Dubai Watch Week 2025 is on a whole other level
Zach BlassI am sitting in the press centre, live on the ground in Dubai, escaping the intense heat – and I am not just talking about the weather. With a larger, brand-new venue space, Dubai Watch Week 2025, already a major biannual watch fair, has an even greater sense of scale. And, of course, more and more brands are using this moment to introduce new novelties.
But at its core remains its emphasis on being a hub of watch culture and conversation, with a wide spectrum of interesting conversations and panels at the Horology Forum. For example, Rolex CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour made a rare public panel appearance and spoke at length about a variety of subjects. What certainly was not on my horological bingo card was hearing his sentiments about the Apple Watch and whether or not it was truly a threat to traditional, mechanical watchmaking.
Dufour notably joined Rolex the same year the first Apple Watch was launched. Now, the titan of a brand that Rolex is, I do not think anyone would expect the Crown to be afraid. But Dufour at least expressed his lack of fear in an intriguing way.
“They don’t produce a watch,” Dufour exclaimed. “I call it a phone that you put on your wrist.” He then explained that ultimately, timekeeping represents effectively 1% of the functionality of an Apple Watch, and therefore, it is a product in a completely different ecosystem and not particularly a conflict. People buy traditional watches for the artistry and timekeeping, while others buy smartwatches for all of the functionalities beyond time telling (i.e. fitness tracking).
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Naturally, there have been a ton of new timepieces to discover, with pieces at the higher-end like TAG Heuer’s Monaco Chronograph Split-Seconds Air 1 that is like a hypercar on the wrist and Chopard’s L.U.C Grand Strike that boasts a grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, minute repeater, and one-minute tourbillon.
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On the more price-approachable side of the spectrum, on day 1, Tudor’s surprise drop of a new 36mm Ranger case and a new Dune White dial configuration further asserted its entry-luxury dominance and had the public and media alike racing over to hold it in hand and check it out. Clearly, it is a strong release, based on all the favourable comments we have been seeing on our posts. Interestingly, the results of our poll show that the 36mm Dune White variant is the most desired – proving the hunger for classic dimensions is strong.
In the evenings, the excitement does not end. First of all, the main venue is open from 10:30 am to 11:00 pm each day. Beyond the main space, however, brands have been hosting launch events for their new novelties. For example, Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk’s exciting new UR-FREAK collaboration watch made its debut with an incredible view of the Burj Khalifa skyline through the open rooftop of the venue.
There is still more excitement to come, but once again, Dubai Watch Week has proven to be a must-visit for watch lovers worldwide if they can make the trip… Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Zach and the Time+Tide Team
Watch meme of the week: big boy’s toys
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You’re merely looking after it for the next generation.
Wrist shot of the week: the glamour of air travel
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Who says a travel watch needs to be a subtle piece or a lightweight GMT? Andrew’s been jet-setting lately, wearing a Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto 79, and it’s hard to argue with how it just pops in that crisp, early morning airport light.
Time+Tide Shop pick of the week: Dennison Natural Stone Tiger Eye Gold
We’ve always known that Dennison was onto a winner, but last week made it official: the Dennison Natural Stone Tiger Eye in Gold won the prestigious Challenge Prize at the 25th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. And it’s not hard to see why: it offers a vibey squircle case combined with a large expanse of tiger eye for an extremely reasonable price.
The Dennison Natural Stone Tiger Eye in both stainless steel and gold PVD is available from the Time+Tide Shop. Price: A$1,250
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week
Omega debuts its 4th generation of slimmer and sharper Seamaster Planet Ocean
The big news this week was that the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean received its first major overhaul since 2016, now offering a slimmer, sleeker case in this new 4th generation guise. We’ve got Russell on the ground in Miami for the launch of this now less-beefy dive watch, so stay tuned for his coverage – but Zach managed to get hands-on with the watch ahead of its launch, and you can read (or watch) his thoughts here.
Tudor debuts new, Goldilocks 36mm size for the Ranger + a ‘Dune White’ dial option that’s sure to excite vintage lovers
Speaking of getting hands-on, Jamie was the first journalist in the world to get the new 36mm black-dialled Tudor Ranger on wrist in Melbourne, with Zach following up shortly after by getting early footage of the extremely exciting, also new, white-dialled Ranger on wrist in Dubai. The 36mm Ranger now represents Tudor’s most affordable watch with a manufacture movement, with this new ‘Dune White’ option heavily evoking the rare and extremely coveted Rolex Explorer ‘Albino’. Read Jamie’s thoughts here.
Dissecting the three pillars of Longines and its “sweet spot” strategy with new CEO Patrick Aoun
When Longines invited Andrew to come speak with its new CEO in the wake of a new Spirit collection launching, he had that pregame feeling; the sense that something significant was about to unfold. What he didn’t expect was just how much Patrick Aoun’s 18-year journey with the brand would reshape his understanding of where Longines stands today. Watch their expansive chat above, or read more here.