For more of the latest and greatest product releases, check out our full collection of the best new gear.
Watches are on a tear for 2022, and it's only January. Late last year, we offered a few watch hopes and predictions, and we're feeling self-congratulatory as some are already coming to fruition but we didn't foresee Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin's recent independence from the Kering Group. Many of the big-brands' 2022 headline releases can be found here — but there were many more cool watches worth checking out this month, from affordable tool watches to overlooked releases even from Swiss big boys. You'll find that, Shinola's unexpected automatic diver with a carbon case, Zenith's crazy manga-inspired chronograph and much more below.
Grand Seiko Seasons Soko Frost
Grand Seiko's U.S.-exclusive Seasons collection began with four watches in 2019. The brand has continued to fill out the line with the 24 sub-seasons that the Japanese language names, and the latest two such models are said to reference late autumn frost (but their bluish dials will feel appropriately icy in this frigid January). One features a hi-beat automatic movement, and the other is a Spring Drive model.
Price: $6,000-$6,900
Lumtec Solar Marine
The Solar Marine is a handsome and affordable, solar-charging dive watch that comes in a couple of variations. It's just part of the brand's newly announced 2022 lineup that's available for pre-order now and shipping in June or July.
Price: $421+
Timex x Hypebeast M79 Automatic
Hypebeast's first official watch release is a collaboration with Timex. This version of the retro-inspired M69 watch features a Japanese automatic movement, "Hypebeast" on the dial and a bicolored bezel with a "fuscia" hue meant to reference the way vintage watches's colors fade and patina. It'll be available to order from January 12, 9am, EST.
Price: $299
Zodiac x Huckberry Super Sea Wolf 53 Skin "Kelp Forest"
Zodiac teamed up with Huckberry to launch a very cool limited edition of the Super Sea Wolf 53 Skin dive watch with a deep green dial said to reference undersea kelp forests. Only 82 examples were made — and they promptly sold out.
Price: $1,095 (sold out)
Shinola Monster Forged Carbon Automatic Dive Watch
You probably didn't see this coming from Shinola: its new Monster dive watch has a forged carbon case with orange resin mixed in for a cool camo-like look. This is one for watch nerds, with an exotic case material and Swiss automatic movement inside making it probably the priciest watch Shinola has yet produced. It comes with a black rubber strap and an orange nylon one.
Price: $2,995
Zenith Chronomaster Revival A384 "Lupin the Third Final Edition"
It was unexpectedly cool when Zenith introduced a version of their Chronomaster Revival inspired by Japanese cartoon Lupin the Third. It's since turned into a series of watches, and the third and final version features a diagonally bisected dial that's half white and half black. Pretty wild, if you ask us.
Price: $10,000
Swatch Clear Collection
There's something playful and fun about translucent plastic watches like "jelly" G-Shocks or these new Clear collection watches from Swatch. In a few sizes and versions, they're totally transparent so you can see all the quartz-powered inner workings while colorful hands maintain legibility.
Price: $75-$120
Maratac Titanium Field Automatic Watch Gen 2
Maratac makes a hell of an affordable but satisfying G10-style NATO strap. But if you still need the perfect watch to put on one of those straps, check out the new (and improved over previous versions) 39mm field watch with a sterile dial (sans logo), solid Miyota 9015 automatic movement, sapphire crystal and titanium case. And yes, it comes on a NATO strap, all for a pretty reasonable price.
Price: $359
Oris x Cervo Volante Big Crown Pointer Date
For a trio of new watches in one of our favorite Oris collections, the Big Crown Pointer Date, the Swiss watchmaker teamed up with Cervo Volante. The latter is a brand focused on the sustainable use of deer leather, and the collab watches come in three gradient shades of green or gray and, of course, feature deerskin straps. Most notably, the watches introduce a new case size for the Big Crown Pointer date at 38mm.
Price: $2,000
Frederique Constant Flyback Chronograph “DailyWatch”
Can we just go ahead and call this one of the best-looking watches Frederique Constant has made? Produced in collaboration with the website DailyWatch, it's just too bad this version of the brand's automatic flyback chronograph is limited to only 25 examples.
Price: ~$4,535
Unimatic S Series
Four new watches from the famously minimalist Italian brand Unimatic might at first appear to simply double down on minimalism with dials free even of indices. The brand's U1 and U2 collections each get two versions with black coating or bare steel, but they represent more than aesthetic updates: the cases are slimmed down to 11.6mm and carry Swiss automatic movements inside.
Price: ~$830-$1,145
Grand Seiko Sport Limited-Edition Spring Drive
Sporty new Spring Drive chronograph and GMT watches celebrate 15 and 20 years, respectively, since Grand Seiko first introduced these movements. A cool, wintery colorway, typically awesome textured dials, useful functionality and impressive technology make these limited editions some of our recent favorites from the brand's Sport collection.
Price: $7,300 ($11,000 for the chronograph)
Tom Ford Ocean Plastic Sport
Here's something you don't see every day: It's a watch with a plastic case and a Swiss automatic movement inside. Not only that, but it's made from recycled ocean plastic by fashion label Tom Ford. It's got talking points, you have to give it that. It joins the brand's growing watch collections and adds a sporty, dive-style (100m water-resistant) option in a range of strap and case color combinations.
Price: $1,495
Ressence Type 3 BBB
Ressence watches use a satellite system to create a dial that itself turns and uses an oil-filled case to create an effect unlike any watch you've seen before. A new monochromatic version in titanium takes the sleekness factor up a notch.
Price: ~$39,875
Gerald Charles GC Sport
Gerald Genta's eponymous brand is owned by Bulgari, but the famous late designer (whose middle name was Charles) started another eponymous brand that continues to independently produce his original watch designs. With all the buzz and enthusiasm around watches he designed like the Royal Oak, Nautilus and Octo, these quirky new sport watches from Gerald Charles have an interesting look and connection to a superstar designer.
Price: $17,600
MkII Stingray II Keroman
For its latest release, indie brand MkII has announced the second generation of its Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms homage, the Stingray. The first generation came out almost 20 years ago, and its return has been well received. With the design that made its inspiration legendary, Seiko automatic movement and an affordable price, it's easy to see why.
Price: $895
TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200
A new line within TAG Heuer's Aquaracer collection will be welcomed by fans of the brand's dive watches from the not too distant past. Reduced to a popular size of 40mm and featuring the steel bezel that helps distinguish it among among the sea of dive watches, it's what a lot of customers called for. A water resistance of 200m (as opposed to 300) won't make a functional difference for most. A couple dial colors, quartz and automatic options, as well as a smaller 30mm version are available.
Price: $2,050 (quartz), $2,750 (automatic)
Oris Aquis Sun Wu Kong Artist Edition
Oris is known for dive and tool watches, but not so much like this one. With individually hand-painted enamel dials, it's the most expensive watch Oris has ever made that's not in a precious metal (it's in steel). Part of the brand's Sun Wu Kong series, the dial depicts the underwater palace portrayed in the Chinese classic Journey to the West. Only 72 examples will be made.
Price: $27,500
Grand Seiko Heritage 55th Anniversary SLGA
Part of the brand's 55th anniversary releases, two new limited models in the Grand Seiko Heritage collection feature dials with an organic-looking wavy pattern and cases made of the brand's Ever Brilliant Steel. One model features a black dial and Spring Drive movement (SLGA013) while the other has a blue dial and Hi-Beat (5Hz) automatic movement (SLGA009).
Price: $9,500 (SLGA013), $10,500 (SLGH009)
Bulgari Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon
No-holds-barred high-end horology. The new Bulgari Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon couldn't be described as anything else. Its centerpiece is a chiming mechanism with a platinum and titanium case that's acoustically designed to amplify it. Then you've got a tourbillon and skeletonized movement to top it off, all produced fully in-house, of course. There'll be 30 examples made.
Price: $317,000
