Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

Its no secret that we are fans of the Rado brand here at Fratello. Especially the vintage-inspired timepieces. These throwback fancies are loved by many Fratello team members. But the brand also made its mark in the 1990s with the introduction of a series of black ceramic watches. The material, the color, and the minimalist design propelled the Rado name to the forefront of the watch industry. The all-new Rado True Square Automatic Open Heart is a brand new addition to the Rado collection that takes us back to that time. And it brings back a lot of memories.Whenever I think of Rado, I think of its fully black ceramic watches. As a teenager, the sight of a black Rado Ceramica in a retailers s [...]

Whod have thought Bronze cases and red dials would become an almost mainstream thing here on Fratello? We certainly didnt see this coming, but here we are. Following on from last weeks very special limited edition Oris a Fratello Big Crown Pointer Date, we have another autumnal vision in bronze for you to feast your eyes upon. The Rado Captain Cook in bronze with a rich burgundy dial joins the clubA year ago, that club seemed pretty exclusive. But now, thanks to the Oris and this latest addition to the Captain Cook range, the Burgundy Bronze Brigade is gaining new members at an unprecedented rate. And why not? It is a color/material fusion that makes perfect sense. Green dials with bronze ca [...]

When Michael wrote his article on the 1962 RADO Captain Cook, I was intrigued. However, I am not that much a fan of buying vintage divers so I was happily surprised when Rado introduced its new Captain Cook in 2017.A vintage diver surely is charming, but I like to wear my watches on daily basis. You can wear a vintage diver every day of course, but Ive had some nasty experiences with lengthy repair processes and unavailability of spare parts. Enter the new RADO Captain Cook. My most favorite edition is the steel one with the green bezel and dial on a beads-of-rice bracelet (thats why we carry it in our shop), but the new bronze cased Captain Cook is very interesting as well.Captain Cook Auto [...]

The Rado Captain Cook family first appeared in 1962. It disappeared not long after in 1968. For almost fifty years the Rado Captain Cook collection lay dormant. That was until 2017 when the 37mm steel version was revived. It was joined also by a reimagined 45mm version in a hardened titanium case designed for a modern audience.?Nowadays, we have the option of a much more versatile 42mm case to play with, but new for 2020 is the addition of bronze options to the line-up. Sure, it looks great, but theres more to it than thatWhen bronze first became a mainstream thing in luxury watchmaking, there was quite a pushback against it. In fact, despite this rugged material finding its groove in the in [...]

As you probably know, we launched the Fratello Shop last December. Recently, we updated our stocklist with a few new watches for your pleasure. Lets have a quick look.Besides the pre-owned (NOS) Omega Speedmaster Professional watches and Frederique Constant Manufacture with Moonphase, weve now added two references each from Rado and Fortis.Rado in Green and RedWe are very enthusiastic about the Rado Captain Cook, but the red-dialed Golden Horse on a beads-of-rice bracelet really struck a chord with our team. When it first came in for review (click here) it was the watch everyone rushed to strap on their wrist. A beautiful 36.5mm dress watch that originally came with a leather strap only, wev [...]

The Captain Cook collection has been a tremendous success and is, quite simply, responsible for putting Rado back on the map for many enthusiasts. And Im including myself in that category. So lets take a closer look at the new green version of this 1962 classic to see if we can figure out why.Back in 2017, Rado surprised me and probably all of us by reintroducing the Captain Cook range. I always associated Rado with the ceramic watches that I saw so often back in the 1990s on the wrists of neighbors, friends of my parents, at the tennis club, and so on. The only Rado in the collection that appealed to me was the Diastar. But, that changed in 2017. The Captain Cook was introduced, and it insp [...]

Just before the news hit us that Matthias Breschan (Rado) will be the successor of Longines CEO Walter von K?nel, I had an interview with him. Although things are slowly getting better here in Europe, we still had to use a Zoom call to do the interview.Times are a-changing, and the Swatch Group is endeavoring to change with them. Shuffling the positions of power within the group was a nice move. Different perspectives are always welcome. Mattias Breschan will bring his experience and enthusiasm to a post recently vacated by the long-serving von K?nel.Interview with Matthias BreschanBreschan has been working for Swatch Group since 2000. He has been president of Rado since 2011 and will become [...]

We take time with the Rado Golden Horse 1957.If you're following along here at Fratello, you'll note that this is the second review of a Rado within a rather brief period of time.? Recently, I reviewed a green-dialed Golden Horse, a watch that I concluded would make a great daily wearer.? I'll keep saying this until the effect wears off, but it's really nice to have Rado in the mix of brands that people like myself (whatever that means) would actually consider for a purchase.? Yes, the brand's modern watches are definitely turning in the right direction.? Today, though, we're going decidedly retro as we take a close look at the limited edition Rado Golden Horse 1957.The Rado Golden Horse 195 [...]

We spend time with the new Rado Golden Horse, a serial production model that just might change your thoughts about the brand.I know our readers come from all over, but I often wonder how many of you hail from my home region of South Florida.? And if you do, were you alive and cognizant during the late 80's into the 90's?? If you were, you'd no doubt recall this special time.? Blousy silk shirts, billowy pleated chinos, gold chains, and slim loafers were all the rage.? And the cars?- Forgetting the semi-performance rides that sported colors such as teal and mauve, this was the brief period of the gold package. ?If you could pony up for something like a Cadillac, Lexus or Infiniti (in pearl wh [...]

We get our first look at the Rado Golden Horse Collection, an exciting set of new releases with a retro-inspired piece and a lineup of modern watches.I really don't have anything against Rado, but up until the release of the Captain Cook diver at Baselworld 2017, let's just say that the brand's offerings weren't to my tastes.? For certain, they always looked different and advertised the use of advanced materials such as ceramics long before others followed suit.? I think it was the overly modern looks and the fact that most used quartz movements.? But with the Cook, things began to change and today, we're happy to see things continue in the right direction with a first look at the Rado Golde [...]

And once again, just when you think youve seen it all in terms of vintage tool watches, something surprises like the Rado Over Pole.Man, its good to be back writing a TBT article.? Were so excited to have Tomas here on the team and he continues to share some fantastically different vintage pieces, but I couldnt let him have all the fun, could I?? So, for the first time in months, Im back in the well worn saddle to document a really cool watch that I truly stumbled upon in the Rado Over Pole.An Unexpected and Rare FindI was cruising some Japanese sites not too long ago when I truly stumbled upon the vintage Rado Over Pole.? I had never seen this model before and I spent a lot of time looking [...]

Today, we have news of the Rado Captain Cook Automatic 2019, a subtle update to a favorite that first debuted at Baselworld 2017.At Baselworld 2017, Rado truly surprised the watch media by reintroducing a long-forgotten name, the Captain Cook.? First introduced in 1962, the 35mm stainless steel diver had classic looks, decent capabilities and a specific trait thats highly desired by collectors: an inward sloping bezel.? We reviewed an original model a couple years back here on Fratello and you can see it above.Rado Captain Cook 2017Rado Captain Cook A Well Played ReissueThe 2017 model brought things into this millennium but just barely by upsizing the case to a still modest 37mm and by ad [...]

A recurring theme in our TBT articles revolves around the aberrations from various watch companies. These are the one hit wonders, the exceptions and they're typically major breaks from a brand's ethos. Think of watches like the Nivada Datomaster, the Meylan chronograph and even the Rolex 1655 Explorer II and you'll be on my thought train. Today's excerpt continues the trend with a look at the original Rado Captain Cook. As you'll see, it's a timely article, but it's also a look at a watch that's essentially escaped view from all but the most ardent dive watch collectors. Hoist the mainsail all aboard (Come on, you have to chuckle a bit ?? )A New Rado Captain Cook Was at Baselworld 2017If [...]

I remember that in the 1990s, parents of my friends and even some of their grand parents at that time, were wearing Rado watches. The shiny black ceramic timepieces that looked stylish a bit BO style and were impossible to get scratched. Most of them were quartz watches though, so I quickly lost interest in them as I merely saw them more or less as a lifestyle or design product.Now to be honest, Rado has not been on our radar for a while, except during BaselWorld 2013 when we took the orange Rado HyperChrome Court Collection watch for our Last Queens Day article. This Rado HyperChrome Court Collection combines the typical Rado style of ceramic cases (and bracelets) and mechanical movements [...]

In todays video Lex talks you through the Roger Dubuis brand, before getting excited about this stunning piece of Hyper Horology, as he calls it. In 2005, Roger Dubuis introduced the first Excalibur watch. The predecessor of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Eon Gold that we have with us today.The watch, named after King Arthurs sword, is extravagant, to say the least. Not only due to the impressive 153,000 price tag, but also because of its next-level execution. The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Eon Gold features skeletonized movement with a single flying tourbillon, consisting of 194 parts. Every part is finished at an incredibly high level, done by the skilled craftspeople at the Roger Dubuis manufactu [...]

The secret to wearing a watch the price of a Porsche 911 is to just do it. It's really that simple. That's because in the case of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Eon Gold, people will notice your exuberant watch, but they may not recognize it. A gold Rolex is as conspicuous as the Porsche, but no matter how extravagant the Excalibur with its flying tourbillon might be, it won't attract the (negative) attention a gold watch with a Cyclops most unfortunately does nowadays. You might even say that if your everyday playground is in the upper echelons, the Excalibur Eon Gold is a safe choice. This is how I experienced wearing it as a daily beater for a week.What I like best about the Roger Dubuis Exca [...]

The watch industry is certainly no stranger to dichotomy. A solid gold dive watch. A million-dollar, mud-resistant survival watch. And new from Roger Dubuis, a minute repeater in a case that can only be described as the Knights of the Round Tablein space.None can best Roger Dubuis's commitment to traditional craft within complex constructions, but it wasn't always this way.Roger Dubuis HistoryRoger Dubuis laid the foundations for his namesake brand in the mid-nineties. Surprisingly, as the classic, round, Bi-retrograde timepieces could easily be confused as hailing from the forties. 2005's Excalibur was a dramatic departure that would later shape the format for Roger Dubuis's contemporary cr [...]

From mainstream Rolex to a highly exclusive original Roger Dubuis. Do you know that feeling? After wearing a certain type of watch for some time, you look for something totally at the other end of the spectrum? This week Im wearing what I consider one of the most beautiful watches in my collection.Roger Dubuis Hommage MonopoussoirThe Roger Dubuis Hommage Monopoussoir H40 on the wristA strange model indication isnt it? Watches mentioned as Hommage nowadays are very close to copy-cat watches, mostly of main stream high-in-demand watches. We all know these models from brands like Steinhart, Invicta and the lot.Made by Roger Dubuis himselfThis Roger Dubuis however is very much the opposite. This [...]

This year, Roger Dubuis showed us a couple of new pieces. But one of the pieces that we liked best, is this?Excalibur Spider Pirelli. Thats right, Pirelli. A partnership with the sole sponsor of Formula 1. It isnt just a container partnership, but Roger Dubuis is actually using the rubber of F1 tyres. Used rubber, that they plucked from the circuit.?Roger Dubuis?Excalibur Spider PirelliNot sure whether some staff members of either Pirelli or Roger Dubuis will do the plucking of tyre parts themselves on the F1 circuit of Monaco, but fact is that they exactly seem to know which tyre they have been using for the straps. Each strap will have a code that matches the product code (like a serial nu [...]

Roger Dubuis let us know it is the(ir) year of the Astral Skeleton and comes with a range of new pieces. One of the Roger Dubuis watches we saw here at the SIHH in Geneva that we love best is their Excalibur Spider Skeleton Flying Tourbillon.The impressive case of the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider is only 45mm, but definitely looks (and wears) bigger on the wrist. This watch is not for the faint hearted. However, the most important feature of this watch is of course that it has been skeletonized which allows you to see all of the in-house manufactured hand-wound caliber RD505SQ movement.Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Skeleton Flying TourbillonBut lets get back to the case of this Excalibur Sp [...]