Hublot is a brand that emphasizes new materials and, of course, Instagram-worthy colors. Now female collectors can play with the new 33mm Hublot Big Bang One Click which in addition to its eye-catching gold-and-diamond-case, also has a vivid pink strap!?Hublot has kicked off its 2021 release calendar with a new diamond pave watch created especially for women. The 33mm Big Bang One Click feels like a fresh addition to any wardrobe and fits with the spring/summer trends we re expecting to see. Best of all, there are multiple colors to choose from. I chose pink as its a strap like no other. But how did I find this petite but far-from-quiet Hublot after a few days on the wrist?The New 33mm Hublo...
As we ramp up to some new G-Shock news, coming to Fratello soon, we thought it would be nice to take a look back on a trio of great daily wears that we enjoyed (and still enjoy) wearing. Say hello (again) to the Casio G-Shock GW-5000, the G-Shock GST-W130L, and the G-Shock GMW-B5000D-1ERBack to basics. In 1983, designed and developed by Kikuo Ibe, Casio introduced the first watch according to their Tripple-10 concept. Waterproof to 10 bar, drop-proof to 10 meters, and 10 years battery life. The Casio G-Shock DW-5000C was born and could withstand a pressure of even 20 bar.The illustrious GW-5000 on my wristCasio G-Shock GW-5000After the introduction of the G-Shock DW-5000C, the model was slig...
It s always nice to see good humor and open minds in our comments section. Of all the major blogs in the world, our readers - the Fratelli - are clearly the best. Here we are, a bunch of crazy, luxury watch obsessed Speedy-fiends, and yet, as intimidating an audience as that may appear from afar, up close we re as snuggly as a fuzzy cuddly bear. Don t believe me? Go back to the original Lima Meca02 article and see what was said about this affordable fun watch. It ll warm your heart…So with such a fun assortment of comments to trawl through, I found myself spoilt for choice. There were the usual offenders, of course, coming up with wonderful ideas and wild stories to back them up, but t...
Today, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Chopard Manufacture, the brand introduces the L.U.C. Quattro Spirit 25. This new limited piece in ethical gold also marks the first jumping-hour movement from the manufacture.Last year, during Geneva Watch Days, we had the opportunity to visit the Chopard headquarters. Things were relatively quiet for obvious reasons, but we did have an opportunity to visit an in-house museum filled with both vintage pieces and the newest models. It was an eye-opener for me and I gained a real appreciation for Chopard. Specifically, I spent a lot of time looking at modern L.U.C. pieces. These are from the Chopard Manufacture and represent the best of what the ...
We scheduled a one-on-one meeting with Mido CEO Franz Linder to take a?look at the fresh additions to the favorite Mido product lines. Would you choose the classy Mido Baroncelli, the vintage-inspired chronograph Mido Multifort Patrimony, the unusual khaki version of the Mido Ocean Star Tribute, or the Ocean Star 200C, the first-ever Mido watch with a?green dial and?ceramic bezel?Taking advantage of the Swatch Group s R&D resources and the Powermatic 80 movement, Mido offers quite novel, precise, and reliable mechanical watches at an attractive price. With an average price of around $1,000 Mido positions itself between Tissot and Longines within the Swatch Group. The other two sell many ...
Rado and ceramics go hand-in-hand. First in square watches only, but since 2006 Rado is also able to manufacture round watches in ceramics. Rado s latest is the new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic watches. We show you the new 43mm Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic collection.Rado shook the world of watch enthusiasts with its Captain Cook watches in steel and bronze, released over the past few years. Inspired by the famous Captain Cook watch from the 1960s. It is something that we all thought Rado forgot about, but they did not. Never underestimate those clever Swiss watchmakers. With the new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic collection, it seems that old meets new. Based on that same classic 1960s ...
I don t know about you, but this week has been a good one. First of all, the weather has been glorious here in England. Long may it continue. I have plans this Easter weekend to get out into the countryside and go mushroom hunting. The elusive, and tasty, morel mushroom is coming into its incredibly short season which is pretty exciting (for me, at least!). This week has also been pretty good because I ve found a few new projects that I think might be of interest to the Fratelli. So without further ado, welcome to another Independent Insights!MICROMILSPEC x Haaland GoldenboyOne for the football fans here. I am a long-suffering football fan. My team, Tottenham Hotspur, is the perfect example ...
Ferdinand Berthoud has revealed its latest novelty for this year, and what a watch it is. The new Regulateur Squelette FS RS is a stunning addition to the brand s collection, offering a new movement, two case options, and a whole heap to classy coolness.In 2015, The Chopard Group launched Chronometrie Ferdinand Berthoud, along with its first watches. The watches were inspired by the newly formed brand s namesake, Ferdinand Berthoud, who was one of the fathers of the marine chronometer in the 1700s. The brand s watches come in two case options: round or the more signature octagonal. To date, customers have not had a choice of which case shape the model was offered in. For the new Regulateur S...
Ladies and gentlemen, we are finally there. The end of a long, long road we ve traveled together over the past month is now in sight. At the end of this bloody royal rumble that saw 96 watches lineup on March 1st, we have just two remaining. The surprise #2 seed from Jorg s group, the Czapek Antarctique Terre Adelie, and the irrepressible top seed from Bert s crop, the A. Lange & S?hne Datograph Lumen. From a neutral s perspective, it could hardly be a better match-up. An up-and-coming modern classic look set to mesmerize watch lovers for decades, versus an irrefutably impressive slice of the Hautest?Horlogerie going.?This Grand Final vote will remain open for seven days, so you ve got p...
Today is a very good day in my world. Why is that? Well, whenever URWERK releases something new, that equates to a very good day in my world. I adore the brand, and to date, everything they drop has been gold (figuratively speaking). So, when I saw the latest teaser video the brand shared on their social media profile, I was excited…even more so when it was revealed to be the next chapter of the UR-100V, my favorite URWERK watch model.I ve previously written about the URWERK UR-220 Falcon Project and the EMC Timehunter Stormtrooper here on Fratello. I loved both of those watches for very different reasons. However, despite being the more advanced watches from the Swiss brand, I get the...
Over a year ago, in February 2020, I reported on the rebirth of the Timor watch company here on Fratello. In that article, I made it clear that if the brand drew from its heritage it would be staring down a slam dunk. This release had nailed-on success written all over it. There was no need to push the boat out. There was no desire for anything new, per se. All Timor had to do was keep its head and execute. Now we get to find out if the Timor Heritage Field delivers as we finally got the chance to go hands-on with it at our HQ in the Netherlands.With a watch like the Timor Heritage Field, the press shots can only tell you so much. Of course, every watch model deserves to be seen in the metal...
Breitling brings out the big guns with the Chronomat 42 B01 Red Arrows Limited Edition. As the name suggests, this version incorporates the RAF Red Arrows insignia. Not only that, but the famous flying diamond nine formation of the Red Arrows jets is displayed prominently on the dial, in place of the B logo.In my first hands-on review of the revived Chronomat, I referred to my Frecce Tricolori as a guilty acquisition. Typically guilt turns to resentment, and I feared the Chronomat would end up sitting unloved in the watch box. As it turns out, the opposite happened, and I find myself fighting the urge to grab the Breitling FT over all the others, including some review pieces. It might just ...
When we started the competition, we had 96 watches; now, we re down to four. The remaining writers are now into their second head-to-head match-up. The winner moves on to the final; the loser goes home. At this point, it s simply the best of the best. Your favorite four watches battle it out for eternal glory. Who will be crowned the winner of March Mania? It s up to you to help decide who will be the King!We re at the sharp end now. We have four heavyweights left in our March Mania competition. The semi-final stage starts now! All four of our contestants can see the finish line where eternal glory awaits. Tomas and Bert clash in the second of our semi-finals. It s Lange on Lange. Blood on b...
Today is, of course, #SpeedyTuesday. So what better time to talk about the Omega Speedmaster 38 in Sedna Gold? Dont be fooled into thinking that this is just another downsized version of a men s watch. It really isn t. The Speedmaster 38, which is clearly has a fondness for the now-defunct Speedmaster Reduce, has been designed specifically for its female customer base. As such, its no-holds-barred approach to feminine design results in something quite distinct from its more male counterpart.In 2017, Omega introduced the Speedmaster 38 designed especially for women. Last year, the Swiss brand released the same model in full yellow gold and full Sedna Gold. Prior to those stellar releases, the...
Part of me was scared to over-hype this interview/podcast in case you d feel let down by the end of it. Then I re-read the interview, listened to the Podcast (enduring an hour of my own voice), and revisited the Lapinist s Instagram account and realized that, if you class yourself as a fan of vintage Seiko or Grand Seiko, you won t possibly be disappointed. On the contrary, I m willing to wager you will be totally amazed…About a week ago, I conducted an interview with Kamil, otherwise known as the Lapinist (@lapinist_watchrestoration on Instagram). He wasn t comfortable coming on Fratello on Air himself, but after sharing the content (and the images of Kamil s work with Balazs) he agre...
While some brands place their technological innovations above all else in their attempt to craft a distinct identity, others prefer to integrate mind-boggling innovations with less fanfare. Frederique Constant may not be the first brand name that comes to mind when listing trailblazing mechanics, but the release of the Slimline Monolithc Manufacture might be about to change that…In watchmaking, perception is everything. How we feel or what we think about a brand can inform our decision to purchase (or not) before we ve even taken a good look at the model in question. If you thought you knew what to expect from Frederique Constant, think again. The ultra-fast oscillator of the Slimline ...
When we started the competition, we had 96 watches; now, we re down to four. The remaining writers are now into their second head-to-head match-up. The winner moves on to the final; the loser goes home. At this point, it s simply the best of the best. Your favorite four watches battle it out for eternal glory. Who will be crowned the winner of March Mania? It s up to you to help decide who will be the King!We re at the sharp end now. We have four heavyweights left in our March Mania competition. The semi-final stage starts now! All four of our contestants can see the finish line where eternal glory awaits. With only two more match-ups to win, Gerard and Jorg go head to head in our first of t...
In a previous life as an IT security consultant, I visited Hamburg for the first time in 2005 while being on an assignment for a big oil company. The city had this special vibe to it, very lively. It stuck in my mind as a city full of character. It is hardly surprising, then, that Sternglas, a brand based in the city, should draw so much inspiration from it. And now, one of the brand s most popular dial designs is backed-up by an automatic movement for the first time.I was lucky enough to visit Hamburg several more times in my role as an IT security consultant but also as a watch journalist. It is, perhaps understandably, a big watchmaking town, with a great deal of interest and activity in ...
I didn t get into watchmaking for the big names, the status boosters, or the money makers. I mortgaged my future to become a watchmaker for the craft. Artisanal creation techniques have always interested me. I m interested in the aesthetics, of course, but the process behind their application can be especially interesting when it is visible in the final product. When I look down at my wrist, I want to be reminded of the passion and effort poured into the ticking treasure I call my constant companion. As such, working with Minase on a limited edition Divido was a pipedream for me that has, quite unbelievably, become a reality.Even in the earliest days of my career, the idea of creating someth...
Minase may not be the first brand on people s lips when they talk about Japanese watchmaking, but the brand is making a concerted effort to change that. With stunning craftsmanship and finishing that can easily rival the brand s closest competitors, Minase is a brand that we are very excited to be working with on the latest Fratello Limited Edition.We had previously reviewed the Minase Divido on Fratello back in 2019. After Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, was spotted wearing a Divido during the G20 summit in Osaka, the brand began to pick up some momentum in the watch community. This momentum became a rolling thunder as the brand s recognition, and fanbase grew considerably over the nex...
