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The 18 Best New Watches of 2025: Omega, Rolex, Timex and More

A countdown of the year’s most important watches.

Collage of luxury watches including a luminous diver's watch, a Cartier Santos with Roman numerals, a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso with a mesh strap, and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak chronograph with a blue textured dial.Gear Patrol
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By Johnny Brayson, Brad Lanphear, and Jack Seemer

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“Gradually, then suddenly.” Since The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway’s signature quip has been used to describe everything from political upheaval to cultural change — or, for our purposes, industry in flux.

As with any list, our countdown of the year’s most important watches is sure to ruffle a few feathers, if not for the selections then certainly for their order. Though perhaps it’s for the best.

After all, change is not always smooth nor welcome. But it is always on its way, first slowly before arriving all at once.

18. A reborn ’80s favorite with a touch of today’s tech

Red TAG Heuer Formula 1 watch with white dial, black bezel, and red rubber strap embossed with TAG Heuer logo.TAG Heuer

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TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph

Specs

Case Size 38mm
Movement TAG Heuer Cal. TH50-00 solar quartz
Water Resistance 200m

Throughout TAG Heuer’s recent history, the brand has seemed far more interested in reliving the glory days of the latter half of its name than acknowledging the former.

Heuer went on a legendary run in the 1960s, introducing iconic motorsports chronographs like the Carrera, Monaco and Autavia in the decade. So it’s understandable why modern-day TAG Heuer tried to relive these glory days through a series of 21st-century reissues.

But now, TAG Heuer is moving past its Heuer fascination and finally paying tribute to the brand’s accomplishments from the past 40 years, after Heuer was purchased by TAG in 1985.

Five TAG Heuer Formula 1 watches in yellow, blue, silver, red, and green with rubber straps and rotating bezels.
TAG Heuer brought back the merged brand’s original 1985 watch, with some improvements.
TAG Heuer

First up is the original TAG Heuer model, the Formula 1. The original 1985 watch was plasticky, colorful, quartz-powered and affordable — all things that made it a blockbuster in the decade when Swatch was the biggest success story of Swiss watchmaking.

For a time, the Formula 1 became a symbol of how TAG Heuer had led Heuer astray, cheapening this once-great mechanical watchmaker. But time has been kind to TAG’s quirky ’80s watch, and public sentiment has come back around to the point where the watch is now considered a beloved classic.

Black and yellow TAG Heuer Formula 1 wristwatch with a yellow bezel and strap, shown from the side.
Even the plastic-cased versions of the new Formula 1 have a stainless steel inner case.
TAG Heuer

The new Formula One captures the essence of the original with a cribbed design, brightly colored plastic parts and a quartz movement. But given TAG Heuer’s current status as a luxury brand, some improvements had to be made to match the brand’s place in the market.

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph watch with white dial, red accents, black bezel with white numerals, and stainless steel case.
Powering the watches is TAG Heuer’s modern Solargraph light-powered quartz movement.
TAG Heuer

This was accomplished by a slight upsizing of the case from 35mm to 38mm to suit modern tastes, a higher build quality with mostly stainless steel components and most impressively, TAG Heuer’s spectacular in-house solar-powered quartz movement, the Solargraph Calibre TH50-00.

Like fashion, watch trends are cyclical, and TAG Heuer has proven that once-maligned 1980s watches are back en vogue.

17. A dive watch icon, perfected

Panerai Luminor Marina wristwatch with black dial, luminous markers, date window, and black rubber strap.Panerai

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Panerai Luminor Marina 2025

Specs

Case Size 44mm
Movement Panerai Cal. P.980 automatic
Water Resistance 500m

Panerai’s Luminor Marina, the most emblematic example of the Italian brand’s bold and unique design language, is a dive watch icon. If Panerai had left the Luminor Marina as is, the watch likely would’ve continued to be a best-seller for the brand for as long as it remained in production.

But for 2025, Panerai not only updated the Luminor Marina. It perfected it.

two panerai watches underwater, one seen from the front and one from behind
It’s Panerai’s icon, but better.
Panerai

The latest generation of Panerai’s most recognizable tool watch received significant updates in almost every area, culminating in a vastly improved watch.

The water resistance was bumped up from an already sufficient 300m to a category-leading 500m. A sapphire display caseback was also added, offering a view of the movement. These two moves always translate to a thicker watch, but through some deal with the dive watch devil, the new Luminor Marina is somehow 12 percent thinner than before, and 15 percent lighter.

the side view of a Panerai watch
Despite boasting 40 percent more water resistance, the watch is 12 percent thinner than before.
Panerai

This is largely thanks to a new movement, the in-house P.980 automatic, which is not only thinner than the outgoing calibre but also adds a hacking seconds function that had been missing from the collection since 2020.

Panerai made strap swaps decidedly easier by adding the PAM Click quick-release system to the included straps, and references fitted with a bracelet also received a brand-new on-the-fly micro-adjustment system called Quick Length Adjustment that offers 2mm of travel on each side.

a closeup of a panerai luminescent watch dial and crown
Even the lume was improved for the new generation.
Panerai

Even the lume, one of Panerai’s signature features, was improved, with the 2025 Luminor Marina being one of the first watches in the world to feature Super-LumiNova’s new X2 formula, which is 10 percent brighter than before.

Panerai didn’t need to update the Luminor Marina. But the myriad improvements made to the watch show that even icons can use a tune-up now and then.

16. A serious example of the year’s wackiest watch trend

Black Casio G-Shock digital watch with rectangular face and resin strap.Casio

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G-Shock Nano DWN-5600

Specs

Case Size 23.4mm
Water Resistance 200m
Weight 6 grams

This G-Shock has all the hallmarks that have made it’s maker one of the most beloved names in all of watches.

There’s that rugged, near-indestructible construction; 200 meters of water resistance; and a square case based off the original design from the 1980s.

Just one thing to clarify: it doesn’t actually go around your wrist.

Four Casio G-Shock digital watches in black, large black, yellow, and red with resin bands on a gray surface.
The new Nano DWN-5600 is based off the design of G-Shock’s original watch.
Casio

The Nano DWN-5600 looks and largely performs like your classic everyday G-Shock watch, only at one-tenth the size.

That’s because this tiny timepiece, available in three colors (black, yellow and red), is actually designed to fit around one’s finger.

Back of a Casio G-Shock watch with black resin strap and stainless steel case back showing shock resist details.
G-Shock claims that the Nano DWN-5600 is just as shock resistant as its full-size watches.
Casio

The watch is part of a growing trend set forth by the Casio CRW-001-1JR, Timex x MM6 Maison Margiela and Fossil’s collaboration with Nick Jonas.

That said, the G-Shock name, along with everything that comes with it, easily makes the Nano DWN-5600 the most capable watch in its class.

Hand wearing a black Casio G-Shock digital watch on the wrist and a smaller black digital watch on the middle finger.
Unlike other ring watches, the G-Shock Nano DWN-5600 features a fully adjustable band to fit a wider range of finger sizes.
Casio

It also has something none of those previous examples can top — a fully adjustable band — suggesting that ring watches might be more movement than meme.

15. A flawless return to form for a legendary dress watch

Silver Patek Philippe wristwatch with salmon dial, black hour markers, and brown leather strap.Patek Philippe

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Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P

Specs

Case Size 38mm
Movement Patek Philippe Cal. 30‑255 PS manual-wind
Water Resistance 30m

Look at any list of the most iconic watches ever made, and the Patek Philippe Calatrava will be on there.

Introduced in 1932, the Calatrava arguably set the template for the modern round dress watch with its clean and elegant design and lack of complications. But it’s been a while since the Calatrava really got Patek fans excited, with the brand’s sports watches and Grand Complications dominating the conversation for over a decade.

Patek Philippe wristwatch with a salmon dial, black hour markers, silver case, and brown leather strap.
This will be the defining Calatrava of its era.
Patek Philippe

But in 2025, Patek put the Calatrava back on the map in a big way by launching a back-to-basics version of the icon that can best be described as, well, perfect.

A classic Calatrava case in platinum measuring 38mm across and 9.33mm thick.

A gorgeous opaline salmon dial with the most attractive Calatrava dial layout — dauphine hands, “obus”-shaped applied hour markers and a properly centered small-seconds display, all in charcoal gray-toned white gold.

Close-up of a Patek Philippe watch movement with visible gears, jewels, and engraved text inside a polished metal case.
The Cal. 30-255 PS movement is the perfect choice for the case and dial layout.
Patek Philippe

The manually wound Calibre 30-255 PS movement, visible behind a sapphire caseback, properly filling out the case.

Patek stripped down the Calatrava to its essence and created its most beautiful watch in years. It’s not complicated, and that’s the point. Sometimes with an iconic product, it’s best not to overthink things.

14. The unexpected return of a collector-favorite watch

Omega Seamaster wristwatch with a white dial, gold case, and brown leather strap.Omega

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Omega Seamaster 37mm Milano Cortina 2026

Specs

Case Size 37mm
Movement Omega Cal. 8807 automatic
Water Resistance 100m

Back in the mid-twentieth century, before the Speedmaster and Seamaster became the flagship models for Omega, the Biel/Bienne brand’s best-known watch was the Constellation.

One of the most prestigious watches of the 1950s — Elvis famously wore one — the “Connie,” as it’s come to be known by collectors, was introduced in 1952 as Omega’s flagship and a celebration of the brand’s victories at chronometry competitions throughout the previous two decades.

an Omega dress watch
Dog-leg lugs are recognized for their unusual kinked shape.
Omega

The Constellation was decidedly a dress watch, as most watches were in those days. While hundreds of references were produced over the decades, those 1950s examples are most prized for their handsome collection of unique design traits, which included convex “pie-pan” dials, dauphine hands, arrow markers, faceted crowns and, most sought-after, “dog-leg” lugs.

While Omega has sometimes revisited those other design traits — the current Constellation Globemaster features a pie-pan dial, for instance — the quirky angled lugs disappeared from the brand’s catalog sometime in the 1970s. Despite collectors’ love for the style, it seemed as if Omega’s dog-leg lugs would forever remain a thing of the past.

That is, until the Seamaster 37mm Milano Cortina 2026 came along.

the side profile of an Omega dress watch
Somehow, Omega’s dog-leg lugs returned.
Omega

Seemingly out of the blue, Omega resurrected the dog-leg lug style for the first time in half a century on a 2026 Winter Olympics-themed version of a vintage-inspired Seamaster dress watch. Quite unexpectedly, the watch resurrects one of Omega’s most iconic and beloved design styles that was thought lost to time, and it does so in what can best be described as the best dress watch the brand has made in decades.

With the unexpected return of dog-leg lugs, Omega proves that sometimes, an old dog doesn’t need to learn any new tricks; it just needs to perform its old tricks one more time.

13. A Chinese watchmaker’s big swing at the Swiss

tantalum wristwatch with black dial and rose gold Arabic numerals and hands.Atelier Wen

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Atelier Wen Inflection

Specs

Case Size 40mm
Movement Girard-Perregaux Cal. 03300 automatic
Water Resistance 100m

Swiss watch brands have a secret.

Although they all carry a “Swiss Made” label on their dials, that doesn’t mean you’re getting an entirely Swiss product. The label requires only 60 percent of a watch’s manufacturing costs to come from Switzerland, with most brands getting the other 40 percent of parts from China.

Silver metal wristwatch with black dial and copper-colored numerals and hands on a dark textured rock.
Atelier Wen seeks to bring China’s luxury watchmaking industry out of the shadows.
Atelier Wen

Yet, despite the fact that China has long been a key production partner to many Swiss brands, the country has a reputation among the public for putting out cheap watches.

French-Chinese watchmaker Atelier Wen sought to change this perception when it launched in 2018. The brand’s stated goal is to raise the profile of Chinese-made watches, bringing the true craftsmanship of China’s watch industry out of the shadows and putting it on full display in front of collectors.

Three watch cases with green, black, and blue dials, and one with a matching metal bracelet on a gray surface.
The Inflection is the world’s first serially produced watch with a full tantalum case and bracelet.
Atelier Wen

The brand has been quite successful in its quest, with models like the aptly named Perception sports watch garnering rave reviews. But competing at a $5,000 price point is one thing. That’s considered an entry point for luxury watches, meaning the stakes are still fairly low for seasoned collectors. 

But a $30,000 price point? Now that’s ambitious.

Close-up of a mechanical watch movement with rose gold rotor blades and visible screws inside a black metal case labeled "PROTOTYPE N° 03.
In a fun twist, the Inflection actually borrows from the Swiss for its movement, which comes from Girard-Perregaux.
Atelier Wen

In 2025, Atelier Wen launched the Inflection, an evolution of the Perception with a case and bracelet made of tantalum — making it the first serial-production watch in the world to be fully made of the notoriously difficult-to-machine material. The impeccably finished final result is enough to knock the socks off of the most jaded Swiss collectors, making the watch feel like a bargain even at its lofty price point of $28,900, which is nearly the exact SRP of the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167A.

Thanks to the Atelier Wen Inflection, the secret is out when it comes to the prowess of Chinese luxury watchmaking.

12. Cartier’s oldest icon reminds everyone it is still a capable tool watch

Square silver Cartier watch with white dial, black Roman numerals, blue hands, and metal bracelet with screws.Cartier

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Cartier Santos de Cartier Titanium

Specs

Case Size 39.8mm
Movement Cartier Cal. 1847 MC automatic
Water Resistance 100m

Louis Cartier created the Santos in 1902 for his friend, the aviation pioneer, Alberto Santos-Dumont, making it the first pilot’s watch and one of the first wristwatches not designated as jewelry.

Fast forward 121 years, and Cartier’s oldest extant design is undeniably iconic, but generally considered a dress watch. Tool watch design has come a very long way over the past century, and so has the Parisian watchmaker and jewelry brand.

Square silver Cartier wristwatch with blue hands, Roman numerals, and a metal bracelet.
The Santos de Cartier Titanium has a bead-blasted finish on the case and bracelet.
Cartier

The Santos de Cartier is now a symbol of luxury, often constructed from precious metal, and rarely put in harm’s way. But Cartier penned the next chapter in the collection’s story, and it’s a callback to those tool watch roots.

Cartier now offers the Santos, for the first time in its history, in full titanium. More specifically, the case and integrated bracelet are made of Grade 5 Extra Low Interstitial titanium, which the brand claims is 43 percent lighter and 1.5 times stronger than steel.

The debut Santos de Cartier Titanium comes in the brand’s Large size, with a 39.8mm-wide and 9.3mm-tall case. A bead-blasted finish creates a positively badass impression, refocusing on the industrial design elements, such as the exposed screws and the bolt crown.

Silver Cartier wristwatch with a square white dial, black Roman numerals, and blue hands on a person's wrist.
The Santos de Cartier Titanium is available in a 39.8mm case size.
Cartier

Cartier’s signature dial is unchanged, a Roman numeral hours track is skewed to frame a railroad minutes track and blued leaf hands, while a small date window replaces the 6:00 marker.

It’s safe to say that the Santos de Cartier is once again fit for aeronautical adventure.

11. A mid-century-modern dream brought to life

Stainless steel Zenith chronograph wristwatch with an orange dial featuring three silver subdials, silver hour markers, and hands. The watch has a date window between 4 and 5 o'clock and a stainless steel link bracelet. The dial includes the text "ZENITH CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC El Primero.Zenith

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Zenith Defy Chronograph USM

Specs

Case Size 37mm
Movement Zenith Cal. El Primero 400 automatic chronograph
Water Resistance 100m

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: a century-plus-old watch brand reissues a mid-century watch from its archives. Yawn. 

But how about this: a century-plus-old watch brand has created a watch that could have existed in the mid-twentieth century, but never did, and partnered with an iconic mid-century modern designer to bring to life a collab that never was.

Silver wristwatch with a green dial and three white subdials, featuring a stainless steel bracelet, placed on the corner of a green and chrome metallic surface. The watch has two pushers and a crown on the right side of the case.
A chronograph straight out of the 1960s, except, not really.
Zenith

Now that is interesting, and it’s exactly what Zenith did when it teamed with famed mid-century furniture maker USM to create one of the coolest 1960s watches ever — even if it arrived about 60 years too late.

Based on Zenith’s original Defy sports watch from 1969, the Defy Chronograph USM features all the hallmarks typical of a 1960s Defy, including a ladder bracelet, a 37mm octagonal case and a 14-sided bezel, all in stainless steel.

Silver metal wristwatch with a yellow dial and three white subdials, worn on a wrist with a white dress shirt cuff. The watch has a polished, angular case and a linked metal bracelet. The dial features hour markers and chronograph functions.
This marks the first time the original Defy case has contained an El Primero chronograph movement.
Zenith

1969 was a big year for Zenith. In addition to launching the Defy that year, the brand also debuted its groundbreaking El Primero chronograph movement. But surprisingly, the two ’69 babies never crossed paths, as the original Defy case was never equipped with an El Primero movement.

Zenith has rectified that omission here, combining its two icons for the first time into a very-1960s chronograph made in 2025. But the brand didn’t stop there.

A colorful storage box with a metallic frame and panels in blue, yellow, green, and orange. The box has a pull-out drawer at the bottom containing a silver wristwatch with a yellow dial, displayed on a white cushion. The top of the box is blue, and the interior sides are green and orange. The box is labeled "ZENITH" on the top front edge.
USM even produced a Haller watch storage box for the collab.
Zenith

Zenith stretched its idea of “imagined heritage” by teaming with a period-correct partner, USM, to douse the Defy Chronograph in four of USM’s custom bright colors from its signature Haller modular storage units of the ’60s. What’s more, USM produced a custom miniature Haller watch storage box for the chronograph.

Vintage reissue watches can be fun, but they’ve been done to death. Zenith proves there’s more fun to be had when a brand examines its back-catalog by thinking outside the box … or inside the modular storage unit.

10. The glorious transformation of an iconic dress watch

Rectangular rose gold Jaeger-LeCoultre watch with textured dial and mesh bracelet.Jaeger-LeCoultre

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds on Milanese

Specs

Case Size 45.6mm x 27.4mm
Movement Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. 822 manual-wind
Water Resistance 30m

Debuting in 1931, the Reverso is one of the most recognizable designs in the history of watchmaking thanks to its Art Deco-inspired rectangular silhouette and signature rotating case.

Over the years, Jaeger-LeCoultre has produced countless variations of the Reverso with multiple faces, in various sizes and colors, and with myriad complications. But arguably, none have given the watch as successful a reinvention as this 2025 model in monotone pink gold on a Milanese bracelet.

Rose gold Jaeger-LeCoultre rectangular watch with mesh bracelet and reversible case open.
This is the JLC Reverso, but not like you know it.
Jaeger-LeCoultre

A Reverso on a bracelet is rare enough as it is, but never before have we seen a version of this iconic watch where the bracelet was so intrinsic to the overall design. The bracelet here feels as crucial to the overall design as it does on the Vacheron 222. To put this Reverso on a leather strap would just feel wrong.

The bracelet consists of 16 meters of 18K pink gold threads and integrates seamlessly with the 18K pink gold case, both of which are mirror-polished. The visual cohesion extends to the dial, with matching pink gold dauphine hands and trapezoidal indices sitting on a color-matched grained dial.

Rectangular rose gold wristwatch with mesh strap worn on a wrist over a brown jacket sleeve.
It’s hard to think of a more visually striking Reverso reference. Such a watch may not exist.
Jaeger-LeCoultre

The overall look is a mix of the Reverso’s classic Art Deco origins with a heavy dose of 1970s glam that JLC has nicknamed “Or Deco,” with “or” being the French word for gold.

The watch is both obviously a Reverso and completely unlike any Reverso we’ve ever seen before. It’s one of the most transformative takes on an iconic watch design ever, but is so breathtakingly beautiful and so flawlessly executed that it arrived with zero controversy.

Rose gold rectangular watch case with a mesh strap and a smooth, polished finish.
As a Monoface, this Reverso has just one dial, with a sterile caseback that’s suitable for engraving.
Jaeger-LeCoultre

Giving such a thorough visual overhaul to a design icon is risky business, but one that JLC pulled off brilliantly. This isn’t just a different version of the Reverso. It might be the best version of the Reverso.

9. Nomos reinvents the woldtimer watch by making it more fun

Stainless steel Nomos Glashütte watch with blue dial, white numerals, chronograph subdials, and metal bracelet.Nomos

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Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer

Specs

Case Size 40mm
Movement Nomos Cal. DUW 3202 automatic worldtimer
Water Resistance 100m

In a sea of watches aiming to dazzle and impress at Watches and Wonders 2025, Nomos reminded everyone how much fun mechanical timekeeping can be.

The lighthearted German watchmaker introduced the Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer, a sporty travel watch with an ingenious new complication.

a nomos watch on a mans wrist
The Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer has a 40mm steel case.
Nomos Glashütte

The unassuming dial features a 24-hour sub-dial, a world time track on the outer rim, central hour and minutes hands and a small seconds. But the trick lies in how these elements work in unison.

When the lone pusher at 2:00 is pressed, the central hour hand advances one hour, while the world time dial advances one time zone. It blends a “traveler” GMT with a traditional worldtimer complication in an entertaining analog dance.

Travelers begin by setting the world time track to their home time zone, as indicated by a combination of abbreviations and airport codes. Then, they set the 24-hour sub-dial and central hands to their home time zone using the crown.

a closeup of a nomos watch dial
The central hour hand and outer world time track move in unison with the activation of the pusher.
Nomos Glashütte

When their destination is reached, a few taps of the pusher set the watch to the local time. Better still, the pusher has a satisfying click and provides an engaging tactile experience from watching two elements of the dial adjust in unison.

The Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer and its brilliant, novel caliber DUW 3202 automatic movement are part of Nomos’ permanent collection. It could represent the start of a new chapter in the story of mechanical travel watches.

8. A 250-year-old watch brand’s bold vision of the future

Round gold wristwatch with white dial, blue single hand, and dark blue leather strap.Breguet

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Breguet Classique Souscription 2025

Specs

Case Size 40mm
Movement Breguet Cal. VS00 manual-wind
Water Resistance 30m

No watch brand had a bigger year than Breguet.

While many brands celebrated anniversaries in 2025 — Vacheron Constantin turned 270, Audemars Piguet, 150 — it was Breguet that made the most of its birthday.

The Swiss watchmaker, which typically only releases around five new watches per year, put out a dozen in 2025, all of them decidedly impressive.

We got Breguet’s first water-resistant minute repeater, its first flying tourbillon and the incredible Experimentale 1, which introduced a crazy-precise new magnetic escapement and 10Hz tourbillon.

a white dial watch with one hand
While not the most impressive of Breguet’s 2025 releases, the Classique Souscription has had the biggest impact.
Breguet

But the most impactful of the brand’s 2025 releases was also perhaps the simplest. The Classique Souscription 2025, with its unique one-handed enamel dial, got its design inspiration from founder Abraham-Louis Breguet’s Souscription pocket watches in the 18th century.

But while it may seem like this 200-plus-year-old design is looking backward, the Classique Souscription 2025 is actually the watch most representative of Breguet’s future.

the display case back of a gold Breguet watch
The watch introduced a new proprietary alloy, Breguet Gold, inspired by the gold used by 18th-century watchmakers.
Breguet

The watch introduced a new proprietary precious metal alloy, Breguet Gold, which was subsequently featured in other 2025 250th-anniversary releases. More notably, it also debuted an exciting new case shape for the brand. 

Featuring more contemporary curves, more ergonomic lugs and cleaner brushed sides instead of the brand’s traditional fluted case sides, this is a decidedly more modern case than we’re used to seeing from Breguet. It showed a willingness from the brand, which at times has been traditional to a fault, to experiment in unexpected and refreshing ways. 

a white dial watch with one hand
The industry took notice of the Classique Souscription, with the watch earning the top prize at the 2025 GPHG Awards.
Breguet

In the past, Breguet’s long and illustrious history has at times been a burden for the brand. But with the Classique Souscription, Breguet proves it’s possible to tastefully honor its heritage while also modernizing areas of its product that have grown stale. 

And if this watch is any indication, Breguet’s next 250 years will be even better than the first.

7. The best chronograph in the $5,000 range, and it’s not even close

Stainless steel Longines chronograph watch with black dial, beige numerals, and black bezel.Longines

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Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback

Specs

Case Size 39.5mm
Movement Longines Cal. L792.4 manual-wind flyback chronograph
Water Resistance 100m

Longines unlocked the full potential of its competitively priced flyback chronograph. The Swiss watchmaker didn’t just revamp the dial and add Pilot to the name, it gave the impressive but flawed design a complete overhaul, making it exponentially more wearable and nicer to look at.

Silver metal bracelet watch with black dial, white numerals, and two subdials on a gray surface.Photo by Johnny Brayson for Gear Patrol

The Spirit Pilot Flyback has a slimmed-down case, now measuring 39.5mm across, 47.4mm lug-to-lug and, best of all, just 13.4mm thick. The new dimensions transformed the formerly unwieldy watch into something you will never want to take off your wrist.

The other half of the glow-up is the simplified dial. Longines’ divisive five-star flourish is gone, with only the brand logo — including the flying hourglass icon — situated at twelve o’clock, and three discrete lines of text at six o’clock.

Close-up of a Longines stainless steel wristwatch with a black dial and chronograph subdials worn under a denim sleeve.Photo by Johnny Brayson for Gear Patrol

Black and gilt is arguably the most universally appealing color scheme for a watch, and you would be hard-pressed to find a better example than this pilot-themed, bi-compax dial. Adding to the allure is a fully lumed bezel track, which caps off the overall exceptional legibility.

Dark watch face with glowing green numerals and hands, showing time around 10:08.Photo by Johnny Brayson for Gear Patrol

Of course, the heart of the watch, and the reason it was able to slim down so much, is the new caliber L792.4 hand-wound movement, built exclusively for Longines by its sister company, ETA. It has a silicone balance spring, a 68-hour power reserve, a column wheel and, as the name suggests, a flyback function.

Despite the downsizing, this is about as much watch as you can get for just over $5,000.

6. The ultimate affordable watch company establishes an imprint for connoisseurs

Stainless steel Timex Atelier automatic wristwatch with a black dial, luminous hour markers, and hands. The bezel is black with minute markings, and the watch is water-resistant up to 200 meters (660 feet). The bracelet is a matching stainless steel link design.Timex

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Timex Atelier Marine M1a

Specs

Case Size 41mm
Movement Catena Cal. SA100 automatic
Water Resistance 200m

Timex is known and loved for its bargain watches, which often come in at well below $500. While mining its archives and duplicating established favorites at an affordable price has gained the Waterbury watchmaker great success over the past decade, it clearly has higher aspirations.

Black Timex wristwatch with a round stainless steel case, luminous hour markers, and hands. The watch face features the text "TIMEX Atelier," "AUTOMATIC," and "200M/660FT." It has a black rotating bezel with minute markings and a textured black rubber strap. The crown is protected by a guard on the right side of the case.
The Atelier Marine M1a is a highly capable automatic dive watch.
Timex

Beginning in 2022, Giorgio Galli, Timex’s Creative Director, released a self-titled series of automatic watches with specs and price tags well above the brand’s typical offerings.

As it turns out, Galli was merely testing the waters before launching Timex Atelier, a sub-brand dedicated to creating sophisticated watches aimed at the mid-tier market. It is a bold venture, but if the debut reference is any indication, it is one of the most exciting new brands in the industry.

Close-up of a black dive watch with luminous markers and hands glowing green in the dark. The watch features a rotating bezel with minute markings, a textured rubber strap, and a brushed metal case. The time displayed is approximately 10:10.
The Marine M1a has a fully lumed bezel, including a horizontal stipe pattern on the pip.
Timex

Galli kicked off Timex’s new venture with the Marine M1a, a dive watch that blends familiar looks with inventive design. It has a unidirectional dive bezel, classic triangle-dot-dash hour markers and a lollipop seconds hand.

But the bezel is fully lumed, including a fun horizontal stripe pattern on the pip. It features a skeletonized case frame and lug design, which reduces weight. And it runs on an obscure but impressive Swiss-made automatic movement, which beats at 4Hz and has a 36-hour power reserve.

Back view of a stainless steel Timex Atelier wristwatch showing the automatic movement with visible gears and screws. The case back has engravings including "MC M1.a.1 St," "Giorgio Galli for Timex Atelier," "Swiss Made," "Automatic," "Stainless Steel," "Sapphire Crystal," and "29 Twenty-Nine Jewels Swiss Made." The watch has a metal bracelet and a crown with an engraved logo.
The Marine M1a runs on an obscure but respectable Swiss-made automatic movement.
Timex

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Marine M1a is its price. Despite being far and away the best dive watch Timex has ever produced, boasting a 200m water resistance, automatic movement and a ton of lume, it only costs $950 on a rubber strap and $1,050 on a steel three-link bracelet.

If Timex can consistently offer equivalent bargains in the $1,000 range to those we’ve been spoiled by at the $250 range, then the watch industry is on notice in 2026.

5. The rare sequel that’s better than the original

Silver watch with a bright blue textured rubber strap and a blue dial featuring exposed mechanical elements.Christopher Ward

GP100 Winner

Christopher Ward C12 Loco

Specs

Case Size 41mm
Movement Christopher Ward Cal. CW-03 manual-wind
Water Resistance 30m

In late 2022, Christopher Ward launched the watch that would forever change the direction of the company.

The C1 Bel Canto utilized a clever in-house jumping module to create a chiming watch at a price far lower than anyone had ever thought possible.

The Bel Canto quickly became the de facto flagship of CW, a brand previously known for its affordable, homage-ish dive watches. What’s more, the watch significantly raised the profile of the brand, putting Christopher Ward on the radar of collectors who previously had little to no interest in the brand.

Close-up of a mechanical watch movement with blue base plate and silver gears in a brushed metal case.
The open free-sprung balance wheel was custom-made for the Loco.
Christopher Ward

But the watch industry moves at a breakneck pace, and before long, the conversation surrounding Christopher Ward shifted to wondering how the brand could possibly follow up a watch as groundbreaking as the Bel Canto. After all, sequels are never as good as the original.

Except, apparently, in the case of the C12 Loco.

Rather than resting on its laurels, Christopher Ward doubled down on its efforts to democratize haute horlogerie by launching a watch even more impressive than the Bel Canto in 2025.

Four mechanical watch movements with different colored dials (orange, silver, blue, and gray) arranged around a Bergeon watchmaker's tool and a pair of tweezers on a gray surface.
As a piece of watchmaking, the Loco is inarguably more impressive than the Bel Canto.
Christopher Ward

While perhaps less novel than the Bel Canto’s chiming mechanism, the Loco is a decidedly more accomplished piece of watchmaking.

Rather than relying on a module mated to an off-the-shelf Sellita movement, the Loco runs on a brand-new, fully in-house movement boasting a whopping six-day power reserve and the kind of floating, dial-side escapement and free-sprung balance most often seen in six-figure watches from brands like MB&F.

the open case back of a Christopher Ward watch
The movement’s prominent bridges are hand-finished using multiple techniques.
Christopher Ward

The balance wheel is custom-made, the movement has chronometer-level accuracy and the bridges — both on the dial and on the movement’s stunning reverse side — are hand-finished. 

This is legitimate high watchmaking, for a price that’s even less believable than the Bel Canto’s. 

Now, just one question remains for Christopher Ward: How about a trilogy?

4. The lightest mechanical dive watch in history

Skeleton dial wristwatch with visible gears, black carbon bezel, and bright orange textured strap.Ulysse Nardin

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Ulysse Nardin Diver Air

Specs

Case Size 44mm
Movement Ulysse Nardin Cal. UN-374 automatic
Water Resistance 200m

Dive watches are likely the most popular traditional watch style today, and although few people ever take dive watches diving, brands are constantly looking at ways to innovate within the genre.

This innovation has led to dive watches that can dive deeper, glow brighter and, in the case of the Ulysse Nardin Diver Air, weigh so little you’d swear they could float.

two ulysse nardin dive watches
There’s never been a mechanical dive watch as light as this.
Ulysse Nardin

The Diver Air is the lightest mechanical dive watch ever made. The watch head weighs 46 grams, and the strap adds just six more for a grand total of 52 grams — about as much as an egg. 

Despite its extremely low weight, the beefy 44mm watch is still as robust and capable as any of the leading divers on the market. It has a fully lumed bezel with loud, crisp action. Its crown and caseback both screw down, ensuring 200m of water resistance. Its movement is self-winding, has a 90-hour power reserve and is capable of withstanding shocks up to 5,000 Gs.

Skeleton dial wristwatch with black carbon bezel and white textured strap on a white abstract background.
On the strap, the watch weighs about as much as an egg.
Ulysse Nardin

This is all possible because Ulysse Nardin cut weight, not corners, when creating the Diver Air.

The case is made from a mix of lightweight materials: titanium, carbon fiber and Nylo-Foil — a nylon-carbon composite. The strap is an airy, elastic strip of fabric with a clever, minimalist Velcro closure and is exceedingly comfortable.

Skeleton dial Ulysse Nardin watch with visible gears, black and silver bezel, and orange fabric strap.
The Cal. UN-374 automatic movement is made mostly of titanium, with a silicon escapement and unique innovations like a flying mainspring barrel.
Ulysse Nardin

The new Calibre UN-374 is a completely reworked version of the brand’s existing Cal. UN-372 movement, with all unnecessary weight eliminated and the remaining bridges being remade in titanium and reconfigured to optimize strength. The hyper-skeletonized movement takes up just 20 percent of the space inside the watch — the other 80 percent is air.

Looking at the design as a whole, the Diver Air feels impossible. Thankfully, Ulysse Nardin specializes in making the impossible possible.

3. The definitive version of the definitive sports watch

Audemars Piguet watch with blue textured dial, two subdials, and visible tourbillon mechanism.Audemars Piguet

GP100 Winner

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5 150th Anniversary

Specs

Case Size 39mm
Movement Audemars Piguet Cal. 8001 automatic flyback chronograph tourbillon
Water Resistance 20m

Virtually every major watch brand today offers an integrated luxury sports watch in its catalog, and they can all trace their lineage back to one watch: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

Gérald Genta’s masterpiece popularized the idea of a steel luxury sports watch when it debuted in 1972, and in the decades since, AP has produced countless takes on the octagonal icon. 

But none have impressed more than the RD#5 created to celebrate Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary in 2025.

Silver metal wristwatch with a blue textured dial and visible tourbillon mechanism on a white surface.
Behold, the ultimate Royal Oak.
Audemars Piguet

The prototypical version of the Royal Oak is the “Jumbo” Extra-Thin, specifically in steel with its tapisserie dial in the model’s signature Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 shade. And it’s this model that the RD#5 used as a jumping-off point in its journey to becoming the ultimate Royal Oak.

The case of the RD#5 has the same Goldilocks dimensions as the Jumbo, measuring 39mm across and just 8.1mm thick. That’s very thin for a simple automatic time-and-date watch like the “Jumbo” Extra-Thin. It’s mind-bogglingly thin for the RD#5.

Silver Audemars Piguet watch with blue textured dial and visible tourbillon on black background.
Despite its far more complicated movement, the RD#5’s case is exactly the same size as the “Jumbo” Extra-Thin.
Audemars Piguet

That’s because the automatic RD#5 packs both a flyback chronograph and a flying tourbillon — two of the most complex mechanical watch complications — into its 8.1mm-thick vessel, a seemingly magical feat only made possible by several patented innovations in the new movement AP created for the RD#5, Calibre 8001, including haptic-inspired chronograph pushers and a button on the crown to cycle between setting and winding modes.

The RD#5 features a Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 tapisserie dial, but it swaps out the Jumbo’s steel case and bracelet for a mix of brushed titanium and mirror-polished, palladium-based Bulk Metal Glass. The result is a more comfortable design with increased strength and greater visual pop.

Silver metal wristwatch with visible intricate mechanical movement and linked bracelet band.
The Cal. 8001 movement has 379 components and required several patents.
Audemars Piguet

If the original Royal Oak is an icon, then the RD#5 is nothing short of a legend.

2. The world’s most enigmatic and revered watch movement gets a sequel

Silver stainless steel Grand Seiko wristwatch with textured white dial and blue second hand.Grand Seiko

GP100 Winner

Grand Seiko SLGB003

Specs

Case Size 37mm
Movement Grand Seiko Cal. 9RB2 Spring Drive UFA automatic
Water Resistance 100m

They say true beauty is found within.

Grand Seiko’s SLGB003 is a beautiful watch, but nothing about its appearance stands out from the rest of the brand’s Evolution 9 collection.

Look inside the case, however, and you’ll find one of the most remarkable mechanical watch movements ever devised: the caliber 9RB2 Spring Drive Ultra Fine Accuracy.

Grand Seiko watch movement with visible jewels and "Spring Drive Ultra Fine Accuracy" engraving.
Grand Seiko outdoes itself with the caliber 9RB2 Spring Drive Ultra Fine Accuracy movement.
Grand Seiko

Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive movement achieved a nearly mythical status among watch enthusiasts for blurring the line between mechanical and quartz timekeeping. While it is technically an automatic movement with no battery involved, it utilizes quartz crystals to regulate time with an astonishing accuracy of +/-15 seconds per month.

In 2025, Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive UFA made a quantum leap in horological engineering by shattering the previous accuracy with a measurement of +/-20 seconds per year. Most battery-powered quartz movements don’t even come close to that mark.

Silver stainless steel Grand Seiko wristwatch with textured silver dial and blue second hand.
The Grand Seiko SLGB003 has a 37mm High-Intensity Titanium case.
Grand Seiko

According to Grand Seiko, this astonishing improvement in mechanical movement regulation was accomplished by refining the growth and processing of the three-month-aged quartz oscillator at the heart of the design.

Additionally, the integrated circuit — another aspect borrowed from quartz movement design — has been improved, and the entire regulation system is vacuum-sealed to prevent interference.

a grand seiko watch on a mans wrist
The Spring Drive UFA movement is also available in the platinum-cased caliber SLGB001.
Grand Seiko

Barring any last-minute surprise releases, 2025 will mark the release of the first three Spring Drive UFA-powered watches, all of which are 37mm members of the Evolution 9 Collection.

The movement debuted in April with the titanium SLGB003, alongside the limited-edition SLGB001, which featured a platinum case and alligator leather strap. Then the SLGB005, sporting a deep violet Kirigamine dial, was released in September.

1. Rolex’s most important watch in a generation

Silver Rolex Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller watch with white textured dial and date display at 3 o'clock.Rolex

GP100 Winner

Rolex Land-Dweller

Specs

Case Size 36mm, 40mm
Movement Rolex Cal. 7135 automatic
Water Resistance 100m

Rolex isn’t exactly known for taking big swings.

The world’s most famous and successful watch company is renowned for its careful approach. The brand develops and refines its products slowly, making incremental changes that can take over a generation before they’re even perceptible.

That’s what makes the Land-Dweller such a massive deal. This watch wasn’t just a big swing from Rolex. It was a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth in game seven of the World Series.

Silver Rolex Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller watch with white textured dial on a wrist.
The Land-Dweller is Rolex’s first integrated-bracelet watch in decades.
Rolex

First, there’s the obvious: The Land-Dweller is Rolex’s first foray into the competitive world of integrated-bracelet watches since the 1980s-holdover Oysterquartz was discontinued in the early 2000s. 

The new watch is exquisitely finished, especially its “Flat Jubilee” bracelet, which is as comfortable as it is gorgeous.

Rolex re-entering the white-hot integrated bracelet genre wasn’t exactly unexpected. But what was unexpected was the revolutionary movement powering the Land-Dweller.

Close-up of a luxury watch's transparent case back showing a gold rotor and intricate mechanical movement with visible gears.
Rare for a Rolex, the Land-Dweller features a sapphire display caseback, a nod to its contemporary approach.
Rolex

Before the Land-Dweller, every single mechanical movement ever produced by Rolex has used a Swiss lever escapement. The Land-Dweller does not. While still an automatic mechanical movement, the Calibre 7135 runs on a brand-new escapement called Dynapulse. 

In place of an escape wheel, it uses two distribution wheels. Side by side, they’re driven in unison by a transmission wheel that’s connected to the mainspring barrel, and in turn, they interact with the balance wheel via a rocker in place of a pallet fork. There’s very little friction involved in their machinations, which translates to greater precision, better efficiency and (likely) longer service intervals. 

Gold and silver mechanical watch components floating against a blue gradient background.
The Dynapulse escapement is largely made of silicon, beats at 5Hz and eschews the Swiss lever system in favor of a new, more efficient mechanism.
Rolex

The three wheels and rocker are all made of silicon, making the escapement amagnetic, and the Dnyapulse escapement oscillates at 5Hz, making this Rolex’s first-ever high-beat movement. 

It’s the brand’s biggest movement innovation since the first Perpetual winding system in 1931. 

Maybe Rolex should take big swings more often.

About the Author:

Johnny Brayson is an editor at Gear Patrol mostly covering watches. He enjoys watches that are packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em details and believes nearly every watch could stand to be a tad smaller.

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