Ah, Seiko - sometimes the Japanese giant can still surprise us. I say that because the newest Seiko 5 Sports field watch truly slipped under the radar. I think it s worth a quick look.That s right, Seiko is usually very good these days at sending us all kinds of promotional material prior to a release. We even get to go hands-on in advance at times. Still, the brand, on occasion, does use a regional rollout strategy that leaves us waiting for the news to hit us locally. Such is the case with the newest Seiko 5 Sports field watch collection, although I now see them for sale around the world. It s kind of an odd situation because these watches are actually a pretty big deal. Why is that?The Se...

This idea started at the coffee corner in our (former) office in The Hague with some of the other editors. Youll get $1,500 from your boss to go out and buy a watch, what would you pick?And it doesnt need to be a brand-new watch, it is also allowed to buy something pre-owned or even vintage. But I added a rule to this little game, inspired by a recent podcast by Mike and Balazs. You cant sell it and you need to wear it at least two days per week for the rest of your life. It doesnt need to be the only watch to have, but one that will last basically.What is out there for $1,500?This is not an article showing you whats out there for $1,500, because theres a lot on the market that ticks this bo...

It s time for our annual overview of Top 10 watches according to our readers. Based on the reads per article, we created an overview of the Top 10 watches that you like best. We have been publishing this overview of the Top 10 watches for a few years now, and we keep it up-to-date based on your reading behavior.In Fratello s 17 years of existence, we have covered very frequently. Not only because we like their watches a lot, but also because we know that you do. Did you know for example, that the demand for watches is unmatched on websites like Chrono24? In recent years, the demand for has increased to an amazing extent while the production numbers are supposedly nearly the same. Some ...

Today is fathers day here in the Netherlands. It wasnt until a few years ago, that I realized that fathers day is celebrated on different days around the world. Call me a bad son, but, to me, it meant little more than a mandatory call to my parents on fathers day or mothers day. That changed when I became a father myself, on May 31st, 2013. I now know what it means, and I happily call my own parents now to wish them a wonderful day.I cant speak for anyone else, but I remember seeing my daughter for the first time and the only thing I could think was, I know you already. That instant connection and instant love is something amazing. Someone called having a child a life-changing event. I find ...

I can look at watches with two mindsets: the first is the I want type, and the second is the I adore perspective. When it comes to a Tourbillon With Three Gold Bridges its definitely the latter, since funding will always be a problem so I want mode remains switched off. But I do adore the unique, robust, arrow shaped bridges that dominate any GP built on that historical foundation. In recent times, GP started to improvise on the Three Gold Bridges tune. And I now wonder, is the Girard-Perregaux Free Bridge a bridge too far?The first golden bridge watchmaker Constant Girard - the owner of Girard & Cie. - built was the ring he put on Marie Perregaux finger in 1854. When the two got married...

In a time where so many of us would happily consider blowing the whole budget on a single watch, this challenge will be a tricky one. RJ posed the question to the entire team on a team call last month. It was a very strict hypothetical challenge, but the rules were simple: we had a budget of $1,500 per watch (not one cent more), and they had to be watches that we d actually wear.That made it a tricky challenge indeed. Not so much the budget, but the fact these had to be watches I d happily wear in my day-to-day rotation. I knew I d have to do quite a lot of research and digging around. There s plenty of choice in this price bracket, but I can be a picky so-and-so. Lex tried (and failed) to b...

I really dont want to, but Seiko doesnt leave me any choice. The Presage SPB217J1, SPB219J1, SPB221J1, and SPB223J1 we had at Fratello HQ beg to be compared to high-end Grand Seiko GMTs. Maybe its like comparing a Toyota to a Lexus, but if thats the case GS has nothing to worry about. The first thing that came to mind while laying my eyes on these four new GMT watches was GS, thats what happened. So lets find out if we have to rise up for the Seiko Presage Sharp Edged GMT and run to the stores because theyre worthy GS alternatives, or if I didnt see and think straight when I first laid eyes on them.Why did I immediately think of Grand Seiko when I first saw the Presage Sharp Edged GMT? Becau...

I must say that I m rather intrigued by what Tudor is doing with its Black Bay lineup. Instead of going down the path of more steel editions, the brand has shifted gears into some relatively different types of materials. We pit two of the newest releases against each other to see what you think. It s the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Silver versus the Black Bay Ceramic.That s right, within the last month or so, Tudor has given us the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Silver and now the Black Bay Ceramic. Don t forget the Gold Black Bay either! Seriously, the odds were on new GMT versions with a Coke edition seemingly an even money bet. I was even hoping for a proper Root Beer, but none of this has happene...

This model is a bit of a curveball because, as far as Tudor is concerned, you can no longer buy this watch. It is, however, still available from several dealers around the globe and should be snapped up as soon as possible. It is identified by its smiley face dial. The curved text between the center and 6 six oclock indicates a non-in-house ETA movement resides behind the dial. So why do I think that this odd throwback means the Tudor Black Bay Smiley Face is poised to become a collector s gem?You don t have to be in or around the watchmaking industry long to appreciate that better isn t always better. Luxury watches are never just tools, no matter their intended purpose. They are objects of...

Lets not ask why Tudor thought is it was a good idea to make a divers watch in silver. Lets not try to explain the silver case from a historical or instrumental viewpoint. I dont think I can. Can you? I dont think anyone can. But when you look at it with an open mind, things are becoming easier and clearer. Because the Silver Bullet that is the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925, is a watch that sweeps in under the functionality radar and aims to strike at the heart of the watch lover. Lets find out if this Tudor hit the bullseye.Silver is a strange and specific choice when it comes to creating a watch that is, at its core, an instrument for divers. Silver is a relatively soft alloy that also t...

Batavi has been very successful with its Kosmopoliet GMT watch and is now offering a new watch: The Batavi Architect. With just three days left in their Kickstarter project, we thought it s time to show you what you ll get for $399 (~ $475).Batavi s Kickstarter project already reached beyond its goal to get things started. That means that this watch will happen, but also that you have still three days left to pledge for this Batavi Architect. After the Kickstarter campaign, the price of the watch will go up to $529 (~ $630). What does Batavi have to offer with its Architect watch? Let s find out.Batavi ArchitectThe founder of the Dutch brand Batavi came by our office to show us the new Archi...

Just before the warm blanket named Watches & Wonders covered the watch galaxy, Casio brought the important news that there will be a G-Shock smartwatch. We, as ardent G-Shock lovers, waited until this moment to write about it, though. Why? Because we didn t want this exciting development to get buried under the deluge of luxury watch news that hit the site last week. This new (rather impressive) model is known as reference GSW-H1000, and initially, it ll be available in three colors.Of course, G-Shock watches that connect to your smartphone and thus become a sort of smart that way, already exist. But a real smartwatch is a different thing. Such a watch will provide many more functions th...

I?bet you also have a bunch of watches you have always liked but were hesitant to pull the trigger on when the opportunity came. The Zodiac Astrographic is that watch for me. ?It was quirky enough to lure me back in for a second and third look every time I saw it pop up on listings here and there. The so-called mysterious dial with floating discs was no revolutionary invention, but unusual enough to be clearly distinguished from other standard three-hander watches. If you add a boldly-shaped case and high-beat movement, you have quite a story to tell. I guess it was only the $500C$1,000 price tag holding me back. Is it worth the money? I will try to answer that thanks to our friends from @10...

The JLC Reverso is one of the most admirable watches around. Its one of the few concepts in horological history that constitutes its own category that few dare to copy. ?You could mimic a Reverso, but you run the risk of looking ridiculous (of course, as a vintage collector, I have seen some similar concepts but none quite like the slide-out-and-back-on-itself that makes the Reverso so robust and, thus, respected). Even if you made a solid fist of it, it is unlikely anyone would pay attention. And thats probably why nobody even tries. The random and quite unexpected vintage branded Tellus (still shrouded in mystery) soon to feature in our ?#TBT column is as close as you can get to a Reverso....

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...

Get ready to smile. Honestly, this one lit up not just my day, my week, or month. No, when I first laid eyes on the Lima Automatic Meca02, I felt that perhaps 2021 wasn t going to be so bad after all. I laughed. Genuinely, I laughed out loud. Not derisively, but rather in disbelief that something so cute, so cool, and so totally off my radar could exist. Even after spending the entirety of my adult life in the watch business, I m glad there are surprises left to discover.I was contacted out of the blue by Herman Tantriady about possibly reviewing his irreverent creations. I d never heard of Lima watches before so I checked out the site. The Meca02 offered here for one of you lucky readers to...

If you reside in the UK, chances are you already know about WatchGecko. And if you ve heard of WatchGecko, you ve likely come across Geckota too. WatchGecko is a site dedicated to everything watches. This includes news and videos but, more prominently, accessories under the brand name Geckota.Although I thoroughly enjoy their YouTube content, the one thing that keeps pulling me back to their site their insane selection of straps. Today, we will take a closer look at some of those from Geckota s massive lineup.WatchGecko/GeckotaTim from WatchGecko and I have been talking for quite some time now. Not necessarily about this article but just watches in general. Me doing a piece on their brand ha...

Happy birthday Girard-Perregaux! How old? 230. Yes, the Swiss brand from Le Chaux-de-Fonds is 230 years old this year. Thats quite an accomplishment, and not one many other brands have even come close to matching.As such, despite 2021 appearing to be 2020 in disguise, the brand intends to celebrate throughout the year. The first such celebration is the new Laureato Absolute Wired, exclusively available via Girard-Perregauxs new e-commerce platform. The Laureato Absolute Wired pays its respects to the iconic Laureato, first seen 46 years ago back in 1975, while incorporating modern technological know-how.…carbon glass.We need to talk about this case. At first glance, it is the most stri...

I have to say, this week has been good. Ive had some real gold in the inbox. Usually, if theres one thing that comes through thats incredibly cool and exciting, Im pretty happy. This week there have been three! Yes, three releases, which all had me saying HOT DAMN! when reading through them. I ll share news of the other two with you in the coming days (look out for posts on Panerai and Girard-Perregaux hitting the homepage), but today it s all about the latest watch from one of my all-time favorite brands - the superlative Urwerk UR-100 T-Rex.My tastes have changed a lot since I began my watch collecting journey. For the first few years, my collection was 100% dive watches, and they were all...

This is the third time GLC Straps releases a strap made of vintage car seat leather. Ive had the pleasure of reviewing their Porsche 928 and Mercedes 190 SL limited editions in the past. Still, I was just as excited to open this parcel as I was the first time. Why? Because the leather they used for their latest limited edition came from an exceptional car, the iconic Porsche 356.Another first regarding this project is that GLC Strap produced a rally-style version?and?a plan vintage style strap. So those of you who are not a fan of perforated straps, dont worry; GLC has something in store for you as well.Porsche 356Let s talk a bit about the Porsche 356. The car had a relatively long producti...