Fratello On Air is back with an electrifying episode. Balazs is on the mend and we've decided to have a go at quartz watches. Yes, we realize that some of our listeners may not feel any love for these battery-powered beasts. But we've come up with a quartet of interesting pieces. Oh, and of course we'll touch upon the recent SwatchPain.

Quartz watches are a controversial topic on enthusiast sites like Fratello. Sterile, a once-upon-a-time killer of the Swiss watch industry, and often cheap, quartz is a tough topic. Still, quartz is about to get its AARP card and there are many interesting and significant vintage models. Plus, they're often affordable alternatives to their mechanical counterparts. We'll hit upon four selections in this episode. Look out for more quartz coverage in article form at some point soon!

Kettle Kite

Before getting into quartz watches, we discuss the "SwatchPain" and the hullabaloo caused by the latest collab. We give our thoughts and answer a key question; would we buy one if they were easily available? Next, Mike introduces a recent acquisition with the appropriate Rolex Datejust Oysterquartz 17000. It's a cool watch with a great story. Balazs is staying with old-school technology and has the Vulcain Cricket Nautical reissue in for review. It's a ~42mm diver with an alarm and a great dial.

Quartz Watches

Next, we discuss quartz and talk through four very different pieces. The watches we review are:

• Omega Marine Chronometer from 1974
• Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Quartz
• Girard Perregaux Equation Perpetuelle
• Bell & Ross Hydro Challenger made by Sinn

Thanks for listening this week. If you have any ideas for future episodes, feel free to let us know!