Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

In 2021, Omega updated the iconic Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with the caliber 3861 movement. A very good reason to update our Speedmaster Buyers Guide as well!This guide dates all the way back to 2014, and since then, a lot happened. Not only did we have our own way with Omega and the two Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday watches (in 2017 and 2018), Omega also introduced a number of interesting Speedmaster watches to the collection. What about the Speedmaster Calibre 321 from 2020, or the new Moonwatch Master Chronometer models in gold? Time for us to update this Speedmaster Buyers Guide.In this Speedmaster Buyers Guide, we give you an overview of the most important references of the Speedm [...]

Omega Speedmaster Pro Gemini IVSpeedy Tuesday is here and this time with a Speedmaster Gemini IV limited edition of 2005 that commemorates the mission of 1965. During this mission, the first space walk of a NASA astronaut was performed by astronaut Ed White. Ed White was wearing his Speedmaster pre-Professional (ref.105.003) during the EVA and therefore the Speedmaster is considered to be the first watch into outer space.The blue dialed Speedmaster Professional Gemini IV not only has a dial and bezel that stands out, it also has a very nice caseback that commemorates the first space walk by Ed White. As you can see below, Omega has put the red NASA mission patch on the caseback of the watch, [...]

Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, a unique user interface allowing potential wearers of wrist-related objects to express their opinions in an anonymous, stress-free environment.? Today, well present you with the TAG Heuer Super Professional.? But firstWell, you all have a real penchant for watches named Submariner and that rang true with last weeks Tudor of the same name.? The reference 79090 the last acrylic crystal beast released by Genevan-based Rolex cruised to an easy 65% Wrist Game win.? Clearly, plastic is fantastic with this crew.? Well, a scant 10 years or so later, another Swiss-based company threw its hat into the ring and tried to compete with some big-time competitio [...]

On May 15th 1918, the first airmail service flight took place between Washington and New York. This flight officially established the airmail service in the United States. Mail service was contractual between the postal service and the operators of whatever means of transportations the post used. Whether it was railway or steamboat, the owners of these companies signed a contract to carry the mail. The US, however, had no commercial airlines at the time, so the airmail service was carried out by air force pilots (Major Reuben Fleet of the Army Air Corps and Lieutenant George Boyle) and planes. That first airmail service flight delivered 4 bags of mail including a letter from the Postmaster o [...]

I am not the experienced sailor that our editor Gerard is, but steering one of the racing boats in 2018 is one of the coolest things Ive ever done.It was a home game for us when the Volvo Ocean Race was held in Scheveningen in The Netherlands. Omega had a little surprise for us, that we could join one of the boats entering the harbor of Scheveningen. I often feel lucky that I am doing this job at Fratello. It makes it possible to visit places and do things I would otherwise never have done.Americas Cup Limited EditionAround 20 years ago, I just started watch collecting. I remember Omega releasing their special Seamaster 300M Americas Cup, with white gold bezel. I still have the official pres [...]

Sometimes its just fun to be grouchy Who doesnt love a good whine session every so often? Well, thats me, and today, Im going to talk about three popular modern watches that I simply dont get. However, I will bring solutionsWe now live in an age where there are luxury products that seemingly everyone has to have. No, these arent your run-of-the-mill newest iPhones or the latest Air Jordan sneakers. Instead, these are some mega pricey objects and many are watches. Heres the thing, though, as a watch lover, I just dont get some of these watches. Every watch Ill show you today is undeniably nice, but the secondary prices have the aroma of tulips if you know what I mean. Like I always say in my [...]

This year has been weird, I dont have to do much explanation here. It also applies to my watch collection though, but I am not sure this has anything to do with Covid-19. In previous years, I purchased more watches, and with a higher value per watch. Interestingly enough, the 7 watches I bought in 2020 range from 215 to 14,000. Make sure youre ready to see some quirky choices!For me, it is not so much about the price tag or brand name on the dial. I either like a watch or I dont. However, I have been known to be a bit rash on occasion. Several times this year, I pulled the trigger without really thinking about it. This generally leads to more amusement than regret (as some of the Fratelli wi [...]

My love of watches has gone through the phases many of us know all too well. A resurgence about 18 years ago involved a plethora of Fashion Watches with a smattering of vintage. After buying my first pre-owned Swiss mechanical watch, an Oris, this all changed. The last 4 quartz watches were sold off with a vow never to touch them again. Why then, is my desire for the ticking of a tough quartz watch re-awakened??Some days I just want to go for a run, fall over and sprain my ankle while sledding with the kids, or even just relax without a care in the world. The peace of mind of throwing on a bullet-proof quartz tough-guy of a watch is simply liberating. I might love my 37mm Grand Seiko. And I [...]

Welcome back to another Fratello on Air Podcast. This time, Balazs and Mike talk about their favorite vintage chronographs.Balazs and Mike love vintage chronographs and are keen to share the top three favorite pieces within their collections. Its a discussion of timers that spans the decades.Our Fratello on Air podcast is also available via Buzzsprout,?Soundcloud,?Apple Podcast,?Google Podcast,?Deezer,??Stitcher, and?Spotify.The Handgelenk Kontrolle and some newsBefore focusing on the main topic, though, its time for a Handgelenk Kontrolle and a fair bit of news. During this recording, Balazs chose one of his vintage chronographs for the occasion with the 70s Seiko 6139-7070. Hes a huge fan [...]

Right out of the gates, Patek Philippe releases two of the biggest show stoppers of Watches Wonders 2022. The first is the all-new Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Travel Time Ref. 5326G-001. The watch is a brilliant display of vintage-inspired style and technical ingenuity. It combines an annual calendar and a travel time complication?that displays two time zones. It is launched together with the automatic Calatrava Ref. 5226G-001 which features the same stunning overall new style. This is a pair of watches that introduces an explorer-chic that is brilliant. Lets find out more.The big introduction for Patek Philippe this year is the Annual Calendar Travel Time Ref. 5326G-001. For the timepie [...]

Every watch enthusiast can think of a great discontinued timepiece that should return to the spotlight. Not as a reissue, but as a worthy successor to the original. An original 2.0, if you will. That's what we talk about at the Fratello offices. And these talks inspired us to come up with a series about watches that the Fratello editors would like to see make a comeback. Some watches are iconic, some of them are less popular. But all of them are loved by at least one of our editors. Lets look at some of our favorites in this series. This time, it's Lex who wants the late 1990s Zenith El Primero Rainbow Flyback Chronograph redone.In those Fratello team discussions, we regularly dive deep into [...]

This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing, and with that, also the 50th anniversary of the Speedmaster Professional as the Moonwatch. Time to recap once more how the Speedmaster became the Moonwatch.Exactly 50 years ago, on July 16, the Saturn V rocket was on its way to the Moon (and back) as part of the Apollo XI mission. On board were fearless astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. On their wrists, but probably the least of their concern, the Omega Speedmaster Professional.On July 20th 1969, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module put astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the Moon. Michael Collins stays in the Command Module. On Jul [...]

The ultimate toolwatch the Rolex Explorer II, aimed at speleologists and cave explorers.Some time ago, Michael Stockton wrote quite a love letter (as one of our readers wrote in the comments) on the Rolex Explorer 1016. While the reference 1016 Explorer was being produced already in 1963 and kept in production for 26 years, Rolex introduced another Explorer in 1971. The Explorer II. This watch was not a successor of the Explorer 1016, but an additional timepiece with an additional function. The Explorer II was aimed at speleologists or cave explorers, who could lose the sense of time during their work. When you are not exposed to daylight, its feasible to lose track of time and whether you [...]

I saw the picture of the new Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 80 Hours Green Birch SLGH011 and immediately What A Wonderful World started playing in my head. I don't think the Grand Seiko watchmakers in Shizukuishi are listening to this evergreen song when they're putting together the new Green Birch. But if they are, it wouldn't surprise me, either.I won't get into the part where the beautiful landscape of northern Japan is a bottomless source of inspiration for the Grand Seiko watch designers. No more snow crystals only seen between January 13th and February 2nd. I won't mention Mount Iwate either. But I do, for a moment, have to say something about the enchanting forests in the Shizukuishi regio [...]

This week's You Asked Us is about the most asked question since about a year or two: Is this watch [name any model or brand] a good investment? Every single day we receive this question via email, our contact form, Whatsapp, or direct messages on our Facebook and Instagram channels. I thought it might be a good idea to give a generic answer to this commonly asked question, as we roughly give the same answer to this question all the time.You Asked Us: Is This Watch A Good Investment?Please don't feel offended if you read your own question to us below, they aren't bad or wrong, we just want to show the type of questions we receive concerning watches as an investment.What is a better investment [...]

When it comes to Grand Seiko's headline release of the 2020 calendar, there's a lot to discuss. Caliber 9SA5 is an entirely new movement released in time to mark the commencement of Grand Seiko's second 60-year cycle. It hammers home the point (as if anyone had forgotten) that the Grand Seiko mission statement is, and always has been, that the best can always be bettered.For six decades, the Japanese juggernaut has stuck to its founding principles. In the hearts and minds of Grand Seiko's chief engineers and designers, even the idea of excellence can stagnate if allowed to stand still. As such, they set about designing a brand new caliber from the ground up. And rather than save time, money, [...]

Tribute to Ferrari and Haute HorlogerieToday weve visited a number of brands, but one of the most impressive pieces was definitely the Hublot Masterpiece MP-05 LaFerrari. This watch is not only a tribute to the manufacturer of super cars from Maranello, it is also a watch that proves the watchmaking skills from Hublot. A power reserve of no less than 50 days due to its 11 barrels in the movement and a vertical tourbillon.The caliber HUB9005.H1.6 movement consists of 637 parts of which 108 are used for jewels. The large movement measures 45.8mm x 39.5mm. Hublot is producing this Masterpiece MP-05 LaFerrari in a series of 50 numbered pieces. Each with a price tag of 300,000 Swiss Francs (inclu [...]

I remember being very enthusiastic about the re-invented Rolex Milgauss watches in 2007. I am a regular visitor of several Rolex forums, and most active on the Dutch Rolex forum, as writing/reading posts in your mother language still works best. It occured to me that only few forum visitors/members have a Rolex Milgauss in their collection (or as their only watch). When I just visited the sales corner of das R-L-X forum, I noticed quite a few for sale, including those with the green saphire crystal called Rolex Milgauss GV.Although the odds were different one year ago, the Milgauss doesnt seem to be an immediate hit as I expected it would be. The period where prices were over the list price [...]

News from the? Vall e de Joux in Switzerland. Jaeger-LeCoultre proudly presents their AMVOX2 Grand Chronograph Limited Edition (ref?Q1972473) in 18 carat pink gold. Restricted to 50 pieces only and inspired by race driver?Adri en Fern endez who started his racing?career?in 1973. Why?Adri en Fern endez? Good question. In 2010, he became official driver for the Aston Martin Works Team and as you probably know by now, Jaeger-LeCoultre has a long term relationship with Aston Martin.Just like the first AMVOX chronograph, this limited edition Grand Chronograph also features the vertical trigger chronograph, which means you have a single-pusher system by using the sapphire crystal. Thats right, you [...]

If you, or your kids, find yourself bored in the house and in the house bored, you can now grab your Caran dAche coloring pencils and download Omegas coloring book.To be honest, I have lots of things to do and when I am not working I have my newly founded hobby with my fellow Fratelli to work on (click here). But if you have a kid, or more than one, you will probably run out of ideas at some point to keep them occupied. These days can be quite a bit of a challenge, as you know.Omega Coloring BookYesterday, Omega sent out a link to a wonderful book with drawings to all their newsletter subscribers. You can download the 20-page book from their website, print them, and start coloring. My daught [...]