Fratello Watches shooting themselves in the foot

Posts

347

Likes

2,455

CameronD

·Jun 24, 2023

Interesting essay on "budget" watches with a condescending article that generated over 250 mostly unfavorable comments.

https://www.fratellowatches.com/why-budget-mechanical-watches-dont-make-sense/

Than a follow on article that generated even more heat on the writer.

https://www.fratellowatches.com/let-me-revisit-that-why-budget-mechanical-watches-dont-make-sense/

Don't understand how a watch blog could consider a watch under 1000 Euro's to be a budget watch. For some maybe, but for many, that is an aspirational number. Also considering that many people become involved in this hobby via entryway watches, for me it was the original Gshock and Swatches.

The downside is, it seems that maybe, Fratello Watches is headed in the same direction as Hodinkee - focusing on super high-end watches and related ad's to go along with them.

Thoughts?

 

Posts

1,393

Likes

16,990

Fish70

·Jun 24, 2023

I have nothing to add other than it is a dumb take.

 

Posts

13,698

Likes

53,501

Larry S

·Jun 24, 2023·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

Wow….Can’t fix stupid.

 

Posts

5,071

Likes

15,650

eugeneandresson

·Jun 24, 2023

CameronD

Thoughts?

Buy what you like, for your own reasons. Who gives a hoot about another persons opinions on that matter? Life is too short…

 

Posts

5,562

Likes

54,029

Jones in LA

·Jun 24, 2023·Not in LA anymore.

After reading the header for the second article, I'm relieved to know I'm Special.

 

Posts

897

Likes

2,821

Scooterino36

·Jun 24, 2023

The writer seems to take specific issue with the mechanical movement being tossed and replaced at service for watches in the general sub $1000 range.

Calling a Sub $1000 watch a "budget" watch, on a watch website isn't exactly controversial in this hobby, regardless of anyone's personal opinion.
I'm genuinely confused why so many people are triggered by this.

 

Posts

18,202

Likes

27,531

Foo2rama

·Jun 24, 2023·Nowhere near as grumpy as he used to be...

Lol I got bad news about watches getting movements replaced and some major brands.

 

Posts

1,976

Likes

9,456

140dave

·Jun 24, 2023

Scooterino36

Calling a Sub $1000 watch a "budget" watch, on a watch website isn't exactly controversial in this hobby, regardless of anyone's personal opinion.
I'm genuinely confused why so many people are triggered by this.

Agree. I think this may be more a tell of the age demographics that frequent Fratello. Younger group would be my guess.

 

Posts

3,833

Likes

22,917

Faz

·Jun 24, 2023

I managed to get through the utterly superficial and insignificant “article”. I didn’t learn anything other than they need to write something on their site. Anything.

 

Posts

4,698

Likes

17,795

Omegafanman

·Jun 24, 2023

Lots of fun to be had helping people choose and select watches whatever their budget. And for some £100 is a lot to spend on a watch. Being able to pay your own way and sticking to your own priorities and budget is something to be respected and encouraged more these days.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/vincero-collective-should-i-try-to-stop-a-rogue-choice.156886/

 

Posts

8,097

Likes

28,528

Tony C.

·Jun 24, 2023·Ωf Jury member

Omegafanman

Lots of fun to be had helping people choose and select watches whatever their budget. And for some £100 is a lot to spend on a watch. Being able to pay your own way and sticking to your own priorities and budget is something to be respected and encouraged more these days.

Agreed, and beyond that, given some knowledge, and patience, it is possible to purchase superb vintage watches for under $1,000.

It is myopic to the extreme to imagine that >$1k vintage watches are necessarily superior to those which cost less.

 

Posts

2,609

Likes

12,112

Togri v. 2.0

·Jun 24, 2023·Wow! Custom title... cool

Do I agree with the writer? Not really. Does the article make my blood boil? Nein. Would I rather read another article explaining why the 14270 Explorer is the best everyday watch? Nooo. Would I rather read yet another article on a random $2000 dollar watch being called modern and value for money because it had a ceramic bezel and 60 hours of power reserve? #%£€ off

It’s a watch blog. They cover watches not world altering events. They need to write about something 😀😀

Edited: Jun 24, 2023

 

Posts

3,067

Likes

19,460

Aroxx

·Jun 24, 2023

I don't get the outrage. It's just like, some guys opinion, man. I didn't care enough to read the second rebuttal piece. I don't share the same concern about having a movement swapped out. From an economics perspective he's got a bit of a point. My Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic is due for a service and running a tad slow. I bought it for about $350. That's close to what a service will cost. Don't wanna do it. Shoot, should I just buy a new one? If I could swap a movement for $50-$100 that would be fine by me. Seems a bit wasteful though. I wonder what they do with the old movement.

I love that there are lots of budget friendly, entry-level mechanicals for people to enjoy. That's where I started with an Orient and the Hamilton. But once it gets to the servicing game they kinda do make less sense than a quartz in the long haul. Some would be cheaper to just buy the same watch new again than to service it.

 

Posts

773

Likes

1,373

Braindrain

·Jun 24, 2023

Yeah, I don't get where all the hate is coming from.

As collectors, we've all been down that path. Buying a cheapie mechanical (as a beater or whatnot) and deciding, if and when the point comes, whether to pay the $ for a full service (which costs as much or more than what you paid for the watch) or just buy a new one.

Author suggests, to avoid that scenario, one might consider a quartz. Ok, I get that.

In the end, it's a decision that has to be made. He had a couple of points, but the article wasn't meant to be comprehensive. It just reflects his POV.

 

Posts

1,425

Likes

3,614

Watch my Whisky

·Jun 24, 2023

THE INTERNET IS SERIOUS BUSINESS.

 

Posts

1,725

Likes

3,367

DoctorEvil

·Jun 24, 2023

Everyone's entitled to an opinion and the writer of the original Fratello article did say that he's a bit of a romantic who likes the idea of a hand made work of art being disassembled and lovingly cleaned before being put back together. So the idea of the whole watch movement being taken out and replaced would just go against everything that he loves about mechanicals. From a purely economic perspective, I disagree with the author of the Fratello article as I think that low cost mechanicals can still be economically viable. Let's just say that a quartz watch battery needs to be replaced every 2 years and that the total cost of that would be like $20 a pop. If a cheap mechanical watch has a generic movement like a Miyota that costs something like $80 to purchase and that dies after say 10 years, then replacing that movement would be akin to the cost of all the battery changes combined. So, the maintenance cost of the quartz watch and the cheap mechanical would be essentially the same. As another example, let's just say that my expensive Omega needs to be serviced every 10 years or so and that costs $500-$600 (assuming that I take it back to Swatch). That's still akin to buying a brand new low cost mechanical watch every 10 years.

 

Posts

17,942

Likes

37,522

JimInOz

·Jun 24, 2023·Melbourne Australia

DoctorEvil

.......... that costs $500-$600 (assuming that I take it back to Swatch)......

Omega's price today for servicing a basic mechanical Omega starts at AUD$1060. It's been a long time since it was about five or six hundred.
🙁

 

Posts

1,725

Likes

3,367

DoctorEvil

·Jun 25, 2023

JimInOz

Omega's price today for servicing a basic mechanical Omega starts at AUD$1060. It's been a long time since it was about five or six hundred.
🙁

I meant USD. However, I get your point. The last time I serviced my SMP in 2017, it cost me just AUD$800. Prices have definitely gone up since then.

 

Posts

4,698

Likes

17,795

Omegafanman

·Jun 25, 2023

Tony C.

Agreed, and beyond that, given some knowledge, and patience, it is possible to purchase superb vintage watches for under $1,000.

It is myopic to the extreme to imagine that >$1k vintage watches are necessarily superior to those which cost less.

This 1970 Certina Bristol I bought from @Franz for €180 for example. I think the service (which it did not need :0) Cost about £105 and gave me a 12 month warranty. I have gifted this to someone and it should serve them happily for many years to come / they love owning their first vintage watch and it did not break the bank.
.

 

Posts

352

Likes

1,423

itsjustausername

·Jun 25, 2023

As an expat in The Netherlands, I see this Fratello fracas in the context of the local culture. Bluntly stating your opinion is something the Dutch excel at and pride themselves on. Add a dash of clickbait, and here we are!