Today is an exciting day. No, not because it’s Tuesday; after all, Tuesday isn’t renowned for being an exciting day. It’s exciting because we are releasing our second collaboration with Minase in the Fratello Shop. Yes, the Fratello × Minase M-3 “Very Peri” is here! For the first time, the M-3 is available outside of Japan, but this one houses some special changes that we think you’re going to love. Best of all, it’s available to whoever wants one!

If you woke up this morning wondering if there was enough periwinkle in your life, I can confirm there wasn’t. Purple is one of those colors we don’t see enough of in the industry, so we decided to do something about it. Now, with the release of the Fratello × Minase M-3 “Very Peri” in the Fratello Shop, you finally have the opportunity to do something about it too. Let me request one favor from you, though. Take a moment to visualize the beautiful purple dial on your wrist. Purple can seem like a niche color for a watch dial, and I’ll admit I used to think that too. However, when we started working with Minase on this Very Peri dial, it was because we realized how impossibly versatile purple actually was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R53F_xo7rA

Very peri? Very versatile!

Hear me out, OK? Not everyone will love the idea of a purple watch, but the color is surprisingly complementary when paired with a whole host of strap options. While we chose to pair it with a classic black embossed calf leather strap to highlight the case’s classic design elements, it works just as well on various others. Me? I’d choose a nice light gray Alcantara strap to tone it down and give it a relaxed and schmoozy weekend vibe. Previously, one of our readers suggested an orange rubber strap to push it firmly into sports-watch territory. The incredible thing is that the M-3 can seemingly handle whatever you want to throw at it.

The M-3, Fratello style

The watch itself is a very exciting model. Previously a Japan Domestic Market (JDM) exclusive, the M-3 case played home to a more classic and simple dial. When we dug around in Minase’s extended catalog in search of a second model to use as a base for our follow-up collaboration, we came upon this model and fell in love with the clean (Sallaz-polished) lines of the 39mm case. However, the dial and handset did not fill us with the same level of enthusiasm. And so we did what Fratello has been known to do in the past and changed it…

You will notice the flash of “Dutch” orange on the tip of the seconds hand, but the star of the show here is the shade of purple used for the dial. This shade is the official Pantone Color of the Year for 2022, and it’s known as “Very Peri”. It is a deep shade of periwinkle purple that, we believe, is a welcome addition to the often restricted gamut of watch dials. We designed a new set of hour markers for the dial, inspired by the hour markers on Minase’s Divido. The handset for the Fratello × Minase M-3 “Very Peri” is also new and similarly inspired by the Divido. Beating inside the M-3 is a Sellita SW200, which Minase has modified to remove the date, thus eliminating the dreaded “ghost date” position on the crown. To top it all off, the watch is water resistant to 100 meters.

Available to everyone who wants one

We are proud and honored that we’ve had the freedom to approach this project differently. Often, it’s just not possible for a brand to approach a collaboration with an open sales model like this. Many variables can make it difficult, so it also took a considerable amount of guts from Minase to roll with this new sales model. The brand’s boldness should not be taken for granted. Although Minase can make this move where other brands with more mature global retail networks simply can not, that flexibility still had to be acted upon.

Rather than limiting this watch to a specific number of pieces, we’re going to create as many as we need to. It was imperative that nobody was excluded from the chance to own this model. From today, orders are open for one week until 6:00 AM CEST on Tuesday, September 13th, 2022. That means you have time to think about it, make your mind up, and pop along to the Fratello Shop at your leisure and pick one up should you desire. But don’t delay; once the order window is closed, that’s it. We will never make any more of the Fratello × Minase M-3 “Very Peri” again.

Due to the nature of the order window, there is a limit on how quickly Minase can produce these watches. We aim to deliver the first batch within three months and every subsequent batch in three-month increments after that. We’ll let you know your projected waiting time after purchase. If that’s simply too long for you to wait, you will have the option to cancel.

Available now! The Fratello × Minase M-3 “Very Peri”

So, hop on over to the Fratello Shop to learn more about the Fratello × Minase M-3 “Very Peri” and place your order. To top it off, this stunning watch will be available for a very wallet-friendly price of €2,976 including 21% Dutch VAT. If you don’t live in the Netherlands, fear not; VAT/taxes are adjusted to your locale at the point of checkout once you’ve added your shipping location. If you’re outside of the EU, VAT is entirely removed, and the price is just €2,459.50. You could almost call that a bargain…

Follow me on Instagram: @davesergeant | @fratellowatches

Watch specifications

Brand
Model
M-3 "Very Peri"
Dial
"Very Peri" purple
Case Material
Stainless steel
Case Dimensions
39mm × 46mm × 10.5mm (inc. crystal)
Crystal
Sapphire
Case Back
Stainless steel, closed
Movement
Sellita SW200-1 (modified to remove the date)
Water Resistance
10 ATM (100 meters)
Strap
Black calf leather
Functions
Hours, minutes, and seconds
Price
€2,459.50 excluding VAT (taxes automatically adjusted at checkout)