After a week of reflection—and recovering from 30 hours of travel—we’ve distilled the highlights of Watches & Wonders 2025 into a curated selection of the most impressive releases. Narrowing down the top-tier offerings from 60 brands was no easy feat, but our list captures the finest horological achievements of the year. Among them: the world’s thinnest tourbillon, the most complicated wristwatch ever made, and Rolex’s highly anticipated Land-Dweller.
Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première
Vacheron Constantin set the tone with the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première, officially the world’s most complicated wristwatch. Celebrating the maison’s 270th anniversary, this masterpiece features 41 complications across two dials, including a groundbreaking celestial object tracker. Key functions include:
- A perpetual calendar with Gregorian retrograde date and leap-year indication
- World time for 24 cities with day/night indicators
- Astronomical moon phases, tide levels, and seasonal equinox tracking
- Westminster carillon chime with four hammers and gongs
- A 3Hz tourbillon with a silicon balance wheel
Powered by a chronograph with a split-seconds mechanism and a double-stop hammer system, this watch is a triumph of precision engineering.
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon
Bulgari reclaimed its title for thinnest tourbillon with the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon, measuring just 1.85mm—edging out Piaget’s previous record. Crafted from sandblasted titanium with a tungsten-carbide mainplate, this ultra-slim marvel features a flying tourbillon, cementing its place as a pinnacle of modern haute horlogerie.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds
Elegance and craftsmanship define the Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds, arguably the finest dress watch of the show. Its 18k pink gold case and bracelet—woven from over 100 intertwined metal threads—create a seamless, ultra-thin (7.56mm) design.
Inside, the manual-wound Calibre 822_2 delivers 42 hours of power reserve. Priced at $66,500, this isn’t a limited edition, but production constraints make it a rare find.
Rolex Land-Dweller
Rolex surprised enthusiasts with the debut of the Land-Dweller, a bold addition to its “Dweller” lineage. Featuring a fresh dial design, an integrated bracelet, and a new high-performance movement, this all-terrain timepiece reaffirms Rolex’s pioneering spirit. While divisive, its innovative materials and engineering make it a standout release.
