In Episode 12 of our Fratello on Air podcast we try to take our minds off the Coronavirus a bit and focus on some rediscovered watches and other forms of distraction. However, we do share some words on it, of course, but mainly how it affects our private lives.The main topic of this podcast, though, is the analysis of the watches we recently rediscovered. Home Office and not traveling (or the combination of these two) has given us the opportunity to reflect a bit on our own watch collections. Both Mike and I selected two watches that we plucked from our collection in these trying times.After the mandatory wrist check (see below), Michael and RJ discuss these topics in this 50-minute podcast....
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly series that allows you to participate in an important online survey while being stuck in the house. Today, we ll head back to the late 90s with the Breitling Navitimer Montbrillant. But first…With our current homebound lives - imagine how this will read in a year s time - a week ago seems like a month. But it was only last week that I showed you a NOS Seiko SKX007J, the ubiquitous everyman s diver that not every man owns. For $289 on favored grey market dealer?Jomashop, the watch boomed to a stunning 86% Wrist Game win. Today, we ll go with something a lot more complex and 10 times more expensive in the Breitling Navitimer Montbril...
Back in May of 2019 Glashtte introduced their SeaQ model collection as part of the Spezialist range of watches. Based on a legendary diver from 1969, the Saxon brand launched a full new collection with a pretty distinct and different look. Recently we got an inside look into the dial production for the SeaQ collection.The design of the Glashtte Original SeaQ models stands out compared to other watch families within the Glashtte collection. When the watches were introduced in May 2019, many people were happy to see the return of a sports watch in the Glashtte Original collection. Fast forward eight months and we get some news from Glashtte about the SeaQ collection. No new models. No tec...
One of the most common questions we receive on the Speedmaster concerns the Speedmaster Reduced models (reference 3510.50). What is exactly the difference between the regular Moonwatch and this Reduced version? In this article, we explain.Omega Speedmaster 3510.50It s Speedy Tuesday! This week s topic is about the Omega Speedmaster Reduced. A watch that has been increasing in popularity for a few years. This discontinued model Speedmaster is often mistaken for the popular Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. If you are not that deep into Speedmasters and just like the look of the black dial with three-registers (at ?3, 6, and 9 o clock), sans date window, it is easy to fall into the trap that...
Some brands get you. Some brands get me. And some brands? Well, they just get it. Establishing a USP is the priority of any would-be investor in every new start-up from here to Geneva. Doing it, on the other hand, is a totally different kettle of fish. One brand that made it look easy is Urwerk. With the latest Urwerk UR-111C TT, the trend, and legend, continues.Disruption (and its derivatives) is the most overused word in modern watchmaking. Every new brand under the sun claims that it s about to disrupt the industry. It s been years since I ve seen one succeed. What they often succeed in, is tricking people who are, at the very best, on the fringes of luxury watchmaking into buying one of ...
The impossible happened. The Cartier Santos Galbee changed my mind about bimetallic watches. Just a bit, but every bit counts.Every time Ive seen steel and gold mixed together on a watch face or a bracelet, I give it a wide berth. Maybe its just my childhood memories of walking through cheap markets full of rubbish goods (calling them gadgets would be an overstatement) from Russia or China. As much as I love debating with people and encouraging them to try new things on their wrists, I remain chained to my radical views on bimetallic watches.Gold and steel togetherWhen I see cold steel and warm gold together, I have to cover my eyes to un-see an outfit ready for a local 90s disco. I wasn t ...
Clocks (for the wall, instead of watches for the wrist) are rarely in focus here on Fratello. While this already yields a perfect reason to write about them, a young brand in this metier increasingly attracts attention: Meccaniche Orologi Milano (or MOM).Their name tells you where they are located. Italy has a reputation as a hotbed of style, and the styling of MOM s products is what sets the brand apart. However, it s not just the outward appearance that is entirely different from what one usually expects from a clock. The movements of these clocks are totally exposed. What sounds like a very technical approach is realized in an airy and delicate way. The movements seem to float within thes...
New from Raymond Weil in their adventurous Freelancer range is this green dial version. Working with Sellita, Raymond Weil created the exclusive Calibre RW1212 to power the automatic, smart-casual timepiece.When people ask about my hobbies, and I tell them I write for an online magazine about watches, I get a few standard follow-up questions:Is that a thing?Do people still wear watches?Are there enough watches to warrant an online magazine?These questions I tend to bat off without going into too much detail as I can predict the intended audience would lose interest.But there are a few questions that perk me up:My family member gave me a service watch. Would you know anything about it?Could y...
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. As springtime breaks across Europe, we re taking a decidedly unseasonal route to celebrate: The Grand Seiko SBGH269, inspired by the autumn.Ah, the season of death. What s not to love? As an adult, it is sheer bliss. School begins. Everything goes quiet. The gamboling optimism of spring ends up in a butche...
Hey there, it s This Week in Watches for March 21, 2020 and we have some news for you! We delve into a concept watch and a couple more made for derring-do.H. Moser Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept WatchH. Moser makes some downright gorgeous watches. Their dials are mesmerizing and I m generally a fan of their case work. The Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept watch fits within a trio of watches on the theme. There s a tourbillon, a piece with diamonds and this simple piece. The concept moniker means that there is no branding or printing on the dial. The prices on the tourbillon are $65k USD (CHF is the same) in either white or red gold, and $59,900 USD (same in CHF) in steel. What we have here ...
Last week s Pre-Owned Picks included some pretty expensive watches, so let s tone it down a notch and have a look at what s out there to buy under $1,000.Every week we pick a few pre-owned watches from Chrono24, the largest market place for wristwatches in the world - watches that we love ourselves, or think they will be interesting to you. So to be clear, we picked the watches, Chrono24 only sent us the images without their watermark and in a proper resolution.With this week s budget, we can t include a or Patek Philippe of course, but there s more than enough other interesting stuff out there, that can bring just as much fun as one of the heavy hitters. Let s have a look at the 5 watches ...
The world is still turning, but there are some moments these days it feels like it s not really a smooth rotation. Here, at Fratello, our spirits are high, but we all see the news and effects of the Coronavirus and Coronacrisis.It seems like months since show cancelations began. At the time, some thought it was nonsense, too early, a knee-jerk reaction. But, in hindsight, we can say that Mr. Hayek and the? Swatch Group were totally right and I have to say I am grateful that he decided not to go forward. The same applies to the Grand Seiko Summit and all events that would have taken place in those early days of the Coronavirus.Fratello Office(s)Even the other week, I found myself traveling (t...
We take a look at the Seiko Laurel Alpinist - the first watch made for the mountain men of Japan.When we think of classic mountaineering watches, the Explorer climbs to the top of the list when someone yells, survey says! After all, the Explorer - or, at least, it s immediate forerunner - made it to the top of Everest. But in 1959, the Seiko Laurel Alpinist debuted in order to serve the Japanese mountain men also known as yama-otoko.?I m no scaler of the alps, but I am pleased to bring you one of these early pieces today.Our First Look at a Vintage AlpinistThis needs to be said up front: If you re looking for good historical information on the Seiko Laurel Alpinist - or any Alpinist for tha...
Following the cancellation of the Geneva Automotive Salon and Breitling Summit, during which Breitling had planned to launch the new Breitling for Bentley Premier Mulliner Limited Edition, a new communication strategy was quickly put in place. Unusually, it had nothing to do with the communications department of the brand.You can say what you like about Georges Kern, but since he s come on board, Breitling has been nothing short of dynamic. That personally-driven dynamism continued as the effervescent CEO leaked news of his brand s latest release via his personal Instagram account. This follows the pattern of the Breitling 765 AVI 1953 Re-edition?announcement. Although it may cause a serious...
A couple of weeks ago, a flurry of #NAABS on Stories and Pictures appeared on Instagram and piqued quite a bit of interest from members of the vintage watch community. I kept getting Instagram messages asking: What the hell is NAABS and how do I get an invite?This is what prompted me to write an article and share my experience. I first heard about NAABS from my friend and fellow watch dealer Adam (@mentawatches) a year ago when the event was being held in Indianapolis and he unsuccessfully tried to persuade me to come. In his defense, getting me from Geneva to Indy in the middle of winter for a GTG (get together) was never going to be an easy sell.Then, in November last year, I found myself ...
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly series that allows you to decide whether youd like to wear a watch or socially distance it from your appendage! This week, we head down several pegs on the ladder with a look at the Seiko SKX007J. But first-In last weeks episode of Wrist Game, we were large and in charge with the Panerai Luminor Base Logo. I lamented the use of branding in our modern world but went on to say that this PAM did it in a cool and classy way. Roughly 67% of you took my side and that means that this faux Italian Stallion trotted off with a win. As an aside, a 67% translated to a D+ back in school and that actually sucks, but lets not think in those terms. Lets...
The Golden Age of The Swiss Wristwatch book is not only a showcase of beautifully crafted ads but also an amazing source of information and inspiration for watch collectors.I flipped through the entire 350 pages of the book on the first night it reached me. And I did the same on the second night. I apologize for the post-it notes sticking out of the pages, but I had to mark all the surprising discoveries instantly. Want a teaser? If you remember my ode on the Christopher Ward Trident C60, you know how much I like power reserve watches. In The Golden Age of The Swiss Wristwatch book, there are only three full-page ads on Heuer. The last one dated from March/April 1953 shows an automatic Heuer...
For those of you looking for a lightweight, solar-powered, go-anywhere, do-anything beater that can handle life on the beach or in the boardroom, the new Seiko Astron GPS Solar might be the answer. The latest member of the celebrated family is a landmark release for the popular Japanese brand.Functionality? Check. Market-leading technology? Check. Killer looks and extreme wearing comfort? You guessed it… The new Seiko Astron GPS Solar watch is something special. Sure, there will be quartz-detractors dismissing this release as a pointless halfway house between mechanical luxury and Apple Watch connectivity, but that doesn t mean it s not a very popular destination for some.Last year, we...
Hamilton is going to shake things up again with their new release, the PSR. A timepiece that, back in the 70s, brought the space-age era to the dusty watchmaking tables of traditional Swiss watch ateliers is making a comeback. It was the hottest thing on the market back then. And I have to say the new one is not too bad either.The original Pulsar came out in 1970, exactly 50 years ago. To celebrate this anniversary, Hamilton releases the PSR, a remarkable reinterpretation of the iconic 70s quartz wonder. On the outside, the watch shows a striking resemblance to the vintage model. Inside, however, you find a quartz movement that has been reworked to meet 21st-century expectations.Hamilton P...
Speedmasters and racing. The two go together like strawberries and cream. One of the very first advertisements for this chronograph showed a race car driver using his Speedmaster. Although it never had an official role in racing, there are plenty of race car drivers who used the Speedmaster. For this Speedy Tuesday, we talk to Speedmaster enthusiast, collector, and car racer Nick Boon.Through Instagram, I met with Nick Boon, who s active under his @watchescarswinecigars account. Take a peek at his account and his love for Speedmasters and car racing is evident. I thought it would be nice to have a little interview with this Speedmaster and race enthusiast. Enjoy!Interview with Speedmaster co...
