In 2025, the global watch market is projected to generate $127.21 billion in revenue, with luxury timepieces accounting for a commanding 60% of total sales. While smartwatches continue to gain traction, traditional watches still lead the way, securing 54.1% of market revenue in 2023.

Often made in limited quantities and driven by intricate mechanical movements, classic watches have come to represent more than just craftsmanship. They carry a legacy, personal history, and a sense of permanence.

That ethos was on display at the 2025 edition of Watches and Wonders in Geneva. Long considered the leading event in the watchmaking calendar, this year’s show offered a window into the state of contemporary horology, rooted in tradition yet increasingly shaped by technical ambition and modern design.

NEW INNOVATIONS

Innovation led the way at Watches and Wonders 2025, as watchmakers experimented with new materials, slimmer movements, and complex mechanics, offering a clear look at how the craft is evolving.

Bulgari | Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon

Bulgari reclaimed the title of the world’s thinnest mechanical watch with the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon, measuring just 1.85mm thick, narrowly surpassing Piaget’s 2mm record set last year. Housed in a 40mm titanium case that integrates the caseback and movement base, it swaps the traditional crown for two steel knobs used to wind and set the time. Limited to 20 pieces, the watch highlights Bulgari’s continued focus on ultra-thin design.

Ulysse Nardin | The Diver [AIR]

Vacheron Constantin | Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première

Pushing the boundaries of complexity, Vacheron Constantin debuted the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première, a double-sided masterpiece featuring 41 complications, including five rare astronomical functions and a Westminster carillon minute repeater. With 1,521 components housed in a case under 15mm thick, the watch took eight years to develop and introduces a world-first celestial timing function that tracks the precise moment a star or constellation becomes visible.

Panerai | Luminor Marina

Panerai, known for its rugged heritage, brought modern upgrades to the iconic Luminor Marina. The new model incorporates the P.980 movement with a three-day power reserve, improved water resistance of up to 50 BAR, and enhanced legibility with Super-LumiNova X2. Housed in a lightweight 44mm titanium case and finished in a bold olive-green colorway, it nods to the brand’s military heritage while embracing modern versatility with interchangeable calf and rubber straps.

LIMITED LUXURY

This year, luxury watchmakers showcased limited editions that paired mechanical sophistication with bold design. From inventive complications to distinctive updates, these pieces reflected each brand’s vision for the future of watchmaking.

Hermès | Time Suspended Watch

Hermès brought a touch of whimsy and wonder to Watches and Wonders with the Cut “Time Suspended”, a reinterpretation of its signature collection.

Housed in a 39mm rose gold case defined by clean lines and geometric harmony, the watch features a poetic complication that allows the wearer to suspend time at the push of a button. Powered by the H1912 movement and a dedicated module, it includes a counterclockwise seconds hand, a visual twist to match the concept. Dial finishes in sunburst blue, brun désert, and a limited-edition red, paired with asymmetrical lugs, showcase Hermès’ distinctive blend of minimalism and innovation.

Roger Dubuis | The Excalibur Grande Complication

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Roger Dubuis unveiled the Excalibur Grande Complication, a dramatic, high-complication piece limited to just eight examples. Combining a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and flying tourbillon, the timepiece echoes the spirit of the brand’s 2009 Grande Complication with a skeletonized dial and retrograde display. Certified by the Poinçon de Genève, it features a chiming mechanism tuned to the rare “devil’s chord”—a testament to Roger Dubuis’ flair for avant-garde craftsmanship.

Rolex | The Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller

Perhaps the most headline-grabbing debut came from Rolex, which introduced the Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller, its first entirely new model and movement in decades. Seven years in development, the integrated-bracelet sports watch features 32 patent applications, with 18 unique to this reference. At its heart is the calibre 7135, a 5 Hz movement with a re-engineered escapement and oscillator visible through a sapphire case back, a rarity for Rolex. Inspired by 1970s classics like the Oysterquartz, the design fuses retro styling with modern technical prowess.

Hublot | Big Bang 20th Anniversary Collection

Hublot, marking 20 years of the Big Bang, launched three distinctive collections. The first pays tribute to the 2005 original with five limited-edition models powered by the Unico flyback chronograph movement. Housed in redesigned 43mm cases and available in titanium, King Gold, Red Magic ceramic, all-black ceramic, and Magic Gold, production runs range from 100 to 500 pieces, with prices starting at $20,800.

The second series, Master of Sapphire, pushes transparency and color to the extreme. Comprising five vibrant models, each pairs a colored sapphire case with a skeletonized movement boasting a 10-day power reserve, priced at $605,000.

Finally, Hublot revealed a one-of-a-kind complication set: one watch in Blue Texalium with a tourbillon minute repeater, and another combining a tourbillon, minute repeater, and monopusher chronograph in a frosted carbon case. The price: a bold $1,099,000.

REFINED DESIGN

While some brands leaned into technical showpieces, others focused on restraint, highlighting clean lines, precise engineering, and enduring style.

Moser & Cie | The Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Purple Haze

Moser & Cie continued its minimalist philosophy with the Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Purple Haze. Stripped of logos and numerals, the dial is a study in subtle craftsmanship. Its rich gradient hue is achieved through the Grand Feu enamel technique, layered and fired over a hammered white gold base.

Encased in a 40mm stainless steel frame and powered by the HMC 201 automatic movement, the watch offers a quiet statement of purity and elegance. A hand-stitched purple leather strap completes the monochromatic vision, highlighting Moser’s mastery of understated luxury.

TAG Heuer | Carrera Day-Date

TAG Heuer revisited its heritage with a refreshed Carrera, blending sportiness with everyday refinement. A vivid sunray-brushed blue dial, rhodium-plated hands, and a curved flange bring depth and polish, while a Victory Wreath engraving on the caseback nods to the model’s racing legacy. At its core, the TH31-02 movement delivers an 80-hour power reserve and a day-date function, a reminder that practicality and prestige aren’t mutually exclusive.

Montblanc | the 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson

Montblanc ventured to the extremes with the 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson, a rugged yet meticulously crafted tribute to polar exploration.

Housed in a 43.5mm glacial composite case infused with zero oxygen to prevent fogging and oxidation, the dial features a luminous silhouette of Mount Vinson, complemented by dual rotating hemispheres and a second time zone. Powered by the MB 29.25 calibre, the watch is as functional as it is distinctive, finished with a blue-green rubber strap and titanium bezel built to endure the harshest elements.

Jaeger-LeCoultre | Reverso Minute Repeater

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s latest Reverso timepiece features a dual-dial design, each side offering a distinct aesthetic while displaying the same time. The front dial is fully skeletonized, revealing the intricate minute repeater mechanism beneath a sweeping golden bridge. Floating hour markers and a rich rose-gold finish add to its dramatic visual appeal. The reverse dial takes a simpler approach, with vertical Côtes de Genève stripes, blued screws, and gold accents on a silver-toned background. The two sides reflect the brand’s attention to detail and mechanical skill.

TECHNICAL DESIGN

As craftsmanship and aesthetic refinements captivated audiences, another current pulsed quietly but powerfully through Watches and Wonders 2025: a dedication to technical design. Here, form and function were not at odds but expertly aligned, as brands showcased pioneering work in materials and mechanical complexity.IWC Schaffhausen | Ingenieur Automatic 42

IWC Schaffhausen pushed its engineering pedigree further with the Ingenieur Automatic 42, the first time the iconic model has been rendered entirely in ceramic. Crafted from black zirconium oxide, the watch boasts a multi-part case, integrated bracelet, and the Ingenieur’s signature “Grid” dial pattern.

Lightweight, scratch-resistant, and visually striking, ceramic has been in IWC’s material playbook since 1986, but this iteration refines the application. A hidden titanium ring within the structure enhances durability and supports a water resistance of up to 10 bar, preserving the model’s heritage while elevating its technical character.

Lange & Söhne | The Minute Repeater Perpetual

Lange & Söhne demonstrated mechanical mastery with the Minute Repeater Perpetual, a 40.5mm platinum timepiece limited to just 50 pieces. The watch combines a perpetual calendar with a finely tuned minute repeater, its precision chimes delivered by gongs and hammers meticulously calibrated for clarity. A black enamel dial adds gravitas, while integrated safety mechanisms prevent overlapping commands, ensuring seamless operation. The result is a synthesis of high complication and engineering discipline, executed with the restraint and rigor that defines the Saxon manufacture.