The results of the Oracle Time Watch Awards are finally here! Thank you to everyone who took part in the nominations and voting stages of the event, it has been our largest awards ever. Showcasing the horological democracy at full power.
As a reminder, there were ten categories up for grabs ranging from the humble microbrand to haute horology and everything in between. Including the much sought-after Readers’ Choice award, our completely open category and de facto Watch of the Year 2025.
Without further ado, here are the watch awards results 2025.
The Reader’s Choice Award: The Rolex Land-Dweller
The competition was incredibly fierce this year for the top spot in our awards, and with a completely open category there were plenty of serious contenders. From accessible beaters to serious high watchmaking, there were almost as many nominations as collectors. But honestly, I never had too much of a doubt as to which watch would finally clinch the proverbial gold medal. After all, has any watch this year sparked more conversation than the Rolex Land-Dweller?
Granted, some of that conversation has been around the divisive name. I’m personally not a fan, but I don’t have too strong an opinion on it. But either way, there’s a lot more to the Land-Dweller than a name.
First, there’s the cool, Oysterquartz-inspired case, something we’ve all been desperate to see get a revamp. I actually think it goes well with the beehive of a dial, especially in the Rolesor steel and white gold version. Secondly, there’s the movement, which introduces a genuine horological milestone in the extraordinary Dynapulse escapement, beating at 5Hz and backed by seven patents. There isn’t enough page space to delve into why the new innovation is so important, but the fact that Rolex can produce it on their industrial scale hammers home why the Crown rules the roost.
In fact, I’d say that this is the watch that has defined 2025. Even if it’s not your personal pick (and like I said, there was a lot of competition), when we look back in a decade, this is the watch that everyone will remember. And for good reason.
Dive Watch: Tudor Pelagos Ultra
It’s no secret that Tudor is already one of the most popular dive watch brands out there; I know first-hand that plenty of you reading this own a Black Bay or two. But when they underscored their professional diving specs this year with an ultra-deep, 1,000m take on the serious tool watch that is the Pelagos, things kicked up a gear. Big, bold and with a crisp white dial, it still feels very Tudor, just having hit the gym for a month solid. Thank God it’s in titanium, otherwise its generously proportioned 43mm case might be a weighty prospect. As it is, this is Tudor’s most exciting release for years. No wonder it’s a winner.
More details at Tudor.
Dress Watch: Venezianico Redentore Utopia
If Venezianco is ever going to be considered more than a microbrand, this is the watch that’ll do it. The Venetian brand has taken their signature Redentore model and given it a high-end overhaul, most eye-catchingly with an absolutely magnificent guilloche dial, created by master artisan Riccardo Renzetti to reference the waters of Venice. But that’s not all. It also houses the new V5000 manual-wind movement, an uber-rare made-in-Italy calibre. This is a big jump up for Venezianico – who seem to be able to do no wrong these days – but one that you’ve all proved is one worth taking. I’m excited to see what comes next.
More details at Venezianico.
Chronograph: Czapek & Cie Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R.
Do you like rattrapante chronographs? Who doesn’t! The stopwatch-based grand complication is one of the coolest bits of mechanical ingenuity around. But do you also like… robots? Then you probably voted for this beauty. Inspired by the play R.U.R (Rossum’s Universal Robots) by Josef Čapek (which is where we get the word ‘robot’), this complicated integrated sports watch uses a robotic head as a function indicator for the rattrapante chronograph. The eyes change colour according to whether it’s set to stop, start or reset – red, yellow and blue respectively. As Czapek & Cie celebrates their 10th anniversary, they’re doing it in style.
More details at Czapek & Cie.
Travel Watch: Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer
German watchmaker Nomos Glashutte are on a tear at the moment. Since it made a splash at Watches & Wonders, the colourful Neomatik Worldtimer has been one of the year’s coolest travellers’ complications; a colourful, quirky twist on the jet-set. This version however proves there’s more substance to the collection than eye-catching colour combos. With a sunburst silver dial and rings of blue and red, it’s a much more refined take on the layout and feels a lot more First Class than duty free. With some bright lume to hammer home its pilot’s watch readability, it’s hard not to love. I mean, I love it and apparently, so do you.
More details at Nomos.
Field/Pilot’s Watch: Omega Railmaster 235.10.38.20.13.001
Omega’s tragically sidelined Railmaster was long overdue a revamp, so when it finally came, I was more than a little excited. At first, its less-is-more look had me feeling like the storied maison may have missed a step, but as time’s gone on, I’ve come to realise just how many classic field watch boxes it ticked and continues to tick. It’s rugged, streamlined, eminently readable and even more wearable. Throw in a fume dial that looks as perfectly aged as your favourite bottle of Bordeaux (or given what I know of our readers, whisky) and you have a winner. Literally, in this case.
More details at Omega.
Microbrand: Awake Son Mai Frosted Leaf
Many brands – especially microbrands – aim to bring Metiers d’Art to the people, but few have been as successful as Awake. Their Vietnamese lacquer dials are beautiful and the Frosted Leaf with its additional contrast and texture ups the ante to the point where haute horology brands should be taking note. The almost snakeskin look is particularly dramatic in blue, though I wouldn’t pass up the green or ‘moka’ either. The fact that you can get this on your wrist (along with the La Joux-Perret movement inside) for under £2,000 shows why the microbrand segment is arguably the most exciting space in watchmaking.
More details at Awake.
Accessible: Seiko Presage Shiracha
Rather than cocktails, this edition of Seiko’s accessible dress watch line mixes in Japanese history with a brown dial inspired by a very specific Edo period dye. You don’t need to know that to love it, though. The fume gradient dial is lovely in and of itself, but the brassy handset, indexes and coin-edge bezel really help pick out the soft brown colour. It’s like a dress watch picked out of a sepia-toned photograph – just with all the benefits of Seiko’s renowned bang-for-your-yen watchmaking. Strap it on, head to a Tokyo whisky bar (I recommend Campbelltoun Loch) and you’ll feel at home in an instant.
More details at Seiko.
High Complication: Vacheron Constantin Solaria Ultra-Grand Complication
Normally I’d be against having a unique piece win any awards category; they just don’t really move the needle in the grand scheme of watchmaking. But when the category is high complication and we’re talking about the world’s most complicated watch, I’ll make an exception. I won’t list every function this absolute unit of a timepiece houses – seriously, go read our article on it – but needless to say this is a showpiece like no other. Which makes sense; Vacheron are celebrating an anniversary like no other: 270 years of continuous watchmaking. That’s 27 decades of expertise funnelled into one watch. If that doesn’t make a natural winner, I don’t know what does.
More details at Vacheron Constantin.
Integrated Bracelet Watch: Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 (Steel)
Vacheron’s second win this year makes just as much sense as their first. After all, when they relaunched the 222 in gold, who among us wasn’t waiting with bated breath for the steel version? It was the OG after all and when it finally graced us with its Genta-esque presence, it didn’t disappoint. Yes, I still think this is what they should have launched with in 2023, but by God, I’m just relieved it arrived at all. Is it the most ‘exciting’ sports watch of the year? Of course not. Is it the best? Well, the votes say yes. And for the little it’s worth, so do I.
More details at Vacheron Constantin.
Hmn!
Let me start by saying that I didn’t bother entering the poll as I pretty much knew in advance which brands would dominate the end results. It’s almost a given that Rolex, Tudor and Omega would feature somewhere, with VC almost as likely to get into the voting, but maybe that’s due to the fact that each and all of these brands are a regular feature of OT reviews. I have never made it a secret that these brands (to paraphrase the song) “don’t impress me much”
Despite the fact that I do like the brand, and many of their watches, I’m still a little surprised that the Venezianico Redentore Utopia won the award for best dress watch, nice as this watch is, it’s dial is too blingy IMO, for a true dress watch, whereas the Awake Son Mai Frosted Leaf, would have been a slightly better fit for that category, but there again, many others would have fitted the “dress watch” category much better.
Sour grapes, maybe, but the big hitters were unfortunately bound to dominate.