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Fratello Talks: It's Time To Look For Neo-Vintage Watches Aug 03, 2023

Show notes

One of the most recurring topics here in the office is the so-called neo-vintage watches. Watches that were produced anywhere between the 1980s and the early 2000s. There's no clear definition (yet), so we go with this roughly 20-25 year time span starting in 1980. There are some neglected but very interesting watches to be discovered in this specific era. Ignacio, Morgan, and RJ talk about these neo-vintage watches in this podcast episode of Fratello Talks.

Fratello On Air: Vintage Seiko, Buckles, And Speedy Bracelets Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

We're back at Fratello On Air after a two-week break. Mike is moving to London and Balazs is busy with all sorts of Summer activities. But here we are and we're ready to talk about vintage Seiko, buckles, and Speedy bracelets. We think today's episode flows quite well and we hope that you enjoy the ride!

For this episode, your friendly hosts came together on a Friday evening with Mike traveling in Atlanta and Balazs back in the "heimat." We get into vintage Seiko on this episode and then talk about buckles and Speedy bracelets. This was a really fun episode to record, so we hope you enjoy it as well.
Handgelenks Kontrolle

For this episode, Balazs is wearing a vintage Seiko 6100-8000 Skyliner. The watch is new to him and has a nice story behind it. Mike is wearing his new MING 37.07 on the brand-new stainless steel universal bracelet from the company. Expect a mini-review soon, but know that it's good!
Vintage Seiko, buckles, and Speedy bracelets

Mike then goes on to discuss his vintage Seiko 4420-9000, otherwise known as the 44GS. The good folks at the Seiko Frankfurt boutique helped get this beauty from 1967 back on the wrist and it's a lovely watch. It's clear that Balazs will need one! This goes on to inspire a discussion about tracking down the correct vintage buckle for our watches. It's a really satisfying purchase that can act as the crowning touch to an amazing piece. Balazs brings up a great link on Omega buckles. Finally, we respond to a listener's question about the favorite straps and bracelets for our Speedmasters. We even talk about our favorite strap tools (hint: the Bergeon 6767 is it).

As always, thanks for listening! If you have any show ideas, feel free to let us know!

Fratello Talks: Watch Photography Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

Welcome, one and all, to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks! Today, two of the men behind the lenses here at Fratello sit for a chat about watches, photography, and the sweet spot where those two things meet. Morgan and Nacho share their stories on how they first discovered photography and eventually started shooting watches. They also share some tips and tricks they’ve found (the hard way), which may help you become a better watch photographer.

Fratello On Air: New Watches From Seiko, TAG Heuer, Aquastar, and Louis Vuitton Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns with a discussion on some of the latest new watches. We discuss a number of brands including Seiko, Nivada, TAG Heuer, Louis Vuitton, and Aquastar. As always, expect a fair dose of candor!

Geneva Watch Days may be coming in just a month, but there has been a bevy of new watches on the scene over the past couple of weeks. These are some interesting pieces and they spark conversation from our hosts. You'll hear both positive and constructive feedback on the industry's latest wares. Enjoy!
Handgelenks Kontrolle

Before getting into the newest releases, we get into the Handgelenks Kontrolle. Mike has decided to honor Balazs' recent appearance on the Spirit of Time podcast and its references to Magnum P.I. He has chosen his vintage Rolex GMT-Master 1675 on a Jubilee bracelet. Balazs is wearing a new release that has arrived for testing: the Nivada Grenchen F77. Both declare that this is a highly attractive watch in the integrated bracelet genre at a great price. It is a tough watch to purchase, though, as it is normally out of stock.
New Watches

This week we discuss a number of new watches including the Seiko 62MAS SJE093, Louis Vuitton Tambour, our upcoming Fratello × Aquastar Deepstar II Pink Salmon Limited Edition, and the TAG Heuer Carrera Skipper. We have a lot to say about all of these watches and get into a lot of detail. When it comes to the Seiko and the Louis Vuitton, we really like them, but wish they were more affordable. The Skipper was a real surprise and it has a lot of positive attributes with a few details that seem extraneous. Finally, the Aquastar represents a step in a different direction with a dial that's very different for a Deepstar II.

We hope you enjoyed today's episode. If you have ideas for future shows, please feel free to let us know. Thanks for listening!

Fratello Talks: A Summertime PSA For All Watch Enthusiasts Jul 13, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we offer you, our dear Fratelli, a public service announcement: get your watches tested for water resistance before jumping into the pool/sea/ocean this summer!

Inspired by a recent experience made by Lex, which serves as a cautionary tale, the guys keep it brief today. The moral of the story? Please don't risk the repair; get your watch tested before you get it wet! Morgan, Lex, and Nacho also offer tips and advice on where and how to get this done. They also exchange some anecdotes on their experience with water-adjacent use of watches.

Fratello Talks: Useless Features Jul 07, 2023

Show notes

In this 28th episode of Fratello Talks, hosts Lex, Thomas, and RJ discuss useless features when it comes to watches. It's not (only) about complications that one never uses but also about useless functions, such as a power reserve on an automatic watch or a screw-down crown on a 30M WR watch (yes, this exists). We also try to come up with features that are not invented yet, but that would be useful.

Fratello On Air: Tips For Buying Used Watches Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns with another listener-inspired topic. This week, we tackle buying used watches and give some tips that we've learned over time. Expect a good back-and-forth dialog while our co-hosts are traveling away from Germany. As always, we're interested in your thoughts on a topic like this — we're sure that many of you have great ideas!

Buying used watches can be a daunting activity. Concerns about the seller, the price, the location, and the watch itself are just some of the challenges that come to mind. We'll do our best to explore these in more detail and provide our thoughts.
Handgelenks Kontrolle

This week, Mike is in London, England and Balazs is in his hometown of Pecs, Hungary. To cope with their travels, they're each sporting easygoing watches for this episode. Balazs is wearing his trusty G-Shock GW-B5600-2 that serves as his "only-G-Shock." Mike decided to bring his MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon on a black Artem strap with a deployant buckle. Clearly, comfortable is the name of the game during this recording.
Buying used watches

Used watches are so plentiful and so many people buy them every day that it seems like easy business. However, challenges do exist. A listener of ours, Hugh, sent us a note and asked about the Omega Seamaster GMT 2534.50.00 , a model he has been eyeing. He asked us to discuss some of the top concerns we have about buying a pre-owned piece, so we're happy to comply! Everything from buying from a source with protection, asking for better pictures, and pitfalls to avoid come up in the discussion. Locating spare parts and a good watchmaker also makes the cut. If you're one who likes to trawl online marketplaces, this episode might interest you. As mentioned above, feel free to share your top tips in the comments section below.

As always, we thank you for listening. Feel free to let us know if you have any topics for a future episode.

Fratello Talks: GADA Watches Jun 29, 2023

Show notes

In today's episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho is joined by Daan and Morgan (a podcast debutant and Fratello's photographer) to discuss the topic of GADA watches.
They already shared their thoughts in article form on the website. Still, they decided to have a chat that expands on the topic, tackling hypotheticals such as their "grail GADA" watch or even the ideal adventure they'd take their GADA watch on. Get your headphones in, have a listen, and make sure to tune in next week for another episode of Fratello Talks!

Fratello On Air: Vintage Watches, Auctions, And Heritage Departments Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns, and we talk about recent controversies related to vintage watches, auctions, and heritage departments. We spare our usual chit-chat in the beginning and loop in a watch-related sighting in an upcoming Christopher Nolan movie. If you like candid talk, we hope you enjoy today's episode!
Handgelenks Kontrolle

Before talking about auctions and other related topics, we kick off with some discussion on Oppenheimer. The upcoming Christopher Nolan film about the atomic bomb looks fantastic. Balazs, however, has done some sleuthing and noticed that Robert Downey Jr. is wearing an interesting vintage chronograph. Could it be a Gallet? We'll try to find out. For the Handgelenks Kontrolle, Mike has unearthed a '60s chronometer-certified Omega Constellation 165.008. It's a watch that will need to go into the regular rotation. Balazs, on the other wrist, is sporting his Benrus Sky Chief chronograph.
Vintage watches, auctions, and heritage departments

We kick off our discussion on auctions concerning the recent Omega announcement about a fraudulent Speedmaster sold in 2021. Then we discuss the effects on the vintage-watch market and what it could mean for collectors, auction houses, and heritage departments going forward. We also discuss transparency and the need for more of it during vintage-watch sales. As for help, the old-school forums are still a great place to ask questions. Finally, we also hope that questionable pieces in auction catalogs gain more coverage going forward to help warn would-be buyers.

We hope you enjoy today's episode. If you have ideas for future shows, feel free to let us know!

Fratello Talks: Approaching Watch Wearers In The Wild Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

Do you approach other watch wearers in the wild? Or are you hesitant to do so? We often see others wearing incredibly nice watches on their wrists, but it's only once in a while we will comment about it. Lex remembers someone wearing a full gold Cartier Santos 100 with a very special strap he commented on. And RJ commented on someone's Rolex that wasn't well-received. In this episode, we talk about approaching watch wearers in the wild!

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