Watches and Wonders 2026: Live Coverage

This year’s big theme for the Crown is ringing in the 100th anniversary of its iconic Oyster Case with proper fanfare and style. The “President” Day-Date is undoubtedly an icon among icons, and Rolex has officially added a new luxurious take on the format, showcasing an all-new alloy for both the case and bracelet. Measuring 40mm, the proprietary Jubilee Gold strikes as soft and warm, and its unique hue sits somewhere between yellow gold and rose gold. While the quintessential Day-Date DNA is all accounted for, the baguette-cut diamonds mark the hours, and a light, almost seafoam green Aventurine stone dial adds a pleasant touch of the unexpected into the mix. Powered by the Rolex Manufacture Calibre 3255 (which is, of course, Superlative Chronometer Certified), this watch is technically speaking, an off-catalog model.

In 2026, the 100th year since Hans Wilsdorf registered its now-famous brand name, Tudor has added to its repertoire with the release of a new timepiece called the Tudor Monarch, whose barrel-shaped 39mm case integrates into an H-link bracelet with Tudor’s hallmark “T-Fit” clasp.

The dial sports what Tudor calls an “error proof” design, with Roman numerals at the top and Arabic numerals at the bottom — classically called a “California dial” and likely the first one put to use in Tudor’s modern collection. The finishing of this unusual dial is also noteworthy, with a vertical brushing that evokes the look of papyrus, a writing paper used by ancient civilizations. Inside the case is the new Master Chronometer certified, automatic Caliber MT5662-2U, which is magnetic resistant to 15,000 gauss and provides a 65-hour power reserve.

Read the full article here.

Tudor launches a new Black Bay 54 for Watches and Wonders 2026. A follow-up to the black edition of the 37mm heritage diver, this watch follows suit from the Black Bay 58 by having its second act in a blue color edition.

Paying homage to the brand’s first ever dive watch, this new version feels decidedly more modern with blue and white and no signs of gilt. Unlike the blue of the BB58, this one presents in a satin sunburst effect with a matching striking blue aluminum bezel.

Read the full article here.

The quirky, unconventionally shaped Roadster had a relatively brief shelf life, being produced a mere 11 years from 2001 to 2012 – until today that is. The Maison has officially resuscitated its speedometer-inspired design from its vault, debuting new “Medium” and “Large” sized models in steel, yellow-gold, and two-toned options. This new chapter of the Roadster reportedly comes with refinement in its case design, which has been reworked to be sharper and more refined without sacrificing its signature tonneau shape. Measuring 47mm x 38mm, the Medium Roadster is exclusively offered in steel and is powered by the 1847 MC automatic movement. The Large models (which come in steel, yellow gold, and two-tone variations) measure 42.5mm x 34.9mm, and are powered by the 1899 MC automatic movement. Additionally, both sizes are water resistant 100 meters.

With roots tracing back to 1904, it's safe to say that the Santos Dumont is among the most quintessentially Cartier watches in the Maison’s repertoire. At this year’s Watches & Wonders, a trio of new models delves further into the brand’s own heritage design vault, reimagining 1920s-era made-to-measure metal bracelets for the 21st century in precious metals. Crafted in either all-platinum or yellow gold, each of these new Santos Dumonts is paired with a matching mesh-style bracelet (rather than the leather strap we typically see in the collection). Comprised of 15 rows of a whopping 394 individual links (each of which is a mere 1.15mm thick), the bracelet is made to flow seamlessly, almost like a silky second skin. Of the three models, two are paired with silvered dials with a satin finish, while one model features an Obsidian dial. Across the board, each of these new expressions of the Santos Dumont measures 43.5mm x 31.4mm (with a 7.3mm case profile), and are powered by the 430 MC manually wound caliber.

Rolex just re-launched the Yacht-Master II, the only other chronograph in the Rolex collection other than the Daytona. Discontinued in 2024, for 2026, the Crown debuts the next generation with some notable differences, including a blue Cerachrom dive-style bezel (different than the previous version’s complicated Ring Lock countdown bezel) and a more streamlined, legible design language.

Other than the new bezel, the function and format of the new Yacht-Master are reimagined and reconfigured on the dial, such as a new internal bezel, and more pronounced maxi-style diver dial markers. The new Yacht-Master II comes in two metal configurations of steel and yellow gold. At 44mm in diameter, it remains one of the largest watches in the brand’s lineup. It is powered by the 4162 movement with 72 power reserve.

The Rolex Oyster case is celebrating 100 years of existence, and to cement the occasion, the brand has released a special edition of the Oyster Perpetual in 41mm. It is an interesting take on the two-tone format with a yellow gold bezel, yellow gold crown and an all-steel bracelet.

The black dial has gold surrounds to match the bezel, green painted markers, and text that reads “100 Years” at the bottom of the dial. That same text is found engraved on the crown. It also features a green Rolex wordmark which is something we haven’t seen except on the Air King. Full details will be available on the site soon.

On the occasion of the landmark 100th anniversary of Rolex’s pioneering waterproof Oyster case, Rolex has released a new version of the Oyster Perpetual 36 with a vibrant, multicoloured lacquer dial decorated with the iconic Jubilee motif; even more notably for collectors, it spells out the Rolex name in 10 contrasting colours.

Executing this pattern, Rolex says, presented a significant challenge, with the colors applied not all at once, but one after the other. The utmost precision is also required to ensure that all the shapes and letters making up the motif are positioned perfectly.

The 100-meter water-resistant case is made of Oystersteel and mounted on an Oyster bracelet with an Easylink comfort extension. Behind that eye—catching, colorful dial is Rolex’s in-house perpetual Caliber 3230, with a 70-hour power reserve, Chronergy escapement, and Paraflex shock absorbers. The movement carries Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer certification, guaranteeing excellent performance and reliability.

Grand Seiko introduced its revolutionary Spring Drive Caliber 9RB2 just over a year ago, at Watches & Wonders 2025 in Geneva. It was notable as the first movement from the Japanese high-horology house to achieve its new “U.F.A.” designation, whose initials stand for “Ultra Fine Accuracy.” The name was not an idle boast, as Caliber 9RB2, installed inside two dressy editions from the brand’s Evolution 9 collection, could claim an annual (not daily, not weekly) accuracy of +/- 20 seconds, making it very likely the most accurate wristwatch movement powered by a mainspring. Today, as Grand Seiko marks its fifth year exhibiting at the world’s most important watch-industry showcase, it has introduced the second generation of its Spring Drive U.F.A. movement and placed it inside a pair of much sportier, albeit still luxurious, models in the Evolution 9 series, the Ushio 300 Diver. Read the full article here.

For Watches & Wonders 2026 Chopard celebrates the 30th anniversary of their manufacture in Fleurier with a new iteration of the L.U.C 1860 in an “Areuse Blue” dial. Chopard first debuted this refreshed take on their seminal neo-vintage dress watch back in 2023 and this follow up retains the 36.5mm wide case done in their proprietary Lucent steel and outfitted with the L.U.C Calibre 96.40-L micro-rotor movement. This is the contemporary take on Chopard’s groundbreaking Calibre 1.96 that boasts the Geneva Seal and COSC certification. The dial is also special as it is done in gold with hand-guilloché work by Metalem.

Always the unabashed rebel of the Swiss watchmaking world, H. Moser & Cie. continues to showcase its penchant for the unexpected at this year’s show. Novelties joining the independent’s catalog include the Streamliner Pump collaboration with Reebok, a minified remix on the Streamliner, and Tantalum and Skeletonized Tourbillon takes on its Endeavor.

The most novel of all of this year’s Moser novelties has to be the Streamliner Pump. Drawing inspiration from the iconic 80s sneakers, the brand has reengineered its HMC 500 small seconds movement, which has been transformed to fuel up via an orange pusher (or should we call it a “pump-er”?) at eight o’clock that serves as a direct callback to the shoes. Measuring 40mm with a profile of 11.4mm, both the black and white colorways, interestingly, are made in forged quartz fiber materials. Limited editions of 250 pieces, both models will also come with an exclusive Reebok Pump sneaker.
In step with the move to more unisex sizing options that’s sweeping the industry, the brand debuts the smallest takes on its staple Streamliner yet with its new 28mm and 34mm options. In this shift to a tinier scale, Moser has refused to make any concessions to the movements within (which is the unending plight of the modern small watches). Both sizes opt for two-hander simplicity and feature frosted fumé dials with Moser’s signature script-free layout. In the movement department, the teensy 28mm is packed with the HMC 410 automatic, while the 34mm utilizes the HMC 400, which are both on display through the sapphire exhibition caseback.

In the case of the Endeavor Perpetual Calendar Concept Tantalum, Moser has transformed its already streamlined design into its most minimalistic form. Completely stripped down to the complete essentials, this take on the line allows both the use of the unique material and its interpretation of the complication to take center stage. Measuring 42mm and powered by the manually-wound HMC 800 manufacture caliber, both the case and the sunburst finished dial are crafted exclusively in Tantalum. It’s important to note that only 50 pieces of this watch are slated to be produced.

Finally, the technological piece de resistance from Moser this year is the Endeavor Minute Repeater Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton. One could say that this watch is, literally, a symphony of complications, all of which are on full display for its wearer’s enjoyment. Managing to pack all its functions into a 40mm titanium case, the chiming minute repeater is front and center, cleverly positioned around the flying tourbillon at six o’clock. Ripe with Moser’s quintessential playfulness, a “Funky Blue” Fumé subdial at two o’clock helps keep regular timekeeping simple. This feat of complications is made possible by the HMC 909 manual caliber, which is visible both via the skeletonized main dial and the caseback.

Over the past several years, Parmigiani Fleurier has proven its knack for reinterpreting the most classic complications in watchmaking, from its Rattrapante GMT to the Minute Rattrapante. This year, the story continues with the Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux. Measuring 40mm in steel and powered by the PF053 automatic caliber, its a chronograph that leaves behind all immediate visual cues that we associate with the complication.

At first glance, the Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux keeps its functionality, well, mysterious. Free of the typical pushers and subdials and counters, when the chronograph functionality isn’t activated, the watch appears to be a three-hander. One push of the button at seven o’clock and a pair of rose gold hands reveal themselves, ready to begin keeping track of regular timekeeping. Thus, the silver-hued hands are transformed into chronograph hands, sweeping across the dial. A second press stops the chronograph. At a third press, the chronograph function disengages, and the hands return to regular time.

All this mechanical ingenuity achieves the effect of creating one of the most elegant chronograph expressions I’ve ever seen (not a dissimilar feeling than when I saw the Rattrapante GMT in action for the first time). The visual business and overall sportiness that tends to mark the genre has effectively been eliminated. Instead, we’re left to enjoy the streamlined beauty of the mineral blue textural dial in full with the hidden chronograph as an added bonus. This strikes as the chronograph for people that don’t typically like chronographs.

This year, Bulgari has honed its focus on pushing the technical and aesthetic limits of two of its signature collections – the Octo Finissimo and the Serpenti. The fleet of novelties in its lineup includes four 37mm Octo Finissimos packed with a brand new movement, a platinum take on the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, a studded Serpenti Tubogas capsule collection, and an expansion on the gem-set Serpenti Aeterna collection.

The biggest story for Bulgari in 2026 would have to be the scaling down of the Octo Finissimo to a more lifestyle-oriented 37mm sizing option. Previously, the impressively thin staple in the larger Octo universe has only gone as small as 40mm (which typically wears a bit larger given the architecture of its case and bracelet). These time-only 37mm models maintain the key DNA of the Octo Finissimo design, and represent an explicit push into unisex sizing territory. The new petite BVF 100 automatic movement is a result of the brand’s recent shift in developing smaller movements, like its Piccolissimo and Solotempo ladies' movements. Detailed to have a total reduction volume of 20% as compared to the 40mm Octo, the 37mm models are reported to weigh just 65 grams. The four models introduced include two titanium options (with either sandblasted or satin polished finishes), one 18 kt yellow gold model, and an additional titanium model (ref. 104250) with skeletonized markers that utilizes the BVL 362 movement.

The Octo Finissimo has long been Bulgari’s chosen vehicle to flex its haute horology muscles, particularly in the direction of ultra-thinness. This is still well at play with the addition of the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon Platinum, which debuts as the thinnest platinum tourbillon in watchmaking history. Essentially building upon the titanium iteration that launched last year, this model measures just 1.85mm thick, is powered by the BVF 900 movement, and will be a limited edition of just 10 pieces.

Despite the recent introduction of automatic movements into the larger Serpenti family, the newest Serpenti additions rely more on aesthetic and design innovation rather than mechanical ones. Leaning on its history of goldsmithing and jewelrymaking, the “Studs” capsule adds “clou” stud motifs to the signature serpentine wrapping bracelet, executed in steel and gold, along with one all-gold option. Expanding on the most jewelry-oriented of all the Serpentis, an all-yellow gold take on the Aeturna joins the ranks alongside a rose gold model encrusted with a bouquet of rainbow colored gemstones. Across both sub collections, all of the new Serpentis introduced are quartz-powered.

It was 20 years ago that IWC launched its first special edition Pilot’s Watch dedicated to a little prince who wisely proclaimed, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” The fictional character was created by French pilot and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, whose novel Le Petit Prince, was published 80 years ago and has since been translated into 650 languages. It follows a young prince as he leaves his tiny asteroid and embarks on an epic journey through the cosmos to distant planets. Through his conversations with their inhabitants, he uncovers enduring truths about profound themes such as love, loss and friendship. IWC has commemorated the picaresque tale with an ongoing series of special editions, including five new Pilot’s Watches (and one Portofino) celebrating 20 years of collaboration with the heirs of Saint-Exupéry.

There are two three-hand/date Pilot’s Watch Mark XX models, one in 18k pink gold and the other in stainless steel. Both have the deep blue dial with a sunray finish that is signature to the Little Prince series, and matching blue rubber straps. To mark them as special editions, the gold version has a tinted sapphire caseback with an illustration of the Little Prince, and the steel version has a solid caseback engraved with the same drawing. Both contain the automatic 32112 movement with 120-hour power reserve.

The anniversary series also includes two stainless steel chronographs: a 43mm and a 41mm, with the same blue dials and blue rubber straps, along with depictions of the Little Prince on the casebacks. These contain the automatic chronograph Caliber 69385, with a 46-hour power reserve. The fifth edition is the Pilot’s Watch Automatic 36 in steel, with the same blue dial but a blue calfskin strap, powered by the automatic Caliber 32102 with a power reserve of 120 hours.

The Portofino Automatic Day & Night 34 Le Petit Prince gives the Little Prince pride of place on the dial: he stands on top of the moon as the entire day/night disk rotates to indicate the sun for day and the moon for night. The blue strap is calfskin from the Italian leather artisan Santoni. The diamond markers are a nice touch and, along with the size, identify this as primarily a ladies’ watch, and the smallest Le Petit Prince yet.

As a watchmaker, Panerai has been pushing the boundaries of power reserve for decades, starting in the 1950s with its choice of the Angelus SF240, an eight-day movement designed for alarm clocks, to power the first Luminor model, the legendary GPF 2/56. Today, after building out its own in-house repertoire of movements with week-plus fuel tanks — like 2005’s Caliber P.2002, which stored eight days of autonomy, and 2007’s P.2003, which stored a full 10 days — Panerai has achieved its highest pinnacle yet in that arena, the Luminor 31 Giorni, aka PAM 01631. For those not versed in Italian, “31 Giorni” means “31 Days,” and that is how long this timepiece, the undisputed star of this year’s wave of new Luminor models, will run after it’s been wound.

The newly developed P.2031/S movement, the product of seven years of R&D at Panerai’s Laboratorio di Idee in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, achieves the milestone of a month-long power reserve through the strategic use of no less than four mainspring barrels, arranged in series, with low torque and rapid rotation to minimize friction and stress on the pivots. The mainsprings that fill these barrels total a full 3.3 meters in length, and according to Panerai, the movement requires only 128 crown turns to fully wind the watch. The movement’s 276 components include 25 jewels and a new, patent-pending Torque Limiter that maintains an operating window of 31 days within a potential 36-day reserve. This device automatically halts the movement after the stated period, protecting its components from potential damage and extending their longevity.

For such a special watch, Panerai chose its proprietary Goldtech (an alloy of gold, copper, and touches of platinum and silver) for the 44m Luminor case, including the telltale crown-protecting bridge. The openworked dial hosts luminous hands, indexes, and Arabic numerals in Panerai’s familiar stencil-type font at 12 and 6 o’clock. Small seconds tick on a sundial at 9 o’clock, the date appears on a polarized disk at 3 o’clock, and the 31-day power reserve reveals itself in a curved aperture between 3 and 6. The leather strap uses the same Goldtech for its click-release folding clasp and is designed for tool-free swapping with the rubber strap that is also included with this 200-piece limited edition.

Norqain amused us all last year with the quirky Ice Cream watch, the first entry in its new Enjoy Life series – but there was something missing: sprinkles. It was an egregious oversight, but Norqain is making reparations now with the new Freedom Chrono Sprinkles edition. The dial is inspired by everyone’s favorite ice cream topping, and it comes in two flavors: Strawberry and Blue Raspberry.

The watch is based on the Freedom 60 Chrono, driven by the N19 automatic movement, with a 62-hour power reserve, a tachymeter scale, pump pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock, and 100 meters’ water resistance. The 40mm case is 316L stainless steel, with a plate on the side of the case that can be personalized with an engraving. It comes on a steel bracelet or a white rubber strap that is also decorated with sprinkles. The dial is
covered with a box-type sapphire crystal, and the sapphire crystal on the caseback is printed with the words “Enjoy Life.” In the date window between 4 and 5 o’clock, a soft ice cream cone motif appears every seven days. The sprinkles on the dial are coated in Super-LumiNova so they glow blue in the dark, as do the tips of the hands and the sprinkles on the strap – it’s just the right watch for these dark times.

Norqain says the “Enjoy Life” concept is all about the little things that make life sweet, and the message is that we should celebrate those good things while they last. Norqain is helping people to achieve that goal by handing out soft ice cream with sprinkles to people who pass by its booth at Watches and Wonders this year. It’s the first of many special events planned throughout the year that will feature ice cream.

A Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen”

Germany’s A. Lange & Söhne introduced its first Lumen edition, showcasing a patented illumination system that allows movement parts as well as dial elements to glow brightly in the dark, in 2010. The Saxon maison has been slowly and deliberately building out the series ever since, and the latest iteration appears in one of its most haute-de-gamme timepieces, the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar.”Lumen,” a limited edition of 50 pieces in platinum.

As its name indicates, the watch’s signature complications are a tourbillon with stop-seconds and a perpetual calendar mechanism with instantaneously switching displays — all arranged in the now-iconic, asymmetrical, isosceles-triangle design of the Lange 1. The time is displayed on the large subdial at 3 o’clock; the brand’s signature “outsize” date is at 10 o’clock; the small seconds are combined with an ultra-precise moon-phase at 7 o’clock; the day of the week is indicated by an analog hand at 9 o’clock, and the months appear on peripheral, rotating ring. The leap-year is indicated in a small aperture at 6 o’clock, and the tourbillon, with its filigreed carriage, is tucked away in the back of the movement to preserve the dial’s complex yet harmonious architecture.

The calendar displays can be corrected simultaneously or individually via pushers on the case, and pulling out the crown will stop the tourbillon for a precise resetting of the time, a true rarity in a tourbillon watch. These practical attributes and high complications all come courtesy of the new in-house movement in this timepiece, the self-winding Caliber L225.1, with a host of decorations and a 50-hour power reserve. Thanks to the Lumen treatment, with its transparent dial that allows for the absorption of UV light to charge the luminous compound applied to multiple elements, the movement can not only be admired from the front of the watch but will also glow softly in the dark, along with the hands, the big date, and even the moon-phase disk, whose celestial background appears light during the day and dark, with luminous stars, at night.

In recent years, Roger Dubuis has been trending back toward its eponymous founder’s original horological vision in many of its new releases, a creative direction no doubt inspired by the maison’s 30th anniversary in 2025. This year, the Genevan manufacture’s headliner timepiece at Watches & Wonders hearkens back to two of its early hallmarks — the perpetual calendar complication and the bi-retrograde dial display that has long been a technical signature. In 1989, Roger Dubuis (the man) co-patented the unusual indication — in which analog hands sweep across elliptical scales for the day and date before returning to their starting point — with complications specialist Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, and showcased it in some of his first timepieces in 1996.

The Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar, powered by the new in-house Caliber RD580, combines the multiple indications of its namesake, including day, date, month, and leap-year display, with a new “astronomical” moon-phase at 6 o’clock. Rather than the traditional moon-phase in most mechanical watches, which round the moon’s orbital cycle to an imprecise 29.5 days and require adjustment every few years, this one follows the moon’s waxing and waning much closer to the lunar cycle in reality: 29 days, 12 hours, and 45 minutes. This means the moon-phase will remain accurate for 122 years, which is in addition to the calendar displaying the correct date until (ideally, with regular winding) the year 2100.

Composed of 435 components, Caliber RD850 amasses a 60-hour power reserve and incorporates a key functional upgrade from its predecessors, a month corrector that allows the calendar months to be manually set with a simple adjustment. Beating inside a 40mm case in 18k rose gold, the movement also boasts the prestigious Poinçon de Genève certification, a longtime hallmark of Roger Dubuis calibers, which attests to its origins in the Canton of Geneva as well as the impeccable quality of its construction, performance, and finishing.

Credor, the Seiko-owned haute-de-gamme watchmaker renowned worldwide for its artisanal techniques and legendary exclusivity, is joining its high-luxury Japanese sibling Grand Seiko for the first time this year as an exhibitor at Watches & Wonder Geneva, the industry’s pre-eminent international event. Ahead of the show’s April 14 kickoff, Credor, whose name is derived from the French crête d’or (“crest of gold”) and which has only recently been offering its pieces outside of Japan, has already stoked anticipation for its W&W debut with the unveiling of a trio of new watches. Two are the latest additions to the classically elegant Goldfeather collection, while a third hails from the avant-garde, sporty, Gérald Genta-designed Locomotive series.

Credor Goldfeather Urushi Lacquer Dial Limited Edition
The traditional Japanese craft of urushi lacquering takes center stage in this 25-piece limited edition that expresses Credor’s brand philosophy, “The Creativity of Artisans.” The minimalist, two-handed dial features a lustrous, gradient effect, from black at the periphery to bright blue in the center. This blue color, a rarity in urushi lacquer crafts, is achieved via repeatedly and meticulously refining the color saturation and multiple stages of manual polishing with whitestones. The indexes, logo, and other dial details are rendered in taka maki-e, a raised pattern in which the blue lacquer is built up and dusted with platinum powder for a three-dimensional finish. The slim, round case is also crafted in 950 platinum, and its caseback has a clear sapphire window to display the manually wound Caliber 6890, measuring only 1.98mm thick and hosting an array of high-horology finishes. The watch is mounted on a crocodile leather strap and retails in the U.S. for $47,000.

Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon Engraved Limited Edition
The other new timepiece from the Goldfeather collection, also limited to 25 examples worldwide, combines Credor’s legendary mastery of engraving with its revered savoir-faire in high horology. The new Goldfeather tourbillon boasts delicate, satin-like linear engraving motifs across both its dial and its movement, the tourbillon-equipped Caliber 6850. The dial’s discreet line pattern, achieved through a grinding technique, is exceptionally difficult to master because the lines must radiate outward seamlessly from the center across two separate, layered dial sections; many hours of craftsmanship are necessary to make sure all elements align perfectly. Meticulous linear engraving yields the dial’s delicate Roman numerals, and the minute track is executed in yet another traditional engraving technique, called nanako, in which a special chisel with a rounded edge is used to create a series of finely aligned dots. On the movement, a similar linear engraved pattern radiates outward from the tourbillon carriage. The movement is, of course, visible behind a sapphire pane in the 38.6mm case. Manually wound and holding a power reserve of 60 hours, Caliber 6850 measures just 3.98mm thick, enabling the hand-polished 950 platinum case to be accordingly slim, at 8.6mm high on the wrist. Mounted on a crocodile leather strap, the watch carries an MSRP of $215,000 in the U.S.

Credor Locomotive GCR995
Credor revived its storied, cult-classic Locomotive model — designed by watch-industry legend Gérald Genta, of Royal Oak and Nautilus fame — in 2024, on the 30th anniversary of the original model’s debut. Two years later, Credor follows up that model with a new edition that features an all-new dial colorway incorporating the modern Locomotive’s distinctive dial texture. The “dawn blue” dial, Credor says, is inspired by the signal light in train systems, evoking the locomotive that lends the model its name. Like the 2024 predecessor, the dial features an intricate geometric pattern of hexagons, a motif echoing the unusual (but very Genta) shape of the case and bezel; the six-sided shape even carries over into the crown and even the bezel’s visible screws. The case is made of “high-intensity” titanium, which is 30 percent lighter and more scratch-resistant than stainless steel, and dazzles with its array of alternating mirror-polished and brushed finishes. The same treatment has been given to the bracelet, with its three-fold push-button clasp, which is made of the same titanium alloy and designed to integrate seamlessly into the case’s lugs. Beating inside is the automatic Caliber CR01, storing a 45-hour power reserve and protected against magnetism up to 4,800 A/m. Credor has priced the new Locomotive at $13,200.

During the 2010s, watches trended big, busy, edgy, and dark. Since then, they have gone small, slim and ultra-minimalist. Bremont is revisiting the age of big, noticeable sports watches, and it’s a modern take on the “big bold” sport-watch look. The new Supernova collection is sleeker than the large, multi-function beasts of yore, but it’s also even more interesting and eye-catching.

Design-wise, the Supernova is a mashup of materials and motifs. The geometric design, with the angular case and bezel, is inspired by spacecraft, and thanks to strategically applied Super-LumiNova, it looks the part. The watch lights up like a mothership or some alien creature at night. The 3D dial is inspired by solar panels, as Bremont is going for “the illusion of motion through space.” The case is steel, with a DLC center section and a black ceramic bezel, bringing in the more modern concept of multi-part cases and levels of architecture. The bracelet is integrated, as is the style now with all sports watches.

Technically, the Supernova contains the BB77 bicompax chronograph movement, which delivers a 62-hour power reserve. It is chronometer rated, and the watches are 100-meters water resistant.

The 41mm case is large enough to add complications, and Bremont comes right out of the gate in high form. There is a tourbillon version, with the same illuminated Dauphine hands, the same case design with DLC center and ceramic bezel, and the same integrated bracelet. The movement has Bremont-designed bridges and tourbillon cage, and it has a 60 hour power reserve.

It’s been 25 years, a full quarter-century, since Ulysse Nardin wowed the watch community with the first Freak in 2001, and it’s celebrating the anniversary with a watch the brand calls “The Most Complicated Time-Only Watch Ever Created.” Delving into the audaciously named [Super] Freak, a 50-piece limited edition in white gold, it’s hard to argue the point. It’s the first Freak watch equipped with an automatic, double-tourbillon movement (the new 511-piece Caliber UN-252), with a dedicated, cylindrical seconds display enabled by a patented gimbal system and the two flying tourbillons regulated via the world’s smallest vertical differential.

All in all, the [Super] Freak incorporates no less than 35 patented innovations. Some of them are carried over from previous generations of Freak models — like the Grinder automatic winding system, which uses an oscillating weight with four levers, analogous to a four-pedaled bicycle, to deliver power to the movement through even the slightest motion of the wearer’s wrist. Others are new, like the aforementioned gimbal system, which is based on the devices once used to stabilize marine compasses aboard ships — a 21st century nod to Ulysse Nardin’s history as a maker of marine chronometers for the world’s navies. The differential, itself composed of 69 parts but measuring just 5mm, averages the rates of the two inclined tourbillon cages — each making a full rotation every 60 seconds, while a flying carousel makes one revolution per hour, in classic Freak fashion — and delivers their energy to the gimbals for constant precision in the seconds display.

Like all Freaks since the model’s inception, this one uses a plethora of silicon parts, including two balance wheels, two hairsprings, and two escapements, the latter actually made from DiamonSil, Ulysse Nardin’s proprietary material that combines the lightness of silicon with the hardness of diamond. The rotating disk that points to the hours (while the carousel indicates the minutes) is made for the first time in Nanosital, a polycrystalline material with the properties of gemstones, with an an icy light blue color that hearkens again to the watchmaker’s nautical heritage.

Both Alpina and Frederique Constant are making value-added upgrades to their collections this year. The Startimer Pilot Automatic, for example, first launched 15 years ago, but the new collection is basically new because Alpina has given it a complete overhaul: a new case shape and finishes, new 40mm diameter (down from 41mm), new La Joux-Perret movement, new dials on four never-before-seen models with three hands and new straps. Also worth noting: the thickness has been reduced by 10 percent and all the edges of the case are beveled – including the bezel, middle and between the lugs. Taken together, the changes make for a more wearable, reliable and attractive watch, although the latter quality is subjective.

The collection itself was designed as a tribute to early aviation watches, including the military watches produced by Alpina in the 1920s and ’30s. The idea then, and now, was to produce a watch with absolute precision and maximum shock resistance. Readability was also paramount, which has conventionally meant large numerals and hands and plenty of lume, in whatever form. The dial of the redesigned model has a new grained, velvet-like finish at the center and a stepped flange with a white transferred minute circle. Each numeral is made of its own single block of luminescent material, as is the Alpina logo. All of these light up in “old radium,” blue-green or green, depending on the model.

By day, the dials are black (in two versions), khaki or petrol blue, and one of the black variations has a black PVD-treated case with a beige NATO strap. The new collection also retains the big-crown design (slightly reworked), which was originally factored in to accommodate pilots wearing gloves, but which lingers as a convention within the aviator-watch genre. In all, it’s a very sporty look, and function-appropriate, even if we no longer need an aviator watch for any functional purpose.

In 2018, Nomos Glashütte reinvented the date indicator in a minimalist design language that was as discreet as it was innovative. It developed a caliber that positioned the days of the month along the outside periphery of the dial. The numerals, from 1 to 31, are broken only by two red dots, which move to frame the current date. The date can be set either forwards and backwards with only a half-turn of the crown. Nomos won the GPHG award in the Challenge category for the watch that year.

The Tangente Neomatik Update has since become the brand’s flagship watch model, and now it is available in a smaller size, and with gold cases for the first time. The previously 40.5mm x 7.9mm Tangente Neomatik Update is now 38.5mm x 7.4mm, with the result that the Update is now a sleeker, slimmer watch. There are three new models, one in steel and two in 18k gold – one with blue hands and a black leather strap, and the other (called Doré ) with gold hands and a brown leather strap. The straps are made from Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan.

The now iconic peripheral date indicator, which shows the entire month at a glance, fits perfectly with Nomos’s familiar design aesthetic, which is all about minimalism, with barely-there slim typography and needle-thin hands, and “Neomatik” written in small gold letters on the dial.

The movement, the automatic Neomatik caliber DUW 6101, is the same as in previous models, with an integrated date complication, a bidirectional winding rotor and quick-change date mechanism. Nomos movements are manufactured in-house, bear the hallmarks of Glashütte watchmaking, and are finely adjusted in six positions. The three-quarter plate is decorated with Glashütte ribbing, tempered blue screws, and
rhodium-plated surfaces with Glashütte ribbing or Nomos perlage.

Oris is bringing back the Artelier Complication with a new collection this week, and it represents a new direction for the concept of the urban dress watch for a new generation of enthusiasts. The Artelier Complication combines two unexpected complications in rather dramatic fashion, tracking the phases of the moon, along with a second 24-hour time zone. It’s packed within a chic design that merges clear, formal design cues with confident finishes and details, and the result is as compelling as it is — probably — polarizing. There’s a clear point of view being expressed with the Artelier Complication, and it may tip a new direction for the Hölstein-based independent brand.

At a glance, the Artelier Complication is relatively straightforward. It’s only upon closer inspection that odd and interesting details begin to emerge. First, the moon-phase at the top of the dial sits in the same hue range as the base dial, so it doesn’t immediately jump out in a manner that you may be accustomed to with this complication. However, zooming in, you’ll find an array of stars that define the subdial, which offers a full 360 degrees of visibility. This is a complication we generally find paired with calendar features, but that’s not the case here. Instead, the subdial positioned at the bottom of the dial holds a 24-hour hand.

All of this comes courtesy of the Oris Caliber 782, which is an evolution of the Caliber 781 found in the previous Artelier Complication, ditching the calendar gearing for the day and month, allowing for a much cleaner, and certainly more unique expression. This is set within a two-stage dial that uses a fine-grained texture at the center and a satin finish at the perimeter. Applied hour markers bridge the two sections, though there are no other chapter rings or indexes involved. The unique design comes from the mind of 24-year-old Product Design Engineer Lena Huwiler, and it makes a wonderful impression. The new Artelier Complication is being introduced with a trio of dial colorways, including ivory, midnight blue, and chestnut. The watch can be had on a dark brown leather strap, priced at CHF 2,300 or an H-link steel bracelet, priced at CHF 2,500.

Oris is also celebrating a momentous stretch of its past this year with the release of a new Star Edition that remains faithful to its roots. In the 1960s, Oris and its own Dr. Rolf Portmann played a large role in overturning the Swiss Watch Statute, allowing for innovation to flourish once more. Shortly thereafter, Oris would do exactly that, freed from using pin lever designs, the brand would release the Oris Star with a superior Swiss lever escapement. This year, Oris pays tribute to its independence, and to Dr. Portmann (who remains an honorary chairman of the company) with a new Star Edition.

The new Oris Star Edition recalls the design codes of the mid-1960s, with a barrel-shaped case featuring a radiant brush pattern housing a silver sniper-style dial. There’s loads of character in this design, and it’s been kept in its original 35mm sizing structure. Because of the shape of the case, it will wear slightly larger, so don’t let that number scare you. It also measures just a hair over 11mm in total thickness, so this watch will be a darling on the wrist. It’s a small footprint with a big personality.

The dial itself gets a light vertical brush and applied, faceted indexes. A framed trapezoidal date aperture sits at 3 o’clock, leading the eye toward the center of the dial, where you’ll find throwback Oris branding and signage calling out the number of jewels. This is a monochromatic design that forgoes the use of color, and it reads as very demure as a result. This watch could easily fit into daily-wear duties, though has enough personality to jazz up an outfit with ease.

Inside, Oris is using the Caliber 733, which is a base Sellita SW200, which keeps the price at a very reasonable CHF 1,800.

The new Artelier Complication is being introduced with a trio of dial colorways, including ivory, midnight blue, and chestnut. The watch can be had on a dark brown leather strap, priced at CHF 2,300 or an H-link steel bracelet, priced at CHF 2,500.

You have to love a modern brand that, in the absence of any commitment to a DNA of traditional watch design, can do whatever it wants. Hublot also does it in whatever color and size it wants, and even when it’s celebrating a model’s anniversary, it’s only a 20th anniversary, so it still looks current. In this case, it’s the Big Bang, and specifically the Big Bang Unico, the in-house movement Hublot launched in 2010.

The 44mm cases of the Big Bang Reloaded are made from materials that Hublot has pioneered over the years. The Magic Gold model celebrates the 18k gold alloy Hublot developed in partnership with the Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne’s Metallurgy Lab. There are three references in ceramic: the All Black edition, along with blue and dark green models, showcasing Hublot’s ability to produce its proprietary ceramic in several colors. The fifth reference blends titanium and black ceramic.

The re-engineered flyback chronograph Caliber HUB 1280 UNICO is openworked and more visible on the dial. In 2018, the base caliber and chronograph module became a fully integrated caliber. The Big Bang Reloaded brings its features to the dial side, exposing the constant-pressure friction system for the minute counter and the dual oscillating clutches (which, along with the column wheel, is color-highlighted). The chronograph counter at 3 o’clock has been redesigned, and the date repositioned between 4 and 5 o’clock. On the back, the ratchet wheel blocker and the fine balance wheel adjustment system can be seen, along with a new openworked rotor design.

There are two special editions. The Big Bang Reloaded Usain Bolt is a 200-piece version with a lightning-bolt chronograph seconds hand, green and yellow highlights evoking the Jamaican flag – a reference to the eponymous Olympic sprinter’s home country – and an 18k-gold bezel engraved with: “Anything is Possible, Don’t Think Limits.” The caseback houses a sapphire section encapsulating soil taken from Bolt’s training ground in Jamaica. The Big Bang Reloaded Kylian Mbappé 200-piece edition has a white ceramic and 18k King Gold case. The soccer champ’s mantra – “Trust Yourself” – is engraved on the bezel. His lucky number, 10, is highlighted in gold tone.

Zenith built its foundation as a watchmaking maison on the landmark invention of the El Primero high-frequency chronograph movement in 1969, and realized perhaps the ultimate expression of its potential with the introduction of the Chronomaster Sport in 2021. It was the first Zenith chronograph to not only measure elapsed times to a precision of 1/10-second, courtesy of El Primero’s lightning-quick 5Hz frequency, but also the first one that could display those pinpoint-accurate readings on the bezel. This year, the Le Locle brand extends the Chronomaster Sport family with its first skeletonized versions, which also mark the debut of an all-new patented folding clasp.

Caliber 3600SK, the meticulously openworked version of the modern El Primero Caliber 3600, beats inside the 41mm case, behind a sapphire dial that exposes its key elements from the front as well as the back, including the blue column wheel and horizontal clutch that drives the chronograph mechanism. Each dial has a gradient effect, tinted from black at the periphery to transparent at the center, and features a version of the classic tricolor subdial arrangement that has long been a hallmark of Zenith’s Chronomaster models. Zenith is offering four distinct versions in the initial launch.

Two are in stainless steel on three-link bracelets, one with a green ceramic bezel and gray-toned subdial counters, the other with a blue ceramic bezel and the classic gray, anthracite, and blue counters. The other two are in 18k rose gold, one with a black ceramic bezel, mounted on a black rubber strap, the other a limited edition of 50 pieces, on a gold bracelet, with a bezel bedecked with 50 baguette-cut diamonds.

The patented “ZENCLASP” that makes its inaugural appearance on the bracelet versions of the Chronomaster Sport Skeleton enables easy resizing right on the wrist with no tools required. It’s composed of 41 components including 10 ceramic ball bearings that secure the locking and positioning of the bracelet in 2.5mm increments for a total adjustment range of 10mm.

Vacheron Constantin introduced its fan-favorite integrated-bracelet sport-luxury watch, the Overseas, in 1996. This year the centuries-old Geneva watchmaker marks the popular model’s 30th anniversary with a quartet of models in the Overseas Dual Time series, all in full titanium and each sporting a dial colorway that represents one of the four cardinal points on a compass.

The titanium cases of the Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points models measure 41mm in diameter and 12mm thick, topped as always by the signature hexagonal bezel, also in titanium but in these models sporting a matte grey anthracite finishing (also adorning the crown and pusher ring) that creates a subtle, elegant contrast. The four dial colors, inspired by the spirit of exploration, are white for the frozen North; brown, for the vast plains of the South; green, for the jungles and forests of the West; and blue, for the oceans and horizons of the East.

The dial layout speaks to world travelers with a center-mounted, arrow-tipped orange GMT hand indicating the home or reference time on the same ring of 12-hour indices as the hour and minute hand for the local time. This hand is also linked to an AM/PM indicator at 9 o’clock with a small analog hand. At 6 o’clock, another small analog hand, synched to the local time, points to the date on a 31-day subdial. As with previous versions of the Dual Time, all of which have been limited editions, Vacheron has outfitted this watch with the automatic manufacture Caliber 5110 DT, which stores a 60-hour power reserve and boasts a plethora of high-horology embellishments, including a dark gray NAC treatment on the bridges, perlage on the mainplate, hand-beveled and chamfered edges, and the hallmark engraved wind-rose emblem (driving home the compass theme) on the 22k gold rotor.

Emulating all Overseas watches since the relaunch in 2016, the titanium integrated bracelets of the new Dual Times are equipped with Vacheron’s “EasyFit” system that enables tool-free interchangeability with the two rubber straps that are also included.

The Stratosphère is the 6th generation (and culmination) of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 22-year commitment to building the ultimate multi-axis tourbillon. The new caliber 178 is a triple-axis tourbillon with spherical hairspring that combats gravity (and its effect on precision) in 98% of possible positions. This represents the widest positional coverage ever achieved by Jaeger-LeCoultre, and the brand says no other 4 Hz tourbillon on the market currently covers such a wide range of positions.

JLC’s first gyrotourbillon was launched in 2004, with 70% positional coverage. The second generation was tailored to fit the Reverso case. The third-generation model was the first flying gyrotourbillon and had a spherical hairspring. The fourth achieved a full
flying status, and was the fastest gyrotourbillon. The fifth-generation integrated the gyrotourbillon with a constant-force mechanism. The Master Hybris Inventiva Calibre 178 Gyrotourbillon à Stratosphère has a cylindrical balance spring, a shape that beats concentrically in every position, regardless of amplitude, position or power reserve. Its three tourbillon cages rotate at three different speeds – respectively, 20 seconds (inner cage); 60 seconds (center cage or “cage of reference”); and 90 seconds (outer cage). It has a 72-hour power reserve thanks to two barrels and a mechanism with lightweight titanium cages that require less energy to move.

Métiers Rares finishes on the new piece include sandblasting, perlage, polishing, flat polishing, straight graining, linear brushing, circular brushing, côtes de Genève, diamond polishing, snailing, sunray brushing, beveling, guillochage, lacquering, lapping
finish, and enameling.

The Stratosphère case is 42mm in platinum, and the watch is limited to 20 pieces. It inaugurates a new series within the Hybris line called Hybris Inventiva. Each watch will showcase a single complication in very limited, numbered editions. The movements will focus on the invention of what JLC calls “impossible” complications that the brand’s watchmakers and engineers somehow make possible.

TAG Heuer has been an indisputable pioneer in chronographs since its earliest days, from founder Edouard Heuer’s invention of the oscillating pinion, through the development of Caliber 11, one of the first self-winding chronograph movements, all the way up to 21st-century inventions like the Mikrogirder and the maison’s first in-house split-seconds mechanism in 2024.

This year, TAG Heuer turns its attention to one of its most culturally significant chronographs — the motorsport-inspired Monaco, launched in 1969 and famously worn on screen by Steve McQueen — and equips it with an ingenious, avant-garde new movement. The all-new Caliber TH800-00 beating inside the new Monaco Evergraph models incorporates a unique, “compliant” chronograph mechanism that replaces virtually all of the levers and springs usually employed for the stop, start, and reset functions with two flexible bi-stable components developed through LIGA technology.

TAG Heuer collaborated closely for several years with high-complication specialist Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier to perfect the technology, which also incorporates TAG Heuer’s exclusive TH-Carbonspring oscillator, ultimately delivering the movement such attributes as a 5Hz frequency, a 70-hour power reserve, enhanced magnetic resistance, and COSC-certified precision. Visually, the movement’s inverted construction places elements like the barrel, gear train and escapement on the front side, visible through the openworked dial and its two symmetrical square subdials for running seconds and chronograph minutes.

The classic, square Monaco case, measuring 40mm and made of grade 5 titanium, has been redesigned for better ergonomics, with a tapered profile and sharp facets along the edges. The crown is placed unconventionally on the left side, a return to the offbeat design of the original Monaco and its Caliber 11 engine. Two variations are offered, one with blue accents calling to mind the famed “McQueen” model, the other combining black DLC coating on the case with red accents, evoking a classic auto-racing color palette.

Frederique Constant hit a sweet spot when it introduced its affordable Classic Worldtimer in 2022. With an in-house movement, high-end finishes and a shapely case, it came in at about a tenth of the price of other world-time classics, such as Patek Philippe’s. The Genevan brand is now revisiting what has become its flagship model, with a slew of improvements, including a new in-house movement. The FC-719, which replaces the FC-718, is Frederique Constant’s 35th manufacture movement since the brand was founded in 1988.

The new caliber represents a serious optimization. The power reserve has been extended from 38 hours to 72 hours: that’s a 90 percent improvement. It’s made possible by a longer mainspring and a revised alloy composition. And despite its larger mainspring, the new FC-719 fits into a case that is 2mm smaller in diameter. The previous Worldtimer model was 42mm, which some found large, even though a world-timer watch really does require a lot of dial space. The frame features sunburst côtes de Genève. The barrel, gear train and balance bridges are circular-grained, while the oscillating weight is satin-finished and snailed. All functions are adjusted with a single crown, which means fewer openings in the case, so it is water resistant to 30 meters.

That’s not all that’s new. The previous model had a date wheel — a useful function on a world timer, but which partially covered some of the cities on the city ring. The new one is dateless. It also has a new stainless-steel bracelet option and new color options. And there is a gem-set version, for world travelers who like a little bling with their what-city-am-I-in wristwear.

The three options include a navy blue oceans-and-city disk with gray grained relief continents on a new interchangeable five-link steel bracelet. Another features a gradient blue for the oceans and taupe-grained relief continents, with a white city disk. The jeweled version, with 70 diamonds on the bezel and 12 diamond-set indexes on the dial, totalling 0.785 ct, is an 88-piece, numbered limited edition.