Every spring, Geneva becomes the epicentre of horology as Watches & Wonders opens its doors to both established industry leaders and emerging talents. More than a showcase for new models, the fair is a crucial nexus for brands, retailers, collectors, and media, setting the agenda for the year ahead.
Its significance continues to grow. In 2024, attendance surged to 49,000 visitors, including 5,700 retailers and 1,500 journalists—a 14 percent jump from 2023. This year, that number climbed another 12 percent, with more than 55,000 attendees. With the addition of Bvlgari and six independent houses, the number of exhibiting brands rose to 60, further cementing the fair’s relevance.
From bold statements to refined evolutions, here are our 10 favourite timepieces from this year’s fair:
rolex Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller
First came the Sea-Dweller in 1967 for saturation divers. Then, in 2012, the Sky-Dweller took to the skies. This year, Rolex introduces the Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller, a watch that breaks new ground. Sleek yet technical, the Land-Dweller debuts with an integrated Flat Jubilee bracelet, a honeycomb dial, and a revolutionary movement—the calibre 7135. This 5Hz high-frequency engine features the all-new Dynapulse escapement that improves efficiency and resistance to magnetism. It’s thinner, but delivers a 66-hour power reserve and unparalleled precision. The restyled Oyster case melds seamlessly with the bracelet, exuding modern elegance. Available in 36mm and 40mm, it comes in white Rolesor, Everose gold, and platinum with the signature ice-blue dial. Rolex has filed 32 patents for this release, 18 exclusive to this model.
patek Philippe Ref 5328G CALATRAVA 8 DAYS
Patek Philippe unveils 15 new timepieces this year. Highlights include three innovative movements: a self-winding Quadruple Complication; a desk clock with a perpetual calendar and 31-day power reserve; and a new Calatrava with instantaneous day and date displays and an 8-day reserve. At the heart of the new Calatrava is the new manually wound calibre 31-505 8J PS IRM CI J, delivering an impressive eight-day power reserve—with a ninth-day safety buffer displayed in red at 12 o’clock. Housed in an elegant white gold case with a Clous de Paris guilloché motif, the timepiece features an instantaneous day display in an aperture and a date by hand at 6 o’clock.
The movement incorporates the Pulsomax escapement with Silinvar components, ensuring enhanced efficiency, resistance to magnetism, and superior chronometric performance. Powered by two series-coupled barrels, the watch guarantees steady precision, with a stop-seconds function for precise time setting and an instant-jump day and date mechanism to ensure seamless transitions at midnight.
Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication
Vacheron Constantin pushes the frontiers of haute horlogerie with the Solaria, the most complicated wristwatch ever made. Born from eight years of R&D, this masterpiece packs 41 complications into 1,521 components housed in a 45mm white gold case. A new movement, calibre 3655, integrates five rare astronomical functions—including a world’s first—and a Westminster minute repeater mechanism, all safeguarded by 13 patent applications.
The dial provides three simultaneous time readings: civil, solar, and sidereal. A dedicated gear train shows legal time through central hands and world time via a rotating disc, while the reverse side displays sidereal time on a rotating sapphire disc. Ingeniously, a “plug-and-play” mounting system connects the base movement with the astronomical module, ensuring seamless energy transmission and precise indexing.
Every detail—integrated display of sunrise, sunset, and the sun’s position; chiming of the specially engineered gongs and hammers; and refined legibility of multiple counters—speaks to centuries of Vacheron Constantin mastery, encapsulating 270 years of relentless pursuit for perfection.
Chanel J12 Bleu X-Ray
You’ve witnessed the J12 Bleu revolution—a reimagining of Chanel’s iconic timepiece. Dazzling in a distinctive blue that is as near to black as it is to blue, it required five years of intense research at the Chanel watch manufacture to perfect this signature hue.
Now, meet the J12 Bleu X Ray, inspired by the hues of the sea and a clear sky. Over 1,600 hours of work went into sculpting its case and bracelet from a single block of synthetic sapphire. Crafted from white gold, the bezel and links are adorned with 196 baguette-cut natural sapphires that shine in vibrant blue, while the creation studio blends white gold with black to create a striking contrast in this symphony of blues.
At the heart of the piece, the calibre 3.1 powers the movement. A colourless sapphire plate and twin bridges let the gears float effortlessly, highlighted by a floating bridge featuring 12 bright blue baguette-cut sapphire indicators. This is more than a watch—it’s Chanel’s bold reinvention of time.
chopard the precious hours set
Chopard turns timekeeping into an art with The Precious Hours—a box set of 12 one-of-a-kind L’Heure du Diamant watches. Each 26mm piece is sculpted in ethical gold, surrounded by diamonds featuring Chopard’s signature crown-setting technique, and finished with a vibrant ornamental stone dial. Reflecting the months of the year or the rhythm of a 12-hour day—each watch tells its own story. Inside beats the ultra-slim 10.01-C manual movement; small but mighty.
Two models feature bark-textured gold bracelets, a nod to Chopard’s 1960s-era goldsmithing. The rest are paired with vivid satin or leather straps to match their dials. When sold as a set, they come housed in a lacquered case with a rotating display tray—ready to dazzle on cue.
IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber Tourbillon Skeleton XPL
IWC is now using its patented Sprin-g Protect shock absorber system to protect a delicate flying tourbillon. A fully re-engineered cantilever spring, explicitly designed for the IWC 82915 calibre, cushions the highly complex movement, while skeletonised plates, bridges, and rotor dramatically reduce mass needed to be protected, including a bulk metallic glass shock absorber that’s as revolutionary as it is resilient.
Tested to withstand shocks in excess of 10,000g, this technical marvel features a tourbillon that rotates inside its delicate cage every minute to offset gravitational forces. The futuristic design is housed in a Ceratanium case and crown—an innovative blend of titanium and ceramic known for its scratch resistance and lightweight durability. Completing the look is a black patterned rubber strap with a Ceratanium pin buckle, reinforcing the watch’s robust yet refined aesthetics.
Jaeger-LeCoultre REVERSO TRIBUTE MINUTE REPEATER
Jaeger-LeCoultre has re-engineered its iconic dual-faced Reverso design to house a fully integrated minute repeater. Seven existing patents power the innovative mechanism, engineered for pure, resonant sound and seamless activation. A redesigned, discreet slider—set into the side of the case—triggers the chimes without compromising ergonomics.
The new Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater features a beautifully designed enamel dial with a radiant hand-guilloché barley-seed pattern that creates an optical illusion of movement as it interacts with light, enhanced by multiple layers of grand feu enamel in a striking teal blue. On the reverse side, an open-worked dial reveals the intricate repeater mechanism, for a mesmerising display of moving parts when activated.
CARTIER PRIVE TANK À GUICHETS
Each year, the Cartier Privé collection reveals a fresh take on a house icon. Following in the footsteps of the Tonneau, Tank Normale, and Tortue, the Tank À Guichets takes the spotlight in the collector’s series this year—a playful reinvention of the classic Tank.
Forget hands: time now peeks through two distinct apertures. The first model, a nod to 1928, features an hour window at 12 and a minute window at 6 o’clock. Offered in yellow gold, rose gold, or platinum, it boasts a hand-wound 9755 MC movement with jumping hours and dragging minutes, a satin-finish case that contrasts with polished horizontal brancards, and a central face in brushed gold or platinum.
Then there’s the platinum limited edition—just 200 pieces—where Cartier gets even more inventive. Here, the apertures are angled, tipping a stylish hat to the vibrant design spirit of the 1930s. The crown remains faithful at 12 o’clock, while golden-finish discs with Arabic numerals and a minute track add a legible yet intriguing twist.
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bals des Amoureux Automate
Van Cleef & Arpels gives romance a technical twist. Building on the success of the Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux collection, this new chapter unfolds amid the glow of a Parisian guinguette. An in-house movement powers this four-year breakthrough, a clear step up from the earlier collaborative design. This watch shows the lovers in three distinct gestures: leaning in, hands lowering, and pulling away, while two wandering stars execute a synchronised double retrograde dance across the dial.
Three key patents make it tick: one synchronises the lovers’ animation with the stellar display; another uses a single cam for both translation and rotation in their motion; and a dual activation system lets the kiss trigger automatically at noon and midnight—or on demand.
Crafted with an eye for layered detail, the dial features five levels of depth highlighted by grisaille and coloured enamel, evoking the cinematic charm of a Paris night. Meanwhile, white gold cobblestones and flickering lanterns set the scene.
Zenith G.F.J.
Zenith fetes its 160th anniversary with the G.F.J.—named after the initials of Georges Favre-Jacot—which revives the legendary calibre 135. This isn’t a rehash; it’s a rebirth. Zenith has re-engineered its iconic chronometer movement with modern tech: a manual calibre ticking at 2.5Hz for a 72-hour power reserve, complete with a stop-second mechanism, Breguet hairspring, and an offset centre wheel supporting an oversized balance wheel for enhanced precision. COSC-certified and regulated to within ±2 seconds per day, it’s as reliable as it is revolutionary.
Housed in a 39.15mm platinum case with a stepped bezel and sculpted lugs, the watch effortlessly blends vintage charm with contemporary design. The dial is a visual delight: an outer ring adorned with blue brick guilloché, a deep lapis lazuli centre reminiscent of the Zenith sky, and a mother-of-pearl subdial at 6 o’clock for seconds.
Offered with three distinct straps—dark blue alligator leather; black calfskin leather; or blue “Saffiano” calfskin—and a seven-row platinum bracelet available on request, the G.F.J. is an elegant homage to Zenith’s storied past, reimagined for today’s discerning collector.
