Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

Last week I showed you my five picks for an Omega Speedmaster watch under 3,000 USD. Someone commented about the Speedmaster57 Replica 3594.50. That Speedmaster watch wasnt in there, and it should have been.I stand corrected. The Omega Speedmaster watch with reference 3594.50 is actually one of my personal favorites in my Speedmaster collection. The fact that it wasnt in there, is that I thought it would be more expensive than $3000USD. But in fact, when looking on Chrono24, I can actually see some offers that are just below this amount. And that, my dear Speedmaster friends, makes it a very interesting purchase. So yes, the Speedmaster57 Replica 3594.50 should be in last weeks list for Spee [...]

When did you last see a watch ad that made a lasting impression on you and wasnt created decades ago? While plenty of brands in different industries have found great success in finding new ways to connect to their audience through advertising, the watch industry is hardly creative in both ideas and execution when it comes to advertising. But that doesnt mean there havent been great promotional campaigns. Lets take a look at five creative watch advertising campaigns that have great iconic value.If anything, watch brand advertising has hardly changed in decades. For years watch brands have been painting a static picture of an aspirational world of luxury in their advertising. Unfortunately, th [...]

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, I feel the need the need for speed In a clash of the chronographs, the Daytona?116500LN takes on the Omega Calibre 321 Ed White.But before we race ahead of ourselves, lets turn our minds back to last weeks brouhaha. I have to say; I was a little surprised to take home the Regatta Trophy. As [...]

The days of finding a pre-owned Omega Speedmaster Professional under $3,000 are behind us. Perhaps, when luck is on your side, you might run into one for that kind of money. But, in general, I will say that those days are gone.In this article, I want to share 5 Omega Speedmaster watches that can be had for under $3,000. These are the Speedmaster models I would (and in some cases I did) purchase with a budget of $3K. Perhaps not the best, wildest, coolest, or most popular references, but I happen to find them interesting Speedmaster watches.5 Speedmaster Watches Under $3,000I went with $3,000, as this used to be the budget for a nice pre-owned Moonwatch. Ive picked up Speedmaster watches for [...]

Welcome back to our Watch On Your Wrist? Instagram extravaganza Tag your watch snaps with fratellowatches to be in with a chance to win!Every week, we select four images. You can vote in the article for your favorite image. The winner moves on to the semi-final round (held every fifth week between the previous four weekly winners). Win that and youre into the final, which will be held at the end of the year. There will be five finalists in 2020 and ten from next year on.Basically, if you like winning things and there will be a prize for the champion of 2020 this year represents your best shot. So get snapping, get tagging, and get sharing. And dont forget to vote for yourself ObviouslyView [...]

When I look at the vintage time-only Omega watches that I own, I see a pattern. Most of them are from the 50s. They have a larger 35mm+ case size and a seconds sub-dial at 6. I dont know why, but Im just drawn to these timepieces like this excellent reference 2639(-14) with golden stardust dial and Dauphine hands.Todays subject is not my first 2639. Throughout the years Ive been collecting watches, I came across a good few examples. Still, I have to say; this is the most beautiful example I have ever had. There is just something special about watches with black dials. Although Im not a big fan of gold indexes and steel cases, it just works well with this 2639.Reference 2639PostThe first thin [...]

Ever since getting into the world of watches, I have always loved the discussions about watch design. The recurring topic is often progression. The arguments are as much about the lack thereof as they are about the ongoing quest for finding that new instant classic.? Creating something genuinely new that meets with immediate acceptance seems to be the hardest thing there is. Especially when it comes to case design. But the excitement of seeing something novel is excellent.The thing that has intrigued me most over the years is the shape of a watch case. It is often the most crucial element for an immediate yes or no. And a well-designed case can make a design become a proven classic. But the [...]

Limited editions are not to everyones taste. Sometimes, the sheer volume of limiteds can be overwhelming. With the SpeedyTuesday editions weve contributed to that as well. While limited editions may be more common these days, thats nothing new. Lets have a closer look at my Top-5 of earlier NASA/Apollo dedicated Limited Edition Omega Speedmaster models.In 1969, Omega introduced a numbered series of 18k yellow gold Speedmaster Professional watches. We did a review of that model here. These were more or less Limited Editions avant la lettre. They werent limited, but they were sequentially numbered we learned that only 1,014 pieces were made, of which 1 was offered to President Nixon. Then, i [...]

Today, were taking a look at an authentic Omega Seamaster 300M and a very high fidelity replica. It used to be very simple to tell the difference. Fakes were cheap knock-offs. They often made obvious mistakes. Many of the key details were wrong. Sometimes, everything was wrong. But in todays world,? replica watches are getting better and better. Sometimes, they are awfully close to the original.The fake Omega Seamaster 300M James Bond limited edition for the 50th anniversary of On her majestys secret service we have here, is being offered online for prices that come very close to 25% below retail. And it is being offered as an authentic watch. So this is not a watch for those who want to hav [...]

I've been collecting Speedmaster watches for over 20 years. The first one I bought was in 1999, a Speedmaster Professional 145.012-67. Things were very different back then. There were far fewer resources available. Doing your homework was hard. It took a lot more legwork than it does today. When I started out, I used the TimeZone Omega forums and was in touch with fellow enthusiasts like Chuck Maddox and Bill Sohne, for example.I hadnt set out with the 145.012-67 in mind. Honestly, it could have been any Speedmaster Professional. This was just one of the most affordable models around. It was even cheaper than a young pre-owned model with caliber 1861 or 861. In 1999, nobody ever heard (or ca [...]

Its time for Two For Tuesday and this week we take a look at two of Omegas finest. The Speedmaster Professional will throw-down with the Seamaster 300M.In our inaugural episode of Two For Tuesday, the Rolex GMT 16710 duked it out with the Submariner 14060M. It was the heavyweight battle we all expected, but in the end it was the GMT that prevailed by less than 50 votes We thank you for all your participation and for some very lively comments. Lets see if todays contest between the Speedmaster Professional and Seamaster 300M inspires the same spirited debate.We all know people who can easily afford a Rolex, but they simply will not buy one. For them, a Rolex is too showy, reminds them of unsa [...]

In my career, I have been lucky enough to visit hundreds of top retailers in the Northern Hemisphere. Some I just passed through, picking up information as I went. Others I worked with occasionally, learning a little from each of them. A handful, however, I worked with extensively. Perhaps the retailer Ive worked with the most is Ace Jewelers in Amsterdam.During my time with NOMOS Glashutte, we produced two special editions together. Since then, the brand and retailer have produced two more. Our working relationship was always fun, mostly because the team at Ace never sits still. They are always moving, always striving, always looking for a way to get ahead of the curve. As such, I thought s [...]

The Omega Speedmaster Moon 345.0809 or Speedy Moon is one of those grail watches of mine. Its not the small production of 1,300 that makes it so desirable for me, but rather its complications combined with the classic Speedmaster design.It is no secret that the Speedmaster is my favorite chronograph. I love the design of the case, the clean and readable dial, and the history of this watch. Now, the Speedmaster Moon 345.0809 combines two of the complications I love the most the chronograph and a moon phase indicator. It makes the dial a bit more cluttered, but the beautiful moon and stars on a disc make up for that. The Speedymoon was produced between November 1985 and January 1989. Lets have [...]

Ok, this is going to be fun. Nowadays you cannot put all of your eggs in one basket. Meaning, content creation is at its peak so it's not enough to concentrate on one type of channel. That's why Fratello Watches is not only an online magazine but also on most of your favorite social media platforms. I'm talking about the usual suspects like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and of course Instagram. Enter: Watch On Your WristThe rules are simple. Every week we will pick four watch images from Instagram. All you need to do to be eligible for selection is tag your watch shots with fratellowatches. We will publish these four images here on the Magazine with a bit of a background story. You can vote i [...]

In the world of Omega, the Speedmaster is king. There is no doubt about it. And the Seamaster a very loyal and steady queen to the king. But what about the rest of the collection? We find that several models are not talked about as much as they should be. Even within the Speedmaster and Seamaster collections, some models are sometimes overlooked. As such, Ive compiled a list of five Omega watches introduced over the last couple of years that might not always get the attention they deserve.With a large number of Omega releases every year, there will always be watches that will not have the long-lasting success of some of the other watches in the collection. Consequently, I wanted to take a lo [...]

Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly all systems go or all systems NO serial. This time around, we go digital with the Omega Speedmaster X-33. But firstLast week, I brought the metal with a first generation Panerai Luminor Submersible. And while our comments section showed stark divide, the big clunker took home a more than respectable 55% Wrist Game win. With todays Omega Speedmaster X-33, well also look at a first generation model. This happens to be a timely one as well as well soon see.The Astronauts choiceThis past Saturday night, my wife and I joined a friend at a restaurant thats allowed here in Germany and we streamed the SpaceX launch. It was absolutely fantastic [...]

Speedmaster fans were excited to see the SpaceX crew wearing the titanium Speedmaster X-33 Gen 2 watches last Wednesday. Or, at least visibly on the wrist of astronaut Bob Behnken.Behnken was wearing the Omega Speedmaster X-33 Gen 2 watch on board of the SpaceX Falcon 9. Over his spacesuit. Astronaut Doug Hurley was wearing the X-33 under his suit, but we couldnt identify it on the images that NASA broadcasted once he was on board of the Falcon 9.X-33 comes from NASAs codename of a Space Shuttle project in the early 1990s. Omega decided to adopt that codename to make the X-33 a worthy successor of the Moonwatch.Last Wednesday, the weather conditions were too bad to launch the Falcon 9 so the [...]

Youre probably familiar with astronaut Ed White, who performed NASAs first spacewalk in 1965 as part of the Gemini IV mission. On the pictures of that spacewalk, you can see him wearing two watches.Unfortunately Ed White died in the fatal accident with Apollo 1. His name will live forever though, as the man who performed NASAs first spacewalk in 1965. He was also part of the Apollo 1 crew, that should have launched on February 21st. However, during a test on January 27th, the crew (White, Grissom, and Chaffee) all died in a horrible fire in the command module.Amongst Speedmaster collectors, Ed White is often referred to when it comes to the Speedmaster 105.003 reference. This is the Speedmas [...]

Vintage watch collecting is a fantastic hobby for many reasons. Firstly, you have an endless number of timepieces from the past. And theres always more to discover. Its fun to explore new models from time-to-time. Then, there are those neat stories about them. This one was worn by a pilot in World War II. That one was the presidents favorite piece. Perhaps youll find a model made famous by a famous wrist? But what I love the most about vintage watches are those beautiful books written about them like 30 mm Chronometer by Erich Lexer.I think I heard about this project a while ago from someone. Not sure who it was. Then last year, during lunch after the Speedy Tuesday event in Frankfurt, I coi [...]

I have a weak spot for the Seamaster Ploprof, and last year I purchased the steel 1200M version. Although Omega still lists the steel Ploprof on their website, it is out of production since last year. I enjoy the watch a lot and noticed that I am not alone.On Instagram, I got in touch with a fellow owner of the Seamaster Ploprof 1200M. I cant remember exactly when I started to follow him, but I was triggered by his Instagram account name Ploprof_guy. He doesnt have a very big account, but his pictures intrigued me. Besides his modern Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200M, he also showed old black and white pictures of his father in Lebanon during the war in 1982. I reached out to him and asked him a [...]