The Time+Tide Team picks their favourite watches of 2025
Time+TideMaybe it’s just recency bias, but it feels like more and more watches come out every year. That said, this year felt particularly momentous, with the year’s big release moment, the Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva, recording its biggest edition yet – but 2025 has also been a year where the other watch fairs on the calendar, like Geneva Watch Days and Dubai Watch Week, have also massively expanded, with watchmakers upping the ante and releasing more watches for these fairs, too. That’s before you even start to consider all the other release moments or anniversaries that have taken place this year: TAG Heuer’s return as Formula 1’s official timekeeper and the debut of a brand-new Rolex collection immediately spring to mind, as does Vacheron Constantin’s 270th anniversary, Breguet’s 250th, Zenith’s 160th, or Audemars Piguet’s 150th…
In short, there have been a lot of watches released in 2025. But GPHG awards and commercial successes aside, what about the Time+Tide team’s favourite watch releases of the year? What timepieces resonated most with our crew of experts and die-hard enthusiasts? Well, here they are, and it’s quite a diverse mix. Have a look over our picks: do you agree with what we chose, or do you think we missed something off our list? We’re eager to hear your thoughts, so please share them with us by commenting on our YouTube video above.
Jamie’s pick: Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135
This pick will come as no surprise to regular readers of Time+Tide. Ever since its debut at Watches and Wonders earlier this year, I’ve heaped praise on the Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 – in our ‘Kiss, Marry, Kill’ video and wrap-up of the fair; in my opinion piece last month, where I really doubled down; and countless times in conversations I’ve had with enthusiasts in Geneva, London, Bangkok, Sydney, Melbourne and beyond… And I’m nothing if not consistent!
Why do I like it so much? Condensing it into only a few words is hard. Firstly, it’s a potent demonstration of Zenith’s métiers d’art – a fitting display of mastery to celebrate Zenith’s 160th anniversary in 2025. Its dial, which combines natural lapis lazuli, guilloché, and dyed mother-of-pearl, is refreshingly complex, yet cohesive. Flip it over, and you’ll see that the brick-shaped guilloché pattern on its movement is executed brilliantly. Even the pin buckle is guillochéd. The stepped platinum case, too, is artful.
Secondly, the movement. Reviving the calibre 135, one of the most historically significant watch movements of all time, thanks to its success in 20th-century observatory trials, was a masterstroke from Zenith. It reminds us that Zenith’s more than just high-beat chronograph movements or pilot’s watches: chronometric excellence is another core part of this watchmaker’s identity, which has been largely forgotten about or overlooked by mainstream enthusiasts in recent years. The G.F.J. reminds us of Zenith’s legitimacy in this space.
In essence, the G.F.J. is not just an exquisitely executed timepiece – a relatively demure, manual-winding dress watch with a natural stone dial – but it’s also a refreshing change of pace; a challenge to modern preconceived notions of the Zenith brand. Hopefully, it signals a return to more dressy pieces and traditional haute horlogerie from Zenith. Seeing as it’s the inaugural model in a totally new collection, I think that’s likely. I’m looking forward to seeing more executions of the G.F.J., but what a great first swing at bat!
Zach’s pick: Breguet Expérimentale 1
It was a tough choice, but my best watch of 2025 pick has to go to Breguet’s Expérimentale 1. In a futuristic, faceted, sporty 100-metre water-resistant case, that nevertheless incorporates traditional Breguet signatures like a fluted caseband, the brand premiered a new magnetic escapement inside of a constant force tourbillon that runs at 10Hz – double that of a standard high-beat! The notion of taking an escapement’s sworn mortal enemy, magnetism, and harnessing it to be a contributor to precision rather than a detriment is insane. But Breguet did it, and the result is an escapement that is basically friction-free due to magnetic impulses Jedi force-pushing the escapement lever back and forth. This magnetic escapement, combined with the constant force mechanism, ensures that the amplitude is preserved throughout the entire 72-hour power reserve.
Beyond its entirely new magnetic escapement, it is the manner in which it perfectly walks the tightrope of having a clear throughline to the brand’s past while also presenting a glimpse of the brand’s exciting future. It blends design cues that look straight out of 1775 with others that feel like they came from the future in 2075. I never imagined Breguet having its own concept collection, as the Expérimentale line is said to be the playground for the debut of new innovations that will perhaps trickle down in one form or another to more standard production. For example, Breguet has said it has prototypes of the magnetic escapement running at a 3Hz beat rate instead of 10Hz.
For me, it’s also my pick due to what it represents about the trajectory of Breguet. I think I can speak on behalf of everyone when I say we have all been rooting for Breguet, and, ultimately, the turning point was when Gregory Kissling joined as the brand’s CEO. Breguet went all out for its 250th anniversary this year, debuting at least 13 different references, each with rich, clear narratives of brand storytelling, each in the brand’s new 18k Breguet gold alloy, and many premiering design elements or even new Breguet innovations. So, not only do I think Breguet had the best watch of 2025, I think Breguet as a brand won 2025. The whole Time+Tide team and I have never been more excited about the brand than right now.
Alex’s pick: Furlan Marri Disco Volante Diamonds Onyx
Although a polarising design, the Disco Volante breaks from the more sober Art Deco designs that Furlan Marri launched with, thanks to a smaller, rounded and sexier step-down case. At its 2024 launch, the Disco lineup was an immediate hit with me in the Studio, but my adoration for the design peaked with this year’s release of the Diamonds Onyx.
Wearing and witnessing the scintillating baguette diamond indices dancing light around the inky black, silky onyx dial recontextualised what I thought I wanted out of a dress watch and only increased my adoration for Furlan Marri’s design consistency. That’s why it’s my favourite watch of 2025.
Tom’s pick: Tudor Black Bay “Carbon 25”
I think this was one of the most interesting releases from Tudor for a long time. The Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Carbon 25” is the first carbon fibre Black Bay, with a carbon fibre dial, a blue racing minute track, and importantly, it’s a genuine, numbered, limited-edition from Tudor. Yes, it’s a brand partnership watch (being produced in partnership with Formula 1 team Racing Bulls), and sometimes these can lean a little too far into tacky territory, but thankfully, Tudor refrained from letting branding take over the dial.
The end result is a clean, unique colourway that stands out from the rest of the Tudor chronograph and Black Bay ranges. I’m a big motorsports guy, and I like it so much that I tried to get an allocation for one, but sadly, that hasn’t happened yet, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely…
Borna’s pick: Nomos Club Sport neomatik World Timer
With several huge anniversaries, three all-encompassing watch fairs, and no shortage of independent and micro goodness, I thought I’d have a hard time picking my favourite watch of the year. In reality, the choice has been clear to me for quite some time now, and so much so that I’m not even going to do my usual indecisive malarkey and honourably mention two or three other watches just because I can’t make up my mind, so if that’s what you were expecting, sorry (the Hulsman Easy Perpetual was fantastic, though). If I hadn’t spent all my watch budget this year buying a silly amount of vintage oddities, I’d have introduced this article with a pic of the Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer on my wrist.
The case proportions are perfect for a daily wearer at 40.5mm x 9.9mm (Nomos even kept the lugs tidy at 48mm), but it’s that dial that is a graphic designer’s wet dream – no, I’m not one, but I did confirm this. Not only am I talking about the layout, but the colour schemes are pure Pantone paradise. I had no idea two shades of burgundy would go so well with petrol blue and cream – but here we are. And look at how that day/night sub-dial intersects with the 2 and 4 numerals; instead of cutting them off, it just gently slides beneath them, giving what would normally be quite a flat, printed dial some perceived depth. I’ve doubled the number of GMT watches in my collection this year (granted, going from one to two), but the moment a reasonably priced Glacier pops up, that’s likely to change.
Andrew O’Connor’s pick: SpaceOne WorldTimer
I would say 2025 has been a good year in many ways, including for myself, for watches, and for myself and watches! In addition to starting writing for Time+Tide, which has been a great experience so far, I’ve also managed to make it out to more watch events and trade shows, which means I saw way more new watches, often before those new watches were announced. There is one that has been living in the back of my mind rent-free since I saw it, and it is the SpaceOne Worldtimer.
Watches with bold modern designs are often huge in size and price tag, and SpaceOne has managed to solve both of those issues. The World Timer is compact lug-to-lug and cased in grade 5 titanium, making it very wearable. Priced at €2,700, it is a hell of a lot of watch for the money. You get a modern design, well-executed case finishing, a functional complication, and a wow factor that is hard to replicate. Well done, SpaceOne – I’m looking forward to 2026.
Pietro’s pick: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ RD#5
Yes, it is another Royal Oak. And you would be perfectly entitled to ask the most legitimate question: what’s so special about it? It has the same dimensions as the iconic ‘Jumbo’ model, and it even shares the same dial colour with its popular sibling. The RD#5, however, is the last chapter of the brand’s Research and Development series: a special project collection existing with the sole purpose of pushing technical boundaries.
While it’s not as complicated as its predecessor, the Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4 (the brand’s most complicated watch ever), it brings a plethora of innovations in an ultra-wearable case, which doesn’t usually happen with technically impressive timepieces. From the use of bulk metallic glass for the bezel and bracelet links, and titanium on the hands and the tourbillon cage to reduce inertia, every detail is thought out, but the highlight for me was handling the chronograph pushers.
It’s a strange, but very satisfying sensation, pushing the rectangular pushers and getting the same feeling given by smartphone buttons. Add to the overall package the fact that it’s celebrating Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary and will be a limited run of 150 pieces, and what was already a winner just entered by birthright the holy grail category. And, as the cherry on top, instead of the normal logo and name on the dial, the brand’s name still finds its place, but written in cursive, almost as a final signature at the end of a letter. The same way this concludes the RD series.
Jason’s pick: Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Frosted Carbon
My watch of the year is the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Frosted Carbon, a piece I’ve owned and kept for the past four months — no small feat in a collection where many watches tend to rotate out far sooner. It’s a clear expression of Hublot’s Art of Fusion philosophy, combining unconventional materials with an unapologetically bold design language. The frosted carbon case ensures that no two examples are quite the same, with each one revealing its own distinctive carbon pattern.
As the initial honeymoon period began to fade, a simple change transformed the experience entirely: swapping the OEM Velcro fabric strap for rubber made the watch feel fresh again, almost like a new acquisition. The movement may be based on an older Zenith El Primero architecture, but it remains a compelling one — attractively openworked, with a layered, mechanical presence that’s particularly rewarding when viewed through the caseback.
Russell’s pick: Roger Smith Series 6
I’m going to assume that pretty much every other brand that my colleagues have chosen in this list releases multiple new products a year and offers its client base a plethora of models to choose from. However, when Roger Smith believes he is ready to release a new watch, then you had better sit up and pay attention. A new watch from Roger Smith means we are getting the latest chapter in a story that is going to be told hundreds of years from now, and this new Series 6 is the best chapter Roger has written yet. In my eyes, at least.
So what makes this time and date watch so special? To understand this, you must properly understand both Roger and George Daniels’ stories, which I don’t have space for here. However, this watch is the purest expression of one of Roger’s own creations: the wandering date function. He created this new date display in 2014 to address the issue of the long date hand obscuring information on the dial for extended periods. While we saw it previously being deployed in his triple calendar Series 4 model, here we get a clean date and time execution.
The Series 6 brings all the very best elements of Roger Smith’s work to the fore. You have the clean guilloche dial that is uninterrupted by any complication, with a contrasting pattern found in the sub-seconds. You turn the watch over, and there is an incredible level of detail shown in the engraved plate while the rest of the finishing is kept minimal, tasteful, and functional. Of course, you have Roger’s latest version of the famous Co-Axial escapement inside, keeping everything running smoothly.
Yes, there are more complicated Roger Smith watches, and yes, there are designs of his that show off his watchmaking prowess more plainly; however, to appreciate this watch is to understand that Roger’s philosophy in watchmaking is to solve problems in the simplest way possible. And that’s what this watch does. It has every feature in it that you need on a day-to-day basis, it is made to last multiple lifetimes, using materials and techniques that are guaranteed to be around that long as well, and it will look damn good while doing it. If that isn’t a watch of the year, then I don’t know what is.
Marcus’ pick: IWC Ingenieur Automatic 42 Black Ceramic
I have been shooting watches for years for Time+Tide. So, I’m coming at this from a very different perspective from my colleagues. I am not a watch journalist. I cannot tell you about the ones and the zeros of many, many watches. But I can tell you what I like. And aesthetically, the drop this year from IWC, the Ingenieur Automatic 42 in black ceramic, blew me away. It’s like IWC invented a watch just for me; the brand ticked all of my boxes.
This black on black on black ceramic, all of those brushed finishes, it just softly reflects whatever light you shine at it… You cannot take a bad photo of this watch in any light; it’s just not possible. It is a little bit larger than the Ingenieur Automatic 40, but I like it because of that. It’s a little bit bigger. It’s a little bit dominating on the wrist, but the black ceramic bracelet itself just wraps around my wrist so well and feels so right.
But what was amazing was flipping this thing over and seeing the smoked sapphire caseback, which just gives you just the slightest peek into that movement in the back. It fits so well with this black-on-black-on-black watch. This is just that elevated everyday watch that I would just crush every day. I love it. I would wear the hell out of it. Well done, IWC. You’ve just freaking nailed it in spades. I want one. I believe one day it will be mine…
Andrew McUtchen’s pick: Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 in steel
The watch that got the most attention this year is the one that wants it least: the Vacheron Constantin 222 in steel. Fully brushed bracelet and case, matte blue dial, 37mm, brushed batons… I helped launch it in January and finally bought it in March. Vacheron Constantin says a lot when they flex their horological chops with high-polished, complicated marvels, but it turns out – like Ronan Keating – they say it best when they say pretty much nothing at all. A perfect watch, and the best thing I’ve worn all year.