Fratello on Air returns with an episode about one of our favorite brands: Grand Seiko! That's right, it's an hour of back and forth about a premium line that got its start during the '60s. What are the favorite models from our hosts? Tune in and find out... You've listened to our brand-focused episodes before and while we've taken on some big brands, Grand Seiko has so many great models that it was tough to pick our favorites. Whether we're talking about today or yesteryear, Grand Seiko is a tre...
Oct 11, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 116
Fratello On Air returns once again! Balazs and Mike are together after a three-week break due to heavy travel. It's a light-hearted show full of observations and head scratching. We talk about the Omega X-33 Marstimer, the Apple Watch, and even about luggage. Yes, it's been a while, but the boys are back in town again. Balazs has been all over Europe while Mike has been in three time zones within the USA. We focus on the craziness that seems to surround collecting anything today and then dip int...
Oct 04, 2022•53 min•Season 4Ep. 115
Sep 19, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Fratello On Air checks in with a new episode and Geneva Watch Days 2022 is the subject. Balazs and Mike discuss some of the key new releases. As always, expect banter and clear views on what's happening around us in the world of watches. Geneva Watch Days 2022 is a wrap and Balazs was there. He gives his impressions on some of the most essential new releases while Mike weighs in. Naturally, there's talk about other watch news and equipment. Enjoy! Handgelenks Kontrolle Before getting to the Hand...
Sep 06, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 113
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, Balazs and Mike rant a touch after talking about a number of topics and before finishing with Geneva Watch Days. We were feeling a bit feisty on this one, so forgive us…or don’t! Who doesn’t love a good rant every so often? As much as we try to keep things on a relatively positive note, every so often something raises our collective eyebrows. Today is that day! Still, there are plenty of other topics to discuss. Handgelenks Kontrolle Bala...
Aug 30, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 4Ep. 112
Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air where Balazs and Mike return to talk watches and other semi-adjacent topics. Vintage Grand Seiko is in play towards the end, but there's plenty of other banter to consume as we near the end of summer. Balazs and Mike are together again! Balazs just landed in Stansted and Mike returned from a weekend in Colmar, but they have united on the airwaves. In this episode, you'll hear about space-related TV, old trucks in Slovakia, straps, and, of course, wat...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 111
Fratello On Air returns with an amusing look at Casio. That's right, it's not just about GShock this time! With these picks, get ready to measure temperature, barometer, and other fun data. Yes, Casio is in focus with Balazs and Mike on the airwaves. In this episode, the duo talks about a couple of their favorite watches from the Shibuya-based brand. As mentioned, there's more to GShock when it comes to the digital powerhouse. The discussion triggers a walk down memory lane and we hope you have ...
Aug 16, 2022•57 min•Season 4Ep. 110
Welcome back to a long-overdue episode of Fratello On Air! Balazs and Mike have returned from lengthy travel and that forms the underlying agenda of today’s chat. There’s plenty more, though, so sit back and enjoy! Yes, Balazs and Mike have been away for a couple of weeks. Balazs spent time in Japan after his vacation in Hungary. Mike flew the opposite direction and stayed in South Florida for some much-needed holiday. In this episode, travel sets the stage, but with watches as the primary focus...
Aug 08, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 4Ep. 109
Fratello On Air is back with another winding episode where the Tudor Ranger and the idea of a field watch are in focus. Enjoy this flowing discussion while Balazs and Mike are sweating it out in Europe! That's right, it's hot out there, but a little (or a lot of) heat can't keep Balazs and Mike away from the mic. Balazs is holding court at a castle in Chemnitz, Germany while Mike is roasting in Frankfurt. Both are looking forward to cooler days whenever or wherever. Before discussing the Tudor a...
Jul 19, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 108
Fratello On Air comes back with another brand-focused episode and this time, it's Oris! The independent watch company from Hölstein is in play and, as always, we've picked some unique models. Settle in and enjoy! There's no doubt that Oris is a Fratello favorite. From the "FratellOris" to the Sixty-Five, we're fully locked into this fan-friendly brand. Most of us, though, know the company from the last decade or so. Are there some interesting gems from the past? Of course, there are! Handgelenks...
Jul 12, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 107
Fratello On Air returns with a talkative episode. Balazs and Mike cover a lot of ground. Some of it is watch-related while some of it is not! We discuss the recent cranky comments on our site and ultimately spend a few minutes on our "grab and go" Summer favorites. There's a bit of Citizen headed your way. Enjoy this meandering episode. Yes, Summer is in full swing and Balazs is sweating it out in Hungary. Mike is staying relatively cool in Germany. Our readers, however, seem a bit hot and bothe...
Jul 05, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 106
Rikki and David from Scottish Watches sit down with Rob for the first of two crossover episodes a la Murder, She Wrote, and Magnum P.I. (but with fewer murders and Rolex GMT-Masters). Follow me on Instagram @robnudds
Jun 29, 2022•43 min•Season 4Ep. 105
Fratello On Air returns with a focused episode on one of our favorite watches, the Rolex Day-Date. Mike and RJ are here with some serious heft on the wrist. You'll hear about their love for these decadent, yet classic pieces. We really think that you're going to enjoy today's episode on the Rolex Day-Date. This edition features two watch fans in an unscripted discussion about the flagship of the world's most famous watch brand. The watches are different, but the admiration is similar. A word of ...
Jun 28, 2022•47 min•Season 4Ep. 104
Fratello On Air is here with an episode covering several topics. In the end, you'll want to stick around because Balazs meets his "shoe idol," who is none other than Stan Smith. Not the shoe, mind you, but the tennis player with an incredibly famous shoe. Of course, we talk about watches as well... That's right, Balazs has finally met Stan Smith and talks to him about several things including "the shoe." We also discuss travel and how good it is to get out again. There's also the topic of findin...
Jun 21, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 103
Fratello On Air is here and we’re excited to discuss the recent Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaute release and provide an interview with Fred Mandelbaum. Balazs and Mike are on the mics again talking travel. Tune in and listen to their latest experiences. That’s right, Breitling came with a new Navitimer Cosmonaute in the form of a limited edition model. It’s an interesting watch with an interesting build-up to its introduction. The introduction actually took place in Europe and there were some surp...
Jun 14, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 102
We’re back with another episode of Fratello On Air. This time, Balazs and Mike discuss Longines. This is an episode where we cover some of our favorite models and play an interview that RJ had with Giuseppe Maccio, the head of product at Longines. Enjoy it! It’s been a couple of weeks since Balazs and Mike have come together due to travel and life in general. Here they are, though, talking about one of the most iconic brands in history: Longines. Handgelenks Kontrolle Before coming to Longines, ...
Jun 07, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 103
Fratello On Air is back with another brand-focused episode. This time, Balazs and Mike focus on Bulova. Finding six favorites from this legendary brand was a real task, but we've pulled out some winners. We hope you enjoy it! Bulova , the brand founded in New York in 1875, is on the hot seat. We do our best to find six attractive models to help paint a picture of how varied this brand was during its heyday and even after the quartz crisis. Expect the unexpected — especially when it comes to Bala...
May 24, 2022•57 min•Season 4Ep. 101
Get ready for a winding episode for this week's Fratello On Air! Balazs and Mike return after a one-week hiatus with news from the road. Enjoy this open discussion! Mike has been on the road for much of the last month and Balazs is gearing up to leave. Movement around the globe forms part of today's episode along with a couple of news bits. As always, though, it's time to start with a Handgelenks Kontrolle . Handgelenks Kontrolle Balazs is sporting the new Nivada Datomaster Mecaquartz and we dis...
May 17, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Season 4Ep. 100
Fratello On Air returns with an episode where both hosts are finally in the same room. It took two years, but the dynamic duo are together again. Face to face - reunited and it feels so good! That’s right, Balazs and Mike are finally sitting in the same room, recording a podcast, and checking out watches. It’s a fun show with a couple reader questions and a look at a handful of watches from each host’s collection. Enjoy a candid discussion between two friends who haven’t seen each other in awhil...
May 03, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Season 4Ep. 99
Fratello On Air is here and we finally get around to answering a reader's question about vintage chronograph movements. Are there differences? Which do we like best? We attempt to answer some of these questions in a chatty, non-technical way. We hope you enjoy it! Balazs and Mike love a good reader question and after over a month of travel and tackling different subjects, it was time to respond. Our reader sent us a question about vintage chronograph movements. Which do we like, are there differ...
Apr 26, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Season 4Ep. 98
Fratello On Air returns after a one-week hiatus with Part Two of the new watch rundown. Balazs and Mike continue to roll through some of the more notable releases from the past month or so. Who doesn't like a new watch? Well, if you're like us, the season's introductions mark an exciting period. Therefore, it was notable enough o mark the occasion with two episodes. Make sure to catch the first one if you haven't already! Handgelenks Kontrolle After a bit of chit-chat about travel, fitness, and ...
Apr 19, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 97
It's time for another episode of Fratello On Air and, wow, do we have news! In fact, we have so much news that our New Watch Rundown will consist of two episodes. Enjoy the first one! 'Tis the season for all the debuts. Balazs and Mike are here with a new watch rundown! It's not just Watches & Wonders 2022 here, though, because plenty of brands have come to the table. Handgelenks Kontrolle As always, the duo kick things off with a bit of banter about Balazs's trip to Miami with Maurice Lacro...
Apr 05, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Season 4Ep. 96
Fratello On Air is here with Balazs and Mike. This week, Zenith is in focus as the duo roll through their favorite models out of Le Locle. You'll be surprised with this list because the El Primero doesn't factor so heavily. Zenith dates way back to 1865 with its founding in Le Locle, Switzerland. While we won't go back that far at all, we will look backward at some of our favorite models. Of course, Zenith makes some fantastic new models (ooh, we love that Chonomaster Original !), but bring two ...
Mar 29, 2022•52 min•Season 4Ep. 95
Fratello On Air is back with another brand-focused episode. We truly promise that we're not on a Swatch Group parade, but we will hit our third marque within the portfolio. Hamilton is our topic today with Balazs and Mike on the - erm - mic. Enjoy it because the guys really enjoy this brand. Before we get to what was once America's most famous brand, we talk a little bit of news. Mike brings up the latest MING 22.01 GMT and asks Balazs what he thinks about "caller" GMT's. In the end, both think ...
Mar 22, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 94
In the second episode of “Meet The…”, Balazs chats with Alex Gravelle, the man behind Velle Alexander, a strap company from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Alex tells us why he chose this path, what watches he’s into, and which timepiece is on top of his wish list. If you are a fan of the Fratello On Air podcast, first of all, thank you. Your support means a lot to us all, who sit down week after week to research, record, edit, and put out new episodes for your listening pleasure. I consume a lot of pod...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr
Well, well, well. After a hiatus of almost exactly four months, WASP returns for the (very) long-awaited LIVE Episode 10, which was so important to Balazs and me that we even went down the route of decimal show numbers to ensure we kept our promise. And keep it we did (eventually)! Now, for the first time in ages, the Fridge & Freezer presenting duo have the chance to chat in person. The show was recorded in one take and is available in video format too. Check out fratellowatches.com to see ...
Mar 12, 2022•47 min•Season 4Ep. 93
Fratello On Air is here with another vintage-focused episode. This time, we talk about our favorite models from Certina. If you enjoyed our previous episode on Tissot , this will be right up your alley. Balazs and Mike return with an episode focused on Certina. Before getting to the heart of the matter, there is some news related to current events. Then, it's time to move on to what has become a tradition: the Handgelenks Kontrolle. Handgelenks Kontrolle Neither Mike nor Balazs chose a Certina f...
Mar 08, 2022•53 min•Season 4Ep. 92
Fratello On Air returns and this week, Mike talks to Martin Klocke from Sherpa Watches. If you're a watch lover and want to hear a tale about an incredible passion project, this episode is definitely for you! Martin Klocke is someone I "met" well over a year ago via Instagram. He had aired his intentions to bring back highly faithful, yet modern, renditions of vintage Enicar models. Sherpa Watches was born and, now, production of the Sherpa OPS and Ultradive models is about to begin. Handgelenks...
Mar 01, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 91
Fratello On Air kicks off a new series where Balazs and Mike discuss their six favorite watches of all time from a given brand. First up on the docket is Tissot , a historic Swiss brand with loads of options. Settle in and hear about some watches that you know and some that just might surprise. Before getting to Tissot, Balazs and Mike talk a bit about cycling, lead-lined film bags as a radium shield, and Balazs' informative article on the Tissot Antimagnetique . We also hit upon the recent Seik...
Feb 22, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 90
Fratello On Air is here with your weekly installment. This time, Balazs and Mike handle a reader question about a few rather different chronographs. We love a good reader question and this week, our faithful listener John sent us a great one! Firstly, thanks, John! John works at a hospital and we're thankful for the efforts he's putting in during these trying times. We're glad that our podcast helps just a little during those tough days. Handgelenks Kontrolle Before getting to our reader questio...
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 89