Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

If you have 10K to spare on a luxury watch, what should you do? Well, after you count your money, count your blessings. After that, I would suggest you take your time and find out what watch or watches match your taste, pique your interest, and fit your lifestyle. A bit of soul-searching is advisable before taking the plunge. And so is setting boundaries. So, without further ado, here's my take on starting a watch collection with 10K. And I promise you, I will save you a couple of bucks.I assume you've been infected by the watch virus for quite some time and you just can't seem to shake it. Perhaps youve done your research and browsed countless watch websites, ranging from obscure blogs and [...]

Here at the Fratello offices, we get a lot of questions from you, our readers. Probably the most-asked questions are centered around the topic of what to buy for different budgets. The most popular budget question is what watch to buy for under 5,000 in different watch categories. That's why we decided to set up a small series of articles focusing on the best watches that you can buy within that budget. In this installment of the series, we will look at the best vintage-inspired dive watches available for under 5K. Let's see what stylish, historically inspired options the industry has to offer.As I mentioned in last weeks list, dive watches are by far the most popular watch genre nowadays. P [...]

Breitling unveils its latest special edition in the expanding Top Time collection. The year 2021 gave us the classic US muscle-car collabs in the Corvette, Mustang, and Shelby editions. Coming out of the gates this year is Breitling's first co-branded watch with British motorcycle manufacture Triumph. I go hands-on with the new Top Time and share my thoughts following a visit to the Hinckley Triumph factory.On a sunny morning in London, I find myself in the waiting lounge of a heliport. Trust me, the job of writing about watches is not always this glamourous. At that very moment, I found myself wondering how lucky it was to be in this position. That was until a VVVIP client glided through th [...]

Here at the Fratello offices, we get a lot of questions from you, our readers. Probably the most-asked questions are centered around the topic of what to buy for different budgets. The most popular budget question is what watch to buy for under 5,000 in different watch categories. That's why we decided to set up a small series of articles focusing on the best watches that you can buy within that budget. In this installment of the series, we will look at the best modern dive watches available for under 5K. Let's find out what some of your potential best modern dive watches are.Dive watches are by far the most popular watch genre nowadays, and thats not just something we see hear our readers. [...]

There are some watch/strap combinations that are classic, timeless, and with which you can never go wrong. Take, for example, the trusty gray NATO. Gray is a neutral color that pairs well with any steel or titanium watch. Even black DLC or PVD watches look great on gray. A black or brown two-stitch leather strap will also look good on just about anything. And black alligator, overused and boring as it may be, is a perfect match to any dressier watch. But life is too short to stick to classic pairings. Sometimes, going over the top with color, patterns, or texture is the way to go. That, or a strap that perfectly matches and complements the basic color scheme of the watch in question. And tha [...]

Is it possible to find five alternatives to the Rolex Daytona? Let me answer that by saying that you don't really have a choice. Not if you insist on buying at list price, you don't. For the cool and collected amongst us, the hype-free crowd, this means finding a chronograph that ticks the same boxes. Okay, maybe the five alternatives Ill present from Zenith, Omega, Breitling, TAG Heuer, and Seiko don't tick all the boxes. There is no sign of the illustrious crown on the dial the obvious one. Nevertheless, I feel these chronographs have a lot to offer.So here are my five alternatives to the Rolex Daytona. The current Daytona 116500LN, that is, a 13,800, stainless steel, mass-produced watch ( [...]

Here at the Fratello offices, we get a lot of questions from you, our readers. Probably the most-asked questions are centered around the topic of what to buy for different budgets. The most popular budget question is what watch to buy for under 5,000 in different watch categories. Thats why we decided to set up a small series of articles focusing on the best watches that you can buy within that budget. In this first installment of the series, we will look at the best GMT watches available for under 5K. Lets find out what some of your potential best travel companions are.With the world opening up again, its time to travel With two years full of quarantining and travel restrictions, its time t [...]

In recent times, we have seen the popularity of smaller watches surge. Compared to the previous norm of watches ranging from 42 C47mm (I'm looking at you Panerai, Breitling, and Hublot), this reduction in size has been welcomed by most. Personally, I love the more proportional look of watches under 40mm on the average wrist. This doesn't mean I enjoy my 42mm Speedmaster any less, but it does mean that I can enjoy smaller watches without getting any odd looks. These shifts in perception are not instant. In fact, they can take several years. And though early re-adoption of the 34 C38mm watches likely came from the rise in popularity of vintage watches, brands have been quick to catch up to the [...]

Collecting vintage watches is something that I truly love. The watches, the people, the endless searching for knowledge are all part of the gig. Making mistakes, getting ripped off, and, again, the people represent some of the pitfalls. Over the past ten years, Ive been through a lot of it, and have I learned anything? Id like to think so sometimes.Vintage watches are my thing and during our Collectors Week here on Fratello, I thought it would be fun to share some of what I have learned on this fascinating journey. Well, its fascinating to me at least Seriously, though, collecting has been a wild ride and pretty damn introspective too. So, perhaps some of my thoughts wont resonate while othe [...]

Let me start off this article with a personal question what would be the perfect watch collection for you? Some of you may have thought long and hard about this already, and you could list off all the watches you could ever desire. For others, its a question that may catch you off guard, and you may have to get back to me in a few years. But for me, its a question that has constantly guided all of my watch acquisitions since 2016. Assembling a collection that suits what I value in watchmaking as well as my budget is a task I do not take lightly. Each watch I buy does not exist in a vacuum but as a part of my greater horological vision. As such, I find it best that I follow some rules. One of [...]

Like choosing a favorite offspring, ranking my chronograph collection is a tough call. In reality, I regularly cycle between my Breitling Chronomat, Omega Speedmaster, and Rolex Daytona. Any one of these chronographs suits a particular mood or event. But thats not useful for budding buyers looking to purchase their first and perhaps last great watch. For you, I present an objective and subjective ranking of these iconic chronographs based on personal experience. At the end is the score determined purely from their position in each category. And, as we are all hooked on the Winter Olympics, which watch do you think will take home the gold medal?For more detail, the watches in question are the [...]

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, [...]

The Dutch have a reputation for being cheap. The English expression going Dutch doesn't help curtail that reputation. And neither does the joke, Who invented copper wire? Two Dutchmen fighting for a penny. It's also true that we I am Dutch, I can't help that pride ourselves on our sparing ways. A recent study revealed that the thrifty Dutch spend significantly less than any other European nation on holiday gifts and celebrations. Germans spent the most, Dutch the least. So trying and explain to a Dutchie when and why paying over retail for a watch makes sense seems to be a task of biblical proportions. But if I succeed in that, the rest of the world automatically also gets it, and that's why [...]

The protest at Fratello HQ yesterday started out in good spirits with the more progressive editors marching through the office merrily and optimistically chanting,We want solar power We want solar power But it didn't take long for the situation to turn grim. That's when the purist defenders of the traditional, mechanical side of watchmaking started shouting slogans like, Quartz is dead For a moment, it looked like things would spiral out of control, but in the end, we watch fans, no matter how fanatical, are reasonable people. And that's why we, in the end, and over a cup of coffee, pondered the question of both if or why we need luxury solar-powered quartz watches from Rolex, Omega, Breitli [...]

We all know and adore the Omega Speedmaster the first watch on the Moon, official watch for NASA astronauts. The Breitling Navitimer has its own prestigious history and diehard fans as well. It is the embodiment of the quirky yet beloved slide rule bezel. These two watches are pinnacles of aviation horology. However, they arent the best. Oh no, if anything, they are only thematic stepping stones to the true king of flight watches: the Seiko Flightmaster. It is the best of Speedmaster and Navitimer, with a few quirks and special features of its own.First off, Id like to apologize to RJ for this article. From the website that brought you Speedy Tuesday, I bring you an article about why not to [...]

The Omega Speedmaster needs little introduction. It is one of the most talked-about chronograph watches in the world at least here on Fratello. But as strange as it might sound, the Speedmaster doesn't please everyone. Maybe you dont care about its Moon-going history, or perhaps you don't like the shape of the case. There could be any number of other reasons why the Omega Speedmaster doesnt suit you. With that in mind, I decided to make my own list of the top five alternatives to the legendary Moonwatch.Back in the late 1990s, when I was looking for an Omega Speedmaster Professional, there was one alternative that I briefly considered. It was IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph ref. IW3706, a 39mm [...]

Fratello On Air returns with what we think is a fun episode. We talk about big watches that work for smaller wrists and small watches for larger wrists. Balazs and Mike exist on both sides of the wrist border, so theres plenty of personal experience on this subject.Balazs and Mike are here to talk about large watches for those with small wrists and vice versa. Its a show chock full of ideas and, thankfully, watches. Some other topics weave their way in as well.Handgelenks Kontrolle and Sneakers!Before hitting the main topic of large watches for small wrists and the reverse, though, Balazs talks about one of his favorite other subjects sneakers. First, theres a Handgelenks Kontrolle that sees [...]

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is largely focused on the most recent releases and developments, for many of us, a lot of the fun can be found in the sometimes weird and often wonderful 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 are priceless, some of them are still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Breitling watches from the 2000s.By the turn of the millennium, Switzerland had proudl [...]

Its that time of year when were all either looking backward or looking ahead into the next year. 2021 is gone (thankfully) and 2022 is here (fingers crossed about this one). So, lets spend some time talking about some watch wishes for 2022 from a selection of brands.The new year ahead of us means a whole 12 months of watch releases to come and possible new trends. I have no clue what the color of choice will be this year, but I suppose the recent emergence of light blue will hang around for a while. Plus, Im sure that limited editions, collaborations, and the retro trend are here to stay. But those things wont make my list of watch wishes for 2022. Instead, Ill mention some hopeful releases [...]

We brought you quite the handful in TBT this year. To help you decide which vintage watches you should push higher on your bucket lists, I?created 10 interesting vintage watch categories and nominated my winners. Looking back through our weekly Thursday vintage boost, I am proud to say that it was a great mix of watches. They ranged from previously unseen pieces and $100 bargain to bizarre quartz watches, eye-watering provenance, and all-original, never-before-touched grail timepieces. Which parameter is the most important for you when choosing your next acquisition? Here are 10 categories showcasing how rich and diverse the passion for vintage watches can be. 1: Complication of the year: M [...]