These Are The Best Watches Of 2025

From turbocharged tourbillons to suspended seconds, Simon de Burton brings you the best and most eye-catching watches of 2025 (Lewis Hamilton not included).

Your Guide To 2025’s Best Watches

RM43-01 Ferrari Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph | Richard Mille

Ultra-high-end watch brand Richard Mille chose the weekend of the Chinese Grand Prix to unveil its latest watch made in collaboration with Ferrari –  the RM43-01 Ferrari Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph. Just 150 Lewis Hamilton-approved examples will be made, half in titanium and half in Carbon TPT, with each version featuring numerous details inspired by the celebrated Italian marque’s cars. Th ese include a strap based on the pattern of a Purosangue’s seats, a ‘Prancing Horse’ engraved on a plate in the shape of a wing-tip of the 499P Le Mans hypercar , and barrel jewel setting in the style of a clutch plate.

SHOP: From 1,150,000 CHF, richardmille.com

Grand Bal | Dior

Dior’s watch making division goes to impressive lengths to reference its haute couture roots in its horological creations, even coming-up with the ingenious notion of placing the triangular-shaped oscillating weight of an automatic movement on the dial side to give the effect of a swaying dress. Th is latest model in the ‘Grand Bal’ collection features a honeycomb dial onto which tiny, hand painted and engraved flowers, diamonds and pink sapphires are laid to give the impression of embroidery on a Dior dress. A ring made from black mother-of-pearl surrounds a bezel set with 80 diamonds, while the sapphire crystal case back is enhanced with its own fl oral scene.

SHOP: £POA, dior.com

Top Time B01 Racing | Breitling

With the state of the world today, isn’t it time to say, ‘Comeback 70s, all is forgiven?’. And what could be more redolent of that once -misunderstood decade than the blue and red stripes of the Martini logo that signified the drink they called ’the bright one, the right one’? Th e livery became synonymous with motorsport, notably through Martini’s backing of the Porsche and Lancia teams. Now, Breitling has struck a deal to use the colours on this special edition of its Top Time driver’s chronograph. Just 750 examples of the 38mm watch will be available, each featuring the famous stripes on the dial and paired with a dark blue, perforated leather strap.

SHOP: £5,950, breitling.com

Grand Complications Split-Seconds Chronograph | Patek Philippe

An early visit to the Patek Philippe stand is a must for visitors to Geneva’s annual Watches & Wonders show. Why? Because it never disappoints. This year’s gem was a new version of the existing Reference 5370R split-seconds chronograph with a 41mm case that appears for the first time in a rose gold case complemented by a truly delectable fired enamel dial in brown with a beige tachymetre scale and subdials. Not only is it edible from the front, it’s delicious from the back, too – even those with the most basic interest in micro mechanics will appreciate the exquisite hand-wound movement with its impeccable finish. As might be expected, it’s not exactly cheap…

SHOP: £247,250, patek.com

Black Bay Pro | Tudor

As many a horophile will tell you, ‘Montres Tudor’ was created in 1946 by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf with a remit to off er good quality watches at more affordable prices than those of its parent brand. Almost 80 years later, that ethos still stands firm – as evinced by this fresh take on the popular Black Bay Pro dual time watch launched in 2022. The new model gets a zingy ‘opaline’ dial complemented by a yellow GMT hand, with the main hands and hour markers being outlined in black, all in the name of legibility. The 39mm, steel watch can be had on a choice of fabric or ‘hybrid’ straps or a matching metal bracelet.

SHOP: From £3,450, tudorwatch.com

J12 BLEU | Chanel

Jacques Helleu was Chanel’s artistic director for 40 years and, in 2000, he created a watch that proved to be one of the biggest horolological success stories of the 21st century: the J12 sports model. Inspired by his love of sailing, Helleu made it from scratch-proof, salt-resistant ceramic and named it after the celebrated J-Class racing yachts of the 1930s. The original black version was joined by a white model in 2003 and now, to mark the 25th anniversary of the J12, matte blue is added to the line-up. Due to become part of the main collection, the Bleu will initially be available in nine limited edition models ranging from simple, three handers to a gem-set flying tourbillon.

SHOP: From £9,150, chanel.com

Cut Le Temps Suspendu | Hermès

Back in 2011, luxury leather house (and horological think tank) Hermès invented a mechanism that stopped time to allow us to savour our best moments. The complication, called ‘Le Temps Suspendu’, offered the wearer the option of pressing a button that moved the hour and minutes hand into a ‘V’ shape either side of 12 o’clock. Pressing the button again at any point later instantly restored the hands to the correct time. The playful animation has now been incorporated into the successful ‘Cut’ watch launched last year which, in this special version, gets a larger, 39mm case (up from the standard model’s 36mm) and a choice of white or limited edition red dials – but can only be had in rose gold.

SHOP: £42,980, hermes.com

Tank À Guichet | Cartier

With a design archive as rich as Cartier’s, launching a new watch is simply about digging into the lucky dip of past triumphs and pulling-out a model worth reviving. This year, it’s the turn of the ingenious Tank à Guichet, a watch that first saw the light of day in 1928. These original ‘digital watches’ featured revolving discs concealed behind a solid front with two small apertures to show the hour and minutes. Cartier has replicated the original to near-perfection in a series available in yellow gold, rose gold or platinum, while a limited edition platinum version gets a minor tweak with an off-centre minutes window and an hour display turned 90 degrees from normal.

SHOP: From £43,500, cartier.com

Land-Dwellwer | Rolex

Rolex evoked the wonders of the galaxy with its Space-Dweller watch of 1963, followed it up four years later with the Sea-Dweller extreme dive watch and then set about catering for the international jet-set with the Sky-Dweller travel number of 2012. So that left just one place for the mighty brand to cover – Mother Earth herself. Enter the Land-Dweller, an integrated bracelet watch that harks back 51 years to the ‘Oysterquartz’ Reference 1630. But the Land-Dweller is bang up to date, with a state-of-the-art, high-frequency mechanical movement, a slim new case and a patented bracelet clasp. Choose from 40mm or 36mm versions in steel and white gold, rose gold or platinum.

SHOP: From £12,250, rolex.com

Reference 9915 | Breguet

There’s some debate about when the first wristwatch was created – but there’s a good chance that it was in the late 18th century when horologist to the stars Abraham Louis Breguet made an oval-shaped number fitted with a strap crafted from strands of silk for Caroline Murat, Napoleon Bonaparte’s sister and the Queen of Naples. The modern-day Breguet has reprised the design on numerous occasions, the latest being in the form of this heavily gem-set Reference 9915 model. The heart decorating the mother-of-pearl dial represents an entwined ribbon made from graduated diamonds, pink sapphires and red rubies, while the ‘knop’ at the bottom of the case is snow set with 52 diamonds. Just 28 examples of the watch will be produced.

SHOP: £48,700, breguet.com