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Welcome to this latest episode of Fratello Talks. Does modern Rolex still have the magic? That's the question that Nacho, RJ, and Lex tackle today. There's no question that modern Rolex watches are reliable, luxurious timekeepers. But for many enthusiasts and collectors, nothing quite comes close to the magic of the older four and five-digit references. This is reflected in the prices that some of these (let alone rarer examples) can fetch in the pre-owned market. But what (if anything) makes these more special than current-day Rolex watches? Is it a mix of pop-culture presence, aesthetics, nostalgia, and rarity? And do those models sold today still have that x-factor that their predecessors possess? Perhaps it's something we'll only know in hindsight.

It's time for another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we cap off Geneva Watch Days 2024 with our favorites from the event. We saw some fascinating watches and met new and old acquaintances. For our listeners, there's not much banter in this episode!

We've returned to our respective countries, are fully rested, and ready to go. Still, the glow from Geneva Watch Days 2024 hasn't completely left us. We spend the show talking about our favorites from the week before and we think you'll enjoy the variety.

Handgelenkskontrolle

We spend some time discussing the new Grand Seiko 45GS reissues, the SLGW004 and SLGW005. They're lovely watches, but the originals offer stunning value and similar looks. The Handgelenkskontrolle is firing on all cylinders this week! Balazs is still rocking his burgundy Ming 17.09 and is enjoying it on a Delugs Rubber CTS strap. Mike is wearing his vintage Heuer Monaco 73633B on a perforated blue strap.

Our favorites from Geneva Watch Days 2024

For our main topic, we choose three of our favorites from Geneva Watch Days 2024. Then, we add a couple of honorable mention pieces. We don't often discuss haute horlogerie, so we hope you enjoy the change of pace. There were some real stunners and they're worthy of mention. You'll hear about the following pieces:

• Laurent Ferrier Classic Auto Sandstone
• Berneron Mirage 34mm Lapis
• Ming 37.09 Bluefin
• Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance
• M.A.D.1S
• Lederer Triple Certified Observatory Chronometer
• Doxa releases including the Sub 300T Professional Aristera and green models
• Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum

We hope you enjoyed this episode and feel free to share your favorites from the event! As always, if you have ideas for future shows, please let us know.

Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of Fratello Talks. This week, we ask ourselves: how useful are GMT watches? Lex, Morgan, and Nacho join forces to take an honest look at this most popular of complications and how useful it truly is in real life. They also share some personal experiences with GMT watches, explain the difference between flyer and caller GMTs, and talk about their favorite multi-time-zone watches they've owned.

Fratello On Air is back with another episode where we cover the latest release from Tissot and the highlights from Geneva Watch Days 2023. Of course, we speak about additional topics and watches as well. Oh, and one of your hosts has suffered a recent injury but has still managed to make it to the microphone to bring his voice to the world of watches.

Oof, Balazs took quite a tumble on his bicycle the day before recording and is working through a couple of sets of stitches. His voice is a bit off on account of an upper lip that is several times its normal size. But hey, he's here for YOU! This week, we discuss the controversial digital Tissot PRX and some of the key releases from Geneva Watch Days 2023. Enjoy the show!

Kettle Kite

This week, Balazs kicks off our Kettle Kite with an unexpected watch, the Union Glashütte Belisar Date Sport Pro. This 42mm diver is from a brand that we don't hear about too frequently, so be on the lookout for the upcoming review. Mike is also wearing a surprising watch. It's the Casio × PAC-MAN Collaboration Model A100WEPC from 2021. It's a fun piece that allows us to segue into our first discussion topic: the digital Tissot PRX collection. Despite the fair amount of criticism, this watch has been receiving, both like it due to its uniqueness.

Geneva Watch Days 2023

Next, we discuss Geneva Watch Days 2023 and some of the key pieces. We discuss and give our frank opinions on the following pieces:

• Laurent Ferrier Série Atelier V Sport Auto 40
• Doxa 300ß Sharkhunter
• Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute 8Tech
• Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38mm
• MB&F HM9
• Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Carbongold

We hope you enjoyed this week's show. As always, if you have ideas for a future episode, feel free to let us know!

Welcome back to another riveting episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we’re back as a duo and we have much to discuss. The Rolex news looms large as well as the upcoming Geneva Watch Days. Of course, we add several additional topics for good measure.

Kettle Kite

This is the first week we bring in our “Kettle Kite” in honor of Cockney Rhyming Slang. It’s a bit awkward, so let’s see if it lasts. Regardless of our diction, Balazs bats first and shares his vintage Omega Speedmaster Mark II Racing on a black three-hole Tropic strap. Although he doesn’t wear it often, he’s convinced that this is a heavily undervalued watch. Mike shares his vintage Breitling Aerospace E56060. He has paired it with an inexpensive 20mm olive canvas strap. The combo has become a comfortable partner due to the slender and lightweight case.

As far as other topics, we discuss the recent Adidas Stan Smith “Homer Simpson” models. Both have landed a pair while Balazs has acted as a delivery depot for several friends. We also mention the most recent Time4APint gathering in London and meeting up with some mutual watch friends. Finally, the recently released Synchron Military Poseidon Black Edition is also in focus. It’s another great watch at a decent price and reminds us both of vintage Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Aqualung pieces.

Rolex and Geneva Watch Days

Last week, Rolex threw a proper curveball when it announced that it had acquired Bucherer. We discussed the acquisition along with the possibilities and concerns. It’s interesting indeed and only time will tell as far as the real effects of the news. We then move on to Geneva Watch Days 2023. Balazs and many of the Fratello will attend, so look forward to more! Specifically, we discuss the new Doxa 300 “Beta” and the Bulgari Octo Finissimo novelties in black carbon. Black and gold seem to be the new darlings if we take these models as references. For our thoughts on them, you’ll have to take a listen!

Thanks as always for tuning in to the latest episode. If you have thoughts on future show topics, feel free to let us know!

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!