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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.

Welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. How much should you spend on your first watch? It's a valid question we've all faced at some point. However, there are plenty of different ways to answer it. Today, Nacho, RJ, and Daan delve into the topic and discuss their approaches to budgeting for a first watch. It's worth mentioning that we aren't talking about a "first-ever" watch but, rather, a first "nicer" watch. Whether you ultimately decide to go all out or cleverly invest a smaller amount to test the waters, we hope today's discussion will help you navigate the subject.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss the watch community and how to find a group of like-minded (or differently minded) people within it. Whether you seek to meet people in person or online, there's even a great option if you don't live in a major city. For our listeners, the watch content begins after 25 minutes.

At times, it feels like the watch community is an exclusive place. Flashy Instagram photos in New York show groups of people having fun around watches. But how can typical watch fans living in more rural areas have fun and meet people? Plus, are you missing something if you're not at these parties? We chat about the community and how to find your cadre of collectors. A big thanks to Kevin, who suggested today's topic!

Handgelenkskontrolle

Guess what? The dad joke is back, and Balazs falls for it hook, line, and sinker! We deliver on our promise to discuss sneakers, including the latest Nike announcements. New Agassis and the Deion Sanders Air Diamond Turf "Falcons" models are coming in a few weeks! For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike is wearing a 34mm stainless steel Movado ref. 14775. It's a simple three-hand watch with a lovely dial. Balazs is opting for a modern Ming 17.09 with the fantastic new Ming rubber strap.

The watch community

Look, we get it: the watch community seems daunting at times. The same names show up everywhere, and the whole environment feels exclusive rather than inclusive. Don't fear, though, because there are many ways to get involved and enjoy watches with friendly people. Reaching out to collectors of a similar brand or theme on Instagram is a great way to learn and become active in a subcategory. Chat groups are all over that app, WhatsApp, and Facebook. Before you know it, you'll be chatting away and enjoying watches more than ever! Different meetups also occur in smaller towns and cities. If nothing is happening, why not start a group? It's easy, and you'll be surprised at the response when organizing an easy night out to chat about timepieces.

We hope you enjoy today's show! If you have ideas for future episodes, please let us know.

What better way to venture into another trip around the Sun than by setting yourself up with a solid set of New Year's watch resolutions? In today's episode, Nacho, Daan, and Lex discuss theirs for 2025. They include everything from pondering potential future purchases to considering consolidating comprehensive collections. The guys also reflect on some of last year's resolutions and report on how they managed to (or didn't) stick to them. Finally, they also share a handful of non-watch-related resolutions they have set for 2025. We encourage you to share your New Year's resolutions (horological and otherwise) in the comments section below.

We're finally back with another episode of Fratello On Air after a lengthy break from the holidays, illness, and travel! This week, we're reflecting on 2024 and some key events that shaped the year. Enjoy the episode, and we look forward to 2025! For our listeners, the watch content begins after 27 minutes.

Whew, it's been a few weeks since we last recorded. The holiday period was fantastic, but we had a bout of the flu. Finally, illnesses have subsided, and we're reflecting on 2024. In many ways, this was a tough year for the industry, but it was a great year for the community.

Handgelenkskontrolle

Before reflecting on 2024, we discuss a variety of topics. Our Handgelenkskontrolle signals a rare instance when we've come together and are wearing the same brand. Balazs is wearing his beloved new Angelus Chrono Dato Luxe. Mike received a package from Balazs on Christmas Eve. An Angelus 250 chronograph arrived from Germany, and it's a beauty. This sparks discussion on the next Angelus that needs to join Mike's collection, the 215.

Reflecting on 2024

Last year was a great one for both of us. The podcast grew, and we ran into a lot of listeners in cities across the globe. Thank you for listening! Today, we discuss the following topics:

• Geneva Watch Days
• The end of Rolex "for exhibition only" signs
• Balazs's purchases during the year, including his Rolex Submariner 5513
• Mike's purchases of smaller watches, including tanks and researching them
• The Omega Speedmaster saw a huge number of releases throughout 2024

We hope you enjoy this latest episode. As always, if you have ideas for show topics, please let us know!

Welcome all to a new year and a new season of Fratello Talks, your favorite watch podcast in the whole wide world. What should we expect from the world of watches in 2025? Nacho, RJ, and Lex share their predictions on today's show. Some of these are wishful thinking, but others are educated guesses based on anniversaries, notable dates, and insider secrets we swore blood oaths not to break. Okay, maybe nothing that secret will be revealed. But it's still worth tuning in because some of these predictions may just end up coming true (or be hilariously wrong). Being aware of some of the anniversaries taking place, which may be celebrated with corresponding releases, will certainly give us an idea of what to expect!

As we come to the end of the year, we’ll be looking back at some of the best watches of 2024. Nacho is joined by RJ and Lex, who have come prepared with a list of favorites under six pre-determined categories. And though they’ll discuss some of what they consider to be the best watches of the year, you can decide which of said timepieces will earn the title of Fratello reader’s choice for best watch of 2024. Be sure to vote for your favorite on the website (link below)!

The winner will be revealed after a week of voting. For now, tune in for an overview of horological highlights from the past 12 months.

Vote for the best watch of 2024 here!