Watch Review: Ennebi Fondale

February 18th, 2024

Well this just happened, #newwatchalert !!! It’s new to me and my collection anyway. Some classic Ennebi goodness. So Seimila Sunday will have to be paused, that gives us time to appreciate this classic Fondale. Of course the case is what we all know and love about the classic Fondale lineup. I absolutely love the Fondale case design. It’s been imitated many times but never replicated to Ennebi’s level of awesomeness. 47mm titanium case, plexi crystal, oversized push/pull crown, 1,000m water resistance, limited to 300 pieces! Yep, it’s a “me” watch in every possible way.

The newest member of the D13! How’d it get into the D13 so quickly?!? Well, I have owned several Ennebi Fondale watches over the years, so I already am familiar with how amazing they are. A great tool watch with that Italian watchmaking goodness. The Fondale lineup are such purpose driven watches with no unnecessary details.

This beauty is 14 years old! And in the 20 years of being an Ennebi fan, the only other time I’ve seen hands like this from them is on Bettarini’s Mille Metri prototipo that he did for Panerai. I am so in love with this handset, you have no idea.

February 29th, 2024

I love the design of the classic Fondale case. For me this is the pinnacle of Italian watch making. I wish @officialennebi would release a model inspired by Bettarini’s prototype he did for Panerai, the Mille Metri. That would be an amazing piece for my collection. A dream piece.

In the meantime, this Fondale is going to get some well deserved attention. The classic Fondale case is full of beautiful details, both functional and aesthetically. The almost sterile design is so beautiful in my opinion. I love the clean bezel. It just adds so much to the attractive profile of this case. I appreciate how well this bezel functions. For those of you who haven’t personally experienced a Fondale bezel, allow me to share on how it works. The bezel is bidirectional but it won’t budge at all unless you depress it with downward pressure. By applying that pressure, it releases the bezel to be rotated in either direction, release the pressure and the bezel locks into place. It’s such a unique design and function which adds to the appeal of this watch.

The crown on this watch is pure Ennebi magic. The magic is in the form of both that alluring aesthetic and function that made me appreciate Ennebi many moons ago. What always fascinated me about Ennebi and their crowns is how they are push/pull and yet 1,000 meters plus water resistance. I have always found this to be such a great detail and a nice testament to Ennebi’s engineering. Of course I love the way this crown and crown guards look too. There’s that aesthetic goodness.

March 7th, 2024

Those of you who know, will recognize these hands from Bettarini’s Mille Metri prototype. I’ve been reading Bettarini’s book that he sent me and it’s quite fascinating. What is also fascinating to me is this dial. You all know how I love hearing the “why” of things. I reached out to Ennebi to learn the origins of this magnificent dial. Here is their response:

“This watch was made for an acquaintance of my father, a person who lives near my parents’ house.
He asked for the dial with the inscription “Marina Militare “ which we could not provide because it is a trademark registered by the Ministry of Defense (which made companies pay to use it). In the past, we used both the words “Marina Repubblicana” (“Republican Navy” and “Regia Marina” (Royal Navy”). He chose the latter with the addition of coat of arms of the House Savoy that was present in the flag of the new kingdom of Italy in 1848. The royal crest was to be removed
only in 1946 when the royal family was exiled for having hobnobbed with Fascism, and the Italian flag acquired the republican form that it maintains to this day.”

Learning all that has made me love and appreciate this watch so much more. Thanks for allowing me to share this with you all and allowing me to geek out. If you aren’t familiar with the Bettarini’s Mille Metri prototype, google Panerai Mille Metri. I so wish that Bettarini and Ennebi would make this prototype into a reality!

March 14th, 2024

Ennebi is a special brand for me. I love their old school style and ethics. I love that Bettarini is involved in the assembly of every watch. That’s something truly special and magical. I currently have 5 watches from the house of Bettarini and each one is special in their own unique way. Each watch fills me with a sense of wonderment. There are still two Ennebi watches I want to add to my collection. Hopefully in the next couple of years I will be able to do so.

This classic 9660 Fondale is a truly special piece. I love this 1:1 dial. It’s what drew me to this watch. This dial teamed with the instantly recognizable case design, it’s an absolute winner in my book. The crown and crown guards are a highlight to the profile of this case. I never tire of playing with this crown nor do I tire of admiring this case design. It’s a case design that’s often imitated but never duplicated.

I have to say that Ennebi has some of the best OEM leather straps. They are some of the best quality straps that I have personally experienced. They are beautifully crafted with that Italian eye for quality craftsmanship. Add the roller buckle and it’s pure magic on the wrist. The cursive Ennebi on the buckle is a beautiful detail 🤜🏼⚙️🤛🏼

This watch easily gets stuck on my wrist. I put it on my wrist and next thing I know a week goes by. The design may look clean and simple but there are so many details that I love to just drool over. A Fondale will always be in my collection. It’s one of my favorite designs that I have experienced in my almost 3 decades as a watch nerd.

March 21st, 2024

I was thinking about when Panerai moved to Switzerland. Yes, this was a sad moment but there was a silver lining to that move. We got Ennebi, Anonimo, Visconti out of that move. Some amazing companies that produced some watches made with old school watch making and machined on some of that same Panerai machinery that was left behind by Panerai. There are some Panerai watches that I still love & appreciate but for me the Italian magic is in Ennebi’s, the original Anonimo models and in Visconti watches.

March 28th, 2024

Any watch can be marketed as a tool watch, but a real tool watch has the engineering that makes its a real tool. That being sad, we all have different expectations for our watches. Some of us might not need their watch over engineered while some of us do. There’s no right or wrong, you just have to understand what you want as an individual and what your personal definition of a tool watch is.

My issue lies with companies that market their watches as tool watches and people like me expecting one thing but getting another. My experience with Rolex and other brands that fit into that category, well those experiences taught me that there is nothing that goes into the engineering that separates from their watches that are marketed as dress watches. I am not brand bashing here either. I just learned that those brands aren’t for me. I bought them so I could personally experience them first hand and make my experienced based studies/opinions.

When I was able to pop off a bezel, with very little effort and see that there was a very thin piece of metal, a piece of metal that I could easily bend…..well that’s one of many examples of how I came to realize that I personally needed something more from my watches in terms of engineering. A person using their watch as a desk diving tool doesn’t require over engineering in their watch, so Rolex and like brands work perfectly fine for them.

Just because I like talking about my experiences with a brand, doesn’t mean the brands are lesser or beneath me, it means I know what works for me and what doesn’t work for me. That’s all. Experience is the best teacher and sharing those experienced based opinions is a healthy thing!

April 11th, 2024

This is almost as classic @officialennebi as you can get. I love, absolutely love the Fondale case design. Every single time I look at this watch, it sends my horological berries into complete and utter chaos……in the best way possible of course. I wanted to highlight the case in some of these shots but the real stars of today’s show are the dial and the plexi crystal. Plexi is so warm and so inviting! It adds so much beauty to this watch. I used to love sapphire crystal and I still do but plexi is definitely my favorite.

This dial is pure Italian magic. Bettarini truly outdid himself when he did this dial. I am so stoked that I have this piece in my collection! It’s a keeper for sure. It’s so cool to be able to know and to build a collection of keepers. It took me a long road to get to this point though. I love that Bettarini designed this dial for a friend/neighbor and now I have it. It’s a classic tale of “if only watches could tell stories!” I would love to hear the stories this watch could tell and I am looking forward to giving this watch stories to tell too!

April 25th, 2024

From the plexi crystal, to the amazing dial, to the bezel and the crown/guards, all the details work so well together. As I was admiring the details of this watch it got me thinking about what are some of my must have details on a watch. One that used to be a must was a rotating bezel, but now I almost appreciate a fixed bezel more. There are some exceptions of course, my Omnidiver being of major exception, but if you look at my post from yesterday the LumTec fixed bezel works so damn well that it would look ridiculous with a different bezel.

Do you all have must have details?!? Of course engineering, quality, etc….are givens, but I want to know actual details like date or no date, stuff like that. Drilled lugs are a must have for me. I will make an exception from time to time, like if a watch has everything else I want but not drilled lugs, I will overlook that tiny flaw. Another must have for me is that a watch must have an oversized, killer crown from outer space. Sorry I couldn’t resist that reference. Seriously though, a watch needs a great crown. If it has a small, undersized crown, that’s an instant deal breaker for me.

Another of my must have, the hands must be perfect. I don’t want undersized or ill-proportioned hands. That’s a deal breaker. A date window is a deal breaker especially if it’s a black dial and has a white date wheel. Come on watchmakers, it’s 2024, if you have to have a date window on the watch you are designing, match the date wheel with the dial color. I seriously can’t believe some of luxury retail brands are still pumping out white date wheels on their dark dial watches. But then again most of those brands are still using spring bars.

May 10th, 2024

I have said it before that brand history isn’t something I care about. Most of the time the brands aren’t owned by the founding family anymore anyway, so it’s just a name that someone owns. The people behind the brand are who interest me. I can appreciate the human level of the people who are there, who nurture the brand and help it healthily grow! This is Master Bettarini, Nincheri, Lapo…..who help nurture the Ennebi garden.

I love a good #toolwatch and the Fondale is a tool that encompasses a rare and dying art, from an era that is gone but certainly not forgotten. This watch fits so well into the collection I have slowly built. A collection of tool watches that can handle the abuse I throw at them and still look good wearing that ASA proudly. The crew is the growing dirty 13, which there are only 4 open spots left. I am enjoying building this collection. The best part is that it’s taking me years to build. First decade was the newbie phase, second decade was the experiencing phase and the third decade has been the I know what I want/building phase. This third phase has been the most fun and the most content phase of them all.

May 17th, 2024

Let’s all just pause for a moment today so that we can admire the beauty that is the Fondale case. Ffffffffuuuuuuuucccccccckkkkkkk it’s a beautiful case. Iconic af too! Perfect for #toolwatchfriday . @officialennebi is such an iconic brand. Rich in Italian watchmaking history. This watch is something that I enjoy getting lost in. Especially this 1:1 dial with these Mille Metri Protipo hands.

This watch wears so incredibly well. I don’t get all hung up on case dimensions, but I do have to say that 47mm is a great size. Ennebi’s 47mm cases wear like a dream. I absolutely appreciate the design of the Fondale case. It’s such an iconic watch that has been the inspiration for other brands, but there’s only one Ennebi!

Simple, badass, and a tool to the 9th degree! You all know how much I love tool watches. They are magic for me. No one makes better or tougher tool watches than small brands.

May 24th, 2024

I can’t say enough good things about this watch. It’s that good. That iconic. That special. There’s something cathartic about taking pictures of this watch. Each watch I own has a completely different feel to the photography experience. I can’t explain it in words but each experience is different when I photograph each of my watches. It may sound strange, but each what has its own unique personality and soul.

For me, it’s all about understanding the watch’s personality, understanding its soul, in order for me to connect with it while it’s in front of my camera. Capturing that in my pictures is what drives my photography. Do you have a driving force behind your photography? Let me know in the comments below.

May 31st, 2024

There aren’t many of the OG masters left. It’s an end of an era that we won’t ever get back. Seriously, stop for a moment to let that sink in. To own a watch that was made by a masters hand is a honor and a privilege, Bettarini being the master for this one. I know some people are vintage watch fans which is cool. For me, and this isn’t a dig or a negative comment, but for me there’s nothing special about a mass produced watch whether it’s vintage or modern. What I find special, are these kind of small batch watches. Why are they special to me and not a mass produced watch? For one, you have know idea who put your watch together, who machined the parts, etc… That doesn’t create a special experience. What I do find special is that I know exactly who worked on the watch and I know the special history of the people….where they came from, their past experience in the watch industry, and the old ways of watchmaking that goes into the watches then and now.

July 12th, 2024

I’m so stoked that I picked up this 9660. It was the dial with the Mille Metri hands that pulled me in. I never know how a watch truly is until I have it in hand. I owned Fondale models before so I knew that I would love the case. It was the dial details that I wanted to see in person. I took the risk and traded for this watch. I am happy that I did. The pictures didn’t do this dial justice. The textured black dial is stunning and the colors of the logo just jump off of it! This is definitely one of those watches that I am constantly taking off of my wrist just so I can admire it more closely and from every angle!

It doesn’t get more classic Ennebi than this watch. I wish Ennebi would release a Mille Metri watch. I honestly thought that was what their 20th anniversary release was going to be. I’ll never own a Mille Metri prototype because they are so rare and sell at auction for ridiculous amounts of money. I’ve see a few replicas out there but replicas watches are lame as fuck. I’d love for Ennebi to do a Mille Metri watch. For those of you unfamiliar, while still working for Panerai, Alessandro Bettarini designed the Mille Metri, which never went into production. He wrote a book a few years ago that is all about the Mille Metri. It’s a great read. I’m honored to have a signed copy of it!

July 19th, 2024

This watch is a classic titanium beast from the masters themselves, Master Bettarini and Master Nincheri, aka NB aka Ennebi. The Fondale is ideal for #toolwatchfriday . It’s definitely one of my favorites in my box of tools. I love that I am building a collection of rugged and capable tool watches. It was decades in the making. Trying watch after watch. Putting them through their paces, many failed. More failed than passed. As much as it was a huge pain in the ass constantly flipping through watches. Buying, selling, trading. It was neverending for years. Teaching me lesson after lesson. Helping me understand what works and what doesn’t work. It’s interesting how we learn if we are truly willing to listen.

What did I learn? I learned that I don’t like polished finish. I’m not a fan of ceramic. I need over engineering. I appreciate small brands. I don’t bond with mass produced. I don’t believe in marketing. I think brand history creates laziness. I don’t need screw down crowns. I need screw bars. I don’t need a rotating bezel. I need oversized crowns. I need drilled lugs. Titanium and bronze are the best case materials for me. Custom leather and canvas works best for me. I appreciate nato straps. Luxury retail brands/hype brands don’t make watches that fit into my definition of a tool watch. High prices isn’t an indicator of quality and inexpensive prices doesn’t mean poor quality. Case size is irrelevant……..I can go on and on for a thousand more posts. I am grateful for everything that I have learned. And I am sure that I will be grateful for future lessons that I will have an open mind to learn.

July 26th, 2024

This 14 year old beauty is a wonderful example of the earlier days of Ennebi. We have been blessed with 20 years of Ennebi and I hope we are blessed with another 20 years! It’s an amazing company with great people behind the company who have decades of dedication to watchmaking, design and prototyping. For me, it’s the people who define a brand, not brand history. I know we all have different preferences or opinions on what’s important and there’s no right or wrong to how we approach this hobby of ours.

I truly appreciate the dedication to Italian watch making that Ennebi has shown over the past two decades and even before Ennebi, when Bettarini and Nincheri were still working for Panerai. The two of them could have easily moved with Panerai to Switzerland but instead they chose to stay behind to continue their work in Italian watchmaking in Italy. The two masters will always have my respect for their decision.

There’s a certain amount of joy that I feel every time I manually wind this watch. The magic of Ennebi’s engineering of having a push/pull crown with a water resistance of 1000 meters. I love that I can engage with the crown immediately without having to unscrew it. That’s some of the magic of the Fondale. The magic of a Fondale needs to be experienced to fully understand it.

On August 18th this watch has been with me for 6 months, 6 months, 4,368 hours, 262,080 minutes,
15,724,800 seconds!

A truly iconic piece, that many have try to copy but never were able to achieve the awesomeness of the Fondale. It’s an instantly recognizable watch to those who appreciate Italian watches. Thanks to the masters themselves, Mr Bettarini and Mr. Nincheri.