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Fratello Talks: Watch Accessories Nov 23, 2023

Show notes

Today's episode of Fratello Talks is all about accessories. And no, we're not talking about wallets, scarves, and pinkie rings, don't worry. Have a listen as your host, Fratello managing editor Nacho, editor Daan, and shop manager Laurits discuss the watch accessories we can't live without. Despite the somewhat hyperbolic titles, these are all accessories that we truly use just about every single day. Most watch enthusiasts are affected by the same challenges: storage, transport, and strap changes. So, rather unsurprisingly, all three of the guys are rather aligned in their picks. However, there are some twists in the individually chosen accessories to suit their needs.

Fratello On Air: Balazs & Mike In-Person Talking Vintage Excelsior Park, Gallet, And More Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we're excited because we're recording from the same room and we're in London. In fact, we're in the Square Mile! Today, we're talking about vintage Excelsior Park watches, movements, and the related brands that used the movements. Enjoy this vintage deep cut!

Together again! Balazs has made the voyage from the continent over to Blighty and we've decided to record an episode before heading off to the year's last Time4APint get-together. We've been looking forward to this evening for a while and we promised to each bring watches that relate to a certain theme. Well, that common thread is Excelsior Park and we've brought along a number of related watches.
Handgelenks Kontrolle

Before getting to the main topic, we hit upon a little news. Both of us are sporting the Adidas Homer Simpson Stan Smith editions and mention how comfy they are on the city streets. We also bring up a well-written article about the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox by Charlie Dunne of Wind Vintage. As far as the Handgelenks Kontrolle, Balazs is wearing his new go-to watch, the Ming 17.09. Mike has brought along his treasured Patek Philippe Calatrava 570.
Excelsior Park and friends

Next, we get to the main topic around Excelsior Park. We've assembled roughly 15 watches for the night's gathering and we run through them all to some degree. Excelsior Park was a watchmaker and movement maker and created the EP4/40 line of manual wind chronograph movements. We happen to think that they're some of the smoothest and sweetest operators ever. We've brought along Excelsior Park branded watches, Gallet, Sinn, and Zenith pieces that all used similar cases, dials, and movements. A collection of similarly styled Gallet watches has come along for the ride, but they use Valjoux calibers because Excelsior Park had gone defunct. Finally, there's the big Excelsior Park Monte Carlo, a strange '80s concoction that simply uses the once-famous name. For good measure, Balazs has brought along a couple of Angelus pieces.

We hope you enjoyed today's episode. As always, thanks for listening, and feel free to share ideas for future shows!

Fratello Talks: G-Shock Watches Nov 17, 2023

Show notes

Welcome, Fratelli, to Fratello Talks. This week, your host, Nacho, is joined by Gerard and Daan. Together, the three take to the topic of G-Shock watches. The great equalizers, the trusty go-to's, and the watch that every collector should own at least one of. But if you're reading this, you're deep enough down the horological rabbit hole (unless they're genuinely not your thing, which is also OK) that you probably have at least one.

Fratello On Air: Case Back Engravings Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns and this week, we discuss the wide world of case back engravings. Whether they relate to military-issued pieces or special occasions, there's a lot to potentially learn from these inscriptions. We hope you enjoy this episode and feel free to comment below about your thoughts on these adornments.

Case back engravings are a wide subject. They cover some of life's most special moments and achievements. Or, they can give us clues about a watch's origin and story. Whatever the case, they're not always to everyone's liking. We talk about our likes and dislikes around these markings while sharing plenty of other side tales. But first...
Handgelenks Kontrolle

No matter what our friends on the Spirit of Time Podcast say, the Handglenks Kontrolle is firmly back on European soil. Mike is wearing one of the first vintage chronographs that joined his collection, the Croton Skymaster. It's making a return to the wrist because it features a case back inscription related to the original owner's 21st birthday. Balazs is also on theme with his Angelus 215 L.E. Chronograph. Here, the L.E. means Légi Er which stands for the Hungarian Air Force. So, yes, we are supporting case back inscriptions.
Case back markings

Once we hit the main topic related to case back markings, we spend time on issued military pieces. Balazs even explains how it has helped to piece together the history of certain models from his favorite brand, Angelus. Mike brings up a special family heirloom Rolex that he covered earlier this year along with a recent engraved purchase. We also discussed whether or not we would have a watch engraved. It's a back-and-forth conversation that allows us to bring up a number of related subjects.

We hope you enjoyed today's episode. As always, if you have any ideas for future show topics, feel free to let us know.

Fratello Talks: Watches In Movies Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

Thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. You join RJ, Timo, and your host Nacho, who are going to be covering a rather broad topic. That's right, this week it's all about watches in cinema. In this episode we'll cover anything from memorable sightings, to examples of marketing gone too far. How much can brands get away with when it comes to blatant product placement? And does it actually have its desired effect? We also cover movie-themed watches and touch upon some of our favorites featured on film.

Fratello On Air: The Status Of Our Collections Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

After a three-week hiatus, Fratello On Air is back with a new episode. This week, we're talking about our collections, what we are currently wearing, and what's on our radar. As always, it's a recording with plenty of diverse topics. We invite you to kick back and enjoy the show.

We've been on the road for the past several weeks and we apologize for the lack of new episodes. However, we're back and talking about our collections. That's a large topic, so we're focusing on what we've purchased recently, what we're wearing more than ever, and where we're looking to bring in new pieces. But first...
Handgelenks Kontrolle

I won't kid you, we kick off our episode with about 15 minutes of random chatter. After all, we haven't spoken in quite some time! Ultimately, we decided to bring back the Handgelenks Kontrolle in favor of the Kettle Kite. Balazs kicks things off with his Omega 2451 from 1949 with its 27CHRO. This is a fantastic chronograph with loads of radium that has acted upon the dial. Mike, on the other hand, is wearing his blue Ming 17.09 on a Jean Roussea Alcantara strap.
The state of our collections

We move on to our collections and spend some time talking about why both of us have slowed down our purchases. We've become more selective on what should enter the fold. If we consider recent interests, we've gone in slightly different directions. Balazs has been wearing larger, more modern watches. Mike continues his return to the 36mm and below realm. As far as future interests, Balazs still has a Submariner 5513 or 14060 on his mind along with the Grand Seiko 44GS. As far as future additions, Mike will continue to focus on the '40s and '50s while seeing what randomly comes his way.

We hope you enjoyed our return to the airwaves. As always, if you have future ideas for the show, feel free to let us know!

Fratello Talks: Best Watches Of 2023 Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the 43rd episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we are feeling retrospective, so we decided to look back at some highlights released throughout this year so far. You join RJ, Lex, and Nacho, who will run through what, to them, are the best watches of 2023. Each has been tasked with picking their five favorites from the year. They kept these picks to themselves, but as you’ll see, there was no overlap. But before we check out their highlights of the year so far, it’s time for a wrist check.

Fratello Talks: Wearing Classically Sized Watches Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

It's time to crank up your Bluetooth speaker, whip out your AirPods, or put your headphones on! A fresh episode of Fratello Talks is here. This week, Daan and Laurits join your host, Nacho, to chat about wearing classically-sized watches. That's right! We're talking 36mm maximum and a minimum of 32mm, with a sweet spot of 34mm. These numbers read a bit on the smaller side, but once upon a time, 34mm was the standard. Anything bigger would be considered "jumbo" or "oversized." Today, the standard has shifted upwards, with 36–38mm being a reasonable size for a watch and 39–42mm covering the lion's share of all releases we see hit the market today. So, is 34mm a bold choice? A return to form? Or simply a welcome breath of fresh air in a world dominated by larger timepieces? Tune in to find out!

Fratello Talks: Tudor Pelagos FXD Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Lex, Morgan, and Nacho discuss the Tudor Pelagos FXD. They have all four models, from the original Marine Nationale version from 2021 to the latest USN model. Even the two carbon-cased Alinghi Red Bull Racing models are present. So, if you want to know more about how these guys feel about a watch that has dominated Tudor's lineup of releases this year, make sure to tune in!

Fratello On Air: Discussing Our Under €5,000 Picks And How The Industry Has Changed Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air where we discuss our recent picks of the best watches under €5,000. We apologize for the late publishing of this week's episode, but travel is back in season. Get ready for another candid episode with our usual pre-topic banter!

Recently, Balazs and I contributed to a running topic on Fratello about the best watches under €5,000. Articles like this always generate a fair amount of feedback which we greatly appreciate. We discuss our picks, some of the feedback, and how the industry has changed. In particular, some of our favorite brands are now priced out of this all-important spending cap. Still, there are some fantastic new and used watches out there.
Kettle Kite

This week, we are coming to you from the Big Apple and the Big Smoke! Before getting to the kettle kite and our main topic of watches under €5,000, we talk about a recent Longines meetup in London. We also discuss how important face-to-face gatherings are to keep interest alive in vintage watches. Balazs is currently in the USA and will be for the next week. He's wearing his faithful G-Shock (similar to, but not exactly the model above). Mike is wearing a watch he has in for review, the Ollech & Wajs OW M-110 AS. It's a great watch that we will feature soon enough on the site.
Our picks under €5,000

Next, we come to the main topic of our favorite watches under €5,000. Mike published his article first and chose pieces from Seiko, Breitling, Nomos, and Breguet. Balazs came with his article a couple of weeks later and chose entries from Grand Seiko, Ming, and Omega. He also threw in various vintage chronograph options. We discuss why we chose these models along with some of the comments we received. Finally, we discuss how brands like Omega and Rolex no longer play in this market if we are looking at retail prices. A lot has changed within the past several years indeed!

As always, thank you for listening! If you have any ideas for future shows, please feel free to let us know!

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