King Seiko SPB2xx series
The Fratello team has a collective adoration for vintage King Seiko timepieces. The combination of great designs, excellent movements, and relatively friendly prices mean that vintage King Seiko offers a lot to love. This is why many of us at Fratello were thrilled to see the relaunch of the King Seiko collection at the beginning of the year. The first release was the SPB2xx series. The watches feature a 37mm stainless steel case that is 12.1mm thick and has a modest lug-to-lug of 42.5mm. Initially, you had the choice of five dials – silver (SPB279), light gray (SPB281), charcoal gray (SPB283), brown (SPB285), or red (SPB287). Recently the brand added the boutique-limited-edition SPB291 with a purple dial. Inside the case, Seiko uses its automatic caliber 6R31. The movement operates at 21,600vph, has 24 jewels, and provides 70 hours of power reserve. On a very comfortable bracelet, the five regular models come in at €1,700. The purple-dial version is priced at €1,850. Fratello’s Thomas van Straaten owns the silver-dial version and explained perfectly what makes it such a great fake rolex for sale.
Tudor Black Bay Pro
The Tudor Black Bay Pro is the most talked-about release of this year so far on Fratello. It shows that Tudor is the talk of the town and why this Black Bay Pro deserves a spot on this list. I know the Ranger is another watch that could be on here, but the Black Bay Pro is the far better pick, in my opinion. Initially, I wasn’t a fan of the Black Bay Pro because the Rolex Explorer II ref. 1655 that it was modeled after has a special place in my heart. Seeing the 1655 come to life in a Tudor watch just didn’t feel right. But after experiencing the Black Bay Pro in person, I must say, I am impressed by what Tudor has pulled off. The watch comes with a 39mm stainless steel case that is (a much-debated) 14.6mm thick and 47mm from lug to lug. The watch is water-resistant to 200 meters and powered by Tudor’s COSC-certified caliber MT5652. This automatic movement operates at 28,800vph and has a power reserve of 70 hours. On a bracelet, the watch is €3,770 and is simply a great choice for the money.
Longines Spirit 37mm
Longines has graced us with a string of great releases lately. The brand’s Ultra-Chron Diver made it onto our list of the best recently released dive watches, and the Spirit Zulu Time GMT is another recent standout release. Within the same Spirit collection as the Zulu Time GMT is the Spirit 37mm that Thor featured as his pick for around €2,000. While some people prefer the 40mm titanium version that Nacho reviewed, this 37mm version is a great choice for those who are looking for something smaller. The stainless steel case measures 11.7mm thick and has a lug-to-lug of 46.5mm. The long lugs make it a great fit for various wrist sizes. Inside the 100m-water-resistant case sits the COSC-certified Longines caliber L888.4. Based on the ETA 2892-A2, it offers a 72-hour power reserve and features a date window at 6 o’clock. You can opt for a blue, black, or champagne dial. At €2,180 on a leather strap and €2,450 on a bracelet, this is another great release from Longines.
Watch sizes are a neverending topic of discussion. Without a doubt, one of the most commonly heard sentiments among watch fans is that the brand should have made the watch in “this” size. It always makes me smile because it makes it seem like brands are making tag heuer replica watches specifically for you. Of course, they don’t, but I understand the sentiment. If you find that perfect watch that you love so much, it feels like it was made for your wrist. For me, the best in class in terms of smaller watches will always be the 36mm Rolex Datejust. It is the perfect example of a smaller watch that fits a great variety of wrist sizes. Therefore, it is a great addition to any collection.
Our own Thomas van Straaten shined his light on the topic of whether smaller watches are only for aficionados. In his article, he explains that there is always a difference between the bigger audience that large brands cater to and the hardcore watch fans. So there seems to be a difference between what we see or maybe want to see and what the big brands are actually releasing. Fans of smaller watches seem to be more at home with the small independent brands. But is that true? Time to look at some of the best recently released small watches out there and find out.
Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto 38mm
Hamilton is one of the first brands to check out when looking for a smaller watch. The brand has many military-inspired models that are perfect for smaller wrists. A recent release that many of us at Fratello loved is the Khaki Field Titanium Auto. The watch comes in 38mm and 42mm sizes, and the smaller version captures this watch’s charm perfectly. It features a 38mm brushed titanium case, and you can choose either a black or green dial, as pictured. For us, the green-dial version with its orange details easily takes the cake. There is also a black PVD version with a matte-gray, concrete-like dial. As Dave explained, Hamilton uses its H-10 movement, which operates at 21,600vph and delivers 80 hours of power reserve. Add the great nubuck leather strap, and this watch is an absolute peach at €895.