The Horage journey first began back in 2009. While the brand s first watch didn t come for another six years, being a young, independent brand and designing your own in-house movements is no mean feat. Yet, in those years since its inception, Horage has created not one, not two, but three in-house movements, including the K-TOU - an in-house Swiss-made tourbillon costing less than CHF 10K. Madness! Fast forward to 2022. Horage first announced the Supersede GMT project nearly a year ago. Powered by the brand s in-house K2 micro-rotor movement, the Horage Supersede is an all-terrain sports watch, following the age-old journey from the corporate board room to hiking trails and scuba diving.Hora...
I like watches beaten up! Well, some of them. By beaten up, I mean watches that have aged well as a glorious result of daily use. There aren t that many watches around that can take wear and tear well. The ones that do, however, gain a certain charm and character that is unbeatable. It breathes life into the watch and makes it a great storyteller. We live in a world where we want to keep our watches in pristine condition. Dents and scratches are like punches to the gut to most watch enthusiasts. But as I get older, I find myself increasingly attracted to watches that profit from the charm of signs of use. It s all about vintage charm, storytelling power, and the carefree joy of daily wear.Ev...
Fratello On Air returns with an amusing look at Casio. That s right, it s not just about G-Shock this time! With these picks, get ready to measure temperature, barometer, and other fun data. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Yes, Casio is in focus with Balazs and Mike on the airwaves. In this episode, the duo talks about a couple of their favorite watches from the Shibuya-based brand. As mentioned, there s more than G-Shock when it comes to the digital powerhouse. The discussion triggers a walk down memory lane, and we hope you have as much fun as our hosts.Handgelenks KontrolleBefore heading into Casio, it s time for our ...
It s likely that this article isn t catching you totally unawares. Unless you ve been hiding under a rock for the past week or so, you ll have spotted our reveal of the Fratello Louis Moinet Memoris Spirit Chronograph on our socials and here on the pages of Fratello.Some of our releases take a long time to put together. You can t rush something like that. Creativity must be allowed to percolate and reveal itself when it s ready. Rushing things leads to a half-baked idea and a confused final project. That would be far from ideal when Fratello strives to bring our community watches that are perfectly special. Last year s NOMOS Weltzeit was several years in the making, as it took time to alig...
For many collectors, the Datejust is the luxury watch that got them started in this hobby. I hear stories from vintage watch dealers around me that can never have enough Datejusts in stock. Seemingly, everybody wants one, probably because it s more or less the most affordable way of getting your hands on a watch. I also bought one about two years ago. But not long after it arrived, I decided to sell it. I expected a lot from the wearing experience, but it was a big letdown. Let me tell you why.The vintage Datejust was the third watch I bought. After an Oris Art Blakey and a Zodiac Sea Wolf Topper Edition, I thought it was time to buy a . After all, every respected collector owns a , righ...
Tissot hit a home run with the release of the PRX collection. The watch propelled the brand back into the collective consciousness of watch lovers all over the world. The on-trend retro styling, integrated bracelet, and great value made it a big hit. Several Fratello editors have bought versions for themselves by now, which is telling. The only thing that was missing was an alternative for the smaller-wristed among us. Tissot answered the call with the PRX 35. I wore a couple of these for some time to see what they are all about.The main question I will try to answer in this hands-on review is who is it for? This version is seriously small. Is it too small? Lets see what it is like in daily ...
The Kodachrome Coffee Corner Watch Talk is all about nice bright colors - hardly a surprise with that name. Could I ask you to close your eyes and try to envision the colors Jura Green, New Forest Yellow, Acer Red, and Lucerne Blue? What did you capture on your imaginary color film? Four different versions of the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander? The new limited-edition 36mm watches may not be very original, but if the colors are done right and hit a spot, theyve fulfilled their mission. Seeing the Christopher Ward models made me want to wear the dark yellow Citizen NJ0150. And in the search for more color, I stumbled upon a very exclusive and artistic Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso.The four funky c...
On December 22, 1971, in Paris, 13 journalists and doctors officially created Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), commonly known as MSF. It was a new form of humanitarian effort rallying volunteers to provide an emergency medical response and help people afflicted by crises in conflict zones. The movement would prioritize the welfare of those suffering despite political or religious boundaries. Fifty years on, MSF remains a non-profit and impartial organization. Therefore, any kind of contribution makes a difference. And this is where NOMOS Glashttes emergency aid model comes in. The German watchmaker has produced more than 10,000 pieces of such models in its decade of suppo...
Taking a on holiday? Way to get yourself robbed! Apparently, in Europe, that s the reality of life. Lucky for me - in this case, I guess - I m thousands of kilometers away in western Japan. No, I haven t left this country for five years, and yes, I m aching to visit my family and colleagues abroad. Alas, an international trip isn t in the cards this year, but at least I ll have a lovely watch on my wrist at the beach! You see, in Japan, and especially where I m headed, I m not concerned about getting mugged. I never worry about wearing my watches for safety reasons here, especially if I never take them off. This year, I ll be taking only one watch on my summer holiday - my Submariner 11406...
Welcome to today s edition of Sunday Morning Showdown! Like Hollywood movies these days, we re running dry on new ideas. Hence, today is another sequel to a previous showdown. But that s where you, dear readers, come in to suggest future topics. Whether it s a single, polarizing watch for us to debate or whether two, four, or more watches face off in the arena, let us know your suggestions, and we ll try to feature them in future editions. Despite today being a sequel, it s still a corker. And in some ways, it s an effort to amend a past battle that saw an unfair advantage. Today is Gold Chronographs Part Deux with the panda-dial Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch in Moonshine gold versus the Cosm...
How many independent Japanese watch brands do you know of? With Seiko, Grand Seiko, Citizen, and Casio dominating, we dont often see a new brand pop up from Japan. Or, to be clearer, a brand that makes affordable watches (as in, around $500). So its nice to come across a brand that does something that feels familiar and new at the same time while staying accessible. The brand, in this case, is Namica. Immediately, we will see certain influences in its designs. But it is the execution and specifications that make Namica timepieces interesting. And they have insane lume to boot!The past few years have seen the resurgence of high-end independent Japanese watchmaking. Kurono Tokyo, which has bee...
You re probably right, I might have overdone it a bit with the title here. But isn t a dive watch the most common choice when starting a watch collection? And isn t it the kind of watch that most enthusiasts frequently wear? My answer to both of those questions is an emphatic yes. But why? Especially in today s world where most of us are full-time desk divers, we don t need such water-resistant and capable watches. But still, we wear a lot of dive watches, especially as our everyday pieces. Let s take a look at a few plausible explanations behind the popularity of this genre.Actually, my first serious mechanical timepiece wasn t a dive watch. It was the Oris Art Blakey, which is more of a dr...
While many of us are still on holiday and enjoying the summer, it s a good time to reflect on the first half of the year. Has 2022 been a good year for watches up to this point? When we started thinking of great releases, a list of potential candidates quickly took shape. A list that we collectively agreed on, however, turned out to be a bit tougher order to fill. But in the end, we succeeded, so here is our list of the ten best watches released in 2022 so far!Looking at the long list of best releases of this year, I was surprised how many I really like. Usually, I have a hard time filling ten slots, but this time, I was shocked that I loved way more than ten. It might indicate that it has b...
What do I like to do during my summer holidays? Well, first and foremost, I like to travel light, and after that, take it easy and keep it casual. And thats why the watch I will take on my summer holiday is the Casio G-Shock GW-M5610NV-2F Military Navy. Yes, you read that correctly. I will take one watch, not multiple watches. My rugged all-rounder in a classy shade of navy blue satisfies all my vacation needs.In December of last year, I talked to Rob in a video about purchasing my blue G-Shock GW-M5610NV-2F Military Navy in Tokyo back in 2016. I told the story about it being a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) model and all that. I wont repeat that here. But I cant emphasize enough that even a...
Who can resist the warm glow of luminescent material on a watch dial, the mystical greenish glow of hands, indices, or even entire dial surfaces? Whether the function is telling the time at dusk at home or an expedition through the mountains, its like magic, inspiring heavy-hitting hashtags like #lumeshot, #lumecolors, and #lumebattle. If youre into sports and divers watches, it is one of the signs of quality youre after, so read on for part one in the story of lume.Im starting this two-part story while on holiday by the sea with a tough beater and a Seiko Marinemaster 300 in tow. And in a throwback to my youth, Im charging the latter on the nightstand to tell me the time as I wake up in th...
Lex recently unpacked the concept of the grail watch and came to the conclusion that it is better if it remains a dream. I guess I agree since I will not be chasing mine, as much as I love it. My grail watch is the Explorer 1016. More specifically, one from the early 60s with a gilt dial. It is my favorite watch by some margin. I would not change a single thing about it. But, most likely, it will never be mine.My grail watch is not exciting. It is not impressive like Lexs grail Patek 5270P. My grail is the most modest and unassuming sports watch in s (back) catalog. And, in my humble opinion, it is also the best watch ever designed.Gilt dials can turn brown, known as Tropical - Image: Bula...
Watches do not make headlines very often. When they do, it is usually either about money or crime. Lately, we seem to get buried under articles about the crash of the watch market. Since the authors of such pieces are not usually watch experts, a lot of the nuance is lost. It seems there is an eagerness to see those greedy watch snobs fall. Well, let me tell you that, as always, the reality is a lot more nuanced. And to cut to the chase, your watches will most likely be fine.It is true that we are facing economic uncertainty. I will not get into all the factors at play - there are plenty of authors much better qualified to do that. But I will have a closer look at what happened and what migh...
The Nordic countries - Sweden, Norway, Denmark, etc. - are best known for stunning landscapes and clean, minimal design. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern is a whole vibe of furniture that enthusiasts and craftspeople alike are still preserving and recreating. Then there s Ikea, inexpensive Swedish furniture that resembles LEGO in construction (but not in fun). Oh, and LEGO is Danish. But these northern countries also design and produce watches. Nordic watches from the likes of Straum, JS Watch Co., and Nordgreen range from the past to the future of design. Which one would you wear to trek amongst the fjords and volcanoes of Europe s northernmost lands?Whether looking to the future of watch de...
Recently, I had the chance to meet with Fratello s good friend Jean-Marie Schaller, owner of Les Ateliers Louis Moinet, based in Saint Blaise, Switzerland. Schaller is known throughout the industry for his verve and vision. Conversations with the man behind the renaissance of Louis Moinet s name and legacy are never short on insight or enthusiasm. As such, we thought it would be a nice idea to transcribe the most recent conversation we had about the brand and its current direction, viewed through a prism of Fratello s upcoming collaboration with Louis Moinet on the most out-there execution of the recently released Memoris Spirit 40mm Chronograph.Schaller and not MoinetSchaller and MoinetRob ...
We covered the first eloquently spoken tool watch from Celegin Precision Timing last year. And judging from Instagram, a few of the Fratelli have already gotten their hands on this Swedish limited-production pilots watch. Now Celegin is expanding its repertoire with the new Draken Chronograph, which sits slimmer on the wrist than most well-known German avionic tools. Add affordability into the mix, and the intro is a sweet one.The Celegin Draken was unceremoniously nominated by me as one of the best microbrand pilot s watches of 2021. This week, the range gets expanded with a reverse-panda chronograph on pre-order. The size of the sharp-dialed chronograph is still likably compact at 41mm wit...
