THE LUXURY WATCH EDIT

24th November 2025

As the gendered codes of watch design ever-shift and overlap (while core catalogues de-gender themselves wholesale) a merciful upshot is that overtly masculine brands or hero collections find themselves with licence to get more decorative than ever across the two pluckiest complications of all: the travel timer and chronograph. Words by Laura McCreddie-Doak.

The Big Bang might have turned 20, but along with Vacheron at 270 and Breguet at 250, next was Zenith in 2025’s roster of big anniversaries, hitting the big one-six-oh in suitable style. As well reimagining one of its most successful ‘observatory trial’ movements in more precise guise than ever (the ‘G.F.J.’ named after the founder) three exceptional examples of its core triptych – Pilot, Defy, Chronomaster Sport – were unveiled, all in ceramic and all rendered in Zenith’s newly adopted cerulean-blue signature shade.

84385 | £21,400

It’s been a big year for 21st-century watchmaking’s most disruptive character, seeing in the 20th year of Hublot’s literal ‘Big Bang’, which turned on its head what a fine watch could represent, back in 2005. Since then, this unapologetically ‘statement’ chronograph – thanks to a brilliantly modular construct of the brand’s titular ‘porthole’ – has served as a crucible for Hublot’s new adventures in sci-fi. Most excitingly, the world’s only scratch-proof gold alloy.

84383 | £34,900

Reviving the utilitarian, primary-coloured aesthetics of original ‘Heuer’ stopwatches, which kept precision time on motorsport throughout the 1960s and ‘70s, this knowingly named ‘Stopwatch’ brings the thrill of the racetrack to the wrist, framed by black DLC-coated titanium, and harking back to 1969, when – in cahoots with Breitling – Heuer launched one of the world’s first self-winding ‘stopwatch’ watches: the iconic Calibre 11 chronograph, powered by a micro-rotor sunk into its actual stopwatch mechanism.

84598 | £8,600

Rome’s favourite jeweller isn’t wedded to the Italian capital: as well as this carbon-coated Batmobile of a watch being powered by BVL 257 mechanics coming out of Bulgari’s network of Swiss ateliers, the 24-hour functionality invites you to straddle the world’s every time zone. Meanwhile, at its heart lies a very French motif: the ‘Clous de Paris’ hobnail finish to the matte black dial, reducing glare and enhancing the Super-LumiNova glow of its markers.

77997 | £8,650

Any doubts as to Tudor’s right to No.1 spot as ‘Now That’s What I Call Modern Dive Watchmaking’ be dashed; you can’t get purer – or more useful – than this cool, clean, calm and collected celebration not only of Rolex’s sister brand’s formative years kitting out French military frogmen, but of its recent strides in progressing the real-world relevance of a mechanical watch. With built-in GMT function, five-year warranty, underwater flexibility and chronometer precision, do you need anything more? The pricetag seals the deal.

84437 | £3,730

For 35 years, the heart of Chopard and 1000 Miglia have been ticking (revving?) as one. As the official timekeeper of the world’s most famous regularity race for classic cars (and by default the holder of ‘longest car-llaboration in watchmaking’ accolade) Chopard has created yet another high-octane beauty, born of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s personal passion for vintage cars and motor racing, and echoing the MM’s repute as ‘the most beautiful car race in the world); limited to 100 pieces.

85218 | £9,280

Hublot’s USP is big and bold and this timepiece certainly delivers on both those fronts. Well, it does on the bold, because surprisingly this One Click is a diminutive 33mm. But what it lacks in cas diameter it makes up for in personality. The combination of rubber strap and sparkling spinels is a classic Hublot high/low pairing and the “one click’ in its name refers to the brand’s innovative strap change system.

84374 | £14,200

As if the Happy Sport couldn’t get more joyful, Chopard has now added a gem-set fish to its trademark dancing diamonds. Swimming against a backdrop of turquoise mother-of-pearl, which is textured and looks like the play of light in water as seen from the deck of a yacht. The indices and crown are Chopard’s proprietary recycled Lucent steel and the rose gold used is all ethical. It is a gorgeous watch that is certain to make you smile.

84843 | £7,100

It’s hard not to be seduced by the sensuous curves of this particular Serpenti. The scales have been softened, the snake’s head here is figurative rather than life-like and the yellow gold pairs beautifully with the diamonds set into the bezel. Inside that curved case lies the BVS100 Lady Solotempo in-house automatic movement, featuring an oscillating mass intricately decorated

84128 | £34,300

There is something wonderfully audacious about taking a watch named after one of the most dangerous pan-american races ever run and turning it a lovely shade of blush and putting diamonds on the dial and around the bezel. But it works. The colour dials down the masculine energy of the chronograph, the 39mm case means it isn’t too delicate and the domed glass box sapphire crystal bring a fabulous retro energy to the piece.

85219 | £7,500

Winter days will have you dreaming of summer nights when you look at the dial of this watch. Tudor has dubbed this shade “lagoon blue”, and it is not wrong. It’s the colour of sea in a secluded cove you’d see in a White Lotus resort. To hammer home the point that Tudor wants you to think of this as your ideal holiday wearer, the dial texture is sand-like and the bezel mirror polished to look like the surface of an unruffled pool glinting in the sunlight.

84679 | £3,590

Rainbow-set watches have been having a renaissance in recent years version of Zenith’s 18kt white gold Chronomaster illustrates why. Firstly, there’s the kaleidoscope of sapphires, whose colours, when set in contrast to the black lacquered dial, really sing. Second is the combination of excess and practicality. This is a Chronomaster so it is powered by the renowned automatic El Primero 3600 movement, the watch includes a column-wheel chronograph that measures and displays time with 1/10th of a second precision. Not just a pretty face.

84099 | £100,000

Wearing white in winter is an absolute baller move. It says you don’t care about muddy puddles, it gives “my chauffeur is waiting outside”, and it looks great. Which is why this Gucci should be on your Christmas wishlist. At 24mm it’s delicate, the decision to just have markers at thrre, six, nine and 12 means the dial isn’t overwhelmed, and diamond-set bezel brings a touch of luxury to preceedings.

84613 | £2,530

CONTINUE READING

Just when you thought road-cycling couldn’t get more gadget-strewn, Tudor is bringing something …genuinely novel, as well as typically utilitarian: a chronograph version of its Pelagos.

Switzerland’s finest are wearing their ticking hearts on your sleeve: showcasing and augmenting their finishers’ unmatched skillset of skeletonisation and flawless polish by wrenching open the dial.

Florence’s most fabulous fashion act is propelling its Swiss-made watches into the heady realms of ‘haute’ complications.