Welcome back to another installment of A Brief History of Time: Audemars Piguet. When I left you, it was 1967. Haute horology honchos Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Philippe, had just developed the thinnest centrally wound automatic movements. Known by Audemars Piguet as calibers 2120 and 2121, these movements were the next level of both elegance and reliability. It was this combination of refinement and robustness that would not only ensure the calibers 54-year production run but also place them at the heart of some of the most game-changing, iconic watches of all time. Before that could happen, however, the watch world would need a good shakeup. And a goo...

Welcome back to another installment of How Watches Work. Today, we ll be discussing automatic watches. We ll take a look at not only what they are, but also how they came to be, how they work, and what different types there are. Whether you re new to watches, a veteran collector, or simply a curious enthusiast, there will no doubt be something in this article that will help you better understand these miraculous ticking machines we love so much. So prepare yourselves, we re about to jump in.To get our first question out of the way, an automatic watch is a mechanical watch that winds itself through the user s movement. Being a mechanical watch, an automatic watch does not use a battery. Inste...

It s been a long time, but travel is slowly starting to open up again. After not stepping on an airplane for 18 months, I have found myself arranging four trips to three different countries in a relatively short period of time. Different countries mean different time zones, and I ll be straight up in admitting that I lack the basic memory skills to remember time differences. With that in mind, I have recently found myself frequently looking at travel watches - the perfect tool for those who travel and want a convenient way of keeping track of time wherever they may land.Travel watches come in many different shapes and sizes, from the instantly recognizable world-timers to the traditional and...

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. While the daily routine is largely focused on the most recent developments in the world of watches, the most fun for many of us lies in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. Its 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 G-Shock watches from the 1980s.While the 1970s were a decade filled with tremendous change in the watch ...

The world of offshore powerboat racing is where Edox found the inspiration for this technically interesting divers watch made of steel, ceramic, carbon, and glass fibers. Edox has been involved in powerboating for quite a while. A sport for men and women with hearts of steel. And thats why the Edox CO-1 Carbon Chronograph Automatic is a watch with a heart of steel. A powerboat on the wrist!Last month, Rob talked about the Edox?SkyDiver Neptunian and mentioned the pleasing aspects of an over-engineered dive watch. Because you will never be able to push it to its physical limits, it will make for a carefree companion. And the same (and beyond) goes for the CO-1 Carbon Chronograph Automatic.A w...

It s not often I actually put my money out on the table, willing to hand it over. I like my bank account to remain healthy, and spending its contents goes against that mantra. With that in mind, it takes something truly exciting to pique my interest enough to have me opening my wallet and entering those card details at the payment checkout. It seems that Zelos did enough with its new Swordfish 40, featuring a case made of crystallized titanium.Zelos is one of the few microbrands which has managed to firmly cement its place in the industry. A mixture of intelligent designs, first-class customer service, and affordable prices has pushed the brand to a level that other microbrands can only drea...

Ah, the tachymeter. You ve definitely seen them around, and you may even own a watch with one on it. It s the seemingly ubiquitous scale that has graced some of the most famous chronographs in history. Thus, when tasked to come up with my top five picks for the best tachymeter watches, usual suspects like the Daytona and Omega Speedmaster Professional immediately sprung to mind. And there s a good reason for that. These models are indeed classics with an unquestionably iconic status. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that I wanted to make this list a bit different. No taking the easy way out this time! After all, just because a watch is famous doesn t necessarily mean ...

Its not a Franken-watch, as it is 100% original. But original as it may be, it is most certainly not untouched. At some point in the past, a previous owner made some major dial modifications. Is it art? That can certainly be debated… It is definitely unlike any other watch out there, so I guess original remains the word to use when describing this particular watch. Though I bet that many of you would tremble and beg for mercy when faced with the prospect of having this Prim strapped to your wrist, the current owner, Nina, wears this DIY-dial watch proudly!?It was an ordinary Wednesday in April, a day where no particular watch-related highlights were to be expected. In the morning, my w...

This is a situation that is getting sadder by the day. Former forward of Feyenoord, Michiel Kramer, did not sell his Day-Date because he thought he might get randomly robbed on the street. No, he did so because one of the convicted members of the so-called gang (who is currently serving a one-year prison sentence for robbery) confessed that Kramer was on their list. They were already tracking Kramers movements with a plan to rob him of his watch. It was the certainty that he would get robbed that pushed him to sell - for Kramer it was not a what if? It was a when?Footballer Michiel Kramer was not the only target, many other local celebrities are also on the radar of these gangs (you read th...

If you like controversy, you came to the right place. Trying to answer a question like the one in the title of this article is always going to result in a deluge of criticism. To those who find themselves disagreeing with what Im about to say, I say this: let it rain. Fratellowatches.com is an online watch-loving community like no other. We want to have those difficult conversations and pose complicated questions that garner more than one answer. And so dont take my assessment of what makes for the best watch brand in the world as the gospel truth or the final word on the matter: this is a starting point for a fun discussion. So lets have fun discussing it together.It probably wont surprise ...

After seeing two new-in-box green Patek Philippe Nautili lying side by side on an Instagram post last week, a question (well, actually a few questions…) popped into my head: have watch enthusiasts lost their sense of adventure? My gut feeling points to yes as the answer.? But to truly get to the bottom of this conundrum, a little more background, research, and contemplation is required. Join me on my quest into the mind of the watch lover who might have forgotten that theres more to the world of watches than the hype surrounding and Patek Philippe. A journey that will also include a historical sidestep and some personal soul-searching.I seem to have a lot of questions on my mind latel...

Howdy neighbors, it s time for another installment of Wrist Game or Crying Shame. This week, we travel down a couple of kilometers with the IWC Porsche Design Ocean 2000. Let s see if your thoughts about this watch are as deep as its depth rating. Before we do…Last week, I brought you back to my brief stay in old San Juan with a look at a very period Breitling Chronomat UTC. It turns out that you really don t like going on cruises with me because you got seasick over this one to the tune of a 73% Crying Shame loss. Ouch! Let s see if today s IWC Porsche Design Ocean 2000 fares any better.The Porsche Design line was epic under IWCIt s just too easy for me to get sentimental about IWC ba...

Exciting news! We are, once more, looking to expand our team. We are busier than ever, and the work were doing behind the scenes has never been more exciting. If youd like to be part of it, read on-Fratello is one of the most-read, fastest-growing online luxury watch magazines in the world. Join our team of watch enthusiasts, focused on creating original and opinionated content. We produce videos, podcasts, social media content, and - of course - articles for our magazine. In joining our team, you will be on top of the luxury watch industry, with unique insights and access to the finest watches and watch brands in the world.About the Senior Marketing Manager roleWe continue to grow quickly a...

Here in the Fratello office, we were standing in front of one of the big monitors to watch the preparation and launch of the New Shepard (named after Alan Shepard). On our wrists, the Omega Speedmaster (hey, it was a Speedy Tuesday) and on the wrist of the Blue Origin, also Omega Speedmaster watches. So which watch did they wear exactly? Keep on reading.Wally Funk and the rest of the Blue Origin crew. Photo (c) APWe watched the New Shepard NS-16 flight with a lot of interest, not in the last place because we love everything that has to do with space. And on this very special date, July 20th, 52 years after the Moon landing by the Apollo XI crew, Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, Wally Funk...

I reviewed the Peren Hintz way back in October 2020. It feels like a lifetime ago, mired as we were in the onset of the second wave. The optimism of late summer had faded and I was left staring down a long wintry tunnel and sorely in need of respite. Well, this quirky little weirdo from Transylvania certainly provided it! My first thought (and comment) on this watch regarded the odd color-combo adorning the dial: orange and burgundy are set against a parchment background. Curious? So was I… Read on to find out how you can make this unusual ticker yours.The Peren Hintz emerged on the back of the Peren Nera and, thus, had a lot to live up to in my mind. Why? Because I d?loved?the Nera. I...

Forgive me if you already know of Collective (yes, there s no The). I was not quite as fortunate as you until these past couple of weeks. I wasn t acutely aware of Collective even though I had previously seen its collaboration with Zenith among my daily watch news scrolling. It was a handsome watch in a clear and stark white & grey color scheme. Now the fine folks at Collective are back with their third collaborative project, one that got me incredibly excited when I first caught wind of it: the URWERK UR-100V P.02.I am fortunate to get the inside track on many happenings in this beautiful industry before they become general knowledge. Such is the privileged position of being a journalis...

Over in article land, my good friend Dave Sergeant has written up the new release from URWERK and Collective today, so please feel free to check that out at your leisure for a detailed look at the watch itself and Dave s hot takes, and what is his favorite base model in the URWERK catalog.On the Podcast today, however, we re diving into the background of this project with Martin Frei of URWERK fame and co-founder of Collective, Asher Rapkin. Collective is a US-based group of watch lovers that works directly with brands to create thoughtful, imaginative, and emotive special edition pieces available to the members of the movement only. This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept ...

It took place not long ago, but here at Fratello we still think it s worth having a look back at the significance of UNESCO recognizing watchmaking as an Intangible Cultural Heritage Of Humanity. Before we begin, we can all let out a collective sigh of relief. Because yes, dear watch lover, you were right all along: watches and watchmaking have meaning and relevance. Watchmaking has shaped the architecture, urban landscape, and everyday social reality in the countless French and Swiss Jura towns watchmakers are active. Watchmaking continues to do so today, in keeping with its rich tradition. And it s all thanks to those determined watchmakers who act as the Guardians of Watchmaking.A joint e...

It s been a couple of years since I last picked up a vintage . Woe is me! It s a hard life indeed. Jokes aside, I recently took delivery of a lovely Submariner 5513 Maxi Dial and I thought I d share my impressions.I m a dummy. As sure as I sit here today looking at the 90s and early 00s Bluesy Submariners telling myself to strike now before it s too late (it s already too late, by the way), I did the same thing five to seven years ago on another . I can t remember the websites, but I remember the watches. I was looking at 5513 Submariner watches and they were staring back at me with their lowly $4,500 to $6,000 price tags ALL-DAY-LONG. What did I do about it? Nothing. I did nothing even t...

I love microbrands. It s one of those areas of our beloved industry that you probably love or hate. For me, I love it. While it takes a lot of effort to sift through all the dross and rubbish to unearth real gems, the effort is worth it. Today I am writing about one such gem from the microbrand Maen. More specifically, the Maen Greenwich 38 GMT.You may recall I briefly covered this watch in a previous Independent Insights article. I made it the lead story of the roundup because I loved the look of it so much. I reached out to brand owner Sebastiaan Cortjaens and asked if I might borrow the prototype to get a hands-on feel for the watch. Luckily for me, Sebastiaan kindly agreed and shipped ou...