Choosing between a or an Omega is a question nearly as old as time itself. With all the hype surrounding the new Submariner Date, we ponder whether the stalwart Seamaster 300M is actually the better deal.No matter the aspirational product, two fierce rivals typically exist within the space. Cars, clothes, cameras, and most certainly watches are great examples. When it comes to dive watches, there are loads of options out there from loads of brands. But when it comes down to choosing a daily watch that can do it all, it seems that and Omega rule the conversation. It s no secret that we ve loved and felt that the Omega Seamaster 300M represents one of the best deals in the watch universe sin...

It s This Week in Watches for September 19, 2020 and I ve dubbed this one the Enjoyable Edition. Why is that? Well, I think we have some nice news indeed.Mido Belluna RoyalSometimes, there s something extremely enjoyable about a basic, nice looking watch. In fact, I d say that s what we have here with the new Mido Belluna Royal series. These watches feature a cushion case and guilloche style sunray dial. Interestingly, the shape is meant to evoke Royal Albert Hall in London. Putting the story aside, the gents watches come in at 41mm x 10.14mm thick and use the Powermatic 80. The ladies version uses the same movement, but measures 33mm. All have water resistance of 50 meters. Honestly, I real...

Anything Grand Seiko does seem to be a winner. But not everyone is ready to spend $6000 on a Snowflake or $6500 on the Mt. Iwate. What does the pre-owned market have in stock for you, when it comes to Grand Seiko?Truth to be told, the pre-owned market for Grand Seiko isn t overly huge. It has partially to do with the relatively low production number of Grand Seiko watches (estimated 40.000). But it might also have to with the people who buy these watches, that these aren t considered flippers and buy a Grand Seiko because they want to enjoy it for a long time. As a comparison: Audemars Piguet also has an estimated production of 40.000 watches per year (different pricepoint, I know), but only...

What s the first to say about a Top-5 list of vintage chronographs? That there are too many to choose from. I have to say that compiling this list and seeing the watches together did open my eyes to some of my preferences. The most important? All of these chronographs have a strong link to the 1960s and have their roots within a decade of each other. I never considered myself a 1960s chronograph guy, but now it s hard to deny that s exactly what I am. So let s check out my Top-5 Vintage Chronographs and see if you are too.The fact that these watches are all from the same period in time is not the only thing that links them. As they are all from the same era, you can see a connection in some ...

Of course, of course, I get it. I understand why every article written about the new Oyster Perpetual collection is focused on the 41mm 124300. It is a handsome watch. Most importantly, it is something very new for . However, as seminal as its release may be, it has obscured the debut of a true classic. The Oyster Perpetual 126000 in 36mmWhy is reference 124300 important? It s the first time has released a 41mm Oyster Perpetual. Perhaps even more startling, is the fact it has bulldozed its way into the collection by replacing the 39mm family entirely. That, to me, seemed a shade unnecessary considering the Oyster Perpetual configurator page of the website already looked like a Walton fam...

If a brand is built in the image of its owner, then Louis Moinet is built very well. Simply put, the brand and its creations are as bonkers as the characterful Jean-Marie Schaller whose personality is riddled through every single thing the brand does. And it s not just the products. Jean-Marie Schallers eccentricity infects everything LM touches.The staging of this presentation was hands-down the best thing we saw during our time in Geneva and was the best advert for what Geneva Watch Days can offer that Baselworld and SIHH never, ever, in a million years could. The GWD format favors journalists. Having to float from location to location had a really positive effect on our energy and enthusi...

Just wow. This is what Haute Horlogerie should be about. De Bethune has always been a favorite of mine, but the brand is not immune to missteps or going too far in directions I have little interest in. Colored cases are just too much for me when it comes to this company. The articulated lugs are too brilliant an invention to need any such embellishment. Give me bare steel or titanium housings meshed with the remarkable internals and Im sold.So many of De Bethunes biggest and best pieces command six figures that it is easy to become a bit jaded (unless you are one of the super-rich collectors the brand is clearly targeting at this price point). Realistically, though, brands like De Bethune ex...

Given the central role Bvlgari played in the organization of Geneva Watch Days, it may not be fair to attempt to summarize the brands efforts in such a short post, but given that well be dedicating separate posts to the major releases in due course its worth outlining our immediate takeaways of what was a really fantastic event.Jean-Christophe Babin is a force of nature. Thats a description often (correctly) used to describe the other JCB, but it is just as appropriate for Bvlgaris energetic CEO. I had the opportunity to sit down with him for the best part of an hour. We talked about Geneva Watch Days and Bvlgaris new releases. As you will see from the video interview we have on the way, I s...

Whenever a new watch is released, we mostly focus on the watch head itself. But the interest in personalization is growing. Finding the very best after-market straps for your luxury watch has never been a more important (and exciting) adventure. Learn more about Genteel Handmade and the Himalaya Watch Straps here.The company s goal is simple. Genteel Handmade wants to produce some of the rarest and most exclusive straps in the world. To reach the summit of its craft, the brand has sourced the finest materials available. The workshop is staffed by skilled craftspeople. Together, the team produces some of the finest watchbands in the industry. The results speak for themselves.A very special le...

A lot of us dream of owning our own brand. Having complete creative control of not just the watch design itself, but also the whole concept surrounding its creation sounds like a heady lure. But with that kind of power comes the responsibility to get it right. More importantly, perhaps, for the kind of ego that is required to believe breaking into the current watch market is in any way possible, you also have the responsibility of wearing it when things go wrong. Thanks to the founders previous foray into watchmaking, Reise watches takes the right kind of risks and comes off looking very clever indeed.The fear of being wrong leads many microbrand owners down the same path. When faced with ye...

Finally, we were able to hit the road and our first major trip was to the Geneva Watch Days 2020 event. We take a very brief look at some of our favorite novelties.It feels like forever since we ve been in show mode. With cancellations becoming the norm, it was actually invigorating to set ourselves up with a packed four-day schedule filled with new watches during Geneva Watch Days 2020. We promise to come back with loads of hands-on reviews in the near future, but we thought it best to mention the watches that left a lasting impression. Before that, though, let s talk a little about the event and how it felt to attend.Geneva Watch Days 2020With a pandemic still very much at large throughout...

In this Sunday morning column, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don t forget to let us know which watches you d like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We ll try and feature as many of our readers choices as we can. After last week s battle of sophistication vs. opulence, the Omega Aqua Terra beat the Yacht-Master in the end. This week the Breitling Chronomat 42 B01 battles the Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G for a showdown of the B01 movement.Last week looked like it was going to be a tight battle until the finis...

Seiko has been showering us with new releases over the last couple of months. One thing we have noticed is that Seiko enthusiasts have been quite vocal about their favorite brand becoming increasingly more expensive. But the huge volume of releases means there is still plenty for every budget. Those comments inspired us to compile a Top-5 of Seiko watches that are currently available for under 500 Euros.Price discussions are nothing new. Admittedly, price discussions for Seiko are a bit different. That s because the brand is the gateway into the world of mechanical watches for so many of us. And it would be a shame to see it give up that revered position.Top-5 Seiko watches under 500 EurosOv...

I thought the Royal Oak Jumbo (or Extra-Thin) had hit its peak a few years ago, but it clearly hadn t. Prices are going through the roof, as you will see in this article.I ve been writing about the Royal Oak (and the Jumbo in particular) a lot over the years here on Fratello. It was my dream watch for a long time, I had a few Royal Oak variations, including the 15202 Jumbo and I saw the development of the market value from roughly $7,000 to $40,000. In a period of 15 years, I have to add.For this series, we select pre-owned watches from Chrono24, the largest online marketplace for watches in the world. In today s article, I included the 15202 similar to the model I had in my own collection, ...

It started off with one of these random messages that pile-up in the Fratello inbox. I picked it up and I couldnt have been happier about it. This is not only the story of an innovative watch but also the story of a hardworking dreamer with no previous experience in the watch business. People thought he was crazy and professionals told him to forget the idea. The idea to create an always-on battery-powered illuminated watch. Two years later, here it is. The Par Weber Coefficient with Enduro-Lume system.I think my wife knew it was becoming an obsession when the basement perenially smelled of burning solder and custom-made circuit boards were arriving at the house on a weekly basis, says Jon W...

For a long time now, I ve been keen to see the artificial aging for which Laco has become renowned firsthand. I ve seen it on photos. I ve heard tell of its authenticity. But until now, I d never had the chance to study it up close. The model that finally gave me the insights I d been craving was the Laco Kempten Erbstck, a 39mm flieger-style watch sporting the brand s famous Type B dial.I ve always preferred the Type Bs to the Type As. I frequently talk about it (so forgive me if I m boring you on that, or any front). While I appreciate the cleanliness and clarity of the Type A 12-hour layout, there s something refreshingly complete about the Type B (that places the 5-minute markers in the...

When it comes to recognizing our favorite movie wristwatches, we tend to focus on the good guy. James Bond and the Omega Seamaster 300M, or Ellen Ripley with her Seiko Giugiaro, for example. Yet, in interviews, actors and actresses often proclaim they cannot wait to chew the scenery and portray the antagonist. Therefore, I am selecting wristwatches worn by the bad guys.Playing the part of the bad guy can often turn a performer into a household name overnight. Alan Rickman and Gary Oldman kickstarted their Hollywood careers with Die Hard and Leon respectively. Unnerving yet captivating performances surely leave an impression when exiting the theater. With my keen eye, their wristwatch choice ...

Omega introduces to you their Seamaster 300M Nekton edition. Around 20 years ago, Omega introduced a Seamaster 300M version for the America s Cup. The watch has a black dial and a white gold bezel, a variation of the 300M that I really adored. And still do. The new Seamaster 300M Nekton shows some similarities!Today, we show you the latest variation on the 300M, the Seamaster 300M Nekton. Nekton is a research foundation committed to protecting the oceans. Omega is supporting them in their mission to save the seas. To underline their partnership, Omega came up with a pretty cool Seamaster 300M Nekton edition. I am looking forward to doing a hands-on review with this 300M Nekton, so I will kee...

We often think that having a long history and a rich heritage guarantees success in the modern world of wristwatches. But as powerful a position as such attributes may provide, there is still work to be done. If Spiderman taught us one thing, it s that with great power comes great responsibility. And being the custodian of a history as peerless as Breguet s is surely a huge responsibility. I caught up with Team Breguet to find out how the new Breguet Tradition 7597 is keeping things fresh for a modern audience interested in the brand s past.The new Tradition collection was launched in 2005. The models that populate this collection are heavily inspired by the watches made by Breguet towards t...

Amongst Fratello team members, we were joking around what the review of the new Black Bay Fifty-Eight could be. Watch journalist life the easy way… This is the new Tudor Black Bay 58!!! What s new? It s blue. Thanks for reading! Oh, you re still here? Let s find out if there is more than a color change to the story of the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue.As soon as word came out, Tudor was releasing a new watch; the buzz was everywhere. For the brand, releasing the blue version of the Black Bay Fifty-Eight is not only a logical next step but also a smart one. The overwhelming success of the initial Black Bay Fifty-Eight has created a massive demand for more Black Bay Fifty-Eight m...