Watch Talk Archives - Page 8 of 9

GIVE AWAY – Win a Seiko Presage SSA303J1 Wrist Watch

Here’s the next give-away, and it’s the third time we’re giving away a wrist watch. The watch that you can win is the from the new Seiko Presage collection, and to be precise it’s the Seiko Presage SSA303J1. This week I’m in Japan, visiting several Seiko manufactures where I’m learning more about the Seiko brand, the different collections, their way of manufacturing and technical aspects of… well, of so much actually. Over the coming weeks I will tell you much more about what I’ve learned and seen, however let’s first focus on the watch that you can win!

7 Real Watch Ambassadors

Watch Ambassadors Only yesterday, during a press event from a watch brand, the topic of ‘watch ambassadors’ and ‘red carpet brands’ was being discussed with a colleague watch journalist. Here on Fratello, we touched the subject before (click here for my rant on watch brand ambassadors) so there is no need to do that again. Instead, […]

Vintage Watch Market Update Autumn 2016 – Stuck in the Desert

Autumn is here and that must mean it’s time for a Vintage Watch Market Update. In the time since I’ve started writing these, we’ve seen a lot of changes on the vintage scene. We’ve gone from highlighting opportunities on the market to discussing the craze that affects so many of us regarding collecting and how […]

The versatility of the Vacheron Constantin Quai de l’Ile in steel

Pretty much every watch is introduced with one specific strap, or bracelet, and usually that’s what determines its looks. Of course, watch brands design the watch for a specific purpose, and therefore the watch must have a matching look / style, so that’s all fully understandable. But it can also be kind of boring, especially for those who feel that their watch might also look good on a different strap, and befit a different style. For people who like to change the looks of their watch to the “style of the day” or to changing activities, a few brands deliver some of their watches with two or three straps or bracelets, and we applaud that. However when I saw the new steel Vacheron Constantin Quai de l’Ile on its alligator leather strap, I really wanted to see it on a more sporty and more casual strap, and Vacheron Constantin was so kind to let me give this a try. Since I was already fully convinced of the versatility of the watch, I’m now interested to find out what you think of the Quai de l’Ile in a different look.

8 years ago

A Day at the Races: with Tudor at the Historic Grand Prix in Zandvoort

Cars and watches, a great combination, and this combi comes with a very legitimate historical background. For the second year Tudor was sponsor of the Historic Grand Prix in Zandvoort and we got the chance to enjoy a great day with them in the Paddock Club, and of course strolling through the paddock to see so many awe-inspiring cars. From pre World War II cars, to recent Formula 1 race cars, from heavily tuned Mini Coopers, to dozens of vintage BMW 2002Ti’s and CSL’s, a marvellous Ferrari 250GT, many AC Cobras, and even a Shelby Daytona! And they all raced like the devil was chasing them. Old or not, these cars raced like crazy. We got to enjoy the best of two very interesting worlds: cars and watches!

8 years ago

An open letter to the Swiss watch industry, in reaction to “Apple being second behind Rolex”

Dear Swiss watch industry, dear Swiss brands, dear CEOs of Swiss manufactures, I love you! Yes, I do love everything the Swiss watch industry represents, everything that is behind the idea of this secular artistry – the heritage, the traditions, the attention to details, this innovation spirit linked to a strong respect to history, the devoted people who work days and days on your watches… I’m not writing you this letter as the managing editor of a watch magazine but mainly as a passionate collector. For this reason, I do care about you. However, dear Swiss watch industry, you certainly heard yesterday that Apple is the second player of the watch industry, just behind Rolex. And that’s not a detail.

8 years ago

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Timezone – a Personal Story pt. 2

A few weeks ago we published the first part of my personal story with A. Lange & Söhne. To me, this brand has played an important role in the past one-and-a-half decade of watch collecting, learning about mechanical watches and making Monochrome into what it is today. After that memorable weekend back in 2007, there was another memorable weekend. Another weekend that was important for me, and for Monochrome, and again the Lange 1 Timezone had a prominent role.

8 years ago

Fratello Watches Top 10 Chronographs

Chronographs Before we hit it with our top 10 chronographs overview, a few words about this list. A chronograph is one of the most popular complications (besides a date), and it is actually a very complex mechanism. It is the reason why some brands still don’t have their own chronograph movement and use one from […]

8 years ago

HYT Bespoke, bold customization of already bold watches

Customization in the luxury industry is nowadays an almost regular practice (a costly one, but one that is often done). For instance, Louis Vuitton does one-off bags and Bugatti can create everything you want for your coming Chiron. In terms of watches, customization also exist but remains something more “hidden”, at least discreet. Few knows that for instance Patek does unique pieces on request of some special clients. Of course, things gets easier with independent watchmakers but once again, nothing is really organized or publicized. As strong innovators, HYT will change that and now offer a real, institutionalized customization program for their clients: HYT Bespoke.

8 years ago

Top 10 Best Watch Bracelets

Watch Bracelets I’ve been into watches since the 1990s and started Fratello in 2004. Ever since, I’ve seen a lot of different watch bracelets. It always amazed me that only a few watch brands are getting it ‘right’ with these bracelets. Some times, they look gorgeous but wear like crap. And other times, the looks […]

8 years ago