The Explorer is a legend to some, but to others, it s a cliche. This year, I applauded its return to a sweet 36mm case size. But was it really the first watch to scale Everest, or was that a very British Smiths? No matter which one it is (well, it was the Smiths), the Explorer is as evergreen as it is tough. With its small and resilient demeanor, it is built for adventure and is an ABC of legibility. But what if you dont want to spend $8,000, and you want the watch sooner than next year? We found six alternatives to the Explorer, and I know two of them intimately.With a goldilocks goal of 36-38mm, we have some pretty cool alternatives for you, from microbrands to re-issues and tough nugget...
Its beginning to look a lot like a dazzling rainbow of angular, chiseled dive watches! While everyone is still out enjoying the first snowfall of 2021, Doxa has been keeping busy in the workshop, chiseling away at the Sub 600T. And those late nights have certainly paid off, right in time for the festive season. Is there a better time of the year for the brand to spoil its army of passionate fans with a cornucopia of colorful divers? Not really, no. This late-fall release from Doxa sees its lesser-known 1980s design hit the spotlight. And calling it a strong comeback feels like the understatement of the year.Allow me to introduce you to the Doxa SUB 600T. Or should I say, re-introduce? Thats ...
The Citizen Promaster BN0220 is the least expensive fun I ve had watch-wise this year. From a glance, it may look goofy, but students of the vintage Japanese diver game will recognize this beast. After trying one, they (and anyone else who dares) will realize that Citizen has done a very, very good thing here.A few months ago, I was cruising some of my favorite Japanese sites when I stumbled upon a slew of funky-looking Citizen watches. I m a huge student of vintage Japanese dive watches, so they were instantly familiar, yet somehow different. See, back in 1982, Citizen released a rather stunning titanium diver with a nutty 1300m water resistance rating. With numbers like this, this was just...
By means of a sport-focused utilitarian background, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato stands out in todays upper-tier luxury steel sports watches. It is based, though very broadly, on the Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver. This cushion-shaped, no-nonsense dive watch had a standout design feature - a 14-facet bezel. It was a design feature that brought no value other than aesthetics. After all, who wouldnt want to look good under 20 meters of water? The quartz Laureato debuted in 1975, at a time when a steel sports watch was the watch to have. The Laureato Eternity Edition is its latest iteration, released at a time when luxury steel watches are more popular than arguably ever before.A steel, luxury sp...
I believe I am the only one that ended up with a pretty unusual draw where two models from the same manufacturer face each other. The first round of The Fast And The Fratelli is slowly but surely coming to an end, and you get to decide which of these two French Yema chronographs makes it through. ?The last Summer Splash series made me (in)famous because both watches that I nominated were against the rules. Slightly embarrassing, but I made it through without being fired. So, to make sure I am aligned this time, let s repeat The Fast And The Fratelli basics. We (or you, to be precise) are about to vote for the best racing chronograph of the past ten years. Nominated watches must be able to tr...
In an industry predominantly inspired by the spirit of the past, Ressence is a breath of fresh air with its modern approach to watchmaking. Technically stunning solutions and a minimalist approach to design define the brand s pieces. We generally think of stylish black-and-white executions that bring the vision of Ressence to life. But the new Type 1 Slim DX2 developed with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons shows the incredible versatility of Ressence s approach to design. It s a versatility that results in a stunning new timepiece.Ressence is one of those brands that is universally praised by watch enthusiasts and journalists alike. For good reasons, I might add. The brand carved out its niche in th...
Are you tired of ambassador-led special editions? Well, it sure seems as if the watch industry isnt done with them quite yet. And while this practice may elicit (in some) a weary roll of the eyes, it is fair to say there are good and bad examples of ambassador-inspired watches. The partnership twixt Panerai and Mike Horn has always felt like one of the more natural ones. Perhaps that has something to do with its duration, Horns earnestness, or the fact there arent so many Panerai ambassadors to dilute the attention afforded the increasingly renowned explorer.Whatever it is, whenever Panerai releases a new Mike Horn watch, I find myself liking it. Its totally possible its just a coincidence. ...
We love a bit of retro here on Fratello. I ve certainly fallen for the new/old stylings of Forstner bands over the past couple of years. I find myself gravitating towards them whenever I need to freshen up a tired watch head. This latest release, however, is so vintage, I was concerned it might take me a while to get used to it. What I decided from the get-go, from the very moment I unboxed the Forstner Thin as a dime bracelet, was that the success or failure of this model rests entirely on the watch you pair it with. And so, into my watch box I dived.I m a lucky little watch collector. I have a lot of watches. Honestly, I m not sure how many. I say 75 or so when people ask me, but that s re...
Welcome to today s edition of The Fast And The Fratelli. I m making it easy for myself and adding two contestants with vintage vibes to our competition. Vintage style is still incredibly hot. In the days those vintage-styled watches refer to, mechanical chronographs and racing were inextricably linked. You read it in the title: Sinn is going to confront Zenith here. Sinn has a reputation regarding tool watches, which is what we re talking about. But how could that German brand have any chance against a more than 150-year-old Swiss watchmaking heavyweight? Well, read on to find out!The goal is simple, and so is the race. During The Fast And The Fratelli Grand Prix, it s up to you to elect the...
I cant deny it - Chronoswiss is a very polarizing brand and I havent been a big fan. Do you think I am being unfair by putting them in the folder marked Retro Overkill? Like Graham, Speake-Marin, and those clunky ZRC crown-at-6 divers, large-cased retro maximalism is not my game.?I know Chronoswiss has a penchant for large case sizes. So Ill do myself and the slim-wristed readers a favor by not checking the diameter until later. The Open Gear ReSec series is a baffling collection. There is everything from blacked-out stealth to eyewatering, PVD blue overload, so if you enjoy colors like me, youll like the rainbow of choices. Seeing the traditional Regulateur design being remixed is refreshin...
The history of the sports watch is closely connected to the development of the military wristwatch. Prior to World War I, women wore wristwatches, or wristlets, and men used pocket watches. In the midst of battle, however, a watch in your pocket was not very practical. In order to create durable watches for officers and soldiers to wear on the wrist, one of the solutions was to make extra-sturdy cases for existing pocket watch movements. The new Timor Heritage Field ATP is a watch that is linked to those early beginnings of military wristwatches - watches that are still very relevant today.World War I was the first modern war. The telephone and Signal Service were used to communicate. In ord...
We re often asked about different finishing techniques. Indeed, snailing was one that fascinated me from the first time I ever saw it. Thankfully, I was pretty fortunate to see the watchmakers at NOMOS decorating movements up close and in person earlier this year. It was enlightening to finally understand how it works. So, what actually is snailing?Snailing is a form of abrasive finish, and it s a type of graining. The watchmaker arranges a pattern of circular spirals in one or more bands emanating from the central point of the finished part.How is snailing achieved?To produce the finish on a part, watchmakers use a small rotating tube with an abrasive edge. This tube overlaps the component ...
Is there such a thing as a fair contest? When I started writing this article, that was the first question that popped into my mind. But then again, should a contest be fair? Of course not! The question arose most likely because I am slightly biased when it comes to my two contestants. But The Fast And The Fratelli is all about you, determining our readers favorite chronographs. So we will see how fair this match-up between the Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph 40 and the Tudor Black Bay Chrono turns out to be. I have faith in you, Fratelli! Get ready to put the pedal to the metal!Before we get into this contest, let s remind ourselves what we are looking for. You, the Fratelli, will vote to...
It was nicknamed Icebreaker, and allegedly, even Ferdinand Porsche himself admired it. The Wikov 35 was the worlds first aerodynamic car, and it is the inspiration for the latest watch release from a young Czech independent brand. Meet the Bohematic Aerodynamic.Archives say there werent more than three to five examples of the Wikov 35 ever produced. It was shown to the world in late 1931 at the Prague Motor Show, two and half years earlier than the Tatra 77, which is officially recognized as the worlds first serially produced car with an aerodynamic body. Wikov 35 never actually took off, as the manufacturers forgot about one important detail - covering the chassis. Leaving it uncovered allo...
We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is primarily 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, and some of them are still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best A. Lange & S?hne watches from the 1990s.This week, we will continue our jour...
In this video, I talk about the Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Auto, a 43mm diver in stainless steel that weighs a whopping 212 grams.While the trend is towards smaller and lighter watches, this diver from Hamilton is the contrary. A big case and chunky bracelet. For those who prefer smaller and lighter diver s watches, there s a 40mm version as well that you can wear on a rubber strap. But what we watch enthusiasts might prefer, does not always apply to everyone. So for those who prefer a big and heavy watch, this Hamilton Khaki Scuba Auto might be perfect.Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba AutoHamilton is the brand that brings mechanical watches with a purpose, for a very attractive price. Although pric...
With just over a month to go, its time to look back on another Seiko year. As you would expect from the Japanese watch giant, there was an abundance of new watches in all of its product families. Does that make it easy to sift through and distill a list from? Not really, no. The watches I selected made their mark. Have a look at what I think were the five best Seiko watches of 2021. Well, the first eleven months of 2021, that is.There were four watches that immediately came to mind when I asked myself which five would make it onto my very subjective list. The fifth, however, was a genuine eureka moment, but Im not going to reveal which watch that was just yet (maybe you can guess what it is)...
Ive said it before, and Ill say it once again today: Louis Moinet is a brand thats not afraid to reach the highest summits of innovation and creativity. When it comes to the highest form of watchmaking, few brands dare to be as bold as Louis Moinet. The latest release of the ASTRONEF shows that the brand is also not afraid to strike a more classic chord within the wild watchmaking realm in which it operates. Upholding the brands maxim toproduce an excellent and curious effect was Louis Moinets mission. Even today, it is something the brand aspires to do with every single one of its releases. The ASTRONEF is no exception.You might remember a few weeks ago when our very own Lex Stolk showcased...
The race roars on with the Cartier Roadster Chronograph versus the Seiko SRQ029. And what a spectacle it will be! It s going to be a track battle between two watch equivalents of early 1970s race cars. The Cartier Roadster will be represented by the Matra-Simca MS670, a Group 5 prototype equipped with a howling 2,999 cc V12 engine - the one which, some say, is the best-sounding engine ever produced. The Seiko SRQ029, a 2019 watch that celebrates 50 years of Seiko chronographs, appears on the circuit in the shape of a Toyota 7. This Group 7 car with a Yamaha chassis was powered by a 3-liter 61E V8 made by Toyota. Messieurs, demarrez vos moteurs! ȥ`?楢?The race between high-oct...
After a hectic couple of years documented in My Seiko Diver Journey - Part One, I started to feel torn. In an increasingly diameter-reducing media environment, I felt like Jekyll and Hyde, with dressy, 36mm vintage-inspired pieces for the office and big Seiko divers for the weekend.And they felt increasingly too big, so the Turtle had to go. Nevertheless, the green Sumo remains. It s the largest, but it s still the one I am smitten with every time I put it on. Then I read an article on the quite un-Seiko-like titanium Shogun. I found a bargain-priced one in Denver from an Instagram buddy and was blown away, bored, and confused at the same time.@thorsvaboe slips a big diver under his shirt ag...
