Fratello
We’re back with another episode of Fratello On Air! We apologize for missing last week, but travel and visitors got in the way. This week, we’re discussing watch research, the time it takes, and the self-satisfaction obtained when uncovering a new fact. It’s another nerdy episode, but recording was a lot of fun. For our […] Visit Fratello On Air: In-Depth Watch Research And Myth Busting to read the full article.
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The Seiko Astron GPS Solar with an easy-wearing tonneau case design debuted in the spring of 2022. This series started with four models housing Seiko’s 5X53 dual-time movement, and after that, several models followed, including ones with the chronograph caliber 5X83. Now three new, simpler references assume their places in the core collection. The dark […] Visit Introducing: Three New Seiko Astron GPS Solar Watches - SSJ023, SSJ025, And SSJ026 to read the full article.
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This feature was researched with the help of Nic Barnes, who is a pilot, watch enthusiast, and occasional contributor for Watches of Espionage. Our thanks to the Schaffhausen City Archive and Schaffhauser Magazine for providing materials that greatly contributed to our research for this story. It is one about a remarkable man with connections to […] Visit The Olympian IWC Watch Designer Who Fought Nazis In The Skies Of Switzerland to read the full article.
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Call me old-fashioned, sentimental, or a man of great musical taste. In any case, I think the 1965 song “What the World Needs Now Is Love” written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach is a true gem. Some might consider the song a bit preachy, but people need to be preached to occasionally. Every time […] Visit What The World Needs Now Is More Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Variations to read the full article.
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Over the past year, we’ve grown quite fond of Raymond Weil’s Millesime collection. Lex first went hands-on with the GPHG-winning 39.5mm version. Then, Thomas took a few other variations for a spin. Those experiences led them to conclude that the Millesime collection is very modern and refined. Today, I’m looking at a few of the […] Visit Hands-On With The 35mm Raymond Weil Millesime Models In Stainless Steel And Rose Tone to read the full article.
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One of Hamilton’s biggest successes of recent years is the Khaki Field Murph. The watch became a fan favorite after it played a pivotal role in the 2014 blockbuster Interstellar. Then, in 2019, the Murph was released to the public in a 42mm version. Despite its great commercial success, most watch fans would have loved […] Visit Hands-On With The New White-Dial Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 38mm to read the full article.
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Sometimes, an item can become so ubiquitous that we fail to question its history. Such is the story of the Movado Museum Watch. Sure, there’s a commonly told story, but for an item that even horology neophytes recognize, the history is brief and lacking. What started as a typical fact-finding mission turned into an ongoing […] Visit In-Depth: Researching The Vintage Movado Museum Watch to read the full article.
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The Cartier Santos-Dumont was one of the first wristwatches ever made. Louis Cartier designed it at the request of his friend, the Brazilian pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont. He was looking for a watch he could read while flying. The Cartier Santos(-Dumont), with its signature square shape and quirky screws, is now a true icon. The Santos-Dumont […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: The Cartier Santos-Dumont - Current Vs. Vintage to read the full article.
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What is green, loud, and low and will go around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 22nd, for hours on end? Well, any ideas? It’s the Lamborghini SC63 hybrid racing car prototype! The number 63 “Lambo” in striking Verde Mantis, piloted by Italian drivers Matteo Cairoli, Andrea Caldarelli, and former French Formula 1 driver […] Visit Ready To Race With The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph In “Lambo” Verde Mantis to read the full article.
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Jaeger-LeCoultre creates some of the most complicated watches on the market. Today’s Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 is a stunning example of this. The movement may not be new, but it’s wildly impressive and sits in an equally mesmerizing pink gold case. This is one to savor for its details and artisanship. One of my […] Visit A Stunner: The New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 184 to read the full article.
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Another Friday, another list! This week, we continue our exploration of legendary movements. For this list, we have selected five classics with the famous Valjoux 72. As you will see, this chronograph caliber powered some of the most legendary watches that horology fans love. That’s why creating a list of the five standout Valjoux 72-powered […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Classic Valjoux 72-Powered Watches - Featuring Rolex, Enicar, Breitling, And More to read the full article.
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I confess that I look forward to anything Rick Marei and his team create. Recent offerings from Aquastar and Synchron have all been exciting, well made, and relatively affordable. Now the new Aquastar Airstar Chronograph further ups the approachability ante. This is certainly one of the cooler recent releases. There are a lot of ’60s […] Visit Hands-On: The New Aquastar Airstar Chronograph to read the full article.
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Today, we’ll look at the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date. This is a wild piece, and it debuts an innovative case material that took over five years of development. Get ready for some bright visual stimulation! The Audemars Piguet Concept offerings are typically filled with new technology from the […] Visit Introducing: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date to read the full article.
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In January 2023, Zenith released the first Defy Skyline Boutique Edition. The release flew under the radar for most watch fans, but it was a stylish version of Zenith’s popular integrated-bracelet sports watch. Later that year, the brand unveiled a boutique-only version of the Defy Skyline Skeleton as well. Now it’s time for the third […] Visit Introducing: The Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Boutique Edition to read the full article.
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A flyback countdown chronograph with a date at 9 o’clock and a 3Hz beat rate… A mic-drop meme would be enough now to introduce the seemingly unique Airin Regatta Chronograph that resurfaced in France. I have been following French graphic designer and watch collector David Renou, aka @Super.Compressor on Instagram, for quite some time now. […] Visit #TBT A Colorful Airin Regatta Timer With An Impressive Valjoux 237 Movement to read the full article.
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I have a weird, ambivalent relationship with the TAG Heuer Monaco. While I am a great fan of its design and legacy, I am not a fan of the actual watch on my wrist. Or at least, I wasn’t. That’s why I was a little apprehensive when going into this hands-on review. The Monaco’s square […] Visit Hands-On With The Titanium TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green to read the full article.
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Cabot Watch Company (CWC) has a strong and loyal following, including among some of the writers here at Fratello. The British-based brand is known for its military-issued timepieces. Today, we take a closer look at the new CWC 6BB-WR Chronograph. For a small and relatively young brand, CWC has quite a lot of history. It […] Visit Hands-On With The New CWC 6BB-WR Chronograph to read the full article.
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Welcome back to Fratello Talks. Should you wear your watch while playing sports or exercising? It’s a question we often hear. What could the possible risks be for your beloved mechanical timepiece? Or is there no real reason to be worried at all? In today’s episode, Nacho, RJ, and Lex explore these questions and speak […] Visit Fratello Talks: Should You Wear Your Watch While Playing Sports Or Exercising? to read the full article.
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You can find inspiration in tradition and at the bottom of your glass. Seiko found it in both places. The SPB447 is a watch in the Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series that presents itself with a glossy urushi (lacquer) dial and a GMT function displaying two time zones. Seiko also presents two new Presage Cocktail Time […] Visit Introducing: Two Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Star Bar Limited Editions And A Lacquer-Dialed GMT to read the full article.
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These days, the focus seems to be on whopping power reserves and in-house calibers, with even mid-tier brands jumping on the bandwagon. But if you know your vintage watches, you’ll be aware of a time when everything wasn’t measured in the number of bridges, cogs, and pinions a brand produced by itself. In the car […] Visit The Peseux 7001 Revival: A Classy Hand-Wound Movement Returns To The Spotlight to read the full article.
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Oris released its redesigned Aquis line in April at Watches and Wonders 2024. Included in that update were three sizes of Aquis Upcycle with dials made of recycled PET ocean plastic. I had a few opportunities to interact with all of the new Aquis models, and each time, I kept returning to the Upcycles. The […] Visit Hands-On With The Updated Oris Aquis Upcycle to read the full article.
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When we think of Louis Moinet, chronographs come to mind. After all, the company’s namesake invented the complication in 1816. Today, though, we’ll look at a different level of functionality. The moonphase complication is also traditional, but the new Black Moon Limited Edition ushers a novel method of displaying the lunar cycle. Admittedly, a stodgy […] Visit Lunar Loveliness With The Louis Moinet Black Moon Limited Edition to read the full article.
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The third time’s the charm. Well, the Minase × Fratello M-3 “Shiro” exclusive edition sure is charming. Fratello’s third take on the M-3 again makes the versatile model available outside Japan, and it looks crispier and cooler than ever. This time, the star of the show is a frosty white dial that is clean and […] Visit Introducing: The Minase × Fratello M-3 “Shiro” Exclusive Edition to read the full article.
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The Rolex Submariner is, for many, a default watch. That may not be true for most watch enthusiasts, but as a cultural object signifying success or as “just a good watch,” the Submariner is way up there. Earlier this year, Rolex loaned me a Submariner so I could have a chance to develop personal thoughts […] Visit Can We Appreciate The Rolex Submariner As Just A Great Dive Watch? to read the full article.
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As always, Geneva Watch Days this year showcased many great watches to discover. One of the highlights for quite a few people was the Daniel Roth Tourbillon Rose Gold. The second timepiece from the revived Daniel Roth brand builds on the first release from last year. As I explained in the watch’s introduction article, the […] Visit Hands-On With The Beautiful And Stylish Daniel Roth Tourbillon Rose Gold to read the full article.
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At the beginning of the year, Baltic introduced its very surprising and different Prismic collection. While the brand had always had heavily vintage-inspired designs, it took a more contemporary approach with the new Prismic. The watches had clean, angular lines, a case construction containing stainless steel and titanium, and very boldly textured dials. They were […] Visit Baltic Introduces The Limited-Edition Prismic With Three Colorful Stone Dials to read the full article.
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There might be debate about which brand released the first modern dive watch, but it’s safe to say that Zodiac was one of the first three. The Sea Wolf debuted in the 1950s - 1957 seems to be the year of the watch’s release, but this is still up for debate - and its original […] Visit Showing Off The Gold-Plated Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver This Monday Morning to read the full article.
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We visited Geneva Watch Days a few weeks ago, and Breguet was one of the brands exhibiting that week. In its beautiful boutique on the famous Rue du Rhône, Breguet showed us not only the new Type XX with steel bracelets but also (under strict embargo) this new gold Type XX Chronographe 2067. And now […] Visit Hands-On With The Rose Gold Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 to read the full article.
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Seiko has long been the default choice for affordable and bulletproof mechanical timekeepers. But is Citizen now starting to take over that role? There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that it is, so let’s examine this topic today. My first article for Fratello asked: “Is the Seiko magic slipping away?” You see, like so many […] Visit Move Over, Seiko - Is Citizen The New King Of Affordable Japanese Watches? to read the full article.
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Over the past 5–10 years, we have seen a huge rise in the popularity of American microbrands. It has been interesting to see the success of Monta, Traska, Nodus, Autodromo, and Lorier, to name just a few. Another brand that has been making waves lately is Jack Mason. It began as a fashion brand but […] Visit Hands-On With The Completely Redesigned Jack Mason Canton to read the full article.
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