In luxury news, every year, the global horological community turns its eyes to Geneva for Watches and Wonders – the premier showcase of haute horlogerie. The 2025 edition didn’t disappoint. While new releases ranged from the classically refined to the audaciously complex, five standout timepieces managed to rise above the noise and dominate conversations both on the show floor and across digital watch forums.
Whether through technical innovation, aesthetic evolution, or brand legacy, these watches captured the attention of collectors, enthusiasts, and industry insiders alike. Here’s a closer look at the five most buzzed-about watches from Watches and Wonders 2025, which wrapped up yesterday.
Luxury news: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première
Perhaps no watch better defined the spirit of excellence this year than Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première. With a staggering 41 complications and 1,521 components, it is now considered the most complex wristwatch ever created by the Swiss maison – a title that earned it both headlines and hushed awe among collectors.
The watch took nearly a decade to develop, and the results are nothing short of jaw-dropping. It boasts a triple-axis tourbillon, perpetual calendar, celestial chart, sunrise and sunset indicators, and chiming functions that include a grande and petite sonnerie. Despite its intricate mechanics, the watch remains wearable, with a sleek profile housed in a platinum case accented with lime green elements – a surprising but successful twist that added a modern edge to its traditional artistry.
For many, it wasn’t just a technical triumph, it was a poetic statement about the future of mechanical watchmaking.
Image: Vacheron Constantin
Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 6196P-001
Patek Philippe returned to its roots with the new Calatrava Ref. 6196P-001, a platinum dress watch that reimagines the timeless aesthetic of the original 1932 Calatrava. At first glance, the watch’s appeal may seem understated, but for those attuned to Patek’s design language, this is an object of quiet perfection.
Featuring a salmon dial with a finely grained texture, faceted hour markers, and dauphine hands, it exudes vintage elegance. But what really makes it buzzworthy is its subtle modernization; a slightly larger 38mm case, a contemporary Caliber 30-255 PS movement, and meticulous finishing that’s visible through the sapphire caseback.
The USD$47,130 price tag reflects not only the brand’s exclusivity but also the enduring reverence for the Calatrava silhouette. In a year dominated by experimental designs, Patek reminded the world why restraint still resonates.
Image: Patek Philippe
Cartier Tank à Guichets Oblique
Cartier turned heads and was in the luxury news this year by reviving one of its most elusive icons – the Tank à Guichets. Known for its “jump hour” complication and avant-garde display of time through windows rather than hands, the Tank à Guichets is a piece that leans on Cartier’s long-standing ability to fuse fine watchmaking with architectural flair.
The new Oblique edition reinterprets this rare watch with an angled display and a case crafted in brushed platinum. The updated typography and minimalist design reflect a balance of modern and Art Deco influences, making it instantly recognizable yet completely fresh.
Cartier has only released a handful of these since the original debuted in 1928, which added to the mystique and demand. With a limited production run, this is one of those rare instances where buzz translates immediately into a waiting list.
Image: mrwatchley.com
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph
While TAG Heuer is often associated with motorsport chronographs and rugged divers, their Formula 1 Solargraph proved to be a breakout success, a timepiece that made the luxury news front page. It marries sportiness with sustainability, introducing a solar-powered movement that can run for months with just minutes of sunlight exposure.
What set this release apart wasn’t just the technology – though the use of solar quartz is certainly a smart, modern choice – but the styling. With its bold indices, black DLC-coated case, and colorful accents (particularly the standout turquoise detailing), the Solargraph manages to capture both Gen Z energy and millennial nostalgia.
Accessible in price but forward-thinking in design, it’s a watch that repositions TAG Heuer as a brand willing to innovate beyond traditional chronographs.
Click to enlarge image
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Geographic
Jaeger-LeCoultre leaned into both travel and tradition with the new Reverso Tribute Geographic. True to its name, this Reverso offers a dual-time complication with a creative world-time display on the reverse dial – an ideal companion for globetrotters who appreciate classic styling.
Powered by the new Caliber 834, the front of the watch offers a clean sunray dial (available in rich blue or chocolate brown), while the reverse features an exquisitely hand-engraved map, overlaid by a rotating 24-hour ring and a fixed city disc. A patented grande date complication is subtly embedded into the design, preserving the watch’s symmetry and balance. Collectors raved about this release not only for its mechanical intelligence but for the sheer beauty of its craftsmanship. It’s a Reverso that respects its lineage while boldly venturing into new complications.
Watches and Wonders 2025 showed us that the industry is alive and evolving – not just through material innovation or micro-engineering, but also through storytelling, sustainability, and reverence for the past. These five releases, each in their own way, exemplify why fine watchmaking remains so compelling in the digital age.
Whether you’re drawn to the boundary-pushing Solaria, the clean elegance of the Calatrava, or the sleek utility of the Solargraph, this year’s lineup offered something for everyone, and reminded us all why we fell in love with watches in the first place.
Image: Jaeger-LeCoultre
Top Image: Aerial view of the in the city event at Watches and Wonders, in Geneva, Switzerland,
Margo Vartanian is a bicoastal freelance writer between Toronto and Los Angeles, always in journalistic pursuit. She studied English Literature, Rhetoric, and Media at the University of Toronto while holding congruent internships at Narcity and StyleDemocracy. Post-grad, she worked as the social media manager of multiple companies before fully freelancing. She now develops written content strategies for various luxury and corporate brands and directs website copy. Her admiration for fashion stems from her interest in fusing the creative with the functional and mimics the concept of utilitarian frivolity through her written approach.
