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James Bond has worn some memorable watches over the years, but what about the people standing in his way? A villain's watch needs to do more than tell the time. It can hint at character, signal status, or offer a subtle clue about the wearer. So, which watches would suit the villains of the Bond universe? In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, RJ, and Jorg turn their attention to the other side of 007's world. They pick watches for Bond villains, considering the characters' personalities and the details that might make a particular watch a good fit. We won't reveal their choices here. You'll have to listen to find out which watches each of them picked and whether the others agree.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we have an open chat about what it might take to turn the vintage Speedmaster market around. Let's face it: it has been quiet for a long time. We'd love nothing more than to see the enthusiasm return and hear your thoughts on what could help. Enjoy the show! Oof, it's been a hot minute since the vintage Speedmaster was all the rage. Then again, we could say that about the vintage market as a whole. But when it comes to our favorite Omega, we long for the halcyon days of hot releases, newly uncovered history, and fan outreach. Still, 2026 is very different from the pre-pandemic period. A lot has changed, so perhaps the old ways of stirring up excitement might not prove as effective. Or would they be seen as even more authentic in today's Speedy world? Handgelenkskontrolle This week, we have about 35 minutes of watch- and non-watch-related banter before we move on to the main topic. We start with Balazs's recent trip to New York City, where he visited WatchTime New York and Windup. He also took time to do some work while in the Big Apple. We reflect on his trip, some folks he met, and the general vibe. Mike shares a fun anecdote from a recent trip to Amsterdam where he met one of our listeners in the most unlikely of forums. Then, we talk about Balazs's flight back from New York on a Lufthansa A340-600. It turns out that this was the last flight for the old four-engine long-haul plane before its retirement. This was a festive affair! For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs is wearing his favorite travel watch, the Casio G-Shock GW-B5600-2ER. Mike is on topic with his 2018 Speedmaster Professional Speedy Tuesday 2 "Ultraman." The vintage Speedmaster market If we measure vintage watch collecting in five-year cycles, anyone who entered the hobby during this period might question if the vintage Speedmaster was ever popular. Indeed, it has been a long time since the seminal chronograph made front-page auction news (for positive reasons). Of course, vintage '60s sports watches have also been in a relative slump during this period, but it seems to hit harder for our beloved Omega because it is the brand's most iconic model. We break down why this has occurred and what it could take for one of our favorite vintage watches to return to the spotlight. Unlike many modern watches, we see the vintage Speedmaster market inextricably linked to the modern models. This is ironic because the modern Speedmaster Professional lineup has never been better. However, is it possible that the grassroots fans miss the days of limited-edition space-inspired releases? We think so, although we have questions about whether the formula would still work at today's Speedmaster price point. Then, we discuss how buying a Speedmaster, for many, was and is like joining a friendly club. Owning a new or old model grants access to this group. We'd love to see Omega step back into more outreach to the fan base with Speedy-related events involving current astronauts. After all, Omega is one of the few large-scale brands that can offer this level of credible engagement. We feel these are just some of the steps the marque could take to reenergize the vintage Speedmaster market while driving even more excitement for the modern pieces. But you'll need to tune in to hear the rest of our thoughts! Thanks for listening to today's episode! If you have thoughts on future topics, please let us know.

For many watch enthusiasts, the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch is untouchable. But there’s another model that has earned its rightful place in the collection — the Speedmaster Reduced. Smaller, automatic, and often more accessible on the pre-owned market, it offers a different take on one of Omega’s best-known chronographs. In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, RJ, and Gerard look back at the origins of the Speedmaster Reduced and its place in the wider Speedmaster story. They discuss what made it appealing, the quirks and technical issues that prospective owners should know about, and how it compares with the modern Speedmaster 38 and the latest evolution of the smaller Speedmaster.

Today, in a special episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho and Lex are in Geneva for a chat with independent watch designer and entrepreneur Sylvain Berneron. The conversation kicks off with Berneron’s career in design, his time at major watch companies, and his decision to establish a brand of his own. Berneron’s background is somewhat unusual for an independent watchmaker. Trained in fine arts and industrial design, he began his career at BMW before spending five years with Richemont and another five as chief product officer and board member at Breitling. In September 2022, he decided to leave this comfortable scenario and create the Berneron brand, giving him the creative freedom to explore ideas that would have been difficult to pursue within a large organization. The result was the Mirage, introduced in 2023. From the start, Berneron approached the watch from the movement outward, allowing the unusual asymmetrical caliber to dictate the case's shape. The watch quickly attracted attention for that combination of mechanics, proportions, and design.

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. We're back from the road with your latest dose of watch talk. Today, we're entertaining a topic from one of our favorite listeners, Roy! No, we're not talking about Speedos by the pool, but we're trying to answer whether it's safe to discuss our hobby online. Enjoy the show! Is it safe to discuss watches online? Well, we think the answer is challenging, but as we'll see, it depends. Today, we touch on several points regarding Roy's topic and even share some of the advice we follow. No, this isn't another big-city-safety discussion. This time, it's about online safety. Handgelenkskontrolle Before answering whether it's safe to chat about timepieces online, we cover a wide range of topics in our banter session. Regarding TV, we've been on a tear. The Hunter Wives, Mobland, Slow Horses, The Wargame, and Lanterns have all graced our big screens recently. Then, we get into a discussion about German watches and whether or not they ultimately leave us cold because of their instrument-like styling. Next, Balazs mentions the 1998 Game 4 NBA Finals Michael Jordan jersey that sold for an astounding US$12.3 million! On top of that, his former Ferrari 550 Maranello hammered for a record US$2.7 million. That's crazy! Balazs also shares a recent trip to the Black Forest, where he attended a release event for the latest Hanhart 417 ES Steve McQueen model. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike is wearing his Citizen Promaster BN0220 after some lawn work over the weekend. Meanwhile, Balazs is a hipster with the surprise-hit DWC Terra. Look out for a hands-on review soon! Is it safe online to post and discuss watches? Our eternally tan friend Roy sent a lengthy topic suggestion. We've done our best to boil it down to his concerns. He brought up instant-messaging platforms and their security. Perhaps more timely, though, he mentioned the current word that dominates most conversations — "AI." In other words, with AI truly spreading like wildfire, does this mean our supposedly secure online chats are safe? When we use an AI chat helper with questions like "Who has the best collection in our chat group?" is this information kept secure?  Well, we aren't tech-security folks, but I think most of us act on the presumption that our chats are protected and held in confidence. Still, it makes sense to read further about which controls are in place by platform and decide which is safest. Regarding social media platforms, including Instagram, it was fun in the beginning to collect followers and likes. However, many of these feel-good indications were either bots or sellers of fake watches. For several years, Mike has held a private account and even blocked many followers. Other tips are to turn off location services, refrain from sharing exact locations unless they're well-known landmarks, and think twice about who is actually on the other side of a conversation. We're not scaremongering, and thankfully, we've never suffered any ill effects from our online ventures, but plenty have. Let us know what steps you take to keep yourself and your watches safe online. We'd love to hear your suggestions! Thanks for listening to this latest episode, and thanks to Roy for suggesting the topic. Feel free to let us know if you have any other ideas for show themes.

Brand ambassadors have long been part of the watch industry. From actors and athletes to musicians and explorers, these familiar faces help bring brands' watches to a wider audience. But can that visibility do more than sell watches? Can it spark interest in horology among people who might never have given the hobby a second thought? In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, RJ, and Daan discuss the role of brand ambassadors and their potential to introduce watches to a new generation of enthusiasts. We look at what makes an ambassador effective, whether a celebrity connection can translate into genuine enthusiasm, and how these partnerships fit into an industry that increasingly reaches people through social media and popular culture.

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. We're back after a couple of weeks under the weather and ready to talk watches. But we're not just talking about them; we're also asking whether watch financing has helped or hurt the hobby we all enjoy. Perhaps that's an easy question, but the tougher one is whether we'd do it! We hope you enjoy the episode. Unless you've been living under a rock for the last several years, it's impossible not to notice the easy offers of watch financing on every retailer's website. In fact, paying in installments is even an option on eBay! Today, we'll talk about the effect on the industry and whether we'd ever consider it.  Handgelenkskontrolle This week, after a brief discussion about our recent maladies, we discuss the Laver Cup. Mike attended the final day in London and reflects on the experience. This kicks off a discussion about Rolex, the brand's sponsorship of the tournament, and some of the other watches seen on the players and coaches. Next, Balazs mentions Michael Jordan's former Ferrari 550 Maranello, which is currently up for auction on Joopiter. Then, Mike mentions the Donut Watch, which arrived soon after our last episode. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs is wearing the new Albishorn Type X-Graph, a cool chronograph with a polycarbonate dial. Mike is rather boring because he's still wearing the same watch as three weeks ago! It's his trusty Rolex Submariner 14060M. Watch financing Our longtime listener Cezary recently wrote to us asking whether watch financing has been a boon to the industry. Well, the short answer is that, of course, it has benefitted sellers. That said, is it an option buyers should consider? Mike recalls buying his Rolex Explorer 14270 back in 1998 using a 0% store credit card financing scheme over 12 months. It worked, but we're sure the scheme often backfired on buyers. Furthermore, we can imagine it's tempting to purchase a watch that's tough to find when the funds aren't readily available. But is it the right move to make? Then again, maybe there's a scenario in which a loved one is graduating and a watch is an important gift. We ponder these situations and more on today's episode. We hope you enjoy today's show, and thank you for listening! As always, if you have any ideas for show topics, feel free to let us know.

What if you had to choose just one watch from your entire collection and let everything else go? No backups, no rotation, and no keeping that one watch you rarely wear “just in case.” In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, RJ, and Daan take on that particularly difficult hypothetical. The interesting part is that choosing one watch isn't necessarily about picking the most expensive, technically impressive, or historically significant piece. A collection can contain watches that serve very different purposes, and personal attachment can matter just as much as specifications. So what happens when all those factors have to compete for a single spot? Tune in to find out.

When it comes to vintage watches, few brands have as much depth as Rolex. Over more than a century, the company has produced an enormous range of models, references, and variations that have become firmly established among collectors. From tool watches built for specific purposes to understated everyday models, there's plenty to explore beyond the obvious choices. In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, Jorg, and Max discuss their favorite vintage Rolex models. Each has selected two watches that stand out due to their design, history, collectibility, and simply how much they enjoy them. The vintage Rolex catalog has plenty of familiar names, but it's interesting to see what references the guys gravitate toward. If you want to find out which watches made the cut, tune in!

Vintage watches can seem intimidating when you first start looking. There are unfamiliar references, decades of production changes, questions about originality, and the ever-present possibility of an expensive service bill. But you don't necessarily need a huge budget to get into vintage watches. In fact, €5,000 opens up a surprisingly broad selection. In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho is joined by Daan and Max, the latter of whom usually spends his time behind the camera but joins the podcast for this episode. The three discuss the vintage watches they would consider buying with a €5,000 budget. Each participant has selected three watches, with a few honorable mentions along the way. As always, the aim isn't to create a definitive buying guide. Instead, it's an opportunity to explore some options at this price point and explain what makes them interesting.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we're both back home. Balazs has returned from Geneva, and Mike has come in after three weeks of being on the road. In this episode, we review the overarching trends at Geneva Watch Days 2026 along with the top releases. Enjoy the show! Well, another month has gone by, and the year's final big show in Geneva has passed. Geneva Watch Days is now in the rearview mirror, but were there any common trends among the many participating brands? We discuss that and more today. Handgelenkskontrolle We kick off our show with more travel fun. This time, our beloved Frankfurt Airport is back in focus. Sadly, it's not for the best reason. Despite the recent trends of trouble-free travel, the big transportation hub struck again! Next, Balazs shares news that Daniel Craig auctioned his 1959 Land Rover 109 Series II for $56,000. On television, we've been watching Lanterns, Lioness, Reacher, and Silo. Then, for the Handgelenkskontrolle, we've got a fun assortment. Mike is wearing his 2022 Sinn EZM 1.1 S, a limited-edition black-coated piece. Meanwhile, Balazs is wearing the first release from the Donut Watch Co., the Glazed. This fun watch was designed by Ming but shouldn't be confused with a Ming! Trends at Geneva Watch Days 2026 This year, Balazs traveled to Geneva Watch Days 2026 while Mike spent the week working in Germany. So, one was in person while the other read and viewed the happenings via social media and our website. Regarding trends, we noticed an uptick in jump-hour watches, with brands like M.A.D.Editions and Bremont adding new models. Also, stone dials still seem to be in vogue. Naturally, Dennison continues to play this card. From a color perspective, is deep red this year's purple? Bremont and Doxa certainly think so! Finally, smaller, thinner watches continue to be all the rage. Regarding some of the key releases, we mention the Gallet launch. Then, Balazs was quite taken with the Alpina Startimer Solar Pilot Solarmetre. Frederique Constant also has a strong lineup with the Moneta Handwinding and the Highlife Moonphase. Finally, we mention the new Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport. We hope you enjoy today's episode and thank you for listening. As always, feel free to let us know if you have any topics you'd like us to discuss in future shows.

We're already well into 2026, and the watch industry has given us plenty to talk about. From major releases by established manufacturers to smaller brands introducing watches that caught our attention, there has been no shortage of new things to discover. But which watches actually stand out? In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho is joined by Daan and Jorg to look back at the first part of 2026 and discuss some of their favorite watches released so far. Rather than trying to create a definitive ranking, the conversation focuses on the watches that made an impression and why they stood out. With several months still left in the year, there is plenty of room for the list to change. That makes this a useful moment to take stock of what we've seen so far.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we're both back in our respective homes before traveling again. Our show is about modern watches destined to become classics. Now, before you accuse us of focusing on money, erase those thoughts! We don't care about value. No, we are talking about watches that will be interesting several decades from now. Predicting the future is difficult, but we're here to try! This week, we're focused on modern watches that will command respect in the coming decades. As you'll see, we have some caveats. We chose relatively affordable pieces instead of haute horlogerie models. And we both chose three, for a total of six watches. We hope you enjoy the show! Handgelenkskontrolle We kick off our show with a bit of travel talk, but we quickly shift to the screen. Shows including I Will Find You, Lanterns, DTF St. Louis, and Half Man get mentions. Then, Balazs brings up an upcoming auction for the 1998 Game 3 NBA Finals jersey from Michael Jordan. It's listed on Joopiter and will be up for auction with an estimate of $10 to $15 million! We end our banter with a mention of Instagram user @dewesyy, who is filming the cobbling together of a Porsche 911 Targa from two rough beaters. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike is wearing his trusty Rolex Submariner 14060M from 2011. Balazs is sporting his Ming 22.01 GMT Kyoto. The modern watches we'll still be talking about in 20 years We kick off our main topic by mentioning the one and only Bvlgari Octo Finissimo. While this watch may not fit every wrist, it's a stunning object. Perhaps Bvlgari will never take this watch out of production, or maybe it will evolve into something different. Still, there's no denying that the current watches are arresting. We think they'll still be grabbing attention in the long run. For Mike's first pick, the original 42mm Tudor Pelagos in black, blue, or LHD still stands out as a landmark watch. More than the Black Bay, these were non-retro releases and were the first titanium "Rolex." Aside from moving to an in-house caliber, the watch has barely changed since its 2012 debut in 2012. We'd be surprised if the model doesn't change soon, but the original will always be special. Next up, we mention the Ming 17-series. It's hard to believe, but Mike first reviewed a 17.06 Slate back in 2019. This started his love affair with the brand, and it was ultimately contagious. Now, Balazs is hooked too! The 17.09 was a watershed moment for both of us, as we each own one. Technical powerhouses From a technical perspective, it's hard to fault the Sinn EZM collection. These pieces are the brand's most focused and hardcore tool watches, made for specific jobs. Models like the EZM 1 are the most famous, but all of them are worth owning. Due to the innovation and design, we're confident that all of these editions will be discussed in the future. Balazs brings up the Grand Seiko SLGH005 White Birch from 2021, a watch that created a craze for the upscale Japanese brand. People went nuts for the White Birch when it came out, and any time GS releases another silvery-white dial, there's a similar fervor. The 40mm steel reference comes equipped with the brand's satisfying and mesmerizing 9SA5 Hi-Beat automatic movement. Yes, Grand Seiko makes a lot of watches, but there will only be one original White Birch. Finally, Mike suggests that the Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer is one of the modern watches that will be a future classic. Honestly, we forget how impressive Nomos is with its in-house movements and escapements. The latest Worldtimer is a cool watch available in several flavors. With its thin caliber and multi-city display, this is and always will be a great daily (and global) accessory. We hope you enjoy today's show, and thank you for listening. As always, if you have future show ideas, please let us know!

Microbrands have come a long way. What were once largely associated with inexpensive, enthusiast-driven watches have developed into a much broader part of the industry. Today, small brands are experimenting with materials, movements, manufacturing techniques, and design in ways that can make them serious alternatives to more established names. In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, Daan, and Jorg discuss how microbrands have changed the game. The conversation looks at how quality has improved, how ambitious design has become a defining characteristic of the segment, and why the price of entry has also changed considerably. The result is a microbrand landscape that looks very different from what existed a decade ago.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! We've been away for a couple of weeks, but we're now back (sort of) and have taken the time to record. This week, we're talking about the watches that got away. Yes, this is a sad episode, but not really. The fact is that both of us have been very lucky while collecting, but that doesn't mean that there weren't moments of heartbreak and regret. Enjoy the show! Since we last spoke, Mike has been in Brazil, back in America, and on a long weekend in Surrey to celebrate an anniversary. Meanwhile, Balazs has been in Hungary and Chicago before returning to the Fatherland. Yes, we've been keeping the road hot, but we've also been keeping our eyes peeled for watches. Handgelenkskontrolle We kick off our show with some travel talk. Mike fared well at Heathrow while Balazs enjoyed the typical antics at Frankfurt airport. We also discussed how America seems to have its passport control process in line now. Regarding shows and movies, we mentioned Crime 101, We Own This Town, Reacher, The Handmaid's Tale, and Lioness. Regarding the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike wore his Patek Philippe Calatrava 570 all weekend for the anniversary. Sadly, it needs a service after stopping in certain positions overnight. Balazs is sporting a more robust choice: his Rolex Submariner 5513. The watches that got away Regrets, we have a few. But, as mentioned, we've been extremely fortunate during our collecting journeys. We've found amazing watches along the way, but the misses always surface. Today, we each mention a few of the pieces that we didn't buy or sold and wished we'd kept. Mike kicks it off with a very rare Citizen. The Jet Para Water Professional reference JT1307051 is a unicorn among rare JDM pieces. Roughly six years ago, Mike was locked in a Yahoo! Japan battle for hours before backing down at roughly €4,500. Yes, that's a lot for a watch no one knows, but the fight was addictive. Sadly, it went on too long, and the price reached an uncomfortable level. Since then, maybe one other has come up for sale. Balazs recalls 2010, when he was first out of university. At that time, he came across a reverse panda Rolex Daytona 6265 for $18,000, and it was sadly all the money in the world for him. Now, life begins at $50,000 for a similar example. Mike also dredges up a story about a vintage chronograph. A 60s reverse panda Movado M95 with terrible pictures was listed on eBay with a $0.99 starting price. He sought help from none other than Fred Mandelbaum, who told him to tread carefully. In the end, he lost it for roughly $2,100. Today, these watches sell for much more. The Heuer 2446 makes Balazs' list of regrets. He was in a small group in the early 2010's with a weekly Excel file of watches for sale. The so-called Jochen Rindt was available for €4,500, but he wasn't educated enough about the watch to make a decision. Today, expect to pay roughly €15,000 for the racing-inspired timer. Mike brought up a Rolex Day-Date 1803 in white gold with a chalky blue dial. In the podcast, he incorrectly remembers it as a Buckley dial, but in fact, it was a normal piece with baton indices. Still, the watch was stunning, and it was gone within 12 hours. It was available for too short a period for him to sleep on the decision. Alas! Finally, Balazs mentions a watch he once owned but sold, which he wishes he had back in his collection. The Nivada Grenchen Datomaster is a rare beast with a stunning color combination. At one time, Mike, Balazs, and Chase (from Oak & Oscar) all owned one and shared a picture in Basel with the three pieces together. Perhaps Balazs will obtain one again someday. We hope you enjoyed today's episode, as it was a personal look at our collecting journeys. As always, thank you for listening, and feel free to let us know if you have any ideas for future shows.