This week on Fratello Talks, we talk all things Breitling with author, collector, and brand historian Fred Mandelbaum. Nacho and RJ join Mr. Mandelbaum in a conversation that spans the brand’s evolution to the present day, starting with some of Breitling’s earliest wrist-worn chronographs in the early 20th century. Explore the evolution that gave rise to some of Breitling’s most famous collections, from its dressy post-war Premiere to its flagship Navitimer and many other collections. Most of them still exist today. We’re sure you’ll enjoy this expanded and insightful episode, so please tune in. Before we get into the main topic, let’s take a look at today’s wrist movements.
list check
We’ll start with our guest, Fred Mandelbaum. He wears a nice Breitling Chronomatic Ref. 2110. This is an important watch because it is one of the world’s first automatic chronographs ever made. While there is no dispute that Seiko holds that title, there is controversy on the Swiss side between this watch and Zenith’s El Primero movement. I won’t reveal it here, but Fred will reveal more about this story in today’s episode.
RJ came fully prepared with a Breitling on each wrist. On his left wrist, he’s rocking the current two-tone Chronomat B01 42 (ref. UB0134101C1U1). To his right is a 2003 Breitling Aerospace Ref. E75362. Although both have blue dials, they represent completely different ends of the brand spectrum, from functional yet fashionable to professional instruments that are true tools for pilots.
Finally, Nacho is wearing his beloved Breitling Aerospace Ref. F65362. Originally a two-tone model, it was modified by the previous owner to include steel rider tabs. The only traces of its bimetallic past are the golden hands and markings on the dial, giving it extra warmth without falling into the more divisive realm of two-tone watches. It’s quirky, but he loves it all the more for that.
Fratello talks: 140 years of Fred Mandelbaum and Breitling
In today’s episode, we celebrate Breitling’s 140th anniversary. What better way to do that than to work with someone who knows the brand and its history inside and out. This is why we invited author, historian, and Breitling collector Fred Mandelbaum to the show to share his knowledge (and some of his collection) with us.
We start with the early days of wrist-worn chronographs and some of the first examples of chronographs made by Breitling. We have been working on it for many years and finally we will introduce some of the recently introduced models. To celebrate our 140th anniversary, we take a look at the brand’s history. As mentioned in the podcast, Mandelbaum will take some time to answer questions in the comments section below. If you have any questions, please send them below.
And of course, join us next week for a new episode of Fratello Talks.
