As ?a ?traditional ?watchmaking ?company, ?Longines ?has ?been ?producing ?exceptional timepieces ?since ?the ?very ?beginning. ?The ?Longines ?Master ?Collection ?is ?the ?perfect contemporary ?illustration ?of ?this ?concept, ?as ?demonstrated ?by ?the ?success ?of ?this collection ?since ?its ?launch ?in 2005. ?The ?Longines ?Master ?Collection ?blends ?classic elegance ?and ?excellence, ?for ?the ?greatest ?pleasure ?of ?watchmaking ?enthusiasts. Today, ?Longines ?is ?presenting ?new ?pieces ?in ?which ?coloured ?dials ?take ?center ?stage. These gray and blue models add a new variation to the rich array of models offered in The Longines Master Collection.This video is blocked because yo...

Our special contributor Sacha Davidoff is reporting from Geneva on the upcoming auctions in May. He will highlight the watches from several auctions that caught his attention. Without further ado, let s have a look.Geneva May 2017 AuctionsPHILLIPS in association with BACS & RUSSOBack for their fifth Geneva watch auction, Aurel Bacs & Livia Russo in association with Phillips auction house continue to dazzle the auction scene with their drool-inducing May catalog. This team continues to raise the stakes and is relentless in their hold of the top position among the watch auction houses. They have also announced they will host a thematic Heuer auction in November this year curated by Ric...

This weeks #TBT takes a look at a watch that just might seem familiar to you. Familiar how? Well, first off, aside from dial variations, this diver was marketed by many brands. Second, this oft-used case looks an awful lot like a miniature version of a famous brand from Florence, Italy. Today, well examine a Sandoz Depth Master, the so-called Sandoz Baby Panerai. However, while this watch may sport a diminutive call name, its specs are anything but miniscule.An original advertisement for the Nivada Depth MasterThe Sandoz Depth Master Began Production in 1963Weve taken a look at a number of historic dive watches on Fratello Watches with a definite focus on pieces that introduced some sort of ...

Like every year, we visit BaselWorld to report to you about watches. It is our job. However, we are watch collectors and enthusiasts above everything else. So we always keep an eye out on what other people are wearing. Here is an overview of what we ve seen at BaselWorld.Watch SpottingSpotting watches on other people s wrist is something ‘natural to do for us watch geeks. Depending where you live, a city or a village, what you do etc. you will come across some interesting watches (from interesting people) every now and then. In Basel, where the biggest watch trade show in the world takes place, it is no big deal to find and discover nice watches. However, there is a difference of cour...

A few years ago, Omega started to upgrade the box and accessories you d get with your Speedmaster Professional. Inside the huge watch box, you d find?a NATO strap, loupe, changing tool and.. a VELCRO? Brand strap signed ‘SEB12100030-202 . However, if you already have your Speedmaster, there are some options to purchase a VELCRO? Brand strap for your watch. Let s have a look.Speedmaster on VELCRO? BrandIt somewhat surprises me that only few people out there are wearing their Speedmaster on velcro straps. NATO straps – although a military background, click here for a history lesson on NATO straps by our friends from GearPatrol – are more common on Speedmasters, while there is...

After a complicated week (click here for 52Mondayz week # 14) this week I needed something simple. Two bold clear hands, a thick crown suitable for manual winding, and a sturdy case – that was what I was looking for and found in the Pinion Pure Bronze LE.Pinion Pure Bronze LENo PaneraiOf course, I could have chosen a Panerai Luminor (which I most probably will do once in the future) however I was looking for something more special. As well, although appreciating Panerai s patented crown construction, it s not the easiest to operate on a daily basis to wind your watch. Simple is a bit equivalent to lazy for me as well.Only 50 of these bronze watches existThe Pinion Pure Bronze LE I m we...

Longines has leveraged its outstanding expertise in quartz technology to create the ultimate high-precision wristwatch: the all-new Conquest V.H.P. This collection constitutes another milestone in the history of quartz timepieces, successfully incorporating many features of todays smart connected watches, such as ultra-precision, technical sophistication and a sporty feel, without any of the drawbacks, and all this while preserving the brands signature elegance. The watch also has an in-built system that resynchronises the hands after exposure to a shock or a magnetic field, a world first that guarantees timekeeping which is as accurate as the new-generation quartz movement itself. Around 10...

One of our most anticipated visits at Baselworld is with the plucky brand from Frankfurt, Sinn Spezialuhren. We feature the brand prominently here on Fratellowatches (and took a look at last years collection as well) because they design great looking watches, often with some innovative tech, and keep things on the relatively affordable front. This year was no different with the brands novelties, so lets take a look at most of the pieces from Sinn at Baselworld 2017.Sinn at Baselworld 2017The Sinn EZM 12The first watch we saw from Sinn at Baselworld 2017 was the EZM 12. Sinn is famous for their EZM series where they create watches intended for very specific jobs. Theyve worked with all sorts ...

LacoSince Michael and I?are based in Germany, actually not too far from the Black Forrest, which is one of the most significant areas of watchmaking in the country, German watch manufacturers are?always on our list of brands to work with. One of those brands is Laco. Laco is famous for their Flieger and B-Uhren, watches that most vintage watch guys probably heard of.?During our?meeting with Laco at BaselWorld, they showed me their new line-up of watches.?Though military inspired, the novelties we saw are as cool as it gets.Blaue StundeAs we already talked about it in a previous article,?we saw that?blue dials are this year s trend. A lot of (time-only) watches with beautiful deep blue faces ...

Junghans at BaselWorld 2017Just a stone throw from the craziness of BaselWorld along the side of Hall 1 lays the Hotel du Commerce. For a week during the fair the building becomes the headquarters of Junghans. Sinceyears now, the Schramberg-based company holds their annual BaselWorld meetings here and we are always in attendance. It is not a regular catch-up though, Junghans offers more than an espresso and a chocolate from the bowl. They occupy the restaurant and invite their partners for a casual lunch & product presentation. It is a very rare occasion for us to get out of the halls to see the sunlight, sit down, have a proper meal, a nice glass of wine and do what we do best; discuss ...

Almost a month ago, I told you about the upcoming Moonwatch Only 2nd edition (60 years of Omega Speedmaster). During the annual trade show in Basel, I received a signed copy of this 2nd edition of what I quoted as ‘this book sets a new standard in 2014. Let s have a look at this Moonwatch Only 2nd edition book.Moonwatch Only 2nd Edition BookThat said, I can keep this review short and just say that the best book just got better. However, that wouldn t do justice to the book and doesn t answer the question why you should upgrade from the first edition (here is my review of Moonwatch Only first edition).The image above was taken during the book presentation at BaselWorld, a few weeks ago...

A bit of Richemont attention is appropriate in these post-BaselWorld days in my opinion. So for this week, I pick?my late father s Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Perpetual Calendar as 52Mondayz watch.Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Perpetual Calendar C 52Mondayz, week # 14He bought this watch to commemorate the millennium year 2000. It was a variation to the regular Master Perpetual with a silver dial. This model with a black dial was only in Jaeger-LeCoultre s collection for one or two years and sports a glass back.Master Control 1000 HoursMost ‘Master Control 1000 Hours models, like Master Moon, Master Geographique, and the Master Reserve de Marche, became available later with a bl...

Delma enhances design and precision of signature Klondike Collection by introducing Klondike Moonphase with distinctive day-and-night indicator.For centuries, celestial guidance has been a fundamental skill of all great navigators and a delight of impassioned stargazers. Born out of a tradition of design excellence and precision craftsmanship spanning almost a century of Swiss watchmaking, Delma today introduces the Klondike Moonphase automatic chronograph with full calendar, moon phase, and day-and-night indicator. The most complex and elegant timepiece in the Klondike Collection to date, the Klondike Moonphase celebrates the vitality of life with unparalleled precision, style and durabilit...

This year, I was happy to see a stainless steel Sky-Dweller during our appointment at BaselWorld. Introduced in 2012 already, but always in precious metals. Today s steel Sea-Dweller is partly precious metal, as the fluted bezel is made of white gold. Let s have a look.Steel Sky-Dweller reference?326934Although some say the new 43mm Sea-Dweller with red writing is the big news from this year, I think it was actually their Sky-Dweller in stainless steel that impressed me. A steel Sky-Dweller, with a 42mm case and a wonderful complication: the annual calendar. You will only need to correct the date on March 1st, and all other months are good to go. A clever mechanism (using the bezel), w...

Visiting Seiko at Baselworld 2017 was, once again, an experience marked with numerous new releases and an exciting blend of technology mixed with retro cues. We showed a preview of the Grand Seiko releases the minute the press conference had concluded (which coincided with the embargo lift) and well show some more pictures of those here. The focus, though, will be on the watches from the parent brand. Lets take a look.Seiko at Baselworld 2017The Seiko SLA017 62MASThe most eagerly awaited release from Seiko at Baselworld 2017, and perhaps one of the most anticipated overall, was the reissue of the famous 62MAS. We ran, and reran, an article on my original piece from 1965 in advance of the sho...

Todays #TBT will be Baselworld 2017 focused as were still basking in the afterglow of the show. And, even though weve covered it already, Ill use this column as a platform to discuss why I, a vintage diehard, ordered the Omega Speedmaster 1957 reissue. Maybe my purchase of this watch surprises you and maybe it doesnt, but lets discuss it anyhow.The trio of 60th Anniversary Pieces during our AppointmentA Trio of Beautiful WatchesOmega, if youve not yet read, debuted a trio of 1957 reissues to mark the 60th anniversary of introduction for the Railmaster, Seamaster and the Speedmaster. Omega allows you to purchase these watches in one of two ways: individually or as a set of three. To clear up ...

Chopard L.U.C. 2017Its always a treat to visit Chopard when we are visiting?BaselWorld. Despite their success and status in the industry they managed to stay humble and friendly. This year Chopard showed us six new watches and all of them were amazing. Honestly, I could imagine myself wearing each and every one of them for a different reason. And so I did if only for a few minutes before the watches found their ways to the next table to mesmerize the other journalists sitting there. Big ShotI think we went backwards this year during the presentations. I saw the most expensive and complicated watch first. The L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono for example, a 45mm hand-wound platinum grand complication c...

On January 16th of this year, Gene Cernan passed away. He was the Last Man on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Before that, he flew on the Gemini 9A and Apollo 10 missions. This year, Omega introduced the 3rd Speedmaster Apollo XVII limited edition. In two flavors. In stainless steel (1972 pieces) and in gold (72 pieces). We have a closer look at the gold model.Omega Speedmaster Apollo XVII Reference 311.63.42.30.03.001In all honesty, the rendered images that I came across before the official launch did not make me very excited about this watch. But as always, you need to see a watch in the flesh before you can judge it (best). The Omega Speedmaster Apollo XVII 45th anniversary...

Aquastar Regate – a regatta start timerWhat is a watch to wear after a week of Baselworld? Do you want to see watches at all after a week of Baselworld? The latter question is easier to answer than the first one; of course I want to see watches after a week of Baselworld, I m never tired of watches ??And the first question – which watch – I was happily helped with by our team member Balazs Ferenczi. He showed me a very nice regatta timer, the Aquastar Regate, and offered it me to wear for this week.Chronograph with special functionI m a lover of classic chronographs, specially if they have or are something special in terms of function or design. The Aquastar certainly quali...

As a follow-up to our recent article on the limited edition Eterna KonTiki Bronze Manufacturer, were back with a look at the steel serial production models, the new Eterna KonTiki Diver. While it does usher in some cost saving specifics versus the bronze model, theres a lot of value for the money in this watch.Once again, 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of Thor Heyerdahls legendary voyage from Peru to Polynesia and this years release of the Eterna KonTiki Diver is meant to evoke some of the cues used on the diver models that Eterna released after the voyage in the 50s and 60s. Those typical Eterna triangular indices and a classic divers case with unidirectional bezel are certainly familiar t...