Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

We are honored to have Petros Protopapas, Omegas Brand Heritage Manager, on our podcast. His first appearance on a podcast ever, and we talk Omegas Constellation collection. From 1952 to now.Our Fratello on Air podcast is available via Buzzsprout, Soundcloud, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Deezer,? Stitcher, and Spotify.Petros? ProtopapasWe cant imagine you have not heard of Petros Protopapas if youre into Omega watches. He leads the Omega museum and archives department, together with a team of experts and a watchmaker. Although he has been accompanying us on a number of events, those were all Speedmaster related. Its time to talk about something else for a change. We asked Petros Protopapas [...]

Oris, for me, is definitely on the right track. They were one of our Baselworld 2019 favorites, and weve seen many attractive products coming from H?lstein lately. The novelties we saw in most of their model lines, like the Aquis, Big Crown, and Sixty-Five were all spot-on.Only last week, on May 6th, 2019, a very attractive two-tone Sixty-Five Divers Chronograph in steel and bronze was introduced. This was the follow up to the full-bronze Carl Brashear variation presented last year. We covered those in our articles?Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph and?Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition. What we didnt cover yet is a special Bucherer Blue Editions Chronograph which was introduced in betwee [...]

Knight Industries Two Thousand, or K.I.T.T, the car driven by Michael Knight in the 1980s hit TV-series Knight Rider. Michael Knight communicated with his fabulous car (based on a Pontiac Trans Am) via his wrist watch.A??guy over at the Dutch DeZinVanLuxe watch forum, asked for a replica of this K.I.T.T. wrist watch. It seems to be a Nelsonic or Advance Digital Radio Watch.Someone in the forum replied that there is this Japanese site, with full instructions on how to build your own K.I.T.T wrist watch. The only thing you need, is a car to communicate with. Click here for the Do It Yourself page.However, if you prefer a more up to date wrist watch with similar features -), try the CamCo syste [...]

Its Summer and what better way to celebrate than to check out some new watches? This Week in Watches for July 11, 2020 is here so lets cannonball into the local lake and take a look.Frederique Constant Runabout RHS Chronograph AutomaticSummer and boating make perfect sense and Frederique Constant is bringing the two together with its new Runabout RHS Chronograph. Since 2009, Constant has worked with the Riva Historical Society (RHS) in order to preserve these magical wooden speedboats. These new chronographs commemorate that partnership. Available with either a dark grey or silver?guilloch dial, each 42mm chronograph will be made in an edition of 2,888 pieces. A small wooden boat will come w [...]

Almost all watch forums seems to have these weekly or even daily threads about whats on your wrist today. Well, in my case it is quite easy, the vintage Submariner I recently got is hard to beat on a sunny day like this ??Our friends over at the German Rolex Forum (Das Rolex Forum) are clearly having fun with this What are you wearing?-thread, hence the 469 pages (and counting) filled with the most beautiful watches AND photos. Forum member Kurt tops the last few pages with his white gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (I love the dial on the white gold version), this picture could easily be in the Rolex catalogue if you asked me.This white gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona has reference number 116509 [...]

Breitling made 1,000 pieces of this Old Navitimer with the red and white logo at 3 o'clock. That's a lot more than there are pilots in the flight demonstration team of the Royal Canadian Air Force. But no matter: piloting the 1995 Breitling Old Navitimer Snowbirds Limited Edition is a lot easier than doing barrel rolls with a CT-114 Tutor. You just put it on your wrist, close your eyes, and pretend you're a Canadian Maverick. Or Iceman, it's up to you.Of all Breitlings, the Navitimer is the one I like the most. Ive owned quite a few of them my favorite being the Navitimer Fighters ref. A13330 with its brushed case and bracelet and loved them. Unfortunately, thanks to finding myself tempted b [...]

Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame where, this week, well take a look at the Omega Speedmaster Teutonic. Get ready for a serious discussion, but firstLast week, the bulls were on parade as the Longines Legend Diver No Date crushed it with a 78% Wrist Game win. It turns out that many of you are just like me in the sense that you really dont care about such silly things as a calendar. This week, lets reach a bit to keep on theme with another watch that foregoes the dreaded date window. Our questionable candidate of the week just so happens to be the Omega Speedmaster Teutonic. Huh?The Omega Speedmaster TeutonicIll forgive you if youve never really heard of the Omega Speedmaster Teutoni [...]

As a watch collector, you will need to have proper resources in order to prevent from buying fugazzis, frankenwatches, put-togethers, fakes and so on. One of the advantages of collecting Rolex watches is that there are a lot of books and other publications on their watches to help you with this.Collecting Rolex watches especially vintage models can be a snake pit as weve mentioned a few times in the past. Even if you arent a newbie to [Rolex] watches, it wont hurt to come prepared. The books by Guido Mondani Editore are being regarded as the most complete and best documented works of art on the subject. Although they carry books on Panerai, OMEGA and Patek Philippe as well, they are best k [...]

A Datejust ref.1600 was actually my first Rolex. I still have it, and although that watch became a bit obsolete in my collection, I do cherish it. It is a classic and especially on a Jubilee bracelet, an incredibly comfortable watch to wear.Later on, I added a Rolex Datejust 16200 and even an OysterQuartz Datejust 17013. The Rolex Datejust 16200 didnt add much to the Datejust 1600 in my opinion, so it had to go, but I regret selling the 17013 a bit. That is an awesome watch, despite horological purists are known to throw a bit up in their mouth when hearing the word quartz or battery.I selected a few different Rolex Datejusts for this article, pre-owned models, that I think are interesting t [...]

I have read different stories about the (relative new) history on the Rolex Yacht-Master models. So, what else can I do on this wednesday evening and sort it out ). If I do a Google-search on Rolex Yacht-Master history I get a few hits, but the information in there talks about the introduction of the steel/platinum (Rolex calls this combination Rolesium) version in 1997. That cant be right, since the introduction was during the Basel fair in 1999. Lucky me, I have this Mondani book called 100 years of Rolex, which is a must-have for Rolex aficionados anyway, and all the Yacht-Master information can be found in there. As I am sure not everyone is eager (or able) to pay 275 euro for a book, I [...]

The GS Snowflake, or reference SBGA211, is one of those watches that really got to me. It does not happen that often (in recent years), but once in a while I am still swept off my feet when I see a beautiful watch. I've been writing for Fratello since 2004 and the times that this happens is simply very rare. Especially when it concerns a watch that doesn't have the same price tag as a decently sized car or an entire house. I think it has to do with the fact that we see so many watches every day and week, that the ones that truly stick, are just a few.Grand Seiko SBGA211 SnowflakeIt was in October 2015, when I visited the Grand Seiko manufactures in Japan (I reported about that trip here, wit [...]

Throughout the last couple of months, we have witnessed the great appreciation our readers have for the Grand Seiko brand. In our weekly Sunday Showdown series, many of the Grand Seiko models are incredibly popular. And there is more fuel to add to that fire. For 2020 we have seen a string of brand new Grand Seiko models as well as updated models replacing current models in the line-up. With the introduction of the new Grand Seiko SBGP001, SBGP003, SBGP005 models, the brand introduces three new regular models. All of them are powered by the new Grand Seiko 9F85 quartz movement. We go hands-on with the black-dialed Grand Seiko SBGP003.In the last week of January, Grand Seiko released its high [...]

When Omega introduced their De Ville Tr sor back in 2014, it was only available in white, yellow and Sedna gold. The watch received a lot of appreciation, but it was merely out of reach for many of us. Omega listened and came with a stainless steel version.Two versions, with a blue dial (that we have here today) and one with a silvery opaline dial. The Omega De Ville Tr sor in white gold is a watch that I looked at many times in boutiques, but the price tag of 12.800,- was a bit too steep for me. A pity, as it ticks a lot of boxes for a proper dress watch. A few months ago, during the Time to Move event in Switzerland, Omega showed us the new De Ville Tr sor, with models in gold and stainles [...]

Millennials might associate the Rolex Day-Date with fictive characters like Tony Soprano, but theres much more to this watch, of course. The Rolex Day-Date is the watch worn by Presidents, captains of industry, people from the entertainment industry, and all those who appreciate a timeless watch in precious metal.My first encounter with the Rolex Day-Date was relatively late. In the small village where I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, there werent many people that spend on luxury items. They were all over on tv-series and movies, though, and advertisements. Rolex is known to have some pretty fantastic ads, and many of them included the famous Rolex Day-Date, featuring people like Arnold Pal [...]

This year is superb for enthusiasts of chronographs After the introduction of the bronze Bell Ross Bellytanker (4900 Euro) and Tudor Black Bay chrono in two-tone (5240 Euro), Oris comes with a steel and bronze chronograph under 4000 Swiss Francs.Already shown to the guests of our ORIS x Fratello event on April 26th, but under strict publication embargo for today. The latest addition to the Sixty-Five collection is this 43mm diameter chronograph. By no means a small watch, despite the fact that 43mm sounds reasonable today the lug-to-lug size measures 52mm and gives it serious presence on my 18cm wrist.Sixty-Five Chronograph in Steel BronzeIt is no secret that I am a fan of two-tone, Ive be [...]

Speedmaster Pro Racing 3570.40Its Speedy Tuesday The moment youve all been waiting for. This weeks Speedy Tuesday is about the Speedmaster Professional Racing models, both old new. You probably know the re-edition that OMEGA did in 2004, the reference?3570.40.00 Speedmaster Professional. Last week, we received photos from one of our readers (Martijn Hofman) Speedmaster Pro 3570.50 that was converted to this Racing edition by his watchmaker. The reference 3570.30 model was for the Japanese market, but apparently the dial and hands are still available as spare parts. More about customization? Check Shanes Speedmaster Paramedic here.As you can see, the orange chronograph hands, hour markers an [...]

In the 160th year of Heuers existence, TAG Heuer has graced us with a string of Carrera releases. The year started with the Carrera Silver Dial Limited Edition. In June, we saw the release of the Carrera Montreal Limited Edtion. And today sees the brand releasing the new Carrera Sport Chronograph 160 Years Special Editions. These two new timepieces are the first limited editions based on the new Carrera Sport Chronographs equipped with the Heuer 02 manufacture movement. And they are an homage to a great Heuer classic from the 1960s.To celebrate 160 years of the Heuer name, TAG Heuer has not just paid tribute to its rich history. This year, the brand also updated its collection of Carrera Chr [...]

Welcome to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, where you can vote even if you're not allowed to travel This week, we'll take a look at the Rolex Precision 6694, a relative oddity within the brand's semi-modern repertoire. But first?-Last week, I tempted you with the 90s Eberhard Aviograf, a watch that few of you had ever seen. Well, seeing it the first time brought feelings of amore as you blessed this watch with an 86% Wrist Game vote. That Eberhard was a manual wind watch and, with the Rolex Precision 6694, we have yet another for your consideration. This one just so happens to sit within an Oyster case while sporting a screw-down crown better flex those fingers!Now before you start your collecti [...]

Every watch enthusiast can think of a great discontinued timepiece that should return to the spotlight in a more modern version. At the Fratello offices, we are no different. It inspired us to come up with a series about watches that the Fratello editors would like to see make a comeback. Some of the watches are iconic, some of them are less popular. But all of them are loved by at least one of our editors. Let's look at some of our favorites in this series. This time, it's Tomas who wants the 1960s Breitling SuperOcean ref. 2005 redone.In Fratello team discussions, we regularly dive deep into the archives of a brand to talk about some of the watches from the past that we love. As a result, [...]

Vacheron Constantin presents a strictly limited split-second chronograph (Rattrapante) as an addition to its Excellence Platine collection. The movement inside this watch is a modern interpretation of a classical Rattrapante movement with a number of enhancements, including a peripheral winding rotor. Almost every other part of this watch is made of platinum.Traditionelle Split-Seconds Chronographe Ultra-Thin Collection Excellence Platine is a strong contender for one of the longest names for a watch model. This name also is a funny mixture of French and English words. The French words Rattrapante and ultraplat the brand obviously considers too exotic for an international audience. Nonethele [...]