Watches and Wonders 2025: Day One Highlights That Caught Our Eye

Today marks the opening of Watches and Wonders 2025, the most anticipated event in the watch calendar, where many of the world’s leading brands unveil their latest releases for the year ahead. As our team eagerly awaits their visit to Watches and Wonders over the weekend, day one has already set a strong pace. The mood in Geneva feels confident, brands are leaning into craft, heritage, and a return to purpose-led design. Rolex opened with the launch of the new Rolex Land-Dweller, (seen earlier this week upon the wrist of brand ambassador Rodger Federer), a striking addition that reinterprets classic dress watch proportions with modern Rolex engineering. From that, to TAG Heuer’s shift towards solar-powered movements, the first 24 hours have brought a thoughtful blend of innovation and restraint. 

With 60 exhibiting brands, including new additions like Bulgari, the event continues to grow in both scale and influence. The public days, running from 5th to 7th April, give collectors and enthusiasts a rare opportunity to engage directly with some of the most significant names in modern watchmaking.

Below, we’ve pulled together a few key launches, early talking points, and what’s capturing attention on the ground so far. 

Revealed today, Cartier Tressage: The name 'Tressage,' French for 'braid,' aptly describes the design's intertwining elements.

Cartier Sets the Tone in Geneva

With the hugely anticipated Cartier exhibition opening at the V&A in London next week, it felt only right to begin our Watches and Wonders coverage with this iconic Maison, and take a closer look at what they’ve brought to the table in Geneva. 

Cartier has arrived in Geneva with quiet confidence, unveiling a collection that moves seamlessly between refined watchmaking and high jewellery artistry. From the reimagined Tank à Guichets, a nod to the Maison's mechanical heritage, to bold, gem-set designs in the Panthère de Cartier line, there’s a clear emphasis on craft, contrast, and character.

Cartier’s most sculptural release this year, the Tressage, part timepiece, part statement jewellery. The design plays with interwoven forms, creating bold asymmetry around a long, rectangular case, creating depth, movement, and visual drama. There are four editions on display: a clean yellow gold model with a lacquer-black dial; a fully pavé-set white gold piece with over 900 diamonds; a bi-metal version blending yellow and white gold with intricate diamond detailing; and a standout white gold model set with diamonds and sapphires, delivering deep colour and texture. Powered by quartz and water-resistant to 30 metres, the Tressage prioritises design over mechanics, but that’s precisely the point. It’s a watch built to turn heads, start conversations and already a favourite of the MGB team. 

The Land Dweller, available in a range of materials including white Rolesor, Everose gold, and platinum, with honeycomb-patterned dials and both 36mm and 40mm case sizes

Rolex Land Dweller: From Rumour to Reveal

Whispers of a new Rolex began swirling weeks ago, when the internet leaked images, and sparked by a few well-timed photos shared by long-time ambassador Roger Federer. Spotted on his wrist during a ski trip in the Alps, the unfamiliar case shape and integrated bracelet had collectors and forums in a frenzy. Many suspected it was something entirely new, and they were right.

Officially revealed today, the Oyster Perpetual 1908 Land-Dweller marks a fresh chapter for Rolex. The case design draws subtle cues from the Oysterquartz era, but this is no throwback. Powered by the new Calibre 7135, a 5Hz high-frequency movement, and featuring the patent-pending Dynapulse escapement, the Land-Dweller is technically impressive and visually distinct. It also introduces the new “Flat Jubilee” bracelet—fully integrated and unlike anything else in the current Rolex line-up.

IWC has unveiled a bold addition to its Ingenieur line-up at Watches and Wonders Geneva. This marks the first time the Gérald Genta-inspired design has been paired with a full ceramic case and bracelet. 

IWC Ingenieur Automatic 42 Black Ceramic

IWC has added a new reference to its Ingenieur Automatic 42 line, this time in full black ceramic. The case blends satin-finishing with sandblasted surfaces and polished bevels, creating a sense of depth and definition without overcomplicating the design. The familiar grid dial returns, this time in black to match the tone-on-tone case, giving the watch a coherent and confident presence. It’s powered by IWC’s in-house calibre 82110, bringing dependable performance to a case that feels thoroughly contemporary. We’re particularly drawn to the all-black finish, it suits the Ingenieur’s technical styling perfectly, offering a clean, stealthy aesthetic that feels right at home in the modern collection.

IWC is going Hollywood and unveils trio of pilot’s chronographs from Brad Pitt’s upcoming ‘F1’ movie, including the Ingenieur Automatic.

One of the more understated reveals at Watches and Wonders 2025 is a special-edition Ingenieur Automatic 40, created in collaboration with Brad Pitt and Cloister Watch Company. Taking cues from a custom piece worn by Pitt himself, the watch draws on the DNA of the original Ingenieur SL Ref. 1832, reimagined here through a contemporary lens.

Its most striking detail is the rich green dial, textured with a raised grid pattern and paired with gold-toned markers for added depth. The case and bracelet flow as one, thanks to the integrated design, finished with a butterfly clasp for comfort on the wrist. Inside, the Calibre 32111 delivers a solid 120-hour power reserve and is protected by a soft-iron inner case to shield against magnetic fields. Only 1,000 pieces will be produced, making it a fittingly low-profile nod to one of IWC’s most technically respected designs.

The deep red, semi-transparent dial offers a glimpse of the movement beneath—an intentional nod to the stripped-back intensity of the racetrack. Image credit: TAG Heuer

TAG Heuer

With MGB being such a committed follower of Formula 1, we were especially keen to see what TAG Heuer would bring to Watches and Wonders this year, and they’ve delivered. As the new official timekeeper of the 2025 Formula 1 season, TAG takes the baton from Rolex with a bold, motorsport-led showcase.

Their stand features two full-size Formula 1 cars, surrounded by helmets and memorabilia, capturing the energy of the paddock. Front and centre is the brand’s new campaign, DESIGNED TO WIN, setting the tone for a line-up built around precision, performance, and track heritage. The new Monaco Split-Second Chronograph stood out immediately, not just for its technical brilliance, but for the two sub-dials bearing David Croft’s now-iconic phrase: “Lights out and away we go.” Alongside it, the Solargraph range expands to nine models, proving TAG’s commitment to pushing solar-powered innovation further into the everyday wear space. Confident, fast-paced, and fully in pole position, TAG’s showing feels right on track.

Chanel redefined modern watchmaking at the start of the millennium with the launch of the J12. Now, the Maison has reimagined its famously complex ceramic case in a new, enduring shade. Image courtesy of CHANEL

Chanel

First introduced in 2000, the Chanel J12 quickly earned its place as a modern icon, thanks in large part to its pioneering use of high-tech ceramic across both case and bracelet. For nearly a quarter of a century, the J12 has remained strictly monochrome, offered only in black or white.

Now, to mark its 25th anniversary, Chanel introduces a new permanent  addition: deep navy blue. “We always knew there was scope to explore other colours,” notes Frédéric Grangié, President of Chanel Watches and Fine Jewellery, “but the one we chose had to feel lasting, not fleeting.” So, after black in 2000 and white in 2003, blue joins the fold in 2025, not as a seasonal twist, but as a considered evolution of the J12 story.

This isn’t just any blue either. The tone may feel timeless, but its development was anything but fast. It took five years of research and refinement to arrive at a ceramic with the depth, consistency, and durability required for Chanel’s standards. As with most things in watchmaking, true innovation takes time, and in this case, that time was well spent. 

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Day one at Watches and Wonders 2025 set the tone with a strong balance of heritage and forward thinking. From Chanel’s new J12 Bleu, a quietly confident evolution of a ceramic icon, to TAG Heuer’s high-energy Formula 1 display and solar-powered expansion, the day delivered thoughtful design and technical intent in equal measure.

As we look ahead to experiencing these pieces in person later this week, we’ll continue to share updates across our socials, highlighting the details, the craftsmanship, and what’s coming next from Geneva.

For a summary, you can check out Watches and Wonders own re-cap here with Time Talks and an introduction to The Novelties.