Wow. Just wow. Even after all this time, after the thousands of watches that have passed through my hands and over my wrist, it is still possible to have my breath snatched from my throat. I didn t think I cared for gold watches. I guess I was wrong again. Congratulations, Grand Seiko, the SBGW258 60th Anniversary model has officially turned my head.I think it s about time we started reviewing some truly terrible watches so you get the chance to see the uglier side of my character. All this syrupy loveliness is wearing a bit thin. But I m afraid there s nothing for it when it comes to the Grand Seiko 60th Anniversary Recreation SBGW258. It s just too good.I believe GS has delivered.It is und...

I am not the experienced sailor that our editor Gerard is, but steering one of the racing boats in 2018 is one of the coolest things I ve ever done.It was a home game for us when the Volvo Ocean Race was held in Scheveningen in The Netherlands. Omega had a little surprise for us, that we could join one of the boats entering the harbor of Scheveningen. I often feel lucky that I am doing this job at Fratello. It makes it possible to visit places and do things I would otherwise never have done.America s Cup Limited EditionAround 20 years ago, I just started watch collecting. I remember Omega releasing their special Seamaster 300M America s Cup, with white gold bezel. I still have the official p...

Last week, Omega announced a little contest for #SpeedyTuesday fans. All you have to do to take part is to post a picture of your Speedmaster on your Instagram feed and tell us your Speedy Story. What makes it special to you? Why did you buy it? Has it seen adventures or memorable times on your wrist? Get snapping and join in the fun. We can t wait to read your words!Your Speedy Stories should be 100 words or less. Omega will choose its favorites and post them (with your consent) to its official Instagram Stories feed and on the official website. This little initiative runs for the next three weeks and you don t need to wait till it is Tuesday, but you must remember to use the #SpeedyTuesday...

A few years back, Fortis was firmly on my radar. Somewhere along the way, I lost touch with the brand. But now, thanks to new ownership and an exciting return to form, the brand is back in my sights.Fortis suggested we test drive some of its recently introduced models. To me, it was like a re-introduction to the brand. Last week, RJ took on the Amadee-18. Today, I ll take the limited-edition Fortis Aeromaster PC-7 Team Edition Day-Date out for a spin.Fortis Aeromaster PC-7 Team Day-DateI m not eager to admit this, but what I remember as being the real Fortis is the Official Cosmonauts Chronograph introduced in the mid-nineties of the last century. At that time, Fortis celebrated its newly ac...

If you missed your chance at the most recent Breitling Superocean 57 Limited Edition, you now have a chance at a slightly different follow-up model. Significantly, proceeds will aid charities that support frontline healthcare workers in the battle against COVID-19.Just over a month ago, we shared news of Breitling‘s latest capsule collection. The Superocean Heritage 57 was announced during a video stream led by Georges Kern. While the watch could be considered as a somewhat niche offering, I threw my money behind it within a couple of hours of its release. After all, this watch recalls one of my all-time favorite vintage watches while adding some modern twists such as size and build ...

Purists take cover. The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Automatic in polished ceramic cares not for your feelings. It is here to be heard, so there s no point ignoring what it has to say.External ceramic components used to raise eyebrows. These days, any brand?not exploring the possibilities of this fascinating material could be accused of sticking its head in the sand. Sure, it is highly unlikely that ceramic, however versatile and beautiful it is, will ever take the place of steel (or even titanium) as the ideal watch case material, but it certainly has a lot going for it in both the aesthetic and technical fields.A storm is comingThe Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Automatic is one of the greatest watches ...

Whenever I hear the word Flyboy I think of Topgun. That s never a bad thing. Who doesn t like being reminded of Pete Mitchell s exploits above the clouds? And so I began my week with the AVI-8 Flyboy Lafayette in atypically high spirits…If you asked me, I would profess to prefer to always receive what I ask for. Generally, there is a reason why I ask for things. But sometimes those reasons don t hold up under scrutiny. Take the AVI-8 Flyboy Lafayette, for example. While communicating with the brand, I requested to test drive the black dialed version. Why? Because I like black dials. I particularly liked the combination of bone, red, and black that I saw on the pre-release renders of th...

Seiko is on a roll with its Street Series. For the Seiko Prospex Tuna and Arnie models, the Japanese brand is adding Urban Safari editions to the lineup.It is pretty cool to see that the Tuna is doing so well. When I tried the 6159-7010 and the SDBX011 back in 2015, it felt like I was wearing something extraordinary. You still don t see them on every wrist, of course, but with the number of variations that Seiko has, it is definitely more common now. The other version is based on the Arnie H558 or its more recent references SNJ025 and SNJ028.Urban Safari TunaThe Seiko 6159-7010 Tuna was introduced in 1975 and this professional diver s watch is still very much alive in the Seiko Prospex colle...

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 ve got another head-to-head for you. The focus? Rugged GMT watches from and Grand Seiko.I love this column. Why? Because here, opinions run free. There is no diplomacy. Just full-blooded passion. Oftentimes, we pit writers with polarized opinions against one another. But not this week. This ...

It has been a while and we feel kinda guilty we didn t do a Fratello on Air podcast sooner. But here it is, Mike and RJ picking two of their favorite watches from Watches & Wonders 2020.Besides that, we discuss the Watches & Wonders 2020 event in general. Will it become a digital-only?event in the future? We don t think so, as we want to hold the watches in our hands and try them on our wrists before we start writing. We had to make concessions for Watches & Wonders. That said, there were able to create a digital environment for press and retailers in a very short period. It all worked flawlessly and we had all the materials within a few clicks. But still, to us it is the proof t...

Welcome to This Week in Watches for May 16, 2020, the news edition. We ve got a surprising amount of it today, so let s get after it!Union Glashtte Noramis DatumUnion Glashtte sent us news of their newest Noramis Datum. The 40mm watch is already available in typical dial colors, but there s now an attractive British racing green model with cordovan strap. The stainless model has a domed sapphire crystal and sapphire case back. The UNG 7.01 (ETA 2892) powers the Noramis. This newest model isn t on the Union site yet, but keep checking. Pricing checks in at $1,860.Frederique Constant Yacht Timer Regatta CountdownNext up is news of a new Frederique Constant Yacht Timer. The 42mm stainless wat...

The world of women s watches is officially getting more interesting. Parmigiani Fleurier has cast its hat into the ring with a spirited mash-up of diamonds, aventurine, lace, and mother-of-pearl. This latest Tonda is something special, but definitely not for the faint-hearted…Parmigiani has always been famous for its design. From the technical to the aesthetic, PF is known for pushing boundaries. The Tonda Collection often offers the perfect blend of modern lines and luxury embellishments. The range works well for men and women, primarily because it is a great canvas for expression. With the new Parmigiani Tonda Metropolitaine and Tonda Selen models, the brand exercises its creative po...

Say tourbillon and I will reply with Breguet. But the truth is, that there are many other brands out there that mastered the tourbillon complication. This week, I have four pre-owned tourbillons for you, from known and lesser-known brands. What they have all in common, is that they are far below the price of a Breguet tourbillon.The selection I have for you this week is a bit more expensive than our normal fare. But for a tourbillon, everything below $25,000 is almost for free. The cheapest pre-owned tourbillon in our list is the TAG Heuer Carrera 02-T and the most expensive one is from Ulysse Nardin.All watches are pre-owned and picked from Chrono24. Every week we pick a few pre-owned watch...

There are many different ways to illuminate a watch face at night. Different materials, different styles of application, different methods entirely. And within those different methods, there are vastly different qualities of execution. Let s take a look at some of the lume styles available.You may rarely use your watch at night. That s fine. I m not sure I do either, to be honest. Regardless, there are few things I scrutinize more thoroughly prior to purchase than lume performance, and even more importantly for me, lume homogeny. I like to see a clean, crisp glow from the hour markers. And almost as important, I want that glow to be on the same level of intensity as the hands . So often, han...

There s no telling how long bronze is going to stick around. When it first emerged as a luxury case material, naysayers came out in force. It was seen as a fad, as no more than a passing fancy. And yet, several years after the fact, it s still here. Models like the Baltic Aquascaphe continue to prove its viability and relevance when turned towards certain styles of watch.Bronze works particularly well for dive watches because it is so inextricably associated with maritime history. Used frequently in marine-machinery, bronze and the idea of seafaring go hand in hand. But if you do find yourself tempted to take the new Baltic Aquascaphe out for a spin on the high seas, be prepared for that CuA...

Collectors and watchmakers dig deep on their benches to repair some of the harder-to-service watches.I try not to buy broken watches. If the option is there, Id rather wait for a particular model in decent condition, preferably from a reliable source. As we all know, some watches are hard to find, so here and there we just have to take the risk. I usually do it with pieces that Ive never seen pop-up before. If I buy a watch that needs attention, I dont like to leave the repair unattended and start sourcing parts immediately after purchase. This way I successfully manage to get all my questionable pieces back into shape.Sourcing watches during COVID-19This same type of risk aversion can be at...

Our friend Jeff Stein from OnTheDash shows his grails from Heuer. An amazing article with an overview of his Heuers with beautiful close-up pictures and descriptions.I confess I don t know that much about Heuer. There are other Fratelli that have more knowledge about these. There are also websites like Jeff Stein s OnTheDash. His website is considered to be the authority on the subject. I ve had the pleasure to meet Jeff for the first time not too long ago in Switzerland, but we have known each other for much longer as we shared an old friend in common.Skipperrera. Image by Analog Shift.Vintage Heuer GrailsJeff Stein also makes some recommendations on alternatives to each of these grails. He...

I must confess, it has been a while since I last wore a Fortis watch. Not that I don t want to, but we have quite a large team of editors these days, and others jumped on Fortis a bit faster. After having the Fortis Official Cosmonauts AMADEE-18 on my wrist for a few days, I m going to make sure I m at the front of the queue next time…I am positively surprised by the Fortis Official Cosmonauts AMADEE-18 reference 638.18.91. The first thing to notice is how good this watch looks on the wrist. And that specifications can be so deceiving. According to the spec sheet, the watch measures 44mm in diameter and has a lug-to-lug size of 53mm. Now, before you sigh and stop reading, hear me out.F...

Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the online voting serial where playing along doesn t require social distancing. Today, we ll take a look at the limited edition Omega Speedmaster Apollo XVII 40th Anniversary and get your thoughts. But first…Last week, I decided to give you a two-part cocktail made from equal parts of rarity and controversy. It was a stiff drink in the end, but apparently you d order another as the Grand Seiko SBGX115 triumphed in a 55% Wrist Game win. Today, with the Speedmaster Apollo XVII 40th Anniversary, we ll look at another limited watch. The bigger question we ll ask is if its appeal is also limited.The Speedmaster L.E. BattleBefore we get into the Sp...

New premium watch brands are ten-a-penny. Reasons to care, however, are rarer than hens teeth. Imagine my surprise, then, when I stumbled across SYE. The name - which stands for Start Your Engines - left me cold. But the watch? The watch hit me in what I believe the youth of today would refer to as the feels.Having sustained a strong impact to the feels I struggled to catch my breath for a moment or two. The terribly-named SYE Mot1on (no, that s not a typo) is an unexpectedly attractive beast. There is a lot to like about it and its novel case architecture. With two models available for the upcoming launch, one of them really stuck out as a winner.The chronograph version is certainly sexy. ...