Watches and Wonders 2025: 6 trends that take horology further

1. Compact Cases

As small and mini ladies’ watches are growing in popularity, brands with best-selling models are also adjusting the cases — smaller or larger — to a universally wearable medium size to broaden their appeal to suit all wrists. 

The sporty chic, square-shaped Patek Philippe Cubitus, introduced in 45mm versions last year, now comes in two 40mm time and date models. Shown here is the Reference 7128/1G-001 in white gold with a blue-grey sunburst dial, while the other is the rose gold Reference 7128/1R-001 with a brown sunburst dial. 

The aesthetics — 3 o’clock date, horizontal dial embossing, baton-style hands and indices, and contrasting polished and satin-brushed finishes — remain the same as their predecessors, although the new references are slightly thicker at 8.5mm. Similarly, the caliber 26-330 S C self-winding movement, equipped with a stop-seconds function for setting the time to the exact second, powers them. 

Meanwhile, the integrated bracelet retains the features of the inaugural models — namely the contrasting finishes, a patented fold-over clasp with four independent catches, and the lockable adjustment system.

2. Ornamental Stones

Still very much loved by the horology world for their natural beauty, ornamental gems impart every dial its unique patterns and character. Taking the cake is Chopard’s L.U.C Heritage EHG Moon 122, a 20-piece limited-edition ode to the cosmos that also honours the brand’s two-decade partnership with the Geneva School of Watchmaking (EHG).

Specifically, the COSC-certified L.U.C 63.01-L mechanical manual-winding movement of this new model, bearing the prestigious Poincon de Geneve hallmark, draws from the base calibre that Chopard supplies to EHG to enable each apprentice to create their graduation timepiece in their fourth year of training.

Artisanal excellence is fully showcased here, with an entrancing deep-blue aventurine dial that lends itself stunningly to the watch’s piece de resistance: An astronomical moon phase so precise that it deviates by a mere 57 seconds per lunar cycle, requiring adjustment only once every 122 years. 

The moonphase is hand-textured, in rose gold on aventurine, like the moon’s surface, and surrounding this indicator are white gold transfers depicting the constellations of the Northern Hemisphere. Complementing this ethereal sight is the view of the globe observed from the North Pole, rendered as a miniature rose gold sculpture with intense blue, lacquer-filled oceans. 

What else do we like? The fact that its 44mm case is made of ethical rose gold inspired by 19th-century hunter pocket watches designed by house founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard — blending old, new, and the good.

3. Bangle Jewellery Watches

Elaborate jewellery watches are still a niche at the fair, but somehow, a sturdy, statement-making bangle construction seems to be the rage now. 

In a bold reimagining of its sinuous and stretchy snake icon, Bvlgari presents the Serpenti Aeterna. This watch reduces seven decades of serpentine design to its purest, most hypnotic form. Gone are the literal scales and piercing eyes; in their place, a sculptural gold bangle, bearing a curved case ending with tipped ends, captures the reptile’s essence through geometry alone.

The creation’s sweeping arc conceals subtle surprises, available in rose gold or fully pave-set white gold fitted with a quartz movement. Laser-engraved hexagonal motifs — a discreet tribute to traditional Serpenti scales — create tactile intrigue within it. The snow-set diamond snakehead dial appears suspended within the form, with its scattered gems catching light like water droplets on a reptile’s skin.

Technical mastery underpins the simplicity. Bvlgari’s artisans spent two years perfecting the hidden clasp mechanism, ensuring the rigid bangle glides onto the wrist with unexpected ease. The white gold iteration escalates the drama with oversized diamonds along its spine, amplifying brilliance with their three-dimensional setting.

4. Feather Light

Practicality and utility are as crucial as ever, with titanium emerging as a material of choice. Its lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant properties lend themselves wonderfully to serious sports timepieces, and the one that caught our eye is Ulysse Nardin’s showpiece, the Diver [AIR]. 

The world’s lightest mechanical dive watch, and super-sustainable to boot, it weighs an unprecedented 52g including its strap. 

The 44mm case features a titanium inner capsule that ensures 200m water resistance. At the same time, the outer modules utilise Nylo-Foil, an advanced composite blending 60 per cent recycled ocean fishing nets with 40 per cent upcycled carbon fibre reclaimed from IMOCA racing yachts.

At its heart beats the revolutionary UN-374 automatic movement, which achieves a mere 7g through radical skeletonisation and cutting-edge materials. The strong, geometric movement architecture even incorporates micro-slim titanium bridges, a first for Ulysse Nardin, and an open-worked rotor.

A flying mainspring barrel configuration reduces weight while maintaining an impressive 90-hour power reserve. This is complemented by a lightweight silicon escapement that weighs half of conventional balance assemblies. Remarkably, this ultra-light movement withstands impacts up to 5kg despite being 80 per cent air by volume.

The technical innovation extends to every component, including a CarbonFoil bezel insert crafted from compressed yacht carbon fiber and tool-free interchangeable elasticated fabric straps. Even better, through partnerships with marine recycling specialists, Ulysse Nardin incorporates 90 per cent recycled titanium and sustainably sourced materials for the piece, which meets all ISO dive watch standards.

5. Micro-adjustable Bracelets

Increasingly, you’d no longer have to use tools or head back to the store to shorten or lengthen your metal bracelet. Several manufactures, such as Panerai and Grand Seiko, have introduced or expanded on their bracelet length adjustment systems — all tool-free, intuitive, and quick.

Kudos, however, have to be given to Tudor. Its new Pelagos Ultra redefines professional standards with an obsessive focus on functionality, beginning with the revolutionary titanium T-fit folding clasp. Unlike conventional dive watch bracelets, this system allows one-handed, millimeter-perfect adjustments even wearing thick gloves. Furthermore, its innovative luminous position indicator helps the diver to easily discern what setting the bracelet is at — a first for the Pelagos line.

The 43mm titanium case represents a masterclass in deep-sea engineering. Its monobloc construction and grade 5 titanium caseback withstand the equivalent of 100 atmospheres, while the redesigned helium escape valve — now more compact yet more efficient — handles prolonged saturation missions. 

The matte ceramic bezel insert, treated with Tudor’s latest Grade X1 and BGW9 lume compounds, maintains visibility in the abyssal gloom. Beneath the domed sapphire crystal, the dial employs military-grade legibility: Thickened Snowflake hour and minute hands emit distinct blue and green glows, respectively, for instant orientation, while the sandblasted flange eliminates reflective glare. 

The METAS-certified MT5612-U movement powers this underwater instrument, and its silicon hairspring and 65-hour reserve are unaffected by magnetic fields or pressure extremes. The ISO-compliant watch includes a full titanium bracelet and a rubber strap with 11cm of extension, ensuring a perfect fit over drysuits or wetsuits. 

6. Brown Dials

The newest dials are awash in various shades of blue, but there are also some bright reds, alluring burgundies, and a smattering of purple hues. One colour that caught our attention is discreet yet versatile brown, which ranges from safari-ready to handsomely sophisticated.

The latest iteration of A. Lange & Sohne’s sporty-elegant Odysseus belongs to the latter category and arrives in a compelling new guise. Limited to 100 pieces, this Honeygold version pairs the brand’s proprietary alloy — prized for its distinctive warm hue and enhanced hardness — with a perfectly matched chocolate brown dial whose subtle texturing contrasts harmoniously with the 40.5mm case’s muted tones.

The dial presents the collection’s hallmark oversized date and day displays in crisp white, with luminous Honeygold hands and indices. A red-accented “60” on the minute track and the intricate guilloche pattern on the small seconds subdial provide more visual delight.

For the first time in the Odysseus line, the watch features an integrated five-row Honeygold bracelet with alternating polished and brushed links. It also incorporates a practical micro-adjustment system allowing 7mm of on-the-fly length modification.

Powering the watch is the L155.1 DATOMATIC caliber, visible through the sapphire caseback. The movement features a platinum centrifugal mass on its skeletonised rotor, untreated German silver bridges, and a free-sprung balance with Lange’s proprietary hairspring. The balance bridge, engraved with wave motifs, is a nod to the watch’s 50-hour power reserve and 4Hz precision. 

Every component showcases the brand’s signature finishing, from the polished bevels to the blued screws and gold chatons.