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Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we enter the depths and declare the greatest dive watches of all time. Yes, there are some expected entries, but we also offer a surprise or two. Enjoy the listen!

While neither Balazs nor I dive, we've realized that the style of watch used for this activity has probably become the most popular genre. Not so long ago, a dive watch was relegated to casual and sporty environments. Now, these capable pieces, for better or worse, are worn everywhere. So, what made us want to take on a topic like the greatest dive watches? Well, we like to get people talking, so feel free to tell us why you agree or, more likely, disagree with our choices.

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With increasingly dreary and wet days, we've been enjoying a bit of television. Some interesting shows are on right now, including The Beast In Me, Pluribus, The Task, and The Outsider. We also briefly discuss sneaker news, a topic we haven't mentioned in a while. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike is on topic with the new Ollech & Wajs OW C-1000 Y, a release inspired by the original '60s Caribbean. Balazs is wearing his Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph. Before moving on to our main topic, we take some time to discuss last week's long-awaited release, the new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean.

The greatest dive watches of all time

For certain, "the greatest dive watches of all time" isn't an easy subject to tackle. There are so many great candidates. From the innovative pieces in the '60s that were actually attempting to solve real-world issues to the wild movement and material updates that came in the later decades, it's a tough topic. Like many of our episodes, we didn't share our picks before recording, so, interestingly, we came up with some common thoughts. We challenged ourselves to choose three models per person, but gave ourselves some leeway due to shared picks. Get your pitchforks, or tridents, ready!

It's impossible not to start a list of the greatest dive watches of all time with anything other than the Rolex Submariner. For us, it is the absolute king, bar none. In terms of quality, reliability, and reputation, it's impossible to beat. But there are plenty of other legends. The Seiko Tuna, particularly the original Grandfather Tuna 6159-7010 and the first Golden Tuna 7549-7000, brought innovation and an entirely new design language to the dive watch.

Rolex, Omega, Seiko, and more!

Omega enters the conversation with one of the most focused, purpose-built divers ever: the mighty PloProf. Yes, this watch is audacious, but it's an incredible piece of equipment that deserves its place on the Mount Olympus of dive watches. Seiko returns to the show with a watch that became a legend for its looks and approachable pricing, the 6309 Turtle.

For our last two picks, we chose watches from smaller brands, but you'll have to listen to the episode to find out what they are! As always, thank you for listening to Fratello On Air! If you have any ideas for future show topics, please feel free to let us know.

Watch collectors often discuss design, materials, and mechanical nuance, but the conversation frequently shifts toward something less tangible — the stories tied to these objects. Whether passed down through family, acquired during memorable moments, or simply worn through everyday life, watches tend to gather meaning in ways their manufacturers cannot always predict. On this week’s episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho and RJ are joined by Fratello writer Henry, who is visiting Europe all the way from Australia. Together, they discuss how those stories form, what gives them weight, and how they influence the way enthusiasts relate to the watches in their collections.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we chat about the legendary five-digit Rolex era and how it's probably the greatest collection of modern watches. We discuss why and mention some of our favorite models. Enjoy the show!

For many of us, it seems that the five-digit Rolex period was around forever. In fact, the watches debuted in the late 1970s and stayed in production until 2012! That's a long time! Of course, there were tweaks over the 30-plus years, but the watches remain relevant today. We discuss their impact and why owning one can be an endgame move.

Handgelenkskontrolle

We kick off our show with a discussion about Mike's recent trip to the United States and his proximity to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Then, we move on to watches. Mike recently spent a lengthy amount of time with the new Ming 37.11 Odyssey, a diver GMT that truly struck his fancy. Yes, he has ordered one. Then, Balazs mentions the new Louis Erard 2340, an attractive take on the integrated-bracelet sports watch. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, both of us are wearing a Ming 22.01 GMT. Mike's Gilt version is on the titanium Ming Universal Bracelet. However, Balazs scores the win with his Kyoto variant on the new titanium Ming Polymesh. It's fabulous!

Five-digit Rolex

For our main topic, we move on to five-digit Rolex and why it still reigns supreme as the greatest modern collection of watches. These pieces all had one foot in the modern era and one in the vintage period. Slim cases, stamped clasps, and mostly stamped end links are just some of the lovely old-world characteristics. Modern movements finally brought a quick-setting date function and modern frequencies. For those who enjoy aging, aluminum bezels, and the chance to find tritium, these watches tick a lot of boxes. Most importantly, though, these pieces can all be worn daily and should remain usable for decades to come. We also discuss how values are rising again after a post-pandemic drop.

It's hard to go wrong with any five-digit Rolex, but each of us shares our favorite three models. Balazs enjoys the Submariner 14060 with tritium markers, an Explorer II 16570 with a polar-white dial, and the watch that brought Rolex into the mainstream, the Submariner Date 16610. As for Mike, he's in love with the flashy Submariner 16618 with blue dial, the ultimate classic Explorer 14270, and the under-the-radar Datejust 16200 or Turn-O-Graph 16264. Really, there's no wrong choice within the entire catalog, but we'd love to hear yours!

We hope you enjoy today's episode. As always, thanks for listening, and feel free to share any topics that you'd like us to cover in the future.

On this week’s episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho and RJ sit down with Claude Greisler, co-founder and master watchmaker at Armin Strom. Together, they explore Claude’s journey from a young apprentice to leading one of Switzerland’s most technically inventive independent brands. The trio discusses how Armin Strom evolved from a workshop known for skeletonization to a fully fledged manufacture that continues to innovate while staying true to its mechanical transparency.

The pace of new watch releases has never been faster. Every week seems to bring a fresh wave of models vying for our attention. We're certainly not complaining—but it does make us curious: which of today’s timepieces might one day become future classics? That’s the question at the heart of today’s episode of Fratello Talks, as Nacho, RJ, and Daan explore the modern watches most likely to stand the test of time. Hindsight may be 20/20, but spotting tomorrow’s icons today takes a mix of intuition, taste, and a touch of luck. Still, the team has a few strong contenders in mind that they'd be happy to bet on.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we lay it on the line and predict upcoming watch trends. We take educated guesses about what will be hot and what will likely fade. It's a comprehensive look at everything from materials to sizes and colors. Enjoy the show!

It's not easy to see into the future, but many popular styles and fads around us can help predict future watch trends. In this episode, we go into depth about many different details and cast our vote about what is coming next.

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Before we tackle upcoming watch trends, we spend time on a few entry topics. Many are even related to watches! On our wrists, it's a hodgepodge of picks this week. Mike starts with his G-Shock DW-5000R-1AER, which is a modern reissue of the first model. Balazs classes it up with the Omega Speedmaster Professional Speedy Tuesday Ultraman, a watch released in 2018!

The next watch trends

Seeing into the future is indeed nearly impossible. Yet, here we are with our prognostications about future watch trends. We start by talking about sustainability in the watch industry and declare that this is a dying subject. Luxury and sustainability are difficult to pair in the best situations, and watches simply don't seem to have a huge impact. That said, brands like Chopard that use conflict-free gold make sense. We also discuss the gray market and prices. We feel that the former will continue to be a massive dumping ground for slow-moving watches and, consequently, discounts. Regarding price increases, we are split about the likely upcoming behavior from watch companies.

Next, we discuss case sizes. We expect a gradual increase to follow the current trend of baggier clothing. However, the watches will need to be thin and wearable. Color-wise, fuchsia and teal are our votes for the next big tones. On the material front, expect titanium to continue its bull run while stainless steel remains the favorite. Two-tone has received a hard push, but we expect it to continue as an outlier.

Interestingly, we spent a lot of time discussing personalization and wonder why more brands aren't taking a page from IWC's book and offering it. On the opposite side, we feel that limited editions are dead for most brands unless they're truly captivating. We expect smartwatch investment to die off as the market has basically ceded ownership to Apple. However, the idea of more digital watches sounds plausible.

Let us know how you feel about our thoughts on watch trends, and thank you for listening. As always, if you have future show ideas, please let us know!

Most of us have some level of experience with watch retailers and ADs from a customer perspective. However, few watch enthusiasts can claim to have worked behind the counter, let alone owned a watch shop. Today, Nacho and Thomas are joined by Gerard, a long-time Fratello team member and former owner of Horloge Platform Nederland, a watch boutique based in The Hague. The boutique has long since shut its doors, but Gerard still has plenty of stories to share. He gives his perspective on how he first got into the retail side of watches, what it was like to deal with customers and brands alike, how online retail worked in the early days, and more.

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss the triumphant return of Seiko to the forefront of value-laden watchmaking. For some, perhaps the massive Japanese company never left. From our perspective, though, 2025 has been a turning point. We feel that the brand has truly listened to its fan base and the market. Listen along to why we feel this way and what else we'd like to see.

After what felt like a lengthy period of offering chunky watches with big price tags, it seems that Seiko has made a triumphant return. Reasonably sized watches with prices that have held steady, while others have increased dramatically, are just a couple of our observations. Listen in and see if you agree with the rest of our thoughts on this fan-favorite watch brand.

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We kick off our episode by celebrating Balazs's return from the Big Apple. There's even a little singing to get everyone in the mood! Then, we recall our recent discussion about the fortunes of several brands in five years. Mike envisions a slim 37mm Panerai dress watch with a manual-winding movement and crown lock. Could it work? Then, screen-related entertainment makes an appearance as we mention A House of Dynamite, Task, and Slow Horses. Finally, Balazs shares his thoughts on the recent watch events in New York City and a disturbing visit to a Rolex boutique in SoHo. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs has been wearing the Ming 57.04 Iris Chronograph and was flashing it around New York. Mike is keeping with the theme and is also sporting a Ming. The watch is currently under embargo, but it is coming out in November. Spoiler alert: it's fantastic!

Seiko's triumphant return

In 2025, we've seen some fantastic releases. The previously mentioned recent announcements resonated with fans. Earlier, watches like the Seiko 5 SRPL91 and SRPL93 "Gene Kranz" or the new Speedtimer models seemed to nail the brief. The market has been asking for smaller, thinner watches with slimmer, better bracelets. Seiko has delivered. Plus, while others continue to raise prices, Seiko has held the line, albeit at higher prices than seven or eight years ago. Still, the watches are competitive, attractive, and desirable. Sure, there's still work to do, especially related to movement accuracy, but we remain hopeful. Overall, it's nice to see one of our favorite marques pulling at our heart and purse strings again! Let us know if you agree with us on the company's triumphant return and what else you'd like to see from Seiko.

As always, thanks for listening to the latest episode of Fratello On Air! If you have ideas for future shows, please feel free to let us know.

Longines famously says, “Elegance is an attitude.” But let’s be honest; there’s probably more to it than that. On today’s episode of Fratello Talks, we’re asking the big question: what makes a watch truly elegant? Is it the proportions, the case material, or the strap? Maybe it’s how the watch sits on your wrist, or perhaps it's the mysterious mix of all these things, like some horological alchemy that gives a timepiece its unmistakable charm. And let’s not forget the wearer. Elegance might not live in the watch at all. It could be in the confidence and subtlety that the person wearing the watch brings to it. Whatever the answer (or lack thereof), Nacho, Lex, and Thomas are ready to dig in, veering slightly off the rails along the way.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we talk about the best-value used watches. Of course, this isn't an exhaustive list but just a sampling of some great pre-owned picks. If you're expecting the usual suspects, prepare to be surprised. Enjoy the show!

Yes, we're back with a follow-up to our popular show about currently available watches offering the best value with a look at the used marketplace. Sites such as Chrono24 and eBay present a veritable cornucopia of options, but we've managed to pare it down to six interesting picks. Listen in as we reveal them.

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We recorded this episode before Balazs's trip to New York City for various watch events. Therefore, you'll need to wait to find out if he had any fun travel experiences! For this installment, Mike is wearing his Ming 37.02 Minimalist, a straightforward watch that can happily be worn in casual and formal settings. Balazs, on the other hand, was rocking an off-the-wall timepiece earlier in the day. On his wrist was a 1999 Ikepod Megapode, a watch designed by Marc Newson.

Best-value used watches

For today's show, we gave ourselves a few rules. First, we didn't want to repeat any of the best-value new watches, even though those candidates are a great deal on the secondary market. We also stayed away from vintage watches because it's hard to compare prices for new and used pieces. Plus, it's also more challenging to find a mint or barely used vintage watch. With that in mind, we did not come together before the episode to share our picks. We were completely unscripted, which makes the choices even more surprising.

We mention the Patek Philippe Gondolo 5014. In any form, these watches present a more horologically interesting and often less expensive choice than a similar Cartier Tank. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Date ref. Q4018420 is another killer value for the money. Secondhand Grand Seiko watches are routinely seen as best-value opportunities. We both love the 9S64-powered manual-winding SBGW2xx models, including the 235, 283, 291, and 293. While it's not small, the IWC Portugieser Automatic IW500705 is a killer watch at work or play. Who knew how affordable the 38mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is? What a deal! Finally, we mention the late Omega Seamaster Railmaster ref. 220.10.40.20.01.001 from 2017. Feel free to let us know your thoughts about our picks and the best-value used watches you've been considering.

We hope you enjoy today's episode. Let us know if you have any topics that you'd like us to cover in the future.