The year 2022 will be the 65th anniversary of the Omega Speedmaster and the 10th anniversary of Speedy Tuesday. I cant believe it was already 10 years ago that I coined the term Speedy Tuesday, and even more, I can t believe what has happened since. But lets save that story for next year. Today, I d like to share our best-read Speedmaster articles of 2021!Today is the last Speedy Tuesday of 2021, and what better way to close this year than with an overview of the seven best-read Speedmaster articles on Fratello. Although we did not see any Speedmaster limited edition watches this year (unfortunately), Omega did release some very interesting new variations. But most importantly, 2021 was the ...
Shiny, tiny, and colorful light bulbs contribute big time to a Christmas mood. It s one of the many reasons I wear my Tourist Everlight often in the winter. After a long search, I managed to gather all models of the worlds first electrically lit watch from 1957.As merry and bright as Christmas can be, it has also another face. Some people enjoy it, and some do not. I dont know what part of the globe you live on, but where I live, the winter means literal darkness. When I wake up in the morning, its totally dark outside. And when I am leaving the office not late in the afternoon, its already dark outside. There are no lamps in the parking lot behind our office. When I approach my 1979 Honda P...
A favorite pastime of mine is to scroll through the archives of Balazs s extensive Watch Strap Review series. In most cases, I m hunting for inspiration to pair an ol faithful watch with a fresh strap. However, in this case, my investigation on Watch Strap Review centered around whether Fratello Watches had previously covered acclaimed British strap-maker The Strap Tailor. Surely, the emerging brilliance of this one-man-band(maker) had graced our Sedna-toned pages? Well, yes, but only recently, and not in the scope of a full-blown review of not one but TWO of his straps. So, let s get to it.We ve featured The Strap Tailor on Fratello before via the most recent Studio Underd0g Mint Ch0c Chip...
The Top 10 Seiko models of all time - what an audacious subject! Yet, here I am after a request came down from high. This one is absolutely sure to generate tons of feedback along with a healthy dose of ire. Let the games begin!As the resident Seiko nut here at Fratello, the challenge was clear. Pick the Top 10 Seiko models of all time. In thinking about that task, though, it immediately became truly difficult. I own somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 watches from the brand, and that truly represents a fraction of a fraction when it comes to the voluminous back catalog. How does one choose? Would I base my choices on aesthetics, movement type, (watch) culture impact, or some other set of g...
What better way to make the most wonderful time of the year even better than by giving your watch-loving loved ones some of the coolest goodies out there? Big budget or small budget, the Fratello Watches Holiday Gift Guide has you covered. With picks ranging from $15 Christmas decorations from NOMOS all the way to $730 for the Bennet Winch watch roll (and above), theres bound to be something for everyone. So check out these carefully selected picks from our editors and treat your loved one (or yourself) to one of these great gifts. Tis the season after all!You may notice that some of our editors gift ideas below have already been covered on the site this year. And if thats not testament that...
This year was a letdown, to be truthful. I was expecting - no, demanding - a joyous, amazing year filled with nothing but celebration and the burning of face masks, but alas, this was not the case. But even with the pandemic still roaming the world, Bvlgari was poised for the start of revenge spending with some rather tempting releases in 2021.That s right, a trend that has sparked an application to the Collins Dictionary for a new English term. I don t have to explain, but here you go - spending excessively after a period when one has had limited opportunities to spend.?We expected everything to subside, and it didn t. But Bvlgari did its Roman-Swiss best to distract us from January to Gene...
It s a valid question, but to answer it, we also need to add another word to the equation - chronometer. You ve probably heard of a chronometer (different from a chronograph), and it may even be written on the watch that you re wearing right now. But, what is COSC? And what is a chronometer?Ten points if you worked out that COSC is an acronym. I m sorry to say those points aren t worth anything, and you can t trade them in. Points are nice to have, though, even if they don t mean prizes. It stands for Contr?le Officiel Suisse des Chronometres, also known as the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. You can see why people stick to COSC; it s far less of a mouthful.Tell me more about t...
It might be too late to surprise yourself with a strap or two for Christmas, and the internet is flooded with gift guides anyways. So, let s just say that if your watch needs a new pair of shoes (God, how I hate that expression), we might have something in store for you. Asketica, a small strap atelier, and Semyon, the name behind the brand, hail from Russia. He creates beautiful leather straps in traditional and classic colors and styles. We are lucky to have him and Asketica on Watch Strap Review this month. Let s dig in.Last month s article was about Terrycrafted, a talented guy from Canada. If you have not read that article yet, make sure you do now. Today, we jet back to Europe and a bi...
This article is all about the gold Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11, reference BA145.022-69. The gold commemorative watch was presented to all the active NASA astronauts in 1969, to the US President and Vice President, as well as to some other officials. It also became available to the public, with a slightly different inscription on its gold case back.Weve covered it very often, especially when an astronauts gold Speedmaster has come to the surface or when we saw an interesting example for sale or at an auction. This gold Speedmaster is also referred to as a Tribute to Astronauts watch. It was the first gold Speedmaster that Omega created, and it was offered to the active astronauts...
So youve heard of Damascus Steel, but what on Earth is Timascus? Its not exactly the most commonly known or used material. Still, its underground, cult-like popularity in the circles where it is known makes it interesting. With its brightly colored, acid-trip-like aesthetic, I can see why some people adore it. So, lets take a look and find out what it is.Whereas Damascus steel is a general term given to pattern-welded steel alloys, Timascus is a trademarked brand name. Broadly speaking, we are talking about a titanium version of Damascus steel, with different titanium alloys pattern-welded together. Timascus is a simple portmanteau of Titanium and Damascus. The term Timascus is slowly becomi...
Blued screws: we ve likely all seen them before through display case backs. If not, we ve probably heard the term used before, and it s pretty self-explanatory. The real question is why? Why did watchmakers blue the screws of their movements? Well, as we ve found out with many other finishing techniques, blued screws hold a functional benefit as well as an aesthetic one.Many lower-cost modern watch movements try to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to decoration. Blued screws are more attractive than their bare metal counterparts - there s no denying that. The catch here is that they rely on simple, cheaper methods to achieve the blue color without the same tangible benefits. After all, as...
It doesn t feel like much time has passed since my previous Why I bought- article. My subject last time was the new caliber 3861 Moonwatch with sapphire crystal. I find myself reaching into my admittedly shallower pockets again for another brand new 2021 Omega watch under five months later. This time it was the turn of the heritage diving watch, the Seamaster 300. Another new watch isn t doing my vintage watch street cred, nor bank account, any good. And I already have the Tudor Black Bay to fulfill my dreams of diving with Jacques Cousteau. So, where did the urge to own the new Seamaster 300 come from? Let s find out.Firstly, what is the Seamaster 300? The Seamaster is one of Omega s most p...
I dont know about you, but I love to appreciate the watches I wear. Not just from the dial side but from the inside out. Theres a reason that were drawn to mechanical watches; theyre mini works of art for the wrist. Art is beautiful, and so are watch movements. Most brands employ a wide variety of finishing techniques to ensure the movements look as good as they perform. The one I want to look at today is perlage.Like Geneva stripes, you can commonly find perlage in movements of varying price brackets. In my opinion, perlage is not the prettiest of finishes, despite looking rather attractive. By that, I mean its not quite as visually appealing as Geneva stripes or hammered surface finishes. ...
Today, we take a brief look at the new Ollech & Wajs OW 350Cl, a watch inspired by a Swiss military motorcycle. This is a fun one with attractive specs, so let s twist the throttle and go for a ride.I ve been following Ollech & Wajs over the last several years since the company has been going through somewhat of a rebirth. I must say that I really like what they re doing. It probably doesn t count for much, but they have a really good website (not always a given in this industry) and their watches look great. The Zrich-based brand is building rugged tool watches with some great details. Today s OW 350Cl is the latest addition and it brings some the right amount of flair.The Ollech &...
A great watch dial is made beautiful by techniques such as guilloche. Created by skilled artisans called guillocheurs, who pour thousands of hours into their work, guilloche is the art of engraving fine and intricate patterns on metal with the use of a rose engine, straight-line engine, or brocading machine. Traditional guilloche methods are slowly dying out, as computer automation paves the way for cheap and precise but cold detailing on watches. Guilloche, once a thriving art form taught in dedicated schools, is now used only by a few specialist brands.Guilloche is created by operating the cranks of the machine to orientate the dial of a watch. The guillocheur then applies pressure to the ...
We re all familiar with stainless steel; after all, it s the most commonly used material for cases and bracelets. It s a hard, silver-colored metal that is relatively easy to machine and mold. Great, but what is Damascus Steel? It may look like some mythical metal, ripped straight from the pages of Tolkien s The Lord Of The Rings. Still, the beautifully undulating patterns of Damascus Steel actually originate in the real world rather than in Middle Earth.While you may think that Damascus Steel was first invented purely for its attractive qualities, it was actually the remarkable physical properties that made it so highly sought after. Still, it began to lose its prominence around the turn of...
I love my gold Omega Speedmaster, but it took me quite some time to warm up to the idea of having a sports or tool watch in gold. The Omega Speedmaster was initially meant as a tool watch, for sportspeople and scientists. We all know the old advertisements with the racing car and the Speedmaster featured as a timing device. To make one of these watches in precious metal was then not such an obvious choice. However, hindsight is 20/20 and we now know that there s nothing quite as special as a Speedmaster in gold!Essentially, I still feel that a tool watch shouldnt be made of gold. Or, better said, a watch you will use as a tool watch. However, I also believe that a) you should buy and wear wh...
After what feels like a lifetime, I m back penning an article for Fratello. Did you miss me? Did you even notice? I won t be offended if it s the latter. Mainly as the team at Fratello has been pumping out solid content all summer. On my side of things, a couple of significant events occurred that required my full attention. A job promotion and a house move in tandem profoundly impacted my free time, consequently pushing aside my hobbies. But when things began settling down again, I had one pastime that I wasn t going to let slip by. In July, I attended the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the south of England. And now, I want to share my experience through lens and literature.If you re unfamil...
The Sea-Dweller 16600 was my first sports back in 2003. After owning it for over 10 years, I decided to trade it for something else. Only to come to the realization - a few sports models later - that the Sea-Dweller is, in fact, the one for me.When I started taking my first steps into the world of watch collecting in the late 1990s, I had to learn everything from scratch. Magazines like Uhren Magazine, Chronos (later WatchTime), and websites like TimeZone, taught me a lot of the things I know about many brands, including . Although the prices (and availability) were much more attractive at the time, being a student, purchasing a was quite simply out of the question.Back then, leafing thr...
Can you dig it? Just open your mind, your third eye, and your chakras and let your freak flag fly with the Casio G-Shock GMW-B5000TR-9ER. This groovy model uses specially developed Tran Tixxii titanium finished in an array of colors. Its heavy, groovy, and mellow at the same time. Just feel the vibe, go with the flow, and take a trip to see how this new square is anything but square. Right on!We already covered the G-Shock GMW-B5000TR-9ER when it was released to the press and then we went technical about an all-new titanium alloy called Tran Tixxii. Its an alloy that Casio and Nippon Steel Corporation took six years to develop. Tran Tixxii has all the characteristics of titanium - so its lig...
