Bunter – Switzerland s Best Kept SecretLast year in September, the Fratello team visited Bunter SA in Versoix, just outside Geneva. Chances are big that youve never heard about Bunter, but youve probably seen their products not knowing that it was actually manufactured by them.What about the 5 Million Dollar Big Bang by Hublot? Executed by the fine workshops of Bunter in Versoix. Diamond set Cartier watches? Bunter. Diamond set Patek Philippe? Bunter. Diamond set Bvlgari Snake Watch? Bunter.Click here to read our visit report to Bunter...

Panerai News From The SIHH 2013Panerai was giving quite a performance during the SIHH 2013! One of the watches from the new collection that struck me most, was the Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio, or just PAM00526.Normally, I am more in favour of their Historic collection, where the focus is more on the hand-wound Luminor models. The classics, so to speak. However, this new Regatta Chrono Flyback PAM00526 in titanium is from Panerai s Comtemporary collection. This collection is influenced by historical designs as well, but with automatic winding movements.This PAM00526 is something that really got to me, due to the Regatta complication (more later), due to its larg...

Revisiting a piece of Italian naval historyNature can be cruel. I was born in Lancashire where the local dialect lacks the seductive timbre of an Italian accent.I could try to affect the ristretto flavoured vernacular of a Milanese resident but I would still lack the stylish coiffed locks, sun-kissed complexion and catwalk- worthy attire.To be Italian is to be bestowed with an intrinsic appeal, few females can resist.Panerai watches are blessed with the same aesthetic appeal as the alpha-males who populate the land of opera, fast cars and Barolo. They have passion, romance, style and culture running through their veins.Panerai have sought their own approach to watch design. They have not emu...

A word from one of our sponsors. We just received an e-mail from Jeff Kuo, CEO of Xetum. A San Francisco based watch company that we ve been following since the early start.The new automotive-themed Xetum timepieces will be officially introduce by the end of March. Xetum gives you the opportunity to have a sneak-preview at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas on February 19 and 20!Click here for more information about Xetum timepieces...

Speedy Tuesday is here! Just recently, after a few of our posts on Instagram (follow @fratellowatches also on Instagram) we got in touch with Kathleen Yap. She followed-up with her precious Speedmaster in white. In case you didn t know, also ladies can join Speedy Tuesday with specific ladies Speedmaster watches.Kathleen is wearing one of our favorite ladies Speedmaster models, reference 324.30.38.40.04.001. A white dialed 38mm Speedmaster, much like the Speedy Reduced we know from the mens collection, with an automatic chronometer movement caliber 3304. This model is available on a stainless steel bracelet as well as on an alligator strap in white (reference 324.33.38.40.04.001).The case b...

The Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph (reference 26564) is one of those watches that will never be in my financial reach, but nevertheless very enjoyable to see and to try on my wrists. It is one of those advantages if you are going to SIHH or BaselWorld, you are able to see and try watches that have 5 digit (sometimes even more) price tags.The Tradition timepiece clearly shows that Audemars Piguet is more than the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore watches. Although being the best sellers of their collection, the Tradition and Millenary collections are definitely worth investigating as well for those who are looking for classic and / or high-end timepieces.Norma...

Our friends at Chronos24, the Polish watch portal and blog, just published a very nice review on the Baume & Mercier Capeland Chronograph Flyback. As you know, Baume & Mercier was one of the nicest surprises for us during the SIHH 2013. Although they ve sent us pre-SIHH press releases, you have to see watches in the flesh before you (we) should judge.Anyway, check-out this thorough Baume & Mercier Capeland reference 10068 review written by ?ukasz Doskocz. Yes, it is in English. Photographs are done by Micha? Grygalewicz. Photos can be clicked for larger images....

This year s presentation of the new A. Lange & S?hne timepieces in Geneva was very interesting. Seven new timepieces have been introduced, including an A. Lange & S?hne Grande Complication. However, one of the watches that surprised me most is this Grand Lange 1 Lumen or reference 117.035.My initial thought was: this is not a Lange. Yes, it has the typical Lange 1 case and dial lay-out, but the use of luminous material (hence the name Lumen) for the Roman numerals, hour markers, hands and the power reserve indicator (Auf & Ab) set me on the wrong path at first.Normally, I associate these heavily lumed timepieces to sports watches. Effective use of luminous material on a diving wa...

Baume & Mercier brought one of the biggest surprises during the recently held SIHH by introducing the Clifton. Although Baume & Mercier already had sent out press releases to announce this new collection, I didn t want to say much about it before seeing it in the flesh.The Baume & Mercier Clifton collection grabs back to their watches from the 1950s. Elegant shaped cases, long lugs with perfectly beveled edges, a domed sapphire crystal and applied numerals and hour markers.The inspiration for the Clifton is clear. 1950s timepieces from their own collection from that era. During my interview (that will be published later on) with Baume & Mercier s Alexandre Peraldi (design dir...

Speedmaster MoonphaseIt s Speedy Tuesday! Our weekly recurring topic on the Speedmaster has become one of the most popular topics here on Fratellowatches.This week, we have quite an uncommon Speedmaster for you. Only the shape and reference number reveals that it belongs to the Speedmaster-family. This OMEGA Speedmaster ref.3330.20 (case number 375.0034) is a stainless steel / gold chronograph with a calendar and moonphase (click here for some other Speedmaster Moonphase articles).Introduced in 1990, this automatic OMEGA Speedmaster Moonphase 3330.20 comes with the OMEGA caliber 1150 movement. A movement based on the ETA/Valjoux 7750 caliber. Besides time and chronograph functionality, this ...

IWC introduced the stainless steel Ingenieur with integrated steel bracelet in 1976, designed by Gerald Genta. Last week, during the SIHH 2013, IWC again introduced the Ingenieur collection. One of them, Ingenieur ref.3239 comes very close to the original Genta designed Ingenieur, according to IWC. If you are a regular reader here on Fratellowatches, you can probably skip the next few sentences.Gerald Genta, one of the first dedicated and independent watch designers (he was on the OMEGA payroll for a long time) designed the Royal Oak 5402ST in 1972. Audemars Piguet asked him to come up with an all stainless steel luxury watch. Rumour is, that this was an overnight request and that he deliver...

It is Speedy Tuesday and we have this Speedmaster Missions box for you! Although I m at the SIHH in Geneva, following presentations and doing pictures for our #instagram channel (follow fratellowatches on instagram), nobody can hold us down!!?Today s Speedmaster topic is the suit case with all the Speedmaster Missions models, a Speedmaster 1957 re-redition and a spare OMEGA caliber 1861 movement.There are 50 of these cases by OMEGA, introduced in batches of three. The first batch of the Speedmaster Missions collection?was 40 suit cases in 1997, and afterwards OMEGA produced / sold another 2 x 5 cases (1 in 1997, 1 in 1998).OMEGA Speedmaster MissionsAlthough I am not sure what the list price ...

Yesterday, Chronolytics published an overview of the Top 50 most popular watch brands of 2012 in their monthly newsletter. The overview is based on data of the biggest on-line watch market platform in the world (Chrono24), which receives approximately 40 million page impressions each month. Chronolytics collects, analyzes and reports this market data to the watch industry. These market studies includes trends amongst watch consumers, interest in brands and models, the effect of marketing campaigns, and so on.Click here for the Top 50 Most Popular Watch Brands Of 2013The Top 50 most popular brands has been based on the most searched-for watches on Chrono24 by visitors from the USA as well as ...

Magnetism, it is actually one of mechanical movements biggest enemies. That, and dropping your watch on the tiles in the bathroom. Numerous brands have tried to take precautions and some of them took it to another level. We re sure you know about the IWC Ingenieur and the Milgauss. The latter one even has this lightning-shaped second hand to indicate it s very very anti-magnetic.Perhaps you haven t heard about the Railmaster before. Or perhaps you did, but didn t link it to anti-magnetic watches. However, the first Railmaster that was introduced in 1957 had a double case to prevent it from being influenced by magnetic fields. Especially designed for scientists, technicians and other people...

It is with great pride that we introduce the latest and last version of the Dutch made Gr?nefeld One Hertz. We ve been a fan of the Gr?nefeld One Hertz since the day it was introduced to us in stainless steel, red gold and since last year, also in titanium (Fire and Ice editions) and platinum. And now, here it is, the latest and last edition of the Gr?nefeld One Hertz family: Techniek and Techniek Nocturne. All pictures can be clicked-on for high resolution images.The Gr?nefeld One Hertz Techniek has – of course – the same complication as the other One Hertz editions, which is a ‘seconde morte or dead beat complication. The Techniek comes in two different flavors, a titani...

Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Caliber 9300 ReviewIt s Speedy Tuesday! Sometimes, it s refreshing to see other people s opinions on a watch. On a Speedmaster for example. Today, we give the stage to ?ukasz Doskocz, Editor in chief chronos24.pl. We did a Speedy Co-Axial 9300 Review here before (click here), which was actually the best read article on FW in 2012.The legendary Moonwatch in a brand new – stylistically and mechanically – version. Now with manufactured automatic movement, date and large(r) steel case.Each year, the watch industry produces tens if not hundreds of millions of timepieces. At the same time as many as couple of hundreds (if not thousands) new models join myriad...

No need to get your hands dirtyMy fascination with cars started at an early age. Matchbox cars were diligently arranged in neat rows. No collisions took place for fear of scarring the paintwork. Boxes were carefully stored, a trait I continue to uphold in adult life.A psychologist would read the first paragraph and diagnose Obsessive- compulsive disorder from a pre-school age. I have always fussed over the minutiae. Small details have always been excessively valued. It is probably this fascination for fine details which has fuelled my obsession for haute horology.Ironically for someone with such a predilection for the mechanical, I have no aptitude for the hands-on fettling of oil clad compo...

2012 was IWC s year of their Pilot s watch. The introduction party of the new Pilot collection during the SIHH in Geneva last year has been topic of several discussions. Whether it was positive or not, at least IWC got everyone s attention for the Pilot collection. Here in The Netherlands, we had our own introduction day of the new IWC (TOP Gun) Pilot collection. A report of that day can be found by clicking here.Just before IWC is ready to launch the new Ingenieur collection in the next coming weeks at SIHH 2013, we look back at the Pilot collection with IWC s Creative Director, Christian Knoop. I sat down with Mr Knoop in the Dylan hotel in Amsterdam and asked him the following questions:M...

When announced becoming the official timekeeper for the Formula 1 early December we thought it would be cool to do a Daytona-special here on Fratellowatches. For this occasion, we went out there and found this Formula 1 car of 2007 that has actually been used by Alonso.When you think of and Formula 1, the first watch that comes to mind is the Cosmograph Daytona. With its chronograph feature and tachymeter bezel this watch just breathes racing.Although produced chronograph watches since the 1930s, the Cosmograph Daytona wasnt introduced until the 1960s. The Daytona name was given to commemorate their sponsorship of races held on the Daytona Beach in Florida.Since we had a hard time time s...

A recent heated discussion around the Bonhams Seiko auction reminded me of one of the interesting hidden gems I discovered on eBay. The Sperina 99 Counter offers the same counter complication as the auctions cover piece, but costs nothing in comparison to the holy grail Seiko. Speaking of the price, I?paid exactly $10 for the Sperina 99 Counter, shipping from the US to Europe included. Just the?strap from TwoStitchStraps?thats fitted on it is worth five times the price of the Sperina watch. Ridiculous, I?know. But the watch is as rare as the holy grail Seiko, believe me. I?havent actually seen another piece since I?found this one.Sperina vs. SeikoThere was a huge storm surrounding the Making...