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Fratello Talks: Impulse-Buying Watches May 04, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we are rolling with the punches and discussing buying watches on impulse. Sinara, Lex, and Nacho gather around the Fratello podcast table to share their stories, have a laugh, and misquote Mike Tyson. Because there's nothing quite like having a plan for purchasing a specific watch to just getting caught off guard by an impulse buy.

Fratello On Air: Visiting Swatch Group And A Question On The Speedmaster May 02, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we discuss a recent visit to the Swatch Group in the Frankfurt area. We also respond to a listener's question about the beloved Omega Speedmaster. Enjoy!

Yes, Balazs and I were on the move and managed to visit the Swatch Group in their offices near Frankfurt. We've also received a number of reader questions that we'll attempt to answer over the next several episodes. Our first question is about the Speedmaster and it's a good one.
Handgelenks Kontrolle

We begin our episode with some sneaker talk as Balazs mentions an upcoming re-release of the Nike Huarache that Kobe once wore. Mike mentions the newly announced Yema Urban Field, a cool series of field watches with loads of optionality. Next, we get to the Handgelanks Kontrolle and Balazs is debuting his new MING 17.09 in burgundy! Mike is wearing his vintage Gruen Ocean Chief on a Forstner Klip bracelet.
Visiting Swatch Group and a reader question

Our visit to Swatch Group was truly a pleasure. The fine folks in Eschborn shared a number of watches with us from Rado, Hamilton, Tissot, Mido, and more! We share the highlights while remarking that it's always nice to see watches in person. Finally, we answer a listener's question about the Omega Speedmaster. The question is simple — what's the big deal about the Speedmaster anyway?

Thank you for listening and as always, if you have any ideas for future shows, don't hesitate to contact us!

Fratello Talks: Don't Buy The Hype Buy What You Like Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

For this episode, the topic is hype and hype watches. Lex, Daan, and Nacho discuss their own experiences with hype and how they've navigated this tricky topic. Daan shares his unique view as a RedBar Amsterdam member, who surrounds himself with people and watches every month — a precarious position for those partial to falling for the hype. Overall, the discussion leads them back to Watches And Wonders 2023, an event with a distinct lack of hype. They also touch on the topic of watch brands manufacturing hype, as well as the hype watches they wish they had bought when they had the chance.

Fratello On Air: Vintage Watches For Everyday Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns with an episode that focuses on vintage watches that are great for everyday wear. We all love our pieces from yesteryear, so why not choose some that can handle the rigors of daily life? Settle in and listen while we talk for a while.

The problem with most vintage watches is that they're fragile and can be hard to fix once broken. Parts are rare and the watches are often so valuable that they remain locked away for safekeeping. Well, we have some picks for you that should stand up well to daily routines while not breaking the bank (too much).

Handgelenks Kontrolle

After some discussion about a recent guitar auction, we jump into the Handgelenks Kontrolle. Mike is wearing his beloved MING 27.02 and has taken it along to Spain for a few days of work. Balazs is going with one of his vintage watches and is enjoying his 7750-powered Heuer Montreal with Hungarian Air Force provenance.

Vintage Watches

Now, we're into the main topic and discuss older watches that can accompany you on life's daily adventures. It's a mix of all sorts of genres and price tags, but most are easily found and repaired. Plus, they all have "street cred" to a large degree, which should give them staying power on anyone's wrist. Our vintage picks are:

Tudor Chrono-Time 79180 "Big Block," a robust 7750-fueled chronograph with all sorts of Daytona vibes
Omega Geneve 131.018, a simple three-hand manual wind dress watch that is about as classic as it gets
Seiko 7549-7010 "Tuna Can." a quartz (the horror!) diver from 1978 that wears like a dream
Seiko 6117-6409 World Timer, a colorful c-cased watch that's ready to travel the world!
Omega Speedmaster Mark II, an underrated '70s gem with a manual chronograph movement and plenty of innovation
The Valjoux 773x chronographs, an iconic series of chronograph movements that are easy to repair, durable, and affordable

Well, there you have it! We hope you enjoyed today's episode and we look forward to coming back to you next week! Feel free to let us know if there's anything you'd like us to discuss.

Fratello On Air: What's Up With The New IWC Ingenieur? Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Fratello On Air returns after a bit of a layoff and we discuss a number of things including the new IWC Ingenieur. We're glad to be back with you and we hope you enjoy today's candid show!

Folks, we're sorry that we've been away for so long, but vacation, travel, and visitors have gotten in the way. Now, though, we're here and ready to discuss all sorts of topics. The new IWC Ingenieur is the greatest focus, but we talk about loads of other subjects. We kick it all off with some news about travel, a pair of game-worn Jordans, New Era MLB hats, and a visit to the mall in Boca Raton.
Handgelenks Kontrolle

The Handgelenks Kontrolle is back and Balazs goes first with the new Vulcain Chronograph 1970's. Mike is wearing his newly received MING 22.01 GMT Gilt. This leads to discussions about a possible acquisition in Balazs' future!
The IWC Ingenieur and Other New Watches

We start the main part of the episode with a bit of Watches and Wonders talk. Balazs was on the ground while Mike was writing about some of the new releases. We talk about the new TAG Heuer Carrera, Zenith Defy Shadow, and all the Tudor pieces. Then, it's onto the new IWC Ingenieur and there's a lot of disappointment from the team. Oh, don't get us wrong, we like the watch, but we're semi-confused by the marketing strategy. Announcing a shortage before the watches hit the street feels wrong, especially for a watch that so many have wanted. Finally, we end with some of our favorite watches from the show. Vacheron, Laurent Ferrier, and Rolex make the list!

We hope you enjoyed today's episode and we look forward to recording again for next week. As always, if you have any ideas for future shows, please let us know!

Fratello Talks: Our Watches and Wonders Hits And Misses Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

Lex, Daan, and RJ discuss the watches that impressed them the most at Watches And Wonders, but also those who failed to make them enthusiastic. The Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in titanium is being discussed in detail, because it is very cool on the one hand (according to Lex), but also very far away from previous Yacht-Masters (according to RJ).
Here's the hits and misses from the Watches And Wonders 2023 edition!

Fratello Talks: Watches And Wonders 2023 Debrief Part 1 Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

The Fratello boys are back in town! And as the fog of war begins to settle, we've sat together and gathered our thoughts on last week's watch fair. This is the Watches and Wonders 2023 debrief episode. In keeping with the short-form format of Fratello Talks, we don't get to cover every single one of the novelties. Instead, we discuss some of our highlights from the show. From the novelties, we knew were coming and still surprised us to those that seemingly came out of nowhere to become our favorites and everything in between. So grab your beverage of choice, put on your headphones, and click, tap, or bark the command at your smart device of choice, and have a listen to this week's episode of Fratello Talks!

Fratello On Air: Picking Watches For Each Other — Rolex & Citizen Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

This episode of Fratello On Air was recorded on the eve of Watches & Wonders. We talk about a couple of the newest releases before turning to our main topic. We choose an accessory, an article of clothing, and a watch for each other. After so many years and countless episodes, can we get it right for each other?

Yep, we're picking watches for each other along with an accessory and a piece of clothing. First, though, we hit upon some of the releases at Watches & Wonders. The new IWC Ingenieur, the TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox, and even the Biver debuts pieces make our discussion.
Handgelenks Kontrolle

Before we start picking watches for each other, we walk through the Handgelenks Kontrolle. Balazs starts things off from Bari, Italy with the Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph. He's rocking the reverse panda while enjoying the heat. Mike is wearing a watch that he bought in 1994, an automatic Omega Seamaster 120m Chronometer reference 2301.21.00. Almost thirty years later, the gold bezel has turned a bronze-like color which works well with a burgundy Horween shell cordovan strap.
Choosing watches for each other

We get into our main topic by starting off with some accessories. Balazs found a cool Rimowa-like AirPods holder and thinks Mike would enjoy it as well. For Balazs, Mike recommends the iconic Chris Reeve small Sebenza 31 Plain Insingo. It's a no-nonsense tool that should last several lifetimes. For clothing, Balazs stumbled upon pieces from Felco while Mike recommends Western shirts from his favorite clothier, Double RL. When it comes to the main event, Balazs digs deep and plays to Mike's love of Japanese watches with the limited-edition Citizen "The Citizen" NC0206-18E. Mike goes old-school and feels that it's high time for Balazs to add a classic Rolex Submariner 5513 Maxi-dial to his collection.

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

Fratello On Air: A Mix Of Topics — Vulcain, Speedmaster Bracelets, And More Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

Fratello On Air is back again this week, and although we are late, we are here! This episode features several topics, including a new Vulcain chronograph, the Speedmaster bracelet, TrueDome crystals, and small watches. It's a conversation you won't want to miss!
We struggled with German Wi-Fi this week and are coming to you a few days later than normal. Thankfully, this episode was largely problem free. Three more days gave us the time to add some more thoughts, and we bring you a varied discussion, highlighting the new Vulcain chronograph and some good vintage discussion in general. We hope you enjoy it!
Handgelenks Kontrolle — a Rolex and a Vulcain

For this episode, Mike is wearing his Rolex Datejust "Turn-o-Graph" 1625 in 18K yellow gold. The weather is starting to turn, and the light blue suede strap is fitting for the upcoming season. Balazs is wearing a watch that literally just arrived in the mail. It's the new Vulcain Chronograph 1970's, a hand-wound 38mm piece that will make for a great review. This leads to a bit of banter about a vintage Vulcain chronograph that we featured all the way back in 2015!
Several topics and that Speedmaster bracelet!

After discussing Vulcain, we kick things off by talking about the current Speedmaster bracelet. After the past weekend, we've now both finally tried on the new Speedmaster with its bracelet and declare it to be among the best in the business. Truly, it's that damn good! After that, we move on to talking about TrueDome crystals and whether we like them on vintage Rolex models instead of the Cyclops. We then get into smaller watches, and Balazs talks about wearing his 34mm vintage Angelus and how it truly doesn't wear like such a small piece. Mike then confesses his new crush on a vintage Patek Philippe Calatrava and wonders whether it would work as an everyday watch.

As always, thank you for listening! If you have ideas for future topics, don't hesitate to let us know!

Fratello Talks: We're Getting In The Watches & Wonders 2023 Mood Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

It's only a few days before Watches & Wonders '23 in Geneva, and we're getting in the right mood! Exhibiting brands have been sending over their news under embargo, with the exception of the obvious. In this podcast, Lex, Nacho, and RJ are talking about the expectations we have, and what we're looking forward to!

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