The watch industry is full of trends. Brands and companies typically move in a similar direction, guided by the flow of the current preferences of the watch-buying public. If youve been paying attention, youve more than likely identified some of the preferences to which this newly re-designed Oris Big Crown Pointerdate Calibre 403 caters. With this latest release from the H?lstein brand, it seems that less is more in terms of size, and more is more in terms of in-house engineered movements. I wont overstep and be so bold as to claim that these preferences apply to everyone. But to the large majority of you who are in tune with these latest trends, you can start getting excited right about no...
The term rare has been a bit devaluated over the years with tons of rare watches jumping up here and there. I will tell you now whats truly rare in the vintage watch world - finding a devoted female watch collector. Please allow me to introduce you to Sandy from Switzerland and her incredible vintage watch collection. I have been buying vintage watches for a few years now, but before Sandy, I had never traded any watch with a woman. I wish I had, but there is no directory that would allow you to list watch offers by a sellers gender. Watch collecting has always been the realm of men. Yet I always thought women could bring a new dynamic to the business. I guess my urge to see more women colle...
Its an odd thing to be writing about racing chronographs when I cannot yet legally drive. That said, its been an odd few years, so pretty much anything goes these days. And I am more than capable of discussing these two fine watches today. I think that my two competitors are both excellent choices, fitting the competition rules and vying to take their place in the next round of The Fast And The Fratelli!So, what are these rules? Well, suppose youve been following along with the competition so far. In that case, you re likely already aware, but its always nice to get a wee refresh. The watch must have been produced in the last ten years (after 2011), it must be mechanical, and it must measure...
Today marks the continuance of what is possibly one of my favorite watches from one of my favorite brands. The UR-100V welcomes a new addition to the fold in the form of the UR-100V Full Titanium Jacket. The new model is a single-color version of the highly wearable UR-100V family, featuring several different shades of grey.No, were not talking Christian Grey from 50 Shades Of Grey (although Id let the UR-100V Full Titanium Jacket handcuff me and leave me in a dark room). Instead, we see a celebration of the color grey, with hues transitioning from Payne s grey to lead grey. And what s the most striking feature of the new limited-edition UR-100V? It s the fantastic, integrated titanium brace...
Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. We are surrounded by wonderful things on a daily basis. Rarely, however, do these feats of nature or human endeavor come under the same kind of scrutiny that we watch lovers impose upon our wrist-bound companions. Recently, I was fortunate enough to go hands-on with a couple of pieces from the Ateliers deMonaco Ronde De Monte-Carlo collection. Considering the cheaper of these two pieces comes in at a cool $18,200 (with the more expensive ladies model commanding a $28,000 price tag), I was expecting to come away impressed. However, it was perhaps the humblest of elements that caught my eye and stayed with me long after.I m not addicted to gold. I can tak...
Few brands do effortless elegance as well as NOMOS Glashtte. It is fair to say that a lot of the brand s more enduring work gets overlooked in the first instance simply because the designs are so polished, so refined, and so intentionally timeless that you find yourself thinking you ve seen the same kind of thing 1,000 times before.And the truth of the matter is that you have. You have seen the same kind of thing before, but you haven t seen it done like this very often at all. The new Orion 33 Gold and Orion 38 Silver models remind us why NOMOS remains one of the very best brands at flying under the radar and why it s our duty to ensure they land on yours.Perfectly balanced designProportio...
The MING 20.01 Series 2 debuts today. Not only has MING become one of my favorite brands, but this watch itself also has to rank as one of my favorite releases so far. To me, at least, this watch is stunning. Whether it s the details, the materials, the colors, or the movement - wow! There s one issue, though, and that s the small matter of CHF 35,000, which happens to be the price of this watch. In fact, it has me questioning my buying habits. Should I be saving my ducats for watches like this, instead of adding numerous, less expensive pieces? Deep stuff…Folks, if you ve read my articles and followed my collection, you ll know that I do own what I consider to be some really nice watc...
The secret to wearing a watch the price of a Porsche 911 is to just do it. Its really that simple. Thats because in the case of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Eon Gold, people will notice your exuberant watch, but they may not recognize it. A gold is as conspicuous as the Porsche, but no matter how extravagant the Excalibur with its flying tourbillon might be, it wont attract the (negative) attention a gold watch with a Cyclops most unfortunately does nowadays. You might even say that if your everyday playground is in the upper echelons, the Excalibur Eon Gold is a safe choice. This is how I experienced wearing it as a daily beater for a week.What I like best about the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Eo...
It s time for the new MING 37.05 and this watch brings a host of changes that should please a variety of fans new and old. There s a lot to mention here, so let s get to it!It s been a while since we ve seen a new MING watch. In fact, the last releases centered around the 17.09 models. Aside from the much-discussed hand alignment issues, the styling was well received. However, this watch marked the end of an era for this case design, and we were left wondering about a follow-up. The MING 37.05 is here and, surprisingly, it contains - wait for it - a date.The MING 37.05 contains (gasp!) a date windowFor those who seemingly cannot live without a date window, the MING 37.05 just might be your s...
A full lume dial? A sand-colored dial and strap? You have my attention! There is something spectacular about watches with dials that light up brightly in the dark. Norqain is one of the brands that recognize the practicality and style of a full-lume dial. Today, the young Swiss brand releases its all-new Norqain Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC. Could this be a great new addition to the world of full-lume dial watches? Let s find out more.Guilty as charged! I have an incredible soft spot for full-lume dials. Whether it is related to childhood memories of growing up in the 1980s - a decade defined by neon - or simply because full-lume dials wake up the kid in me, I m not sure. But I ge...
Every now and then we get a message from someone who lets us know that theyre selling a watch. But its certainly not every day that the watch going up for sale is an original-owner Cosmograph Daytona 6265 from 1972, especially restored by . Yeah, you heard that right. This is a true heavy-hitter. Seeing this one in the metal was a highlight of my time at Fratello so far. Earlier this week, Kenny Vaes from Relleb paid us a visit here at Fratello HQ, and showed us the watch. We sat and had a chat about the watchs story, how he came to own it, the work did on it, and when and where it will be put up for sale. If youre in the market for a very special watch, or just want to enjoy some vintage ...
Finally, it s my turn to step into the arena. I ve enjoyed taking a backseat so far in the competition and watching the track-based carnage unfold, but I ve got to say, I m excited to buckle up for what is sure to be a thrilling race to the finish. Maybe, just maybe, I m doubly excited because I actually think I might win this. Why am I confident? Check out my picks: the Omega Speedmaster Racing Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph 44.25mm 329.32.44.51.01.001 and the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster 86010M. Both are stunning watches, but there is one clear favorite (in my opinion) when it comes to snaring the crown of the greatest modern racing chronograph.For my money, very few of the watche...
This could be a life philosophy or just love for the suave look of black, you may interpret this in many ways. Some people (lets call out the architects and fashionistas) dress in minimalist black every day, but why? Lets just admit it, we all want to acquire that air of mystery sometimes, and what better way? Whether youre a wannabe secret agent, MIB fan, or believe in the slimming effect of black, its all good, #STEALTH is the word.This style lies between mission-tough and dark elegance. Should you go splurge-crazy and acquire all the items in this story, Id be sincerely flattered. But dont put everything on while wearing black trousers and a black polo and driving the Defender. Youre not ...
Welcome back, race fans, to another installment of The Fast And The Fratelli! We re on a mission to determine the best racing chronograph of the last ten years, and Week 1 of the prelims was packed with excitement. Two Speedmaster favorites wiped the floor with their opponents. A mean Massena LAB proved fairer than a Farer, while a snazzy Seiko toppled a tried-and-true Tissot. A Chopard slapped a Singer, a Sinn trounced a TAG, and a righteous roasted a racy Richard Mille. Oh, the drama. Oh, the speed! And oh, the alliteration!The rules of the contest are simple. All contending chronographs must be mechanical. They must be capable of tracking elapsed time for at least one minute, and they mu...
Blame it on my sharing nature while writing this story, but I fear my wife wants to remortgage the house. OK, I might be exaggerating a bit. But that is the Italian way, after all, and she s from Milano. I am only wearing one ring (and a bracelet or three; call me metrosexual), but it is a B.zero1, and so is hers. Yes, Bulgari made our wedding rings, I didn t really have a say in the matter. So I should have been more careful about sharing this watch. She s smitten with it, and it s all my own fault.And you know what? Maybe she s on to something. MB&F and Bvlgari just had a beautiful love child, and its name is the LM FlyingT Allegra. I am wearing a tool watch today, so I don t know abou...
In this article, we show you the top 10 best Omega watches you can buy in 2021. It s a completely subjective list, but I will explain to you why I think each Omega watch listed here deserves its spot. And don t worry, it s not all Speedmasters.If you want to learn more about the Omega brand, have a look at our article about Omega s highlights through the years. Omega is not only the brand whose watches were worn on the Moon and on the wrist of James Bond. But the brand also has a rich history when it comes to (ultra-deep) diving watches, the Olympics, and high-precision chronometer movements.Omega s new manufacture in BienneTop 10 Best Omega Watches You Can Buy TodayI ve been a collector of ...
Scottsdale and Aspen-based Oliver Smith Jeweler this year celebrates forty years of being in the watch business. And what better way to get the party started than by releasing a special watch? Well, with two very special watches, of course! Enter the Parmigiani Fleurier Oliver Smith Jeweler bespoke Tonda GT and Tondagraph GT limited editions. Twenty pieces in total reflect the jewelers creativity and inspiration from nature.Reaching out to Parmigiani Fleurier to create something celebratory was a no-brainer for Oliver Smith, Founder and Creative Director at Oliver Smith Jeweler. Smith is an admirer of the creative genius that not only is a skilled restorer of antique timepieces and success...
Here at Fratello, we love to write about our favorite watches. We are big fans of the chronograph, with many articles dedicated to this seemingly humble complication. In fact, right now, we are running another one of our super-popular competitions, The Fast And The Fratelli. This competition is dedicated to determining the best racing chronograph of the last ten years.Now, this article is not dedicated to chronographs per se, but rather, something that the majority of chronographs have. That s it - sub-dials! How could you write a whole article about sub-dials? I hear you cry. Quite easily! With sub-dials forming such an essential part of so many watches, I wanted to look at some of my favor...
Welcome to The Fast And The Fratelli. The goal? To find the best racing chronograph of the past ten years. The rules? Each editor selects two watches that must be able to track elapsed time for at least one minute. The watch choices must feature a tachymeter scale, and their movements must be mechanical. And most of all, each watch must be thoroughly fantastic. But well leave that up to the Fratelli to decide.Without further ado, lets take a look at my picks. I decided to go with two totally different watches, covering two ends of the spectrum. One is classic and understated, and the other is far more out there. The thing they have in common? Theyre both underdogs in the competition (one of ...
I ve been more intimately acquainted with most modern Rado watches than most people would care to know. And trust me, although the very recent stuff is pretty smartly designed, the semi-modern output from the late nineties to 2010s was… Well… Let s just say, it was sent to try us. Manufacturing watches out of ceramic has come a long way since those days, and Rado has always been at the forefront of the practice. Those early attempts were creatively executed, but now we re seeing signs of a master maker settling down into its field of expertise. So are these new flagship models in the Captain Cook range worthy of flying the flag for the famous Swiss brand? Let s find out.Flashback...
