Every year, we receive a number of questions from our readers about the Grand Prix d Horlogerie de Geneve, also known as the GPHG. According to some, one of the most important watch events of the year. One of the recurring questions on the GPHG is why some brands are missing completely from the nominated watches. Brands that make sense to be part of the nominations, or which could even perhaps go on to win a prize.For this years GPHG contest, we received several questions as well. One of them came from Jeffrey, asking why certain brands arent included in the contest or nominations:Over the years, Ive noticed some of the brands like Patek Philippe, , and Omega are missing from the GPHG. At le...
Everything king Midas of Phrygia touched turned to gold. It was his wish come true after doing a good deed. The god of wine Dionysus made it happen, but to Midas horror, his wish wasnt as glittery good as he hoped. When he wanted to eat, his food turned to gold. Even his beloved daughter Marigold (ironically) turned into a gold statue after he hugged her while trying to comfort her. If Midas visited a modern-day manufacture he could turn steel watches into gold ones. He would create watches that reign supreme in yellow gold from Cartier, Breguet, Casio G-Shock , Patek Philippe, and Omega.Before I present you with six watches that look best in yellow gold, I must first tell you how the story...
Lockdown has had a devastating effect on formal wear. Why dress up in a full suit and tie for a Zoom meeting when you can also comfortably Donald Duck it? A little less visually extreme is combining jeans with a sports jacket. Its well accepted and sneakers in the boardroom are possibly also on the way to full acceptance in the near future. And believe it or not, in a distant corner of Germany, in the remote Ore mountains in Saxony, one watch brand has spotted the trend and taps into it. Heres the classic Glashtte Original Senator Chronograph Panorama on a beige nylon strap.Not all watches are created equal, and neither are sneakers. Theres a big difference between premium leather ones made...
We spend a lot of time talking about the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo on Fratello (because we love that line dearly), but the Octo Roma line has a lot to offer also. In fact, while the Finissimo is truly groundbreaking, its unerring thinness can, for some, be a dealbreaker. The Octo Roma takes the gloriously architectural lines of its slimmer (and squarer) brother and delivers them with the kind of elegant machismo we might expect of the horological embodiment of the world s most famous and enduring empire.Rome wasn t built in a day, or so the saying goes. When it comes to a watchmaking corollary, the establishment of Bvlgari‘s reputation could hardly be more perfect. These things take time....
Yes, I confess, I believed that the Oyster was The Origin of many a wrist-worn invention and that the automatic watch was invented by . Surely the first rotor that spun under a case back had a crown on it? Well, this is all about busting myths, so you already know whats coming, Sonny! didn t invent it, but perhaps the hypnotic spin of winding rotors would merely be a side note in history without Wilsdorf s crown. You might question my sanity when I compare the history of automatic movements to the history of the electric car, but be patient as there is a good reason for it.What is true is that deserves plenty of credit for refining the now well-known self-winding wonder of a rotor-equippe...
It has been almost a year since I ran a comparison between Forstner and Uncle Seiko aftermarket watch bracelets. Specifically, I compared both 19mm flat link polished and brushed variants that fit the Omega Speedmaster First Omega in Space. Over these past twelve months, the article grew to become one of my most well-read write-ups. To this day, I still receive comments, emails, and direct messages on Instagram about the review (P.S. follow me on Instagram @benjameshodges). Today, I am following up this review with the new 20mm all-brushed Forstner Flat Link for the Calibre 3861 Omega Speedmaster. So how does the new bracelet stack up against its predecessor? Lets find out.Firstly, the flat ...
Unless you ve been under a rock or holidaying at the Baltic Sea (as I was), you might have noticed A. Lange & S?hne - Germany s undisputed grand-daddy of watchmaking companies - just dropped a watch that, on paper at least, sounds like the sexiest thing to enter my mind since I had that weird dream about Lex in a skimpy yellow speedo. But even though it seemingly brings together all of the coolest elements of the brand s range, is it really the best yet?Okay, my analysis of this piece is going to be highly subjective. Technically speaking, nobody in team Fratello, nobody reading this site, heck, nobody in this industry is likely to argue that the Zeitwerk is anything but a complete maste...
There s nothing quite like getting a new watch, correct? Visiting a boutique, having a glass of champagne, and enjoying some white-glove service is a real perk. For some of us, though, buying an older watch is just as exciting. These days, buying a new borders on the nearly impossible. If the gray market isn t your thing, that leaves vintage as an option. It sounds funny because vintage was always more expensive. Those tables have turned, though, but is a vintage a good substitute for a new model? Let s discuss…Before my fun experience with Swiss customs, I d routinely travel with a few watches on longer trips. I liked switching things up and tried to bring pieces to match the activ...
Studio Underd0g is clearly not a brand thats afraid to do something new. You could say that many brands think this way, but few produce such uniquely brilliant designs, which are both visually striking and totally bonkers while at the same time being oddly familiar. Now, with its latest release, the Mint Ch0c Chip, the British brand looks to everyones favorite frosty treat for inspiration. And what better flavor to inspire an English brand than one invented by a fellow Brit. It may be hard to believe that mint chocolate chip has only been around since 1973 when it was created by a student. Likewise, its hard to believe that Studio Underd0g has only been around for less than a year!Some micro...
It was only a matter of time before we saw more from the DEFY Extreme. Zenith launched the new model back at Watches & Wonders in April of this year. Since then, the DEFY Extreme has quietly sat in the brand s catalog, waiting its turn for the limited edition treatment. Zenith has introduced an interesting iterative update in the DEFY Extreme Desert, alongside a series of exclusive photographs by the acclaimed nature photographer Kourosh Keynejad.First, the makeover Zenith gave the DEFY Extreme Desert is subtle by the brand s own bold standard. If I d had to guess what the first iterative update/limited edition may have looked like, I think I d have guessed a ceramic or forged carbon cas...
That s right, no masks, no Covid Pass, and all the top-tier brands gathered in one arena. And this includes a rather large stand from , a strong move in this non-Baselworld year. WOW, how much I missed this, even after attending the Geneva Watch Days. The Oslo Watch Fair is not perfect, with many brands missing due to an AD hosting the fair, but impressively so. This is nothing but welcome and says a lot about the strong market in Northern Europe. Many attendees were actually from central Europe and even the UK. So here s a big thanks to my Fratello colleague Lex for reminding me that I live 10 minutes away from the event, and Jaeger-LeCoultre for the invite.Image courtesy of @pylsogramThe E...
Theres not just one Grand Seiko GMT watch to pick in the The Best Boring But Brilliant Watches In The World series. There are 37 GMT watches on the European GS website to pick from. And if you also include a few discontinued or renamed models from the recent past the numbers go up even more. What is most interesting when you go through all the different references is that they cover all the bases. Theres quartz, mechanical 4Hz and Hi-Beat, and Spring Drive. And the different GMTs range from introvert to exuberant.Right off the bat, Im going to throw something controversial at you. I am going to compare the Grand Seiko GMT line-up to beef. Not just any beef, though, wagyu beef. A steak cut fr...
My love of watches has gone through the phases many of us know all too well. A resurgence about 18 years ago involved a plethora of Fashion Watches with a smattering of vintage. After buying my first pre-owned Swiss mechanical watch, an Oris, this all changed. The last 4 quartz watches were sold off with a vow never to touch them again. Why then, is my desire for the ticking of a tough quartz watch re-awakened??Some days I just want to go for a run, fall over and sprain my ankle while sledding with the kids, or even just relax without a care in the world. The peace of mind of throwing on a bullet-proof quartz tough-guy of a watch is simply liberating. I might love my 37mm Grand Seiko. And I ...
Fortis has hit a hot streak recently, and it continues to ride that streak with its latest launch: the Marinemaster! We can trace this hot run of form back to 2020, which was a good year for Fortis. The brand launched its popular Flieger collection, which we covered extensively here on Fratello. The Fratello team were fans of the sensible sizings, and excellent wearability, with a size to fit every wrist.Moving on to 2021, Fortis then gave us the much-anticipated follow-up for the Official Cosmonauts Chronograph AMADEE-18, the AMADEE-20. Fortis made this watch for the AMADEE-20 Mars simulation mission. As such, the operation of this Fortis timepiece might directly impact and support the huma...
It s funny how, as collectors, we so often make plans for our collections. Some people might collect specific brands; others may stick to specific models within a brand s collections. For the non-hardcore brand aficionados, many collections center around having watches fit specific style categories. There s the rough and ready dive watch, the classy dress watch, and the traveler s friend with the GMT. You can t forget the chronograph, or the everyday field watch too. The final one on this list is the pilot s watch. Today I am looking at one of my favorite pilot s watches, the Oris Oris Big Crown ProPilot Bronze.In the modern-day, when I hear the brand name Oris I think of dive watches first ...
I am an advocate for actually wearing watches, instead of just putting them in a safe or babying them. Recently I noticed that our friend and colleague at Revolution magazine Adam Craniotes using the hashtag #wearyoursh*t and thats exactly how I feel. And this almost always used to be the case, until interest rates dropped below zero, that is, and people started to look elsewhere to invest their money. It is probably partly our own fault (the watch community) as we always told the others that our hobby didnt cost us money, as watches often retain value instead of losing it. The others were neighbors, friends, colleagues, etc. And hey, who could blame them for listening to us in the first pla...
Im not stretching the truth if I proclaim the self-taught watchmaker Hajime Asaoka to be our collective eye-opener to the allure of Japanese independent wathmaking. At least this was my first look into the quiet world of Japanese Independent Watchmaking. Asaoka-san is a one-man band, nay Id even call him a solo string orchestra, such is his increasing influence outside Japan. As his creations are highly limited in their production, and many of them a piece unique, the budget stretch to one of Hajime Asaokas creations might be too far for many. For us mere mortals, Part Four of our story on Japanese Independent Watchmaking will cover his enigmatic sub-brand Kurono Tokyo. so stay tuned, as thi...
Even before I traveled deep into the lands of horology, spotting fake watches by their ticking sound and jerky jumping seconds hand was one of lifes Universal Truths. This is so ingrained that holding a up to your ear seemed the default quality check when checking the thrift store shelf for epic finds. Unfortunately for the lesser-learned bargain hunters out there, the complexity of modern-day fakery has moved up a notch. This means unknown dangers for the bargain hunters, all the way up to million-dollar Paul Newman Daytonas. The busting of this myth also takes a lateral turn, as we look at the excellent value of the cool quartz references produced by . Yes, they are real, and some of the...
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, some of them still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Zenith watches from the 1990s.This week we will continue our journey through watch histo...
I was there for the first one. I watched the second fly off the shelves from afar. And now, as the third ACE NOMOS Glashtte Club collaboration (and sixth between the retailer and brand overall) starts to make its way to the wrists of soon-to-be happy buyers, I felt obliged to get in on the action. I simply had to get one in my hands. Orange? Blue? I wouldn t be an honorary Dutchman if I sat on my hands while that kind of watch was on offer. But does this model pick up where the previous two successes left off?Truth be told, it doesn t. This is something completely new. While the Amsterdam Club I worked on with Ace started a story that would be rounded out by the Ace Weltzeit and subsequen...
