Welcome back to another installment of Back to Basics, our series aimed at newcomers to the watch hobby. This time, we have a closer look at in-house versus ebauche calibers. What, exactly, is an in-house movement, and why should you care? Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will know the answer and whether or not it is for you.As always with Back to Basics, I invite our more experienced readers to share their experience in the comments section below. Lets make this as useful a resource for newcomers as we can together. Lets dive in!What is an in-house movement?Lets start with the basic definition of an in-house movement. We immediately run into trouble here because there is no single...
Collecting watches can be as simple or as complicated as you make it. For some, its a slow accumulation of pieces they like. For others, its a focused, evolving pursuit built around themes, eras, or even specific references. In this episode of Fratello Talks, RJ, Daan, and Nacho discuss how to get the most out of the hobby - not in terms of value retention or flipping strategies but, rather, in terms of enjoyment. How do you keep things fresh? How do you avoid burnout? And how do you build a collection that actually reflects your interests rather than the algorithms? Lets kick things off with a wrist check.This video is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie set...
There are many ways a certain watch can become your next target. Brands hope that presenting their latest creations and making them somewhat rare sparks your desire. For my next watch acquisition, I no longer follow a certain brand s novelty announcements. Well, in a way, I am following all brands, which I partly justify by what I am doing here at Fratello. I also don t have any more grail watches that I dream of owning one day. Certain watches or aspects of them do captivate me, though, and the Venezianico Arsenale Bizantino is a perfect example.I often run what I call watch projects. Such a project is always ignited by a certain model that, while very interesting to me, is not exactly what...
Although the Singaporean brand RZE has only been around for five years, it quickly cemented itself as a fan-favorite microbrand. Combining a strong visual identity with unique technical execution and very sharp pricing, RZEs founders have a winning recipe in hand. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing the next model, the Resolute Type A.Unlike most of RZEs offerings, the Resolute Type A hints at historical watchmaking. It does so, however, in a distinctly modern and fresh manner. Lets have a closer look!Type A and Type BTo understand the RZE Resolute Type A, we first need to understand Type A and Type B dials. This endeavor takes us back to the 1940s, when the German Luftwaffe ordered wa...
Ceramic watches have been around for ages. The high-tech material with remarkable qualities and an unmistakable appearance has a significant fan base, and plenty of brands recognize that. Not Moser. The brand from Schaffhausen, known for its unconventional ways, never ventured into the world of ceramic watches until now. But the retro-futuristic H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Concept Ceramic, with its textured red Grand Feu enamel dial and a flying tourbillon, was well worth the wait. It s probably also the first of more ceramic Streamliners to come.The fluidity of the Streamliner lends itself perfectly to ceramic expression. Thats why its a bit of a mystery that the H. Moser &am...
Theres an odd sort of feeling to taking a Explorer II into the ocean. Even here, off the rolling waves of Sydneys eastern beaches, you notice something about this watch that most sports watches I ve spent time with simply dont share: it feels in its element. You dont take a 16570 into the surf so you can show it off. You take it because it quietly belongs there.At first glance, the Explorer II isnt showy. With its 40mm stainless steel case, fixed 24-hour bezel, and black dial housed under a flat sapphire crystal, it looks like a watch built to work, not to be admired across a crowded bar. Yet theres a quiet confidence in that purposeful symmetry - a confidence that becomes addictive once yo...
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we hop into our time machine and travel back 10 years to 2016. As we ll see, in some ways, this wasn t so long ago. Yet, in others, it was a different lifetime. Join us as we look back on fonder days.This podcast player is blocked because you did not accept marketing cookies. Change cookie settings It seems like yesterday when Mike drove from Frankfurt and stopped in Karlsruhe to pick up Balazs on the way to Baselworld. Interest in watches was already running full steam, but there were differences. Social media was still in its relative infancy, and the Swatch Group was still exhibiting on the big stage with its multitude of brand...
Contr?le Officiel Suisse des Chronometres (COSC) is the largest Swiss independent testing facility for watch movements. Founded in 1973, this non-profit foundation aims to guarantee the precision of Swiss watches through a neutral, independent, and rigorous method. Watches with movements that passed the tests can be called COSC-certified chronometers, accurate to within -4/+6 seconds per day. The world has changed, though, and so have the standards for higher-end watches. To keep up with the times, COSC now goes a step further by introducing the new Excellence Chronometer certification.This new level of certification does not replace the original chronometer certification. Instead, it sits a...
We have covered quite a few Venezianico releases over the past two years. If there is one thing that stands out, it s how the brand has constantly raised the bar in design, quality, and movements. Midway through last year, Venezianico took a bold step into the future with the release of the Redentore Utopia. It introduced a custom-developed movement and combined it with a stylish watch with a stunning dial. In the next step, the Venetian brand introduces two new Redentore Utopia II models featuring a new version of the proprietary caliber and a spectacular duo of dials. It makes the Venezianico Redentore Utopia II exciting new watches to take for a spin.One of last year s most interesting Ve...
You never knew you wanted diamonds until you saw the two sparkling versions of the Bedaa Angles Mecaline Diamond Edition. Now what? Well, first of all, you need to choose between the Black and the Warm Gray versions, both adorned with a bezel and lugs set with 1.1 carats of diamonds. After that, you need to figure out if the price of the bright new Angles Mecaline - approximately US$5,353?before taxes - fits your budget. And if you can fit it in, you need to find out how to get one. And thats not going to be all that easy because of two things. First, the Angles Mecaline is a hot commodity, and second, only a few pieces will be made per quarter.Yes, we at Fratello have been fans of the hands...
We continue to be impressed by the watches from Brellum. The small brand produces a maximum of 299 pieces per year, which comprises several limited-edition releases. Today, we go hands-on with the latest model, the Duobox 39 Ice Blue Mother of Pearl Chronometer. Yes, that s a lot of words, but the important details worth noting are the smaller size and the shimmering dial.Indeed, it was November 2024 when Brellum released its smaller 39mm Duobox. This was a pleasant eye-opener because, while there remains a robust market for larger chronographs, folks like me enjoy a more moderately sized watch. Now, more than a year later, the case returns with a new dial that should appeal to women as much...
Sometimes, extravagant timepieces come along and light up my life as a watch writer. You should have seen the look on my face when three Gag Laboratorio Labormatic models landed on my desk. I knew that they were coming in, but they still surprised me. These extravagant watches display bold Italian design that looks like nothing currently out there. As a design enthusiast, I was more than happy to take these three watches for an extensive spin.Gag Laboratorio is the brainchild of Ruben Tomella. After leading Gag Milano for two decades, he wanted a different challenge. For this visionary new project, he focuses on creating timepieces that captivate collectors through design. To do so, Tomel...
The incredible wins of Jutta Leerdam (left in the header image) and Jordan Stolz (on the right) probably did not go unnoticed if you watched the Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026. Or what about the silver medal for the Italian biathlete Dorothea Wierer (center)? You also might have witnessed Lindsey Vonn s crash on the slope. The Winter Games are in full effect, so it s time for us to have a look at the new timekeeping equipment that Omega brought in.Olympic Games 1956 in Cortina, ItalyTimekeeping at the Olympic Games 2026What also probably didnt go unnoticed during any of the games are the bright red Omega signs and logos everywhere in Milan and Cortina. For the 32nd time, Omega is the offi...
Theres something about a tuxedo dial that always gets under my skin. That high-contrast, black-and-white look - usually a dark perimeter surrounding a lighter center - evokes more than legibility; it conjures an entire era of design. Think black-tie parties, cocktail hours, and the sort of aesthetic self-assurance only true contrast can deliver. In the 20th century, this wasnt just a dial design; it was a visual shorthand for elegance itself.Im starting to see it everywhere again, from classic dress watches to surprisingly versatile tool watches. That resurgence feels meaningful rather than nostalgic, so I wanted to spend some time with five modern interpretations of the tuxedo dial and refl...
It s that time of the week again - time for another Sunday Morning Showdown! This time, Mike and Jorg face off in a battle of rugged GMTs. Jorg s pick is the recently introduced Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Extreme GMT, which takes on Mike s Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT. Both are rugged GMT pieces with dive-watch roots. It s time to find out which of these two will come out on top!This week s contenders combine the functionality of a travel watch with the ruggedness and looks of a military watch. The Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Extreme GMT is the younger of the two, having debuted last October. The watch is available in two dial variations and costs $1,895. That makes it significantly more aff...
This year marks a significant milestone for Orient Star. The Japanese watch brand turns 75 and plans to celebrate with several limited?edition releases. Each model will highlight Orient Stars heritage, craftsmanship, innovation, or a mix of all three. The brand also seems ready to introduce several firsts. Among the five models set to launch in March 2026, the Orient Star M34 F8 Date with a meteorite dial stands out. Limited to 255 pieces worldwide, it uses the rare Muonionalusta meteorite, a material that formed over millions of years. It also marks the first time Orient Star has used a meteorite dial.As part of the Contemporary Collection, the Orient Star M34 F8 Date draws inspiration from...
If the Year of the Horse holds special meaning for you and you want to express that through a watch, things might get costly. Lunar New Year watches are often the domain of prestigious Haute Horlogerie brands. They will put their craftspeople to work to create highly limited quantities of intricately decorated timepieces in precious metals. Not Canadian brand Heron. Meet the Heron Mirabel Firehorse, a down-to-earth approach to Chinese-zodiac-themed watches with a trick up its sleeve - or, rather, its dial.Heron is a young brand from the bilingual region of Montreal, Quebec, and it debuted on Fratello in 2022 with the Gladiateur MMLXV, a dive watch with Roman numerals on the bezel. This time,...
Welcome back to another instalment of Back to Basics, our series aimed at newcomers to our lovely watch hobby. This time, we will look into ebauche movements. What is an ebauche movement? might be your first question. Well, this is the term used for third-party watch movements used by multiple watch brands. As a result, you will come across the same movements over and over as you browse watches from different companies. Today, I want to help you get some clarity on the most popular options and how they differ.This is the first of a three-part series. I limit myself to time-only and time-and-date movements here. Next time, well dive into chronograph movements and, finally, into GMT calibers. ...
Another Friday, another list! This week, we re starting a new series looking for alternatives to some of the world s most popular watches. We ll kick the series off with five alternatives to the iconic Datejust. The Crown s classic, with roots going back to 1945, is one of the most popular daily wearers. While its legacy is undeniably grand, some people want a different everyday watch. Whether that s due to their budgets or because it s simply not their watch of choice, there are plenty of reasons. For all those people, we have selected five possible alternatives to the Datejust.To clarify, in this series, we will highlight alternatives currently in their respective brands collections. We...
I live about 25 minutes from the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. I have lived there all my life, but I somehow never visited the museum. So, last week, when my wife and I had a free morning, we decided to take the plunge. This article isnt about Van Gogh or about art at all. It is about a poster I noticed in the entrance of the museum. It featured a quote attributed to Van Gogh: Find things beautiful as much as you can, most people find too little beautiful. My mind immediately jumped to a concept I like to call the watch enthusiast trap.Could it be that as we gain more expertise and knowledge about watches, we run the risk of losing our enjoyment? You can substitute watches for any field, but...
