We bring you the most outstanding timepieces from Watches & Wonders 2025
In the second of our three-part report on the most stunning new novelties of Watches & Wonders 2025 direct from Geneva, we delve into a stupendous spread of theatrical complications, dynamic sports offerings, and more. You can read part one here.
Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5328G-001
Power, practicality, and just that kind of poise you expect from a Patek Philippe Calatrava watch. Of the 15 new offerings launched by the illustrious watchmaking house this year, the Calatrava Ref. 5328G-001 captivated us the most by ticking all the boxes that we desire in a mechanically muscular, yet refined and office-appropriate timepiece.
The watch boasts a new in-house hand-wound movement, which took five years to develop and is packed with technical innovations that ensure optimum utility and stamina. These include a new silicon-based regulating organ that is light, robust, and resistant to magnetism; twin-series coupled barrels for eight days of power reserve; and a calendar indicator system that allows for the day-date displays to jump instantaneously at midnight. The watch’s mechanical magnificence is beautifully contained in a white gold case with Clous de Paris pattern on the middle, and a lovely textured blue dial with a black gradient rim.
TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1
It has been 54 years since TAG Heuer broke brand marketing conventions by being the first luxury watch brand to sponsor a Formula One race team. This year, the brand that is synonymous with motor racing returns to the sport’s biggest stage in the most conspicuous manner possible—as the new official timekeeper of the global event.
Naturally, a limited edition watch is in order. And TAG Heuer duly delivers a statement piece worthy of the podium with the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1 that is capped at only 10 pieces. Every detail, of course, pays tribute to the visceral world of Formula One. The red-white colourway that evokes adrenaline, the asphalt-like finish on the chronograph counters, the hand-lacquered TAG Heuer logo at 12 o’clock and more combine to deliver a watch that distills the excitement of Formula One. Powered by a split-seconds chronograph movement that was introduced in 2024—the ultra-lightweight Calibre TH81-00 that beats almost 30 per cent faster than regular chronograph movements for greater timing precision—the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1 roars out of the gate with its souped-up technical chops and eye-catching armour.
Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson Limited Edition
Having been closely aligned with the world of mountaineering, Montblanc, too, has been scaling a few heights of its own in the watchmaking realm. With the 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen, for instance, Montblanc presented a thoroughly unique offering by amalgamating a special world-time complication featuring rotating northern and southern hemisphere globes, and an unusual zero-oxygen construction technique that prevents fogging and oxidation.
The new 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson Limited Edition, which is limited to 986 pieces, adds another feather to its cap. In addition to the aforementioned features, the watch boasts a titanium case with a special composite middle component. Made of quartz fibres, aluminized basalt fibres, CaCO3, and light blue resin, the case middle’s texture evokes that of Mount Vinson’s landscape, which brand ambassador Reinhold Messner scaled in 1986. It was a climb that marked the completion of Messner’s Seven Summits Challenge, which saw him scaling mountain peaks on each of the seven continents. Also immortalised on the side of the case, the outline of Mount Vinson glows with a luminous blue hue in the dark, adding to the watch’s evocative allure.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Minute Repeater
Being multifaceted is essential to the very conception of the Reverso. After all, it is a watch with literally two faces, courtesy of its famous reversible case—first conceived in 1931—ostensibly for polo players to protect the dial while indulging in the sport.
Over time, the Reverso has come to embody a multifarious spirit, evolving from its origins as a sports watch into an icon of modern watchmaking, with a full-fledged repertoire that spans classic dress watches, artisanal high-jewellery creations, and technically spectacular complications. The Reverso Minute Repeater, limited to just 30 pieces, is a masterstroke in the realm of horological complication. A resplendent pink gold timepiece adorned with enamel and guilloché work that requires over 12 hours of hand-decoration, the Minute Repeater houses the hand-wound Calibre 953, fully developed and manufactured in-house. A powerhouse of a movement, it incorporates seven patented innovations that elevate both the clarity of its chimes and user experience—featuring crystal gongs for pristine acoustics, alongside a mechanism that eliminates extraneous noise and lag between the strikes.
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon
Bvlgari proves, once again, that it is the undisputed champ of ultra-thin watches. With the new Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon, the Italian luxury house steams ahead of the competition with a tenth world record in the category of super-slim watches, this time with a skeleton tourbillon watch that measures just 1.85 mm in height.
An unprecedented confluence of material experimentation and micro-engineering has combined to create the world’s thinnest flying tourbillon. Thinner than a five-cent coin, the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon features a bezel, case middle, and lugs crafted from microbead-frosted titanium, while the main plate is made of tungsten carbide. The movement’s key components, including separate crowns for winding the watch and setting the time, have been reworked and rearranged to accommodate the record-breaking thinness. Despite its svelte silhouette, the watch does not lack in performance, beating at a respectable 4Hz and offering up to 42 hours of power reserve.
