It wasn t an easy path for Montblanc to get past the image of the luxury pen maker who tries to make the watch world believe that its watches would be anything else but decorative accessories to accompany its writing instruments. Let me guide you along through this deep dive into Montblanc s complete brand history.It could be said that the name Montblanc as a synonym for luxury pens was too deeply established. But the increasing integration of Minerva s heritage and craftsmanship finally made the necessary impact. Also, bringing Grande Complication watches to market at very competitive prices caused appropriate attention and recognition to the penmaker s horological offerings.In the beginnin...
It s been a long time coming but I ve finally been able to get properly hands-on with a few of Urwerk s new models from 2021. Ones I ve written up but hadn t been able to really get to grips with. Thank you Geneva Watch Days for being an enabler to my ongoing battle with Urwerk addiction.Getting to finally go hands-on with these watches was great. As we all know, there s something about experiencing a watch in hand that is difficult to replicate from press images alone. So this was a real treat. The prime example being the UR-105 Tantalum Hull. The case is made of Tantalum, which is a heavy metal. I knew this, but feeling just how heavy it is is something else.I will largely let the photogra...
The new DOXA SUB 600T Pacific is here at Geneva Watch Days 2021 and we have live pictures. It s not every day that we get a new case design from the smaller brand, so fans are understandably excited. The should be because this release looks like a good one.Over the last year, DOXA has been busy with some relatively exotic dive watches. The carbon-cased SUB 300 models have certainly been popular. Our main man Balazs has been a notable fan while I was a bit skeptical. I finally saw it in the - errrrr, carbon, and I was impressed. It s a neat addition and slightly out of left field, which is laudable. Still, when I think of DOXA, I think of retro goodness and metal. The new DOXA SUB 600T Pacifi...
Are you ready to take the plunge with Wrist Game or Crying Game? Today we ll look at a unique one with the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf. Before we dive into that one, though…Last week, I regaled you with what-if scenarios for the Daytona Leopard. Very few of you joined me at the party, though, which is a bit sad and unfortunate. It s 2021, you should all learn to live a little and dream. A mere 20% of you found the fun in this felonious feline. Pity… Well, this week s Zodiac Sea Wolf ends the tom(cat)foolery, so let s get serious.The Zodiac Super Sea WolfThe watch world is as wide as it is deep and there are always new areas to explore. On the other hand, there are familiar areas to re...
The latest release from Louis Erard sees the Jura mountains-based manufacturer dig deep into the earth and bringing three stunning minerals into the dial of one of the brands historic models. Thanks to the use of these natural materials each watchs dial is unique. The speckles, layers, and lines found in these minerals are the product of millions of years of formation and are all on display on the dial of these watches. Their execution, not just a work of art, but a technical challenge in stone cutting and fine watchmaking.Here at Fratello, we are no strangers to Louis Erard. We got a chance to play with the Louis Erard Alain Silberstein which left quite an impression on some of the editor...
Aside from perhaps the Freak, Ulysse Nardin s Marine Chronometer is without a doubt the brand s most recognizable model. And indeed it should be, for when Ulysse Nardin first established his workshop in 1846, he set his sights on producing the finest marine chronometers the world had ever seen. Through the rest of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Ulysse Nardin s superbly accurate chronometers became indispensable tools for over 50 navies worldwide. In 1996, for the brand s 150th anniversary, the marine chronometer aesthetic finally made its way into a wristwatch.In the 25 years since then, the Marine Chronometer has proven to be a very successful style indeed. These days, Ulysse NardinR...
The caliber FB-T.FC-RS with tourbillon and fusee-and-chain transmission. Only 20 examples of the new Regulateur Squelette movement will be produced and housed in a choice of round or octagonal cases. You can pick the shape of the case and the material. I asked if there were any limitations regarding materials and the answer was clear, it had to correspond with the historical context of the brand. So recycled plastic is a no, ceramic probably a yes. And platinum and any type of gold wont be a problem either. The one in the picture I took a few snapshots of C much nicer images will follow in the near future on Fratello C is carburized stainless steel. Its called the FB 1RS.6.FB 1RS.6Party in t...
Just a quick heads-up regarding Breitlings new Top Time Classic Cars Capsule Collection. Together with Mike, I witnessed a green 1968 Mustang, a blue Shelby Cobra, and a red Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray roar through an enormous hall at Palexpo in Geneva. The cars were a prelude, though. They introduced the 42mm Top Time Chevrolet Corvette, the Breitling Top Time Ford Mustang, and, my personal favorite you see in the picture, the 40mm Breitling Top Time Shelby Cobra.Nice detail; the squared-off circular registers. The car logos on the dials are probably not for everyone. But I suspect that (especially my shiny blue chronograph of choice) could be nice enough to deal with the prominent reptile...
When form follows function, great things can happen. Its not inevitable, like death and taxes, but in the case of the Sinn 717 Cockpit Wristwatch, the original form sure led to something good-looking for the wrist. The black chronograph on my wrist has a history that stems back to the Panavia Tornado fighter jet, a late 1970s swing-wing airplane that was in service with the German Luftwaffe. And when I was young, I had a small Matchbox model of the Tornado in a gray camouflage livery. Another good reason for me to take this particular Sinn for a spin.Who wanted to be a fighter pilot when they were young? Thats what I thought. Me too. I also wanted to be either a drummer in a famous rock band...
Longines has done a brilliant job in combining classic vintage looks with quality modern construction and movements in its Spirit collection. Now, the young line expands in an exciting direction with the introduction of the new titanium models. But thats not all, a new dial color as well as detailing in gold give these new models a classy edge. These details elevate the watches well beyond what was already available in the lineup. A new strap option is a cherry on top of this already appealing new offering.The watches found in the Longines Spirit collection walk the line between the pilot and field watch aesthetics. This is certainly well-trodden ground when it comes to watch design. However...
Bernhard Lederer is a giant. Not just in the physical sense - the man sure is tall - but also very much in the horological sense. Hes on a quest for precision in the tradition of John John Harrison by using Abraham-Louis Breguets natural escapement. This kind of escapement is the best of both worlds, being the Swiss lever and detent escapement.Last year we saw a prototype and now the Central Impulse Chronometer is ready. The concept is part of a long tradition, and although the dial side looks classic, the back with the massive box shaped crystal is very contemporary.The way to achieve the best possible precision is to stabilize the power in the movement, according to Bernhard Lederer. And t...
Two hundred years ago, Nicolas Rieussec invented the world s first chronograph. It was a clever device that did not only measure time but could also record it with an ink drop on a rotating disc. Rieussec named the device chronograph, a combination of two words taken from the Greek. Chronos stands for time, while graphien meaning writing. The world s first time writer was born.Montblanc pays tribute to this tremendous horological achievement by releasing the Montblanc Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Limited Edition 200. The watch is a new iteration of the brand s already existing model with a new look.Chronograph by RieussecFor a long time, the watch world considered Nicolas Rieussec s creation...
Oris s dedication to land and sea conservation is renowned. Following the Oceans Trilogy, this new limited-edition Aquis Upcycle supports the clean-up of non-recyclable plastics from our ecosystem. More so than a single species or localized environment, the impact of certain plastics is widespread and devastating. To bring awareness to the plight of our oceans, Oris represents the appearance of plastic-strewn beaches on the dial of the Upcycle. Used plastic products are shredded and molded into a colorful mosaic pattern. Coloured PET plastics are notoriously challenging to recycle and often end up in landfill sites or release toxins during incineration. Oris elects to upcycle the PET, bringi...
The Streamliner has its fans all over the industry, but that doesn t mean it is that well known outside of watchmaking. With the latest addition to the Streamliner family a quietly complicated entry, the industry s best-kept secret superstar looks set to continue to fly under the radar of everyone that isn t paying close attention. And that s kind of nice, don t you think? I sat down with Edouard Meylan at Geneva Watch Days to talk about the H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Calendar and the pressures and pleasures of bringing a modern classic to life.In our efforts to bring you as much news as possible from as many angles as we can and as quickly as we re able, I decided to roll my ...
This year, at Geneva Watch Days 2021, Breitling brings us three chronographs inspired by a fairly surprising topic: 60s American sports cars. The Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang, and Shelby Cobra are featured within a new capsule collection of Top Time Chronographs.I have to admit that I wasn t expecting classic American cars to star in the latest Breitling capsule collection. However, it s wise to assume the unexpected these days when it comes to the ever-evolving brand. The fact that these watches sit within the Top Time line seems fitting as well. After all, we have 60s-based chronographs and cars from the same era. Blending cars and watches are a tough business with more failures than...
The new Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer was not even on my short-term wish list, as I already have a few Moonwatch references, but I simply could not resist. This time, I was initially (and finally) aiming for the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon, but the Moonwatch force was strong. I ended up buying the new Speedmaster Moonwatch Master Chronometer, with Hesalite crystal. Allow me to explain.I bought the new Moonwatch with Hesalite crystal, mainly because I think it is somewhat more historically correct. But more importantly, I like the looks of the Hesalite crystal. It magnifies the dial of the Speedmaster in a way that the Sapphire crystal can t. The Omega Speedmaster sapph...
I love the UR-100 and I think I ve made this particularly clear over the last however many months. I ve covered a couple of new versions of this fantastical model. If you take a look at the entire lineup of the UR-100, I think you ll notice one of the reasons I love it so much. It is goddamn versatile. For what is quite a futuristic design and concept, we have cool, sporty models, colorful concept versions, and dressy versions too. Today s release adds to the more formal side of the UR-100 family, so I am pleased to introduce the UR-100 Electrum.Electrum? What on Earth is that? Is it a portmanteau of electric and plectrum? No, the latest creation from the brains of Urwerk s founders Martin F...
Roll up, roll up! The summer has hit The Hague, and Fratello is keen to celebrate. After the fizzing success of March Mania, we are back with the Summer Splash. A new knock-out competition conceived to find the very best summer watch out there, according to YOU, the Fratelli. And guess what? You can win prizes! No, there won t be a watch available this time, but there WILL be some of the finest water-firing weapons money can buy: the Spyra 2 water cannon is reputedly the strongest of its kind ever made. Fancy getting your hands on one? Read on and take part in the comments section of this article.Eight writers will choose three of their favorite summer watches this time around and pitch them...
It s been a bit of a wild ride over the past month for one of our favorite independent brands: MING. On social media platforms, pictures began surfacing with hour and minute hand misalignment. The MING x Massena LAB watch, with its independent hour adjustment, was showing some random issues. We now have some further info direct from the brand.I ll start this off with a fairly obvious admission. I really like MING watches. I enjoy their designs, their attention to detail, and the fact that they come in sizes that fit my smaller wrist. The fact that these watches look like nothing else in my collection is also a real bonus. In fact, the night before writing this, I wore my new 27.02 on the bra...
If a job is worth doing, then it s worth doing properly. At least, that s how the saying goes. It seems that Bvlgari has heeded these words of wisdom, and, at Geneva Watch Days 2021, it has made the most of the occasion by launching five new watches. That s a lot of fresh horological goodness right there, so let s take a brief look at each of these new models in the Bvlgari Geneva Watch Days Roundup 2021!Bvlgari Octo Roma WorldtimerThe Fratello team has traveled over to Geneva from our various home bases across Europe, so it feels appropriate to start with a travel watch. It s nice that, after 18 months, we are finally seeing parts of the world open up again. I recently wrote about some of m...
