Fratello Talks: Non-Swiss Watch Brands That We Love
Welcome back to Fratello Talks. Everyone knows Switzerland is home to some of the world’s greatest and most renowned watch brands. But plenty of brands outside the Alpine region — and even outside Europe — produce high-end mechanical timepieces that can stand shoulder to shoulder with their Swiss contemporaries. Some of these non-Swiss brands have garnered the fervent interest of collectors, who have formed communities around them. Some even rival Swiss manufacturers that have long held their place in the pantheon of horology. In today’s episode, Nacho, Thomas, and Lex highlight more than a handful of these brands, from the entry-level value propositions we know and love to the very high end of watchmaking outside the Helvetian domain. But first, let’s see what’s on their wrists.
Wrist check
We begin with Daan, who is satisfying his curiosity about Bvlgari’s distinctive Diagono Aluminium chronograph by borrowing RJ’s. With its mix of materials and chunky articulated bracelet, there’s nothing out there quite like it.
Thomas is still going strong with the VPC Type 37HW Forest Green. As you know by now, VPC is Thomas’s brand, so it only makes sense that he represents it every chance he gets, and today is no exception. That said, we do hope all his other watches are not getting too lonely in the safe!
To round off this week’s wrist check with something thematically relevant to today’s talk, Nacho is wearing his 1993 Seiko 7002 diver. It’s a perfect representation of some of the more affordable yet no less charming watches that have made this Japanese brand a staple for watch collectors. This particular example also shows some harsh patina. Whether it’s from years of honest work or a previous owner’s DIY experiments is not clear, but Nacho still enjoys the character it gives this classic diver.
Fratello Talks: Non-Swiss Watch Brands That We Love
Why should the Swiss get all the credit when watches are made all over the world? Sure, it’s important to recognize that this rather mountainous stretch of land has become the mecca of horology. But in today’s globalized world, the Swiss are certainly not responsible for producing every mechanical watch out there. So today, we thought we’d run through a list of our favorite non-Swiss watch brands.
And though we did our best to cover the spectrum, there are likely plenty that we missed. What do you think of these non-Swiss watch brands? Let us know in the comments section below. And, of course, tune in next week for a new episode of Fratello Talks!
