The Best Of Watches And Wonders 2025

Forbes

13-04-2025

Behind the scenes at this year's Watches And Wonders Geneva—the most important trade show for luxury timepieces—the clock was ticking loudly to get new releases on boats before the April 9 deadline of President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs. Swiss watches were set to be taxed at 31% while those from EU countries were looking at a more modest 20% tariff.
But the uncertainty of a potential trade war didn't diminish the enthusiasm for this year's novelties, which included the first new collection from Rolex since 2012 (the Land-Dweller), a revival of Cartier's Tank Á Guichets from 1928, and the debut from the world's most complicated wristwatch by Vacheron Constantin.
Here are some of the most beautiful, innovative, and buzzed-about new watches that will stand the test of time.
Rolex
Two days before Watches And Wonders began, the watch world was already buzzing about a new release from Rolex that was spotted (by accident?) in Roger Federer's Instagram feed. The Land-Dweller is Rolex's first new collection since 2012's Sky-Dweller—and also fits logically alongside the Sea-Dweller, which debuted in 1967—but has more in common with the Oysterquartz, an angular interpretation of the Crown's signature Oyster. The classic Jubilee bracelet is now integrated with the case—flatter and thinner—and the dial has a honeycomb pattern.
But it's what's underneath the hood that where the real innovation occurs. The Land-Dweller—which is available in 36mm and 40mm—is powered by Rolex's a new movement (Caliber 7135), which features the new Dynapulse escapement that will likely turn up in future models.
As if a new collection weren't enough news, Rolex also introduced a new 1908 in yellow gold (with a gold bracelet) and several models with dazzling dials—including a Daytona with a turquoise lacquer dial and a GMT-Master II with a tiger iron dial.
Cartier
When you have an horological archive like Cartier, it's easy to go back in time. This year, the famed jewelry maison brought back the Tank á Guichets—a unique part of its Tank collection—which was first introduced in 1928. The new Guichets—which means window or opening in French, as in a ticket window—feature a dial that looks like a caseback, except for two apertures that reveal the hour (using a jump-hour mechanism) and minutes (also on a rotating dial). Thew new models come in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum and feature the hour where 12 o'clock should be and the minutes at 6 o'clock. But the real standout is a platinum edition (limited to 200 pieces) that displays the hour window at 11 o'clock (with the numbers turned on their side) and the minutes (also tilted) at about 4 o'clock. Think of it as a very sophisticated analog version of a digital watch.
A. Lange & Söhne
While A. Lange & Söhne is revered for its dress watches, the Odysseus is closer to a sport watch—especially now that it comes on a precious metal bracelet (in Lange's signature Honeygold) that matches the case. This version doesn't have the kind of complications of previous Odysseus models, but it does have day and date windows that are controlled by two subtle pushers on opposite sides of the crown. It's also water resistant up to 120 meters. But the main thing to know about this beauty is that it is limited to 100 pieces.
Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe is another brand renowned for its grand complications—perpetual calendars and world timers that calculate and convey large amounts of information on a small dial—but this year, it reminded collectors that few things are as difficult to execute as pure simplicity. The Calatrava 6196P is a stunning addition to the Calatrava collection—with a salmon dial, black markers and a small seconds sub dial at 6 o'clock. Other standouts for Patek this year were a perpetual calendar in the Twenty-4 collection with a vibrant green dial, a Calatrava Travel Time watch in white gold and a slimmer 4omm Cubitus.
Bulgari
For years, Bulgari and Piaget have traded records—with Richard Mille jumping in occasionally—for the world's thinnest watches. This year, it's Bulgari's turn—with the world's thinnest tourbillon, clocking in at an absurdly svelte 1.85 mm. (Or about 1 mm thicker than a credit card.) This is Bulgari's 10th world record—and the second time it has broken its previous record in the tourbillon category. Can the highly skeletonized Octo Finissimo Ultra possibly get any slimmer? It's hard to see how, but Bulgari keeps finding ways.
Grand Seiko
Grand Seiko's Nature-inspired dials are always a highlight of Watches And Wonders, but this year the brand focused on what should be the most important aspect of watchmaking: accuracy. The new Spring Drive Caliber 9RB2 in the Grand Seiko SLGB003 has an astounding accuracy rating of ±20 seconds per year. (Read that again, per year.) To put that in perspective, Switzerland's exacting COSC standard for accuracy requires that mechanical watches are rated between -4/+6 seconds per day. Grand Seiko isn't calling it the most accurate watch powered by a spring drive—but it is.
Chanel
Chanel's cherished J12 collection got a chic makeover for its 25th anniversary. Previously available in white or black ceramic, the J12 now comes in blue—the same deep shade as the Bleu de Chanel fragrance—in 9 limited-edition models. Some feature diamonds, others have sapphires, and there is even a flying tourbillon in a diamond-set cage.
Ulysse Nardin
Most people who wear dive watches will never strap on a tank and take the plunge—which is why many models have features that scuba enthusiasts have absolutely no use for, including a date window and a GMT function. (Seriously, how long do people think divers stay under?) But Ulysse Nardin—which has a rich history of nautical timepieces—stripped away all of those functions to produce the world's lightest mechanical dive watch. Weighing in at just 52 grams (or a little lighter than a tennis ball), the Ulysse Nardin Diver Air is a highly skeletonized watch made of titanium and carbon with a movement that, as its name implies, is 80% air. Aside from being ultra lightweight, the Diver Air is a traditional dive watch—it features a unidirectional bezel with Super-LumiNova and is certified to 200 meters.
H. Moser & Cie
H. Moser & Cie debuted a bold new collection called Pop with vibrant stone dials this year, but those weren't the only Moser dials to pop with color. The Endeavour Center Seconds Concept Purple Enamel features one of Moser's magnificent fumé dials with an elegant three-hand watch. And so as not to take away from the minimalism, there's not a logo to be found. No need—watch aficionados will already know who made it.
Bremont
Bremont, the 23-year-old British watch brand founded by brothers Nick and Giles English, has undergone a tremendous transformation since Bill Ackman, the billionaire founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, made a $59 million investment in the brand in 2023. This year, Ackman increased his stake to 63% and became its non-executive chairman. He also made his first appearance at Watches And Wonders to support its new releases.
A year after introducing the Terra Nova model to its collection, Bremont continues to push the boundaries of its rugged military-inspired watches with the release of two jumping-hour timepieces—a modern variation with a black dial and a sweeping seconds hand and a limited-edition bronze model that's closer to Cartier's Tank á Guichets, which has three apertures: four hours, minutes and a seconds hand in the center that resembles a compass.
Van Cleef & Arpels
Each year at Watches And Wonders, Van Cleef & Arpels unveils one of its Poetic Complications, watches that combine fine watchmaking, métiers d'art and actual storytelling. In 2010, the maison introduced Pont des Amoureux, an automaton watch that features two lovers meeting on a bridge in Paris—where every day they kiss at noon and midnight. This year, in Bal des Amoureux, the couple go on a second date, if you will, dancing at an outdoor café. They still kiss at noon and midnight, but now the pair hold hands the entire time while he hides a bouquet of flowers behind his back. These two really seem like they're going to make it.
Parmigiani Fleurier
Perpetual calendar watches may be one of the grandest complications, but they are often ruined with busy dials that are difficult to read. Not so with the limited edition Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Quantième Perpétuel, a minimalist marvel that displays the year, month, day and date in two sub dials at 4 and 8 o'clock. It also tells time.
Jaeger LeCoultre
Created for polo players in 1931, Jaeger LeCoultre's Reverso, which features a case that swivels 180 degrees to protect the crystal, has long been a feat of Art Deco engineering. And while there have been countless variations on the Reverso over the years—the case can now feature a second dial when it rotates—this year featured a first: a Milanese bracelet. The supple rose gold bracelet is integrated with the case, adding to its sleekness, and the dial is equally minimal, with a small seconds dial.
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Hermès/Joel Von Allmen
In 2011, Hermès introduced a whimsical complication called Le Temps Suspendu that appears to run counter to a watch's purpose—it suspends time. With the push of a button, the hands move into a V shape on either side of 12 o'clock, which gives the illusion that time is paused. It's not, of course—the movement is still running—but it's really just a metaphor for focusing on what really matters in life. (They're French, after all.) With a second push, the correct time is restored. Now available in Hermès Cut collection, introduced last year, the watch has another playful function—the small seconds hand (at 4 o'clock) runs backwards.
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Chopard
Renowned for its high-jewelry timepieces, Chopard introduced the Alpine Eagle sport watch in 2019 to great acclaim and has been producing variations ever since. This year, the maison released two Alpine Eagle watches, a platinum model and the Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF. Made from ceramicized titanium (the SL in its name is for Super Light), this Alpine has an industrial design look that really soars on the wrist. Underneath, is a COSC-certified high-frequency 8Hz movement, which delivers more accuracy.
TAG Heuer
In 1986, Tag Heuer introduced the Formula 1, a colorful, entry-level quartz watch that developed a cult following for a brand with a rich auto racing heritage. To mark its return as F1's official timekeeper, Tag Heuer rolled out a new solar-powered version of the Formula 1—building on its popular collaboration with Kith last year—for a new generation of Grand Prix fans. Design-wise, the Formula 1 Solargraph still feels firmly rooted in the '80s, but the modern versions are not just candy-colored for funsies—the colorways correspond to individual Grand Prix races, where they will be introduced in limited editions.
Bell & Ross
Plenty of watches have astronomical complications, from a moonphase indicator to the position of the planets. The Bell & Ross BR-O3 Astro isn't one of those—it's just fun. Building on Bell & Ross' aviation heritage, the Astro is housed in the brand's signature square case with an aventurine dial that resembles the night sky. It also flies in the face of the Copernican theory. Here, the Earth is once again the center of the universe with Mars as the hour hand, the moon as the minute hand and a satellite as the seconds hand. If you look at the image above, it's 10:10 and about 40 seconds.
Montblanc
For a brand that takes its name from the highest mountain in the Alps, Montblanc has always created watches worthy of summiting the world's peaks. Then in 2022, the brand went in a different direction of exploration—deep under the ocean with its Iced Sea collection. This year, Montblanc took its O Oxygen technology from the 1858 Geosphere line—which removes all oxygen from the case—and combined it with the Ice Sea diver. It's a logical progression for the collection as oxygen is scarce the higher and lower you travel. And the striated light blue dial—inspired by Mer de Glace, the largest glacier on the actual Mont Blanc—looks appropriately cool.
Frederique Constant
Arguably the value buy of Watches And Wonders, the Frederique Constant Perpetual Calendar Manufacture delivers a grand complication for just under $10,000—or about three to ten times less than most perpetual calendars. With a handsome salmon dial that's easy to read, the watch displays the month, day, date and whether it's a leap year. There's even a moonphase window at 6 o'clock that heightens the elegance.
Zenith
To honor its founder, Georges Favre-Jacot, in its 160th anniversary year, Zenith had more than a few new watches up its sleeve—it announced the beginning of a new luxury collection with a revived movement, Caliber 135. For now, the elegant G.F.J.—with a Lapis Lazuli dial and white gold hour markers and hands—will be limited to 160 pieces, but Zenith didn't rebuild the movement just to put it in a limited edition. Expect to see it again in a new collection.
Oris
Is there a watch brand that's having more fun than Oris? Having released a Kermit the Frog ProPilot watch in 2023 and a Miss Piggy companion version last year, Oris breathed new life into its Big Crown Pointer Date with brightly colored dials and a sleeker new design. And for the first time, it's available on a bracelet.
Hublot
In 2005, Hublot's Big Bang established the design DNA for the brand—bold and oversized, with an emphasis on rugged, futuristic materials. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the collection that started it all, Hublot, never known for its subtlety, pulled out all the stops.
It debuted a one-of-a-kind 'Materials & High Complications' five-piece set of Big Bang watches—including a tourbillon and a cathedral minute repeater—that costs $1.1 million. There is also a five-piece 'Master of Sapphire' set—in bright, Easter Egg colors—that's more modestly priced at $605,000.
And Hublot released limited editions of five classic Big Bangs—a greatest hits of materials, including its signature King Gold and Magic Gold—with design elements from previous models. Standing above the rest is the Big Bang 20th Anniversary Red Magic, which pays tribute to Hublot's first colored ceramic watch—in a highly polished bright red that would make firetrucks envious. The only downside? It's limited to 100 pieces.
Piaget
Last year, for its 150th anniversary, Piaget reintroduced the Polo 79 in yellow gold to great acclaim. An icon of 1980s timepieces—it was introduced in 1979, hence the name—the Polo's quartz movement was updated to a mechanical version but otherwise stayed faithful to its original design. Now the Polo 79 has been given another upgrade—it's available in white gold and collectors are already lining up.
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Vacheron Constantin
A year ago, Vacheron Constantin dazzled Watches And Wonders with the debut of the world's most complicated watch—The Berkley Grand Complication. Commissioned by insurance billionaire William Berkley, the watch—which was the size of a small clock—took 11 years to complete and featured 63 complications, including the world's first Chinese perpetual calendar.
This year, Vacheron thought a little smaller but went big again—unveiling the world's most complicated wristwatch. Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication-La Première took eight years to create and features 41 complications—including a Gregorian perpetual calendar, a tide indicator and Westminster carillon minute repeater that accounts for 7 of the 13 potential patents in this masterpiece.
The dual-sided timepiece has another horological wonder on what should be the caseback—a celestial map that tracks the constellations in real time. In every sense, it's out of this world.
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