Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

With the new management at the helm at Breitling and the increased focus on appealing to Far-Eastern customers, you'd be forgiven for assuming classically styled timepieces, such as the Premier, were destined to become the norm.Whilst Breitling is streamlining their collection, masculine timepieces tied to the military still have a strong resonance with the Breitling community.New AvengersContinuing the Summit' ethos, whereby Breitling uses their own platforms to announce new watches to their own schedule, a slew of revitalised and reenergised Avenger models were unveiled in October 2019. A noticeable facelift on the new Avenger was the bezel with fewer numerals on the scale, save only for t [...]

With a little wink of course, but in a week when my Ploprof has been described by one commenter as the perfect survival tool, it seemed like an opportune moment to pick our top-five pre-owned survival watches.Well, I thought about this, and came up with a few more models for you to consider when its the end of time. Besides the discontinued Ploprof in steel, I selected a Panerai, a Breitling, a Rolex, and perhaps the sanest choice a Casio G-Shock. But one with a little twist, of course.All watches are pre-owned and picked from Chrono24.? Every week we pick a few pre-owned watches from Chrono24, the largest market place for wristwatches in the world watches that we love ourselves, or think th [...]

Longines is one of those brands that clearly marked certain eras in the past when it comes to watchmaking. This brand from Saint Imier in Switzerland has a rich history in timekeeping that goes back as far as 1832. However, from our own interest in the brand we can say that in the 1950s and 1960s, Longines had these wonderful Conquest watches with a beautiful gold and [hand painted] green medallion on the caseback. In the 1970s, Longines followed the Swiss industry with sports watches featuring integrated bracelets. In the 1980s, Longines was a well known name in timekeeping and sponsoring of Formula 1 racing (Ferrari). Furthermore, they developed and introduced their VHP (very high precisio [...]

For the first time again in a long while, I am super enthusiastic again about a watch. Ive worn the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Perpetual from the moment I picked it up, till the very last hour before I had to hand it over again.Yes, we need to give back the watches that we review. In most cases I am not particularly sad about it, it is our work to do so. However, it has been quite a while ago that a watch made me super enthusiastic again for my own wishlist. Especially a watch in the higher end, with a nice complication (other than a chronograph or GMT).Jaeger-LeCoultre Master PerpetualThis watch has been introduced last year, during the SIHH 2016. We already wrote about it in March of this yea [...]

Do you want something exceptional? That's not me asking, it's Alain Silberstein in an advertisement back in 2002. The Architecte Horloger with the mustache is promoting his new Krono Bauhaus, a limited edition of 250 pieces in many colors and one exceptional thing in common; a case clad in exclusive alligator leather. I spotted the reptilian chic Alain Silberstein Krono Bauhaus Alligator on Zeitauktion. And now I'm asking you: do you want something exceptional?Do you know what triggered me when looking at the reptilian chic Alain Silberstein Krono Bauhaus Alligator on Zeitauktion? Two things: firstly, the very recent trio of Louis Erard �� Alain Silberstein watches that popped up at HQ. And s [...]

Do you think Tudor is cool? Well, personally Im starting to doubt it. Tudor wanted to make me believe it's a cool brand, and for quite some time, it succeeded. But now, with the introduction of the Black Bay Pro, it feels that Tudor finally shows its real face once more. The new GMT watch, which looks so very much like the coveted Rolex Explorer II 1655 Freccione, marks a return to Tudor's old self. Whereas a Black Bay Fifty-Eight in navy blue, for example, gives you the feeling you're looking at an original design, the Black Bay Pro represents a different reality. Yes, though your watch might look like a Rolex, it is, in fact, a Tudor a more affordable version. Is Tudor again offering a s [...]

Paneristi (= dedicated Panarai fans) are famous for their GetToGethers. The best known GTG is P-Day, this year to be held in Florence, Italy. Home of the Officine.Last weekend, WatchRon (one of the Dutch Paneristis) organized a GTG for all Belgian and Dutch Paneristi. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to join them, but the stunning pictures they posted on PaneristiPix and the wristwatchphotoblog by Martin make up a lot.A good GTG comes with a good meal, and according to some of the attendees in the Dutch Panerai Forum, the meal was excellent.Part of the Panerai fun is about straps (and changing them). Dirk Grandry, one of the most famous strap sellers, was also there, presenting a large collection [...]

Instead of discussing another Omega, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe or whatever, we have picked a Guy David watch to review. A watch of the price that some of us normally would spend on a leather strap for one of the watches just mentioned. Guy David is one of Gassans own label watches and we have briefly mentioned it before here on Fratellowatches.At first sight, this diver holds somewhere in between fashion and real horology. The first thing noticed is the finish of the impressive 47mm watch case. The sides are nicely satin-brushed and the top of the lugs have this Omega Seamaster 300M polish on them. I am not sure whether the designers were inspired by watches like the Seamaster o [...]

There is the flashy coffee table type of Rolex book, and then theres the other, more educational one out there. On which end of the spectrum sits The Vintage Rolex Field Guide?For the first type of Rolex books, you usually need more than both hands, as those books often have impressive dimensions and ditto weight. The paper is thicker than the cardboard your fridge was packed in and the pages so glossy that you need sunglasses, so you don't burn your cornea. We all know which books I am talking about. And we probably all have a few of them at home, myself included.The Vintage Rolex Field GuideThe book in review today falls on the other end of the spectrum. A lot of black white pages. Many p [...]

Pilots watches Love em or hate em, theyre one of the most popular categories within watch collections worldwide. With an interesting heritage and iconic design cues, its hard not to eventually be won over by their bold designs and supreme legibility.So, what are, in my opinion, some of the top pilots watches on the market right now that you can actually buy? Check out my picks, and let us know your favorite(s) in the comments at the end!IWC Big Pilot Perpetual CalendarI have to start this list off with a big one. IWC is well known for its Big Pilot collection, and for me, the Perpetual Calendar represents the very pinnacle. Now, the elephant in the room for many people will be the size. This [...]

This is a story by one of our readers, Vincent. As a kid he watched the launch of Apollo 17 live, sitting on the hood of his dads car parked near the Kennedy Space Center. Now, more than 45 years later, he decided to buy a Speedmaster to honor those astronauts and remember that magical night in December 1972.He wrote us an email with a great story that we would like to share with our readers. Vincent added:Thank you for the website you created. It would be an honor if you shared my story with your readers. Your work opens up the daunting world of watches to newbies like me. I would have never found my watch and new joy without Speedy Tuesday.Without further ado.Apollo 17 Launch And The Speed [...]

Was it close? Really? Was it ever going to be? The Tudor Black Bay .925 and the Doxa Sub 300 promised much and delivered a fair helping of competition for the ultimately victorious Omega Seamaster 300M, but did they split the anti-Omega vote too far? I guess well never know, but we do know this: after almost one month of voting and jawing, we have our summer supremo: RJ walks away with the title as the much-fancied Omega Seamaster 300M storms to the title.I also won too: way back in the first round I promised to eat my collection of baseball caps (nay,?all hats) if the Seamaster 300M finished anywhere but the first position in this competition. Im not so much crowing as I am breathing a HUGE [...]

Oh, to be young and not know the cruel sting of the luxury watch collecting habit. I was young once, and it wasnt as long ago as my impressive collection of crows feet would have you believe. When I was young, I didnt have a lot of money. But what little money I did have, I would spend on watches. One of those watches I bought (with a 70% discount in the Swatch Group Christmas sale) was the quartz-powered Hamilton Ardmore, a watch I believe Hamilton pitches toward its female fans. I dont care if thats the case. I love it. Twelve years on from that purchase, I still own it and wear it occasionally. Thats why I was thrilled to see the Ardmore feature in this intriguing new ladies collection by [...]

Its Speedy Tuesday This week we have a rare bird for you: the Omega Speedmaster Broad Arrow Rattrapante. To be totally honest with you, we kinda forgot about this one actually. However, friend of the show Ruckdee from Thailand (who contributed with his Speedmaster Mark II before) reminded us of this rattrapante timepiece.The Broad Arrow collection has been discussed before (here and here) and is a significant part of the Speedmaster collection.? This rattrapante however, only lived a short life in the Speedmaster family.Ruckdee bought it in 2009 when he heard that it would be taken out of production. The other reason or excuse is that the Speedmaster Broad Arrow uses a movement other then [...]

Jaeger-LeCoultre is not only a high-end watch manufacturer but a very important one in the industry. The company, that came to existence in 1833, has been at the forefront of innovation. The company's founder Antoine LeCoultre's very first invention was an instrument that was able to measure the micron. It was called the millionometer. That set JLC on a path that brought them 1,200 calibers over time. Jaeger-LeCoultre has over 400 registered patents. Their manufacture, still to this day, masters old techniques in the decoration of their timepieces. Guillochage or grand feu enamelling just to name a few. JLC is also an expert in over 180 different watchmaking (and watch related skills) in the [...]

Perhaps you noticed the massive Grand Seiko coverage on our Instagram (stories) already, but last week our Grand Seiko readers journey took place in Japan. With a some of our readers (from the United States, Belgium and Germany) who signed up for this trip, we visited the Grand Seiko manufactures in Morioka and Shiojiri.Grand Seiko Readers JourneyWhen I visited Seiko back in 2015, as part of their Seiko Media Experience tour, I got so enthusiastic that I asked our publisher (Ebner Publishing, who also has WatchTime, Watch-Insider, Chronos and Uhren Magazine in their portfolio) if we could do anything like this for our readers. With the help of Seiko Germany and Seiko Watch Corp in Japan, we [...]

Hamilton's 38mm steel sweetheart has stolen the hearts of many watch enthusiasts around the world since its release in 2018. Almost an exact replica of the Vietnam war era US government-issued field watch, the slightly more modern proportions make it a popular choice for an everyday watch. Unafraid to follow the bronze trend, Hamilton released its already popular Khaki Field Mechanical in (you guessed it) bronze earlier this year. Is this a perfect pick for the peculiar patinating alloy? I got a chance to spend some quality time with the watch to try and find out!Let me start by addressing the elephant in the room: no, the faux-tina used on the hands and markers doesn't bother me in the slig [...]

The long-awaited stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II with Pepsi configuration was introduced exactly at the same time as Tudor's Black Bay GMT?with a?Pepsi bezel. Since Tudor belongs to Rolex, this wasn't a matter of coincidence.GMT PepsiThere was never a sporty GMT model in Tudor's heritage, as far as I remember (or can find). I know about their vintage Submariner models, but I never saw an equivalent for Rolex' GMT-Master in their collection. As far as Rolex goes, the GMT-Master has been part of their history since 1954 when their reference 6542 was introduced. When Rolex cancelled their aluminium bezel models around 2007, that also meant the end of the much-praised Pepsi and Coke bezels. [...]

Guys, we need to talk about something. The watch industry is facing a crisis. A crisis of color. It may not seem like it, but trust me, its true. After all, in recent years, weve been thrown into an ocean of blue dials vaster than the Atlantic itself. Weve seen so many green dials, youd think a squadron of laughing leprechauns launched the worlds largest dye bomb into the very heart of Geneva. I could even name a plethora of brown, red, yellow, and orange-dialed watches in a swath of price brackets right off the top of my head. But one color remains largely absent from the modern watch world: purple.Purple? I hear you cry. Who wants purple dials? Prince is gone (RIP), and Barney has been off [...]

In this episode of Fratello on Air, we talk about the new Omega watches that have been introduced this week. The new Seamaster 300 in steel and in bronze gold get the most attention. But there was much more to discover Dont sleep on the 300M Black Black or the De Ville Tr sor. Both are stunning watches, but for very different reasonsYesterday we published nine articles on the new Omega releases. In addition to the rush of coverage, we thought it would also be nice to record a podcast and discuss the new watches. Omega sent us the watches a few days before they were released so we had time to photograph them and create new video content. Most importantly, however, we had the chance to experie [...]