The Delma Oceanmaster Antarctica Limited Edition is an exciting twist on one of the brands best-selling timepieces.The company developed this model for their ambassador and Ocean adventurer, Nick Moloneys expedition to Antarctica. The team aimed to commemorate the 1820 discovery of our least populated continent, 200 years later.For this special occasion, Delma created a limited edition of 200 watches (a nod to the milestone anniversary). The brand used one of its signature model lines, the Oceanmaster, to create this commemorative piece. The Oceanmaster is no stranger to such an environment. Delma developed it for the worlds best offshore sailors to keep time in challenging conditions.The Br...

Last week, the news that , Tudor, and Patek Philippe were postponing their 2020 releases was confirmed across the board. That announcement - vague as it was - sired more questions than answers. The most pressing? The future of Baselworld. With yesterday s confirmation that all three brands will step away from the storied fair, we have more grain for the conversation mill.That s got to be curtains, right? I m yet to encounter a different reaction. I ve heard people - even myself - desperately?trying to present this news as anything but a death knell for Baselworld, but it doesn t seem to be sticking. But before we take a slightly deeper dive into what got us to this point, let s bluntly addre...

It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when buying a pre-owned or vintage Speedmaster, but what kind of accuracy should you expect from a pre-loved timepiece? Most of the buyers and collectors are more concerned about the watch s aesthetics than the technical condition of the watch, it seems. Let s have a closer look at the accuracy of the Speedmaster and what falls within acceptable parameters.In my opinion, patina has become a bit of a buzzword. Sometimes, it is as if it is the only thing that matters when it comes to buying a pre-owned or vintage Speedmaster. Sure, it is important how a watch looks, but there s more to it than the yellow or green color of hour markers. I ve ma...

We all have changing priorities in these times of uncertainty, reassessing whats truly valuable. When stripped of the excesses, our possessions start to mean something different to us. We also see a simpler existence and what we could do without. No, not the watch collection - dont you dare. But I bet you know only very few pieces are so precious you acquired them for keeps.This brings us to Garrick Watch Company, who is not dependent on making more but rather on making less. They offer small-scale limited series as well as watch craft and care services. The team has the ability to customise existing watches into something personal, thanks to the privilege of their own dedicated facility in ...

Pajamas, Vampires, or Snow Whites. Get some popcorn, welcome to our rundown of five bizarre watch nicknames. Which one is your favorite?Some of the watches you might have never seen or even heard of. Me neither. I probably would have forgotten about one or two of the listed watches if it werent for the idea to write this article that I had about a year ago. I started writing down all the quirky nicknames I came across to entertain us all a bit. Serious or not, all the nicknames deserve their moment in the spotlight. Bear in mind that we avoided notoriously known nicknames derived from comic book heroes, sodas, or famous ambassadors on purpose. We decided to throw in a couple that might surpr...

Its Easter Monday, we have a bank holiday, the weather is excellent, yet we still have to stay inside. Despite what s going on outside, I still need to pick a watch to wear for the week. Believe it or not, it will be my vintage Omega Seamaster Automatic reference CK 2657.I love vintage. Not just watches. Anything. Cars, bikes, quirky objects, you name it. I have more vintage watches than new ones. So, going with a timepiece from a bygone era is a no-brainer for me. Although I have to say going with a watch in general kind of was. Because, lets be honest, who wears a watch these days?Seamaster Automatic CK 2657So, this week will be a challenge that Im ready to take. The watch I picked is an e...

Starting a new brand is never easy. Starting a new brand in the current climate? Well, some would say that s brave, some would say it s stupid, but no one would deny it s ambitious. Meet Adrian Pedrozo, the founder (and optimistic steward) of Pedrozo & Piriz.Adrian spends the majority of his time hanging around Geneva, dreaming up watch designs. As it happened, my recent trip to Grenchen coincided with Adrian being in the area, so we caught up with each other in a strange little bar to talk about watches. The resulting transcript is included below. If you ve got any questions about the interview or Adrian s new brand, shoot us a message in the comments section.The InterviewRob Nudds: Let...

Much has been written about the role of the Omega Speedmaster during the space program. It passed NASAs rigorous testing. It was worn on the moon. And who could forget how it timed the life-saving maneuvers during Apollo 13? It rightfully earned its place in the hearts and on the wrists of watch fans around the globe. But what of Forstner bands? The timeless Komfit bracelet returns…Lesser known, except perhaps by the most die-hard enthusiasts, is the watch bracelet selected by NASA and worn by astronauts throughout the space program. The Forstner Komfit expandable mesh watch band (later branded JB Champion) deserves its place in Space exploration history.The History of the Komfit BandT...

The design of the Submariner 114060, is unmistakably , despite the size and use of modern materials such as ceramics. Compare the modern 114060 to the 1953 Submariner 6204 and you will immediately notice that these watches share the same DNA.Owning and wearing a Submariner is one thing, but to dive into the history of this watch is quite a task. To make it somewhat easier for you, we hereby show you the history of the Submariner in a nutshell, including a table with most important references since 1953 till the current line-up of Submariner watches.Diving Into SubmarinerThe Submariner is a watch with an interesting story. Introduced over 60 years ago, the current Submariner model (updat...

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, one of the classiest classics is up for discussion. We give you, the Cartier Santos De Cartier Large.Who would have thought it? The Cartier Santos is becoming a regular player on the Fratello rotation. I for one think that makes for an interesting conversation topic. But not all Santos watches w...

Aside from Apollo 11, NASA s 1970 Apollo 13 mission is probably the most talked-about one from the Apollo program. It was a mission that failed - almost fatally! On April 17th, 1970, the Apollo 13 crew landed safely on Earth after some incredibly scary moments onboard the module. The Speedmaster played such an important role on the return trip that NASA decided to give Omega a Silver Snoopy Award on October 5th of that same year. Some think the Snoopy cartoon on a Speedmaster is a bit childish, but often, those people don t know why it is there. In this article, we ll explain how Snoopy ended up on the dial of a Speedmaster.In 1970, NASA astronaut Thomas P. Stafford presented a Silver Snoopy...

There isnt a single household without at least one Prim watch, or so says an old saying from former Czechoslovakia.We all live in different corners of the world. We all speak different languages. And we certainly all have our local heroes and legends. I am not just speaking about people. Often, there are local brands that no one 200 meters beyond the border of the country care about. But within those borders, such brands come to mind faster than any world giant.If it werent for communisim, Prim probably never would have been born…There are 10.5 million people living in the Czech Republic and 5.5 million people living in Slovakia. The two countries used to be united as Czechoslovakia (u...

Recently, Tim Stracke gave an interview on WatchPro, discussing the impact of Corona on the (online) watch sales. Sitting on a big pile of data, generated by the millions of users of the world s largest watch market platform, Tim Stracke is the go-to place for the watch industry when it comes to numbers.In this 14th episode of Fratello on Air, I speak with Tim about Chrono24. We discuss why he purchased the platform back in 2010 and, of course, what he sees happening right now due to the corona crisis. Are sales going up, or down? Are people trying to get rid of their watches via Chrono24 or is the opposite happening? Tim gives us some very useful and clear insights on the state of the watch...

Glashtte Original shows us that Sixties design is not just defined by quirky looks and bright colors. With the release of its new Sixties and Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition 2020, the Saxon brand shows us that sixties looks and smart color choices can lead to stunning results.Whenever we think of Sixties design, we tend to think of weird shapes and bright colors. Whether it s clothing, furniture, or cars, those two characteristics seem to come back all the time when discussing designs from the sixties. Although it is hard to disagree with those observations, adding a groovy! or Yeah baby! to that and the tone almost starts to become unwantedly funny. Mocking, even. I guess we can thank M...

#TBT is here with a look at the Seiko 6215-7000, a vintage diver that paved the way for future designs from the storied brand.A few weeks back, I pulled my normal Saturday morning routine. I woke up, made my wife and I strong cups of coffee using my handy dandy AeroPress, grabbed a yogurt, and plopped down on the couch to see what was what. I checked our site and stumbled upon Balazs cool barn find article and it got me to thinking about my newest acquisition, the Seiko 6215-7000. I ll get to the buying process, but let s first drop a little history.(l to r) The Seiko 6215-7000 and the 6217-8000The Genesis of the Seiko 6215-7000If you re not familiar with the history of Seiko dive watches, ...

Okay. I know what s going on. I know you and your workmates are probably running a Skype-based sweepstake centered on how many sentences it s going to take me to make a vampire-based pun. This is an article about the Transylvanian Peren Nera, after all. The answer is six…Do you remember when you were first bitten by the watchmaking bug? For Peren founder Andy Bica that moment must loom large in his mind as he steers his uniquely Transylvanian ship towards its second mechanical model. I stress mechanical as Peren has a few quartz-powered models in its back catalog. I m going to rip the band-aid off in one go and say this: I do not like any of them and the company only became interesting...

Yeehaa! The 13th episode of Fratello on Air, talking about some of the 60th anniversary Grand Seiko releases.The main topic of this podcast is a preview on some of Grand Seiko s novelties for 2020. It is a BIG year for them, due to the 60th anniversary of Grand Seiko. Corona or Covid-19 ruined it a little bit, as Grand Seiko was about to host their first Grand Seiko Summit in Japan, but decided to introduce their new watches nevertheless. Mainly digital, but we see that some of the new releases are traveling around the world to be introduced to journalists and collectors. Since this week, we have a few of them (see our Instagram feed), but that was after we recorded this podcast.After the ma...

Seiko has introduced a limited edition of its new 5 Sports model. Brian May s guitar, the Red Special, inspires the dial echoing the design of the guitar, which Brian and his father built in the early 1960s.Seiko 5 Sports Brian MayThroughout his career, rock legend Brian May has relied upon his Red Special guitar to create the sound that helped make Queen one of the world s most celebrated rock bands. And although the model name of Seiko s Limited Edition watch seems to be Sports 5 x Brian May, the watch itself is inspired by his guitar.?The dial has the same red and black color scheme as the Red Special and features a delicate wood-like pattern like the body of the guitar. Meanwhile, I know...

Wrist Game or Crying Shame returns with a look at an iconic timepiece in the Movado Museum Watch. Let s see if you d like to become a supporter of the arts with your vote. But first…Last week, I showed you a decent but potentially altered Doxa SUB 300 Professional for $3,500. After some hemming and hawing, you folks saw it fit to award the old salt a 62% Wrist Game win. Orange you glad you voted? Now that s enough of the jocularity. It s time to get all sorts of nose in the air like a proper patron of the arts. You know the type. They re the snooty folks who proclaim to see something deep and profound from a piece of art that looks more like a dog s doodling. Today, we have a real piec...

I d been keen to go hands-on with the Boldr Expedition ever since I saw it launch on Kickstarter. I vacillated on whether or not to back it at the time, but with many options to choose from at the time, I let it slide. Having spent a few weeks with it as part of my daily rotation I can say this: I should have pulled the trigger the first time I thought about doing so.I ve noticed I m starting to sound like a broken record when it comes to these microbrand watches. Normally, I ll start off by saying I didn t expect much and then close on a positive note. Maybe I ve become skeptical in my old age. Or maybe I m just realistic. Having worked on all sides of production, I know how hard it is to c...