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It's another week, and Fratello Talks is back! This episode is all about Rolex and, specifically, about the Crown's uncanny ability to always come out on top. RJ and Lex join Nacho to discuss Rolex's inability to lose, make mistakes, or create a bad watch. But wait, is that actually the case? Sure, Rolex tops most lists out there in terms of popularity, sales, and iconicity of its watches, but surely not all that glitters is gold. Sometimes that glitter you see from a distance is a Cellini when you get up close! All jokes aside, join the guys for a discussion on the brand's perceived invincibility and a look at why this is the case. But before that, let's take a look at what's on the wrist.

The first Fratello Talks podcast that is also available to watch on video. We (Ignacio, Morgan, and RJ) discuss not babying your watches in this episode. They're made to be worn, despite the sometimes hefty price tag. Getting some of those battle scars on your watches makes it YOUR watch and perhaps even makes it stand out of the crowd. We also discuss that the watches produced today will not age that much differently from each other and will still look like they just came out of a shop 20 years from now. Get some of those scratches!

Fratello On Air returns and this week we discuss alternative watches to those already in our collections. The idea came from a listener of the Whiskey & Watches podcast. It was then covered by the folks on Wrist Cheese Radio and the Spirit of Time podcast. We take our own spin on this idea as you'll soon hear.

We're uninvited guests to the party! A few podcasts we know and enjoy have all taken their shot at a similar theme or alternative watches to something they already own. In our case, we choose watches from each other's collections, "throw them away," and then suggest a replacement. There's a lot of watch talk here, so get ready!

Aufwiedersehen Handgelenks Kontrolle

Mike has officially relocated to London, England, and has left Balazs to watch the fort that is Germany. As a result of the move, we've decided to retire the Handgelenks Kontrolle usage unless both are back in Germany. Therefore, we need a new saying and you can help! We want something English and have discussed Cockney rhyming slang possibilities. "Kettle and Hob" is slang for a watch, so we're sticking with a "Kettle Check" for now. Again, though, feel free to bring it! Mike kicks things off with his Seiko Cronos reference J13028 from the early '60s. It's a rare black-dialed variant that many see as a precursor to the brand's first divers. Balazs, on the other wrist, is wearing the new Nivada Grenchen Chronoking "Paul Newman" Orange.

Alternative Watches

We move on to the main topic related to alternative watches. Here, we each pick three of each other's watches, dispose of them, and suggest alternatives. Most are a real surprise!

Balazs suggests the following changes to Mike's collection:

• Rolex Explorer 14270 for the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m 38mm Blue
• MING 37.07 for the Minase Divido VM14
• Seiko 4420-9000 "44GS" for the Citizen Auto Dater 200m Skin Diver

Mike suggests the following changes to Balazs' collection:

• Omega Seamaster 2627 Steel for the Omgea Seamaster 2627 14K with black dial
• Certina Chronolympic Valjoux 72 Hungarian Air Force for the Longines 7981-1 Big Eye with 30CH
• At least 3 Angelus models for a vintage Angelus Medical

We hope you enjoyed this latest episode. If you have ideas for a future show, please don't hesitate to let us know!

Welcome, Fratelli of all shapes and sizes, to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Tomas, Morgan, and Nacho gather around the Fratello podcast table (and light up a scented candle) to discuss a topic that's been weighing heavy on their minds (and wrists) lately—big watches. All three have recently bought new pieces; in all three cases, they've been the biggest watches of their respective collections. Naturally, this has them wondering; are we going insane? Or are bigger watches ripe for a comeback? Perhaps it's a general fatigue of smaller timepieces or even an adjustment into a state of broader appreciation for timepieces big, small, and everything in between. We don't claim to have all the answers to these questions, but we tackle the topic all the same.

Fratello On Air is back with a new episode. This week, we touch on a couple of recent topics including the gray market and some associated troubles. We also discuss a newly released homage watch and the light controversy that it brought. As always, we enjoyed ourselves and hope that you'll do the same!

It's another week and that means another installment of Fratello On Air. Mike is still sweating it out in Atlanta, which explains the tinnier-than-normal sound of his voice (no fancy microphone in tow). Balazs is enjoying the rain in Germany — not really! This week, it's a bit of a rant session with a focus on some gray market high jinks and a new homage watch that has generated some critical comments.

Handgelenks Kontrolle

Before getting into our discussion on the gray market, we take care of our customary Handgelnks Kontrolle. Balazs is rocking his vintage King Seiko 45-7001 on a funky metallic purple Has No Bounds watch strap. Mike is also going vintage and is debuting a 1962 Patek Philippe Calatrava 570 that was sourced from Eric Wind. Clearly, we're both into our vintage dress watches in this episode!

The gray market and other news

During the past week, reports surfaced regarding the Los Angeles-based watch site, "The Timepiece Gentleman." Apparently, the founder recorded a recent video discussing the fact that he has spent monies owed to clients who sent their watches to him for sale on consignment. At this stage, he is attempting to pay those folks back over time. Let's see and let's also see how it affects the overall gray market. We also discuss the recent Massena LAB collaboration with Revolution. The watch generated criticism for looking almost exactly like a rare vintage Patek Philippe, but the response video caused an even larger reaction.

We hope you enjoyed today's episode. If you have any topics that you'd like for us to discuss in a future podcast, please don't hesitate to let us know.

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.

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!

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 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!