Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

This year, at Geneva Watch Days 2021, Breitling brings us three chronographs inspired by a fairly surprising topic: 60s American sports cars. The Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang, and Shelby Cobra are featured within a new capsule collection of Top Time Chronographs.I have to admit that I wasnt expecting classic American cars to star in the latest Breitling capsule collection. However, its wise to assume the unexpected these days when it comes to the ever-evolving brand. The fact that these watches sit within the Top Time line seems fitting as well. After all, we have 60s-based chronographs and cars from the same era. Blending cars and watches are a tough business with more failures than not [...]

Its that time of year again. The Geneva Watch Days event is here. As requested, were aiming to provide you, our dear readers (and viewers in this case) the most immersive experience ever. Here you will find our frequently updated ticker article, with all the novelties we see throughout the fair. Dont forget to keep an eye on IG live. Frequent sessions will pop up throughout the day to keep you abreast of developments. If you miss them, dont worry. Well add everything to reels and link to it here.Wednesday, September 1st, 17:45 PM Greubel ForseyAs I am sure you imagine, it is nothing short of exceptional to see the works of Greubel Forsey up close and personal. We met with the brands new CEO [...]

Roll up, roll up The summer has hit The Hague, and Fratello is keen to celebrate. After the fizzing success of March Mania, we are back with the Summer Splash. A new knock-out competition conceived to find the very best summer watch out there, according to YOU, the Fratelli. And guess what? You can win prizes No, there wont be a watch available this time, but there WILL be some of the finest water-firing weapons money can buy: the Spyra 2 water cannon is reputedly the strongest of its kind ever made. Fancy getting your hands on one? Read on and take part in the comments section of this article.Eight writers will choose three of their favorite summer watches this time around and pitch them to [...]

There is something distinctive about the leather straps of yore. Something which we do not see in todays modern offerings. Although the quality of modern leather straps is undeniable, sometimes a watch calls for a period-correct counterpart with the signature features of the era. Strap thickness, taper, rounded ends, box-stitching, and hot-pressed lines on the keepers. Matteo Torre spent many years studying vintage watch ads and catalogs from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Thanks to this deep dive, Matteo Torre developed his own style that is based on precise reproductions of the era. It may sound unoriginal, but the results confirm quite the opposite. In today's oversaturated market, Torre St [...]

We seem to love giving nicknames to watches and color schemes where possible. I mean, it makes sense it's easier to remember the Rolex Pepsi GMT rather than Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO. Some of the nicknames make sense and are logical. Other's are a bit tenuous at best. One such nickname which perfectly fits the use is the classic panda dials. These dials became incredibly popular during the late 1950s and 1960s, and their popularity hasn't waned since.I don't feel it really needs too much explaining. A white (or perhaps off-white) dial with black subdials. It's quite an obvious homage to the most famous of all panda bears, the giant panda. Over the years, this dial setup has become iconi [...]

The inspiration for this article stems from a Fratello on Air podcast episode in May. In the episode, Fratello editors Mike, Jorg, and Balazs discussed watch cultures around the globe. While we are an international team at Fratello, we can only speculate on watch cultures based on our own experience. I set out to deliver the cold, hard facts that somehow reinforce the assumptions made as part of the episode. Using statistics, we will define the most popular watch brand and model around the globe. Before we start, take a guess on which watch brand stands above the rest, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.The data we will look at today was graciously provided by Chrono24s extensive [...]

OK, its confession time. Ana-digi watches have never really been my jam. Other than a G-Shock from my wife that I wore as a beater years ago, I have never expressed any interest in owning (or heaven forbid purchasing) an ana-digi timepiece. So when Rob assigned me this article, I was, admittedly, less than enthused by the subject matter. However, if theres one thing Ive noticed so far in my short time at Fratello, its that I. KNOW. NOTHING.Or, at very best, not nearly as much as I thought I did three months ago. Therefore, every research article I tackle ends up becoming an incredibly beneficial learning experience. Indeed, each is an adventure that opens my mind to a wider world of horology [...]

We watch lovers are a varied bunch. Within this quirky watch-collecting sub-realm of ours, we have everyone from monogamous brand devotees to polyamorous proponents of brand diversity. We have both laid-back, casual toe-dippers and laser-focused hunters, forever on the prowl for the next prize. The beauty of this variety is that no matter what type of watch lover you are, there will always be a horological gem out there to set your passions ablaze.Throughout my watch journey, Ive found that I have developed a collecting philosophy. A set of rules, if you will, that I follow in an attempt to build my perfect collection. If you read my article on grail watches, to the end, you may be familiar [...]

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 still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Breitling watches from the 1980s.While the 1970s were a decade filled with tremendous chang [...]

After what feels like a lifetime, Im back penning an article for Fratello. Did you miss me? Did you even notice? I wont be offended if its the latter. Mainly as the team at Fratello has been pumping out solid content all summer. On my side of things, a couple of significant events occurred that required my full attention. A job promotion and a house move in tandem profoundly impacted my free time, consequently pushing aside my hobbies. But when things began settling down again, I had one pastime that I wasnt going to let slip by. In July, I attended the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the south of England. And now, I want to share my experience through lens and literature.If youre unfamiliar w [...]

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 [...]

Happy Summer, faithful readers Its time for Wrist Game or Crying Shame and this week, we take a look at a flashy Breitling Chronomat UTC. Before we coordinate time universallyLast week, I tempted you with the Rolex Datejust in 18K. Despite a bracelet with a lot of stretch, 73% succumbed to the temptation of this less flashy wrist nugget.? Good for you, supporters, because you have style. This week, we travel back to another interesting period with a Breitling Chronomat UTC from 1998. Lets see if this tickles your fancy.Let me take you on a sea cruiseIts hard to remember the exact year during the 90s that I joined my family on a sea cruise. I guess it was around 1994 and I can still recall en [...]

Have you noticed these four lines of text above the 6 o'clock on the Breitling ref. 3865? This Rolex-like fairytale read amuses me each time I see it. And trust me, I can't help but notice it each time I look at the dial. It is truly awesome and something Im very happy to share with you today.When one says Breitling, most see pilot chronographs. Divers watches come to mind only later. I bet any diver that does jump to mind is somehow unusual. Let me guess, you see the spectacular slow-motion SuperOcean ref. 2005 or the true collectors grail Breitling ref. 1004. I doubt you, the Fratell, thought about the modest but equally interesting skin diver Breitling ref. 3865.Meeting Breitling ref. 386 [...]

How many chronograph nuts do we have in the house tonight? Judging by our loyal following of Speedmaster fans, I'd venture to guess quite a few. But whether you love you some sub-dials or just prefer a nice three-hander, we all know what a chronograph's main job is: to record elapsed times.When you think about it, this fairly obvious function that unites all chronographs is nevertheless rather remarkable in the swath of its utility. Need to time something? Anything? It's got you covered. 100m sprinter Jesse Owens's 10.3-second Olympic victory in 1936? Check. A life-saving 14-second fuel burn during the Apollo 13 mission in 1970? Double check. My 6th-grade science teacher's record-setting tri [...]

Welcome back to another installment of a Brief History of Time. Today, we pick up where we left off, exploring the fascinating history of Breitling.With the Chronomat and Premier in the 40s and the Navitimer and SuperOcean in the 50s, Breitling had built up some major momentum. The 1960s proved to be yet another fruitful decade for the brand, starting with some notable improvements to the Navitimer. The prior Navitimers all-black dial was changed to feature contrasting white subdials. This improved its legibility, and the new look also made it even more attractive to the mass market. The Navitimer thus became not simply a useful tool watch, but a popular symbol of class and style.Then, in 19 [...]

The chronograph is easily one of my favorite watch types. Unlike a diver or field watch, the chronograph is a tough one to master. Theres lots of info on display and the wrong design choices can lead to a visual mess. And then there are the movements; buyers LOVE to talk specifications. Thankfully, the big brands now offer some really compelling choices.With watches, we often talk more about what we dont have instead of pausing to examine the current landscape. We say things like, thats great, but, or, I wish brand X would have done such and such instead. Honestly, the complaints now border on the ridiculous because, at the risk of sounding crazy, I think we are currently in the midst of a g [...]

Breitling: Instruments for Professionals. Many watch enthusiasts will be more than familiar with this slogan, and I would be willing to bet we all could rattle off a few of Breitling's most famous models. Let's be real C who among us has not heard of the scuba-ready SuperOcean or the legendary aviation chronograph, the Navitimer? Some of us may not realize though just how important Breitling has been to the watch industry throughout its illustrious history.Unfortunately, a truly comprehensive review of the brand and all of its models is beyond the scope of this article. We do hope, however, that this two-part overview will highlight the most important moments in Breitling's history, and hel [...]

Slowly but surely, the world seems to be reopening. For us watch nerds, that brings about a question we haven't been faced with for some time. Namely, which watch comes along when it's time to hit the road or take to the skies is a quandary. The travel watch is an oft-debated topic, but I have four recent journeys to share where I had to make such a choice.It's funny, I've come full circle when it comes to the travel watch discussion. When I first began to travel years ago as an adult, I really had only one watch. My faithful Rolex Explorer went everywhere with me. As time progressed, though, and I collected more heavily, I began to think more about what to take. I considered the activities, [...]

Im setting myself up to receive some serious heat right now, but I dont care. Even among my own team, there are several Daytona owners, so to say Im walking into the lions den wearing a meat suit might be a bit of an understatement. But as someone who has become less and less interested in the Rolex Daytona and all the nonsense that surrounds it and the trials of its acquisition I thought I should say something. You know what? There are loads of excellent alternatives out there. Forget what the fashion mags tell you. Dont listen to the brand fawners or status seekers. Buy smart. Try these five on for size and thank me laterOne quick note: I get that the Daytona is more than a watch. I unders [...]

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. While the daily routine is largely focused on the most recent developments in the world of watches, the most fun for many of us lies in the 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 priceless, some of them still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Breitling watches from the 1970s.In the 1960s, we witnessed developments that challenged the status quo of watch design forever. The sheer amou [...]