In the second half of 2023, Tudor quietly dropped what would turn out to be one of its most interesting modern dive watches, the Black Bay 54. This 37mm watch instantly became the smallest Black Bay diver in the lineup and slotted in neatly alongside the Black Bay 58 and its standard 41mm counterpart. My first reaction was a shrug. Big deal, I thought. They finally made a unisex Black Bay - a watch that won t look like it s about to snap people s wrists in half if they happen to have smaller arms.Honestly, in my head, it was just another Black Bay I d look at, nod at, and move on from. For years, one of the questions I ve gotten so often is some variation of, Hey, I ve got around $3,000, and...

When you talk about dive watches rated for the sort of depths only a handful of human divers - let alone cameras, regulators, or submersibles - will ever see, you cross the border from sporting gear into mechanical heroics. Dive watches are built to match these endeavors. In this article, I ll explore five extraordinary timepieces that are water resistant to one kilometer (or more) and consider what they represent today - not just the apex of engineering but also a statement of purpose and design. These are tough, uncompromising watches built for a world most of us will never encounter but will always admire.Five dive watches that can go a kilometer deepLet me first say this: there is almost...

Hello and happy holidays from your Fratello Talks team! Today marks the final episode of 2025 and the end of our third season of the show. What better way to round out the year than by looking back at some horological highlights of 2025? RJ, Daan, and your host, Nacho, join forces to discuss some of the most remarkable moments of this past year. Consider this final episode of the year our gift to you this holiday season. As always, before we begin, it s time for a quick wrist check.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Wrist checkWe st...

Are you looking to buy an Omega Speedmaster but don t know where to start? We re here to help! Over the past 65+ years, Omega has created many variations of one of the world s most famous chronographs. The classic 42mm Moonwatch has been in the collection since 1965, and to the novice eye, little has changed since then. But if you look a bit closer, you will find that the Speedmaster evolved quite a bit in the decades that followed.In this Speedmaster guide, we ll give you an overview of the most important references of the Speedmaster (Professional) and some of its variations. Although this article isn t meant as a pricing guide, we will give some hints, of course. If you re already a knowl...

There s something special about gold watches that goes beyond the opulent, warm tone of their shiny exteriors. In the past, they served to mark significant milestones, special occasions, or outstanding achievements. These are often immortalized with an engraving on the case back. Today, on Fratello Talks, we ve found inspiration to revisit the topic of gold watches. Several new releases from Nomos with solid-gold cases, including three new Tangente models and two new Ludwig references, prompted this. The guys touch on those but also discuss their feelings about watches cased in this precious metal. They also share personal experiences with gold watches and discuss the meaning they hold for t...

Seasons greetings, dear Fratelli! As the year winds down and the festive spirit begins to sparkle, its time once again for our annual tradition - the Fratello Holiday Gift Guide. Whether you re shopping for a seasoned collector, a budding enthusiast, or simply treating yourself, weve curated a selection of thoughtful, stylish, and horologically inspired gifts to make this season truly memorable.From watch-adjacent accessories to everyday essentials with a touch of flair, our editorial team has handpicked items that reflect the spirit of Fratello - practical, personal, and passionately watch-centric (well, mostly). Expect everything from straps, coffee machines, and sneakers to travel-ready g...

Most of us have some level of experience with watch retailers and ADs from a customer perspective. However, few watch enthusiasts can claim to have worked behind the counter, let alone owned a watch shop. Today, Nacho and Thomas are joined by Gerard, a long-time Fratello team member and former owner of Horloge Platform Nederland, a watch boutique based in The Hague. The boutique has long since shut its doors, but Gerard still has plenty of stories to share. He gives his perspective on how he first got into the retail side of watches, what it was like to deal with customers and brands alike, how online retail worked in the early days, and more. But first, it s time for a wrist check.This vide...

Let s rewind to the golden age of scuba diving and, some would say, sports-watch design. It is the 1960s, and Doxa and are co-developing a specialized technology that will allow their ultimate diving watches to endure the rigors of the deep.A consistent issue had been noted after dive watches had spent time at considerable depths. Helium particles would get trapped inside these watches and force the crystals to pop off during an ascent. It had troubled and Doxa, who were at the forefront of dive-watch design in the 1960s.A helium escape valve - Image: The Watch Club and Doxa develop the HEVThe two companies would end up developing the helium escape valve, or HEV for short. It would allow h...

I have always believed that the Oyster Perpetual is best enjoyed when you stop treating it like a precious object and start treating it like a companion. With ongoing wait lists and the like, getting one new from the AD has proven tricky. Luckily, recently loaned me the new Oyster Perpetual 36mm with a pistachio-green dial for a couple of weeks. Here are some thoughts.It isnt the brands loudest watch, its most technically advanced, nor its most historically significant. However, it does something no other quite manages. I think this is probably the easiest to live with in the entire lineup.The Oyster PerpetualNow, this isn t the first occasion I ve spent a considerable amount of time w...

Another Friday, another list! This week, we will look at some of our favorite ceramic watches. In a week with Omega dropping a series of new ceramic Dark Side of the Moon models, it is good to look at some recent ceramic highlights. We have seen a rapid increase in ceramic releases from major watch brands. The great thing is that ceramic is no longer unattainable for people with a more modest budget. Ceramic watches for everyone! We picked our five current favorites to get inspired.Before we start, here is a quick word on how we compiled this list: we decided to pick five relatively recent favorites. With a rapidly increasing number of ceramic watches, it only makes sense to focus on some st...

In this weeks episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, RJ, and Lex tackle the very foundation of our watches - the case materials. From trusty steel to precious gold, lightweight titanium, and futuristic ceramics, the trio dives into what distinguishes these materials, their unique features, and why they make a difference when wearing a watch every day. It s not just the movement and specs that matter; it s also what a watch is made of that plays a key role in its aesthetics and how it feels on your wrist. But first, there s the ritual wrist check.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept ma...

Everyone knows the story: you start with a paperclip and trade your way up to a house. Canadian blogger Kyle MacDonald made it happen in 2006 with his One Red Paperclip project. Could this principle, on a smaller scale, be applied to watches? Today on Fratello Talks, Nacho, Thomas, and RJ join to discuss the topic and share their experiences trading their way up. It was a potentially lucrative pursuit back in the day, but whether you can still trade to upgrade your watch today remains to be seen. Before we get into the episode, it s time for a wrist check.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings This podcast player is blocked because you di...

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Datejust, which, according to my colleague Gerard, is the mother of all modern wristwatches. And I dont disagree. When introduced this watch in 1945, it set a new direction for the company, and many other brands followed (much later). A wristwatch for everyday use, with a date window at 3 oclock, self-winding movement, and an incredibly comfortable steel bracelet. Just put a very early Datejust next to a current one, and you can see theyre very much related. However, this trend does tend to apply to most models.1989 Datejust 16234 with ivory (cream) dial. Image via Chrono24/Huntington. Datejust 16234We run a series of articles on Fratello to hig...

Every once in a while, a big box with Seiko watches arrives at the Fratello office. It contains the brand s releases for the upcoming months and allows us to review and photograph them ahead of time. I still remember when I discovered the Seiko SPB317 in there, back in 2022. I immediately fell in love with its relatively thin C-shaped case, wrote its introduction article, and ordered one. However, I had no idea that the introduction article would end up being the very reason it left my collection. What began as admiration for Seikos modern reinterpretation quietly evolved into a fixation on its source material - a journey that ultimately led me to the vintage 6105-8000. In hindsight, the SPB...

In case you haven t noticed, the first half of the year is already behind us. What better time to look back at some of the best watches of 2025 so far? That s precisely what RJ, Daan, and Nacho are doing on today s episode of Fratello Talks. The past six months have hosted hundreds of watch releases from as many brands, meaning the guys won t be able to do them all justice. Still, they decided to pick five watches each to offer a decent selection and keep the episode from running over an hour. So, tune in and check out 15 of the best watches of 2025 alongside some honorable mentions. But before that, it s time for the weekly wrist check.This video is blocked because you did not accept market...

Another Friday, another list. Unfortunately, Jorg, our resident list maker, is out on a well-deserved holiday. That means I get to cosplay Mr. Weppelink for once. I will do my best to do him justice with a list of my own. This week, it s about our top five smaller dive watches!So, what is a smaller dive watch? Well, here is my very arbitrary division: <39mm is small, 39C42mm is medium, and >42mm is large. I know many of you will roll your eyes already. After all, it depends on taste and wrist size. And even considering those, a watchs diameter doesnt tell you much about its perceived size on the wrist. Still, we have to draw the line somewhere, right? These are our five favorite sub-39...

This year, Chopard celebrates 38 years as the official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia race, in which historic cars will race throughout Italy from June 17th through the 21st. To mark the occasion, the brand will release two limited-edition watches available only in Chopard boutiques. Let s take a closer look at these two highly different timepieces.This June, Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele will co-drive his family s vintage Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing along with brand ambassador and six-time Le Mans champion Jacky Ickx. The car is a link to two new Mille Miglia watches to commemorate this year s race.The Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Tribute to Sir Stirling MossIn ...

It s Friday, so it s time for another list. After visiting a few weeks ago to check out the novelties for 2025, we immediately agreed that the Genevan brand treated us to some amazing releases this year. Having a chance to see them all displayed at once gave us a good idea of the variety among the new additions to the catalog. We then went ahead and picked our five favorite 2025 releases. As it turns out, it was quite the task. We were spoiled for choice with so many great watches on the table. In the end, though, we feel this selection of favorites perfectly displays the great diversity among the offerings.Before we get started, here s a quick explanation of how we went about our selectio...

The Omega Speedmaster is a great watch. That s probably not a controversial statement. But is it a great first Swiss watch for those looking to start their way along the winding path of their horological journey? After some reflection on mine, I d say it is. Let me explain why.The Omega Speedmaster is an icon. It comes in multiple variations with automatic or hand-winding calibers, different case sizes and shapes, as well as various dial colors. There is, quite literally, something for everyone. We have seen significant price increases from brands with iconic designs, such as steel sports watches from , Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Cartier. The Omega Speedmaster offers one of the most iconic design...

This week s Top 5 list is a follow-up to last week s list. You seemed to enjoy the article about some of the stunning, exotic dials that has used for its flagship model, the Day-Date. This week, we will look at some of the exotic dials that the Genevan brand has used for the Datejust. There is an overlap, as some of you know, because used some dials for both models. So you could consider this a part two. Then again, while the Day-Date has long been s flagship watch, the Datejust is the more mundane, lower-level offering. Still, as you will see, that didn t keep from using some of the most interesting dials for the Datejust.Before we get into the list, it is good to point out that the dif...