Cartier – Tank à Guichets: the bold revival of an icon
Originally introduced in 1928, the legendary Tank à Guichets makes a stunning comeback at Cartier. This year, the Parisian house unveils a new interpretation of this pre-war "digital" timepiece, powered by the in-house hand-wound calibre 9755 MC, featuring jumping hours and dragging minutes. Two small windows on the dial display the time in a retrograde fashion, reconnecting with the Art Deco spirit dear to Cartier. The design remains faithful to the original, including the crown positioned at twelve o’clock, while housing a modern movement developed specifically for this watch. The 2025 Tank à Guichets is a successful metamorphosis of a historic piece, blending nostalgia and innovation, and highlighting Cartier's bold vision.
Jaeger-LeCoultre – Reverso Tribute "Dr. Deco": heritage reimagined
A timeless symbol of Art Deco elegance, the Reverso continues to reinvent itself. In 2025, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a Tribute edition nicknamed "Dr. Deco," a first in Reverso history featuring an integrated pink gold Milanese mesh bracelet, designed for both comfort and style. This monoface model pays tribute to the Reverso's origins from 1931, initially created for polo players, while exuding a refined vintage character. The pink gold case frames a minimalist dial that highlights the purity of the concept, and the choice of a metallic bracelet – a first for this iconic model – adds a contemporary twist. Jaeger-LeCoultre skillfully combines technical heritage (more than 50 different calibres have powered the Reverso since its inception) with timeless aesthetics, reinforcing its status as a master watchmaker who crafts timepieces that tell stories.
Piaget – Sixtie “Andy Warhol” : the spirit of the sixties revived
Piaget breathes new life into the flamboyance of its golden age by drawing direct inspiration from the 1960s. The new Sixtie collection channels the glamour of the famed "Piaget Society," particularly through a trapezoidal-shaped watch once worn by Andy Warhol. One standout model is nicknamed the "Andy Warhol Tiger's Eye," featuring a smooth tiger's eye stone dial with rich golden and brown tones, set in a 45 x 43 mm asymmetrical white gold case. The flowing curves and signature fluting of this trapezoidal design blend vintage boldness with modern grace, in line with the brand's motto: "at Piaget, a watch is first and foremost a jewel." By reviving an iconic silhouette and luxurious materials, Piaget crafts a vibrant narrative of creativity and freedom, transporting collectors into the artistic energy of the sixties through a thoroughly contemporary lens.
Bvlgari – Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon : record-breaking thinness and transparency
Bvlgari’s pursuit of extreme thinness reaches new heights with the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon. This revolutionary piece, a true technical manifesto from the Roman house, incorporates a skeletonized tourbillon into a watch with an overall thickness of just 1.85 mm – setting an absolute record for thinness. Achieving this ultra-slim construction, made possible by the Octo Finissimo architecture, required exceptional mastery: each openworked movement component had to deliver mechanical efficiency, durability, and visual appeal. The result is an almost translucent timepiece, where light passes freely through the skeletonized calibre, revealing every detail. Bvlgari enhances the contrast with contemporary finishes on the visible elements, showcasing the iconic tourbillon in a completely novel way. More than an engineering feat, the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon embodies Bvlgari's forward-looking vision, blending jewelry artistry and haute horlogerie in a cutting-edge form.
A. Lange & Söhne – Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar: Saxon virtuosity
German manufacture A. Lange & Söhne delivers a statement piece with its new Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar, limited to just 50 examples. As the name suggests, this timepiece combines two of haute horlogerie’s most complex complications: a complete perpetual calendar and a minute repeater, both powered by an entirely new hand-wound movement. The 42 mm platinum 950 case houses a striking in-house black enamel dial of remarkable purity and meticulous finishing. This deep, radiant display – dubbed "sublime" and considered one of the finest at the show – provides a dramatic stage for the mechanical complexity within. Each press of the trigger produces a horological melody indicating the time on demand, while the perpetual calendar adjusts automatically until 2100. With this Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar, Lange once again demonstrates unmatched artisanal expertise and attention to detail, delivering a timepiece where exceptional technique is cloaked in classical beauty.
Hermès – Cut “Le Temps Suspendu” : poetic horology in motion
Hermès adds a dreamlike touch to the show by reinventing its most poetic complication, Le Temps Suspendu. First imagined in 2011, this function allows the user to "pause time" by temporarily stopping the hands’ display – now integrated for the first time into the new Hermès Cut collection. The Cut Le Temps Suspendu is housed in a cushion-shaped case, with dial options in opaline silver or a new radiant Hermès red (shifting subtly in tone depending on the light). With a simple push, the wearer can pause the hands and enjoy a moment outside time, resuming the correct hour at will. This playful complication reflects Hermès’s philosophy of "taking time for oneself in a world that is always rushing." Technically, the mechanism memorizes the time during the pause and repositions the hands to the correct time upon deactivation. The Hermès Cut Le Temps Suspendu thus combines subtle engineering with poetic intention, inviting wearers to enjoy the present moment with elegance and whimsy.
Patek Philippe – Calatrava 5328G : eight days of understated elegance
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While Patek Philippe is often associated with grand complications, this year the Geneva-based manufacture opts for refined minimalism. The new Calatrava 5328G, unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2025, elevates the standards of horological elegance. The 38 mm white gold case is fully engraved with the iconic Clous de Paris guilloché pattern, surrounding a midnight blue dial with dual sunburst and satin finishes, complemented by applied gold indices. The highlight lies within: the brand-new hand-wound calibre 30-255 PS PS8, featuring twin barrels in series that deliver an eight-day power reserve. The movement also offers instantaneous day and date display at midnight, and integrates Patek’s high-performance Pulsomax® escapement in Silinvar®. This Calatrava captures the rigorous, understated spirit of Patek Philippe, while subtly updating its mechanical architecture. It doesn't strive to impress through complexity, but rather asserts a quiet form of excellence through masterful restraint. A worthy successor to its manual-wind predecessors, now elevated by invisible technical precision.
From inspired reinterpretations of historical models to unprecedented technical feats, the highlights of Watches & Wonders 2025 underscore the limitless creativity and dynamism of the watchmaking world. Each timepiece presented, through its story and its mechanism, helps write a new chapter in the great chronicle of time. This edition in Geneva reminds us that tradition and innovation not only coexist, but mutually enrich one another to give rise to exceptional creations capable of sparking both dreams and admiration among even the most seasoned collectors.
Article written by Chris Samassa, founder of Osterman Watch
