2024 has been a wild ride in the watch industry and for Oracle Time too. On this very website we’ve brought you news of over 365 brand new watches that were launched this year, that’s more than one new watch per day! So, picking just five of my favourite watches is a near impossible task. In a year full of retro designs, it’s no surprise that a few of them have made their way into my selection alongside some real stand out dials from the year.
Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès Absinthe
I’m kicking things off with a fairly niche gem, the Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès Absinthe. When it comes to understated design and quiet simplicity, this watch is almost impossible to beat. It measures 38.5mm in diameter in steel with a clean, circular design. However, it’s the dial that really kicks ass with its intense green fumé colouration and sublime brushed finishing.
On top of that it has impressive horological chops, housing the calibre M690. A chronometer movement produced under the supervision of award winning independent watchmaker Raúl Pagès. It’s manual-winding with a 60-hour power reserve, which also means the exhibition caseback offers an uninterrupted view of the movement’s finishing.
More details at Massena LAB.
Seiko 1965 Heritage Diver 300m
Seiko are one of the most prolific watch brands in the world when it comes to releasing new watches and they also happen to be one of the brands that our readers have most resonated with online. Which ultimately means I have seen an awful lot of Seiko watches in 2024. It goes to show their strength that I still consider one of them among my favourite watches of the year.
The Seiko Prospex 1965 Revival Diver’s 3-Day 300m was a landmark launch early in the year that helped cement the Prospex as a serious diving tool watch. It was the first in a series of Prospexes from 2024 that increased their water resistance ratings from 200m to 300m, a serious improvement in terms of practical usage in water. Compared to those other models, I prefer the 1965’s more angular lugs and hyper-legible dive watch display.
More details at Seiko Boutique.
Ollech & Wajs C-1000-A
Sticking with the dive watch theme, we have the Ollech & Wajs C-1000-A, a modern reinterpretation of the vintage Caribbean 1000. The original watch was famous for its 1,000m water resistance rating, an incredible feat that only a handful of watchmakers have been able to achieve.
Naturally, when creating a watch inspired by such a legendary watch, anything less than a 1,000m water resistance would have been a failure. So, OW ensured that the modern piece does indeed have the sought after rating. As further kudos, they have achieved this while retaining a sub-40mm diameter at 39.5mm – although that’s slightly off-set by a thickness of 15.8mm. Still, it’s amazing to see a modern update to such a celebrated watch.
More details at Ollech & Wajs.
Cartier Santos Dual Time
Cartier has had a stellar year in terms of reputation as collectors disillusioned with major brands like Rolex and AP fell back on vintage Tanks, Santoses, and Crashes to fill the hole. In terms of new releases across 2024, the Tank had a solid but predictable release slate whereas the Santos was much more interesting with the Dual Time and the Santos Dumont Rewind.
Of those two, the Dual Time is my personal favourite because I love the monochrome display in subtly different shades of silver. There’s also a great sense of dimensionality to the display with its recessed date window, dial, case, bezel and crystal glass. The dual time subdial is also stunning with its snailed finish and minimalist scale.
More details at Cartier.
Czapek Promenade Goutte D’eau
I honestly think the Czapek Promenade Goutte D’eau takes the crown for having the most impressive dial of any watch produced in 2024. I’ve genuinely never seen anything like it in the past. It features a radial pattern of shifting shades of blue in concentric circles coming from the small seconds indicator at 4:30. The colours are blended in such a manner that the flat dial looks three-dimensional.
The illusion has been achieved by taking what is actually a 3D base and then adding enamel layers until it becomes flat, creating incredible depth. On top of that, turn it over and the movement is a work of art as well, the calibre SXH5. An automatic micro-rotor movement with a 60-hour power reserve.
More details at Czapek.
