Latest watch news · Page 294

Dutch watch enthusiast, collector and entrepreneur Diederik van Golen is back at it again, reviving a fun historical piece of watchmaking with his newly founded brand, Volan Watches. Inspired by his love for cars, yachting and watches, the goal is to bring back the Keyring Watch, an item that was very popular in the 1950s […]

Do you remember tyre watches? I had completely forgotten all about them until the founder and owner of Volan, Diederik van Golen, visited our Fratello office a year ago. Being a boat and car guy, he devised a modern interpretation of the tyre watch concept. These were only drawings back then, but they looked great. […] Visit Hands-On With The Volan Type One Tyre And Wheel Watches to read the full article.

Jaquet Droz is enjoying a good run with unique, dragon-themed watches. While last month’s debut was firmly in the mould of Anglo-Saxon fantasy lore, the Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold “Dragon Mask” is inspired by the Chinese dragon. A unique piece created at the behest of a client, like most of brand’s current repertoire, the Dragon Mask has an open-worked dial engraved and painted by hand – and set with emeralds – installed on a skeletonised, self-winding tourbillon movement. Initial thoughts Personalised commissions are, by definition, personal and not for everyone. This watch is over the top in its decoration, maybe even overdone to the point of kitsch, but I like it. Dragon-themed watches don’t always get the motif right – Breguet’s dragon was a little too fat – but this one is done well in its own way. The case is a little large for what it is, but the size is useful as it results in a larger canvas for the dial decoration. And because this is a Jaquet Droz, the execution, both in terms of dial and movement, will be good quality, as is usually the case with the high-end brands owned by Swatch Group. I imagine the client who commissioned this will be pleased – except maybe for the CHF450,000 price tag, which is steep but typical for a watch like this. A dragon in all its colours Despite its strikingly different look, the Dragon Mask is actually a variation of the clean and modern Tourbillon Skelet. Both share the same movement and case, but the Drago...

Last month, we introduced the new Tissot PRC 100 Solar Quartz in 39mm. The watch was met with near-resounding praise for its design, approachable pricing, and ease of use. For those of us with smaller wrists, though, the size was on the edge of wearability. That’s where the new 34mm version comes into play. My […] Visit Hands-On With The Tissot PRC 100 Solar Quartz 34mm to read the full article.

The Raymond Weil Millésime Tri-Compax Rose Gold is a timepiece that blends vintage-inspired design with modern execution and just the right amount of flair. From the case finishing to the tri-compax sector dial, this watch doesn’t just look good, it feels special on the wrist! What We Love The rose gold PVD finish truly enhances the watch’s luxurious appeal with the various finishes on the case. Sector dial layout with tri-compax subdials that balance complexity with elegance. Vintage-inspired design reimagined with modern-day elegance. What We Don’t The leather strap feels limiting for daily wear due to long-term durability concerns. No clasp option offered. Constant use of the pin buckle can wear out the strap quicker. The case may look thick from the side, which might put off some wearers despite wearing slimmer in person Overall Rating: 8.9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 It was only two short years ago that Raymond Weil unveiled their Millésimecollection. Raymond Weil’s creative elegance, innovative technology, and Swiss-made excellence were all rolled into one collection. The brand paid homage to the rich heritage and traditions of horology, which can easily be seen through the vintage-inspired case and dial design. The Millésime collection pays tribute to the golden age of watchmaking from the 1930s to 1960s. The word Millésime, meaning “vintage” or “vintage year” in French, couldn’t be more fit...

Exhibition casebacks on watches can be magical - but like any overused magic trick, used too often, the wizardry fades, Tom argues.The post Why exhibition casebacks aren’t always a selling point appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Sherpa Watches is the brainchild of Martin Klocke, an engineer and vintage Enicar enthusiast determined to revive the legendary Enicar Sherpa divers of the 1950s and 60s. Staying true to the pioneering compressor case technology initially developed by EPSA (Ervin Piquerez SA), Sherpa’s modern Ultradive series brings the same pressure-sealing construction into the 21st century. […]

If you are a longtime reader of Fratello, you know I am a fan of Unimatic. I have often sung the brand songs of praise for developing one of the watch industry’s most recognizable and versatile visual design languages. The minimalist approach to watch design works miracles almost every time for the brand. As Unimatic […] Visit Hands-On With The Stylish Unimatic Modello Uno Heritage GMT Diver to read the full article.

Every once in a while, a big box with Seiko watches arrives at the Fratello office. It contains the brand’s releases for the upcoming months and allows us to review and photograph them ahead of time. I still remember when I discovered the Seiko SPB317 in there, back in 2022. I immediately fell in love […] Visit From Homage to Heritage: Why I Traded My Seiko SPB317 for the 6105-8000 to read the full article.

Urban Jürgensen made its comeback earlier this year with an impressive line-up that includes the flagship UJ-1 Tourbillon. Much of the credit for the brand’s watches and watchmaking goes to Kari Voutilainen. Mr Voutilainen has imbued Urban Jürgensen’s watches with the high standards of quality synonymous with his own brand, resulting in watches that are equally exquisitely craft and steeply priced, but arguably worth it. Though best known for his eponymous brand, Mr Voutilainen is also co-chief executive of Urban Jürgensen (and also a minority shareholder). His fellow steward of the Danish marque that is now headquartered in Bienne, Switzerland, is Alex Rosenfield. While Mr Voutilainen is in charge of watchmaking, Mr Rosenfield leads marketing and branding. From left: Kari Voutilainen, Andrew Rosenfield, and Alex Rosenfield. Image – Urban Jürgensen Given the opportunity to speak at length with Mr Voutilainen, I could not refuse. We discussed the true nature of artisanal work, ranging from movement decoration to guilloche, the details of Urban Jürgensen’s movements, and more. You can find his insightful answers below. But interestingly, my conversation with Mr Voutilainen reminded me of the first time I met him, which was at Baselworld 2006 when he launched the Masterpiece Chronograph (with a special hairspring from what turned out to be a questionable supplier). Even two decades ago, well before he was famous, Mr Voutilainen was passionate about the same thing...

I recently read Zach’s article on “Micro Indies,” in which he explains how small independent brands are challenging the bigger watch companies in terms of design and innovation, and yet offering watches in the $3,000 – $5,000 price range. This made me think about another category of brand that does not fall squarely into the “Micro Indies” bucket, but is a level above in terms of watchmaking and challenges the higher-end independent brands. I could not clearly decide on how to label this category – it is not accurate to call them “affordable independents” since they are not that affordable, therefore I landed on referring to them as “mid-level independents” or MLI for short.  How do I define the MLI category? These are brands that fall in the $5,000 – $15,000 price range and offer a combination of various aspects of high horology – from in-house movements, dials, and finishing, to complications often seen in the higher spectrum of independents. Even though I selected this price range where the majority of the watches fall, there are outliers based on precious metals and complications, that can go well over $15,000, and sometimes into the six figures. I selected three very different brands to highlight in this category since their specialties cover different aspects of watchmaking: D. Dornblüth & Sohn, Laine, and Sartory-Billard. I will go into details on how each of these brands has their own niche in watchmaking, and how their strategy differs ...

A lot can be said about Hublot, but first and foremost, the brand is renowned for shaking things up with its daring designs and bold use of materials and colours. It has been doing so since 1980, when Carlo Crocco was the first to combine a gold case with a natural rubber strap (in itself […]

Named after one of the finest cigars on the planet, this horological tribute to Old Havana is a refreshing rectangular dress watch.The post Cuervo Y Sobrinos defines 1930s Cuban elegance with the cigar-inspired Espléndidos Heritage appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

When the Sternglas Marus 2.0 dive watches landed on my desk, I had to dig into the Fratello archives. I knew I had written about a Sternglas diver before. As it turns out, that was the first iteration of the Sternglas Marus released in 2021. Four years on, we’re graced with a duo of new […] Visit Hands On With Two New Bauhaus-Inspired Sternglas Marus 2.0 Divers to read the full article.

If it were only for the watches themselves, this would have been average news… But what properly got the ice-cool factor is that for once, we’ll be able to officially name watches with a red and blue bezel: Pepsi! You know the idea, we, watch enthusiasts, love to give nicknames to emblematic watches, something particularly […]

We’re several years deep into the era of collaborative, limited edition watch releases, and while a lot of the hype has subsided around some of these drops, there’s no sign that the overall strategy is shifting anytime soon. Brands both large and small are still keen to slap partner logos on dials and casebacks, and draw parallels between watches and, well, you name it. Obviously, the automotive world is ripe for these collaborations, and is the window through which a trio of new Seikos come into our lives. Three limited edition references made in partnership with Datsun are the headline here, but in a smart move, Seiko is simultaneously announcing corresponding regular production models that riff on the same themes without all the branding. So there’s something here for the Datsun enthusiast (of which we know there are many) as well as those that are more inclined to shun this type of commercial cross-polination and just want their watch to be a watch and not an exercise in remembering a very specific link to a carmaker’s history.  The premise for all these watches (or rather, for the limited editions) is Seiko’s relationship with Datsun, which dates back to the early 1970s when Seiko supported the 240Z in races across the world. Most notably, Seiko was a sponsor of the #11 car that won the East-African Safari Rally, a 6,200 kilometer race that is generally regarded as one of the most challenging on the international circuit.  All of the watches discussed here...

Some of you might remember the adventurer and survivalist Bear Grylls wearing a Bremont pilot’s watch on an episode of his TV show Man Vs Wild. Since that was over 17 years ago, Bremont has refreshed its roster of ambassadors to feature more contemporary figures. To promote the latest white dial edition of the rugged […]

I bought my first Omega Speedmaster Professional in 1999. This is also when my Speedy collecting officially began. During those 25 years of buying (and selling) Speedmaster watches, I made my fair share of mistakes. This was mainly because, back then, there wasn’t as much information available as there is today. But I also made […] Visit Five Mistakes I Made While Collecting Omega Speedmasters (And How To Avoid Them) to read the full article.

First presented in 2022, the 1980s-inspired Citizen Tsuyosa immediately became a best-seller for the brand and gained a lot of interest in the accessible field. First launched with a 40mm case, the collection rapidly expanded with new (and sometimes bold) colours, as well as slightly different movements and displays. The second major announcement came earlier […]

Seiko is an absolute titan in the watch industry. The number of key timepieces in the brand’s catalog is too long to list here. Nevertheless, it’s a brand that has faced an identity crisis over the last half-decade or so, I would argue. The new SRPL91 and SRPL93 Seiko 5 Sports series show just how […] Visit Has Seiko Reignited A Little Magic With Its New Limited Edition 5 Sport? to read the full article.

Has Seiko completely stolen Rolex's thunder by collaborating with Pepsi on some real 'Pepsi bezel' watches - that are less than $1,000?The post Forget GMT-Masters: Seiko has officially teamed up with Pepsi appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Yema, the French brand based in Morteau, is famous for its robust and reliable tool watches designed for all terrains. Yema produced its first military-issue watches in 1970, and in 2020, the French Air Force and French Navy nominated it as an official partner. The latest collaboration watch is the Flygraf CPA10, inspired by the […]

In the nearly 15 years since I began collecting watches in earnest, the watch industry has experienced significant growth. The last couple of years, however, have been a challenge. Inflation, geopolitical events, and other headwinds have now emerged. This has resulted in a tough market and high retail prices. So, what should brands do to […] Visit Fratello On Air: How The Watch Industry Can Reignite The Passions Of Collectors to read the full article.

Another release for Singapore's 60th National Day. This time Bell & Ross partners Sincere Fine Watches, releases the BR-05 White Lum.

In the world of independent watchmaking, Phimphrachanh – pronounced “fin-fra-chan” – is a name worth learning. Born in France, Dann Phimphrachanh is a Portuguese citizen with Laotian heritage who produces watches in Switzerland. That multicultural heritage that informs his approach to horology, personified by the Seconde Vive, his first wristwatch. The Phimphrachanh surname, inherited from his Laotian grandfather, a political figure in Laos, speaks to this lineage, but Dann’s professional and personal identity is firmly rooted in Portugal. After training in Lisbon’s watchmaking school and working at traditional Swiss watch brands, Dann set out to build his first watch on his own terms: by hand, with minimal industrial tools, and a commitment to preserving classical methods in a modern context. In a world where “independent watchmaking” can sometimes feel like just another label, Dann reminds us what it really means. The Seconde Vive, the result of years of solitary work, is both a technical achievement and a reflection of a deeper pursuit, a journey shaped by tradition, silence, and the slow mastery of time itself. The Seconde Vive Origins When Dann first left for Switzerland, he carried with him an image shaped by the glossy pages of watchmaking magazines, a world where the watchmaker was portrayed as a solitary figure, pursuing perfection in a quiet, idyllic workshop. “It was that image I went looking for,” he recalls. Reality, of course, was more co...

The mighty Rolex Datejust turns 80 this year. That makes it one of the longest continually produced watches out there, which is no small feat. At Fratello, we intend to celebrate with a series of articles on the model, and today it’s my turn to choose my all-time favorite. That’s not an easy task, though. […] Visit My Favorite Rolex Datejust Doesn’t Exist Yet - But These References Come Quite Close to read the full article.