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Fratello Talks: Why Everyone Loves Seiko

Hello there, and welcome to another episode of Fratello Talks. This week, Thomas, Lex, and Nacho discuss Seiko Watches. A Seiko is a staple of most watch enthusiasts' collections, whether it's a first-ever mechanical watch or an inexpensive curiosity, a vintage rarity in museum-worthy condition, or anything in between. And though there will certainly be those out there who turn their nose up at the brand, most of us will have (at some point or another) been proud stewards of a watch bearing the ...

Fratello On Air: Collecting Watches — Will We Ever Stop?

Fratello On Air returns with an episode about collecting watches and whether we'll ever stop. It's a good question that we lightly debate because we feel similarly. The watch world is endless, providing us with neverending opportunities to learn and enjoy. Our watch content starts 15 minutes into the show. Both of your co-hosts enjoy collecting, but will we ever call it quits? We discuss the subject and explore what we might keep amassing. We imagine that many of our listeners face this question...

Fratello Talks: Two-Tone Watches

Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to this latest episode of Fratello Talks. This week, Nacho is joined by RJ and Daan, who delve into the divisive topic of two-tone watches. This includes any watch whose case and bracelet comprise more than one metal with a distinct color difference. Though typically a combination of steel and gold, two-tone watches can also feature several other materials. This creates a rather unique look, highlighting specific design elements of the watch and breaking from the nor...

Fratello On Air: Do You Wear, Protect, Or Baby Your Dream Watch?

Fratello On Air is here with a new episode. We told you we'd be back! This week, our show topic comes courtesy of one of our listeners. We were asked how we'd behave with a dream watch that was purchased new. We have some thoughts and we expand the discussion to vintage watches. For those wondering, our watch content starts after roughly 21 minutes. Our listener, "12.5Lignes," has provided a great suggestion for a topic and it's one that many people ask. Finally, after saving and waiting for one...

Fratello On Air: A Flurry Of New Releases From Omega, Ming, Seiko, And More

Fratello On Air is back after more than two weeks. We didn't plan to be away but illness and travel got in the way again. Today, we talk about some new releases after our normal banter about a variety of topics. We hope you enjoy the show and, yes, we'll be back in a few short days per our normal schedule! For those who are interested, our Handgelenks begins 23 minutes into the episode. Thanks for bearing with our maladies and travel diaries. This episode comes late in the week right in time for...

Fratello Talks: Cheap Straps On Expensive Watches

Hello there! Welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we're discussing the topic of wearing expensive watches on cheap straps. Does it make sense to wear a €3000–10000 watch on a €10 strap? Does a €300 OEM strap make sense to begin with? And where do you actually get your money's worth in the strap market? What about aftermarket bracelets? Join Nacho, RJ, and Morgan (making his final appearance on Fratello Talks, for real this time) for an in-depth discussion on the topic.

Fratello Talks: The Quest For Relevance In A Hype Hungry Watch Industry

Welcome to the latest episode of Fratello Talks . This week, Nacho is joined by RJ and Lex to discuss their thoughts on a hype-hungry watch industry. Lately, more than ever before, it seems that big brands within the watch industry are doing their best to remain relevant by chasing hype. We saw the natural hype behind the Omega × Swatch MoonSwatch take over the world a couple of years ago, but have brands been successful in manufacturing similar excitement?

Fratello Talks: Buying, Selling, And Trading Watches Without Regrets

Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. This topic is familiar to all those who spend enough time in the watch space and especially to those who consider themselves collectors. Buying, selling, and trading watches comes with the territory, and though a decision may seem solid at the time you make it, you may always regret it. In this week's episode Nacho, RJ, and Morgan discuss keeping regrets to a minimum when buying, selling, or trading watches and offer advice in doing so...

Fratello On Air: Overpriced Vintage Watches From Tudor, Cartier, Rolex, and Seiko

Fratello On Air returns with an on-location episode where we discuss overpriced vintage watches. Specifically, we bring up models from Tudor, Cartier, Seiko, and Rolex. Yes, these are fighting words, but someone had to say them! We hope you enjoy the episode! This week, we're together in London as Balazs traveled in for work. Close listeners on either side of Balazs' hotel room must have thought it was a nerd convention, but, no, it was just another recording of Fratello On Air! We focus on over...

Fratello Watches: Desert Island Watches

Hello, and welcome! Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Nacho, Morgan, and Daan pick their desert island watches. Say one day you were unfortunate enough to become stranded on a desert island; which watch from your collection would you want there with you? Now, let’s say it’s not a life-or-death situation but more of a leisurely, perhaps even orchestrated, self-stranding in your tropical location of choice (a holiday, if you will); what would be your watch of ch...

Fratello On Air: Great Recent Watches That Were Quickly Forgotten

Fratello On Air returns and we discuss several recent great recent watches that were quickly forgotten. Attention spans are short these days which can be unfair to some excellent releases. We shed light on some of our favorite unheralded pieces. Enjoy the show! What have you done for me lately? We live in the now and with new watches coming at us daily it can be easy to forget something halfway decent from yesterday. The other problem is that some watches don't even receive coverage. Well, we're...

Fratello On Air: Overreacting To The TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith & Other Watches

Fratello On Air returns on its non-normal day because your co-hosts have been under the weather. We're both on the mend, though, and happy to be on the airwaves. In this episode, we cover several topics, but our main discussion centers on the recent TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith releases. We try to bring some level of sense to these watches. In this episode, we discuss the nearly universal outcry against the TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith releases. What should have been a joyous reminder of many of our...

Fratello Talks: Different Ways To Build A Watch Collection

Hi there! Welcome to another episode of Fratello Talks . This week, you join Nacho, Daan, and Morgan, who discuss the many possible ways of building a watch collection. This includes looking at some common approaches, sharing some sound advice from their experience, and a spot of soul-searching concerning their watch collections. What works for them may not be what works for you, but some of their tips may prove helpful along the way. Ultimately, everyone will have a different approach to buildi...

Fratello Talks: Watches And Wonders 2024 Debrief

Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. Today, we wrap up our Watches And Wonders 2024 with a debrief episode featuring Nacho, Thomas, and Lex. The guys take some time to go over a number of brands (and their corresponding releases) that we missed in episode one. They also discuss the general mood of the show and how it reflects on the overall state of the watch industry today. And despite promises made several weeks ago, we recorded this one on a Friday afternoon, so you'll...

Fratello On Air: Haute Horlogerie On A Budget — Relatively Speaking

Fratello On Air returns to its normally scheduled slot with a look at some Haute Horlogerie that can be bought at a fair price. To be clear, we're focusing more on high-end complications that usually cost an arm and a leg. This is the second half of an episode we recorded a week ago and we hope you enjoy! Big-time complications often come with a nasty price tag. However, we've identified some examples of Haute Horlogerie that may not break the bank. Come with us while we run through some specifi...

Fratello On Air: Catching Up With The New Amida Digitrend And A Tissot Antimagnetique

Welcome back to Fratello On Air ! This week, we're coming back late due to our busy schedules. We've decided to cut this recording in half and will come back on our regularly scheduled day next week. For this episode, we talk about the new Amida Digitrend and a vintage Tissot Antimagnetique. Sorry, folks; we're late again! Work is having its way with our schedules, but we were able to come together and record a lengthy discussion that we have separated into two distinct parts. Today's episode do...

Fratello Talks: Swatch Group Novelties From The Watch Valley Event In Utrecht

Fratello Talks: Watches And Wonders 2024

Welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. In this special long-form episode, Nacho, RJ, and Morgan discuss Watches and Wonders 2024. There's much to unpack from this year's fair, so prepare for an extended episode. The trio tackles topics including the general atmosphere of the fair, noticeable trends from brands and the industry overall, and finishes by going through many of the show's notable releases. This year's show was slightly slower than what we've seen in the past, but there wer...

Fratello On Air: Watches And Wonders 2024 — Much Ado About Nothing

Fratello On Air returns after a three-week break. Half of us traveled to Geneva while the other went to Florida. Both of us saw fancy cars, but only one of us saw impressive watches. The question of who might have a surprising answer! Watches and Wonders 2024 has come and gone and, frankly, it was a bit of a stinker. Watches and Wonders 2024 certainly delivered on the first half of its name. The second part? Not so much in our opinion. There were several nice releases, but we'll go on record to ...

Fratello Talks: A Guide To Gifting Watches

Hello there! Welcome to a new episode of Fratello Talks. This week, we have decided to discuss a topic we often get asked about: gifting watches. Nacho, RJ, and Daan explore the topic, from whom you should gift a watch, to when it's appropriate to gift someone a watch. Of course, they also provide some examples from their own experience and share some stories of times when they themselves have gifted and received watches as gifts. The former being the more common occurrence. Finally, they also p...

Fratello Talks: Waitlists, Limited Editions, And Things That Make A Watch Worthwhile

Welcome to a fresh new episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Nacho is joined by RJ and Lex for a varied chat centered around the topic of things that make a watch worthwhile. From waitlists to limited editions and even watches for special occasions, added value is not really a matter of price. Does a reasonable wait add to the experience of eventually owning a watch? And does too long a wait spoil the desire? This is one of the topics tackled today. As is the matter of limited editions. These days, ...

Fratello Talks: The Best Watches Of 2024 So Far

Hello, and welcome to a rather rowdy episode of Fratello Talks. It's a Friday afternoon at Fratello HQ, and Nacho, Lex, and Thomas gather around the mics to list some of the best watches of 2024 so far. Each of them has picked three of their favorites released during this first quarter and three additional honorable mentions. But, despite their best efforts, it doesn't take long until the structure crumbles and their chat diverges into a discussion on some of their favorite (and not-so-favorite)...

Fratello On Air: Our Favorite Watch And Strap Or Bracelet Combinations

Fratello On Air returns with a new episode inspired by one of our listeners. Today, we're talking about our favorite watch and strap combinations. Of course, we're allowing bracelets to enter the conversation as well. Like always, we also have several other topics on tap. So, what are our favorite watch and strap combinations? It's a good question, but one that we seek to answer. We thank our faithful listener, Richard, for today's topics. Metal enters the fray too because some watches look bett...

Fratello Talks: Cut The Excuses And Enjoy Watches

Hi there, and welcome to a new episode of Fratello Talks. Excuses, excuses, excuses... Letting them get in the way of a good thing is a shame. So it's time to cut them out and enjoy watches. This is this week's topic of discussion, which Nacho, Lex, and RJ explore in detail. It's an interesting phenomenon that we've observed lately. A new watch is announced, and out pour the single-phrase comments providing personal justification for a lack of intention to purchase. It all results in a rather du...

Fratello On Air: Wearing Vintage Watches On Airplanes

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we discuss flying on airplanes with our vintage watches and why we avoid it. We also cover several other watch-related topics before and after the main subject. Enjoy the show! Flying on airplanes may be a normal and safe activity, but how does it affect our vintage watches? We discuss our thoughts on the question and why we tend to wear newer pieces. For those who don't love our banter, we begin our main subject after 40 minutes. However...

Fratello Talks: Watch Marketing Past, Present, And Future

Welcome to Fratello Talks. This week, you join your host, Nacho, alongside RJ and Lex for a discussion on the evolution of watch marketing. The idea of marketing watches has been around since selling them became a lucrative endeavor. Since then, we have seen the watch industry's efforts take many different forms, from posters to print ads, television spots to ambassadors, and the many different ways in which watch brands are involved in the world of sports. Today, the guys take a look at many of...

Fratello On Air: Brands Everyone Should Have In Their Collections

Fratello On Air returns and this week we discuss watches from brands that everyone should own at some point on their collecting journey. Our ideas come across as more of a suggestion than an edict, though. We also touch on several other watch-related topics before the main event. Enjoy the show! Whether we're talking watches, cars, or any other item, we're not sure that anyone likes being told what they should or shouldn't buy. That's why our main topic today on watch brands is fairly light. We ...

Fratello Talks: Watch Pet Peeves

Welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. Today, you join Nacho, Morgan, and Thomas, who join forces to discuss a number of their watch pet peeves. The guys are feeling particularly grumpy today, so they decided to go on an extensive rant, listing some of the things watch brands do that rub them the wrong way. There are plenty of groan-inducing factors to consider, whether it's a lack of micro adjust, gratuitous exhibition case backs, deployant clasps, lack of AR coating, or sub-par time...

Fratello On Air: What Would Make You Buy A New Cartier?

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we're asking what would make us buy a Cartier watch. It's a good question because neither of your co-hosts owns a timepiece from the incredibly popular brand. As we'll see, the reasons have little to do with what's currently on offer and more about our wearing habits. What would make us buy a Cartier ? It's a good question and with popularity in the famed jeweler's watches at an all-time high, it's one that probably doesn't beg for l...

Fratello Talks: Hidden Gems Under €5k

Are rising watch prices getting you down? Well, we’ve got good news for you. In this week’s episode of Fratello Talks , Nacho, Timo, and RJ take a look at some horological hidden gems under €5K. These are watches you can buy either new or pre-owned that offer something truly interesting for the price. If you want to get the most for your money, these nine options are perfect ways to go. We’ve got a little bit of everything, from big-brand bangers at a fraction of their current-day equivalent pri...