We all know the stories about availability and the For Exhibition Only signs in the displays at ADs and boutiques. The signs are not there for safety reasons but simply because the watches are not available to buy. These are current models, yes, but they re just there for you to stare at and maybe try before you do not buy.At least, that used to be the guaranteed case until recently. One of my colleagues walked into the boutique at Schiphol (Amsterdam) Airport and was offered two available sports models (he bought one, by the way). He isnt a regular customer, either. He just walked in and asked. It was between an Explorer and the new Air-King. He walked out with the latter. availabilityI h...
Put on your shades if you have sensitive eyes: our retinas are in for an intense spectacle. Bvlgari has just unlocked a treasure chest at Geneva Watch Days 2022. Because no 10th anniversary worth celebrating should go without something precious, lining up are three Octo Finissimo models - the Chronograph GMT and Automatic in pink gold as well as a yellow gold Automatic limited edition.Having burst onto the horological scene in 2012, the Bvlgari Octo collection has been busy breaking new ground. Since the debut of the Finissimo range in 2014, the famously ultra-thin wristwatches have garnered eight world records spanning their chronometric, acoustic, and astronomical complications. Additional...
That was quite the few days in Geneva last week. Experiencing exuberant and complicated watches in the laid-back setting of a lakeside five-star hotel is most definitely one of the perks of this job. But cramping the presentations of all these horological marvels into a very short timespan can also make your head spin. And after the spin, the memories of yet another double tourbillon in a three-dimensional, open-worked movement get mixed up. Thats why Im having a coffee while looking at wrist shots from Geneva Watch Days 2022 to sort things out and bring back some good memories at the same time. I suggest you grab a cup of coffee as well and join me on my short travel back in time.Yes, compl...
Sometimes the love for a watch is as simple as a dial design or a set of colors. In my mind, the best example of that is the Daytona Paul Newman. These Daytona models sat on the shelves for years because clients clearly preferred the regular dials over their exotic counterparts. But we all know what happened with the appreciation for the Paul Newman dials in the decades after. But I m not here to talk about that Daytona. Well, maybe I am a little bit. Because the influence these exotic dials had is clearly visible in the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26300ST. It proves that the exotic dials also work well with the iconic Royal Oak design. It s a colorful sparkle that I miss in...
Another Sunday Morning, another Showdown. This week, we pit two dive watches against each other. It s the new Breitling SuperOcean 42 versus the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Aquamarine Dream edition designed in collaboration with our colleague Ariel Adams from aBlogtoWatch. Mike Stockton takes it up for the Breitling, while I will root for the Zodiac.While the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Aquamarine Dream isn t mine, I truly enjoyed wearing it for a bit. I think Ariel did a great job choosing these colors, which remind him of the turquoise water in Key West. The Zodiac retails for US$1,495 and has a 40mm case. Mike s blue Breitling SuperOcean has a 42mm diameter and a retail price of $4,600 (or $4,850 for...
I recently purchased a Doxa SUB 200 as a fun summer watch. I showed it to my colleague Gerard this morning, and we ended up discussing the end links more than any other part of the watch. And that includes the crazy bright yellow dial! It might sound silly, but I find that the end links often make or break a bracelet watch for me. The humble end link is so often obviously a compromise or an afterthought.However, when end links are done right, they can make such a big difference. This is true not just for the fit of the watch but also for the overall aesthetic congruence. So lets explore the art of the end link. Lets see what sets apart the good, the bad, and the ugly.Although stylistically w...
I m going out on a limb here and assuming that at least some of Fratello s readership is interested in pocket watches. Sure, they re outdated, but in this case, that also indicates a rich history. Their larger size allowed for some of the most complicated watches ever made. Today, a handful of watch companies still make pocket watches for those few going for uber-sophistication (or irony). And there s at least one company making old pocket watches into something completely new. Taken out of context, today s pocket watches seem like an anachronistic novelty. However, companies like Seiko and Patek Philippe have a strong history with the form. And - believe it or not - there are still people i...
Who would have thought that the last breath of the outgoing Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 would be a bright turquoise matte dial with Tiffany co-branding? It exploded on Instagram with first buyers like Jay-Z feeding the publics insatiable desire for celebrities. But have we had enough of this lovely blue hue? Turquoise is a great way of making the summer last, even with no official connection to a famous New York jeweler. And that s without including an inaccessible in the box.The backstory of the Tiffany Nautilus is that LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault came up with the idea. But surely Im not the only one drawing a parallel to the rapturous reception of the 2020 Oyster Perpetuals. That light blu...
The motto of the Dutch province of Zeeland is Luctor et Emergo. That translates to I struggle and overcome. Many people in the Netherlands believe that the saying, which has been inextricably linked to the coat of arms of Zeeland since 1586, refers to the struggle with water. That s not the case. Luctor et Emergo refers to the uprising against Spanish domination. But does the saying have anything to do with the Gr?nefeld 1969 DeltaWorks, the Dutch brands first sports watch? Yes and no. The watch is named after the Delta Works, a huge project that was built to keep the water out of the lowlands. The name also refers to the water-resistant and sturdy qualities of the watch and, perhaps, the st...
I m actually quite happy with where my collection is at the moment. I now have about ten watches that all get their fair share of wrist time. However, along the way, I have considered many other watches than the ones I eventually decided to buy. Every now and then, one of them peeks around the corner to see if there s still a spot for it in my collection. These are watches that are still readily available, and therefore, I haven t yet given them the definitive no. Let s take a look at the watches that are still nagging me in my sleep.I m guessing you can relate to the following behavior. When I m looking into buying a certain watch, I compare it to other watches in the same category. Or, whe...
Im no Mike Stockton when it comes to vintage Japanese watches. My knowledge ends where his starts. There is no shame in admitting that, either. He knows his stuff when it comes to Seiko, Citizen, and the rest. I do, however, love to read about them, search the usual auction sites, compare models, and put together an imaginary vintage Seiko wish list. Also, I have Mike as a friend, and from time to time, that pays off. One example is this watch on my wrist, a vintage King Seiko reference 45-7001. It s my latest acquisition and addition to my very modest Seiko collection.Now, it is worth mentioning that I dont own any modern Seiko watches. My recent trip to Tokyo and especially to the Seiko Mu...
A pulsation scale on a dial makes any chronograph a bit more gentle and human. The Medigraph is one of the most romantic Gallet chronographs of all. And it s certainly not easy to get your hands on one…I am not a doctor. No one close to me is a doctor. I never wanted to be one. I didn t watch Chicago Hope, and I know Hugh Laurie only as a singer. So why am I always brought to my knees when I see a chronograph with a pulsation scale? It has to be very personal, I guess.Self-observations with the Gallet MedigraphMy newly acquired Gallet Medigraph arrived recently, and having it for a few next days on my wrist made me think a lot. And I believe I got to the bone of my affection for pulsom...
Today, I am checking out the Rubber B VulChromatic strap for the Omega Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch. The blue stripe in the center matches the Mission to Neptune s blue Bioceramic case. A contrast to the primarily black strap, the blue is a separate rubber mass that is molecularly bonded for life thanks to the VulChromatic technology. The strap also includes solid inserts at the ends, known as blocked integration. This rigid structure allows the curved ends to sit flush against the case with no gap or articulation for a bespoke feel. All this technology is excellent for a $280 rubber strap. But does it suit the intended $260 watch? Let s find out.These days, I have little time to read oth...
Seiko s dive-watch legacy is magnificent. We are reminded of that every time we see a new re-edition of one of the brand s classics. And with the release of the Seiko Prospex SLA063J1 Aurora Limited Edition, the saga continues. But something about this new release felt very recent. Indeed, the new limited-edition Prospex takes after the SLA049J1 that was released in the spring of last year. This new model, however, adds a touch of brilliance with a blue gradient dial that looks stunning. The dial expresses the aurora that shines in the polar sky and results in a stunning presence. Let s find out more about this Seiko Prospex SLA063J1 Aurora Limited Edition.It was only a little over a year ag...
Seiko introduced the first series of Style60s watches to the Presage line in 2021. When Lex covered these on Fratello, they were met with a mixed response from you, my dear Fratelli. Well, Seiko is sticking to its guns and expanding the lineup today with the SRPH93J1 and SRPH95J1. These are still very much style-first watches with basic specs at an accessible price point. Lets have a look at what the new additions entail.What we have here is a new version (SRPH93J1) on an Oyster-style bracelet a white-dial version paired with a maroon bezel. The second new model (SRPH95J1) comes on a leather NATO strap in a full black PVD-coated case with a black dial and bezel. There is also a new all-blue ...
Blancpains Air Command is a pilots watch that hails from the 1950s. The historical Swiss brand calls it a legendary chronograph, and reportedly, there are fewer than a dozen specimens in existence. Other than a number of Trilogy models with Fifty Fathoms cases and bezels spanning from 1996 to 2003, the Air Command never got a series release. That was until 2019, however, when Blancpain decided to breathe life into it with its very own case and look.The first in this new series was a 42.5mm limited-edition model that looked almost identical to the vintage original. Last year, two updated models in new materials donning a new color scheme brought along a regular collection. The pair have made ...
Smashing through the worlds preconceptions of what a timepiece represents, Greubel Forsey inhabits its own microcosmos. In fact, I wouldnt be surprised if Stephen Forsey or Robert Greubel recently passed through a wormhole in space and time. Such is the sheer otherness of their watches that the word alone seems almost banal. The GMT movement in the new Greubel Forsey GMT Balancier Convexe is a case in point.If I could pinpoint a moment when my wrist felt overwhelmed by a watch, it was at Geneva Watch Days 2021 in the Greubel Forsey hotel suite. The brand s Sport GMT was a jaw-droppingly mesmerizing timepiece and unfeasibly comfortable for such a big watch. Im happy I tried it on late in the ...
Gene, Gene, the Cinnabon machine! I don t think that I ve ever purchased a watch after seeing it on the screen… until now. I had to dig deep for this one to the tune of $47.92 including free shipping. The end result? The Casio WV-59 Wave Ceptor is a cool watch!A couple of weeks ago, my partner in crime Balazs and I recorded an episode of Fratello On Air, and we focused on Casio. Mind you, we weren t focusing on G-Shock?but Casio overall. It was a fun episode, and we trotted out some eccentric models from yesteryear. Towards the end, though, I recalled that a digital watch made a small but significant appearance on one of my favorite shows, Better Call Saul. While we were recording, I t...
Alpina shows us the Alpiner Extreme Regulator at the 2022 edition of Geneva Watch Days. This watch marks the rebirth of a flagship model from 2005. While the original was a 48mm monster, the new version is a lot more subtle. It is smaller and fitted with some refined details. Dont be fooled, though. It did not get soft.The Alpiner Extreme Regulator is still a hard-as-nails bit of kit, just in a more manageable form factor. Let s have a look at this updated release from Alpina in its 7mm-smaller(!) guiseThe Alpiner Extreme Regulator - A do-all-sports watchYes, we love to write about do-it-all watches at Fratello. This is not such a watch. It is, however, a do-all-sports kind of watch. While A...
We each have our own reasons for buying a watch. Once upon a time, you bought that first watch, and it was your watch. But then you bought another… and another, amounting to a full watch collection. Each subsequent purchase is reasonably justified financially, rationally, and emotionally, right? Well, maybe you can fool yourself, at least for a while, but you can t fool us. Because we re all doing it. Eventually, one runs out of reasons to buy a watch. That s usually the point when you need to ask, Is this enough?. Or, perhaps better, Have I gone too far? Because you didn t just buy that Datejust for your infant son.Some of you are maniacs and don t need a reason to drop $20K on a piec...
