Fratello.com Fratello Watches

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 here to talk about recent watches that may have escaped your attention. One of our favorite listeners, Richard, suggested the topic and it's a good one! Of course, we kick off the show with just a touch of banter. For those who are keeping track, our main topic starts after 15 minutes.

Handgelenkskontrolle
Before discussing watches that have faded quickly, we engage in some light discussion. We talk about ultrasonic cleaners and other watch-related topics. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs is wearing his Grand Seiko SBGA439 on a strap. Mike is enjoying the fine English weather with his Rolex Datejust Thunderbird 1625 on a light blue strap.
 Watches that deserve another look
Our main topic focuses on recent watches that were quickly forgotten or possibly not covered at all! In general, we chose relatively affordable watches (i.e. no haute horlogerie). Some of these watches are still for sale, while others were on the market briefly. The common point is that all are available on the secondary market for less than their current or original retail prices. We discuss:
Breitling Premier DatoraRaymond Weil Millésime Automatic Small SecondsOmega CK 859Tudor Black Bay 36Bulova Mil-Ships W-2181TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph TitaniumAs we mentioned during the show, we'd love to hear your thoughts on some recent hidden gems. There are plenty to consider! Thank you again for listening and we look forward to the next episode.

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 childhoods took a decidedly negative turn in the comments section. We're critical too, but we also try to find the silver linings.

Other topics and the Handgelenkskontrolle
For everyone's benefit, we reach our main topic around the TAG Heuer × Kith watches roughly 27 minutes into the recording. Before this, we discuss the most recent Jordan 4 Retro sneakers in Industrial Blue that Mike ordered. Then, we discuss two recent TV shows, Reacher and Man In Full. Oddly, our Handgelenkskontrolle comes at the end, but it makes sense to mention them here. Mike is wearing his appropriate TAG Heuer WA1211 that he received in the late '80s. Balazs has a Rolex Datejust 16030 on loan from a friend. He's thinking about buying it!

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith
Mike wrote up the press release for last week's TAG Heuer × Kith lineup and the comments were incredible. Other watch content sites fared no better with their critics. Surely, the collaboration was a surprising one. However, the watches still brought more than a partial smile to Mike's face. These watches bring back a lot of memories from a very different time. We also think and hope that these pieces will result in other new releases from TAG Heuer. To cap things off, Balazs discusses similar criticisms laid upon the newly revived Amida Digitrend.

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 get your fair share of banter and jokes throughout. 

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 specific references. Enjoy the show!

Opening thoughts
We covered the Handgelenkskontrolle on our last episode, so we jump into the topic of affordable Haute Horlogerie. We do mention the crocheted watch rolls now in the Fratello Shop as Mike's mother-in-law created them. This inspires small talk about grandmothers and their focus on food and handicrafts. Also, just to be clear, Mike ends the show with a public service announcement. Everyone who owns a car should own a battery booster!
 Haute Horlogerie on a budget
New watch prices may be escalating beyond control, but there are great deals on the used market. Specifically, when we discuss Haute Horlogerie, we have found some epic watches that bring incredible complications or features for less than the price of a steel Submariner. Some of the watches we discuss are:
IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar reference 3750TAG Heuer 02T TourbillonOmega Speedmaster Rattrapante reference 3540.50IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater 524202 (this one isn't inexpensive, but it is compared to other minute repeaters!)Atelier Wen Perception, with its handmade guilloché dialHorage Lensman 1 TourbillonOris Depth Gauge, which brought back a depth meter similar to the vintage Nivada DepthomaticWe hope you enjoyed today's eclectic mix of watches. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments section. If you have future show ideas, please let us know. Thanks for listening!

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 does have a lot of non-watch-related content for the first half. We discuss running shoes, tennis shoes, and new shoe releases. Then, we discuss our Handgelenkskontrolle, including the new Amiga Digitrend and a vintage Tissot Antimagnetique.

Banter
We've received some feedback that our shoe talk has ebbed dramatically. Some of you asked for a return, so we're responding. Before discussing the Amida and the Tissot, we start with functional shoe talk related to running and tennis. Mike ponders why sneaker brands can't use a classic form, such as a Stan Smith, and pair it with modern technology underneath. This would make it useable on the tennis courts. We bemoan the lack of recent compelling releases on the Nike SNKRS app and hope the situation improves.

Handgelenkskontrolle
The Handgelenkskontrolle is our main section today. Balazs kicks it off with the new Amiga Digitrend, a passion project that resurrects a wild watch from the '70s. The periscopic "heads-up" display is back! This heavy steel watch has moved upmarket with a much better movement and a larger price tag. Balazs will return in a few weeks with a full review, but you can check out more on the official Amida website. Meanwhile, Mike is wearing a very different type of watch. It's an early '50s Tissot Anitmagnetique with a 37.5mm chrome case. Since Balazs published an article on his back in 2018, Mike has been on a quiet hunt. Finally, he located a lovely example at a nice price. The two discuss the watches in detail and how they offer great value.
We hope you appreciated today's brief episode, and stay tuned for the second part next Tuesday.