When I was putting together my #TBT publishing plan a few months ago, I thought about what watch would pay a nice farewell to 2021. When I laid my eyes on the Yema Digital, I knew I found my jumper watch in 2022.The watch seems familiar, you just arent sure about the Yema branding, right? Well, I bet there isnt a single collector out there that hasnt seen this brick-like watch design, home to the best of the 1970s. I think we would need three stand-alone articles to list all the B-class brands (pardon my French) that featured a design identical or similar to that of todays hero.Yema triggerI have never been particularly fond of this design, as it had so little in common with what I think a p...

Making a strong start in 2022, Swatch has announced the release of five new watches for the Clear Collection. A long-time fan of the classic Jellyfish models of yore, I couldn t help but get excited when the press release came in earlier this week. But it s not just the Gent getting the transparent treatment. In fact, the Big Bold, Skin, and New Gent join in on the fun. Keeping in line with the brand s mission for sustainability, the materials used for three of the five models are bio-sourced. And in keeping up with the latest tech, a special Big Bold model, the Clearly Pay, will feature the SwatchPAY! NFC technology in selected countries.Swatch has a long history of making quirky and fun wa...

Id like to take credit for this Fratello story idea, unashamedly so. All of us have that one watch we long for, whether it s a rare $500 Seiko or a hyped-up Patek Philippe. And what a diverse set of very personal quests it has turned out to be. Grail watch is a vague and deeply personal term, and that is the way it should be.As you can tell from RJs and Ignacios stories, each of us has our own interpretation and meaning behind this very personal term. Wikipedia describes the term thus: The term ‘holy grail is often used to denote an elusive object or goal that is sought after for its great significance. This is why I feel that my grail watch should have a deeper meaning than a wrist f...

Welcome to 2022 from Wrist Game Or Crying Shame! This year, things are gonna be great - I can feel it! We will kick off this year hot on the heels of an Omega release from just yesterday! The five-year-old Omega Speedmaster 60th Anniversary is in play. Before we get to it, though…Travel back to late 2021 with me when I showed you the Cartier Ballon Bleu 36 automatic. I really had no idea how that one would go, but the watch took us out on a high note with a 60% Wrist Game triumph! Folks truly campaigned on behalf of that watch due to its comfortable bracelet and lovely looks. I m impressed! This week, we re on point - the first week of January is always Speedy week - as we look at the ...

Let me start by stating the obvious: it s always exciting to add a new watch to the collection. Regardless of the price, scratching that proverbial itch is satisfying. It s even more exciting when you get a new watch with a feature you ve wanted to have for a while. In this particular case, I am referring to the moonphase. It s a bit of a useless complication in the grand scheme of things. How many of us genuinely have use for a moonphase complication? That s what I thought. Nonetheless, the Echo/Neutra Averau 39 Moonphase drew my attention since I first saw it back in March 2021. Now that I finally have it in hand and on the wrist, how does it match up?The best watches are the unexpected on...

The Oysterquartz is a fascinating watch. Not only does it smash the myth that watches don t tick but it also hearkens back to a time when really pushed the envelope. I know we have a few readers who really love the model, including one who recently picked up a fantastic birthyear example (Warky, this one s for you!). This past week, I tried an Oysterquartz on my wrist for the first time. That got me thinking long and hard about the potential in its design.Especially in the current climate of integrated-bracelet hype, the Oysterquartz could be the alternative we didn t realize we needed. And, at least as of December 2021, it s one discontinued model that still represents relatively good ...

It hits me from the first images - the monochromatic Mandala-design dial within a classic case is hypnotic. Cheekily matched by a very unusual black stitch on the orange-brown alligator strap, it sets the tone for a much-needed distraction. Let s forget about a certain co-branded Nautilus in all its hype. Right now, a thoroughly modern minute repeater with a mind-boggling 342 parts somehow fitted into a svelte 11.1mm case is just the respite we needed.For me, this simply reaffirms my beliefs in Patek Philippes standing within the much-discussed holy trinity of Swiss watchmaking. And I understand Thierry Sterns sentiments on the evergreen 5711, ironically published on Hypebeast in July. Quote...

Theres no horological fun left with since it has become impossible to buy one at an authorized dealer. The new clientele doesnt care about the Parachrom hairspring, the Cerachrom bezel, or the historical importance of the Oyster case. The majority of current buyers follow a hype that causes prices to surge to unreasonable heights on the secondary market. On watch forums, its all about the money when is involved. But it wasnt always like that. What if I tell you it is possible to buy technology and heritage for a fraction of the price, and without a waiting list because Im talking about Tudor? Same company, different brands. But is today s Tudor yesterday s ?The similarities between and ...

Stay ahead of the game with the most punctual piece of tech the dark future has ever seen. Its retro-futuristic design and titanium build make the T-2077 as eye-catching as the flashiest cyberware in Night City - but you wont find this gem in just any old ripperdoc clinic.Cyberpunk 2077 was the most anticipated computer game of 2020 by far. Its introduction might not have been flawless, but one year after the presentation, all flaws seem to have been ironed out. It s a perfect time to introduce a spectacular timepiece inspired by the game s virtual world.Cyberpunk T-2077 by?B?onieThe Polish developer of Cyberpunk 2077, CD PROJECT RED, contacted Poland s major watchmaker B?ONIE Sp. to help de...

Named after the legendary street circuit which hosted Formula 1 for a number of years in the late 60s and early 70s, the Montju?c brand was founded by three passionate fans of motorsport and watches alike. The father-son team of Rosendo and Tendu Rabat come from a family with a long-standing tradition in watchmaking, and Eduardo Mendez has a background in motorsport. The three of them came together to create a brand that brings together their shared interests, culminating in watches whose design is inspired by the rich racing tradition in the Barcelona circuit of Montju?c.I am also a Spanish fan of motorsport, and there are two iconic circuit names that harken back to the glory days of racin...

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is largely focused on the most recent releases and developments, for many of us, a lot of the fun can be found in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. It s a world full of history, remarkable watches, incredible stories, and quirky details. It inspired us to come up with a series of articles focusing on the best watches per decade from a select group of brands. Some of them are priceless, some of them are still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Omega watches from the 2000s.By the turn of the millennium, Switzerland had proudly re...

It can be a tough job to stand out from the crowd in the dive watch scene, especially when thats the microbrand dive watch scene. It seems that around 95% of microbrands these days create dive watches using cookie-cutter, off-the-shelf designs which lack any natural creativity or thought. The same definitely cannot be said about the Greek microbrand Ianos, which returns for its second outing as a follow-up to the 2019 Avyssos model. Today we take a look at the new Ianos Mihanikos.As established, the Ianos Mihanikos is a dive watch. Ianos is staunchly proud of its Greek heritage, particularly the sponge-diving industry in Kalymnos. It was entirely on display with the Avyssos and continues wit...

Not too long ago, I wrote about the best Seiko JDM releases of the last 25 years. The next step was obviously to pick the best Grand Seiko JDM releases. But it s not that simple. Ever since 2010, Grand Seiko has officially had an international focus. So JDM releases would technically be releases created in collaboration with Japanese retailers or the special Grand Seiko boutique editions. On top of that, I would love to add a Grand Seiko to my personal collection soon. So I decided to tap into the world of Grand Seiko limited editions and pick the best of the many that are out there.The big question when it came to this list, however, was whether I should go with the models that people gener...

A-11 wristwatches were manufactured during WWII according to a U.S. military standard. American watch companies like Elgin, Waltham, and Bulova produced these watches. Most of them had white hands and Arabic numerals, as well as 60-minute graduations on their plain black dials. They were housed in, by today s standards, small 32mm chrome-plated brass cases, and it s believed that at least 150.000 were made. There were so many produced that an original vintage A-11 can still be found for a few hundred dollars.Praesidus?A-11 Tom Rice EditionBut that s not the kind of A-11 wristwatch we re talking about today. What s more, Praesidus - the manufacturer of the A-11 here - doesn t want to talk muc...

When NOMOS Glashtte released the Autobahn Director s Cut back in October, the trio of models was presented on bracelets that were as limited as the watch heads themselves. The practice of limited edition bracelets and brands isn t new, per se. It is, however, rather uncommon, and my excitement was building for more of the same. Imagine my interest, then, when our good friends at Genteel Handmade announced a project in a similar vein. It s a run of limited straps produced in honor of legendary American artist Mark Rothko.The Rothko collection takes clear inspiration from the artist s remarkable paintings. And, in the spirit of harmonious exclusivity, these straps are limited to just fifty pi...

After five days 145km north of the Arctic Circle with Fortis, you might be forgiven for thinking the first thing Dave and I would want to do was to scurry home and put our warmest socks on. However, when in the land of Abba, there are certain things one must do. One of those things, despite Dave s advancing lurgy, is to visit James Thompson, AKA Black Badger. We were lucky enough to visit his den and catch up with the man/beast himself, as well as Anders Brandt of Arcanaut, a brand he co-owns with James himself.For long-time fans of watchmaking, the Black Badger will need no introduction. For neophytes, however, allow me to furnish you with some background. While everything that glitters is ...

To be precise, there might be an exciting story to tell, but its gone forever and I will never learn more. When I saw this beaten but honest Angelus Chrono 12, I decided to give it a new chance at life. Now its ready to start writing a new story…Some collectors see watches only as items and their context often has little importance. And there are also collectors like me for whom nothing can top an exciting watch story. To know exactly who wore a watch and what adventures it went through, thats something for which you usually need to pay some extra-fat cash. Its not only the excitement that comes with the story, its also about the uniqueness it has. Regardless of whether it s a rare or ...

Last week, I had the opportunity to test one of my favorite watches at the sub-$1,000 price point. Im talking, of course, about the brilliant contemporary classic that is the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. However, something was a little bit different. Instead of the usual Khaki Field 38mm size, the watches placed before me were larger. A whole four millimeters larger, to be precise. Now, as far as Im concerned, Hamilton already found the perfect formula with this watch, so how does its bigger counterpart fare? As you can see, nothing much changes in terms of design, and the proportions are well-maintained. But its not only whats written down on paper that matters. So, grab yourself a coff...

I will happily stand up and admit to being a snob. A bonafide watch snob, spitting out the word quartz with disdain or a quiet whisper. Even if, that is, my love of watches started through fashion watches, with Emporio Armani and Guess in an unholy mix with mechanical vintage. If you read my Seiko Diver Journey story, youll know that it all changed with a pre-owned Oris. Maybe it was out of fear, or the disrespectful trolls on the forums, but I resolutely bundled up my last four quartz watches and auctioned them off for pennies. And then an illicit affair with Furlan Marri changed me.Why have I changed my mind, and how could a meca-quartz hypebeast do it? Last week, I had my last day of work...

We have a pretty dedicated and vocal collection of vintage Grand Seiko fans among the Fratelli. Many of the Fratello team are also Grand Seiko fans. The Japanese brand has a deep and fascinating back catalog with some absolutely stunning models. In 1962, designer Taro Tanaka unveiled his Grammar of Design, a set of principles that defined the brands approach to watch design for years to come.It all boiled down to four basic commandments, but there are two that are most important for the purpose of this article: Firstly, all metallic surfaces and angles had to be flat, sharp, and geometrically perfect to reflect light best. Second, no visual distortion was allowed from any angle, and all case...