It s charming, it s elegant, and it s playful at the same time. It is so far removed from Mido s standard production that the brand could reissue it any time. Why we would welcome the modern reinterpretation of the Melik-Mido? Let me explain.I was waiting in line at the airport in Italy after the Mido cliff-jumping event I reported on here. COVID regulations made the procedure more painful than usual, so the line was moving forward really slowly. I happened to stand in a row next to Mido CEO Franz Linder. I had my 1961 Mido Decompression Timer on one wrist and Mido Multi-Centerchrono on the other. Obviously, we started discussing watches. At some point, he asked me, What watch shall Mido tak...
Another Sunday morning, another showdown. This time, we are putting the brand-new Tudor Black Bay Pro up against a future classic, the Explorer II 16570. Tudor clearly took aim at the Explorer II with the BB Pro, so we thought we might as well put them side by side. Lets see whether the newcomer can take the crown. Thomas will defend his very own Explorer II. Daan will take the side of the Tudor. Consider this his reconciliation with the brand.But first, let s recap last week s showdown between Jorg s serious Grand Seiko Shunbun and Ben s tropical Datejust with a palm dial. It was a competition between two very original dials, but actually, it doesn t look like it was any competition at al...
Whats great about the independent watch market is that we have options. I like options. We can choose between original designs and homages, and between inexpensive quartz watches and high-end mechanical timepieces. Just pick whatever floats your boat, and you will find it. If you are like me, you like a good sports watch under $1,000. Alas, there arent that many options in this specific segment of the independent watch market. There are maybe five brands that I could recommend. In this article, Ill be reviewing the Seafarer, the fifth model from the US-based brand Traska and one of the five brands that are doing something right - according to me, at least.I recently reviewed the French Neoty...
When we embarked on the quest to find the best watches under $2,000, we didnt quite realize just how difficult it would be to find our favorites. The sub-$2K price point is over-saturated with the presence of microbrands but is also a space in which certain brands shine. As tempting as it might be to pick something like the Seiko SPB143J1 and be done with it, theres a desire to get as close to the price limit as possible. Frustratingly though, many watches that used to occupy the space have now crawled over the $2K mark. There are also some watches that are a bit too obvious. And though my first choice, the Tissot PRX Chronograph, was definitely that, a little bit of time and hunting reveale...
Tissot struck gold when it released the sharp and crisp PRX Powermatic 80. The Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph is another retro-powered creation that strikes love into the hearts of watch lovers. And you guessed it right, the watch strikes fear into the hearts of the competition. What makes this first-ever PRX in chronograph mode so impressive and attractive? The video explains everything.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings The hard facts are that the Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph measures 42 15.4mm, but that doesnt explain the watchs desirability. The price of $1,795 already clears things up a bit more. In the video, I will t...
Summer is underway, and people are leaving to enjoy a couple of weeks of vacation. On trips like these, the chances are pretty high that you will pack at least one dive watch. Dive watches are versatile in their appearance and can withstand any activity you might undertake. Whether on land or in water, dive watches can take a beating. On top of that, they often come in stand-out colors that fit the summer vibe. All these factors combine to make a dive watch the perfect summer companion. For this list, we picked ten of the best recent releases that could grace your wrist during those long summer days. Let s jump in!It s been only a week since we had the grand finale of our Summer Splash compe...
It is not all about the money! Not always, anyway. In a new series entitled My Most Affordable Watch, Fratello editors will show their least expensive watches. Sometimes, less is just more. Like how Clarkson, Hammond, and May prefer a cheap hot hatch over many supercars, sometimes an inexpensive watch can bring us immense satisfaction. The wearing experience can be less worrisome, and watches like these can still be surprisingly capable. Today, Thomas shows us his Marathon Military Navigator.Quartz, plastic, and cheap. It is not a recipe that will typically trigger the fancy horologist. Add mil-spec to that mix and you may garner a little more attention. Throw in a beautiful design and some ...
The T-Touch has come a long way since it was touted by Tissot as the worlds first tactile watch in 1999. The revolutionary ana-digi wristwatch was equipped with a sapphire crystal that acted as a touchscreen. More than two decades on, those deft little taps on the screen not only allow you to activate outdoor functions but also connect you to the greater world. Having gone through evolutionary breakthroughs in both its hardware (solar) and software (connect), the latest T-Touch Connect Solar is all about amping up its smart-connectivity features.Primarily catered to the active and adventurous wearers, the T-Touch has remained competitive in the tough premium space. Being Swiss-made and backe...
The Grand Seiko 62GS is a well-known reference for old and new fans. As a vintage piece, it was the sub-brand s first automatic model. Today, Grand Seiko is a standalone name and the 62GS has its own place in the Heritage collection. In this article, we ll go hands-on with the original and discover why it s so unique.It s hard to believe that after writing so many articles on Seiko and Grand Seiko, I ve only owned one of the latter. That s right. Despite a deep-seated admiration for all things Seiko, the lone Grand Seiko in my collection was the 44GS reissue from 2013 (reference SBGW047). You see, dressier watches aren t part of my daily routine, and historically speaking, this was very much...
After Andrea Pirlo had Artisans de Geneve customize two of his watches (skeletonized Submariners - The Andrea Pirlo Challenge and The Azzuro Challenge), I wonder if Pirlo recommended Artisans de Geneve?to his ex-teammate, Gigi Buffon? Either way, Buffon clearly liked what he saw enough to commission the company?to personalize his Datejust. Watch personalization is a relatively small business. There are not many brands out there offering such a service. Of those who do, Artisans de Geneve is lightyears ahead of the others in as much as it doesn t just provide a lick of paint and maybe use a different material here and there. No, Artisans de Geneve works with its clients to totally reimagine ...
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of wearing the A. Lange & S?hne 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold Homage to F. A. Lange. That magical timepiece is my grail watch. It is my unmatched Mt. Everest of watchmaking and an incredibly special version of the 1815 Rattrapante. The only thing is, there was no regular version of the 1815 Rattrapante. That is, until now. Today sees A. Lange & S?hne release the 1815 Rattrapante in platinum. It s the first regular production model of the 1815 Rattrapante. But, as you will have guessed, there is nothing regular about this watch. Time to find out more.Watches come and go during the year. Working at Fratello is an absolute joy because you get to wear a...
Most brands tend to stick to the usual black, white and occasional blue for their dials. Well, not Amsterdam-based Batavi! The brand s previous Architect and Kosmopoliet GMT were known for the colorful dial options. And now, Batavi is taking to Kickstarter once again, launching the Geograaf in both a GMT and Wereldtimer (worldtimer in Dutch) version. And as we d expect, all four options feature some funky color combinations. Let s take a look at the third member of the Batavi family.Did you miss out on Batavi s previous Kickstarter campaigns? Are you not yet familiar with the brand s previous models? In that case, let me just tell you straight away that Batavi offers you a lot of bang for yo...
If youve found yourself watching the entry-level tool watch space over the past couple of years, you will almost certainly be familiar with Zodiac. Having made quite a strong comeback, the brand now brings out its latest offering, celebrating 140 years of Zodiac watches. The watch in question is the limited-edition Super Sea Wolf Pro-Diver Titanium. Like many of Zodiacs watches, it has the charm of a quirky microbrand offering, but (as the anniversary indicates) also the heritage of a long-standing watchmaker. Zodiacs recent success has come from its faithful reissuing of some of its most eye-catching models from the 60s and 70s. And looking at the path Zodiac has set for itself, I cant he...
Big is back for 2022! But for Greubel Forsey, it never went away, and for good reason. I used the misunderstood term maximalism in my headline, sorry. This time, though, I mean it as a compliment of the highest order. Big-cased wrist statements dont come any better than a GF, even if they remain out of reach for most of us. But dreams are free, right? And the new Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Architecture will provide plenty of inspiration.Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey understand one of the most important aspects of Haute Horlogerie that s so close to my heart. Its the reason that their Hand Made 1 is my forever-unattainable grail watch. They are aware of the fact that intricate ...
Thin Line Between Love and Hate is a 1971 song by R&B vocal group The Persuaders. Of course, the song is not about watches. No, its a tragic song that warns not to take advantage of a woman s love and acceptance because, one day, her love might turn into hate. So what does the song have to do with the new Air-King? Well, I hated the previous version - the reference 116900, that is - but I love the new reference 126900. When I saw the new watch during Watches And Wonders, to my great astonishment, I instantly liked it. It made me realize that there is indeed a thin line between love and hate, and I kept hearing that song in my head whenever I came across the watch. But what exactly turne...
Its time for another edition of Strap Check where we pair our watches with some sort of wrist-encompassing device. Todays duo, however, is a bit different because the focus isnt on a strap at all. Its bracelet time with the Forstner Model J, and Ive decided to link it to something controversial. Will the all-stainless Model J work with the silver bullet? Yes, its high time that the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 gets a bracelet.The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 debuted in 2021, and to say it was unexpected would be an understatement. A 92.5% silver watch in 2021? Seemingly so and, unsurprisingly, the watch was met with polarizing opinion. A year later, people are positive about the dial c...
Breitling announces a new variation on its longstanding Aerospace EVO model. Following last year s Chronomat B01 model, this new Aerospace EVO has the famous Red Arrows diamond nine insignia at the 3 o clock position. The BAE Systems Hawk T1 fast jets of the Royal Air Force aerobatic squadron typically fly in this formation at the beginning and end of its display. While the dial represents nine jets, a tenth jet usually hangs back to observe the precision of the pilots for continuous improvements. The Aerospace EVO that forms the watch s base has been unchanged since its introduction in 2013. Nevertheless, it is an incredibly solid base to represent the world-renowned British aerobatic flyin...
Last Tuesday, we went to Milan to celebrate Speedy Tuesday with approximately 60 Speedmaster enthusiasts and collectors. The Speedy Tuesday Event took place in the Carlo al Naviglio restaurant, operated by Italian chef Carlo Cracco. All of the guests arrived at around 3:00 PM at this beautiful location, and in the great (Italian) weather, we started off with a drink.Among the guests, we had seasoned collectors like Andrea Foffi and Auro Montanari (aka John Goldberger). But there were also a lot of enthusiasts who just started collecting Speedmasters recently. One of the attendees even traveled all the way from Canada, as you will see in the video. As we (Fratello) were present with quite a t...
Picture this: a dewy early-summer morning in Biel, Switzerland. The impressive glass gates of the Swatch headquarters open, and a set of headlights approaches from the darkness inside. That set of headlights is followed by ten more. As they emerge one by one, you see eleven cars, painted in the colors of each of the eleven MoonSwatches, with blue suitcases on the luggage rack branded with the Omega Swatch logo. As they hit the road, each rolling planet heads in a different direction, each bound for its own European destination. The Omega Swatch MoonSwatch European tour is officially underway, and it s coming to a town near you.We all know the feeling - summer is here, and all you want to...
You know the Paris-Dakar Rally, of course. Its the grueling motorsport event that began in 1979 as a 6,200-mile race from France to Senegal via the Sahara desert. But did you know that long ago, Cartier was involved? There was something known as the Cartier Challenge. The collaboration between the rally-raid organizer and the famous luxury brand led to the creation of the Cartier Cheich. Its probably the most unexpected watch that the brand ever created. Only three Cartier Cheich watches ever saw the light of day, and one comes up for auction very soon. The extraordinary and extremely rare gold Cheich - named after and molded into the shape of a Bedouin head dress - could very well set a new...
