Fratello On Air: What We’re Shopping For, Or Not, In 2026
Happy New Year from Fratello On Air! We’re back with a new episode, and we’re going shopping. Well, maybe. One of us has his eyes on several pieces, while the other is taking a wait-and-see approach. Enjoy our 2026 kickoff!
Yes, we’re back for another year, and it’s great to be here! With a new year, we usually make resolutions. However, last year’s resolutions didn’t go so well. In particular, Mike failed miserably on his plan to sell watches. He was simply too lazy. So instead of making these types of predictions, we’ve opted to discuss what’s on our shopping lists.
Handgelenkskontrolle
We kick off our show with a discussion about Kith, which some of you may recall from the controversial TAG Heuer Formula 1 × Kith collaboration in 2024. The brand just opened a new store in London, which is worth visiting if sneakers are of interest. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs is wearing his trusty G-Shock GW-B5600-2ER, a watch that seems to give him good luck when traveling. Mike is wearing his Synchron Military, a fun piece from 2021. This segues into a conversation about the Synchron Sealab Ti300M, a new titanium diver with many similarities to the Doxa Sub 300T.
Image: Wind Vintage
Shopping in 2026
For 2026, we’re taking a more reserved approach to collecting — sort of. Mike has a trio of expensive watches on his radar and will struggle to land any of them. However, he has vowed to stay away from accumulating more lower-priced pieces. Balazs, on the other hand, has less specific desires. He has just ordered a microbrand watch from Japan but is keeping mum on the name until it arrives. A watch that Mike is hot on is the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF 36 in Stone Blue. This probably isn’t a surprise, as it comes up now and again on episodes, but make no mistake, the desire is real!
Image: Wind Vintage
Balazs has come close to completing his Angelus collection, but he’d love to add a vintage minute repeater. For the second year in a row, Mike also has a certain vintage watch on his list. The “large” Cartier Tank Normale is still a lustworthy piece, but it’s expensive. With its 23mm by 30mm case, this little beauty has real presence but a hefty price tag. Balazs is taking some small steps to fund potential acquisitions by selling a few of his Angelus duplicates, which bodes well for his piggy bank. Finally, while adding another Rolex to the collection wasn’t planned, a ’60s gilt-dial Rolex Submariner 5513 would be amazing. Our friend Eric Wind of Wind Vintage often finds great examples. There’s just something special about the warm font!
We hope you enjoy today’s episode and look forward to the upcoming year. Let us know what’s on your shopping list for 2026 and, while you’re at it, what else you’d like to hear about in future installments.
