This year’s Watches & Wonders had left me a little more impressed than the previous one. It was quite a pleasant sight to see the manufacturers taking a little more initiative, and producing more interesting watches – as compared to just rehashing the same products with different dial varieties.
It was not an easy task to pick three of my favourite watches from the event this year. There are many watches that deserve a spot, which is certainly welcoming. After some deliberation, here are my top three picks from the recently concluded Watches & Wonders 2025:
Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Quantième Perpétuel
There is always something special about making complicated watches look simple. We firsthand saw how H. Moser & Cie achieved it with the incredible Perpetual 1, and we pleased to say that Parmigiani Fleurier’s interpretation is no slouch either.
The Quantième Perpétuel (picture above courtesy of Parmigiani) is an expansion to the exquisite Toric collection, featuring a perpetual calendar as suggested by its namesake. I personally love the uncluttered look, paired with the exceptional level of finishing that is a staple with all of Parmigiani Fleurier’s watches. The hand-grained morning blue dial lends a lovely and mellow touch to the timepiece as well.
If there is only one issue to nitpick, it would be the pricing. The 40.6mm Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Quantième Perpétuel retails for CHF 92,000 (approximately S$143,730), which is pretty steep despite being cased in platinum. However, if money is not a concern, this is definitely a timepiece that I would certainly love to add into my collection.
Cartier Tank à Guichets
There is just something about Cartier’s timepieces, and the reissue of the Tank à Guichets (despite my slightly critical take on reissues) is one that will keep me distracted for a while.
I love Cartier for its unique watches, and despite the Tank à Guichets being almost a century-old design, it still feels like a highly novel and original timepiece to me. Perhaps this boils down to the rarity of the model, and how Cartier had done well in not diluting the model over the years.
If I had to make a choice, the platinum version with the slightly more unconventional aperture layout is my top pick. I love how quirky and unique the watch is, and the layout certainly makes this watch a tad more mysterious than what it already is. Talk about a perfect dress watch that is unique.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Geographic
If there is one brand that I would like to praise this year, that would be Jaeger-LeCoultre. Following the introduction of the highly popular Reverso Tribute Chronograph in 2023, the maison had impressed us again this year with two new stunning additions to the venerable collection – in the form of the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater, and the Reverso Tribute Geographic.
While the Minute Repeater is worthy of a spot, my heart lies with the more accessible Tribute Geographic. I especially love the world time display on the reverse side of the case, which is both intuitive and functional at the same time. The fact that Jaeger-LeCoultre had produced a new movement – Calibre 834 – for the watch is also worthy of an applause as well.
I am always a sucker for the Reverso, and especially the more complicated ones. There is just something cool about these watches, and it will definitely be a dream to add some of these complicated Reverso watches – including this handsome Tribute Geographic – into my watch collection.
Concluding Thoughts
I am glad to see that many brands have taken bolder steps this year. There are many great offerings that I cannot wait to handle in person, and I am sure many enthusiasts do share the same sentiments as well. I have not had this feeling for a while, and I do hope that brands will continue to move towards this direction going forward.
