From high-complication heavyweights to nature-inspired Japanese dials, here are the best watches of March 2026
It may be the prelude to Watches and Wonders, but it seems that some of the most esteemed watchmakers around the world aren’t pulling any punches. March has delivered a slew of serious releases, with brands unveiling everything from technically ambitious pieces to refined design evolutions.
From independent marques presenting heavy-hitters to Japanese timepieces imbued with natural artistry, here are some of the best watches of March 2026.
Grand Seiko’s Hi-Beat 36000 SBGH341 “Sakura-Kakushi” and SBGH343 “Sakura-Wakaba”
Grand Seiko continues its signature exploration of Japan’s seasonal landscapes with two new 38 mm Hi-Beat models inspired by the traditional sekki calendar, an ancient system that divides the solar year into 24 seasonal phases. The new SBGH341 “Sakura-Kakushi” and SBGH343 “Sakura-Wakaba” capture the subtle transition from late winter to early spring in the Tohoku region, when cherry blossoms briefly coexist with snow before giving way to fresh green leaves.
Both models are housed in the brand’s 62GS-style case, first introduced in 1967 as Grand Seiko’s first automatic watch and recognised for its bezel-free construction, wide dial opening, and Zaratsu-polished surfaces. The new watches reduce the high-intensity titanium case size from 40 mm to 38 mm, offering a more versatile and wearable proportion while retaining the collection’s sharp faceting and polished finishing.
The pink dial of the SBGH341 evokes snow-covered cherry blossoms, while the soft green dial of the SBGH343 represents the emergence of young leaves, both featuring lightly textured surfaces that shift subtly under changing light.
Powering both references is the automatic Calibre 9S85, a Hi-Beat 36,000 movement operating at a higher frequency than standard mechanical watches and offering an accuracy range of +5 to −3 seconds per day along with a 55-hour power reserve.
Jacob & Co. Billionaire Double Tourbillon Angel Cut
Created to mark Jacob & Co.’s 40th anniversary, the Billionaire Double Tourbillon Angel Cut introduces a new proprietary diamond cut. Known for its unapologetically expressive creations, the maison uses this anniversary piece to debut the “Angel Cut”, a new diamond shape developed in-house over two years and named after founder Jacob Arabo’s wife, Angela.
The watch is housed in a 54 mm by 41 mm 18k white gold case set with Angel Cut diamonds across the case, dial, and clasp, bringing the total to nearly 300 stones. The new cut, featuring 37 facets, was designed to balance the brilliance of round cuts with the yield efficiency of step cuts, producing a more even distribution of light across the stone.
Beyond the extensive gem-setting, the watch retains mechanical substance. Two flying one-minute tourbillons are positioned symmetrically at 12 and 6 o’clock, creating visual balance across the dial. Powered by the manually wound JCAM50 calibre with a 72-hour power reserve, the Billionaire Double Tourbillon Angel Cut is limited to 18 pieces and stands as both a technical and gem-setting showcase for the brand’s anniversary year.
Bell & Ross BR-05 Blue Diamond Eagle 36 mm
Bell & Ross takes a more poetic turn with the BR-05 Blue Diamond Eagle 36 mm, a watch that combines the brand’s instrument-inspired design language with a jewellery-inspired dial. While the BR-05 collection is typically associated with urban sports watches, this edition introduces a celestial theme that softens the collection’s geometric rigor.
The dial is crafted from blue aventurine glass, whose shimmering inclusions evoke a star-filled night sky. Set into this surface are diamonds arranged to recreate the Aquila constellation, with each stone positioned to correspond to the actual alignment of the stars. The square steel case and integrated bracelet retain the architectural identity of the BR-05 line, creating an intentional contrast between instrument watch design and a more ethereal dial execution.
Housed in a 36 mm steel case measuring 8.7 mm thick, the watch is powered by the automatic BR-CAL.329 movement with a 54-hour power reserve and boasts 100m of water resistance.
Greubel Forsey Balancier Convexe S²
Greubel Forsey closes the chapter on one of its most distinctive modern calibres with two final editions of the Balancier Convexe S², released in white ceramic and black ceramic with red gold. First introduced within the brand’s Convexe case architecture, the Balancier Convexe S² became one of the manufacture’s most recognisable contemporary creations, combining an aggressively curved case with an openworked movement designed to emphasise depth and architecture.
The 41.5 mm Convexe case, characterised by its double-curved construction designed to follow the natural shape of the wrist, frames a movement often described as an “urban landscape”. Multiple levels of bridges, suspended components, and layered structures create a sense of mechanical topography, organised around the large inclined balance wheel that dominates the lower half of the watch.
The black ceramic and red gold version emphasises contrast and depth, while the all-white ceramic edition offers a cleaner view of the movement’s extensive hand-finishing.
Both final editions are powered by the Balancier Convexe S² calibre, featuring Greubel Forsey’s signature 30-degree inclined balance wheel designed to improve chronometric stability. Two fast-rotating coaxial barrels deliver approximately 72 hours of power reserve, while the time display, small seconds, and power reserve are integrated directly into the movement’s multi-level architecture.
Girard-Perregaux Minute Repeater Flying Bridges
Girard-Perregaux has been on something of a high-complication run of late, and the limited-to-eight Minute Repeater Flying Bridges marks another major milestone for the manufacture. Recently unveiled, the watch introduces the brand’s first in-house minute repeater movement, the GP9530, combining a minute repeater, tourbillon, and automatic micro-rotor winding system within a single openworked calibre.
The movement is presented in a skeletonised architecture inspired by Girard-Perregaux’s historic Three Bridges design, with the structure engineered not only for visual symmetry but also for acoustic performance. Titanium bridges and an open architecture help optimise resonance and sound diffusion, while the flying bridges support the gear train and tourbillon in a layered, architectural composition visible through sapphire crystals on both sides of the case. Rose gold elements on the case, hands, and logo provide contrast against the darker movement components.
Comprising 475 components and requiring more than 440 hours of assembly and finishing, the automatic GP9530 calibre offers a 60-hour power reserve.