Moonphase watches are among the most elegant timepieces with complications that are available for a relatively affordable price. A simple classic three-hand watch is perfect for most occasions when you need to dress smartly. A moonphase, however, adds a touch of elegance even to that, elevating the watch to another level. At least this is how I look at it. Ive had my fair share of moonphase watches in the past from Leonidas to Omega Cosmic and beyond. Certain sporty pieces, like a Speedmaster Pro, also bear this complication. Lastly, watch icons such as Patek Philippes 5970, my exit watch, has a moonphase indicator too. I associate the name Montblanc with such elegance. This is why I really ...

First off, for those who are celebrating, the Fratello team wishes you a very Merry Christmas.? If not, happy Speedy Tuesday! We do our best to publish new content on Christmas day because, after all, its a decent day to laze on the couch and relax. So lets get into what has to be one of the most surprising and attractive Speedmasters to date, the Omega Speedmaster Rising Sun.A Speedmaster QuintetIt was late July this year when Omega dropped news of a quintet of Speedmasters to be released for the Japanese market in commemoration of the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics. As a set (55 boxes), but also as separate watches. With 2020 pieces of each model (and the 55 sets), the watches started shippi...

The best Amsterdam retailer just got better. They managed to do another exclusive watch with Nomos. I am talking about Ace Jewelers of course, who teamed up with Nomos to launch a second limited edition exclusively to be sold via their boutiques and e-boutique. Based on the existing Nomos Club Campus Nacht (or Night, in English), they came up with the Nomos Club Campus Amsterdam.After their first launch of a special Nomos, the Orion 38 Stijl Limited Edition (we reviewed it here), we now take a look at the Club Campus Amsterdam.Nomos Club Campus AmsterdamBased on the 38.5mm Club Campus, Ace Jewelers – who is an authorized dealer of Nomos as well as many other brands – decided to a...

Today we go hands-on with the Baltic Aquascaphe divers watch. After the success of their Bicompax (three-hander and chronograph models), they introduced their divers watch a while ago for pre-order. Baltic sent us a watch and we take a closer look.Crowdfunding is an awesome initiative. It allows people or small companies who have great ideas but not the means to still bring those projects to life. At one point, Kickstarter (and Indiegogo) were the hottest thing around on the internet. Many brands that we nowadays know and use came from those sites. They provided (and still provide) opportunities not only for those brands but also for us, the crowd. An opportunity to be a part of something sp...

Today on #TBT well go back to some relatively old school Swiss goodness with a look at a LeJour PVD Chronograph. This watch isnt especially rare, valuable, or on the radar of most collectors, but I think its worth a view. Good looks, a cool movement, and attractive pricing make this LeJour rather attractive indeed. Lets have a look.This LeJour PVD Chronograph isnt the first watch weve covered from the brand. We took a look at an earlier radium-dialed Valjoux 72-powered chronograph and a 60s Superman diver.For certain, the French brand is known well as the export name for Yema, but it seems that the brands were separate and LeJour did their own thing from time to time and often contracted oth...

During our visit to MunichTime 2018, about which we reported?here, we learned about Laco s new Squad watch models. These new models are named ‘Scorpion and come in 4 variations. Amazonas, Atlantic, Mojave, and Himalaya. All four of them are available with a rubber strap or metal bracelet, while even more styles of straps are separately available.We brought Laco s latest Squad watch to the test, the Scorpion AmazonasWhile the introduction of this article might have left you a bit puzzled already, Laco makes it even somewhat more complicated. I mean, with 4 models in one model series, with all two strap or bracelet options, we re already looking at 8 variations. For every watch, however...

Anyone who is part of the watch community will probably agree that watch spotting can be a really satisfying activity. I sometimes entertain myself by checking out the wrists of others on the tram or plane sitting next to me. You usually have a preconceived idea of what a wearer or an Omega guy looks like. These are perfect occasions to assure your theory about them. Not to mention, when you see a special piece, a limited edition or a cool vintage watch. All of a sudden, the guy who occupies the whole armrest next to you earns your respect. Watch spotting has another way too; watching movies and TV. Todays Full HD TVs allow you not only to see the watch crystal clear but also to pause the p...

This week we re answering a question from globetrotter Jer?me about GPS-controlled watches. Jer?me is a frequent intercontinental?traveler and is looking for a watch that he doesn t have to set when stepping out of a plane in another part of the world.You Asked Us: Do GPS-controlled watches automatically change time zones?Here s Jer?mes s question in full:From: Jer?meSubject: GPS-controlled watchesMessage Body:I am a frequent traveler and am looking at GPS time-controlled watches. Most of the time, my phone changes to the local time automatically as soon as I receive a carrier s signal in my destination country. It would be nice if I could have a watch which does the same. Therefore I m look...

When Patek Philippe introduced the 5524(G) during Baselworld 2015 it was the talk of the show. Yes, it s old news in 2018 but its something we could not neglect mentioning when talking about the new 5524R-001. The famous Geneva manufacture had a number of amazing years: Patek Philippe celebrated their 175th anniversary in 2014 with a very (and I mean very) strong lineup. 5270G or 5951P come to mind when I think of that year. One would think, as it normally is in any industry, that after such a strong year the next one would be a decline but not at Patek Philippe. While the 2015 line-up was not as strong as the previous years it did introduce us the 5524. The biggest issue many had with that ...

While most Speedmaster collectors are very focused on the 1960s and 1970s, I d say that the 1980s and 1990s are also interesting for a number of reasons. To start with the 1990s, these watches are often very complete (meaning boxes, warranty card, booklets etc.) and those with a tritium dial (up till 1997) have the tendency to get this beautiful yellow-ish coloured?hour markers and the same applies for the lume?on the hands. On top, you will find that the 1990s models have this very handsome looking bracelet with reference 1479 (also till 1996) with a strong tapering towards the clasp. The 1980s also has a number of interesting models, and I am going to explain one of them for today s Speedy...

LEVILLE was started in 2018 Jan, a group of watch-addicts with the passion and constancy of the traditional watch craftsmanship. They believe that the most timeless and desirable timepiece must be the traditional one. They would like to awaken peoples mind about the core function of a watch, thus create their brands.They believe that every city has its own uniqueness. It represents the best of its own culture, values and traditions. Their designer curates this authentic collection by combining traditional craftsmanship and innovative design for all cities. They have worked tirelessly to ensure every detail of our watch has been perfected and made to the most premium quality in the world.LEVI...

Often times the unsung heroes of the watch industry are the movement manufacturers. Not every brand has the capacity to create in-house movements (or dials, cases, bracelet for that matter). This is when a movement manufacturer comes into play. As you know the largest companies these days catering for the whole industry are ETA (company of Swatch Group), Sellita?and Seiko. Of course, many other brands offer calibers from Switzerland, Japan Germany and a bunch of various other countries. Brands outsourcing movements, however, is not a new thing. It has been going on since the beginning of times. Just think of the early Panerai watches which had movements inside them. To stay with , we have a...

The Fromanteel Pendulum Traveler is the newest and most sophisticated member of Fromanteels Automatic Pendulum series. The watch, a strong combination of Swiss Made quality and understated design, is a reliable companion for travelers of all kind.The Pendulum Traveler is currently for sale via a special pre-order campaign. During this campaign, for a limited time only, you can order the Traveler at a specially reduced and affordable price. Need some more information? Find it here.Stylish and PowerfulFrom the open case on the back of the timepiece to the touches of Fromanteel Yellow on the GMT hand and crown; the Pendulum Traveler is both stylish and powerful. Behind the transparent glass on ...

True Story. On an evening at the beginning of 2018, I was sitting on the couch at home after a full day of being a watch journalist. The doorbell rang and my wife opened the door for one of my best friends. He entered our living room and the first thing he noticed was the watch I was wearing. The conversation went a little like this:-HeyHey-What is that on your wrist? (my wife starts to sigh at this point)Cool eh? It just came in today, it is the first Omega Constellation Manhattan from 1982 in bi-colour. I have been looking for one like this for ages, and now I found one complete with box and papers. (my wife leaves the living room)For a moment, he just stared at me and I thought he was jus...

Roughly a month before the SIHH in Geneva, where Richemont brands (a.o.) introduce their novelties to the press, retailers and consumers, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents their Master Ultra Thin Moon Enamel already. Limited to 100 pieces only, this watch features a dial that is completely executed by hand by a few artisans trained in Le Sentier, where the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture is located.Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon EnamelThe Master Ultra Thin collection is among our favourites, as we wrote in this article on their Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar.? Jaeger-LeCoultre uses the Master Ultra Thin not only to show their?hand-guilloche blue enamel dial but also their moonphase indic...

In todays #TBT we take a look at the Seiko 7549-7010 Tuna Can. While Ill never say never, this article likely marks the last of our in-depth articles on vintage models from within this particular line of distinctive divers from one of our favorite brands. But, for many out there, perhaps weve chosen to save the best for last. After all, as youll come to see, the Tuna Can represents what is likely the most wearable and is certainly the least costly of the lineage if vintage is your target.We briefly spoke about the Seiko 7549-7010 Tuna Can in our Top Vintage Seiko Divers reference article (if youve not yet checked this out, theyre all there!), but I felt that such an important model deserved ...

Some time ago, Matt from London (UK) sent us his question about the choice of a GMT, or Dual Time Zone watch. Matt would like to actually use a dual time zone function on a watch while travelling to locations with other time zones.Matt s dream watch, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5164, here pictured in rose gold instead of stainless steel; our review of this watch can be found here.Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5164RYou Asked Us: Which GMT / Dual Time Zone watch do you recommend?Here s the full text of Matt s question:Dear Fratello Watches,Im keen to hear your thoughts on what watches you might recommend which have a dual time zone feature.I travel frequently for work and whilst the short haul from ...

Last week, the Omega boutique in Geneva threw a little party to celebrate Speedy Tuesday with us and a number of their guests (as well as some of our readers who were able to make it to Geneva). For approximately 25 guests, Omega s CEO Raynald Aeschlimann kicked off with a warm welcome and a great speech on the Omega Speedmaster and well, us, Fratello. We were truly honoured by his words and we explained to the guests how Speedy Tuesday started, what it means to us and how much we value the Speedmaster community. Besides that, we picked up all of our own Speedy Tuesday Ultraman watches so we can finally wear them as well.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Ch...

Last Friday we organized an event together with Seiko Nederland and Dutch print magazine Watching for fans of Grand Seiko watches. When we announced this Grand Seiko event?a number of weeks ago, our mailbox was flooded with messages from people who signed-up. However, we could only select 20 people as it was decided to keep it small and exclusive. In the end, it was stretched to 22 people that were invited to come to Amsterdam and join us for an afternoon packed with Grand Seiko.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings ?Grand Seiko EventGrand Seiko is something you still need to explain to people from time to time. The high quality is ev...

Towards the end of Baselworld 2018, Bert and I visited Carl F. Bucherer for a meeting. I have to say it was not only pleasant and relaxing but also very entertaining and interesting in terms of what we saw. It was my first encounter with the brand and while I know of them, Ive not had the pleasure of handling their timepieces. Needless to say, both Bert and I were quite impressed by the overall quality and design of the watches. The 2018 novelties from Carl F. Bucherer, at least the ones we saw, are not small pieces with 39mm and up. Today we will talk about their chronograph; the Manero Flyback.Carl F. Bucherer vs. BuchererFirst, Id like to give you a bit of a run-down on the company. Im su...