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Fratello Talks: Buying, Selling, And Trading Watches Without Regrets May 23, 2024

Show notes

Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. This topic is familiar to all those who spend enough time in the watch space and especially to those who consider themselves collectors. Buying, selling, and trading watches comes with the territory, and though a decision may seem solid at the time you make it, you may always regret it. In this week's episode Nacho, RJ, and Morgan discuss keeping regrets to a minimum when buying, selling, or trading watches and offer advice in doing so. But is it possible to operate in this space with no regrets?

Fratello On Air: Overpriced Vintage Watches From Tudor, Cartier, Rolex, and Seiko May 20, 2024

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns with an on-location episode where we discuss overpriced vintage watches. Specifically, we bring up models from Tudor, Cartier, Seiko, and Rolex. Yes, these are fighting words, but someone had to say them! We hope you enjoy the episode!

This week, we're together in London as Balazs traveled in for work. Close listeners on either side of Balazs' hotel room must have thought it was a nerd convention, but, no, it was just another recording of Fratello On Air! We focus on overpriced vintage watches in this episode and question several stalwarts. We don't dislike these watches, but we do feel that there are better options for the money.
Handgelenkskontrolle

For those who are interested, our banter lasts roughly 15 minutes. Do note that there's a fair amount of watch content within this beginning portion. Both co-hosts brought a selection of watches for a bit of off-air show-and-tell. As far as gifts, the long-awaited, never-worn American flag Stance socks are finally with Balazs. Mike, on the other hand, is overjoyed about receiving a jar of Erõs Pista, a spicy Hungarian pepper sauce. Regarding watches, Mike is sporting his sterling silver Omega 30T2 on a new GLC fixed lug strap that Balazs has brought. Balazs has chosen a gorgeous Angelus 250 with a 33.5mm case.
Overpriced Vintage Watches

Now it's time for controversy as we discuss four overpriced vintage watches. Let's make something very clear; we're fans of these watches. Heck, some of us even own several of the picks. However, the current market prices have reached a level where there are better options. Of course, if money is no option, then spend away! We discuss:

The Tudor Big Block, a Rolex family chronograph with the venerable Valjoux 7750
Vintage Cartier, primarily due to their use of mundane movements
The Seiko 6138-8020 "Panda," and oft-faked watch within a sea of other great Seiko chronographs
The almighty Rolex Daytona, a lovely watch but there are so many other lovely Valjoux 72-powered chronographs

We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Stay tuned for more and if you have any additional show ideas, please feel free to let us know! Thank you for listening.

Fratello Watches: Desert Island Watches May 16, 2024

Show notes

Hello, and welcome! Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Nacho, Morgan, and Daan pick their desert island watches. Say one day you were unfortunate enough to become stranded on a desert island; which watch from your collection would you want there with you? Now, let’s say it’s not a life-or-death situation but more of a leisurely, perhaps even orchestrated, self-stranding in your tropical location of choice (a holiday, if you will); what would be your watch of choice for the occasion? Join the guys as they have fun selecting timepieces for these hypothetical scenarios.

Fratello On Air: Great Recent Watches That Were Quickly Forgotten May 14, 2024

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns and we discuss several recent great recent watches that were quickly forgotten. Attention spans are short these days which can be unfair to some excellent releases. We shed light on some of our favorite unheralded pieces. Enjoy the show!

What have you done for me lately? We live in the now and with new watches coming at us daily it can be easy to forget something halfway decent from yesterday. The other problem is that some watches don't even receive coverage. Well, we're here to talk about recent watches that may have escaped your attention. One of our favorite listeners, Richard, suggested the topic and it's a good one! Of course, we kick off the show with just a touch of banter. For those who are keeping track, our main topic starts after 15 minutes.
Handgelenkskontrolle

Before discussing watches that have faded quickly, we engage in some light discussion. We talk about ultrasonic cleaners and other watch-related topics. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs is wearing his Grand Seiko SBGA439 on a strap. Mike is enjoying the fine English weather with his Rolex Datejust Thunderbird 1625 on a light blue strap.

Watches that deserve another look

Our main topic focuses on recent watches that were quickly forgotten or possibly not covered at all! In general, we chose relatively affordable watches (i.e. no haute horlogerie). Some of these watches are still for sale, while others were on the market briefly. The common point is that all are available on the secondary market for less than their current or original retail prices. We discuss:

Breitling Premier Datora
Raymond Weil Millésime Automatic Small Seconds
Omega CK 859
Tudor Black Bay 36
Bulova Mil-Ships W-2181
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph Titanium

As we mentioned during the show, we'd love to hear your thoughts on some recent hidden gems. There are plenty to consider! Thank you again for listening and we look forward to the next episode.

Fratello On Air: Overreacting To The TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith & Other Watches May 10, 2024

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns on its non-normal day because your co-hosts have been under the weather. We're both on the mend, though, and happy to be on the airwaves. In this episode, we cover several topics, but our main discussion centers on the recent TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith releases. We try to bring some level of sense to these watches.

In this episode, we discuss the nearly universal outcry against the TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith releases. What should have been a joyous reminder of many of our childhoods took a decidedly negative turn in the comments section. We're critical too, but we also try to find the silver linings.
Other topics and the Handgelenkskontrolle

For everyone's benefit, we reach our main topic around the TAG Heuer × Kith watches roughly 27 minutes into the recording. Before this, we discuss the most recent Jordan 4 Retro sneakers in Industrial Blue that Mike ordered. Then, we discuss two recent TV shows, Reacher and Man In Full. Oddly, our Handgelenkskontrolle comes at the end, but it makes sense to mention them here. Mike is wearing his appropriate TAG Heuer WA1211 that he received in the late '80s. Balazs has a Rolex Datejust 16030 on loan from a friend. He's thinking about buying it!
The TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith

Mike wrote up the press release for last week's TAG Heuer × Kith lineup and the comments were incredible. Other watch content sites fared no better with their critics. Surely, the collaboration was a surprising one. However, the watches still brought more than a partial smile to Mike's face. These watches bring back a lot of memories from a very different time. We also think and hope that these pieces will result in other new releases from TAG Heuer. To cap things off, Balazs discusses similar criticisms laid upon the newly revived Amida Digitrend.

Fratello Talks: Different Ways To Build A Watch Collection May 09, 2024

Show notes

Hi there! Welcome to another episode of Fratello Talks. This week, you join Nacho, Daan, and Morgan, who discuss the many possible ways of building a watch collection. This includes looking at some common approaches, sharing some sound advice from their experience, and a spot of soul-searching concerning their watch collections. What works for them may not be what works for you, but some of their tips may prove helpful along the way. Ultimately, everyone will have a different approach to building a watch collection, but if you’re feeling a bit lost or uninspired, tune in to this episode.

Fratello Talks: Watches And Wonders 2024 Debrief May 04, 2024

Show notes

Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we wrap up our Watches And Wonders 2024 with a debrief episode featuring Nacho, Thomas, and Lex. The guys take some time to go over a number of brands (and their corresponding releases) that we missed in episode one. They also discuss the general mood of the show and how it reflects on the overall state of the watch industry today. And despite promises made several weeks ago, we recorded this one on a Friday afternoon, so you'll get your fair share of banter and jokes throughout.

Fratello On Air: Haute Horlogerie On A Budget — Relatively Speaking Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns to its normally scheduled slot with a look at some Haute Horlogerie that can be bought at a fair price. To be clear, we're focusing more on high-end complications that usually cost an arm and a leg. This is the second half of an episode we recorded a week ago and we hope you enjoy!

Big-time complications often come with a nasty price tag. However, we've identified some examples of Haute Horlogerie that may not break the bank. Come with us while we run through some specific references. Enjoy the show!
Opening thoughts

We covered the Handgelenkskontrolle on our last episode, so we jump into the topic of affordable Haute Horlogerie. We do mention the crocheted watch rolls now in the Fratello Shop as Mike's mother-in-law created them. This inspires small talk about grandmothers and their focus on food and handicrafts. Also, just to be clear, Mike ends the show with a public service announcement. Everyone who owns a car should own a battery booster!

Haute Horlogerie on a budget

New watch prices may be escalating beyond control, but there are great deals on the used market. Specifically, when we discuss Haute Horlogerie, we have found some epic watches that bring incredible complications or features for less than the price of a steel Submariner. Some of the watches we discuss are:

IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar reference 3750
TAG Heuer 02T Tourbillon
Omega Speedmaster Rattrapante reference 3540.50
IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater 524202 (this one isn't inexpensive, but it is compared to other minute repeaters!)
Atelier Wen Perception, with its handmade guilloché dial
Horage Lensman 1 Tourbillon
Oris Depth Gauge, which brought back a depth meter similar to the vintage Nivada Depthomatic

We hope you enjoyed today's eclectic mix of watches. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments section. If you have future show ideas, please let us know. Thanks for listening!

Fratello On Air: Catching Up With The New Amida Digitrend And A Tissot Antimagnetique Apr 26, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to Fratello On Air! This week, we're coming back late due to our busy schedules. We've decided to cut this recording in half and will come back on our regularly scheduled day next week. For this episode, we talk about the new Amida Digitrend and a vintage Tissot Antimagnetique.

Sorry, folks; we're late again! Work is having its way with our schedules, but we were able to come together and record a lengthy discussion that we have separated into two distinct parts. Today's episode does have a lot of non-watch-related content for the first half. We discuss running shoes, tennis shoes, and new shoe releases. Then, we discuss our Handgelenkskontrolle, including the new Amiga Digitrend and a vintage Tissot Antimagnetique.
Banter

We've received some feedback that our shoe talk has ebbed dramatically. Some of you asked for a return, so we're responding. Before discussing the Amida and the Tissot, we start with functional shoe talk related to running and tennis. Mike ponders why sneaker brands can't use a classic form, such as a Stan Smith, and pair it with modern technology underneath. This would make it useable on the tennis courts. We bemoan the lack of recent compelling releases on the Nike SNKRS app and hope the situation improves.
Handgelenkskontrolle

The Handgelenkskontrolle is our main section today. Balazs kicks it off with the new Amiga Digitrend, a passion project that resurrects a wild watch from the '70s. The periscopic "heads-up" display is back! This heavy steel watch has moved upmarket with a much better movement and a larger price tag. Balazs will return in a few weeks with a full review, but you can check out more on the official Amida website. Meanwhile, Mike is wearing a very different type of watch. It's an early '50s Tissot Anitmagnetique with a 37.5mm chrome case. Since Balazs published an article on his back in 2018, Mike has been on a quiet hunt. Finally, he located a lovely example at a nice price. The two discuss the watches in detail and how they offer great value.

We hope you appreciated today's brief episode, and stay tuned for the second part next Tuesday.

Fratello Talks: Swatch Group Novelties From The Watch Valley Event In Utrecht Apr 25, 2024

Show notes

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