Theres something undeniably charming about smaller tool watches that come on a steel bracelet. Nowadays, a lot of brands are going back to more classic watch sizing, as the masses have made their voices heard. Long gone are the times of 44-47mm wrist monsters - now is the time for something that slips under the cuff. Perhaps two of the most iconic time-only watches in this category are the Explorer in 36mm and the Omega Railmaster from the 60th-anniversary Trilogy collection. RJ and Nacho will present their pick and why they think it has the edge over the other. But we also want to hear from you, so make sure to vote for your pick down below.Its no mystery that sub-40mm watches really hit t...
Using the original 1953 Co-Pilot ref.765 AVI as its base, Breitling is releasing five chronographs inspired by four iconic fighter planes - the P-51 Mustang, the Vought F4U Corsair, the battle-ready Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and a British icon, the de Havilland Mosquito. For those of you with a strong visual memory, yes, these are similar to the AVI ref.765 1953 re-edition from last year. These ones, however, are on a bulk-up diet. I crushed on the 1953 re-edition and felt its 41mm size to be a perfect contemporary update. But these are big - very big - and Im slightly confused as to why. Their functionality is top tier, with the COSC-rated B04 caliber and a GMT function. Fresh, popping red on b...
Fair readers, it s time to return with a healthy heaping of Wrist Game or Crying Shame. Last week, we returned after nearly a month away, and I was able to set your pulses racing with a bejeweled . This week, we look at the Bell & Ross BR 03-92. Before we get to that…Last week s Submariner Silver Serti was a controversial piece indeed. It brought out plenty of comments, and those included words from column veterans Captain Dean Baker and the almighty Chow! Their words and your votes sent this flashy diver down to the seafloor in a 67% Crying Shame result. I can t say that I m surprised, but will you shock me with your thoughts on the Bell & Ross BR 03-92?The Bell & Ross BR...
Welcome to my race track. On the left side, we have the TAG Heuer Monza, and on the right side of the track, there s the Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321. This race is part of our contest, The Fast And The Fratelli, where you get to decide which watch wins and goes on to the next track. The goal of this race is to find the best racing chronograph of the past ten years.We ve set some rules for fair play. The watch must have been produced in the last ten years (since 2011), it must be mechanical, and it must be able to measure elapsed time for at least one minute. Also, it must feature a tachymeter scale. Oh, and it must be awesome, of course! As you can see, we will not exclude limited or specia...
Re-releasing a watch inspired by an iconic model from your catalog is something brands are not afraid of doing nowadays. However, only a few brands are brave enough to delve deeper into the oddball and rare releases from their past. This is exactly what Zenith has done with the Chronomaster Revival Poker Chip. It hearkens back to 1969 when the brand released the El Primero G383, which was given the nickname Poker Chip due to its dial design. Very much of the era, the psychedelic patterns are undeniably eye-catching. Now, the modern revival, created by Zenith and SJX watches, brings back the watch with a stealthy appearance and plenty of lume!We ve often sung the praises of vintage and modern...
The story of Circula began in Pforzheim, the watchmaking heart of the Black Forest, back in 1955. Here, Heinz Huber started his main business, a watch wholesaler, and a watch brand on the side named Circula. The name Circula takes inspiration from the circulation of the balance wheel in mechanical movements. Im not going to nitpick that a balance wheel swings instead of circulates because Im 66 years too late with that remark. Something I dont even have to consider nitpicking, though, is the fact that the new Circula SuperSport is a veritable Super Compressor dive watch. Lets have a closer look at this watch that doesnt cut any corners.The man in charge at Circula nowadays is Heinz Hubers gr...
Which vintage Omega Speedmaster should I buy today? We get this question a lot. And a lot doesnt mean once per week, but at least a dozen times per week. It is also a very valid question, as it can be quite a minefield out there. Especially with todays prices on these watches, you need to be careful. But it is a very personal question, which applies not only to vintage Omega Speedmasters but also to watches in general.It s very difficult to advise you what to buy, as it s an incredibly personal decision. I might like and buy a watch for a completely different reason than you do. But at least I can give you a rundown of some of the options and tell you my preferences when it comes to buying a...
I was hoping to take a break from the French artisan Romaric and his mind-blowing project seconde/seconde/ for the rest of the year. But what he did for Louis Erard, or what Louis Erard did for seconde/seconde/ - that has certainly broken a few taboos. ??When images of the latest Le Regulateur landed in my inbox, I had to double-check the date first. No, it wasn t April Fools. Then I carefully inspected who sent it to me, as to see if it wasnt a joke by Romaric. When I saw that it was officially signed by Louis Erard, I gave myself another two wake-up slaps and looked at it again. Instead of Louis Erard, there is Louis Error written on the dial. And thats quite a big deal in my eyes!Birth of...
This week, Balazs takes the reigns and welcomes the fastest Canadian swimmer of all time, Olympic medalist Brent Hayden, to the smooth booth. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings In a wide-ranging chat, Brent and Balazs explore the mental pressures endured by professional athletes. They track the human side of the sport, and they delve deeply into a couple of unexpectedly personal issues that place our watch collecting hobby in sharper context.This is the longest WASP episode ever, and it really makes use of every second. This is why we created this podcast - to mold a perfect fusion of our love of sports and watches. Brent H...
Welcome to The Fast & 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 also must feature a tachymeter scale, and the movement needs to be mechanical. And most of all, each watch must be thoroughly awesome. But we ll leave that up to the Fratelli to decide.First up is my super high-end chronograph pick, the Richard Mille RM 50-03 Manual Winding Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Light McLaren F1. Unpacking that lengthy title is a task in itself, which I plan to tackle in reverse. However, for brevity, I will henceforth refe...
Have you ever heard of the Tissot 1853 Le Locle? If youve ever found yourself looking for a sub-$1000 modern Swiss watch you might have come across it before. Otherwise, it probably has escaped your radar altogether. In general, the Tissot catalog is so extensive that its typically hard to keep up. We all know the PRX, sure, but aside from some of the heritage models, other watches in the lineup dont get as much love as they deserve. Im here to say, that its OK. We cant all know about every single watch out there. But I also want to bring this one to your attention, as its a perfect horological gem from the not-too-distant past.I know, its probably getting old by now, the story of how I boug...
Oh, to be young and not know the cruel sting of the luxury watch collecting habit. I was young once, and it wasn t as long ago as my impressive collection of crow s feet would have you believe. When I was young, I didn t have a lot of money. But what little money I did have, I would spend on watches. One of those watches I bought (with a 70% discount in the Swatch Group Christmas sale) was the quartz-powered Hamilton Ardmore, a watch I believe Hamilton pitches toward its female fans. I don t care if that s the case. I love it. Twelve years on from that purchase, I still own it and wear it occasionally. That s why I was thrilled to see the Ardmore feature in this intriguing new ladies collec...
About seven years ago, the barrage of online articles and forum (whats a forum?) threads on the HUGE VALUE of Seiko got to me. At the time, I had just graduated from fashion watches. Youve been there too, havent you? I thoroughly enjoyed my first foray into rattly vintage skin divers, and my first microbrand piece was an Obris Morgan. To be honest, Im a contrarian (or just vain), and the merest sniff of hyperbole about Seiko repelled me. But boy, was I wrong. This became obvious after my first vintage Seiko purchase, sending me down a proverbial rabbit hole, and starting a personal Seiko diver journey. Today, I sincerely feel Ive reached the peak of Seiko divers with the SLA023 Marinemaster....
Date displays are one of those complications that divide the community. Some people swear by them; others hate them. I m in the former camp, and I find myself at a bit of a loss without a date indicator at times. I find myself often looking down at my watch to check the date, only to come up short. So, today I m looking at some of my favorite types of date displays: what works best and what leaves me out in the cold?There are, of course, several different methods that watch brands use to display the date on watches. Some are more suited to certain watch styles, and others are more easily legible at a glance. That said, they still all have their uses. Still, I definitely seem to prefer some o...
Time for another Fratello contest! This time, its chronographs that take center stage. But not just any chronograph will do. Were talking chronographs with racing pedigree - high-octane watches that get both watch freaks and petrol heads to shift into high gear. First up is a drag race between the well-established Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Azzurro SS and a rookie on the track, the Singer Reimagined Track1 Launch Edition. The Fast and the Fratelli, start your engines!The goal is simple, and so is the race. The Fast and the Fratelli Grand Prix will determine the best racing chronograph of the past ten years. On the starting grid, you will only see watches that are able to track elapsed time for...
I always thought there was a hole in the Yema portfolio. But the French manufacturer has finally responded to my unspoken wish and added a simple three-hander to the line-up. Now we are talking, Yema! And there is a lot to talk about with the new Yema Wristmaster.If you felt there might ve been too many Superman watches coming from Morteau over the last few years, you weren t alone. I always liked them, and I still do, but it was getting to be too much, even for a superfan. I bet Yema squeezed the maximum out of it, which is good for them. But with each Superman release, my urge to see something new has been growing exponentially.Kitchen-watch storyI remember a story one restaurant owner tol...
Dear Fratelli, we need your help! Back in August and September, you decided on the best summer watch in our Summer Splash contest. It was the Omega Seamaster Professional 300 that came out on top. It s only fitting that such a competent and undeniably good-looking dive watch took the crown. However, the season has changed, temperatures have dropped, and summer now seems like a distant memory. That can only mean one thing: its time for another Fratello contest! This time, its chronographs that take center stage. But not just any chronograph will do. This time around, were talking racing chronographs. Put on your helmet, fasten your seatbelt, and fire up your engine: the Fast and the Fratelli ...
In this fifth installment of our window onto the world of independent Japanese watchmaking, we embrace artful craftsmanship. The wrist art of Masahiro Kikuno shows his intensely personal view of horology, infused with intrinsic details and a vivid imagination. This story came to life thanks to a dedicated reader who reminded me of Kikuno-san. As an owner and Japanese collector, Ken Hokugo knows Masahiro Kikuno personally and added an extra dimension to this story.After our introduction of the brand, Ken facilitated a short chat with Kikuno-san as a go-between and translator. So here is a heartfelt thank you to Ken-san for making this happen, and for adding more to my grail list (dont tell my...
Of my meticulously planned collection of eight watches, my Zenith El Primero Striking 10th is the star of the show. Sure, it s only my second-most expensive piece. But it takes the centermost spot in my watch box as well as my heart. Whenever I see it, I smile. Whenever I wear it, the pride of ownership oozes out of my pores. And whenever I talk about it, I bumble like an idiot, at a complete loss for where to begin (evidenced by the fact I ve started this article seven different times by now). But the road to acquiring my beloved Zenith El Primero Striking 10th was anything but smooth. Like with any watch worth having, the story of my Zenith is one of passion, patience, and persistence. It ...
Today, we take a hands-on look at the Peren Nera Rogue dive watch. It s the brands latest dive watch offering and one that didnt fail to impress. Its design draws inspiration from the iconic Tornek-Rayville divers, which could never be a bad thing. And this beautifully sized, modern-spec diver comes in hot at a very reasonable price, with some surprising details waiting for those who take a closer look. So lets do just that and dive on into this charming piece, which, as I write this, is still available for pre-order. Will you want to get your hands on one? I know I do, so lets see what makes it so special.When it comes to microbrands in the watch world, theres a lot of fun to be had. One co...
