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 dont forget to let us know which watches youd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. Well try and feature as many of our readers choices as we can. Omega steps up to the plate with the too-often ignored Railmaster. On the mound, pitching as if its life depended on it is the scientist s darling, the Milgauss. This week it s Jorg Vs. Ben. Let battle commence!Sunday Morning Showdown is a fluid concept. Sometimes our editors clash on opinions of a single...

Welcome back to This Week in Watches for July 18, 2020 the Colors Edition. We ve got some nice shades for you today, so let s take a look at the palette.Panerai Luminor Blu Mare 44mmNow, blue has been one of the hottest colors for the last five years or so and there s no stopping it. Proof positive is the new Panerai Luminor Blu Mare in 44mm. This stainless piece reminds us of the Luminor models from the late 1990 s and damn is it hot. Check out that angled case, applied numerals, and OP symbol and you re transported back to a great era for Panerai. The blue dial looks perfect and it matches the blue leather and additional rubber strap. The caliber 6000 works away inside and, yes, you have t...

Most watch enthusiasts seem to have an interest in tool watches. Watches for professional use, basically. Whether that s for diving, flying, or racing, doesn t matter.These professional watches often don t see any action other than desk work or the occasional swimming pool. That doesn t stop us from having a preference for these watches though. For this article, I selected seven of these professional watches, for different purposes. Most Some I consider classics, but that s what we like most.7 Professional WatchesLike all Pre-Owned Picks articles, these professional watches are picked from Chrono24. It is the largest market place for wristwatches in the world - watches that we love ourselves...

Ive been doing Watch Strap Review for about six years now. During this time, we have introduced several new brands to you. Last month we took a closer look at some serious heat from our friends at Two Stitch Straps. It s always a pleasure to reconnect with the brands we ve worked with before, but its equally exciting to learn of a new one. Like the brand we are going to talk about today - Zeigr Straps.I use the name Zeigr Straps although thats not 100% correct. For the German audience, the name might sound familiar. Zeigr is a German watch blog. But its also a bit more than that. For one, they have their own watch strap, which they sell on the platform.ZeigrWe are not talking about a strap c...

Imagine you had this watch in your cellar for 15 years and you had no clue. Simply because the day you bought the flat, you moved all the old stuff belonging to the previous owner there and you havent found the time to go through it. That was until last month and the day you discovered this stunning Heuer ref. 349 in an old box…A true story. Katarina, a young archeologist from Nitra in Slovak republic contacted my watchmaker, asking if he would be able to identify the watch she found in a cellar and bring it back to life. When I saw this Heuer with heavily cracked and yellowing plexiglass a few weeks ago, I was sure there would be an untouched dial hiding beneath it. Last weekend, my w...

Transitioning to beach season calls for the perfect watch - one that will not only make you like a vacay goddess but will also be your true partner in crime. Can you picture yourself in Zakynthos lying on the white sands of Navagio beach, with its breathtaking cliffs? Perhaps youre jumping into the blue waters of Capri or surfing in Portugal? For fun in the sun, all you need is a timepiece that looks gorgeous and is made for a special purpose: playing in the water or with your kids.?Here are my Top 4 summer watches for women who want to give their own beach look a sharp, contemporary twist - one that celebrates and epitomizes the ultimate vacation.?Chanel J12What could be more classic and mo...

A good, reliable watchmaker with reasonable rates who is willing to accept any vintage watches you bring to their workbench is a rare specimen. I dare say I value my watchmaker more than any of my highly regarded watch dealers. If there is a question I get as often as, Where did you get that watch?, it would be, Where did you get that watch serviced? Servicing vintage watches is not only a delicate task but also a delicate topic. When I say delicate task, I think of all the painfully butchered watch cases that collect more scars from one visit at an incompetent watchmaker than after five decades of wrist time. Im not whining about one unfortunate slip of a screwdriver that happens from time ...

Hey there, it s time for Wrist Game or Crying Shame where you get to play a little pick em choose em. This week, we super size things with an IWC Big Pilot. But first…Last week, I showed you a modern-day Omega Speedmaster Mark II Co-Axial with a racing dial for just under $3,600. You gave this one the checkered flag as it motored to a 78% Wrist Game win. I m pretty happy about that one, but I wonder if you ll be happy with today s IWC Big Pilot.Do you remember big watches? Well, back in the early 2000s, let s just say they were a, um, big thing. You can lay a lot of the blame or credit on a then pluckily resurging brand called Panerai. But there were fast followers from the more esta...

This year Seiko is celebrating the 55th anniversary of its first-ever dive watch. Besides the indispensable special and limited editions to celebrate the event, we were happy to see some spectacular models in the regular Seiko dive watches line-up as well.Back in March, Michael Stockton informed you about the three significant releases Seiko presented to celebrate its underwater beginnings. And, recently, Jorg dived deeper into one of them, the ?SLA037. That model - which hit the market with an intimidating price tag - was the subject of this week s Sunday Morning Showdown between Balazs and Rob. If you haven t already, why not head over to the article and cast your vote??While browsing the ...

The Grand Seiko Hi-Beat SLGH002 watch is the latest in a long line of rootin tootin anniversary release from the hyperactive Japanese brand.And I love it. In fact, I take that back. I?adore it. And when you see the hands-on pictures we took of this baby when it passed through our headquarters in the Hague, I am sure you will too. But don t be distracted by the movement. The watch we received to photograph was a pre-production non-working sample. The movement that will feature in this watch is a princely caliber, but, for now, we had to make do with a sweet sticker on the inside of the sapphire display window. I thought that was worth mentioning right off the bat, on the off chance anyone a...

Here it is (finally), the hands-on Omega Speedmaster Caliber 321 review. Exactly six months after its release date (January 7th), I picked mine up at the new Omega Boutique in Biel.We recently touched upon this watch in our Sunday Morning Showdown section, where Jorg and Ben sent this Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321 in steel and the Daytona 116500LN into battle. If you haven t read it yet, please go check it out.A few days later after the publication of that article, I was able to pick up the Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321. I received the message that my watch was ready to be collected and I realized that I would be one of the lucky guys to receive it so early. I ve been wearing the Speedmaste...

It looks like a sapphire crystal is not enough today. Christopher Ward is moving the bar a bit higher and introduced another innovation for its C60. A mysteriously blue-tinted translucent dial made of sapphire. I was not in particular excited when I saw the press release. But true to the profession, when there is anything slightly innovative jumping from the crowd, I never hesitate to see it in flesh. Three seconds after I unboxed Christopher Ward C60 Sapphire, I?liked it. Its one of the watches that looks much better in flesh than it does in pictures.Christopher Ward C60 Sapphire‘The first week-end of lockdown at the end of March saw a big drop off in sales but since then we have been...

We head to the local Seiko boutique and find undiscovered gems in the Presage automatic enamel dial models.I can t help but mention again that your - hopefully - local Seiko boutique always has some fantastic models that often escape our attention. We spend most of our time on the divers, Grand Seiko, and limited edition offerings. But what of the rest of the collection? Seiko produces a jaw-dropping number of regular pieces each and every year. Today s Presage automatic enamel dial pieces are great examples.Released in late 2019Reference SPB113J1 (white) and SPB115J1 (deep maroon) aren t new watches. In fact, they were released during late 2019 and I stumbled upon them in January here in Fr...

Welcome back to our Watch On Your Wrist? Instagram extravaganza! Tag your watch snaps with #fratellowatches to be in with a chance to win!Every week, we select four images. You can vote in the article for your favorite image. The winner moves on to the semi-final round (held every fifth week between the previous four weekly winners). Win that and you re into the final, which will be held at the end of the year. There will be five finalists in 2020 and ten from next year on.Basically, if you like winning things - and there will be a prize for the champion of 2020 - this year represents your best shot. So get snapping, get tagging, and get sharing. And don t forget to vote for yourself… ...

Ever since Mr. Kikuo Ibe designed a watch according to his Triple-10 concept, Casio G-Shock watches have been immensely popular. While younger generations prefer colorful and cool designs, more conservative people and watch collectors tend to hold on to the original Square concept of the eighties.On Fratello, that popularity is expressed in the high-traffic numbers for articles like the G-Shock Square For Starters. Not only that, our industry colleagues clearly feel the same about these watches as we do. Like, for instance, Revolution, Hodinkee, and Kristian Haagen, who even sell them in their shops. So many people love them. From watch aficionados all the way to world leaders. On all levels...

Whenever a new brand enters the fray, it should aim to make some noise around its debut release. To a background of engines revving, glasses clinking, and minds meeting in rapturous conversation, the Herve Alvia steps forth. The brand s creators hope it will appeal to everyone. But exactly how have they gone about creating a product capable of just that?I ve been in many a start-up meeting when a potential investor, glaring across the table at some young genius, asks the would-be entrepreneur to describe their target audience. This question is often met with one of three things. Either a shrug (bad), a well-rehearsed answer zeroing in a specific demographic (good), or a free-wheeling explosi...

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 dont forget to let us know which watches youd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. Well try and feature as many of our readers choices as we can. This week, we re reverting to our traditional format. Two writers; one watch. Today, Balazs is gunning to consign Bobsled Bobby to his third straight defeat. The object of his disgust? The SLA037J1 55th Anniversary Divers watch handily reviewed by Jorg for this week s Watch of the Week segment.Well, well, ...

It s Summer and what better way to celebrate than to check out some new watches? This Week in Watches for July 11, 2020 is here so let s cannonball into the local lake and take a look.Frederique Constant Runabout RHS Chronograph AutomaticSummer and boating make perfect sense and Frederique Constant is bringing the two together with its new Runabout RHS Chronograph. Since 2009, Constant has worked with the Riva Historical Society (RHS) in order to preserve these magical wooden speedboats. These new chronographs commemorate that partnership. Available with either a dark grey or silver?guilloche dial, each 42mm chronograph will be made in an edition of 2,888 pieces. A small wooden boat will com...

On the surface, the answer to this question is pretty obvious. Yes, of course, watches can be polished, but it is not always a good idea. And that is especially true of vintage timepieces for a couple of reasons. Lets dig into those now. As always, please feel free to share your own personal experiences of polishing success and horror stories in the comments section below.I love watches in excellent condition. When it comes to buying pre-loved pieces, I always place dial and handset condition right at the very top of my list. Im a little less militant when it comes to case condition, simply because one has to be. But thats not to say I dont steer clear of battered wrecks that will never look...

Last week, I claimed that when it comes to the Seiko Monster, its go orange or go home. This week, I thought it only fair I bring orange lovers a few alternatives to the Monster. As such, allow me to introduce five more orange-dialed beast watches.While I cannot admit to owning any orange watches, I have always been drawn to the allure they offer. I scroll through listings imagining myself tanning poolside with a long drink in one hand and an orange dial diver affixed to the other wrist. Alas, I predominately find myself with a white, grey, or black dial watch in a matching suit or casual attire. Briefly, I was the owner of a Doxa Searambler Silver Lung, that had a silver dial and big ol ora...