Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

The illustrious psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud (1856 C1939) once wrote that icons are symbolic condensations. He stated that condensation Verdichtung in German occurs when a single idea (an image, memory, or thought) or dream object stands for several associations and ideas. Could that also apply to physical objects? You could state that the GMT-Master II is an icon. An icon of watchmaking that visualizes luxury, wealth, status, and so on. The world's most famous travel watch creates iconic consciousness because it creates social value. That's a big achievement for such a small object. But what happens when something so recognizable, so important, and so meaningful is changed dramatically? It l [...]

The SIHH 2011, or Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie started last Sunday and all 19 exhibitors are flooding press, social media networks and watch forums with information about their new watches.Below, youll see an overview of what I think are the most interesting watches presented during the SIHH 2011 (till now). For your convenience, I categorized them per brand in alphabetical order.A. Lange SoehneThe other brand from Glashuette that wants to and perhaps can ? measure themselves with the top of the bill haute horlogerie brands from Switzerland. Besides a few impressive new Saxonia timepieces and the Lange Zeitwerk Striking Time timepiece, A.Lange Soehne introduces the RICHARD L [...]

When Ulysse Nardin introduced its famous Freak in 2001, the idea was bold and revolutionary. More than two decades later, the Freak concept has evolved significantly. What has remained, however,?is that all the brands Freak creations are still as bold and revolutionary as that original version 21 years ago. These watches feature no dial, no hands, and no crown. Instead, these are timepieces with a revolving movement equipped with a gear train and escapement rotating once every hour to display the minutes. During Watches And Wonders, Ulysse Nardin revealed the new Freak S. The watch features a new, revolutionary movement with two oscillators and it comes equipped with a new case. Oh, and it l [...]

Apollo-Soyuz MissionSpeedy Tuesday Today we have another Speedmaster Professional from one of our readers and avid Speedmaster fans, Darren. He submitted this limited Speedmaster Professional Apollo-Soyuz with meteorite dial. A special version from 2010 that commemorates the Apollo-Soyuz mission from 1975. The Apollo-Soyuz mission, or ASTP (Apollo-Soyuz Test Project), started at the 15th of July and they returned on the 24th of July 1975.Speedmaster Pro 311.30.42.30.99.001To commemorate this, OMEGA already had a Speedmaster Professional back in 1975, limited to 500 pieces and with the Apollo-Soyuz logo on 12 oclock. Later on, in 1995 and 2000, OMEGA again introduced a Speedmaster to commemor [...]

Welcome back to our Watch On Your Wrist? Instagram extravaganza Tag your watch snaps with fratellowatches to be in with a chance to win!Every week, we select four images. You can vote in the article for your favorite image. The winner moves on to the semi-final round (held every fifth week between the previous four weekly winners). Win that and youre into the final, which will be held at the end of the year. There will be five finalists in 2020 and ten from next year on.Basically, if you like winning things and there will be a prize for the champion of 2020 this year represents your best shot. So get snapping, get tagging, and get sharing. And dont forget to vote for yourself ObviouslyView [...]

Blued screws: weve likely all seen them before through display case backs. If not, weve probably heard the term used before, and its pretty self-explanatory. The real question is why? Why did watchmakers blue the screws of their movements? Well, as weve found out with many other finishing techniques, blued screws hold a functional benefit as well as an aesthetic one.Many lower-cost modern watch movements try to jump on the bandwagon when it comes to decoration. Blued screws are more attractive than their bare metal counterparts theres no denying that. The catch here is that they rely on simple, cheaper methods to achieve the blue color without the same tangible benefits. After all, as in eve [...]

Rado and ceramics go hand-in-hand. First in square watches only, but since 2006 Rado is also able to manufacture round watches in ceramics. Rados latest is the new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic watches. We show you the new 43mm Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic collection.Rado shook the world of watch enthusiasts with its Captain Cook watches in steel and bronze, released over the past few years. Inspired by the famous Captain Cook watch from the 1960s. It is something that we all thought Rado forgot about, but they did not. Never underestimate those clever Swiss watchmakers. With the new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic collection, it seems that old meets new. Based on that same classic 1960s d [...]

It's time for a shootout round This week, the pre-quarterfinal shootout for The Fast And The Fratelli has begun, with Lex and Ben in a blistering fight. Your voting counts, as it decides who drops out ignominiously, and who comes one step closer to the podium. Today, lined up on the grid is the powerful Ed White Speedy versus the homage champ Uni-Racer from Massena LAB. This is the Norwegian writing the intro after fueling up the Uni-Racer with a distinct feeling of being the underdog in this race. But lets fire up the engines, and you, just vote!As always, both editors will be presenting their watch and giving all the reasons why they believe it should emerge victoriously. We're not just ai [...]

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. While the daily routine is largely focused on the most recent developments in the world of watches, the most fun for many of us lies in the 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 priceless, some of them still affordable. But all of them are interesting watches. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Zenith watches from the 1960s.In the 1960s, we witnessed developments that challenged the status quo o [...]

The watch that started its life as a car racer's companion but quickly went on a very different route.There are some similarities between a spaceship and a race car. Both have crazy fuel consumption. Both go C very C fast. Often they are both built using state-of-the-art materials and designed by the best engineers out here. All jokes aside, despite the similarities the Speedmaster was never intended to be an astronaut's watch. It was a trick of fate that turned a racing chronograph to a space watch. Omega had a different purpose in mind during the mid-50s when the idea of the Speedmaster was born. We all know the story of how the Omega Speedmaster became a timepiece for NASA astronauts (i [...]

The Beatles already knew that money can't buy you love. But it can buy you a watch no one else has. LVMH owner Bernard Arnault got himself a Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5740/1G perpetual calendar. You've seen it on the internet I'm talking about the Tiffany Blue one. There's a lot to say about that watch aesthetically, but it also raises a very valid question: will LVMH owner Bernard Arnault also become the owner of Patek Philippe? Not a Patek Philippe WATCH he can get his hands on any model he likes and have it customized in any way he likes it. Im talking about the Patek Philippe BRAND.You've seen what has happened to the Nautilus after Patek Philippe announced that the ultra-desirable sp [...]

Let me start by saying I've always admired the Reverso. It's one of the few watches that fully deserves the unofficial and often too easily bestowed title of icon. Most icons are evergreens at best in my book, but the reversible watch is more famous than the producer of it, Jaeger-LeCoultre. And that's not a controversial statement from yours truly, but something St phane Belmont, Patrimony Director of the Maison Jaeger-LeCoultre, once told me during lunch in Le Sentier. I loved the Reverso from a distance though because on the wrist it never felt right. But that couldn't be right, right? So I engaged in a very personal experiment with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso to see if the watch had a dif [...]

Don't judge and stop shaking your head. Just because there's a serious amount of yellow gold staring you in the face, you neednt leave this page. Just hear me out for a bit. If you read automotive magazines, today's feature is akin to that one article about an exotic that most of us will never ever be able to afford. Maybe, just maybe, we say that even if we had the money, we'd never conspicuously consume such an object because it would just prove so impractical. Well, live a little and journey with me as we go big-time with a look at the gold Omega Seamaster 300. Trust me, you'll want to hang around The Gold Omega Seamaster 300 is Over the TopA dive watch such as the gold Omega Seamaster 30 [...]

In 2018 Porsche Design presented a minimalist chronograph in an unusual color, driven by their proprietary flyback caliber.My interest in Porsche Design was induced by the Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 watch. That model had also been the watch that inspired my more profound interest in mechanical watches. It took a while until that watch found its way into my collection. But thats another story. Lets examine the 1919 Chronotimer Flyback Brown Leather.A bit of historyThe first watch carrying the name Porsche Design had been built by Orfina in 1972. That was the Chronograph 1. The outstanding characteristic of that watch was its color it was matte black all over. Case, bracelet, and dial w [...]

BR01 Aviation Collection 2013Bell Ross and its iconic BR01 Aviation collection has a few new instruments this year: the Heading Indicator, Airspeed and Climb. Limited to 999 pieces only, although the first 99 pieces are only available in a collectors box that also contains the BR 01 HORIZON, ALTIMETER and TURN COORDINATOR (introduced in 2012). So basically, there are 900 pieces for sale if you dont fancy this collectors box.BR01 HEADING INDICATORThe Heading Indicator piece shows the time using rotating discs. Three discs are in place, for hours, minutes and seconds. Bell Ross made the dial look like the original heading indicator instrument, using the W, E, S and hour indicator (N) on the [...]

As mentioned in our first story on Rolex Myth Busting, there is still plenty of fruit left on this tree. This particular myth is perhaps more meaningful than the last. For those of us who have already spent some years in this wrist-gazing niche, things have changed. The all too common sales pitch of In-House movements has never been so prevalent. What does In-House mean, and is it that important? Compare it to the automotive industry, and stand-alone Big Brands like BMW are proud to say they manufacture around 40% of the 3-series parts. Are watches so different that we should truly care? Well, I tend to say no. And the Rolex Daytona serves as a perfect example. So before we even get started, [...]

The Rolex Oysterquartz is a fascinating watch. Not only does it smash the myth that Rolex watches dont tick but it also hearkens back to a time when Rolex really pushed the envelope. I know we have a few readers who really love the model, including one who recently picked up a fantastic birthyear example (Warky, this ones for you!). This past week, I tried an Oysterquartz on my wrist for the first time. That got me thinking long and hard about the potential in its design.Especially in the current climate of integrated-bracelet hype, the Rolex Oysterquartz could be the alternative we didnt realize we needed. And, at least as of December 2021, its one discontinued Rolex model that still repres [...]

Fair readers, its time to return with a healthy heaping of Wrist Game or Crying Shame. Last week, we returned after nearly a month away, and I was able to set your pulses racing with a bejeweled Rolex. This week, we look at the Bell Ross BR 03-92. Before we get to thatLast weeks Rolex Submariner Silver Serti was a controversial piece indeed. It brought out plenty of comments, and those included words from column veterans Captain Dean Baker and the almighty Chow Their words and your votes sent this flashy diver down to the seafloor in a 67% Crying Shame result. I cant say that Im surprised, but will you shock me with your thoughts on the Bell Ross BR 03-92?The Bell Ross BR 03-92Ah, Bell R [...]

40 Years AgoJust last week, we published an updated version of our Patek Philippe Nautilus versus Audemars Piguet Royal Oak comparison article. When talking haute horlogerie, I have to admit that these two watches are definitely my favorite pieces. How much I like other high-end watches like a Patek Philippe 3940 or 5140, A. Lange S?hne Lange 1 or Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin, nothing comes close to how?I feel about the Nautilus and Royal Oak. Today, I was somewhat surprised to see the new Nautilus 40th Anniversary models popping up out of nowhere.NautilusThat I picked the Royal Oak for my private collection had also to do with the money to spend, at that time, it was far below 1 [...]

Drive de CartierCartier Hong Kong celebrated the official launch of the three Drive de Cartier' models and for this important release, an amazing party was organized, that lasted night after night, during the last 9 days of September. The Drive de Cartier time only' model was already available since January, but the wait was still for the more complicated ?Drive de Cartier' with complications and the Drive de Cartier flying tourbillon, to make the trilogy?complete.Nine BoutiquesSince the opening of the Cartier Prince's Building Boutique' in 1970, the first Cartier Boutique in Asia,??Cartier has realized nine boutiques in Hong Kong. Not those small shops like we have in Europe, but really lar [...]