couple of watches, we could have a lively de...
Having met the Apollo astronauts several times in the flesh, I noticed many wore their Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz watches from 2010. That Speedmaster was famously equipped with meteorite sub-dials. The prices of that particular limited-edition Speedmaster have increased so much that it has become an out-of-reach grail watch for many. It s the same case with many other meteorite-dialed watches out there. Another example that comes to mind is the white gold GMT-Master II, also pricey and equally equipped with a meteorite dial. However, just because a watch has a meteorite dial, it shouldn t mean it s unaffordable.Though it s not necessarily everybody s cup of tea, I have a weak spot for watches...
The moment I put the olive-green Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic on my wrist, I was still in awe of the otherworldly plasma oven I saw earlier that day at ComaDur, the specialized Swatch Group company thats responsible for creating all the ceramic watch components for Rado. Can you blame me, though? I mean, the inside of that plasma oven reaches a mind-blasting temperature of 20,000C - for perspective, the temperature of the suns surface is estimated to be around 5,600C. The purple light that the plasma reactor generates is strangely eerie and hypnotizing, and so is the idea that something is being made inside at a staggering temperature of 20,000C. I thought I was witnessing the birt...
About 10 years ago, a very good friend of mine showed me around the submarine that he was working on at the time. He would go on missions without getting any fresh air for weeks, maybe even months. I remember that the whole experience was quite impressive to me. All those tiny and narrow spaces. No daylight coming through anywhere. And now Yema launches two new Navygrafs. One took its design inspiration from the bronze elements on a submarine. The other was co-designed with the French Navy troops that are actually supposed to use it while working on a submarine. Let s take a closer look at the Yema Navygraf FSM.Last year, Yema marked the start of its official partnership with the French Navy...
Were here with the second Collectors Week on Fratello, and Im pleased to contribute with an article related to vintage watches. This time, we decided to allow freedom in terms of topics, and that started me thinking about what to write. It didnt take long for me to decide on a theme. Without further ado, lets discuss why collecting vintage Japanese watches has, above all, kept me in this hobby.Within Fratello, were all collectors in some way or form (though some of us would disagree with that terminology). We have folks specializing in brands, genres, age periods, and even oddities (Ahoj, Tomas!). Im a dabbler in many things, but the absolute foundation of my collection lies within vintage J...
I am always startled when people ask me when I started collecting watches. The thing is, I never started collecting watches. I just bought one watch that I liked…It was 2009, and I was 26 years old when I bought my Tissot PRC 200. It was reliable and sturdy, and I wore it no matter what I did. Time passed by, and after a few years, I bought another watch that I liked, my first self-winding watch, a Junghans Meister Automatic.My first vintage watchAfter another couple of years, I mustered all the courage I had and bought my first vintage watch. It was an almost-NOS gold-plated Vulcain Cricket, which actually gave me my first painful lesson: there are customs fees when you order a watch ...
You never know when you will need to hit the race track next, but whenever you do, make sure you are equipped with a proper chronograph. And what s better than strapping a colorful, super-sporty one like the new TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph to your wrist? These watches come in three vibrant colors and sport all of the useful features youll need. Theyre also designed to be used in the cockpit while zooming past the pitstop. Perhaps you would want something that looks a bit more traditional, or perhaps you are feeling bold and want something that pops. Regardless of your preference, the new Formula 1 Chronographs make a solid case for themselves, as we will see below.TAG Heuer is the kind o...
Welcome to my contribution to Fratello Collector s Week 2.0. I will not introduce my collection in detail, but I will give you a few examples to illustrate the way I choose watches to buy. What I will present to you, though, is a personal story about the development of my passion for watches. If you d like to follow me on this path, you will learn how I got into watches, how I became a collector, and how I stopped building a collection in its original sense. You ll also learn how I currently grow my ensemble of watches.The watch that ignited my interest was a dive watch. Ive been a diver for quite a while now - since 1984, to be exact. It must have been at the beginning of the 1990s when the...
Longines has a long-standing history, and this year marks its 190th anniversary. Reason enough for a proper celebration! Earlier this year, we were already very impressed by the Longines Ultra-Chron Diver with a high-beat movement, but this time, the brand is introducing something completely different. It is a slim dress watch with a 40mm diameter and a case thickness of just 9.35mm. More importantly, I think, it has no date display. Often, a date display kind of ruins a good dress watch. The Longines Master Collection 190th Anniversary watch comes in three versions, all with different materials and dials. There s the steel version we have here for you, and Longines also decided to create tw...
