Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

In this Sunday morning column, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don't forget to let us know which watches you'd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We'll try and feature as many of our readers' choices as we can. This week its the turn of the Vacheron Constantin 4500V. Let the battle commence.Rob NuddsIt seems like were gearing up to feature the Holy Trinity of manufactures right off the bat in Sunday Morning Showdown, but thats no bad thing Last weeks inaugural outing for the SMS series went down a storm, with [...]

Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, where you choose to point your thumb upwards or in the sinister direction at the end of a gladiator-like battle of wills This week, our contestant is the Vacheron Constantin Les Historiques 31110. But first?-I don't know what to say other than thank you to the new kid on the block, Rob Nudds. You see, yours truly (who is in his early 40s) thought he was still in his mid-20s and did something stupid at the gym and was basically out of commission during the heart of last week. People, if I can leave you with one word of advice it's this: stretch So, Rob stepped up big time and delivered last week's installment with a look at a highly polarizing watch [...]

Recently, Fratello was invited to visit the Vacheron Constantin Head Quarters in Switzerland. In this article, we give an overview of the fantastic things Vacheron Constantin showed us during that day.Unlike most factory visits, we found our way to the Vacheron Constantin HQ within 30 minutes after touchdown. This is also one of the reasons we could do this visit in just one day, as the flight is only 1.5 hours from Amsterdam to Geneva. Without further ado.Vacheron Constantin through the yearsBesides Fratello, some other journalists were invited as well to visit Vacheron Constantin. As you can see above, the Vacheron Constantin building has an impressive architecture. Although I am out of th [...]

I will save my sentiments about Vacheron Constantin this year compared to last year to our daily recap later on today. Now it is time to talk about a watch that isnt perhaps the most accessible (read: affordable) watch in the world at 95.000 Euro, but it did make my horological heart tick faster. I am talking about the new full gold Vacheron Constantin?Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin reference?4300V/120R-B064.Gold?Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-ThinCompletely in line with the gold fever I am suffering for a while now, this watch is to me one of the coolest pieces I have seen at the SIHH so far. This Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin combines a number of i [...]

Blue is a dial colour that Vacheron Constantin always associated with steel watches, as it has this cold look to it. At least, according to their Style Heritage Director,?Christian Selmoni. Thats what he told the crowd in a short but interesting panel talk with Laurent Perves (Chief Marketing Officer Vacheron Constantin), Patrick Graf (Chief Commercial Officer Bucherer) and Ben Clymer (CEO Hodinkee). Patrick Graf was delighted to introduce their latest Blue Editions cooperation, this time with Vacheron Constantin. In total, Bucherer did 21 collaborations with 13 different watch manufacturers. We covered previous editions here and here, for example.Vacheron Constantin Bucherer Blue EditionsO [...]

This week Vacheron Constantin will present a number of interesting new timepieces, but their focus is on their new collection by the name of FIFTYSIX. Of course, referring to the year 1956 in which they released their iconic reference 6073 watch. A stunning 35mm timepiece with the automatic winding caliber 1019/1 movement, a silver matte dial with applied gold numerals? and dauphine shaped hands. A stunning timepiece from a period in which they made? beautiful dress watches.Vacheron Constantin refers to the 1950s as the golden age for round watches. Theres little to bring up against that. Below, an image of this reference 6073 that was auctioned by Christies over five years ago during their [...]

I have to admit I am not a fan of doing pre-SIHH or pre-BaselWorld releases. However, I also understand that during some of the other shows, like SalonQP, or in this case the Dubai Watch Week, you need to have something to tease the customers with. Some pre-SIHH or pre-BaselWorld novelties are shown in a smaller group, mainly press only, I assume also to monitor their responses. While that is a good thing, it does take away a bit of the ooh and aah effect during the official launch dates.Whatever the reason is for a brand to come up with a pre-SIHH/BaselWorld release, Vacheron Constantin decided now is the time to show us this new Overseas Dual Time.Lets have a closer look.Vacheron Constanti [...]

Made to measureIf you take a trip to Savile Row and visit a traditional tailors, you are often presented with three choices; ready to wear, made to measure and bespoke.Savile Row will not be an option for many individuals. Those who are fortunate enough to sample the delights of peerless tailoring will appreciate the finest fabrics, cut, sewn and pressed without compromise.Ready to wear is the entry point to this world of sartorial excellence. Suits are presented in an array of sizes. The only form of personalisation is the trouser length, finished to suit and with a choice of buttons to indulge the whim of the wearer.For those gentlemen blessed with a regular physique, there is a rationale [...]

A few weeks ago, when I was visiting my friend Gerard over at Horloge Platform Nederland, he showed me this incredible beauty of the 1950s, a Vacheron Constantin ref.4591. It reminded me of scenes from The Godfather when the Corleones hang around with Moe Greene in a Las Vegas casino. Somehow, 1950 watches do that to me, I might be the only one though.So, what it so special about this watch? The main thing is the shape of the crystal, which is quite difficult to photograph I assume. But as you can see on the picture above, there is a small folding line from 3 oclock to 9 oclock. Although it is a relatively small watch (25mm wide, 8.5mm thick and a length of 38.5mm, including the lugs), it wi [...]

A lot of times, Vacheron Constantins Overseas watches are mentioned in the same sentence as Audemars Piguets Royal Oak, Patek Philippes Nautilus and the IWC Ingenieur SL watches. It was actually believed by a former CEO of Vacheron Constantin, that G rald Genta was involved in the design of the 222, predecessor of the Overseas, as he stated in an interview with The Purists. We now know, that it was Jorg Hysek who influenced the design of the 222 time piece that evolved to the current Overseas line of watches.I guess it is a compliment for both designers, Hysek and Genta, that people are confused about who designed what. The Overseas models are just as iconic as the Royal Oak and Nautilus des [...]

The SIHH 2010 will be held from the 18th of January till the 22nd of January 2010. During this show, Vacheron Constantin will be presenting their new Historique Ultra-Fine 1955 and 1968 time pieces. In todays world of horology, it seems that watches cant be bulky enough while a few decades ago, it showed true craftsmanship when a time piece was as flat as possible. Since a year or so, I noticed that there is quite a number of fellow watch collectors and aficionados that is akin to reduce diameter sizes and heights. Vacheron Constantin is the brand theyll need to take to look at in 2010, with their Historique Ultra-Fine timepieces.In the 1950s and 1960s, Vacheron Constantin introduced the wor [...]

Note: Yes, we know, the Vacheron 222 was not designed by Gerald Genta but by Hysek. We stand corrected.Since the early days of my watch addiction (I admit), I am a sucker for the designs of Gerald Genta in the 1970s. Most of the time, I neglect the Vacheron and drool on pictures of his Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and IWC Ingenieur SL.I always found it hard to get proper information and pictures of the Vacheron Constantin 222, nowadays known as the Vacheron Constantin Overseas. The 222 was the last icon that Gerald Genta designed in the 1970s, just one year after the Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700 and IWC Ingenieur SL 1832. However, yesterday I stumbled across the The Hou [...]

The Zenith El Primero name is one that demands respect in the watch industry. Zenith introduced the venerable chronograph in 1969, and the movement remains the brands bread and butter to this day. Of course, there have been numerous updates and revisions, improving the accuracy and reliability as modern technology has allowed. The El Primero is one of the most well-known chronograph movements, but this year, its expanded its horizons to a simpler three-hand offering in the form of the Zenith Defy Skyline.It might take a little getting used to, referring to a non-chronograph watch as an El Primero, but there you go. The Skyline is powered by a variant of the El Primero 3600, the high-beat, te [...]

I seem to be on a roll with my newfound love for chronographs. This 90s El Primero chronograph might be over 20 years old, but it sure doesn't look it. Considering the brand's strong history and the El Primero in particular, whats the catch? I cant see any, so its no wonder that I've marked three of these as Chrono24 favorites. Is the mid-90s Zenith Prime the best entry-ticket El Primero chronograph out there?There is a caveat to this story, and that is one simple fact: chronographs and the complex El Primero movement are not cheap to service. So unless you have a very friendly watchmaker, make sure you get one thats recently had the spa treatment. Follow that simple rule, and this particula [...]

During the writing of the Buying Guide series, I found out about so many great watches that we dont talk about often enough. One brand that stood out along the way was Zenith. The brand has created so many fantastic watches that would it be great to see more of them return in the form of modern re-issues. Obviously, most of Zeniths stand-out timepieces are chronographs. With a rich history in chronographs overall and especially with the El Primero movement, the brand has always been a leader in the genre. One of the most beautiful examples, in my opinion, is the A277. This watch, which hails from the 1960s, is a perfect example of a diving chronograph done well. And now, its time for its glo [...]

Despite its slightly divisive birth last year, the wider community now seems to have firmly accepted Zeniths Chronomaster Sport with open arms. A few of my friends and acquaintances have picked up the stainless steel version, and the feedback has been very positive. Zenith itself seems to believe in the collection, too, as evidenced by the new releases we see before us. First, we had a steel watch with a ceramic bezel. Then, we had a gold version with a ceramic bezel. Now Zenith has decided to introduce three new models in two-tone and gold with no ceramic bezels in sight.Personally, I felt that the ceramic bezels were the one thing that made the Chronomaster Sport feel so modern compared to [...]

Some people say open-heart dials are pass??. Well, call me old-fashioned, but I think thats poppycock If done right, dials that reveal the beating heart of the watch can be some of the most intriguing dials out there. This is especially true when paired with a high-frequency movement. And when it comes to Zenith, high-frequency is the name of the game For Watches Wonders 2022, Zenith introduces the newest generation of the Chronomaster Open. This classily executed and wearable watch puts the balance and escapement of the 5Hz El Primero on display. Paired with Zeniths signature tri-color motif, it just may have you wearing your heart on your face?Did you know that Zenith was the first brand [...]

Fratello On Air is here with Balazs and Mike. This week, vintage Zenith is in focus as the duo roll through their favorite models out of Le Locle. Youll be surprised with this list because the El Primero doesnt factor so heavily.Zenith dates way back to 1865 with its founding in Le Locle, Switzerland. While we wont go back that far at all, we will look backward at some of our favorite models. Of course, Zenith makes some fantastic new models (ooh, we love that Chronomaster Original!), but bring two vintage nerds together and vintage is what you get!Handgelenks KontrolleAs always, Balazs and Mike kick off with a Handgelenks Kontrolle. Balazs is sporting his Casio G-Shock GW-B5600 with Bluetoo [...]

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. Its 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 Zenith watches from the 2000s.By the turn of the millennium, Switzerland had proudly re [...]

I was not raised Catholic, and Im not one today. You wouldnt know that, however, from the guilt that I carry. There are things that Ive done that simply cant be undone, and there are watches Ive worn that surely cant be unworn. There are also some pitiful habits I have that make me feel like less than a devoted watch guy. Today, in this article, its time to come clean, and confess my dirty little horological secrets. Forgive me, Fratelli, for I (feel like I) have sinned.Was that opening paragraph slightly melodramatic? Of course, it was, but its midnight, and Ive got to start this somehow. Nevertheless, this idea has been brewing for weeks, while the seed of guilt that inspired it has been g [...]