The watch industry experienced a rather tumultuous year in 2025, and while things appear to be heading in a more stable direction as we wind down the year, a few overarching trends have set hold. In reflection, 2025 did bring us some unique, interesting, and beautiful watch releases, along with a fair share of truly innovative horological advancements that will have a potentially lasting impact. From the Dynapulse escapement from Rolex at Watches & Wonders, to a novel chronograph works solution from Audemars Piguet, to the magnetic balance that came to life in Breguet’s Expérimentale 1 just earlier this month; I cannot recall a more eventful year of potential breakthroughs that could help define a new generation of watchmaking.
These are the kinds of watches that made this an exciting year for watchmaking, and reveal a trend that has seen the industry as a whole move to a reliance on the more affluent end of the market. Precious metals, complications, exotic materials, etc. have all experienced a big year, and the resulting watches have no doubt been fun to dissect. In some sense, this has come at the expense of more accessible watches from the same brands, but it has opened up a gap that’s been quickly filled by brands that you might not see headlining auction results. If you know where to look, there has been no shortage of great watches released downstream as well, and as usual, this is often where much of the fun is. Those are the kinds of watches that I’d like to highlight first in recalling the watches that left an impact on me this year.
The first watch I want to highlight is the Jacques Bianchi x Deepsea.EDC, JB300 Deep. Developed with the help of US Navy diver (and friend of the site) Brock Stevens, this is a watch that exudes the kind of raw, no-nonsense quality that you’d find in a tool watch from the ‘90s. There is something seriously compelling about the case design and proportions in the hand that feel of another era in the best way possible. It’s a bit funky to boot. This is a platform the brand will be expanding on this year, and it’s a collaboration I hope they come back to, because this is a seriously good watch on the wrist.
The next watch felt inevitable, and it is the Nomos Club Neomatic Worldtimer released at Watches & Wonders earlier this year. People like me have been hoping to see something like this from Nomos for years now, and the German brand delivered in a big way with an expansive collection of colors that’s grown even larger in recent months. This watch exemplifies the creative potential of Nomos, from the design and proportions of the case and dial, right down to the smallest of accent colors, every detail brings something to the table. It’s also a lot of watch for under $5k, and it’s one that I have a feeling will continue to grow in the coming years. Honestly, I love to see Nomos take on complications in unusual ways, and it’s something I’d like to see them expand on in unexpected ways moving forward.
Another brand that deserves mention here is Oris, who really let their hair down with some unexpected and frankly awesome watches in the second half of the year. There are two in particular that made a big impact on me, and they are the ProPilot Altimeter Mission Control done in collaboration with George Bamford, and the new Big Crown design with 10-day caliber 113. Each of these came around Geneva Watch Days, and both revealed a new side of the Hölstein based brand. Their new ProPilot Date also hit a sweet spot, and collectively these watches have me very excited about what’s to come from Oris in the coming year.
Finally, an entirely unexpected watch from Laventure called the Marine Type 3 made a huge impression on me when it was revealed over the summer. This watch boasts a non-traditional dive watch design that feels old-school without trying to look old. Sure, the design may not be entirely practical, but it took a step off the beaten path in a way that I dearly wish more brands would, and it worked. This is a watch I hope to do a deep dive review on in the near future, so keep an eye out for more on this one.
Finally, Omega came into this year with a scorching pace of releases, including a new Seamaster 300M design and even a new Railmaster. Of course, all of this would make way for a new Planet Ocean collection toward the end of the year, but there are a few 300M watches that shouldn’t fall off your radar. With a new Bond game (and movie?) in the works, I think we’ll see a lot more in the coming months and years. The new PO has taken most of the oxygen out of the room when it comes to Omega divers, but the OG stuff is still kicking around just fine, and will 2026 be the year we see that new PloProf case expand to the rest of the collection?
Bonus shout out to the Citizen Aqualand, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in great style this year with the release of an anniversary edition. This watch was never short on character, and it somehow manages to feel just as interesting today as it did in 1985. This edition with the gold accents celebrates this unique design in a near perfect way, and retains the soul of the original as a result.
As we continue to highlight some of the very best watchmaking of Switzerland in the coming year, I think it’s also important to pause and appreciate the watches that most of us wear and enjoy on a daily basis. That will continue to be a trend around here, as always.