A photo report of Blancpain s Night at the Museum event in LondonBlancpain has donated to different ocean preserving projects for years and years already. Since 2014 however, Blancpain officially committed themselves to protect the worlds oceans. This resulted in the ‘Blancpain Ocean Commitment‘.#gallery-1 {margin: auto;}#gallery-1 .gallery-item {float: left;margin-top: 10px;text-align: center;width: 50%;}#gallery-1 img {border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;}#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {margin-left: 0;}/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */Increasing public awarenessBlancpain intends to increase public awareness through funding of ocean exploration, and through related event...
When you eat and sleep, live and breath watches you develop a strange view on money. Some brands feed you with empty and – sometimes – ignorant phrase like this is a great price point for this model or we managed to offer this watch at a very attractive price. Often, astronomical numbers follow these phrases; $10,000 here, $25,000 there like were talking Monopoly money. So every once in a while you have to take a step back and look at the industry from a different perspective. At least this is what I do. It is a good strategy to detach a little and to evaluate what I like about a watch.UndoneUndone came with a very simple idea. For a low price you can choose a watch design (two c...
Ah Seiko-a brand that almost all of us on the Fratello team follow avidly. We meet with them often, whether in the Netherlands, Frankfurt or Basel. Weve traveled to Japan to see their works and a few of us avidly hunt down their vintage releases. So, yes, you could call us fond. Weve also watched the highly conservative brand slowly transform by offering pieces globally that would have been relegated to the JDM-only classification as recently as 4 years ago. But lets just say that some secretive, enigmatic measures remain and thats exactly what led me to going hands-on with the newly released, Seiko Presage Blue Enamel Limited Edition.Officially released from embargo on December 7th, the Sei...
Exactly three years ago today, we introduced to you the rebirth of an old brand, Lebois & Co. Exactly 80 years after the brand was founded actually, on December 14th 1934. Since that day in 2014, Lebois & Co released three watches, called the Avantgarde Date. We even gave one away to one of our readers in the United States.Lebois & Co: Past & PresentOver 150 investors made it possible for Lebois & Co to re-launch the brand with these three Avantgarde Date watches. In total, over $190.000 was funded for these three models, using Kickstarter as a platform. Three campaigns for three watches, and each were completed with a dinner where all backers were invited to join. During...
The World Time watch ranks among the most popular complications in Patek Philippe s wristwatch collection. Some time zone designations have changed or were replaced with new ones. Accordingly, Patek Philippe presented the World Time watch Ref. 5230, which has replaced all previous models. For ladies, there is the?World Time Ref. 7130G watch indicates all 24 time zones in a new white-gold version with a gray-blue hand-guilloched dial center.The movie below, shows the passion that Patek Philippe and all of its employees put into the creation of their watches. No rules or boundaries are taken into consideration when developing new ideas. This is also applicable for the World Timer complications...
Quartz watches only interest me when they have something special of specific to add. Like a multifunction watch such as the Breitling B55, the Omega Speedmaster X33, Tissot T-Touch, a G-Shock or something special like the discontinued OysterQuartz models from or one of the beautiful finished Grand Seiko watches with a caliber 9F movement. I don t want to sound like a watch snob, but a quartz movement makes shifting through the pile of press releases and announcements we receive in our mailboxes every day relatively easy. For Maen I didn t make an exception to be honest. Although their watches look very attractive, the fact that they have a quartz movement inside makes them less interesting ...
The first Holiday Seasons wishes came in today in the office, so perhaps it is about time that we give some Speedmaster accessories shopping tips before Christmas really starts. Some of you probably know what to buy and what you would like to have, but now you can forward this article to your wife, girlfriend, partner for inspiration.As a Speedmaster fan, there are a couple of things, besides the watch, that you ‘need . At least, I found myself buying most of the items on this list in recent years in addition to my Speedmaster watches. This week, Speedy Tuesday is about Speedmaster accessories! I tried to keep it budget friendly, so there should be something in there for each and anyon...
Which 52Mondayz watch to chose was a difficult one this week. Last week, together with the rest of the Fratello Watches team, I picked up my Omega Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday. However already being in Biel I took the opportunity to visit Eterna in Grenchen, who had my Kon-Tiki Bronze Manufacture limited edition ready as well.Eterna KonTiki Diver Gent Bronze Manufacture Limited EditionAs I expect that we re covering something Speedy tomorrow, I decided to bring out my Eterna for this week s 52Mondayz installment.The Eterna KonTiki Bronze Manufacture nicely fits my 18cm wristA celebration of Thor Heyerdahls KonTiki expeditionEterna produced this limited edition of the KonTiki divers watch to co...
Our bi-weekly feature where we select three interesting watches from the Catawiki auctions. This article is a partnership with Catawiki, but we made our own selection of watches and without any interference in our write-up. For this week, we have a Longines Conquest Olympic Games 1972 (Munich) edition, a vintage Grand Seiko 5646-7010 and a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Night & Day.As always, let me start by saying that before you bid on a watch, you should have done your homework. Especially when it concerns vintage watches. Some brands can help you identifying them, but most of the time it might take some more effort. From this week s brands for example, Longines is known to have a great mus...
The Senator Chronograph Panorama Date gives functionality a very stylish lookThe Senator Chronograph Panorama Date from Glashtte Original confronts the challenges of cold and stormy days with casual elegance: This robust timepiece built for everyday use steps into the spotlight with the Saxon manufactorys unmistakable flair for design.The manufactory chronograph in stainless steel celebrated its successful premiere in March 2017 at Baselworld. It is based on the integrated Calibre 37 chronograph movement, developed to set new standards for maximum functionality and everyday use.With this new addition Glashtte Original did more than simply add a third version to the line it had launched wit...
Collaborations can end up in success or a major flop. Especially if the parties involved come from different areas of life. When fashion enters the watch scene the outcome is often the latter. Kill Hubris, a clothing company from Houston Texas, is a cool brand, no doubt about that. One that I support and wear because the style speaks to me. No surprise, since Sam aka Mr. Kill Hubris is not only the owner of the brand but also a watchnerd himself. But what happens when Kill Hubris decides to partner up with a known and respected watch accessory supplier, say Crown & Buckle, to release two NATO straps? Crown & Buckle is known for quality and affordable products. Straps, tools and other...
Although the name De Ville Tresor is not new, the new Omega Tresor ladies collection definitely is. Most ladies watches are based on gents models within the Omega collection: smaller diameters, different dials and colors etc. This is the case for many watch brands out there. The new Omega Tresor ladies collection though, is all-new. They could have picked an entirely new name, or a new collection even, as it doesn t look like anything released before. I had to think about it for a bit, as I am used to look at watches that are based on something existing. Even when Omega introduced the De Ville Tresor in 2014, with the hand-wound Co-Axial in-house movement, there were elements in there th...
Standing on the beach with a beer in my hand. No, thats not an alternative take on a classic hit from The Cure. It was me and it was this past August somewhere in the Algarve of Portugal.?? Actually, my phone was nearby and when it rang, the Dutch-infused voice of Paul, our nearly in-house watchmaker, spoke on the other end. Paul informed me that an older watchmaker friend of his was going through his drawers C watchmakers seemingly have loads of those C and found an old Heuer that he was interested in selling. Paul called me with a simple question. Was I interested in buying a Heuer Carrera 12 Dato at a reasonable price? Oh, and did I mention that the watch was on its original Gay Freres be...
Oris is on a roll, with their support to great projects like the Coral Restoration Foundation, Movember and now with its sponsorship of the Clipperton Expedition. Clipperton Island is world s most isolated land mass, and only very few people ever set foot on land. It is the home of a number of threatened species, on land and in the water. Earlier this year, Oris sponsored an expedition to Clipperton Island together with a number of scientists and conservationists?to gather data to help develop existing shark migration theories, and to effect lasting change that will preserve Clippertons ecosystem.Oris ClippertonNow, Oris introduces the Clipperton Limited Edition diver s watch that is limited...
Introduced on January 10th 2017 and sold out within 4.5 hours and about 7500 people on the waiting list. And believe me if I say that I had some sleepless nights before the release over the number of 2012 pieces in total. The delivery of the Omega Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Limited Edition started in June and is finally about to end. It has been a long ride, and a fun one, with the exception of the long delivery time of the watch. Fact is that Omega did a few things quite differently on this Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Limited Edition than they ever did before, and that took longer than expected.Without wanting to focus too much on things that went wrong, the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Limite...
Omega gave us the opportunity to use one of the Golf Edition models of their 2017 Omega Aqua Terra line up. I happily accepted it as my 52Mondayz watch for this week.The Omega Aqua Terra Golf Edition on my wristOmega Aqua Terra 150M Golf EditionThe Omega Aqua Terra 150M collection currently comprises of no less than 22 variations. A closer look learns that in fact there are 9 different watches with each a choice of different straps. Different straps, like the availability of a metal bracelet, a leather strap, a rubber strap, or even a NATO-style nylon strap. Robert-Jan did a good overview article on the entire new 2017 Aqua Terra series here. An in-depth review on one of the other 2017 Aqua ...
You probably recall the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic 1958 Tribute that was introduced in 2014 (we wrote about it here). At the time also a limited edition that came in three different case materials: stainless steel (800 pieces), pink gold (300 pieces) and platinum (58 pieces). A tribute to the original 1958 Geophysic, with a 38.5mm diameter cases (instead of the original 35mm). All three watches were equipped with the Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 898/1 movement. Then, in 2015, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Geophysic True Second, with caliber 770.Above the 2014 limited edition on the left (in platinum), the original 35mm version on the right. Below, the 2015 Geophysic True Second.100 Pieces Only...
MeisterSinger stands for single-hand watches. A single needle-thin hour hand shows time to the nearest five minutes and contributes to a rather relaxed way of keeping track of time. This simple and convincing idea is most elegantly transferred in the pure and modern style of the Neo product line – now upgraded by the Neo Plus, which debuted at Baselworld this year.New white and vibrant highlightsThe Neo Plus remains true to design principles of the original Neo: Its digits have been set in sober, sans serif Helvetica and the round date window matches the shape of the case, making it an essential graphic element of the watch with its contrasting date disk. The Neo Plus is available in f...
It was a Hamilton watch used on the first US postal service flight between Washington and New York, so aviation is nothing new to the brand whose prestigious aviation heritage dates back to 1918 and has included the rank of official supplier to the US Armed Forces since 1914. Geared toward the skyward bound, working with leading air squadrons and world famous pilots, Hamiltons Khaki Aviation line is renowned for providing classic aviator styling and functions specific to pilots needs. Bursting with character rooted in aviation and the instruments that guide it, immeasurably technical and painstakingly precise, the big, aggressive Khaki X-Wind Auto Chrono is no exception to this rule.Racy bla...
A journalists darling, it seems. I am talking about Grand Seiko. Whether it is here, or on any of the other on-line watch magazines and blogs, when there s a mention of Grand Seiko you hear violins playing in the background. To such an extent, that it becomes implausible perhaps. However, a few months back we took some of our readers with us to Japan to visit their manufactures and at the end of the day, they were all bitten by the Grand Seiko bug.Although it might come across as such, we are not paid by Grand Seiko to tell you these things or write these reviews. And make no mistake, there are also a couple of things we would like to see different from Grand Seiko. Their pricing and distri...
