Sunday Morning Showdown has turn out to be a Fratello custom. Each Sunday morning, two Fratello writers go face to face, fiercely defending the timepieces of their selection. In 2024, now we have seen plenty of heated battles and much more heated debates within the feedback part. The sequence appears to be a set off for some robust opinions fueled by the writers’ picks and the arguments that accompany them. That’s why it’s nice enjoyable for us to write down and browse the articles and feedback. On this overview, we’ll look again at a small choice of essentially the most exceptional battles of 2024.
Whereas most Fratello writers are taking a much-deserved vacation break, it’s good to look again at the place we’ve been. On this article, I’ll deal with essentially the most memorable battles of the previous 12 months. Some particulars that stand out are that Daan misplaced rather a lot to Thomas within the second half of the 12 months, whereas Mike and I shared an nearly equal variety of victories. If you wish to see all of the articles in a single place, you’ll find them right here. As at all times, some matchups have been per your request, whereas others resulted from discussions in our weekly editorial conferences. This 12 months, we vastly loved the sequence that confirmed that the Rolex Submariner is our King of Showdowns. Let’s check out a few of this 12 months’s greatest battles!
January seventh: Rolex Perpetual 1908 vs. Breguet Classique 5157
Rolex, Omega, and Tudor take essentially the most wins in our Sunday Morning Showdown sequence. Rolex, specifically, appears unbeatable. A uncommon exception got here in the primary showdown of this 12 months, which was all about gold gown watches. In that battle, the Rolex 1908 took on the Breguet Classique 5157, and the latter gained with an amazing 71% of the votes. In the case of instrument watches, Rolex is indomitable. However when it’s concerning the model’s gown watches, it’s usually a tougher story. As most of you’ll know, the Rolex 1908 was met with a lot reward throughout Watches and Wonders 2023. Sadly, although, when up in opposition to true horological royalty, the watch didn’t stand an opportunity. It’s been one of many only a few losses for The Crown this 12 months. Whereas maybe not stunning, that could be very uncommon.
January twenty first: Formex Reef 39.5mm vs. Seiko Prospex Marinemaster
One other stunning consequence got here solely two weeks later when the Formex Reef 39.5mm, additionally recognized to followers because the Child Reef, beat what we on the time thought could be the one new Marinemaster. The favored Marinemaster SBDX001 gained Fratello’s Seiko World Cup just some weeks earlier, however the brand new Marinemaster wasn’t capable of beat Formex’s in style dive watch. The feedback confirmed that lots of people most well-liked the Seiko’s seems, however the worth was a problem. On high of that, the Reef 39.5mm is difficult to beat by way of specs, and it even homes a COSC-certified motion. The Formex Child Reef is the total bundle, and I used to be glad to see it win this standout battle with 55% of the votes.
February eleventh: Piaget Polo 79 vs. Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222
The Piaget Polo 79 was certainly one of this 12 months’s most exceptional comebacks. The long-lasting Polo was revived in type however with a mechanical micro-rotor caliber quite than a traditionally correct however not-as-romantic quartz motion. However the brand new Polo didn’t stand an opportunity in a battle in opposition to the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222. The Vacheron took the win with a transparent 74% of the votes, leaving certainly one of this 12 months’s most exceptional releases out within the chilly with simply 26% of the votes. Whereas we love the Polo 79 loads and what it represents, the Historiques 222 is one thing really particular, and the outcomes confirmed that completely.
March tenth: Omega Seamaster Diver 300M vs. Rolex Submariner Date ref. 126610LN
Within the first half of March, we lastly settled the battle between the Submariner and the Seamaster as soon as and for all… Effectively, at the least that’s what we thought, however only some weeks in the past, we needed to have that showdown once more with the brand new Seamasters. On this first of two Seamaster vs. Submariner battles, the 126610LN took the win with the smallest margin. Robert-Jan’s arguments earned the watch 51% of the votes, leaving the Seamaster and me with 49%. This was additionally one of many few occasions that we noticed Robert-Jan defend a Rolex over an Omega on this sequence, making it much more memorable than the 2 watches already did.
March seventeenth: Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch — White Dial vs. Black Dial
Omega had fairly a number of fantastic releases this 12 months. Moonwatch followers have been handled to 2 of them, and the primary got here fairly early. As soon as once more, Daniel Craig teased us with a brand new mannequin, and this had followers going loopy earlier than it got here out. However as soon as it did, many Moonwatch lovers have been tremendous excited to see one with a white dial. It isn’t the primary Speedmaster with a white dial, however a white-dial Moonwatch as a regular-production mannequin was a primary. We put it up in opposition to its black-dial counterpart to see which of the 2 would triumph. The black-dial Moonwatch gained ultimately, however the margin was slim. The common Moonwatch took 53% of the votes versus 47% for the brand new white-dial Speedy. It reveals that Omega did an awesome job introducing this new variant of its most iconic watch.
April seventh: Rolex Yacht-Grasp 42 Titanium vs. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is known on this planet of watches. Its identify is without doubt one of the first that comes up in discussions about iconic dive watches that outlined how we take a look at the style in the present day. And this 12 months, followers lastly obtained what they’d wished to see for therefore lengthy — a smaller 42mm Fifty Fathoms. However once we put the titanium model of the Fifty Fathoms up in opposition to the titanium Rolex Yacht-Grasp 42, it misplaced, taking 43% of the votes in opposition to 57% for the Yacht-Grasp. Within the feedback, lots of you adopted up your vote by stating that the Fifty Fathoms has the identify and nice potential, however that wasn’t ok in opposition to the sensible Yacht-Grasp in titanium.
April 14th: Tudor Black Bay Grasp Chronometer vs. Rolex Submariner 124060
One other nice battle got here per week later once we put up the brand new Tudor Black Bay Grasp Chronometer “Monochrome” in opposition to the present Rolex Submariner ref. 124060. After the Tudor Pelagos 39 took a stunning win in opposition to the Rolex Submariner, the Black Bay wasn’t capable of earn a repeat win for Tudor. The large brother gained with 58% of the votes in opposition to 42% of the votes for the Black Bay. Within the feedback, some heated battles befell, and even a few of the Fratello writers have been concerned. Robert-Jan voted for the Black Bay primarily based on seems, whereas Gerard voted for the no-date Submariner as a result of the opposite watch was a Tudor. Ouch, that also hurts, Gerard, as I used to be the one who misplaced that battle in opposition to Mike.
Could fifth: TAG Heuer Method 1 × Kith vs. Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch
One other comeback child this 12 months was the TAG Heuer Method 1. The model introduced again the favored watch from the Nineteen Eighties in collaboration with Kith founder Ronne Fieg, an avid TAG Heuer Method 1 collector. We put the trendy Method 1 up in opposition to the Omega × Swatch Speedmaster MoonSwatch to see which of the 2 inexpensive watches was extra in style with you, the Fratelli. The outcomes have been loud and clear. Within the largest win of the 12 months, the MoonSwatch kicked the Method 1’s butt. It earned a whopping 81% of the votes, leaving the TAG Heuer Method 1 with a measly 19%. That’s a landslide victory for the MoonSwatch, little question about it!
June ninth: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona vs. Omega Speedmaster Skilled in metal and gold
Placing the Speedy up in opposition to the Daytona is at all times a recipe for nice leisure. And as we’re within the land of the Speedmaster, it didn’t come as a shock that the brand new metal and gold Speedmaster Moonwatches took the win in opposition to the metal and gold Daytona. For some, the sight of a two-tone Moonwatch remains to be odd, however most of you rapidly warmed as much as it. The 2 bicolor Speedies ended up successful with 62% of the votes, leaving the Rolex Daytona with solely 38%. It was as clear a win as you could possibly have wished for as a Moonwatch fan. It turned out to be the second-biggest loss for any Rolex this 12 months behind the 1908. Who might have guessed that may be the result? We definitely didn’t count on that massive margin.
August 4th: Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir vs. Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Chronograph Rattrapante
In a battle of high-end chronographs from 2024, we noticed two much-loved manufacturers go up in opposition to one another. However as certainly one of our readers acknowledged, “One doesn’t win in opposition to Cartier.” That turned out to be very true. The Tortue Monopoussoir took a really clear victory with 69% of the votes in opposition to simply 31% for the Toric Chronograph Rattrapante. Whereas a win for the Cartier was nothing unusual as it’s a sensible timepiece, we have been shocked to see the margin as a result of Parmigiani Fleurier has acquired a whole lot of reward for its releases up to now few years. It reveals how a lot you guys liked that Cartier introduced again the legendary Tortue Monopoussoir.
September eighth: Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SLA079 vs. Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400
As I discussed earlier, we thought we’d solely see the 62MAS-inspired Marinemaster in 2024. Later within the 12 months, although, Seiko launched one other mannequin that was extra in step with the Marinemaster as we got here to comprehend it because the SBDX001’s debut in 2000. We put the brand new watch up in opposition to the renewed Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 to see which of those two critical divers would come out on high. Because it turned out, the Seiko SLA079 simply gained this battle of the up to date dive watches, taking 65% of the votes in opposition to 35% for the Oris. It reveals that love for the Marinemaster runs deep, and on high of that, the watch saves you a major chunk of cash.
October thirteenth: Omega Speedmaster FOiS Gen. 1 vs. FOiS Gen. 2
Did I point out it was an awesome 12 months for Speedmaster followers? One other massive launch was the reintroduction of the Speedmaster First Omega In House. The brand new Speedmaster FOiS was one other smash hit with followers. In comparison with the earlier FOiS, the brand new addition to the lineup proved very talked-about. In a direct battle, the brand new Speedy took a transparent 66% of the votes versus solely 34% for the earlier era of the FOiS. Contemplating how in style the previous-generation FOiS was, the margin did come as a little bit of a shock. Then once more, the up to date Speedmaster First Omega in House is a brand new go-to for a lot of followers, together with yours really. It’s merely an superior watch!
November third: Breguet Classique 5177 vs. A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1
In early November, we determined to place collectively a Sunday Morning Showdown with traditional-watch royalty. It was the Breguet Classique 5177 in opposition to the flagship Lange 1 from what many contemplate the current-best model in high-end watchmaking. It was no shock that A. Lange & Söhne gained the battle, however the results of 75% to 25% was hanging. With a brand new CEO on the helm of Breguet, we would see some much-awaited modifications that can result in completely different outcomes sooner or later. If one factor is obvious, it’s that everybody needs Breguet to do effectively regardless of the clear victory for the Lange 1.
November twenty fourth: Omega Seamaster Diver 300M vs. Rolex Submariner ref. 124060
Keep in mind once we settled the Submariner vs. Seamaster battle “as soon as and for all” earlier this 12 months? Effectively, it needed to occur once more as a result of Omega launched a brand new black-dial Seamaster Skilled Diver 300M towards the top of the 12 months. The up to date Seamaster brings again the small-wave dial with no date window at 6 o’clock. It combines it with a black aluminum bezel insert and a mesh bracelet for retro type and class. As a result of the Seamaster has no date, we needed to put it up in opposition to the Submariner ref. 124060. In the long run, the Rolex took a cushty win in opposition to the Seamaster, making it 2–0 and settling the rating for good…or till there’s a new Seamaster that we will put it up in opposition to.
December twenty second: Omega Speedmaster Pilot Flight Certified vs. Zenith Pilot Large Date Flyback
With our final Sunday Morning Showdown of this 12 months, we additionally come to the top of this overview of a few of 2024’s greatest battles. Final weekend, the Speedmaster Pilot Flight Certified took an excellent win in opposition to the Zenith Pilot Large Date Flyback. It was definitely not a shock as a result of I already talked about we’re in Speedmaster nation right here at Fratello. And with 70% of the votes, the most recent addition to the Speedmaster lineup confirmed that the Zenith Pilot, with 30%, was no match for it. It’s extra proof that Omega had an awesome Speedmaster 12 months in our Sunday Morning Showdown sequence.
Sunday Morning Showdown in 2025…
There you may have it — an summary of the most well-liked, most commented-on, and most heated Sunday Morning Showdowns of 2024. We at all times vastly get pleasure from scripting this sequence, and on behalf of the whole Fratello editorial crew, I need to thanks for collaborating each weekend within the voting and the discussions within the feedback part. We’ll proceed the sequence with extra new battles each single Sunday. Whereas we nonetheless have loads of recommendations from you and a few new fashions that we need to cowl, be at liberty to recommend extra matchups within the feedback part under. For now, we want you all a cheerful new 12 months and hope to see you in 2025 for extra Sunday Morning Showdown enjoyable!
