It s that time of the year again! With the end of 2023 drawing ever nearer, it s time to kick off our series on the Fratello editors favorite watches of the past year. It has been another year with an abundance of great releases. But we have asked our editors to narrow it down to a concise list of personal picks. And as Fratello s resident list maker, it only makes sense that I kick off the series!Whenever I get asked to create a list, I am usually pretty quick to come up with several options. I m the type of person who always creates lists, even if they are not necessary. I can t begin to tell you how many lists of different watches and music are on my phone. Keeping track of my favorite w...

In Dutch, we have a saying, Op elk potje past een dekseltje. That literally translates to, For every jar, theres a lid that fits. So, my dear Fratelli, the Hublot Square Bang Unico King Gold might not be everyones cup of tea, but it will appeal to some. De gustibus non disputandum est is a Latin saying that means, In matters of taste, there can be no disputes. So lets not argue about the aesthetics of the exuberant watches crafted in the Swiss town of Nyon. Instead, take note of the facts and figures that describe the 42mm gold chronographs with either a matching precious metal bezel or a contrasting one in black ceramic.Yes, I know, a lid on a jar is normally round, so you can screw it on. ...

In my previous working life, I worked for an investment bank, and seeing interesting watches around me in the office was pretty common. But this is different for many others. They are uncomfortable wearing their expensive watch to work for fear of negative comments or implications for their position.I also remember reading a discussion on the TimeZone forums many moons ago where someone wrote that it was not acceptable to wear a more expensive watch than your manager. Perhaps I am a bit na?ve and only thought this was an American Psycho kind of thing. Apparently, though, it s real because quite recently, I noticed a few similar remarks in our comments.Wearing nice watches to the officeIn cer...

At the risk of sounding too enthusiastic, Id say that Traska never ceases to surprise me. That s not only because the brand expands its catalog exponentially each year but also because it continuously improves upon the quality. We see increasingly smoother finishes, better bracelets, and, perhaps more importantly, top-notch dials. Each new model or new iteration of an existing one is a step above what came before. And today, well look at two new models from the American brand - the Commuter in 34mm and 38mm sizes. These are two models, as the brand puts it, that nobody asked for but everybody secretly wanted.?As the in-house specialist on Traska, Ive already covered a few models from the bra...

How many watches are too many? Very rarely are we wearing more than one at a time, and I normally find myself wearing one per day. The bigger question is: do we gravitate towards certain pieces in our collections? Is there a requirement for collectors to wear every watch they own? I ask myself these questions regularly as I stand over the watch box(es) each morning. This is a self-reflection but, hopefully, one that you will find worthwhile.I didnt set out to be a watch collector. For those of us who grew up before cell phones (not even smartphones) were ubiquitous, watches were an essential part of the wardrobe. How else would someone be able to know what time it was? Our parents may have e...

Fratello On Air returns for another episode, and this week, we re talking about our recent $25,000 watch collection choices. Lists are always sure to create some sort of kerfuffle, and these articles were no exception. We discuss the watches along with some of the feedback. Enjoy the show! This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings Our site s recent series on building a $25,000 watch collection has been enormously popular. People love to chime in with their thoughts on our picks. In this episode, we talk about them along with some of those comments, but we go in a slightly different direction. Stick with us to find out more! H...

Four months - that s how long it s been since I moved to London with my family. Aside from a week and a half in Florida, I ve been here nonstop. Folks often ask me how it s going in the overall sense, but they re especially curious when it comes to watches. Well, I m happy to report that on both accounts, the experience has been nothing short of amazing. London, despite the reports of its imminent demise, is alive and well!I won t kid you; I ve always wanted to live in London. Alongside Tokyo, this has always been my favorite city to visit for so many reasons. The history, the neighborhoods, the customer service, and the pubs (that might be number one!) rank highly on my list. As an English ...

Sometimes I go into a review without any specific expectations. When the RZE Resolute Pro Jet Black Enamel first landed on my desk, I was pleasantly surprised by its intense black dial. It s an immediate attention-grabber that creates an awesome level of intrigue and gives RZE s modern field watch an instant boost in style. So I quickly found myself wearing the Resolute Pro and realized it s a surprisingly comfortable daily wearer that didn t leave my wrist. Knowing that the Resolute Pro Jet Black Enamel comes in at US$629 makes it even more impressive. It s time to find out more.Having no specific expectations was a positive starting point with the RZE Resolute Pro Jet Black Enamel. I was s...

The day before its launch, I briefly met the latest Avenger in a restaurant on the outskirts of Amsterdam. A storm had struck, and inside the restaurant, one could hear the wind becoming louder and louder as raindrops kept bombarding the windows. The new Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 44 looked completely calm and collected. Unshakable self-confidence is what you want in a superhero and a Breitling watch. Weeks later, with a clear blue sky over The Hague, the revamped, now much leaner and meaner Avenger landed on my desk at Fratello HQ in all its oversized glory. We cleared our schedules and decided to hang out for a couple of days. Read on to find out if we bonded.The new Breitling Aveng...

Stockholm-based IFL Watches has been knocking out one customized release after another. The company s watches contain dials that are painted by hand, a process that takes time and demands great respect. For its newest releases, IFL Watches brings the Oris bear back to the dials of two special versions of the Oris Diver Sixty-Five Cotton Candy. The Oris Divers 65 Boogeyman celebrates Christmas with a nice hint to a famous movie, and the Oris Divers 65 Aeroman celebrates the colorful Cappadocia Festival, where hundreds of hot air balloons create a visual spectacle in the Turkish sky. They join the IFL Watches Oris Divers 65 Candyman to complete a whimsical trio of watches.In the last 12 months...

The modern watch world is dominated by a handful of brand groups. Think of Swatch Group, Richemont, LVMH, and the like. Whether you are shopping for a watch from Hamilton, A. Lange & S?hne, TAG Heuer, or Breguet, each of these brands is part of a group. As a casual watch buyer, you will probably not even notice. But if you look a little bit closer, can you see the effect of this huddling together on the actual offerings?Legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruijff is credited with stating, Every disadvantage has its advantage. Although, in actuality, this quote likely comes from Willem van Hanegem, it applies to todays subject. The influence of big brand groups is something of a mixed bag of...

The sports watch is one of the woolliest of watch categories. A dive watch has a set of ISO standards to conform to. A dress watch has a list of characteristics that should be displayed, even if one person might read those requirements more strictly than another. A pilot s watch has legibility at its core. The sports watch accounts for a significant market segment yet seems to be defined best as none of the above as long as it has reasonable water resistance. However, the Impetus CeramTech ZrO2 from Titoni feels like a shining example of exactly what a sports watch should be.Legibility, toughness, water resistance, and the ability to look good on a bracelet or rubber strap are checked off wi...

The Expedition from Boldr is the brand s self-styled daily beater. It has the dial of a field watch inside a dual-crown case with an internal timing bezel. The Expedition II saw a more angular case but with a similar dial layout. The Enigmath update to the series is more than just a new colorway. It brings a new dial style and additional functionality with a slide rule bezel.Often recognizable by its busy markings on a contrasting-colored, internal, rotating chapter ring, the slide rule bezel is mainly associated with the Breitling Navitimer but also with more affordable watches such as my own Citizen Nighthawk. I only tend to use the second crown on that watch to nudge the rotating bezel ba...

You might think that putting a watch collection together is easy, especially if you have $25,000 to play with. Well, it is a lot of money, and depending on your preference, this can get you a lot of excellent watches. Or how about a few very cool watches? I went with the latter. My New Years resolution for 2023 was to consolidate my collection and aim for fewer watches but better ones. That was the idea when I put this list together. Hence, I went with Omega, , Grand Seiko, and Cartier, not in any specific order.I tried to think of the brands and types of timepieces that I enjoy. While the complications may not be as significant, I tried to vary them here. Also, though some of these watches ...

Winter is approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, so spend a few minutes in bed and warm up with another Sunday Morning Showdown. While the opinions might get heated, the watches are icy cool. In the case of the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante, the ice-blue flourishes may send shivers down your spine. At the same time, the split-second snap may warm the cockles of your heart. In the other corner, the tailored contour of Parmigiani s Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante offers supreme comfort, while the stark dial reflects a wintery landscape. Which watch will win? You decide! So read on to get our thoughts, cast your vote, and let us know why in the comments.Now is the time to accept that sports watches ...

Since its founding in 2015, Sartory Billard has specialized in bespoke, customized watches. The company started by Ludovic Sartory and Armand Billard has been letting clients tweak the dials in its models to their hearts content. The results have been stunning, but there have been some limitations, especially on the mechanical front. For instance, if you wanted a tourbillon, you had to go look elsewhere - until now. With the arrival of the Sartory Billard SB06-12 and SB06-24 Flying Tourbillon watches, you can now, together with the brand, compose a unique watch outfitted with a propriety SBTV01 caliber developed and crafted by Comblemine.While looking at the Sartory Billard SB06-12 and SB06...

I was slightly over-enthusiastic when my daughter s first birthday came around. What did I give her? A Flik Flak with Minnie Mouse on the dial. I quickly realized, however, that it doesnt work that way. It took a few more years before she could read the time or understand the concept behind it (which, apparently, she still doesnt, considering she takes all the time in the world to get dressed in the morning on school days…). The first watch that she wanted and could properly use was a digital watch.She first started wearing a Garmin vivofit jr. (Princess edition, mind you). I guess it s still easier for kids today to read the time from a display rather than decoding the position of han...

Time is up! The polls are closed, and just like that, this year s Seiko World Cup has come to an end. You followed along and cast your votes, and we are finally happy to announce the winner. As you know, the victory was snapped up by the fantastic Seiko Marinemaster 300 SBDX001. This classic Seiko diver was the most expensive in the draft, but it is one that punches above its weight in terms of finishing, specs, and heritage. However, there is more to be said about the final match-up and the contest itself.There were a number of upsets along the way. We saw some Seiko classics go out in favor of slightly less obvious choices. Even the final contender, Daan s SPB317, which went up against the...

Another Friday, another list! Today, we continue our Best of 2023 series that we kicked off last week with dive watches. This week, the focus is on this year s best field watches. It s a genre that many equate with ruggedness, functionality, and great affordability, and this list confirms that perfectly. We have picked 10 field watches that we collectively enjoyed in 2023.I wrote an article about our five favorite field watches earlier this year. It will probably come as no surprise that they return to this list. The fun thing is that once we started picking 10 watches for this list, we thought that finishing it would be easy. But as it turns out, it was still quite the task. We ended up wit...

The last several years have been great for Aquastar fans. A consistent flow of hit releases shows that the brand is back on firm footing under the leadership of Rick Marei. Up until now, the watches have utilized an angular skin-diver-style case, and that left us wondering when something different would come our way. Today, with the announcement of the Aquastar Benthos H1, we have our answer.Aquastar has had great success since its relaunch in late 2020. Models such as the Deepstar, Deepstar II, and the Model 60 have all been met with a high level of fanfare. The aforementioned releases all use a very early 60s-style case design. So, what happened after this in Aquastar s history? Well, the...