Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

I am not the experienced sailor that our editor Gerard is, but steering one of the racing boats in 2018 is one of the coolest things Ive ever done.It was a home game for us when the Volvo Ocean Race was held in Scheveningen in The Netherlands. Omega had a little surprise for us, that we could join one of the boats entering the harbor of Scheveningen. I often feel lucky that I am doing this job at Fratello. It makes it possible to visit places and do things I would otherwise never have done.Americas Cup Limited EditionAround 20 years ago, I just started watch collecting. I remember Omega releasing their special Seamaster 300M Americas Cup, with white gold bezel. I still have the official pres [...]

Last week, Omega announced a little contest for SpeedyTuesday fans. All you have to do to take part is to post a picture of your Speedmaster on your Instagram feed and tell us your Speedy Story. What makes it special to you? Why did you buy it? Has it seen adventures or memorable times on your wrist? Get snapping and join in the fun. We cant wait to read your words!Your Speedy Stories should be 100 words or less. Omega will choose its favorites and post them (with your consent) to its official Instagram Stories feed and on the official website. This little initiative runs for the next three weeks and you dont need to wait till it is Tuesday, but you must remember to use the SpeedyTuesday a [...]

Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the online voting serial where playing along doesnt require social distancing. Today, well take a look at the limited edition Omega Speedmaster Apollo XVII 40th Anniversary and get your thoughts. But firstLast week, I decided to give you a two-part cocktail made from equal parts of rarity and controversy. It was a stiff drink in the end, but apparently youd order another as the Grand Seiko SBGX115 triumphed in a 55% Wrist Game win. Today, with the Speedmaster Apollo XVII 40th Anniversary, well look at another limited watch. The bigger question well ask is if its appeal is also limited.The Speedmaster L.E. BattleBefore we get into the Speedmaster Ap [...]

Get your digital copy of our Seamaster 300M Magazine In 2018, Omega revamped its iconic Seamaster 300M. A watch that got many people into watches in the first place, as it became the James Bond watch in 1995. The Seamaster 300M is a watch that received updates every few years since its initial introduction, always being up-to-date with the latest Omega innovations.One thing was lacking though, an in-house developed movement. Omega adopted the Co-Axial escapement in 1999 but didnt use its in-house developed movements until 2007. Although the Seamaster 300M was using a movement with Co-Axial escapement, it didnt have an in-house Omega movement before 2018. In that year, the 25th anniversary of [...]

If you, or your kids, find yourself bored in the house and in the house bored, you can now grab your Caran dAche coloring pencils and download Omegas coloring book.To be honest, I have lots of things to do and when I am not working I have my newly founded hobby with my fellow Fratelli to work on (click here). But if you have a kid, or more than one, you will probably run out of ideas at some point to keep them occupied. These days can be quite a bit of a challenge, as you know.Omega Coloring BookYesterday, Omega sent out a link to a wonderful book with drawings to all their newsletter subscribers. You can download the 20-page book from their website, print them, and start coloring. My daught [...]

The Moonwatch doesnt need any introduction here on Fratello (in case it does, go here), but this doesnt apply to everyone. Like this guest on BBCs Antiques Roadshow.The BBC aired a new episode of Antiques Roadshow yesterday evening. One of the guests bought a Speedmaster Professional pre-Moon watch at a car boot sale. When someone offered hime50 for it, he luckily turned them down.However, he still didnt have a clue about the watch. Watch expert Richard Price explained the importance of this watch to the owner, and why he was so right not to sell it for 50 quid to some shark (who probably knew very well what he was looking at). The owner paid onlye5 for it at the car boot sale, but his insti [...]

Value appreciation, retention, and depreciation are often front and center in the minds of potential purchasers. They shouldnt be, but they are. The truth is, that nobody knows for sure how a watch will perform on the resale market long term. Lets dig into the reasons why that is and what purchases you can make in full confidence.Firstly, dont take anything you read on a website much less a website that discusses a nuanced and changeable commodity like luxury wristwatches as investment advice. This is not an investment guide. The same is true of any website analyzing the trends of pre-owned watches. It is an inexact science, to say the least. But there are some brands that have historically [...]

Ive had the Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th anniversary Moonshine Gold limited edition watch, in my collection for a little more than one year. Its time to share some takeaways now the dust has settled.Last year in March, right before Baselworld (when that was still a thing), I was invited to Biel. I was promised something special. On the 12th of March, which happened to be a Tuesday, I was about to witness the launch of a very special gold Speedmaster. Reference 310.60.42.50.99.001 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. The result of this mission? Mans first steps on the moon. On their wrists at the time was the Omega Speedmaster Professional. You know the story, I am [...]

It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when buying a pre-owned or vintage Speedmaster, but what kind of accuracy should you expect from a pre-loved timepiece? Most of the buyers and collectors are more concerned about the watchs aesthetics than the technical condition of the watch, it seems. Lets have a closer look at the accuracy of the Speedmaster and what falls within acceptable parameters.In my opinion, patina has become a bit of a buzzword. Sometimes, it is as if it is the only thing that matters when it comes to buying a pre-owned or vintage Speedmaster. Sure, it is important how a watch looks, but theres more to it than the yellow or green color of hour markers. Ive made t [...]

On April 17, 1970, the Apollo 13 crew landed safely on Earth after some incredibly scary moments onboard the module. The Speedmaster played such an important role on the return trip, that NASA decided to give a Silver Snoopy Award to Omega on October 5th of that same year. Some think the Snoopy cartoon on a Speedmaster is a bit childish, but often, those people dont know why it is there. In this article, well explain how Snoopy ended up on the dial of a Speedmaster.In 1970, NASA astronaut Thomas P. Stafford presented a Silver Snoopy Award to Omega. Not everyone realizes how important this award is. It is an award given by NASA crew to staff or contractors for their special contribution and o [...]

Last week I joined the SpeedyTuesday Live session on the official Omega Instagram account and talked about my precious Speedmaster Professional from my year of birth. It resulted in a lot of messages from viewers that are also searching for their perfect Speedmaster. But that means something different for everyone. For some, the perfect Speedmaster is an honest Speedmaster.A pre-owned watch that has been worn, so it was loved by its previous owner. An honest watch would be a watch that has signs of wear, ranging from minor signs like hairlines and a little dent in the lugs to one that has seen bars, banks, and perhaps the occasional gutter. As long as theres a good story to it, I am not so [...]

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, weve got something special for you. Its finally happening RJ and Rob go head-to-head on a divisive Speedy. The Omega Speedmaster X-33.Last weeks Rolex Air-King battle between RJ and Jorg was a real humdinger. Normally, I have a pretty good idea of which way a vote is going to swing. But th [...]

After many years, Ive found my birth year Speedmaster 145.022-76. Having a watch from your year of birth is something to which many enthusiasts aspire.In my opinion, the best thing is when your parents bought one in your birth year and looked after it for you. But I guess not everyone is so lucky (I wasn't). then you will need to find your own watch. This does mean that you can purchase the watch you really fancy, of course.This article is about my own quest for a birth year watch. One that took me about 15 years to find the perfect piece.Year of Birth 145.022-76Ever since I have been bitten by the Speedmaster bug, it was my goal to find a reference from my year of birth (1977). Already in 2 [...]

Earlier this year, I reported about the new Omega Constellation 39mm Gents collection. The lines of this model are a bit sharper than the previous model, and they are now all equipped with the in-house caliber 8800/8801 movements. My only concern, as I wrote in this article, is the thickness of the case. Lets see if that has been addressed by Omega.I never really took notice of the Constellation Double Eagle collection from 2003 and the later 2009 Constellation collection (38mm). They were much bulkier than the Constellation watches that were made from 1982 to 2002 and somehow I simply didnt warm up for them.The new Constellation 39mm Gents collection looks more mature, compared to its prede [...]

One of the most common questions we receive on the Speedmaster concerns the Speedmaster Reduced models (reference 3510.50). What is exactly the difference between the regular Moonwatch and this Reduced version? In this article, we explain.Omega Speedmaster 3510.50Its Speedy Tuesday This weeks topic is about the Omega Speedmaster Reduced. A watch that has been increasing in popularity for a few years. This discontinued model Speedmaster is often mistaken for the popular Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. If you are not that deep into Speedmasters and just like the look of the black dial with three-registers (at ?3, 6, and 9 oclock), sans date window, it is easy to fall into the trap that a l [...]

Speedmasters and racing. The two go together like strawberries and cream. One of the very first advertisements for this chronograph showed a race car driver using his Speedmaster. Although it never had an official role in racing, there are plenty of race car drivers who used the Speedmaster. For this Speedy Tuesday, we talk to Speedmaster enthusiast, collector, and car racer Nick Boon.Through Instagram, I met with Nick Boon, whos active under his @watchescarswinecigars account. Take a peek at his account and his love for Speedmasters and car racing is evident. I thought it would be nice to have a little interview with this Speedmaster and race enthusiast. Enjoy!Interview with Speedmaster col [...]

The Speedmaster Professional Gemini IV? is an example of a sleeper limited edition. Not anymore of course, but this watch wasnt very much sought after in the first few years following?its introduction in 2005. Since then, its popularity has trended upward. As such, it can be viewed in a similar fashion to the original Snoopy Award from 2003.Nowadays, the Omega Speedmaster Professional Gemini IV is loved by many enthusiasts. This is mainly due to the beautiful dark blue color and silvery-white subdials. It is a blue Panda, you could say. And that is as rare as it sounds (in the wild or on the wrist). It commemorates the Gemini IV mission from 1965. That was the second crewed Gemini mission wi [...]

The early 2000s saw some great Moonwatch variations for collectors. Unfortunately, it was during a time where I was still a student and didnt have the means to go after that Mitsukoshi, Snoopy, Japan Racing, or this Apollo XI 35th anniversary edition from 2004.All of these watches have long since sold out, but you can still find them on the pre-owned market. Very occasionally, you might find them in NOS (New Old Stock) condition. When it comes to regret, there are few watches I regret missing out on more than this Apollo XI 35th anniversary model. One year before its release, Omega released a special edition for a?Japanese department store called Mitsukoshi (an AD of Omegas at the time). It [...]

Whos not a fan of the Omega Seamaster 300M?I guess there are some of you out there. Especially hardcore Speedmaster fans. I get it; the Seamaster 300M collection is not as homogenous as the Speedmasters. But I guess this is part of its charm. It includes watches that still look great 25 years after they first appeared on James Bonds wrist in Goldeneye (1995). Of course, over time, they changed quite a lot, yet the significant features remained the same. So, I thought it was time to take the new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph for a spin. In this case, the spin is, as you know, a week on the wrist. Is it going to wear heavy after a few days, or will I be del [...]

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission. It is perhaps the most talked-about mission besides the Apollo 11 Moon landing. The mission that had a rough start, to begin with, and almost ended with a fatal accident in space.The Speedmaster didnt fix the issue onboard the Apollo 13 service module at approximately 200,000 miles distance from Earth, but it did play an important role in the safe return of astronauts Haise, Swigert, and Lovell. You can read all about it in the article explaining why theres a Snoopy on the dial that I wrote a few years back.Omega was awarded NASAs Silver Snoopy Award in October 1970 for the role played by the Speedmaster during the Apollo 13 miss [...]