As the dust settles on Watches & Wonders 2025, two things are clear. First, that the biggest watch event in the world is only getting bigger. Second that there were some distinct watch trends 2025 is already revealing – trends that transcended brand size or model price. So, what are they I hear you ask? Well, like the oracle we are, let us give you a glimpse into what 2025 holds for the watch world.
Pastel Palettes
Big, bright, bold colours have been popping up more and more in watchmaking of late, but this year those expanding palettes seemed to have a touch more homogeneity with pastels in particular popping up in a lot of mainline collections. The biggest of these is undoubtedly the Rolex Oyster Perpetual in its new Pistachio and Lavender incarnations.
But my favourite colours actually came from Oris and their new Big Crown Pointer Date Calibre 400 in a similarly pistachio green and a lovely warm terracotta. But leave it to H. Moser & Cie to really show the world how colour’s done with their downright gorgeous Endeavour Pop collection with their precious stone dials in mixes of pink, green, orange and blue.
The Jump Hour is Back!
After mining Genta-esque 70s sports watches to the bedrock, this 2025’s watch trends sees brands turning to the legendary designer’s other love: the instantaneous jump hour. We’re not talking simply windows and wheels here but hours that properly jump the moment the minute hand passes 12. At the lower end, Bremont’s out-of-the-blue Terra Nova in full bronze offered a window into the direction the British brand is headed – complete with a compass to stop them getting lost.
Again. But at the high end, Cartier’s Tank à Guichet made a handsome splash in precious metals, especially with an off-centre hour window. Of course, if you want something slightly more accessible, Nico Leonard’s partnership with Maen is an impulse buy if ever there was one. Of course, Gerald Charles are bringing the jump hour full circle with their big anniversary timepieces, which just so happens to be the cover star of our latest issue. Go figure.
Unisex Sizing
For the last few years, this would have just meant watches getting a bit smaller. But one of the watch trends 202f seems to indicate that as the tide seems to be turning for diminishing diameters, instead brands are meeting in the middle and offering men’s and women’s watches both in goldilocks sizing. Patek went both ways, shrinking the Cubitus to a more wearable 40mm across and, more importantly, upping the diameter of the Twenty4 Perpetual Calendar to 36mm, complete with a gorgeous silken dial.
They weren’t the only ones though and Hermes finally took everyone’s advice and built a larger version of the Hermes Cut in 39mm of rose gold. They also managed to fit in their suspension of time complication – it sets the watch to 11:61 for the whimsy of it – and a handsome burgundy dial. Even Cartier’s Tank Louis Cartier grew a little bit taller in tandem with its first automatic movement this side of the century – and that is about damn time.
Crisp White Dials
It’s hard to beat a clean, white dial for that arctic Explorer look and across the board brands were cleaning up their act with pristine brightness. The biggest of those was undoubtedly Tudor the new Black Bay Pro complete with yellow GMT hand and a panda twist on the Black Bay Chrono – as did Baume & Mercier with the wavey Riviera Chronograph 41mm.
Rolex of course had the Land-Dweller (objectively terrible name but still a fantastic watch in the metal) and some white Oyster Perpetuals and Panerai’s new and improved Luminor Marina looks particularly sharp in the white variation. There was also the historically intriguing Arnold & Son tribute to the original John Arnold’s relationship Abraham Louis Breguet, but given all 11 of the Constant Force Tourbillons have been sold, the mix of enamel and opaline is in a world of its own.
Full Titanium as Standard
Titanium’s been a watch trend for the last few years, the ultra-lightweight material of choice for sports watches. Now in 2025, we’re at saturation point. Pretty much every sports watch – or sports adjacent watch – went for the material, enough that it now feels like the standard for many of the bigger group brands. Few though managed to make use of it like the Ulysse Nardin Diver AIR.
The world’s lightest diving watch even used upcycled titanium that is 90% recycled, a sustainability angle that plenty of other brands would do well to imitate. It makes Tudor’s titanium diver seems heavy by comparison – though the Pelagos Ultra is a highlight all its own.
Improved Bracelets
While a lot of the integrated bracelets we’ve seen this year go hand-in-hand with titanium, there seems to be some genuine focus on them as more than a way to keep your watch hitting the ground. Formex’s superlative full-ceramic micro-adjustment clasp completes their shiny new Essence model, while the Chronoswiss Pulse has one of the most beautifully finished versions around, with a touch of polish between the links to make it shimmer when it moves.
Those aforementioned pastel-dialled Oris Big Pilot Pointer Dates also got in on the act too, with a tweaked bracelet that funnels down across the collection, not just the Cal. 400 models. Throw in more micro-adjustment clasps on older designs for better day-to-day wearability and fans of the all-metal (or ceramic) look will be pleased. It also has to be said that the Rolex Land-Dweller has a stunner of a bracelet. And not just because the Oysterquartz riff is the most talked about watch of W&W 2025. Improved bracelets is a 2025 watch trend that I’m here for.
Rolex, very late to the integrated bracelet party. Cant really call it innovative from worlds biggest watch brand. Dial lifted from a Revelot hexmariner, strap lifted from PRX. Only kudos is the new movement.