Mario Canonizado 
While the guys shake off their jet lag fresh off the plane from Geneva, I’m bringing you my personal top five picks for this year’s world’s biggest watch fair! So, pack away that FOMO — let’s count them down together!
Watches and Wonders 2025 is finally over. The lights have dimmed over Palexpo, and flights out of Geneva are being loaded up as the world’s watch enthusiasts return to their regular lives. But for one extraordinary week, the city was completely awash in horological magic — a celebration of craftsmanship, innovation, and timeless passion that brought together collectors, brands, and media from around the globe.
At Watch Advice, we’re incredibly privileged to be among the chosen few invited to get up close and personal with these timepieces, long before the public floods in. And while I’m genuinely grateful to be part of the team — believe me, I’d take this over shovelling sand some place — it certainly wasn’t easy work. Dozens of brands dropped hundreds of new releases, and we scrambled as quickly as humanly possible to bring you, our readers, the latest and greatest from the world’s biggest watch festival. Sure, we couldn’t cover every single release (we’re only human), but even then we saved some time to catch up on our homework!
Now that the team is back together, safe and sound, we’ve all taken a moment to reflect on the whirlwind that was Watches and Wonders 2025. And to kick things off, I’m up first! So read on as I count down the releases that astounded, perplexed, and surprised me the most throughout the week.
Honourable Mention: Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR]
When it comes to watch releases — Watches and Wonders aside — the ones I always fall in love with usually check at least one of three boxes: a heritage-inspired or unusual design, mechanical complexity, or a record-breaking reputation. The Ulysse Nardin Diver [AIR] ticks two of those boxes, and it does so impressively.
Skeleton watches aren’t exactly rare in the modern watch landscape — I’ve lost count of how many Instagram microbrands have attempted them — but what makes the Diver [AIR] stand out isn’t just the look. It’s the execution and the purpose behind the skeletonisation that makes it genuinely compelling.
Looking at the specs, this is clearly a dive watch: 44mm case diameter with a 14.76mm thickness It has 200 metres of water resistance, a screw-down crown, and a unidirectional bezel, all of which support its tool watch identity. So why skeletonise it? It’s not just about aesthetics — it’s about weight reduction; And that weight-saving design has earned it the title of the lightest dive watch in the world!
It’s a bit surreal that two record-setting timepieces came out of the same event — with Bvlgari releasing the world’s thinnest tourbillon — but the Diver [AIR] has carved out a different kind of legacy. Weighing in at just south of 53 grams, it’s a technical achievement that shows off Ulysse Nardin’s engineering chops while still offering a strong visual identity.
That said, it does raise a question: who is Ulysse Nardin really competing with in this space? Maybe it’s no one. Perhaps, this was just an opportunity to showcase their mechanical capabilities outside the Freak line. And if that’s the case, fair play to them! Still, I’d love to see another brand take on the challenge. After all, a bit of competition always keeps things interesting!
Cartier Privé Tank à Guichets
I’ve been on a bit of a kick lately. Though watch trends come and go, for the past few months I’ve found myself continually fascinated by the digital time space. No, not like the Casio G-SHOCK or the Hamilton Pulsar — although those are both undeniably cool watches — but more so within the realm of mechanical watchmaking. The fact that digital time displays have existed far longer than most people realise has always intrigued me, ever since I first got into watches. Even now, I still catch myself staring at these oddball designs, wondering if and when I’ll get the chance to own one — preferably without selling any vital organs. While dreaming about the Cartier Privé Tank à Guichets will likely get me no closer to actually owning one, I like to think it gives me another reason to keep chasing the dream.
Originally released back in the 1920s, the Tank à Guichets was Louis Cartier’s way of embracing avant-garde horology while staying true to the elegant, timeless design language of his eponymous brand. The design would occasionally resurface for Cartier-specific celebrations, but the opportunity to own one was usually reserved for a very select few. And while I don’t think Cartier’s going to start handing them out for peanuts anytime soon, 2025’s introduction of the Privé Tank à Guichets signals that this once-elusive timepiece is finally joining the brand’s permanent collection.
Coming in at 33mm wide, 37.6mm long, and just 6mm thick, these timepieces are unlike any Cartier you’ve probably seen before—yet they still embody the original and iconic elements of the Tank line. Encased in either gold or platinum, the Privé Tank à Guichets tells time using two rotating discs: one for the hours, and the other for the minutes. A small arrow carved into the solid metal dial indicates the current time. While the readout is a lot smaller than what you’d see with traditional hands, it’s still perfectly legible and surprisingly easy to read at a glance.
Honestly, I was going to include this model in my list of the best digital time watches last year, but with so few photos of the vintage pieces out there, I couldn’t make it work. It just goes to show that — even a few months ago — the Tank à Guichets was already high on my list as one of the best examples of this kind of complication. Now that it’s officially joined Cartier’s already-esteemed lineup of icons, maybe it’s time I revise that list…
Related Reading: 6 Incredible Mechanical Digital Time Watches!
Piaget Andy Warhol Stone Dials
I’ve never quite gotten the craze for stone dials. Don’t get me wrong, they’re beautiful, but I’ve always struggled with the idea of tossing a rock into a watch and demanding an obscene price for it. Maybe I’m just disillusioned by how big the trend has become — it’s reached a point where it barely catches my eye anymore.
I think my issue isn’t with the stones themselves, but with their execution. A stone’s natural beauty is delicate, and finding the right watch to truly showcase that beauty is a challenge. Too often, brands risk “putting the Mona Lisa in an Anko frame,” so to speak. If executed incorrectly, the addition of stone can come off as tacky, ironically cheapening the look of what is otherwise an incredibly expensive timepiece.
Piaget, however, stands in a unique position. As both jewelers and watchmakers, they have a rare understanding of how to marry the two elements together. And with their Andy Warhol collection — formerly known as the Black Tie, and before that the 15102 — they’ve shown just how to express the natural beauty of stone without letting it overshadow the design. The Andy Warhol is a timeless, yet unmistakably ‘70s design, making it the perfect canvas for a stone dial.
Thanks to the creativity of Piaget’s craftsmen, the simple, bold silhouette of the Andy Warhol — complete with gold gadrooning and its curved rectangular case — enhances the stone without detracting from the overall aesthetic. For Watches and Wonders 2025, Piaget’s offering includes meteorite and opal dials, but in my opinion, it’s the tiger’s eye model that truly stands out. I’ve found myself endlessly fascinated by it, and paired with the rest of the collection, it’s definitely changed my perspective on the stone dial trend as a whole.
Bremont Terra Nova Jump Hour Bronze Limited Edition
As I just said about the Cartier Privé Tank à Guichets, I’m a sucker for mechanical digital timepieces. I’m also a sucker for being surprised; Though recency bias might cause some people to drift away from certain releases, the thrill of getting a spectacular watch from an unexpected source is something that can sustain my enthusiasm for months on end.
For me, Bremont is that unexpected source. I’ll be honest — I wasn’t fully sold on their rebrand at first, though I understand the reasoning behind it. And while the watch community had every right to be sceptical when the brand shifted direction, I believe Bremont’s showing at Watches and Wonders 2025 has done a lot to quiet the backlash. Why? Because of the new Jump Hour line they just debuted, which joins their Terra Nova collection as a permanent offering.
While the standard stainless steel edition is already a strong release, it pales in comparison to its limited edition sibling. Encased in cupro-aluminium bronze and sized down to a very wearable 38mm, the Terra Nova Jump Hour Bronze is a thoughtfully designed and delightfully entertaining watch — something I never would have expected from a brand best known for rugged, aviation-inspired tool watches.
Then again, no one really saw the rebrand coming either, so maybe it’s not that surprising that the British brand is exploring new ground. With a bit of a one-up on Cartier — thanks to the inclusion of a functional (albeit small) seconds hand in the centre — the Bremont Terra Nova Jump Hour Bronze is a head-turning piece packed with a level of horological finesse not typically associated with the brand. It proves that their reach extends far beyond what most people recognise, and that they can pull off ‘elegant and ‘delicate’ as well as they can ‘bold’ and ‘effective.’
Bremont, if you’re listening — if there’s any chance we could see another version like this in steel or titanium, please make it a permanent run!
Raymond Weil Freelancer Complete Calendar
For the time I’ve been at Watch Advice, I think the team can safely describe me in just three words: Raymond Weil fanboy. Okay, I wasn’t exactly putting up posters of CEO Elie Bernheim on my wall, but I always believed that, given their established reputation, independent business structure, and family legacy, they always had the potential to reign supreme in their market share. As the 2020s began to take shape, however, the brand seemed to realise this too, quickly moving out of the doghouse and into the limelight they so very much deserved.
It all started with the introduction of the GPHG-winning Millesime collection, of which the original is still one of my favourite watches that I’ve ever reviewed. However, the Freelancer line – the mainstay of the Raymond Weil lineup – has also been given vast improvements over the last few years, with one of the very best versions of the watch coming at Watches and Wonders 2025. Enter the Raymond Weil Freelancer Complete Calendar: a 40mm wide, 10.15mm thick, universally wearable watch that elegantly simplifies the triple calendar complication.
How, you ask? Well, thanks to a unique pair of pushers that lie flush with the case! Barely noticeable at first, these two pushers can be depressed with a fingertip, rather than with an incovenient tool, and help to adjust the month and the day on each respective side. While the crown still controls the date pointer and moonphase complications, it’s a simple, dynamic solution to a problem that is still faced by brands at ten times higher price points than Raymond Weil. And for that – and perhaps that alone – this brand should command your respect.
NOMOS Glashütte Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer
If you’ve already read the article below, then you’ll know why I’m picking this piece. In a world where the price of a luxury watch has increased far more dramatically than any other product – except for eggs, maybe – NOMOS Glashütte has maintained its position as a key player in the watch industry. Once a vertiable underdog, the German watchmakers have begun to have their praises sung by more than just the Poindexters of the watch world, and garnered plenty of mainstream attention with their debut showing at Watches and Wonders 2024.
However, this year’s release from NOMOS blows last year’s out of the water by a huge margin. Though they’ve released less watches this time around – reducing the number from 31 to a more reasonable 8 – the impact of the drop is by no means lesser. The Club Sport neomatik Worldtimer, at a standard RRP of under AU$8,000, is a package deal unlike any other timepiece within the NOMOS market share, let alone the entire industry!
I’ve never seen another watch tick off so many boxes in one fell swoop: Wearable dimensions, at 40mm wide, 9.9mm thick, and a reasonable 48mm lug-to-lug; A simplistic, clean aesthetic that doesn’t detract from the watch’s overall complexity; Eight different colourways, with six limited-editions of 175 and two beautiful permanent runs; An intricate worldtimer complication that’s easy to read and use; And an in-house movement with a patented escapement – an achievement typically reserved for horology’s crème de la crème. After years of not really getting the hype behind NOMOS’ timepieces, the release of the Club Sport neomatik Worldtimer has me borrowing words from the legendary Lethal Shooter: I understand it now.
