Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

When Breitling first announced its partnership with Outerknown back in 2018, it seemed, to me at least, to be a seminal moment for sustainable products working their way into the luxury industry. With the two brands' latest collaboration, the Outerknown series gets a massive boost from the inclusion of the handsome (and widely praised) Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 automatic dive watch.Outerknown is a company dedicated to producing stylish, sustainable clothing, founder by world-famous surfer, Kelly Slater. Slater was already a member of the Breitling Surfers Squad so the union felt pretty natural. But beyond the marketing sense of pairing Slater's growing label with an established watch [...]

This week has seen some very interesting emails pop through into the Fratello inbox. A new watch that gets me hot under the collar, a Speedmaster with genuine space-flown provenance, and brands adopting new technology to help beat the forgers and fraudsters.Zenith Defy Skeleton CarbonThis edition is named The Party In My Pants Edition'. Why? Well, as the name of this edition suggests, there's a party in my pants, and this watch is the sole reason. To my friends, it's no secret that I am a fan of what Zenith has been doing recently, especially the Defy range. From the moment the brand relaunched the Defy series back in 2017, I've was hooked. The combination of the angular case shape and the s [...]

Happy Halloween Welcome to the latest edition of This Week In Watches. Weve not had a huge amount of new releases trickle into our inboxes, but there have been a few tasty ones. To be honest, Im glad weve not seen a surge of cheesy, Halloween-themed watches (but theres always one) aint nobody got time for thatBreitling Chronomat 36 32 for womenIt was only a matter of time. The re-introduced Breitling Chronomat unveiled in Spring has now sprung into a full-blown collection in a variety of sizes. However, instead of upsizing from the base 42mm case, Breitling has taken things down a notch. To cater to those who prefer a smaller diameter and appreciate the 80s aesthetic, the Chronomat is now a [...]

What makes a watch fan fall for a particular timepiece? Is it the dial? Or perhaps the case shape? Maybe the complication of the watch in question? When it comes to vintage watches, and especially chronographs, the answer is often, the movement.In this article, I collected 5 vintage chronograph movements that I find the most iconic. Clearly, I could have done a Top 10 or Top 20 article. And I might in the future. Until then, however, I hope you enjoy the list of my Top 5 iconic vintage chronograph calibers, listed in no particular order.Angelus 215It is no secret that the Angelus brand is near and dear to my heart. Partly due to its connection to the Hungarian Air Force, and partly because I [...]

Three months ago Breitling opened its first boutique in The Netherlands. And about time, too Many other brand boutiques in Breitlings league were already present in our attractive capital. The way a brand boutique differs from a regular multi-brand shop is how a brand is experienced. Breitling, in this case, makes things utterly clear. Its Amsterdam boutique exudes mancave style, with a pool table and a Norton motorcycle displayed in front of exposed brickwork, decorated with multiple pictures representing the Breitling way of life.So experience is the keyword here. That means that a visitor should actively be part of whats happening. In his review on the boutique, Robert-Jan was looking for [...]

Welcome to the Eighties Also known as the Greed Decade. As I came into the world in 1977, I grew up in the Eighties with all its decadence and glory. But the one aspect that has always stuck with me is its horrible style. It was big, loud, and over the top. But now, in my early forties, I have fully embraced the 1980s as an era that influenced me greatly. So creating a list of the watches from the 1980s that are still cool today was like eating a burger with David Hasselhoff: its not always stylish, but it sure is a good time!Where to begin with a list like this? Lets lay out some basics about this, or else we will end up with an out of control party that features the members of Motley Crue [...]

In this video, Michael Stockton and Balazs Ferenczi go hands-on with the Breitling Co-Pilot AVI Ref. 765 watch a re-edition for the fans of this iconic 1953 chronograph.Earlier this year, we reported about this release from Breitling (in this article by Rob Nudds). Mike bought one of the 1953 pieces a while ago, and together with Balazs, talks about this chronograph on video.Breitling AVI Ref. 765The Breitling AVI Ref. 765 was introduced before the world went into this lockdown situation. It is almost hard to believe our guys were still traveling every week, while today, all of us work from home or meet up at Fratellos HQ when it is allowed. A few weeks ago, when it was still OK to travel fr [...]

Whats the first to say about a Top-5 list of vintage chronographs? That there are too many to choose from. I have to say that compiling this list and seeing the watches together did open my eyes to some of my preferences. The most important? All of these chronographs have a strong link to the 1960s and have their roots within a decade of each other. I never considered myself a 1960s chronograph guy, but now its hard to deny thats exactly what I am. So lets check out my Top-5 Vintage Chronographs and see if you are too.The fact that these watches are all from the same period in time is not the only thing that links them. As they are all from the same era, you can see a connection in some of t [...]

Welcome to my top list of chronographs that have become icons. The focus is on modern interpretations of chronographs that have stood the test of time. Whether by sheer brilliance or historical significance.My list is made up of modern timepieces but the core design DNA stretches back decades. There are some examples in this list that are square-millimeter-perfect recreations and some whose design and mechanisms have evolved over time. No matter the evolution, the term iconic applies to all of these chronographs. But I am always keen to know your personal choices. Especially on any watches I may have missed. Importantly for me, an icon needs to be identifiable with only the silhouette.Withou [...]

Finally, we were able to hit the road and our first major trip was to the Geneva Watch Days 2020 event. We take a very brief look at some of our favorite novelties.It feels like forever since weve been in show mode. With cancellations becoming the norm, it was actually invigorating to set ourselves up with a packed four-day schedule filled with new watches during Geneva Watch Days 2020. We promise to come back with loads of hands-on reviews in the near future, but we thought it best to mention the watches that left a lasting impression. Before that, though, lets talk a little about the event and how it felt to attend.Geneva Watch Days 2020With a pandemic still very much at large throughout t [...]

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 dont forget to let us know which watches youd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. Well try and feature as many of our readers choices as we can. After last weeks battle of sophistication vs. opulence, the Omega Aqua Terra beat the Rolex Yacht-Master in the end. This week the Breitling Chronomat 42 B01 battles the Tudor Black Bay Chrono SG for a showdown of the B01 movement.Last week looked like it was going to be a tight battle until the finish lin [...]

When it comes to recognizing our favorite movie wristwatches, we tend to focus on the good guy. James Bond and the Omega Seamaster 300M, or Ellen Ripley with her Seiko Giugiaro, for example. Yet, in interviews, actors and actresses often proclaim they cannot wait to chew the scenery and portray the antagonist. Therefore, I am selecting wristwatches worn by the bad guys.Playing the part of the bad guy can often turn a performer into a household name overnight. Alan Rickman and Gary Oldman kickstarted their Hollywood careers with Die Hard and Lon respectively. Unnerving yet captivating performances surely leave an impression when exiting the theater. With my keen eye, their wristwatch choice [...]

Breitling flesh out its Professional collection with a new suite of Endurance Pro quartz chronographs made with ultra-lightweight Breitlight?.Breitling is no stranger to adversity. Amid a pandemic, Breitling has faced the challenge of maintaining a fixed release schedule and executing a global communication strategy head-on. A successful webcast that may have had a few technical hiccups but still got the message across. Better still, it came at a fraction of the cost for what Breitling would have spent for a Baselworld booth.Endurance Pro collectionNow Breitling is gearing up for Geneva Watch Days. But just before the first major fair since COVID broke kicks off in earnest, we have a little [...]

We take a long look at the Breitling Superocean Heritage 57 where Ill attempt to convince you that its worth a try.We dont deserve the Breitling Superocean Heritage 57. Were mean, quick to judge, and pretty set in our ways about most things and that includes watches. We complain about watch prices, moan about in-house versus sourced movements without understanding the benefits. Really, just give us a black dial, wrap it in a 40mm stainless case, and maybe include a dive bezel. Artificially limit production and ensure the social media sages pair it with Goyard, LV, Hermes, Gucci, or some bespoke useless slippers and, voil, you have the best watch on the planet.Consequently, its because of th [...]

Sometimes, I feel bad for certain watch brands. Theyve created amazingly beautiful watches, but due to the unknown name on the dial, the price, or bad marketing efforts, they never really made it. Today I want to share with you 5 watches that never (really) hit the big time.Perhaps unbelievable today, but that is basically how the Nautilus and Royal Oak also started out. Nobody cared. Look at them now. Another example is the Aquanaut. When it was introduced in 1997, as the new Nautilus for a younger generation, it was barely picked up. I am not saying the watches in this overview will be picked up at some point and become the investor pieces the aforementioned watches have become today, but [...]

For this week in Pre-Owned Picks, I am selecting watches from the Twentieth Century that have seen a revival in the Twenty-First. I do not mean watches that have iteratively had improvements throughout the decades ala, the Speedmaster or Submariner. Specifically, I refer to watches that were once made, in a time-gone-by, but ceased production. Decades later, the watches are brought back to life as a re-edition with similar or identical styling and modern materials.Are we living in a crisis of watchmaking? that was the question posed by Tomas in his TBT article here. Quite possibly, we are. But importantly, it is we who are to blame. We reminisce of when wristwatches had to meet the standard [...]

Im sharing a story from a passionate Omega Speedmaster collector and his connection to his late grandfathers Omega Constellation. You may know him on Instagram as @dan_occasionally_likes_things. For brevity, I will just refer to him as Dan.But before we get into our discussion, I want to explain some backstory into my digital friendship with Dan.When I began my professional career around seven years ago, my father gifted me his 2006 Breitling Aerospace Avantage. Breitling introduced the ref. E79362 in 2005 and changed the name to Aerospace Avantage. The advantage this reference brought was the back-light on the LCD screens. In 2007, the name reverted to just Aerospace with the COSC text on t [...]

Breitling is one of the brands that has been capable to bring continuously bold, inspiring, and innovative watches since the early days. Picking my top 5 models from such a vast and inspiring catalog turned out to be quite a challenge.Opinions on the Breitling brand tend to be quite strong, one way or the other. I either meet collectors that feel zero affinity towards the brand or, more often, enthusiasts that have not just one or two, but dozens of Breitling watches. It only confirms that you have a lot of choices once you fall under the vintage Breitling spell.1. Breitling Chronomat ref. 769In 1940 Breitling applied for a patent on a rotating logarithmic slide rule, a tool for Mathematicia [...]

Stepping into a Breitling boutique today is a totally different experience than entering a dealership when I just founded Fratello magazine. Most of the time, youd step into an interior that the grandparents of the current owner had proudly chosen and installed. Uncomfortable chairs (covered with velvet!) at an oak desk where the shop owner would show you the watches on a tray, matching the dark brown oak. Often a place where there was more information and passion for watches in the catalog than in the shop.Even today although the interiors are often improved you will encounter places where theres just a small collection of watches of the brands you are looking for (or at least not the exact [...]

So heres a somewhat romantic notion: pilots, God love them, are all obsessed with expensive luxury watches. So much so, in fact, that an entire category of watches is named after them. Except thats not really true is it? Lets submit ourselves for a quick reality check so we can take this worthwhile question from the mailbag and chuck it in the trash where it belongs.Modern-day pilots do not exclusively wear pilots watches. Pilots are, aside from incredibly important pillars of any society that embraces air travel, humans. They are people. They wear whatever the heck they please. And no, Im not being facetious this is true. The vast majority of planes have control panels crammed full of usefu [...]