In 2022, the simple truth is that it is close to impossible to buy a new at an authorized dealer. Whether we like it or not, such is life today. To add to the confusion, we have seen a pull-back in prices (and in the broader watch market) recently. It seems that the hysteria is quieting down a tad. This begs the question: what is the smart buy in todays market? Should you pay over retail for a current-gen model? Should you hunt down a last-gen iteration? Or would neo- or true vintage be a better option? Lets have a look!Just as a disclaimer up front: the smart buy is, of course, always the watch you want most. In the end, that is all that matters. In this article, however, we will look at ...

Parmigiani Fleurier was one of the esteemed independent brands in Haute Horlogerie whose credentials preceded its name. Everyone in the industry knows it. Its imposing presence at SIHH was inescapable, yet its annual output was only in the thousands. For many years, this Fleurier (hence the name), Neuchatel-native with a top-notch manufacturing base was the kind of hidden gem that I would keep away from the uninitiated. How selfish of me. But sometimes, when your collector friends and clients know more about the sensational big-name brands than you do, you just want to keep something special to yourself.Alas, it was not to last. With Parmigianis collections getting sleeker and more contempor...

Oris has done it again. The Change for the Better mission brings us a new environmental partnership and new limited-edition Aquis. I ve been excited about this one since I first heard that something was happening in New York regarding a new Aquis. Notably, this is a limited-edition model attached to my home turf - the United States. But now that I ve seen the images (and will soon see the watch in person) I m excited about Oris s new use of mother-of-pearl in an Aquis watch. And what a dial! Though mother-of-pearl comes in a myriad of colors, in the New York Harbor Limited Edition, it s an understated pastel green, matching the hue of the waters of its namesake. But what can New York s harbo...

Its a Thursday morning, and I am waiting in the lobby of the Swatch Group building in Biel, Switzerland. I am a few minutes early for my meeting with CEO Nick Hayek, so I have time to look around in the large lobby. On a shelf, there are brochures of every Swatch Group brand… except for Swatch. Instead, theres a little card that lets me know all watches can be seen on the Swatch website to save paper. Already here, it shows that Swatch has a certain mentality that will speak to the young generation while making other generations aware that theres a different possibility of doing things.A meeting in Nick Hayek s officeThey dont keep me waiting long, and a few moments later, Mr. Nick Hay...

I have a thing for vintage watches. Most of you who read my articles know that. Time-only or complicated, it does not matter to me. But, if I had to choose a favorite watch type, Id go with chronographs. I have many different ones in my collection, but my favorite of the quirky ones is my vintage Certina Argonaut. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I heard the news that Certina is re-releasing the Argonaut. The new Certina DS Chronograph Automatic 1968 might not have the same name, but it has the looks.My vintage Argonaut is on the one end of the spectrum. Its the simplest and possibly the earliest version of the Argonauts. As such, it also has the first reference, 8401 001. The Argo...

Fratello On Air returns with a focused episode on one of our favorite watches, the Day-Date. Mike and RJ are here with some serious heft on the wrist. You ll hear about their love for these decadent yet classic pieces. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings We really think that you re going to enjoy today s episode on the Day-Date. This edition features two watch fans in an unscripted discussion about the flagship of the world s most famous watch brand. The watches are different, but the admiration is similar. A word of warning, though: have the pause ready after the opening salvo to regain your composure!Handgelenks Kontroll...

In the wake of increasing income inequality in many countries, the sub-$4K Swiss-made watch is under threat. The middle class is not what it used to be, and some households have fallen into poverty while others have moved up on the income ladder. And that affects the middle-class watch. The richest 10% of the world s population now owns 76% of all wealth. And to make matters worse, COVID-19 has widened wealth gaps across the globe. The Swiss watch industry as a whole wont/can t complain since, in 2021, it exported a record US$21.5 billion in timepieces. But its the sales of top brands like , Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet that are on the rise - the ones that serve the wealthy. Meanwhile...

I have to admit, I have been a long-term admirer of Zenith. I have also been contemplating if there might still be integrated bracelet sports watches out there for me. A good Royal Oak or Nautilus appeals to me, but they have grown out of my reach. Could my beloved Zenith perhaps supply me with the watch I long for in this Defy Skyline?I have given this blue-dialed example a thorough test drive to find out. Lets dive into the experience and see whether I have ended up buying one. And, of course, whether or not I think you should.The Zenith Defy SkylineWe are dealing with a 41mm case, characterized primarily by its interesting bezel and integrated H-link bracelet. The example I have here is f...

The title is meant to create debate, and I dont really find the SBGH279 boring at all. But many of you will ask me a simple question: why would I buy the only Grand Seiko with what almost looks like a primed, unfinished dial? You know I am a lover of quirky-cool and colored dials, but this is all about my love of metal.No, Im not talking about working out at the gym blasting 80s M?tley Cre on my Skullcandy headphones. Im talking about Zaratsu. Starting with the killer 40mm 44GS case, the metal-working craftsmanship is key to the appreciation of any Grand Seiko. And when I dare to call the SBGH279 boring, I m talking about the very discreet dial. Neither Urushi-lacquered nor textured like D...

Never change a winning team, they say. Well, the folks at Yema don t adhere to that rule. The Superman range is attractive and successful, but still, they went out and tried to improve it. Last Friday, the Yema announced the Superman 500. With adjustments to the bezel, the water resistance, and the thickness, the designers seek to make an already appealing package even more appealing. Let s see if they succeeded!My first encounter with the Yema Superman was a little over a month ago when I looked at the currently sold-out Full Lume version. That was a fun watch to have on the wrist for a while, especially in the dark. The watch we re looking at today is also a Superman, but it s quite differ...

I like color. Heck, I love color! I think the Hawaiian shirt that perfectly matches the dial and vibe of the 1970s Tissot Seastar Navigator Chronograph in the picture above makes that perfectly clear. This years Summer Splash is all about color, as youve probably noticed. But because of that kaleidoscopic competition, I think its time for a bit of black. This is not only to give your eyes a little break but also because black is cool - maybe not literally, but definitely figuratively - and we all need to keep/be cool during the hottest and brightest season of the year. Thats why Coffee Corner Watch Talk presents Cool Black Monday featuring watches from Mido, URWERK, and Gerald Charles.Nothin...

Im not sure about the idea of brand taglines. Theyre often cheesy, marketing-driven nonsense with very little substance of meaning, let alone truth. However, Fortis s Tool Watches. Redefined tagline is possibly the only one Ill let slide. Why? Because lately, every single release redefines my conception of what a tool watch can and should be. The new Fortis Stratoliner is no exception to that. Designed with space travel in mind, this watch does more than simply pay lip service.I remember the first time I saw the initial renders of the Stratoliner design. We were sitting in Kiruna Airport, crowded around Fortis CEO Jupp Philipps laptop. The fact that Rob and I were involved in the development...

Norqain has billed the Independence as a collection of COSC-certified timepieces. The brand has made these models in limited-edition runs once every year since the 2019 debut model. But that is about to change. The Swiss independent brand has just introduced the Independence 22 that will be here to stay. The novelty is a skeletonized mechanical timepiece in stainless steel with an initial run of 300 pieces. The brand, however, will produce more based on demand.Norqain CEO Ben Kffer explains, -its important to our team that our fans can purchase and wear the watches that we launch-[We] will continue to produce more of this timepiece to ensure that watch lovers who want to add it to their col...

There have always been two vintage models that I absolutely adored, two watches that I would dream to own one day. But let s be real, that s not going to happen if you know what models they are. The first is the first-generation Explorer II ref. 1655. The second is the ref. 6238, also known as the Pre-Daytona. As I m sure you understand, owning these two watches is going to take more than just saving up some money. So how about a reissue? As this series of articles is an homage to the great watches of the past, let s dream a little. Dear , please bring back the ref. 6238 Pre-Daytona.Let s get one thing out of the way immediately. is not the brand to do reissues. We all know that the brill...

It s that time again! There s not a moment to relax for two of our writers on Sunday mornings. As you all know by now, Fratello team members battle it out in our Sunday Morning Showdown series. In the end, you, our wonderful readers, have the final say on who wins. This week, Nacho and Jorg go up against each other, choosing two modern sports watches with integrated bracelets to duke it out. Nacho is here to defend the brand-new Frederique Constant Highlife Chronograph. Jorg decided to back the Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph. Let the battle commence!This week s battle is a bit different from our usual match-ups. Both the Frederique Constant and the Tissot fall into the category of modern s...

Due to the passage of time, accidents, and the impacts of war, many pilots and test pilots from the pioneering days of aviation and the early jet age are no longer with us. As such, I often rely on families and photos when researching aviators and their timepieces. For a change, I thought it would be interesting to chat with a modern-day pilot who flies vintage aircraft to get his take on flying and watches.I spent a day at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, Europes largest air museum and a former wartime RAF base, which is still an active aerodrome. I was there to meet pilot and army veteran Andy Goodall to talk about watches and his aviation career. Andy, who recently qualified as a Hawker H...

What can you expect from a former CERN engineer, an enthusiastic community, and respectable French watchmaking? A microbrand called Depancel that s all about automobile-inspired watches created with poll results from its following. Each new Depancel collection is an opportunity for its community to actively participate in the design of a watch and the development of the brand. The latest co-creation is the French companys first automatic chronograph, the Serie-A Allure, in a limited edition of 500 numbered pieces.Depancel was founded in 2018 by Clement Meynier, a serial entrepreneur who was a CERN fellow involved in materials and mechanical projects. While working in Geneva, Meynier came to ...

My colleagues articles on grail watches here on Fratello have shown that grail doesn t mean the same thing for everyone. Therefore, I will introduce you to a story from my past to illustrate what a grail means to me. To imagine that my path to Montblanc s 1858 Split Second Chronograph had already been paved since my childhood almost frightens me, but viewing it as consistency in my life feels acceptable.Several of the watches that I own are very special to me. Equally, a number of watches that I considered grails in the past have faded from my mind or have become much less desirable when I look at them today. From time to time, a watch impetuously sparks my desire to own it. But often, that...

To my great surprise, this was an easy article to write! I tried to stay out of the Starting a watch collection with $5,000 carousel for as long as I could because I thought I had no idea what to do with $5K. Watch-wise, I mean. I know I want a new road bike, and a nice, long tropical vacation would be nice too. But I seriously didnt think I could come up with three watches. And yet, I did in a very short period of time. I want a Spring Drive-powered Grand Seiko to keep my quartz model company. After seeing the sea green and blue Speedmaster MoonSwatch Mission on Earth in the metal - sorry, Bioceramic - I think it would complement my denim wardrobe perfectly. And the fashion angle led me to ...

Porsche Design was started in 1972 by F.A. Porsche, the accomplished designer behind the iconic 60s 911. The company is now completely separate from Porsche cars, but lets face it, we know that close family ties are still there. This is no more visible than in todays sharp range of sports watches, Teutonic in design and nothing but function-forward. From the tempting DLC-vintage versions made by IWC to todays techy sports references, Porsche Design timepieces have that a tech-tool image. But did you know that Porsche Design lets you customize its your own chronograph with its new Configurator?Porsche Design plays in the same league of instrument-focused watches as Sinn and also IWCs foray i...