Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

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.It is time for my picks for Fratello's Summer Splash 2021. Three watches below 5,000 each, and with [...]

Earlier this year, Omega introduced its gold Speedmaster Professional Master Chronometer watches. There were options in both Canopus gold (Omegas white gold alloy) and Sedna gold (Omegas rose gold alloy) announced. Not only did we have the opportunity to go hands-on with both, but we also had the chance to line the Sedna model up against that other must-have chronograph, the Rolex Daytona in Everose. What followed was a blow-for-blow comparison bound to titillate any serious watch lover.We did this comparison in a very biased video here, but we also had two writers, each with a preference for one of the chronographs, go head to head. In this case, Jorg took it up for the new Sedna gold Omega [...]

Well, folks, I am honored to be holding the fort during RJs summer holiday absence. Earlier this month, I was at Fratello HQ in The Hague when RJ shouted at me from his desk. He said he was going on holiday (yes, even RJ needs a holiday sometimes) and asked me if I could make sure that Speedy Tuesday went ahead as usual. He suggested lending me a Speedmaster for a week on the wrist type of review.While that may seem a little vanilla at first, I think I am probably the only member of the Fratello team that doesn't actually own an Omega Speedmaster. I know, I know: on paper, that is absolute sacrilege. For some of the team members, joining Fratello was the catalyst for their first Speedmaster [...]

Weve been covering the Omega Speedmaster on a weekly basis now for many years and in the comments section of these articles, countless questions have been asked about the watch. We have selected some of the most common and reoccurring Speedmaster questions and done our best to provide the answers. Should you find yourself in need of more information about this Omega classic, then read on, as you might just find the answers you are looking for.The Omega Speedmaster is hotter than ever before, not only because of its popular editions like the Silver Snoopy Award 50th anniversary but also because of the recent long-awaited update on the movement and bracelet. You could also say, that these new [...]

In the last decade, many people have jumped onto the Speedmaster bandwagon. With even some of the less talked about models getting caught up in the hype. This, in turn, results in steep price increases on the pre-owned and vintage market. We have seen this happen with Speedmaster Tintin, whose price has recently skyrocketed (no pun intended). The watch worlds media outlets publishing about them probably doesn't exactly help in keeping the prices sane, so we'll take our fair share of the blame. In this article, I will show you 5 Speedmaster watches that are (still) under the radar.On the one hand, I tend to do some serious eye-rolling when I see some of the price tags on (now-discontinued) Sp [...]

What is the meaning of life? Is there a god? When will I finally get the call from my Rolex AD about that steel sports model? These are questions that (for the most part) have puzzled humans for centuries. For millennia eons even Some will spend a lifetime consulting gurus, traveling the world, or even analyzing every single subreddit under the sun to uncover the answers. Others, however, seem like they were effortlessly handed the knowledge. Like a salt shaker at the dinner table. More often than not, though, the latter folk have simply been fortunate enough to learn from the best teacher one could ask for Experience.Learning by doing, learning by failing, learning by living. It is these me [...]

In this video, I talk about one of my favorite wearers of the last two years. The Omega Seamaster PloProf 1200M, reference 224.30.55.21.01.001.I never thought I would say this, but the Seamaster PloProf 1200M could despite the dimensions of 48mm x 55mm x 17.5mm and weighing nearly 280 grams be my daily wearer. Yes, it is heavy and yes, it is a chunk of steel, but on the wrist, it wears relatively compact. In the video we made I explain to you all the details about the stainless steel Seamaster PloProf 1200M and talk about some of the PloProf history as well.Now discontinued, but it should still be possible to source one of these watches from an authorized dealer or boutique. This Seamaster P [...]

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are fully underway And what better opportunity to have a look at this extraordinary set of watches? Omega already introduced (and released) them during the Summer of 2018 in anticipation of the 2020 Games. Little did we know back then that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad would be postponed. However, thanks to Omegas precocity, we have been lucky enough to enjoy these watches three years in advance.Before we start, I just want to remind you that Omega introduced all five of these Speedmaster Tokyo 2020 limited editions separately, but also as a set. Each individual watch was limited to 2020 pieces, and only 55 sets were produced. They were all intended for sale in [...]

When alls said and done, Im a very lucky chap. I have a lot of nice watches that Ive spent the last couple of decades accruing. In the last few years especially, my collection has ballooned suddenly. Now with somewhere in the region of 75 timepieces to my name, spread around various locations on the big blue marble, hidden in safes, attics, and one particularly valuable sock drawer, Ive decided to move on from the majority of these pieces to make way for the next generation. Find out what Ill be chasing down over the next few years if all goes according to plan.Im not going to list my collection here, but let me make this clear: of those 75 or so pieces, a great many of them are inexpensive [...]

Postponed, but not abandoned, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are finally here You read that right, the Tokyo 2020 name remains despite their taking place in 2021. The land of the Rising Sun will host the Summer Olympics for the second time in history, the first being in 1964. Omega will be the official timekeeper for all events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and has been for nearly all editions of the Games dating all the way back to 1932.Tokyo 2020 Olympic GamesStarting today, July 23rd, 339 events in 33 sports will take place in the host country of Japan. Including some new additions to the usual list, like karate, sport climbing, baseball, softball, and skateboarding. All of which, will al [...]

The other day I reached a little bit deeper into the safe than I usually do. I ended up with the cheapest blue plastic digital watch you can imagine in my grasp. Rolling it around in my hand, every single bit of it still felt familiar despite not having seen it for about three years (and 20 years before that). It was my first watch ever and it holds a special place in my heart.That was the very moment that sparked the idea for this article: a write-up in which each of the Fratello editors could share their earliest memories of their first watches. I pitched the idea to Rob and RJ. They loved it and instantly sent me back their stories. It didnt even take a full week for me to collect the fir [...]

Here in the Fratello office, we were standing in front of one of the big monitors to watch the preparation and launch of the New Shepard (named after Alan Shepard). On our wrists, the Omega Speedmaster (hey, it was a Speedy Tuesday) and on the wrist of the Blue Origin, also Omega Speedmaster watches. So which watch did they wear exactly? Keep on reading.Wally Funk and the rest of the Blue Origin crew. Photo (c) APWe watched the New Shepard NS-16 flight with a lot of interest, not in the last place because we love everything that has to do with space. And on this very special date, July 20th, 52 years after the Moon landing by the Apollo XI crew, Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, Wally Funk [...]

Exactly 52 years ago today, the Apollo 11 crew turned the Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph into the Moonwatch. It may have actually been one of the first nicknames ever given to a wristwatch. As a watch enthusiast, you probably have heard the story about the Moonwatch a thousand times already. However, in case you're new to watches, or simply don't mind hearing about it for the 1001st time, read on for more on one of the greatest chronographs of all time.Speedmaster Professional 105.012The Omega Speedmaster Professional did not become the Moonwatch purely by coincidence. Quite the opposite, in fact. One of the toughest rumors ҧ for a long time ҧ in the watch industry was that the [...]

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 are priceless, some of them still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Omega watches from the 1980s.While the 1970s marked a time of tremendous change in the watch industry, the 1980s showed the effects of that [...]

Last weekend, on July 10th, it was three years ago that we together with Omega introduced the Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Ultraman, or ST2. In this article, I look back on that special day, and on the Speedmaster ST2.ST1 and ST2 side-by-sideSpeedy Tuesday UltramanA few months after the successful launch of the first Speedy Tuesday, the Tribute to Alaska III (or ST1), we had another idea for a special Speedmaster watch. The idea was for a watch that should be a nod to the rare Speedmaster Ultraman, which is basically a standard Speedmaster Professional 145.012 with an orange chronograph second hand. A lot of extras were added to the Speedy Tuesday Ultraman, including a luminous silhouette of U [...]

A manufacturer of watches that goes to extremes. Omega sent its creations to the moon and the bottom of the deepest point on earth, the Mariana Trench. But Omega is also a brand you associate with the glamour of movie star George Clooney, the adventures of secret agent James Bond, and the biggest sports event on the planet, the Olympic Games. Omega is everywhere and it's always right on time because it continues to push horological boundaries with its ultra-precise Master Chronometers for example. Join us for a brief overview of some of Omegas historical highlights.Since 1848, Omega has set itself the goal of seeking out and pushing boundaries. The watch brand from Bienne, Switzerland, has a [...]

Since 2018 (!), Omega has been introducing special watches to commemorate the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. I secured my favorite from the five Speedmaster Tokyo 2020 watches, and afterward, they also introduced a beautiful Seamaster Diver 300M, Aqua Terra, and Planet Ocean that commemorates the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Now, however, it is time to bring the big guns. Meet the 18ct gold Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Tokyo 2020.Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 sound a bit weird in 2021, but no further explanation is needed I am sure. I am looking forward to the start of the Games in these special times. Together with my daughter, I am a fan of field hockey, and since our orange teams are performing incredib [...]

A question that is often raised with us, is which is the best Speedmaster to buy? And don't think this question only comes from those who are new to watches. Even here in the office, this discussion often comes up. It is especially popular among team members that don't yet have a Speedy to call their own, I have to add.In 1999, when I bought my first Omega Speedmaster, I somewhat did the wrong thing. I bought myself a vintage Speedmaster Professional 145.012 powered by the legendary caliber 321. Although it is difficult to believe that this was a bad decision, I honestly feel it was. At the time, things were totally different from today and there wasn't that much money involved in the world [...]

Desk diving is without a doubt the favorite pastime of many watch enthusiasts. The number of diving watches that will never be used for their intended purpose is enormous. And at Fratello, a majority of the team is also guilty as charged. Luckily we also have some people on the Fratello team that do take their diving watches into the water and test their true functionality. But for all of you that do not go diving this summer, we have made a list of the eight best desk diving watches that look great in the office. Additionally, they will make for a great watch summer watch. So lets desk dive in!The thing that has always surprised me the most when it comes to discussing watches is how some pe [...]

Aside from the 2007 OmegaMania auction, the auction results on Speedmasters have gone up tremendously in recent years. On the one hand, I hate it when one of my favorite watches (read: favorite) is becoming so expensive, on the other hand, you can also interpret it as the recognition it deserves. In this article, I show you the five most expensive Speedmasters auctioned.The good thing about the Speedmaster is though, that you can still buy that standard Moonwatch for a very decent price. Especially compared to the competition out there, the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch is quite an accessible watch. Until you go vintage, of course, of which you will find some extremes in this overview o [...]