Fratello On Air: The Watches That Got Away
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 pieces we didn’t buy or sold and wish 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.
