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• Fratello Talks: Modern Watches That Could Be Future Classics

  The pace of new watch releases has never been faster. Every week seems to bring a fresh wave of models vying for our attention. We're certainly not complaining—but it does make us curious: which of today’s timepieces might one day become future classics? That’s the question at the heart of today’s episode of Fratello Talks, as Nacho, RJ, and Daan explore the modern watches most likely to stand the test of time. Hindsight may be 20/20, but spotting tomorrow’s icons today takes a mix of intuition, taste, and a touch of luck. Still, the team has a few strong contenders in mind that they'd be happy to bet on.

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• Fratello On Air: These Are The Next Watch Trends

  Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we lay it on the line and predict upcoming watch trends. We take educated guesses about what will be hot and what will likely fade. It's a comprehensive look at everything from materials to sizes and colors. Enjoy the show!It's not easy to see into the future, but many popular styles and fads around us can help predict future watch trends. In this episode, we go into depth about many different details and cast our vote about what is coming next.HandgelenkskontrolleBefore we tackle upcoming watch trends, we spend time on a few entry topics. Many are even related to watches! On our wrists, it's a hodgepodge of picks this week. Mike starts with his G-Shock DW-5000R-1AER, which is a modern reissue of the first model. Balazs classes it up with the Omega Speedmaster Professional Speedy Tuesday Ultraman, a watch released in 2018!The next watch trendsSeeing into the future is indeed nearly impossible. Yet, here we are with our prognostications about future watch trends. We start by talking about sustainability in the watch industry and declare that this is a dying subject. Luxury and sustainability are difficult to pair in the best situations, and watches simply don't seem to have a huge impact. That said, brands like Chopard that use conflict-free gold make sense. We also discuss the gray market and prices. We feel that the former will continue to be a massive dumping ground for slow-moving watches and, consequently, discounts. Regarding price increases, we are split about the likely upcoming behavior from watch companies.Next, we discuss case sizes. We expect a gradual increase to follow the current trend of baggier clothing. However, the watches will need to be thin and wearable. Color-wise, fuchsia and teal are our votes for the next big tones. On the material front, expect titanium to continue its bull run while stainless steel remains the favorite. Two-tone has received a hard push, but we expect it to continue as an outlier.Interestingly, we spent a lot of time discussing personalization and wonder why more brands aren't taking a page from IWC's book and offering it. On the opposite side, we feel that limited editions are dead for most brands unless they're truly captivating. We expect smartwatch investment to die off as the market has basically ceded ownership to Apple. However, the idea of more digital watches sounds plausible.Let us know how you feel about our thoughts on watch trends, and thank you for listening. As always, if you have future show ideas, please let us know!

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• Fratello Talks: The Tales Of Former Watch Retailers

  Most of us have some level of experience with watch retailers and ADs from a customer perspective. However, few watch enthusiasts can claim to have worked behind the counter, let alone owned a watch shop. Today, Nacho and Thomas are joined by Gerard, a long-time Fratello team member and former owner of Horloge Platform Nederland, a watch boutique based in The Hague. The boutique has long since shut its doors, but Gerard still has plenty of stories to share. He gives his perspective on how he first got into the retail side of watches, what it was like to deal with customers and brands alike, how online retail worked in the early days, and more.

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• Fratello On Air: Seiko's Triumphant Return

  Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we discuss the triumphant return of Seiko to the forefront of value-laden watchmaking. For some, perhaps the massive Japanese company never left. From our perspective, though, 2025 has been a turning point. We feel that the brand has truly listened to its fan base and the market. Listen along to why we feel this way and what else we'd like to see.After what felt like a lengthy period of offering chunky watches with big price tags, it seems that Seiko has made a triumphant return. Reasonably sized watches with prices that have held steady, while others have increased dramatically, are just a couple of our observations. Listen in and see if you agree with the rest of our thoughts on this fan-favorite watch brand.HandgelenkskontrolleWe kick off our episode by celebrating Balazs's return from the Big Apple. There's even a little singing to get everyone in the mood! Then, we recall our recent discussion about the fortunes of several brands in five years. Mike envisions a slim 37mm Panerai dress watch with a manual-winding movement and crown lock. Could it work? Then, screen-related entertainment makes an appearance as we mention A House of Dynamite, Task, and Slow Horses. Finally, Balazs shares his thoughts on the recent watch events in New York City and a disturbing visit to a Rolex boutique in SoHo. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs has been wearing the Ming 57.04 Iris Chronograph and was flashing it around New York. Mike is keeping with the theme and is also sporting a Ming. The watch is currently under embargo, but it is coming out in November. Spoiler alert: it's fantastic!Seiko's triumphant returnIn 2025, we've seen some fantastic releases. The previously mentioned recent announcements resonated with fans. Earlier, watches like the Seiko 5 SRPL91 and SRPL93 "Gene Kranz" or the new Speedtimer models seemed to nail the brief. The market has been asking for smaller, thinner watches with slimmer, better bracelets. Seiko has delivered. Plus, while others continue to raise prices, Seiko has held the line, albeit at higher prices than seven or eight years ago. Still, the watches are competitive, attractive, and desirable. Sure, there's still work to do, especially related to movement accuracy, but we remain hopeful. Overall, it's nice to see one of our favorite marques pulling at our heart and purse strings again! Let us know if you agree with us on the company's triumphant return and what else you'd like to see from Seiko.As always, thanks for listening to the latest episode of Fratello On Air! If you have ideas for future shows, please feel free to let us know.

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• Fratello Talks: What Makes A Watch Elegant?

  Longines famously says, “Elegance is an attitude.” But let’s be honest; there’s probably more to it than that. On today’s episode of Fratello Talks, we’re asking the big question: what makes a watch truly elegant? Is it the proportions, the case material, or the strap? Maybe it’s how the watch sits on your wrist, or perhaps it's the mysterious mix of all these things, like some horological alchemy that gives a timepiece its unmistakable charm. And let’s not forget the wearer. Elegance might not live in the watch at all. It could be in the confidence and subtlety that the person wearing the watch brings to it. Whatever the answer (or lack thereof), Nacho, Lex, and Thomas are ready to dig in, veering slightly off the rails along the way.

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