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As we head well into the race stint, the competition heats up. Twenty-four watches have DNFd from The Fast And The Fratelli. The final eight prove themselves worthy of the best racing chronograph watches of the past ten years. But there can be only one winner. The winning watch may even be amongst the choices today. From Bens side of the grid is the Rolex Daytona reference 116520. On RJs side is the Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321. This is the titanic battle of iconic chronographs we were hoping to have But we wouldnt have gotten there without your votes and voices of encouragement. You now hold the power to select the best racing chronograph. And by commenting, you have the chance to win a Tr [...]
The final lap of the shootouts brings a lug-to-lug fight between two extremely individualistic competitors. Its the Yema Speedgraf against the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 8, and if it wasn't for their chronographs and tachymeter scales, it would be hard to find common ground between these two racers. Who will make it through? You decide!The Omega Speedmaster Apollo 8 won a close race, defeating the Breitling Chronomat Frecce Tricolori. Its going up against the Yema Speedgraf, which, surprisingly, left the legendary Yema Rallye Andretti in its rearview mirror. Betting odds are much more in favor of the Swiss Omega today, but the French Yema proved in the last round that it doesn't give up easily [...]
We're approaching the end of the year, and it has been an odd one (again). However, for Speedmaster fans, it was quite interesting. On the one hand, there were no limited editions or special editions this year. On the other hand, Omega introduced to us the new Moonwatch for the coming years, or perhaps even for the next decades. Two of these Moonwatch models are in precious metal. One is in Sedna Gold, Omega's own rose gold alloy. The other one is in Canopus Gold, Omegas white gold formulation.Omega Speedmaster Canopus GoldThe white gold Omega Speedmaster Professional Master Chronometer is on my wrist as I write this article. Together with the platinum Speedmaster with caliber 321, these are [...]
Imagine the shame: I'm an editor doing three to four stories a week at Fratello Watches, without an Omega Speedmaster to my name. How did I get the job, and how could I even be allowed to have my byline on the website sans Speedy? My colleagues keep asking why I dont own a Speedmaster proper peer pressure. It's not like I haven't tried on the Speedmaster Professional or had the budget, but I remain confused and Moonwatch-less.Let me try to be objective and truthful about this. First, please forgive me. I have been writing about watches for a couple of years now, and I am a contrarian by nature. This means that even if something is intrinsically beautiful, I will shy away from it if it is pop [...]
In Round 2 of The Fast And The Fratelli, two writers go head-to-head with their qualifying racing chronos Here are Gerard and Balazs a.k.a. the father and son at Fratello with their first-round winners for your consideration.How come we now see the Omega Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Ultraman competing with the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SRQ037J1? That cause lies in the first round, where the Omega Speedmaster Ultraman made a clear win over a Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Revival A385. It was a 72 over 28% win. With 54 over 46%, the Seiko Prospex Speedtimer was less overwhelming but still a clear winner over the Tissot Heritage 1973. And so, here they are The Omega and the Seiko roar at the [...]
And were back with another shootout round of The Fast And The Fratelli Over the last few weeks, weve seen fire and flames. Weve seen both some close wins and complete and utter destruction. Its our contest to find the best racing chronograph, and if you aint here to race, take your gas back home Today, Carl F. Bucherer takes on Omega in an underdog story for the annals of horology. Can the young Manero Flyback leave a Speedy in the dust? That is up to you, so dont forget to vote!I can hear the maniacal laughter coming all the way from Germany. Robs oh-so-obvious pick must have him feeling pretty haughty. And to be completely honest, I dont think I really blame him. His Speedmaster contender [...]
It's time for a shootout round This week, the pre-quarterfinal shootout for The Fast And The Fratelli has begun, with Lex and Ben in a blistering fight. Your voting counts, as it decides who drops out ignominiously, and who comes one step closer to the podium. Today, lined up on the grid is the powerful Ed White Speedy versus the homage champ Uni-Racer from Massena LAB. This is the Norwegian writing the intro after fueling up the Uni-Racer with a distinct feeling of being the underdog in this race. But lets fire up the engines, and you, just vote!As always, both editors will be presenting their watch and giving all the reasons why they believe it should emerge victoriously. We're not just ai [...]
This article is all about the gold Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11, reference BA145.022-69. The gold commemorative watch was presented to all the active NASA astronauts in 1969, to the US President and Vice President, as well as to some other officials. It also became available to the public, with a slightly different inscription on its gold case back.We've covered it very often, especially when an astronaut's gold Speedmaster has come to the surface or when we saw an interesting example for sale or at an auction. This gold Speedmaster is also referred to as a Tribute to Astronauts watch. It was the first gold Speedmaster that Omega created, and it was offered to the active astronau [...]
Are you looking for a beautiful watch to pair with your ugly Christmas sweater? A classy companion for the happiest time of the year? A way of keeping your eye on the time between spiked-eggnog-and-turkey-induced naps? Omega has your back Not just one, but three new stunning models for the Globemaster Annual Calendar lineup are introduced just in time for the end-of-year festivities. These rather festive releases include a steel watch with a pale pine-green dial, a two-tone model with a burgundy dial, and a Sedna Gold bezel, as well as one in full 18K Sedna Gold.As the end of November rolls around, and December sneaks up on us all, there's no better time to get into the festive spirit. And w [...]
Finally, its my turn to step into the arena. Ive enjoyed taking a backseat so far in the competition and watching the track-based carnage unfold, but Ive got to say, Im excited to buckle up for what is sure to be a thrilling race to the finish. Maybe, just maybe, Im doubly excited because I actually think I might win this. Why am I confident? Check out my picks: the Omega Speedmaster Racing Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph 44.25mm 329.32.44.51.01.001 and the Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster 86010M. Both are stunning watches, but there is one clear favorite (in my opinion) when it comes to snaring the crown of the greatest modern racing chronograph.For my money, very few of the watches my [...]
In this article, we show you the top 10 best Omega watches you can buy in 2021. Its a completely subjective list, but I will explain to you why I think each Omega watch listed here deserves its spot. And dont worry, its not all Speedmasters.If you want to learn more about the Omega brand, have a look at our article about Omegas highlights through the years. Omega is not only the brand whose watches were worn on the Moon and on the wrist of James Bond. But the brand also has a rich history when it comes to (ultra-deep) diving watches, the Olympics, and high-precision chronometer movements.Omegas new manufacture in BienneTop 10 Best Omega Watches You Can Buy TodayIve been a collector of Omega [...]
Omega shipped us this gold Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph after my colleague Jorg decided he wanted to write a hands-on article on this beast.Upon receiving it, he quickly called me and said, You need to see and try this. Not entirely sure what my feelings would be on a 44mm diver chronograph in gold, I went to our office and for the first time put the Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph on my wrist. The end of the story is, that I didnt give it back to him for at least a week. What an incredible piece I find it quite interesting to think that this watch has remained under the radar for me all that time. It isnt exactly a new watch, as Omega introduced its chronograph models of the Seamaster [...]
Contrary to what you may think, I did not pick the watches Im going to talk about. That was the Krakens doing. That said, I could not be happier with this pair of great chronographs. The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero A385 is easily my favorite watch from the Revival lineup. The quirky case shape, the light brown dial, and the El Primero movement are simply my favorite features. And I like the watch equally on a bracelet or a strap. The red chronograph hand, with its dash of color, spiced up the watch for me and matched the other contender perfectly. Speaking of contenders, we have a Speedy to race our Zenith. Not just any Speedy, though. Its the one that has the most iconic red chronograph [...]
There's something undeniably charming about smaller tool watches that come on a steel bracelet. Nowadays, a lot of brands are going back to more classic watch sizing, as the masses have made their voices heard. Long gone are the times of 44-47mm wrist monsters now is the time for something that slips under the cuff. Perhaps two of the most iconic time-only watches in this category are the Rolex Explorer in 36mm and the Omega Railmaster from the 60th-anniversary Trilogy collection. RJ and Nacho will present their pick and why they think it has the edge over the other. But we also want to hear from you, so make sure to vote for your pick down below.It's no mystery that sub-40mm watches reall [...]
Welcome to my race track. On the left side, we have the TAG Heuer Monza, and on the right side of the track, theres the Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321. This race is part of our contest, The Fast And The Fratelli, where you get to decide which watch wins and goes on to the next track. The goal of this race is to find the best racing chronograph of the past ten years.Weve set some rules for fair play. The watch must have been produced in the last ten years (since 2011), it must be mechanical, and it must be able to measure elapsed time for at least one minute. Also, it must feature a tachymeter scale. Oh, and it must be awesome, of course As you can see, we will not exclude limited or special e [...]
Which vintage Omega Speedmaster should I buy today? We get this question a lot. And a lot doesn't mean once per week, but at least a dozen times per week. It is also a very valid question, as it can be quite a minefield out there. Especially with today's prices on these watches, you need to be careful. But it is a very personal question, which applies not only to vintage Omega Speedmasters but also to watches in general.Its very difficult to advise you what to buy, as its an incredibly personal decision. I might like and buy a watch for a completely different reason than you do. But at least I can give you a rundown of some of the options and tell you my preferences when it comes to buying a [...]
This week, Balazs takes the reigns and welcomes the fastest Canadian swimmer of all time, Olympic medalist Brent Hayden, to the smooth booth.In a wide-ranging chat, Brent and Balazs explore the mental pressures endured by professional athletes. They track the human side of the sport, and they delve deeply into a couple of unexpectedly personal issues that place our watch collecting hobby in sharper context.This is the longest WASP episode ever, and it really makes use of every second. This is why we created this podcast to mold a perfect fusion of our love of sports and watches. Brent Hayden is not only a pro athlete. Hes an inspiration to those around him. He is also a genuine watch nut, ha [...]
About two years ago, I received an e-mail from one of our German readers. He is a radiologist and told me he was ever so happy when Omega introduced their Aqua Terra 15,000 gauss in 2013. Even better, he wrote me that he tested it with one of the MRI equipment up to 30,000 gauss and it still worked perfectly. Not too long ago, Omega tested their watch at 160,000 gauss and guess what happened? Nothing.160,000 gaussHow important is anti-magnetism for a watch? Well, I wasnt even aware (I change watches fairly often that I cant properly measure its?accuracy) but when I was at the Omega HQ?in October one of my Speedmaster watches was performing quite badly. It was magnetized according to the tech [...]
In 2021, Omega updated the iconic Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with the caliber 3861 movement. A very good reason to update our Speedmaster Buyers Guide as well!This guide dates all the way back to 2014, and since then, a lot happened. Not only did we have our own way with Omega and the two Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday watches (in 2017 and 2018), Omega also introduced a number of interesting Speedmaster watches to the collection. What about the Speedmaster Calibre 321 from 2020, or the new Moonwatch Master Chronometer models in gold? Time for us to update this Speedmaster Buyers Guide.In this Speedmaster Buyers Guide, we give you an overview of the most important references of the Speedm [...]
Reverse PandaAround this time of the year some watch websites already start to speculate about the latest novelties brands will release during BaselWorld. There are trends however, patterns if you like, that come in waves year after year and will have an impact on the novelties. Just think about the emergence of smart and connected watches or the bronze cased models from a few years ago. It seems that this year watch manufacturers are again reaching back to their old playbook. They are pulling out something that worked for them many years ago and as a matter of fact, never went out of style. It is not a case shape or complication rather a design element that characterizes the whole watch; pa [...]
