The watch industry recently convened in Geneva for its annual flagship event, Watches and Wonders. With more than 50 watch companies exhibiting within its walls, and more than double that number taking exhibition space in the centre of the city – a group described as “pirates” by the Rolex CEO and Watches and Wonders chairman, Mr Jean-Frédéric Dufour – there was no better time to take stock of all things horological. What’s cool? What’s new? What’s changing? We spoke to nine experts – a mixture of collectors, writers, brand founders and auction specialists – for their take.

Mr Tim barber, writer: When many were treading water, Parmigiani stepped up with a reborn Toric collection that I found pretty electrifying. Cool movement, wonderful finishing and a really thoughtful redesign in Farrow & Ball shades that should develop nicely. Shout outs, too, for Czapek & Cie, H. Moser & Cie. and Laurent Ferrier, and for whoever has taken case design in hand at IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Ms Laura McCreddie-Doak, writer: I spoke with Rainer Bernard, director for research and development at Van Cleef & Arpels, who took me through how [the brand] create the mechanics to realise the stories they present on their dials. What impressed me is in a world where brands are constantly showing off their technical prowess, VC&A seeks to hide it in order to let the romance take centre stage. That and the new Parmigiani Toric.

Mr George Bamford, collector and founder, Bamford Watch Department: I think the new IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar was a really amazing watch. I think Piaget is on fire as a brand. And I really loved the gold Skipper from TAG Heuer. That was a really wonderful watch.

Mr Arthur Touchot, head of digital strategy, Phillips Auction House: The Berkley Grand Complication really blew me away. It’s tough to know where to start in front of a watch with 63 complications. It will be remembered internally as one of Vacheron Constantin’s most ambitious projects of the past few years, although the brand’s watchmakers will remember their previous record setting pocket watch, achieved less than 10 years ago (the ref 57260). Turns out they went straight back to work to one-up themselves. You have to respect that level of showmanship.

Ms Scarlett Baker, writer and editor: I was most impressed with the Hermès Cut. It’s refreshing to see a new iteration of a sports watch that rivals the success of the H08. And while the industry is looking to shed its gendered labels, it feels like the perfect sports watch for women, given its play on geometrical lines and precedent on strap versatility. There’s an entire rainbow of beautifully crafted straps – and if you’re lucky enough to collect them all, it means you’re working with a different watch every time you wear it.

Mr Justin Hast, collector and content creator: I was most impressed by the holy trifecta of Vacheron Constantin’s Berkley Grand Comp, now the most complicated pocket watch in the world,the 45-million-year-accurate moonphase on the Eternal Calendar Portugieser Perpetual from IWC and, of course, the wafer-thin 2mm world record breaking Aliplano Ultimate Concept tourbillon from Piaget. High-end, record-breaking watchmaking, but more than that – statement making.

Mr Tim Vaux, writer: After one week, it's easy to get a little blasé about incredible craftsmanship, but what Ferdinand Berthoud achieved with the Chronomètre FB RES was next level. A deadbeat second, fusée-chain system, exposed gearing, and one-second remontoire, all finished to a mind-blowing level, was simply unmatched. I must also mention the Berneron Mirage – the hype around that incredibly creative and whimsical creation is so real. And the Lange Datograph Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen”. Lange held nothing back for the Dato’s 25th birthday.

AD: The biggest rubberneck for me was the very heartfelt and proud storytelling, after so many years of “savoir-faire” this, and “DNA” that. Which extended from unbridled technical geek-outs (Jaeger-LeCoultre, I’m looking at you) to the likes of Chanel, celebrating Mme Coco’s scissor-wielding skills via 21st-century ceramic mastery.

Mr Carson Chan, independent watch critic, collector and educator: The launch of the IWC Eternal Calendar was a very big surprise at the show. This watch is an amazing innovation in watchmaking with its complicated calendaring system that can automatically adjust for things like leap years up to the year 3999 without needing manual adjustments. The surprise and awe this watch created was significant, and it left many people eager to learn more about its development and the technology behind it.

LMD: The amount of mega complications. Chanel launched an automaton, IWC and its Eternal Calendar, Piaget’s Altiplano with a flying tourbillon. It seems as though we’ve gone from everyone playing it safe with vintage reissues to brands stretching their horological muscles.

GB: Something I fell madly in love with was NOMOS. What NOMOS did at Watches and Wonders was really clever. Instead of just launching one colour, they launched a plethora of colours, and that was a real surprise.

TV: Aside from the significance of Bremont’s activity, a watch that surprised me was from Hermès, its Arceau Duc Attelé. It’s as Max Büsser didn’t create MB&F and instead was poached by Hermès to realise a central triple-axis, minute-repeating tourbillon with novel hours and minute indications. The best part is its minute-repeating hammers shaped like horse heads and the gearing wheel that emulates the wheels of the wagon found in their logo. To me, it demonstrated a holistic understanding of the brand applied to complex watchmaking without gimmicks. I didn’t hear anyone talk about this release beforehand, either, making my discovery all the more exciting. It felt like it came out of nowhere, which is rare and appreciated considering the immediate nature of social media.

AT: I had a pretty surprising experience at Cartier. I went in excited to see their new monopusher chronograph, an iconic model that I’ve long admired, both in vintage and neo-vintage form. Its reintroduction is really exciting and the watch is exceptionally well executed. But the watch that made a more lasting impression was the simple, two-handed version of the new Cartier Tortue. No one does minimalism as well as Cartier.

JH: The sudden and unprecedented outpouring of love for the former Bremont brand and design DNA. Oh, and the Hermès Cut – what a wonderful thing.

GB: Going more high end. All the watch brand are trying to apply to the 0.2 per cent of the population – all prices were going up, there were more precious materials, more tourbillons, more high-end pieces. That was a surprise as well. The brands that kept to a lower price point felt very good.

AT: Before the fair even opened, the buzz was that watchmakers might play it safe this year because of the complex economic environment facing the luxury goods industry. We thought brands may be holding back on some of their big reveals until later in the year or even 2025. And, in fact, we ended up seeing smaller collections, and a greater focus on high-end luxury and gem-set pieces. Still, there were some lovely updates to familiar models at Patek Philippe and Rolex, such as Patek Philippe’s new Ref 5164 travel time in white gold (previously in steel as the Ref 5167A), or its new Ref 5236, now in platinum with a salmon dial. Rolex surprised many with a high-end update to its relatively new Perpetual 1908 collection, with a platinum version featuring a striking icy blue guilloché dial. Cartier presented more novelties, but the maison’s 2024 collection again features plenty of sequels to watches launched in recent years.

TB: The major trend, unsurprisingly, was caution. Besides that, all-gold statement watches from Rolex, Tudor, Patek, Piaget, Vacheron, H. Moser, all following (to some extent) in the path of Vacheron’s 222 from two years ago, and several paired with green dials. The green dial trend continues more broadly, but it was interesting also to see a kind of softening of the big bold colours trend, (quiet luxury’s influence?) from the likes of Parmigiani, IWC and even the 31 NOMOS variants, in diverse pastel shades. Notably, besides those all-gold numbers and Hermès’ superb ladies’ small watches, very few major Watches and Wonders stories involved the integrated-bracelet/sports-luxe genre. Finally, conservative times call for conservative complications. And, thus, the moonphase seems to be a focus, with Laurent Ferrier, IWC, Frederique Constant among those giving it prominence.

SB: I noticed a lot of titanium. Perhaps it’s the industry homing in on the idea of an “everyday” watch. The paramount factor being that it’s lightweight, you almost forget that the watch is on your wrist given its slender presence. It speaks to the idea of watches fitting into our urban lifestyles and being an eternal companion, not just for special occasions.

TV: Bold and expressive dials are definitely on trend. Czapek’s rippled-dial Promenade, the Horizon Blue from IWC, H. Moser’s Citrus Green and NOMOS’ 31-strong Tangente additions all stood out. If you like colourful watches, it’s been a good year.

CC: Automatons stood out as a key trend, showcasing how luxury watch brands are blending playful creativity with advanced mechanics. Examples like Chanel’s Caliber 6 and Van Cleef & Arpels’ Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch illustrate how intricate movements enhance both the visual appeal and functionality of the watches. Similarly, Hermès’ Arceau Chorus Stellarum and Grand Seiko’s 9SA4 movement using a bird figure as the click, etc. And outside of Watches and Wonders, it’s evident across the industry as other brands including Louis Vuitton and Dior also explore automatons.

LMD: It feels as though we have an industry being pulled in two directions. On the one hand a lot of brands were focusing on the high end, whether that be mega complications, tonnes of gold or platinum upgrades. Then there’s the likes of Bremont’s Davide Cerrato talking about lowering the entry level price, and predictions of a challenging year ahead. We’re seeing brand names that were once affordable for the average person becoming out of their reach, which could give scope for other names to move into those spaces.

GB: Loads of launches. It seemed like a lot of brands were holding back what they’re putting out this year until later in the year. So watch this space.

SB: I expect to see a further amalgamation of jewellery and watches. Wearing a watch as an accessory is undeniably taking shape right now, and I don’t think we’re anywhere near its zenith. Piaget is, of course, the master in fusing these two disciplines together, but there’s also Hermès, Chanel, Bulgari and even Patek with their reimagining of the Ellipse. I think we can expect a trickle down to continue through to the independents where we’ll see a lot more gold, a lot more stone dials and a lot more embellishments to the bezel. It means a broadening of consumers for sure, particularly piquing the interest of those in the fashion world who contemplate the watch as a piece of jewellery.

TB: Someone will make yet another thinnest ever something, and I will yawn. CHF 500,000 becomes the new normal for significantly complicated watches. Waiting lists for steel Rolex watches begin to evaporate and people will rediscover the joy of a well-made strap over a bracelet.

Mr Alex Doak, writer: It’s a positive: flippers, hype watches and celeb schmoozing are all being edged out by Millennials with a Covid-enforced online education. It means the indies are better understood and (rightly) desired than ever, and it means the established names are doubling down on their own identity and story, rather than resting on Instagram-fed laurels. Honesty is the new currency, not accessibility.

AT: Shortly after Watches and Wonders, I had the opportunity to visit Patek Philippe’s annual Rare Handcrafts exhibition at the Geneva Salons. It was a stark contrast to what was happening a kilometre away at the Palexpo. The show was bigger than last year’s, with more pieces which overall felt a bit fresher and more daring, too. It features Morning on the Beach, an unexpected surfing themed Calatrava wristwatch with a dial made entirely out of wood marquetry. My feeling is that we might see more of these creative sparks throughout the year, giving us watch fans something to look forward to in small doses.

TV: Hopefully we’ll see brands more confident in pushing their own boundaries and experimenting with colours, textures and sizes. We’re still at the tip of the iceberg in both departments. I’m sure more gold and titanium cases are on the horizon, so as long as we get fewer new integrated bracelet watches, I can live with that. Complications and finishing have always been a part of the conversation, but the industry’s appreciation feels like it’s becoming mainstream again, which I love.