In this week's episode of Fratello Talks, we're making a public service announcement: don't let money stop you from enjoying watches! This topic is close to our hearts and has come up more than once at Fratello HQ lately. So today Nacho, Lex, and Thomas gather around the microphones and hash out their thoughts on the matter. Ultimately, it's something we can recommend to you all: don't limit your appreciation. Ownership is a small (and somewhat arguably overrated) part of the equation. We believe it should still be possible to praise and enjoy a watch (or any other object of fascination) from a distance and on its merits alone. Arbitrarily discrediting something based on one factor eventually takes the fun out of it.

Welcome back to Fratello On Air! This week, we tackle the second half of our discussion on vintage chronographs. We get into the weeds in this episode, so we hope you like it nerdy!

Last week, we kicked off this discussion on vintage chronographs with our thoughts on why we find these watches so alluring. We mentioned racing, the space race, and other daring feats, along with how chronographs were present during many of these activities. Now we're ready to go into detail.

Handgelenkskontrolle

Because we recorded this episode directly after the last, we skipped the usual banter. Don't worry; it will return next week! For the Handgelenkskontrolle, both of us are on task with our choices. Mike is wearing a Roamer Stingray Chrono Diver, one of the wildest vintage chronographs he owns. The case shape, quality, patina, and Valjoux 23 movement all make it a lovable piece. Balazs is wearing his Grana LE, a Hungarian Air Force piece with a lovely patina.

Vintage Chronographs Part 2

We begin with a discussion on the market for vintage chronographs. Then, we mention buying these watches, what to look out for, and what to expect during ownership. After all, these are relatively complex timepieces, so there is a greater potential for issues. Condition and originality are also worth considering. Chronographs contain many details, including specific pushers, hands, and dials. Finding replacements can be impossible. Finally, we mention key models and movements. The Valjoux 72, Lemania 321, EP 4, and El Primero 3019PHC are some of the calibers we discuss. The Breitling Chronomat, Gallet Decimal, Omega Speedmaster, and Zenith El Primero A386 come up during the show.

As always, thank you for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode. If you'd like us to come back and discuss our favorite vintage chronographs, just comment below. Of course, if you have suggestions for future shows, please let us know.

Hello, and welcome to Fratello Talks. In today's episode, we're taking on the challenge of building a €15,000 watch collection. Nacho, RJ, and Lex have crunched the numbers and leafed through the catalogs and each selected three modern (currently available at retail) watches that they would buy if they had a €15K budget. It's a hypothetical exercise and meant to be just a bit of fun, but ultimately, it's still a challenge trying to leverage the budget to get the most bang for their buck. So, if you want to know which watches these three members of the Fratello team would go for today, tune in to find out.

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we begin a two-part series on vintage chronographs. Apparently, our listeners like hearing about these complicated watches that measure elapsed time. Note that the watch content starts after approximately 25 minutes.

Vintage chronographs are a special category of watches. They're complex, often fragile, and strangely addictive! In this episode, we'll begin exploring what makes them so alluring. In our next installment, we'll get specific on models, movements, and what to look out for when buying.

Handgelenkskontrolle

Our episode begins with a discussion about Super Bowl LIX. We then discuss more TV shows. Mike mentions a recent visit to Roseberys, a London-based auction house, where he attended a preview and witnessed some interesting behavior. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike is wearing his cherished Rolex Datejust 1600 with a blue dial. Balazs is enjoying his Rolex Submariner 5513, which he recently featured in a fantastic article.

Vintage chronographs

We then begin discussing our main topic — why we are so attracted to chronographs. We began our collecting journeys wanting these types of watches but found ourselves attracted to pieces from different decades. Mike leaped into the '60s, while Balazs enjoyed the '40s, '50s, and '70s. We end our episode by mentioning iconic models, including the Omega Speedmaster, Rolex Daytona, Breitling Navitimer, Heuer Carrera, and Universal Genève Compax. Stay tuned for next week's podcast in which we uncover more details!

Thank you for listening to this week's edition of Fratello On Air. As always, if you have suggestions for future shows, please let us know!

Welcome back to Fratello Talks. It's time for some tough love! Today, Nacho, Lex, and Daan are talking about a handful of watch brands with untapped potential. These are big names in the watch world that they deeply respect and admire but feel are not currently delivering to the full extent of their capability. This can relate to a brand's history and legacy, its technical expertise, or even aspects of watchmaking on which a brand has fallen behind. Some of it may sound harsh, but it's all well-intentioned feedback. These are brands that they are rooting for to do better and that they know, with some finesse and adjustment, could be genuinely excellent.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we stick to Rolex under €8K and pick our favorites. The entire history of the brand is up for grabs as long as the price is right. Enjoy the episode, and tune in to the watch content after approximately 19 minutes.

Getting a sweet Rolex under €8K is not only doable but pretty darn easy! There are loads of models available, including steel sports pieces and dress models in precious metals. Vintage or modern, we've got you covered!

 Handgelenkskontrolle

We kick off our episode with some schnitzel talk. Depending on where one travels, different types of schnitzels exist that we're ready to try — most of them, that is! We also mention some upcoming Jordan 1 sneakers celebrating 40 years since the first pair. Then, we talk about a few TV shows we've been watching. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs is wearing his faithful Seiko 6139 chronograph. Mike is sporting the recently reviewed G-Shock DW-5000R-1A Origin Revival.

Rolex under €8K

For our main topic, we discuss Rolex under €8K. How did we select this upper limit? That's a good question! We wanted to come in comfortably below the five-figure mark, but we also felt that €5K was too low in 2025. We realize that the upper end isn't inexpensive, but we mention several models that cost much less. For our search, we primarily used Chrono24 as a basis. Our picks are:

• Explorer II ref. 16570 "Polar" with drilled lug holes, a watch that is still somewhat of a Rolex outcast
• Day-Date ref. 1803 in 18K gold on a leather strap, a beautiful dress watch that costs significantly less without the full-gold bracelet
• Explorer ref. 14270, the iconic 36mm "GADA" watch that flies below the radar
• Air-King ref. 14000 from the '90s with a dark blue "Explorer-style" dial, the value king as long as a 34mm case isn't a concern
• Submariner Date ref. 16610 from the '90s with drilled lug holes, the legendary sports watch that put Rolex on the map as the must-have luxury brand
• Datejust ref. 160x "Pie-Pan," quite possibly the only watch you'll ever need due to its supreme comfort, go-anywhere looks, and endless variants

We hope you enjoy today's episode. As always, if you have ideas for future shows, please let us know!

Last week, LVMH Watch Week took place. This week, Nacho, RJ, and Lex are looking at all the watches released by Zenith, TAG Heuer, Louis Vuitton, and Daniel Roth (to name a few). We review all the releases and share our thoughts on those we found worth highlighting. With Watches and Wonders just a couple of months away, you might not have expected the deluge of novelties, but it seems LVMH and its brands have more than one ace up their sleeve. It's a strong start to the year for watches, setting the bar high for 2025. 

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss a popular request from our listeners about traveling with watches. We've discussed this topic before, but it's been a while since we last did so. For our listeners, we begin the watch content after 32 minutes. 

Traveling with watches is a typical topic on forums and boards. Some may think it's a tired subject, but with new collectors always entering the fray, the theme deserves more attention. Plus, with new schemes arising to defraud watch wearers, it is constantly on some folks' minds.

Handgelenkskontrolle

To kick off this episode, we have a lengthy chat about Burns Night, television, movies, and shoes. Balazs mentions one of his favorite Scottish comedians, Kevin Bridges. We've been watching or awaiting titles such as The Night Agent, Nosferatu, Cross, Shining Girls, Paradise, Landman, and a documentary on Kimbo Slice on the VICE channel. Regarding shoes, the latest Nike Air Tech Challenge 2 retro tennis shoes worn by Andre Agassi are about to launch. We discuss the anniversary of Kobe Bryant's tragic death and mention the upcoming Nike Kobe V Protro "Year of the Mamba" shoes. For the Handglenkskontrolle, Mike is wearing his newly repaired Movado Curviplan with a black dial and an 18K gold case. Balazs is sporting a new release, the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Diver in green. The piece is limited to 75 pieces with a date and the same number without the function for €956. Expect a review soon!

Traveling with watches

Several people in our Discord group have asked about traveling with watches. It seems that the new year will bring heavy travel, and with watch friends all over the world, it's fun to bring a few watches to show and tell. However, is this the best idea? We discuss the pitfalls of packing precious timepieces for the trip. Safety, forgetfulness, how to pack, and more enter into the discussion. We hope you enjoy the episode and thanks again to our community for the topic suggestion!

If you have ideas for future shows, please feel free to let us know!

Welcome back to Fratello Talks, folks! What's the best way to spend your hard-earned cash as a watch collector? Should you splurge on many or save for one special piece? One method satisfies curiosity and is fulfilling for some, but it can also leave you with your head spinning, a full watch box, and an empty wallet. The other limits you to fewer watches, but those can, in turn, be more expensive, rare, and "special." This is the topic of discussion for today's podcast. Nacho is joined by Daan and Thomas, who provide their thoughts on the matter and share their experience. If this dilemma has ever haunted you, be sure to tune in; this one's for you!

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we discuss our favorite divers from the '60s, '70s, and '80s. We also offer more affordable alternatives. Enjoy this lengthy episode! For our listeners, the watch content begins after 27 minutes.

We're receiving some great show ideas from our listeners. For example, today's show on our favorite divers from the '60s, '70s, and '80s came from our chat group. We aim to please with this discussion, and it's one of our longest recordings yet!

Handgelenkskontrolle

We kick off our show with a lengthy chat about TV shows. The Penguin, Bad Sisters, and Silo are some of the titles we discuss. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, we're both wearing some of our favorite divers. Balazs kicks it off with his Doxa Sub 300T Sharkhunter, a big dive watch from the late '60s. Mike is wearing his early '70s Rolex 1680 Red Submariner.

Our favorite divers

We head to the main topic and mention a watch from each decade along with an affordable alternative. Two top picks per decade isn't a lot, so we expect differing views in the comments section. During the episode, we discuss the following:

'60s:

• Doxa Sub 300
• Seiko 6159-7000 / 7001
• Skin Divers
• Aquastar 63

'70s:

• Rolex Submariner 5512 / 5513
• Omega Seamaster 166.068 "Banana" and 166.091"Pilot Case"
• Lucerne / Caravelle / Other Skin Divers
• Citizen Crystron 4-730453 Y 150M Diver

'80s:

• CWC Royal Navy Quartz
• TAG Heuer Super Professional
• Citizen 51-2273 150M Diver
• Zodiac Super Sea Wolf 506.54.44 "Sawtooth" (yes, this is technically from the '90s)

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