Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

There's not just one Grand Seiko GMT watch to pick in the The Best Boring But Brilliant Watches In The World series. There are 37 GMT watches on the European GS website to pick from. And if you also include a few discontinued or renamed models from the recent past the numbers go up even more. What is most interesting when you go through all the different references is that they cover all the bases. There's quartz, mechanical 4Hz and Hi-Beat, and Spring Drive. And the different GMT's range from introvert to exuberant.Right off the bat, I'm going to throw something controversial at you. I am going to compare the Grand Seiko GMT line-up to beef. Not just any beef, though, wagyu beef. A steak cu [...]

Its Speedy Tuesday Speedy Tuesday-fan Dimitri from Australia contributes to this section with his precious Omega Speedmaster Professional reference 105.012. The 105.012 and 145.012 references (the first crown guarded caliber 321 Speedmaster Professional timepieces) are known to have accompanied astronauts such as Neil Armstrong, Edwin Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and others during their Apollo missions. Therefore these watches are getting more sought-after and prices have been increasing. The supply of affordable pre-Moon Speedmasters has been getting thinner during the last few years, especially those in wearable condition.Dimitri explains:This was the first watch I got for my collection. I [...]

Im just gonna be real with you guys the Zenith Pilot is the most gorgeous pilot watch I have ever seen. Since the fateful moment I laid eyes on my friend Lawrences Type 20 Montre DA��ronef Annual Calendar back in 2015, I have been obsessed with the design. For six years now, I have desperately longed to add a Zenith Pilot to my collection. I have bugged boutique staff, and Ive tried on nearly every version Ive seen in stores. Ive taken albums worth of wristshots, and Ive sworn it would be my next watch more times than I can count. And yes, Ive even opened a new bank account labeled Zenith Pilot fund to save for it. And yet, six years later, I still dont have one. So what gives?Well, no matter [...]

Luminor MarinaLast week I attended the introduction of a couple of new Panerai models. Their most recognizable watch, the Luminor Marina, received an update.Now, I dont want to ruin a party, but changing or even slightly modifying an iconic watch can be very dangerous. Weve seen that escalating with a couple of brands, including Rolex (remember their initial 39mm Explorer, or what about the Day-Date II. Both short lived.). Anyway, while I was holding my breath, Panerai built up the tension by showing a bit of background information first.I assume you are familiar with Panerai, we covered it many times, so I am going to skip the history lessons. Important to know is that Panerai has been a ma [...]

Like every Tuesday, it is Speedy Tuesday If you own a Speedmaster, or a Speedmaster is part of your watch collection, at least wear it on Tuesdays It is also a very good reason (or excuse) to purchase a Speedmaster new, pre-owned or vintage of you dont have one yet.This weeks Speedmaster is the new Speedmaster Racing. Weve seen it during the BaselWorld 2012 show, when OMEGA showed it to us in their press booth. Luckily, every year OMEGA takes the time to give us a private viewing of their new collection. One of the watches that caught our attention was this new Speedmaster Racing.We say new, because there have been Speedmaster Racing models in the past as well. Like this new model, it is b [...]

This year its 350 years ago that famous Dutch painter Rembrandt passed away. He is known as one of the greatest artists in history and Hollands most renowned master. During the?year of Rembrandt?the artisans at Jaeger-LeCoultre re-created the The Night Watch. Transferring the main characters of this iconic masterpiece on the dial. Together with boutique partner GASSAN they present the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso in tribute to Rembrandt.Rembrandt van RijnBorn in 1606, Rembrandt grew up becoming an innovative master and is considered as one of the greatest artists. During his career he created many biblical and mythological scenes. Many of them in dark, high contrast and large sizes. Thats also t [...]

When it comes to re-editions or vintage-inspired watches, we've seen quite a few over the years. Some are truly awesome and well-executed where others are nowhere close to being as good as the pack shots want to make you believe. The Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph is one of those watches you would rush to hold when presented with it in real life.Although I gravitate toward a certain type of watches when it comes to my personal collection (more rugged, sporty styles), that doesn't mean that I dont occasionally lust after something different. However, it must be said that experience has shown me these outliers rarely get the wrist time they deserve. Thats why getting the chance to wear [...]

Bart Thans, a Paneristi (amongst other watches) from Belgium, finished Level 1 from the famous TimeZone Watch School and created the project watch below with his new skills:Incredible eh?The watch has a handwound Unitas 6498 movement inside. Read the complete story on TimeZone here.If you dont care about reading and just want to see pictures, click here. [...]

Have you noticed how many brands have jumped on board with the matching-strap-dial trend? Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a striking design that falls in line with this years hottest look. Deep red juxtaposed with a stainless steel case gives JLCs most famous model a shot in the arm. This Reverso One has bags of character and demands your attention.If you're into bold colors, your prayers have been answered. The next time youre checking your watch collection for something striking, remember?Jaeger-LeCoultre's take on red. The rectangular design features a 30-m water-resistant case that is 40mm length, 20mm width, and 7.9 mm thick. Made of stainless steel, it features 27 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.3 [...]

Whos not a fan of the Omega Seamaster 300M?I guess there are some of you out there. Especially hardcore Speedmaster fans. I get it; the Seamaster 300M collection is not as homogenous as the Speedmasters. But I guess this is part of its charm. It includes watches that still look great 25 years after they first appeared on James Bonds wrist in Goldeneye (1995). Of course, over time, they changed quite a lot, yet the significant features remained the same. So, I thought it was time to take the new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph for a spin. In this case, the spin is, as you know, a week on the wrist. Is it going to wear heavy after a few days, or will I be del [...]

Water-resistance is always a hot topic in watchmaking circles. Although very few of us actually dive, knowing your watch would be unbothered by a week beneath the waves is often necessary to feel okay about doing the dishes without doffing your luxury timepiece first-To directly answer this one: Yes, most watches are okay getting wet, assuming we are talking about a bit of rain or the odd splash from the sink. If we're talking about being dragged through a piping-hot whirlpool at 100 knots, the answer changes. But why?Water-resistanceWater-resistance is a really misunderstood area of watchmaking. You only have to spend a couple of scrolls of the screen on any dedicated forum to find some cle [...]

If you are a long time follower of Fratellowatches you probably already know that we are huge fans of Omegas Speedmaster collection. We do not only care about the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, we also like a lot of the other Speedmaster models that Omega introduced since 1957. Whether it is the modern Speedmaster 9300 chronograph, a vintage CK2915 Speedmaster pre-Professional or something completely different like a Speedmaster X-33, we (almost) love m all. Like this Speedmaster Day-Date ref.176.0016 for example, sometimes being referred to as the Speedmaster Mark 4.5.We decided to do a short write-up on a Speedy every Tuesday. Just because. If you are willing to play, please send us a [...]

Of course, over the course of 2020, Omega introduced more than three Speedmaster watches. However, the release calendar was significantly scaled back in comparison to previous years. It seems that Omega took the feedback on limited editions very seriously.In all honesty, I somewhat regret the fact that there was no limited edition Speedmaster Professional for 2020. I love the standard Moonwatch, but I also like to add some variation as I consider myself to be a collector of Speedmasters. A limited-edition is not a bad thing, but what is bad, is that there are people who just buy them to flip them immediately to make a quick buck. It drives up the prices, and just as bad takes the spot of som [...]

This year marks the 5th anniversary of Speedy Tuesday. Not only here on Fratello, but we are happy that Speedy Tuesday has become a community on its own, where people share their love for the Moonwatch and other Speedmaster watches.Speedy Tuesday MagazineEarlier this year, it was already celebrated with the introduction of the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Limited Edition watch (which is currently being delivered to those who ordered). However, we now also are happy to announce the Speedy Tuesday Magazine. Thats right, a paper magazine. Although we are very much on-line, there is something about a paper magazine or book that cant be transmitted to an on-line medium. Some times you just need to [...]

Today on TBT, we'll have a look at what's become a rather popular vintage watch, the Hamilton Military Chronograph. It's a popular watch because it hits on two of the more collectible sub genres: the military and the chronograph categories. I stared at these watches, and their identical, yet other branded brethren, for what felt like a long time before I became serious about acquiring one. While I generally consider myself well timed in finding things, this was one of those cases, though, where I really struggled to find an example. Chalk that up to a vintage market that remains piping hot. So, yes, we'll talk a little about the buying experience because it was a new one for me.The Hamilton [...]

Everybody wants to be unique. That's why everybody wants to wear a Rolex. With an annual production of close to one million watches, Rolex is a paradox of luxury. Yes, the brand produces exclusive watches, but it does so in very large numbers. Theyre not enough to satisfy the market, but we've touched upon that subject in many other stories already. And to use a trusty clich|, all Rolex watches look the same. But that can literally be changed. You can change the Jubilee bracelet for a NATO strap, but you can also have a professional watch tuner make your Rolex into a unique piece. Customizing Seiko watches and G-Shock models is way less controversial, and altering Omega watches is also a thi [...]

Omega Speedmaster Plaisted Polar Expedition 1968!A sextant and a Speedmaster was all they had to calculate their exact position. Four brave men who had travelled for 44 days to conquer 1320 kilometres across the Polar cap reached their destination: the exact geographic North Pole at 90 degrees latitude North.The mission was led by American explorer Ralph S. Plaisted. The other men in his team were Gerald Pitzl (navigator), Walter Pederson (the mechanical engineer) and Jean-Luc Bombardier (scout and technician). All four men were wearing an Omega Speedmaster Professional reference 145.012. The same reference that was used during the Apollo 11 mission approximately a year later.During this mis [...]

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is largely focused on the most recent releases and developments, for many of us, a lot of the fun can be found in the sometimes weird and often wonderful world of vintage watches. It's a world full of history, remarkable watches, incredible stories, and quirky details. It inspired us to come up with a series of articles focusing on the best watches per decade from a select group of brands. Some of them are priceless, some of them still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best TAG Heuer watches from the 1980s.While the 1970s were a decade filled with tremendous chan [...]

Today, there was a watchfair in Houten/Netherlands. There is currently nothing on my shortlist, but it is only a half an hour drive from the city where I live in, and its always nice to meet up with some other watch fanatics. It seemed that the whole Dutch Rolex Forum crew was there. I also shook hands with a few of my forum sponsors, including JK of JK Watchstore.He showed me this new Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea, a.k.a Rolex Dipsy (ref.116660). Although Rolex is catching up with the orders of this watch, it isnt a watch that youll see often for the coming months. The watch is BIG. At first sight, a lot bigger than my regular Sea-Dweller (ref.16600) and my fairly big IWC Ingenieur (3227-01). H [...]

HublotAnd now something you have probably not seen yet. On the 3rd day of Basel World we visited Hublot to take a closer look at their 2016 novelties. The first piece we were introduced stole the show-for me, anyways. We were given the new Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti in black ceramic and 18k gold and I have to say, even though Hublot is not my main focus, those are some seriously nice looking watches. As we learned, last year marked the 120th anniversary of Parisian shoemaker legend Berluti. For this occasion Hublot teamed up with the atelier to produce 2 distinct models: the Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti All Black and the Hublot Classic Fusion Scritto.Based on the Classic Fusion line, bot [...]