I am seemingly on an endless quest to explore the strap options available for my Omega Seamaster 300. Admittedly, Omega limits the out-of-the-box choices for the new model. You have the stainless-steel bracelet - which is the one to go for - or the leather strap. And that s it. At least for the previous models, there were two-tone bracelets (rose or yellow gold) and even titanium. But the latest 2021 reference 234.30.41.21.01.001 focuses only on stainless steel or leather. Omega offers a rubber strap option for the Seamaster Diver 300M, but there is none for the heritage-inspired Seamaster 300. While the aftermarket choices are plentiful, despite the awkward 21mm lug width, very few follow t...
I love things that are quirky and out of the ordinary. They spice up normal life and make the world interesting. Of course, not all quirky things have a place in our hearts. But if an avant-garde asymmetric watch was good enough for Elvis, its good enough for me. Let s check out the Hamilton Ventura XXL Skeleton Automatic.Since breaking ground in 1957, the iconic Hamilton Ventura has evolved and stood the test of time from a design perspective. It has stayed relevant even as our wrists have grown in size. Hamilton came out with the Ventura XXL 13 years ago to cater to the big fellas. This year, the Ventura XXL Skeleton Automatic is not only a 46mm statement piece, but its also a mechanical s...
This is just a personal observation, but it seems that independent brands struggle to be different. What has become the norm is to add funky colors or textures to a watch s dial. For example, fuchsia or neon green for the colors, and cobbles or nature-inspired shapes for the textures. While these trends were new and exciting three years ago, now, too many brands follow them. So how can a brand create novelty? In designing a new type of case shape. The Neotype LM01, a brand-new model from a brand-new French brand (phew!), offers a pebble-shaped case which is perfect for this type of watch.Wouldnt you say its nice to see something new once in a while? Fratello covers some interesting new brand...
When Nacho asked me to write this article, I was genuinely torn between two different thoughts on how to spend my hard-earned $2,000. That s why I decided to write this article and detail the process that took place in my mind. Truthfully, I think it s a process that many of you will recognize when presented with the same choice. Whether I came up with the right choice for YOU remains to be seen. But my pick for the best sub-$2,000 watch is the Aquastar Deepstar II.When asked the question of what to buy for a $2,000 budget, my first thought was, What can I get brand new? It s not really unfamiliar territory at all because, in the spring of this year, I wrote an article about the top 10 watch...
As conventional wisdom attests, one of the keys to longevity is rejuvenation. The most iconic square-cased sports watch, the TAG Heuer Monaco, is living proof of that. Since 1969, the racing chronograph immortalized on the wrist of Steve McQueen has gone through a plethora of new wardrobes, facial reconstructions, and even a heart transplant two years ago. Keeping its maverick spirit alive, the Swiss watchmaker has administered an injection of a bold new color to the latest Monaco. Today, TAG Heuer is releasing the Monaco Purple Dial Limited Edition in a run of 500 numbered pieces.Before you gasp, let us recall the glorious case for purple watches here, which Brandon put forth this time last...
Ladies and gentlemen, my dear Fratelli! The time has come for the Summer Splash 2022 final! Over the past four weeks, you have followed along, made your suggestions, and cast your votes for your favorite watches. Now, its time to see which one will be your true summer champion. However, this wont just be any old final. Not at all. In fact, this showdown finale will see three watches go head to head - the Tudor Pelagos FXD, the Serica 5303-3, and your wild-card pick. Thats right, its a three-way battle for the Summer Splash 2022 title. And after compiling all of your picks for the wild-card contestant, there was only one watch that was agreed upon the most. But which of the many brilliant sug...
We have discussed the Grand Seiko Evolution 9 collection quite a lot here at Fratello. The Japanese brand s collection of modern timepieces with new case designs features quite a few remarkable releases. My personal favorite is the SBGE285 Mist Flake GMT. Another much-talked-about release from the same collection is the SLGH005 White Birch. It was followed by the Spring Drive version nicknamed the White Birch II. Today, we see the release of the black-dial SLGH017 Night Birch. The twist to this new release is that it is executed in titanium.It has been interesting to see all the different Grand Seiko Evolution 9 releases. The combination of modern designs and new movements has led to some ne...
Remember the introduction of BND Watches last year? The brand s $396 dive watch had some impressive specifications and aesthetics. Not only that, but I ve also found it to be truly well made. With entry-level-priced watches, one can often dish out a lot of criticism about the finishing or build quality. The offerings from BND, however, were a pleasant surprise, and the brand s first dive watches sold out in a flash.BND Watches, round 1Brand owner Vincent Bonnaud, a 30-year-old watchmaker from France, only made 150 pieces of each of the three colorways. One of the owners of the watch is former ambassador and COMEX diver Theo Mavrostomos, who praised Vincent s work on this model. But Jean-Cla...
All around Amsterdam, I see flags being raised, and at the end of each of these flagpoles, there s a backpack. It s the typical Dutch way of announcing that someone in the household has graduated from high school. Right now, we re in the middle of the graduation season. That means many students will also finish their degrees at university. I m curious to see if the graduation watch is still a thing. For now, let s assume it is and go over some possible options.In addition to my writing job here at Fratello, I m also a part-time teacher s assistant at a high school. When I look around the classrooms, I hardly see any of the students wearing a watch. And if they are, it s often an Apple Watch....
Fratello On Air returns with a talkative episode. Balazs and Mike cover a lot of ground. Some of it is watch-related while some of it is not! We discuss the recent cranky comments on our site and ultimately spend a few minutes on our grab and go summer favorites. There s a bit of Citizen headed your way. Enjoy this meandering episode. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Yes, summer is in full swing, and Balazs is sweating it out in Hungary. Mike is staying relatively cool in Germany. Our readers, however, seem a bit hot and bothered! Maybe some inexpensive Citizen dive watches will help assuage sore feelings.Handgelenks Kont...
I have an affliction and a deep need for blue dials. To me, they represent classic elegance, especially in a sunray finish that encompasses formal panache. With no braggadocious pretense on a matching blue strap, such a watch is quietly monochrome but lifts my spirits so much more than matte black. The Longines Master Collection Chronograph ref. L2.629.4.92.0 nails the look with a balanced chronograph layout to boot, and I bet you didnt know about it.Im still recovering from seeing an Instagram post three days ago of a five-watch collection of all-black dials. The five very different watch designs blended into one colorless void of creativity, and the term the color black was used. I must re...
Sometimes watches just have to grow on you. For ages, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato just couldn t make my heart beat faster. That was until the brand released the Laureato Infinity Edition in 2020. It was then that all the pieces of the puzzle finally fell perfectly into place. What seemed like a relatively simple dial change made all the difference, and it has made me appreciate the entire Laureato line a lot more as well. With the introduction of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm Pink Gold & Onyx, I am once again reminded of the brilliance of the black onyx dial. In combination with the 18K rose gold case and bracelet, it makes for an absolute stunner of a watch.Within the realm of lu...
I am sure you recognize this. You have a number of amazing watches, but one just seems to gobble up the majority of your wrist time. It s that one watch that seems to be part of you, the watch that fits your style and lifestyle to a tee. Not that it is necessarily your best watch. Maybe it s not even your best-looking one. But it is just the one that you gravitate toward.Honestly, this is the case for me. So, when I was asked what I think is the best watch for under $2,000, the answer was clear. It would be my King Seiko SPB281J1.King Seiko SPB281J1The re-issued King Seiko now comes in six dial colors. I am specifically describing my own SPB281J1 with the silver vertically brushed dial. But ...
As I write this, I m on a flight from New York back to my home base in California. I ve just put down the book The Big Oyster by Mark Kurlanski, of which I ve only read a few chapters so far. The book was one of a few gifts provided to those who attended Oris s release of the New York Harbor Limited Edition Aquis. But truly, the trip itself was the best gift. Getting to learn more about Oris and its partner for this release, Billion Oyster Project, was a reaffirming experience. I m beginning to understand more of how the luxury industry can serve and support environmental efforts in a way that is genuine and productive. I also made some friends within the watch and environmental realms alike...
This week, its all about making watch dreams come true. Why I am in such hopeful spirits? Because I finally got myself the Omega Swatch I was looking for. A relatively small dream, maybe, but smaller ones come true more easily and are therefore more fun. But for those who want to dream big, attending the upcoming Antiquorum auction taking place in Monaco on July 19th might be a good idea. Thats because some extremely desirable watches from Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and will be under the hammer. And for those who have colorful dreams and/or dream of making the world a better place, theres the Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide Benzilla, a wild, artistic creation done in upcycled plastic.Ve...
Historic Swiss watchmaker Titoni has been quietly making watches in its in-house facilities in Grenchen, Switzerland since 1919. You read that right - for over a century. With a focus on Swiss values and affordability, Titoni s mid-range mechanical watches embody its motto: It is not the desire for growth and quantity but first-class quality and the love of details that matter. Today, the family-owned independent brand is in the hands of the fourth generation, which continues to demonstrate Titonis credo with the attractive full-steel models in the Impetus series. The latest Impetus 83751 S-626R in a 39.5mm case with an integrated bracelet offers a svelte, classy style for everyday use.If yo...
The year is 1998, and Italian music group Eiffel 65 has unleashed its bizarre yet catchy I m Blue onto the masses. The cult-like song tells the story of a strange blue man who lives in a blue world where everything is blue. Literally, everything is blue. It s like this strange parallel universe where someone added a blue filter and turned it up to the max. Seriously, watch the video on YouTube, as it s more than a little peculiar! What s this got to do with watches? Absolutely nothing, but if this blue man wore a watch, it would undoubtedly be just as blue as the world he lives in. Not just a blue strap or a blue dial, no. Everything would have to be blue. With that in mind, I think his choi...
For a long time, I ve been rather skeptical of myself. I think whenever anyone gets into the business of professional product reviews, they start out with lofty intentions. Much in the same way one assumes that most politicians start off full of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed optimism only to have their dreams and characters dragged through the mud of reality, I have feared for a long time that my critical eye might be failing due to how impressed I find myself on the regular. Am I becoming a soft touch? Has my biting tongue abandoned me? Or is it just possible that products like the ones sent to me recently by Roarcraft are every bit deserving of such praise? Could it be that rather than me bein...
In todays Sunday Morning Showdown, we let the modern Speedmaster Moonwatch go up against its very own grandpa. Aficionados rejoiced when Omega brought back some of the lovable features of vintage Speedmasters. It makes sense, then, to see how it actually stacks up against such a vintage example. Today, RJ takes the modern Hesalite Speedy up against Thomas with a pre-Moon version. So without further ado, lets get ready to rumble!There are plenty of vintage Speedmasters to choose from, and Thomas opted for a beautiful ref. 145.012-68. RJ is defending the ref. 310.30.42.50.01.001 Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch.Thomas: Omega Speedmaster 145.012-68This should be quite an easy fight for me. To...
When MeisterSinger introduced the Unomat to its growing family last year, we saw a rough-and-tough side to the brand s classy offerings. Now, the brand from Mnster has introduced two new fetching colors to the collection. Say hello to the mid-green and mid-blue Unomats with fetching radial dials.You d be forgiven for looking at the Unomat and not realizing that it s a robust watch that s 300m water-resistant. That level of water resistance is usually reserved for professional dive watches, but here we are with a single-handed watch that can compete with the big boys. The single-hand approach may not resonate with everyone, but upon reflection, this watch is kind of the perfect holiday watch...
