Well, that’s a wrap on Watches & Wonders for another year… and what a week it’s been in Geneva. Record-breakers, world-firsts, and a few surprises from the industry’s heavyweights. It’s exactly what you’d hope for at the biggest watch event on the planet.
Yet, in a sea of novelties, it takes something special to cut through the noise, and this year, a few pieces did just that. We kept a close eye on the drops, dissected the dial details, and debated the bold moves over too many champagnes. While there were plenty of headlines, these are the releases that really made us stop, stare, and, if I’m being honest, quietly check our bank balances.
Here’s our pick of the standout watches from Geneva.
In this Best of Watches & Wonders 2025 article.
Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A. Limited Edition ‘Ice Forest’ Platinum
Grand Seiko’s SLGB001J is a masterclass in precision and elegance. Housed in a 37mm Platinum 950 case, this timepiece features the groundbreaking Spring Drive Caliber 9RB2 movement, boasting an unprecedented annual accuracy of ±20 seconds.
The “Ice Forest” dial, inspired by frost-laced trees of the Kirigamine Highlands seen through crisp mountain air from the Shinshu Watch Studio, offers a serene backdrop to the gliding seconds hand. Paired with a crocodile leather strap and limited to just 80 pieces, this exquisite piece will be available from June 2025 at Grand Seiko boutiques.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds
This 45.6mm Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso in 18k pink gold was an outrageous flex in Geneva, wearing like a delicate timepiece despite its overarching frame. Of course, the Reverso collection was enjoying some well-deserved eyeballs when JLC showed off its novelties at Watches & Wonders, so it took an extravagant release to stand out from the crowd… which this one surely does.
Powered by the manually wound calibre 822, it’s slim, elegant, and complemented by a Milanese mesh bracelet, also crafted from 18k pink gold. This one will set you back $66,500 AUD – it’s a small price to pay for one of the best releases of the week.
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Openface
Vacheron Constantin marks its 270th anniversary with a masterstroke: the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar. This 370-piece limited edition offered a contemporary take on Vacheron’s classic triple calendar, complete with curved pointer date and a semi-transparent moonphase.
The openface dial features a guilloché Maltese cross and “côte unique” finishing, revealing just enough of the movement’s complexity. A fluted caseback, stepped lugs and alligator strap complete the look. Understated opulence, executed with obsessive detail.
Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum (Ref. 295396-9001)
Chopard’s sportiest watch just got its most luxurious treatment yet. This 41mm ultra-thin Alpine Eagle arrives in full platinum with a newly refined bracelet and shimmering ‘Shades of Ice’ blue gradient dial.
Inside beats the L.U.C 96.42-L micro-rotor movement, just 3.3mm thick, chronometer-certified and powered by a platinum rotor. Geneva Seal stamped and water-resistant to 100m, it’s precision dressed as elegance. A must-have for any sports watch enthusiast.
Cartier Tank à Guichets (Ref. WGTA0236)
Cartier’s Tank à Guichets stole the show at Watches & Wonders 2025, reaffirming its status as a design renegade, some 100 years after its initial release.
Three new models in yellow gold, rose gold, and platinum stay true to the 1928 original, jumping hours at 12, dragging minutes at 6, crown at 12 o’clock. Each houses the newly developed 9755 MC manual movement, delivering digital time with a nostalgic, mechanical soul. The cases are sleek at 6mm thick, paired with alligator straps in green, grey, or burgundy.
The standout for me, however, was the 200-piece limited edition in platinum. Its apertures are rotated diagonally, nodding to a 1930s driver’s watch design. It’s bold, asymmetrical, and unmistakably Cartier.
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Zenith Chronomaster Sport 160th Anniversary Edition
Zenith’s 160th Anniversary Edition of the Chronomaster Sport is a striking tribute to its legacy in high-frequency chronographs. Encased in a 41mm blue ceramic case, it features a matching sunray-finished dial adorned with the brand’s signature tricolor subdials.
The watch is powered by the El Primero 3600 automatic movement, operating at 5Hz and offering a 60-hour power reserve, enabling precise 1/10th of a second chronograph functionality. This piece will be limited to just 160, available in both a blue ceramic bracelet and a blue rubber strap. It’s bold, brilliant and utterly unmissable. Exactly what you want to deliver on the biggest stage.
IWC Ingenieur Automatic 42 Black Ceramic (Ref. IW338903)
IWC took the plaudits for a Formula 1-inspired collection to celebrate the release of the new F1 movie, produced by one of its former ambassadors, Lewis Hamilton. But whilst we were all rightly fawning over the motorsport line, the Swiss brand had also quietly nailed the look of the modern Ingenieur.
This 42mm model features a full multi-part black zirconium oxide ceramic case and bracelet with satin, blasted and polished finishes. Under the hood, IWC’s Calibre 82110 delivers a 60-hour reserve and visible Pellaton winding through a tinted sapphire caseback. With an integrated bracelet, grid-textured dial, and crown at 3, it’s Gerald Genta’s vision, modernised. Lightweight, scratchproof, and tougher than a G-Wagen in matte black.
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Honeygold (Ref. 363.150)
A. Lange & Söhne’s Odysseus Honeygold melds sporty elegance with horological mastery. Crafted from proprietary 18k Honeygold®, the 40.5mm case and integrated bracelet exude a warm luster.
The brown dial features day and date apertures, complemented by luminous hands and indices. Powered by the in-house L155.1 DATOMATIC movement, this 100-piece limited edition offers a 50-hour power reserve and 120m water resistance. The epitome of German refinement (in the best possible way).
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