Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

Divers Sixty-Five Green DialRumor has it that Oris is performing well this year in terms of sales. It is not that strange, as they hit home run last year with the Oris Divers Sixty-Five in 40mm (we reviewed it here). Another important aspect is of course the price segment in which Oris operates. Where a lot of Swatch Group and Richemont Group brands left the < 2000 Euro market, Oris does offer a lot of bang for the buck still. This year, they not only showed us the new 42mm versions of the Divers Sixty-Five, they now also introduced the Divers Sixty-Five green dial version, in 42mm.Oris Divers Sixty-Five Milking It?Oris has a couple of Divers Sixty-Five models in their collection today, [...]

Oris Bronze Watch Carl Brashear Limited EditionTo be honest, Id never heard about Carl Brashear before and did not see the Men of Honor movie. I also doubt?if the story, to which I will come back later, would have impact on my decision whether to like this watch, or not. Or better yet, that it would have add value to the Oris bronze watch for me, personally. I doubt that basically. I like the watch from the moment I saw it in the flesh during a preview of Oris BaselWorld novelties in Zermatt.Without further ado, here is my Oris bronze watch review.Bronze Watches EverywhereBronze is trending.?Panerai set the trend with their Bronzo (Luminor Submersible Ref. PAM00382) back in 2011. I know tha [...]

Oris continues to be one of our favorite brands here at Fratellowatches. We've come to enjoy the value proposition that their pieces present in concert with great build quality. Last year, at Baselworld 2015, the team loved the Divers Sixty-Five in 40mm with its retro dial and domed crystal. Well, the watch has proven popular, but it's clear that Oris received requests for a larger watch and the answer is now here. Welcome in the new Oris Divers Sixty-Five 42mm.The Oris Divers Sixty-Five 42mm on the wristOris could have easily copied a successful formula by simply upsizing the 40mm Sixty-Five but they decided to reach into their back catalog to a past model in order to find inspiration for t [...]

Oris is a sympathetic brand in my opinion. Independent (but not small) and very strong in the sub 2000 price range. We covered their Aquis and Sixty-Five Divers watches a number of times, as these are great value propositions. What also helps for us watch journalists, is that the people behind Oris are also sympathetic and real watch enthusiasts. That doesnt help or mean much for the end-consumer perhaps, at least not directly, but believe me, it does for us when the people behind a brand share the (true) love for watches. However, being very strong in that 1000 to 2000 segment, what happens if a brand like Oris creates a watch that retails for nearly 5000?For that kind of money, you are ent [...]

In our on-going quest for affordable mechanical watches I stumbled upon Oris. Oris is a brand that only produces mechanical watches, there is not a single quartz watch in their catalog. Besides that, it is an independent brand that has produced watches from this little Swiss village called H?lstein since 1904. Their key to success is perhaps best captured in their slogan real watches for real people, something that we here on Fratello Watches certainly try to promote as well. Although there is still a lot of fun in writing about high-end complex pieces as well of course, but at the end of the day, most of our readers and you can include us into this category as well leave a watch shop wi [...]

Oris Big Crown ProPilot AltimeterIf you have been on Fratello Watches recently, youve probably seen our review of the Breva Genie watches with their altimeter functionality. Of course in an entirely different [price] segment, Oris is now introducing their Oris Big Crown ProPilot Altimeter watch. It is the first time that a mechanical altimeter complication is used in an automatic watch.The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Altimeter uses an extra crown, located at 4 oclock, to activate, correct and deactivate the altimeter indication. When entirely screwed-down, the altimeter is inactive and the watch remains water resistant to 100 meters. When unscrewed, the altimeter is being activated. The yellow i [...]

Brace yourself, Web3 is coming at you, whether you get it or not (yet). Panerai is not the first major watch brand to enter the NFT waters, and it certainly won't be the last. As?the brands entry ticket into the Web3 territory, the Italian-Swiss watchmaker has chosen a new product-release concept for the Radiomir Eilean Experience Edition.The keyword here is Experience. Panerai is offering you a multi-dimensional experience, packaged with both physical and digital components, along with one on the wrist the new Radiomir Eilean. This is the first Panerai Experience Edition watch that is accompanied by a sailing trip on the Mediterranean and an exclusive NFT in a cryptographic wallet. Let us u [...]

What do you imagine when you think of a trip to Florence, Italy? I imagine a scene of the city during the golden hour, with a rose-gold hue bathing its gorgeous architecture. Im sipping away on my bright orange Aperol-Spritz while enjoying a fat brown cigar on one of the citys beautiful piazzas. And now, you may wonder, what watch Im wearing? Well, the Panerai Luminor Goldtech Calendario Perpetuo, of course!I wouldnt actually consider a Panerai for my personal collection any time soon. The times Ive tried them on, Ive found them too big and flashy for my 17cm wrist. And if I? had to choose one, it would be one of the Radiomir models with nearly non-existent wire lugs.So, when I first saw the [...]

The new Submersible QuarantaQuattro Bianco PAM01226 brings back memories of the first Panerai watch that pulled me into the brand. It must have been sometime in the summer of 2004, and I was visiting Antwerp with my then-girlfriend (now-wife). As I always do when traveling, I also stopped by a few jewelry stores in the area to check out some watches. One of them was a Panerai dealer, and I noticed a model in the window that immediately caught my interest. It was a white-dialed Panerai PAM00113 on a tan leather strap.At that point, I had never owned a watch from Panerai. However, I really liked the PAM00113s large case, big numerals, and, at that time, uncommon white dial. I had seen and trie [...]

Italy is known for bold design and expert handicraft. The watches featured in this edition of Watch Dating Profiles bring that and then some. Bold, striking, and unapologetic, these watches get as close to a short red dress or Italian Barbera red wine as any watch can. The Unimatic U1 Classic is a thick and bold yet minimalist approach to the classic dive tool watch. The U-Boat Classico 45 Tungsteno Movelock is large, loud, and demands ones full attention. Finally, the Panerai Luminor Marina ref. PAM01313 embodies Italys incredible history as the modern-day iteration of one of the worlds first dive watches. Its still bold, but also the most elegant watch that Italys boldest watch designers c [...]

Last year, we saw Panerai focus on sustainable watchmaking during Watches Wonders. The brand presented the brilliant Submersible eLAB-ID, a concept watch constructed from 98.6% recycled-based materials by weight. The brand also introduced a trio of Luminor Marina eSteel models produced with almost 60% recycled materials. Today, Panerai continues this story with the release of the new Submersible eSteel lineup. These Submersibles come in three different colors with one major improvement in aesthetic over last years Luminor Marina Steel offerings.Lets rewind the clock 12 months before diving into the new Submersible models. I still remember the introduction of the Submersible eLAB-ID as one o [...]

New Panerai releases are always a guilty pleasure for me. Whether its new materials, colors, or sizes, the bold brand always comes through with something that I like each and every year. Today, we break down a trio of new divers, the Panerai Submersible QuarantaQuattro collection.The Submersible models are the true divers in the Panerai lineup. With their rotating bezels and more impressive depth ratings, the watches do battle in the crowded luxury diver market. They compete in a way that only a Panerai can. Submersibles utilize the locking crown and bring big, beefy dimensions or at least they always did the latter up until 2017. When the Submersible debuted in 1998, it was 47mm. Theyre sti [...]

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is primarily 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, and some of them are still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Panerai watches from the 2000s.By the turn of the millennium, Switzerland had pro [...]

Are you tired of ambassador-led special editions? Well, it sure seems as if the watch industry isn't done with them quite yet. And while this practice may elicit (in some) a weary roll of the eyes, it is fair to say there are good and bad examples of ambassador-inspired watches. The partnership twixt Panerai and Mike Horn has always felt like one of the more natural ones. Perhaps that has something to do with its duration, Horn's earnestness, or the fact there aren't so many Panerai ambassadors to dilute the attention afforded the increasingly renowned explorer.Whatever it is, whenever Panerai releases a new Mike Horn watch, I find myself liking it. It's totally possible it's just a coincide [...]

We like to talk about vintage watches a lot within the Fratello team. Though most of what we write about is primarily 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, and some of them are still affordable. In this installment, we will take a look at the best Panerai watches from the 1990s.This week we will continue our journey through wat [...]

Recently, I wrote about a Rolex Panerai 3646 with an anonymous California dial due to go under the hammer at Webbs Auction House in New Zealand. One of our readers, Jeff Hess, got in touch with me to point out that my use of the term California to describe the dial was misleading, erroneous, and wrong. Now, I thought that was pretty harsh, but Im not one to take offense easily, especially when the person dishing it out has a good reason for doing so. Having looked into Jeffs justification for his claim, I found myself disagreeing with him still, but we decided together that the mysterious history of the California nickname should be shared openly with the FratelliSo here we are. Jeff and I w [...]

The internet is a funny old place. Last week, quite out of the blue, I was contacted by an old school friend upon whom I hadnt laid eyes for more than 10 years with a bit of news I thought would be of interest to the Fratelli. Having left our northern English hometown long behind, my friend settled in New Zealand. After the best part of two decades in the watch industry, he found himself working in a managerial role for Webbs Auction house where he recently stumbled across a very interested Rolex-Panerai 3646 Type-E AnonymousThis unusual watch is estimated to sell for NZD $140,000 C$200,000 (80,000 C120,000), but as weve seen in the past, Rolex anomalies have a habit of blowing past even the [...]

Rolex is a name that has truly transcended the watch industry itself. Though it is neither the oldest nor the most prestigious watch manufacture in the world, Rolex is undoubtedly the most well-renowned. In fact, its nearly impossible to find an adult on this earth who has not heard the name. Due to this legendary reputation, Rolex watches of both the past and the present almost serve as their own global currency. But it wasnt always this way.While Rolex has always strived for excellence, the brand didnt set out to make the most expensive, prestigious timepieces in the world. Rather, since its founding over 120 years ago, the brand had one ultimate goal: to make the most functional, reliable [...]

If you're already a fan of the Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Bronzo PAM00671, but 47mm is just too big for you. Dont fret, I might just have the perfect solution. You could consider the new Panerai Submersible Bronzo Blu Abisso PAM01074 a bronze, 42mm people-pleaser with an annual production of 1,000 pieces per year. Is this Piccolo Bronzo a Paneristi-worthy watch, or is this simply a creation to try and lure in a new crowd? Get ready for a wild ride that will start with a visit to Panerai's website.To get an impression of Panerai's bronze offerings, I first went to the official website. During my visit, I spotted four different bronze Submersible models. Three of them come in a [...]

Panerai is a brand that has delved deep into its historical catalog many times to reinstate and solidify the importance of its Radiomir collection. The line harnesses the manufacturer's maritime references, as well as its historical ones. Panerais prototype of the Radiomir watch underscored the beginnings of what would become one of the world's most recognizable designs. The embryo of a concept centered around legibility. A watch initially conceived as a military tool but one that has since become a part of many a self-respecting horophile's collections.Now, Panerai merges the Radiomir design DNA with another important chapter in the brand's story. The Radiomir Eilean brings together the sig [...]