Youve seen the Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time before but never in a two-tone look. Since Watches and Wonders 2024, there s the reference 5520RG, a very complicated and exclusive travel watch in rose and white gold. The colorway might sound very 1990s, but the sunburst dial is very en vogue.Do we start with the exclusive or the complicated nature of the Alarm Travel Time 5520RG? Since this is Fratello, maybe it s better to start with the watchs inner workings that put it in Pateks Grand Complications collection. The mechanism that makes traveling the globe easy is the in-house, self-winding AL 30-660 S C FUS. The movement is protected by four patents and allows the wearer to keep track of t...
Another challenge accepted, and this time, it s a hard one. As you know, $5,000 is not the -bag-filling stash it once was. Yes, I m old, but it wasn t that long ago that $5K was big money. Finding the best watches under $5,000 is not easy these days.I say that reasonably subjectively, even understanding Lex s point about expecting big-brand luxury for the money. And for some reason, some brands have deliberately nudged their prices just above the $5K cutoff to $5,100 or even $5,050. I ve worked in sales for many years, so I m pretty sure we all know the allure of $4,900 or $3,990, right? This simple psychology seems lost today, but I still found plenty of choices, albeit at oddly non-round f...
Some of us have had enough of vintage inspiration, while others can t get enough, even after 60s diver reissue number five. Spinnaker has just released some colorful takes on the Spence 300 Automatic, allowing the vast line to cater to both groups.The Spinnaker Spence 300 Automatic is a solid Miyota-powered wrist buddy that can go full-on retro. On the other end of the scale, it can be also a vivid, modern-looking, minty summer hit. Can Spinnaker s modern twist and the Spence s 24 possible looks be enough for a seasoned watch collector? Let me unbox it, and we ll see.Spinnakers wayIve long advocated for the smaller players on the watch scene, and my sentiments haven t changed. To me, brands...
One of the most whimsical timepieces we saw at Watches and Wonders this year was the Hautlence Retrovision 47. Presented as a piece unique for the fair, this watch is far from your regular timepiece. The design takes direct inspiration from a late-1940s radio built by General Television & Radio Corp. from Chicago. It certainly brought a smile to the face of anyone who had a chance to check it out. Now Hautlence is introducing this remarkable watch as a limited edition of just 10 pieces. Seeing the watch again is a great reminder of its design s brilliance combined with a stunning flying tourbillon movement. It s time to remind ourselves that serious watchmaking can also be a lot of fun....
We have a rather special Sunday Morning Showdown for you today. For once, we arent pitting two watches against each other. This time, it is up to two bracelet styles to fight it out. These are not just any two bracelet styles, mind you, but two of the most iconic ones to ever affix watches to wrists. This is the battle of the bracelets - Oyster versus Jubilee!Thomas will defend the ever-handsome Oyster bracelet, while Mike will fight for the mighty Jubilee. In the end, though, it is up to you to pick a winner. Cast your votes, and share your motivations in the comments!Last weeks showdownBefore we get into all of that, lets have a look at last weeks Sunday Morning Showdown. Jorg and RJ pitte...
The H. Moser Streamliner just had its Haute Horlogerie chops dialed up to eleven. The result is a thoroughly modern and characterful watch that cannot be confused with anything other than a Moser. What we get is the familiar Streamliner case with its organically integrated bracelet and sterile dial. Dont fret, though, because sterile does not equal boring. In fact, everything that makes this new model distinct is visible on and through the dial. Lets have a closer look.The new H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon with an Aqua Blue enameled dial is limited to 50 pieces and priced at CHF 269,000.The H. Moser & Cie. StreamlinerBefore we get into this specific n...
Quintessential, exclusive watchmaking is more than Swiss. Garrick is a brand weve covered before and one that has carved its path. With the new S3 MK2, Garrick offers, along with other European brands like Gr?nefeld, a studied alternative to timepieces from the Alpine valleys.With a range spanning three-handers like the S6 to the Regulator MK2 with its big, charming balance wheel, all Garrick models are exceptional. And by that, I mean that they embody a tempting combination of small output, hand assembly, and vast bespoke options.Understanding GarrickGarrick Watchmakers is based in a dedicated atelier in Norfolk, England (though the brand s down-to-earth leader would probably rather call it...
The Frederique Constant Highlife Chronograph debuted about two years ago. To set it on the right track, the watch came in black and blue panda versions in stainless steel. Now the Dutch-led brand of Swiss-made watches is introducing two new versions. One is a limited edition of 1,888 pieces in stainless steel with an opaline dial and green counters. The other has a rose-gold-plated case and an inverted panda dial in blue and silver.The original Highlife collection dates back to 1999. After some years of inactivity, Frederique Constant revived it in 2020 with three new models in various color combinations. The two new chronographs we re looking at today celebrate the Highlife collection s 25t...
Chronoswiss is on a mission to revamp its lineup. Today s Delphis watch trio marks the third new release in nearly four months. These three watches offer enameled and guilloche dials in cases made from gold or titanium. The brand also makes good use of its third in-house-designed movement, the C.6004.Today s Chronoswiss Delphis models are three special pieces with striking dials. They re richly colored, but as we will see, these ornate models are meant to be worn. They have robust specs and come with rubber straps, but each is a display of detail and craftsmanship. I ll begin with the common traits in the lineup and then briefly break down each model.The latest Chronoswiss Delphis trioThese ...
Another Friday, another Top 5! Last week, we highlighted some of the best recent Audemars Piguet releases. This week, we do not focus on a brand but on a style of watch. It s a style that Audemars Piguet is no stranger to, by the way. We have recently seen quite a few impressive perpetual calendar watches. The complication in itself is already mechanical wizardry, but with the right aesthetics and style, we get watches that are among our favorite recent releases. Let s find out more.Making a list of recently released perpetual calendar watches is easy. Narrowing it down to our five favorites is a lot harder, though. There are simply too many to choose from. So we added an extra criterion to ...
Summer is finally here, and if you re looking to spice up your Speedmaster this season, these new straps from Singaporean brand Delugs may just be the way to do it! The new Delugs CTS Rubber Straps are available now in 12 different colors. With curved ends, a spring-loaded clasp, and a cut-to-size construction for ultimate comfort, these straps immediately caught our eye. We wouldn t be doing our job correctly here at Fratello if, when a new accessory for the Speedmaster is released, we didn t get our hands on it and put it through its paces.We re no strangers to Delugs here at Fratello. In fact, Balazs checked out the brand s range of leather straps back in 2019 and again in 2021. Jorg revi...
TAG Heuer recently released a watch that garnered quite a lot of controversy. This was the watch manufacturer s collaboration watch with the American fashion brand Kith. The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith - or Kith Heuer - was controversial but not because it was in any way a bad release. In fact, in many ways, it was a piece of marketing genius. For a couple of weeks, it seemed everyone in the watch world was talking about the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Kith. And as they say, any publicity is good publicity.In a recent episode of Fratello On Air, my colleagues Mike and Balazs noted the global reaction to the Kith Heuer. You can listen to their thoughts on the subject here.A controversial limited rel...
What if you like watches, dont like sports, but also dont want to disappoint your partner who likes watching every sporting event on television? Well, you play nice, sit on the same couch, and watch the same screen, but instead of following the game, you create your very own called Spot the Watch. You can practice your skills during the last few football matches played in Germany for the UEFA Euro 2024, improve them during the Tour de France and Wimbledon, and be at the peak of your performance during the Olympics. And if enough people worldwide play along, watch spotting might become an Olympic sport by the time the 2028 Games in Los Angeles roll around.Watch spotting during big sporting ev...
A gift for a man who has everything . . . even a sports car! says the 1959 ad promoting the Benrus Competition, a watch personalized with one of eight car crests. Besides this Mercedes version, Porsche, MG, Jaguar, Triumph, Corvette, VW, and Thunderbird models were available.I admit that I saw this watch for the first time this week when it was listed by one of the watch dealers I like to follow. Now and then, Avocado Vintage Watches surprises me with a watch I haven t seen before or one that hasn t resurfaced for a long time. As a classic car enthusiast, I was instantly attracted to this watch. Not to mention, it looks like an Omega Seamaster CK2913 twin. I don t want to play Mr. Wikipedia,...
The Ming 37.08 Starlight is the brand s newest release, and it s a natural beauty that reacts dramatically to the light. As we ll see, this watch uses the latest case format, which fits well on wrists of various sizes. Potential buyers will also like that a bracelet is standard and that the model will be produced annually.Aventurine is one of my favorite dial mediums. I can recall seeing the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonphase Aventurine and was taken by the sparkly purplish material. Sparkly surfaces aren t my normal inclination, but aventurine is a form of quartzite rock, and because it s natural, I enjoy it. That Omega model came out in 2012, and since then, many other brands have us...
I m surprised we ve never covered the previous version of Vero s Open Water. It s a no-nonsense 41mm watch with a DLC-coated bezel and a selection of colorful dials. I remember it was quite a hit on Instagram when it came out. Now, based on that predecessor, the US-based brand is introducing the Vero Open Water 38. It has a similar clean design as before, but it comes in a smaller 38mm size, has a Cerakoted dial and bezel, and features an updated bracelet. Today, I ll take a quick look.Vero calls itself the champion of the modern American field watch. That s quite the statement to make, but I think I have to agree with it. Watches like the USDA Forest Service Editions and the Workhorse are c...
I love Ressence, and I love classic night divers, so when I read that the Belgian brand would release a version of its Type 5 dive watch with a full-lume dial, I was all eyes and ears. But I was also curious to discover how Ressence founder Beno?t Mintiens would make that work. My initial thought was that he d take the existing Black Black version of the Type 5 and equip it with a white luminous dial. Doing so would create a version with the traditional look of a night diver. But we are talking about Ressence here. Traditional is not part of the brand s vocabulary. Instead, we are treated to a beautiful gray version of the watch. The result is another striking timepiece that proves that Ress...
Blancpain introduces a new Bathyscaphe Quantieme Complet in black ceramic and two dial colors as well as a brand-new bracelet in full ceramic. The Maison is doubling down on its zirconium dioxide offerings to great effect. The new bracelet will be available as an additional option to several existing ceramic Bathyscaphes, broadening your range of choices. Lets have a look at these releases from the watchmakers from Le Brassus.Blancpain Fifty Fathoms BathyscapheBlancpain is perhaps most famous for its trailblazing Fifty Fathoms. The Bathyscaphe version of it debuted in the late 1950s. Blancpain intended it to be a more wearable counterpart to the pretty hardcore regular Fifty Fathoms. After a...
Hi there! Welcome to the latest episode of your favorite watch podcast, Fratello Talks. This week, Nacho is joined by Daan and Lex to run through some of their favorite recently released watches. Having not done one of these recaps for a while, we thought we d look back to some of the latest introductions post Watches and Wonders. As you might have come to expect, we ve seen a ton of new watches released from the world s biggest brands. However, there are also a handful of novelties from less popular brands that we also show some love to. Tune in to check out this summary of our favorites! But before we dive into the new watches, let s see which ones are on the wrist today.This video is bloc...
The Gravitymaster isn t the best-known model in G-Shock s Master of G series, but it is just as capable and impressive as its collection mates. The newest addition to the Gravitymaster lineup is the GR-B300 series with a design inspired by fighter jets. These three watches feature a fully analog display focused on providing info for all your adventures in the sky. It makes these three new models interesting oddballs in the Master of G series, and that s why it s time to find out more.G-Shock is one of those brands that constantly adds new models to the lineup. Blink once, and you might miss some of them. One of the perks of being a Fratello writer is that I have a chance to go hands-on with ...
