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The Omega Speedmaster Professional will be priced at €7,500 as per February 1st (it was €7,100). The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duoface? It is now €13,100 instead of €9,100 not even a year ago. That's a price increase of nearly 44%. It almost sounds like Rolex is keeping it sane for their sports models, with increases of approx. 2%, the catch here is that you can't buy them anyway.

Ignacio, Lex, and RJ talk about the price increases of watch brands in 2023. 

Fratello On Air returns with Balazs and Mike in the same room! In this episode, Balazs travels to Frankfurt and amongst some surprise topics, the duo decides to engage in a collection spotlight. Hear about four attractive watches from each.  Enjoy it!

Yes, Balazs has made his way north from Karlsruhe to Mainhattan. Both decided to check out the local Seiko boutique and dine on the Fratello favorite: schnitzel. Then, it was time to record an episode where it was time for a collection spotlight.

Handgelenks Kontrolle

This week's Handgelenks Kontrolle features some exciting new arrivals. Mike is wearing his new 1965 Grand Seiko 5722-9970 Chronometer, which Balazs hand-delivered! It's a neat piece that was made for Toshiba employees who were celebrating 25 years with the company. Balazs surprises us all with the new Vulcain Skindiver Nautique, a lovely retro diver in either dark blue or black. We can't wait for the review when this launches on the 18th!

Mike was recently on the Spirit of Time podcast and there was a decent amount of pocket-watch talk. So, Balazs has elected to surprise us all with a real collection spotlight as he has brought three amazing Angelus pocket watches. The large piece is a porcelain-dialed chronograph, the upper piece is an alarm complete with a fold-out stand, and the piece with the long stem was made to time rotary telephone calls. Amazing!

Collection Spotlight

Amongst some other banter, we get to our main topic, the collection spotlight. For this section, we each decided to choose two of each other's watches for discussion. Next, we cover:

• MING 17.09, a watch that Balazs has been considering for quite some time
• Zenith Yugoslavian Air Force chronograph with an EP4 caliber, a truly stunning piece with a dial that has been "eaten" by radium
• Gallet Decimal, is a lovely chronograph with an EP4 caliber that has a fun backstory
• Angelus Dato 12, a stunning watch with a minty gold-plated case

Finally, we thank you for listening. As always, if you have any suggestions for future episodes, please let us know!

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. In this installment, Balazs and Mike hit on two topics. We start with the fact that Swatch Group has no intentions of following Rolex into the CPO market. Next, we talk about a recent article highlighting concerns about a questionable auction that took place in 2018. Sit back and relax while we work the mics.

Yes, it's another week and that means another podcast. This time we're talking more about CPO programs and a questionable auction. Balazs is taking care of business in Karlsruhe and Mike has literally just arrived back in Frankfurt. The two kick off with a number of topics. Balazs mentions the upcoming Lego Ford GT, which features a working engine. Balazs also mentions that he's decided to bite the bullet and purchase the Adidas Stan Smith Lux. Hoch leben! Finally, we discuss TV. Balazs is watching BMF and Mike just finished season 2 of The White Lotus.

Handgelenks Kontrolle

Before hitting the main topics on used watches and a questionable auction, we go through our Handgelenks Kontrolle. Mike is wearing his cherished Rolex Datejust 1600. This time, however, he has it on a new-to-him folded Oyster 7836 bracelet with 258 end links. He recently picked it up in Florida during a visit with our friend, Eric Wind. Will it stay on or will the Jubille return? Time will tell. Balazs is sporting his newly received Grand Seiko SBGA439. He loves it but is having a tough time getting the bracelet to fit and is also struggling with reflections during photographs.

A questionable auction and Swatch Group stays away from CPO

We kick off the main section with a brief mention that Rolex is increasing prices yet again. Apparently, the increase is capped at "around" 2.5%, but that brings prices up by roughly 20% since the beginning of the pandemic. Yikes! Next, Balazs discusses an article about Swatch Group and that Nick Hayek will not be following Rolex into the used market any time soon. We think that's smart! Finally, we discuss a questionable auction that took place in 2018 related to the so-called "Unicorn" Rolex Daytona.

As always, thanks for listening. If you have any suggestions for a future episode, please feel free to let us know!

Lex, Nacho, and RJ talk about their New Year's resolutions regarding watches.  We look back at the watches we purchased in 2022, and what we have on our wishlists for 2023. Nacho already made his first purchase in 2023, to celebrate his upcoming 30th birthday. Bonus material: A small contribution from Sinara.

Happy New Year! Yes, 2023 is here, and we're bringing you the latest episode of Fratello On Air! Balazs and Mike are ready for another rip-roaring year, and they start with a bang. The modern Rolex secondary market and the CPO program are back in focus.

We're back — sort of. Balazs has returned to Germany from Hungary while Mike is still hanging out with the iguanas in sunny South Florida. They reminisce about the holidays and strike up some banter about other topics. The Rolex CPO program and the modern Rolex secondary market overall are the subjects of today's episode. There are dreamers out there, folks, and they still believe we are in the salad days of April 2022.

Handgelenks Kontrolle

Before discussing the Rolex secondary market, we dip into the Handgelenks Kontrolle. This time, we talk about the watches that we wore most during the holidays and share what is currently occupying wrist space. For Balazs, his trip to Hungary had an ulterior motive: he picked up some new old watches! He's sporting a Zenith from the '50s with a black dial and an Excelsior Park EP4 caliber. The watch was likely made for the Yugoslavian Air Force, and we discuss how it compares to his Angelus 215. Mike is wearing his trusty Citizen Promaster BN0220 in the heat and taking it to the pool every day.

The modern Rolex secondary market

Here's a bold take: the modern Rolex secondary market is falling apart, and the decline shows no sign of slowing. During the holiday, we've been cruising the internet, looking up prices for current models. It's clear that the market peaked back in April 2022 and that the downward trend has been constant since then. However, we pick on the current GMT-Master II "Batman" and chuckle at a current ad on Bucherer's website for a CPO model listed for CHF 21,000! This is all while similar models are available in droves for 25–30% less. Similarly, we note that tone-deaf dealers are still listing watches such as the 36mm Datejust for 60% over retail while similar pieces exist for 10–15% over list. We dig our heels in and declare that a newer Rolex will not hit our wrists at a premium. Finally, we profess our love for vintage (even 10-year-old) Rolex watches because finding a minty model is so much more challenging.

We hope you enjoy this episode, and we look forward to spending 2023 with you! Feel free to reach out if you'd like to suggest a future show topic.

Daan, Thomas, and Lex talk about the definition of dress watches. In a recent article on Fratello, Thomas wrote about his vintage Seamaster being a dress watch. It upset Lex tremendously, and it ultimately led to a fight. Time to straighten it out, and what better way to do it in a podcast?

Lex, Daan, and RJ discuss the pros and cons of buying pre-owned watches versus new.  We're not all on the same page, but agree that the pre-owned watch market does have something interesting to offer, aside from (often) more attractive prices. If you want to go worry-free, buying your watch new is the way to go. But you might miss out on some very nice offers out there. 

Fratello On Air comes at you with a new episode. This time, we're talking about our horological hopes for 2023. Of course, there's some typical banter along with some pre-holiday cheer. Settle in by the fireplace (or at the beach, perhaps) and enjoy our last episode before Christmas.

2022 absolutely blew by and we're now less than two weeks from entering a new year. With that, we have hopes for 2023 and we get into some of our prognostications and questions. The economy looks a tad shaky and that may spell opportunity for some and trouble for others. What will the next year bring?

Handgelenks Kontrolle

Before discussing our hopes for 2023, we have a chat about the seriously cold weather in Germany. We then move on to a couple of shows that we have either enjoyed or are enjoying — Car S.O.S. and Wheeler Dealers. These are fun shows that just might appeal to a vintage watch nerd who likes the thrill of the hunt for obscure parts while taking in some history. Then, it's time for the Handgelenks Kontrolle. Mike is wearing his Rolex GMT-Master 16758 with a "nipple dial" on a German-made strap with reindeer embossed on it. Balazs keeps on the brown theme with his MoonSwatch Mission to Saturn.

Our Hopes for 2023

We bounce around a lot during our main topic: our hopes for 2023. We refer to the Rolex market and the fact that watches are slowly becoming more available at AD's. Mike also surmises that limited editions will continue in force to help keep people addicted. Both Balazs and Mike have become more excited about what the independents will do next year and even discuss what MING could offer. When it comes to Omega, the duo feels that the Speedmaster Professional could be in play with exotic materials and/or new dial colors. Regarding Tudor, both are flummoxed when it comes to guessing what could come next. Finally, we'd love to see a Zenith diver, a genre that the brand needs to address.

We hope you enjoyed this episode and if you're celebrating in the next week or so, have a great time! As always, feel free to let us know if you have a topic that you'd like us to cover in a future episode.

Fratello editors Gerard, Lex, and RJ talk about one of the most coveted watches: the Patek Philippe Nautilus. With the first reference in front of them, the 3700/1A, they talk about the history of the Nautilus, how it went from virtually no demand to an incredibly high demand in the past few years, and which version they like best.  Enjoy our Fratello Talks series and let us know via Fratello.com what you think of the Nautilus.

Fratello On Air is getting ready for the holidays! In this episode, Balazs and Mike talk about holiday watches and gifts sure to please almost any watch lover. Enjoy!

Yes, we are firmly in the season of giving, receiving, or buying for one's self! As such, we're here to discuss some of our favorite watches that debuted in 2022. Alongside these holiday watches, we've also decided to mention some watch-adjacent gifts that will delight you. Stick around and tune in for another fun episode of Fratello On Air!

Handgelenks Kontrolle

After some brief discussion on travel (where Mike reveals that London, despite all the news, is not a war zone), we get to the Handgelenks Kontrolle. Balazs is wearing his pre-moon Speedmaster on a Forstner flat link bracelet. We talk about Forstner and its great products for watch lovers. Mike is wearing a very different type of watch — the MING 27.02 on a blue Alcantara strap. He wore it all weekend in London as a fun, but less flashy option.

Holiday watches and gifts

For our main event, it's time to mention some holiday watches and gifts. Our choices run the gamut from inexpensive to dear, but there's hopefully something here for everyone. We go back and forth and alternate between watches and items and mention:

• The Nivada Valjoux 23, a piece with a NOS column-wheel movement
• Grand Seiko SBGW283, a gorgeous watch that Thor, our very own God of Thunder, purchased!
• The Joseph Bonnie Star 69 leather strap, something that Balazs has fallen in love with and swears Mike would enjoy.
• Zeiss Head Loupe, a tool that helps with battery changes or strap adjustments and will scare your significant other.
• The Doxa Army in bronze and green, a watch that Balazs hasn't forgotten since trying it some months ago.
• Serica 5303 in blue, a diver that Mike has been eyeing ever since it debuted in June.
• An inexpensive but utile 40-slot felt watch case that Balazs has found on Ali Express for less than €16!
• The Manfrotto Befree GT XPro tripod for macro photos, an amazing piece of kit that can help with lay-flat shots.

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