As the year draws to a close, we turn to one of our favorite traditions: celebrating the year’s best with our annual Revolution Awards. We honor the most outstanding achievements across the horological landscape — showcasing timepieces, watchmakers, brands, and visionaries who are driving the industry forward.

This year, Revolution is thrilled to unveil 22 names of the 2024 Revolution Awards. These honorees represent the finest achievements of the year, setting benchmarks that will inspire the industry for years to come. Let the celebrations begin!

Rising Star: Julien Tixier

When people ask who the next great young watchmaker will be — his generation’s equivalent to Journe, Rexhepi, Voutilainen and Flageollet — one name keeps coming up. And that is Julien Tixier. At the same time, no one loves a comeback story more, and that is precisely what we got when the legendary Dominique Renaud came charging back onto the scene in his collaboration with the younger watchmaker, making them one of the most exciting new teams in horology.

I got to know Renaud Tixier from two of their watches, which were wildly different both in intent and price positioning. The first was the crazy, poetic, macabre and damnably poetic Tempus Fugit, which is a secular perpetual calendar programmed for 9,999 years and which also gives you a countdown indicator for your life. Tixier apparently manufactured every part save one disk himself. I remember examining this timepiece during the 2022 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) deliberation and marveling at its complexity. In contrast, I loved how Tixier and Renaud also created Furlan Marri’s secular perpetual calendar, a simplified version of this complication that will allow this ultra cool entry-level brand the opportunity to offer this complication at an almost unimaginably accessible price point. With their first commercial release named “Monday,” the pair have even revolutionized the micro-rotor by adding an auxiliary winding mechanism to it named the “dancer.”

– Wei Koh

Lifetime Achievement: Jean-Christophe Babin

The years that Jean-Christophe Babin was the CEO of TAG Heuer were undoubtedly the most exciting since the era of Jack Heuer himself. During the early 2000s, TAG Heuer became a hothouse for mechanical innovation, resulting in the V4 belt-driven Monaco — with a prototype built by Philippe Dufour — a 1/100th of a second chronograph and even a 1/1,000th of a second chronograph. And while some might say that these were just concept watches, they brought a sense of vibrancy and excitement to the brand that was undeniable. When Babin moved to Bvlgari, he added jewelry, fragrances, leather goods and even the world’s coolest hotels to his portfolio. But it was his championing of the incredible Octo Finissimo, which resulted in this year’s COSC-certified Octo Finissimo Ultra 2, that created his true horological legacy.

Ten years and nine world records later, Babin has made the Octo Finissimo the only true new-millennium, integrated bracelet sports chic icon that has no connection with the past. While he was at it, he also uplifted the grande complication category of Bvlgari watches, making Bvlgari today the only brand besides Chopard to make truly exceptional modern striking watches. And even though Bvlgari had distinguished itself as the one brand with a highly contemporary grande sonnerie, Babin went on to become an innovator in terms of watch fairs with the creation of Geneva Watch Days, which has become one of my favorite moments, thanks to its openness, community spirit and through the symposiums held there with a real focus on education. But to me the greatest achievements of Jean-Christophe Babin are twofold. First, he has managed to create the only truly transversal luxury brand that is a pioneer in everything from watches to jewelry, to hotels. Second, he has done this all while being one of the nicest human beings on the planet and a man I am proud to call a friend.

– Wei Koh

Brand Leader of the Year: Matthieu Haverlan

I knew Rolf Schnyder, the man who resurrected Ulysse Nardin and oversaw the creation of the Freak. Rolf Schnyder was a mentor to me. I wrote the book Making of a Masterpiece for him for the brand’s 160th anniversary. Rolf Schnyder would have loved Matthieu Haverlan, because he loved people who were scrappy, resourceful and relentless in their energy. In the one year that Haverlan has come on board as Ulysse Nardin’s managing director, he’s brought an energy and ingenuity to the brand that’s been impressive. He’s helped to oversee genuinely good watches like the Freak One range in composite cases and even got YouTube personality Nico Leonard to be a Freak evangelist and his co-pilot in the recent Gumball 3000 Rally.

In a year where weaker brands are struggling, Haverlan and his team, including my friend and Ulysse Nardin product head Jean-Christophe Sabatier, as was the dynamic Virginie Franceries, are hustling like crazy. And you can see results in the increased relevance of the Freak. Is there a lot more work for them? Yes. They need to figure out what the brand is beyond the Freak. My suggestion would be to bring back another iconic Oechslin complication like the GMT Perpetual Calendar. Ulysse Nardin also has probably the single coolest escapement in watchmaking — the constant-force anchor escapement, which I feel is greatly underrated. The idea that this small constant impulse escapement can fit on top of a balance in a tourbillon is remarkable, and it achieves this using modern silicon technology, which was what horological greats like Derek Pratt had labored to achieve. But knowing Haverlan, having had more than a few beers with him on La Grand-Rue in Geneva’s Old Town, I’ll say we are only beginning to see what he and Ulysse Nardin are capable of.

– Wei Koh

Revolutionary of the Year: Maximilian Büsser

You could even make an argument for Max Büsser being the youngest-ever recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award. Because he has been one of the single most important champions for independent watchmaking in horological history. And while he might say it was a matter of luck that he saw François-Paul Journe on an escalator at Baselworld and got a flash of inspiration to create the Opus Project, the lightning bolt he experienced was one generated by his own genius. He went on to be the very first person to put independent watchmakers in the spotlight and made individuals like Journe, Baumgartner and Halter household names in our world. Then in 2005 he audaciously switched over to the creators’ side. It’s been 19 years where he’s spearheaded and tirelessly led MB&F. As he tells us in his lessons on watch entrepreneurialism, which we have no doubt will one day be a master class, he almost went bankrupt four times but always found the resilience to come back stronger than ever. 2024 has been a year where the tide has gone out, as Warren Buffet likes to put it, and you “find out who’s been swimming naked.”

In this most challenging of years, Max Büsser had already put into place all that he needed to ensure his brand equity would be stronger than ever. He laughs when he explains, “I projected zero growth, but growth is not the only factor for success.” Desire, respect, admiration these are all words I would use to describe any of his Legacy Machines or Horological Machines today. Best of all for Max in 2024, Chanel purchased 25 percent of MB&F, ensuring not only his future and succession, but also that MB&F will have a permanent place written in the lexicon of the horological greats. Congratulations, Max, on being Revolution’s Revolutionary of the Year!

– Wei Koh

Best Technical Achievement: Vacheron Constantin Berkley Grand Complication

The Technical Achievement Award, without a doubt, goes to the Vacheron Constantin Berkley Grand Complication. While it sets a world record with 63 complications, that number ultimately seems peripheral to the achievement of encoding one of the most fiendishly irregular calendars in existence into a watch.

You can read Cheryl Chia’s full review of the grand pocket watch here, but in a gist, she explains: “Unlike the more straightforward calendars which generally align with either the solar or lunar cycle, the Chinese calendar is an intricate attempt to reconcile lunar months with solar years. However, the lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, resulting in drift. To address this, an embolismic month is added periodically, every two to three years, based on the observation of solar terms within lunar months.”

This calendar is inherently impossible to mechanize as the timing of an embolismic insertion is irregular, yet a fixed cycle must be established for it to be encoded in a watch. This challenge was met through the use of complex mathematical algorithms designed to accurately predict successive lunations over long periods. The perpetual calendar is programmed until the year 2200, after which the program wheel — with steps of varying lengths around the movement’s periphery — will need replacement. This program wheel has 176 steps, presumably to encode 176 years from 2024 to 2200, determining if the year is common or embolismic.

From the complex algorithms required to calculate lunations to the intricate interaction of parts on the calendar plate and between the various complication plates, the Berkley is an extraordinary achievement in horological history — technically as much as emotionally, as it captures the complex relationship between lunar and solar cycles and humanity’s attempt to bring them into harmony in the pursuit of meaning.

– Cheryl Chia

Best Design: Berneron Mirage

This year’s Best Design Award goes to none other than Sylvain Berneron’s Mirage. Unlike mechanics, design is inherently subjective, shaped by personal taste, unique life experiences and cultural context. However, Berneron’s approach to the design of the Mirage resonates with the same precision and discipline reserved for mechanics. His adherence to the Fibonacci sequence anchors the design in a form of natural beauty that resonates at a near-universal level, making this design award as objective as design can get.

Most watches that flirt with mathematical phenomena, most commonly the golden ratio, rarely go beyond superficial gestures toward these mathematical concepts. But the Mirage demonstrates a deep integration. This layered method of using spirals, circles, triangles and tangents speaks to an advanced level of design skill that rarely ever crosses over into watchmaking.

The resulting shape feels intuitively right yet appears as if it was shaped by chance. If we may extend the definition of design a little, the choice of materials, types of finishing, and movement design, too, are all guided by purpose. But the thing about good design is that you need not know about any of that to have a visceral admiration for it — one that is both completely irrational and, in the end, entirely justifiable.

– Cheryl Chia

Best Concept: Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT

Greubel Forsey’s Nano Foudroyante EWT is nothing short of revolutionary. In contrast to a traditional foudroyante that uses approximately 30 microjoules per jump, the Nano Foudroyante operates at a mere 16 nanojoules. As such, Greubel Forsey has shrunk the components down to dimensions previously thought impossible. Each element within the foudroyante is crafted and assembled with extreme precision, allowing for one revolution every quarter-second with unmatched fluidity and efficiency. Furthermore, the foudroyante sub-dial remains upright as it rotates, achieved through a differential gearing that maintains its orientation.

Nanotechnology significantly reduces the watch’s energy demands, allowing the watch to operate without sapping power from other complications or affecting the movement’s endurance. Indeed, Greubel Forsey’s achievement isn’t just about drastically reducing inertia but in advancing the micro-engineering necessary to sustain such energy-intensive functionality in a traditional mechanical movement.

What truly makes the Nano Foudroyante EWT so outstanding, however, is its dedication to precision and the experiential aspect of watchmaking. Greubel Forsey’s use of nanotechnology is not merely a technical showcase; it’s an invitation for watch connoisseurs to appreciate the very essence of time — how it flows, jumps, and flickers. In the world of high complications and artisanal movements, Greubel Forsey has once again elevated the bar.

– Cheryl Chia

Best Tourbillon: Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying T

I don’t just consider this to be the best tourbillon wristwatch of the year, but very possibly the very best tourbillon wristwatch of all time. How can I say that? How can I call this watch better than Daniel Roth’s original Breguet Tourbillon and so many other extraordinary interpretations of Breguet’s signature invention? Very easily. Let me start with the fact that Chopard L.U.C is the only creator of COSC-certified tourbillons, with the exception of Patek Philippe. However, as I don’t believe Patek’s 10-day tourbillon to be in its catalog anymore, I am happy to state emphatically that there is no other brand on the planet testing and backing up its tourbillons with chronometric certificates. None. Zero. Nada. To me, as this device was created to be a chronometric device to eradicate gravity’s erosive effect on accuracy, this is super important.

Two, the watch is 36.5mm in diameter and 8.2mm in thickness, which makes it the only men’s dress tourbillon in this perfect neoclassical size. No one else on the market is making a watch in these dimensions in an automatic tourbillon. Three, the watch uses a micro-rotor for its automatic winding. Four, the Flying T is the recipient of the Geneva Seal, which speaks for its wonderful traditional finish. Five, it is one of very few stop-seconds tourbillons and one of only two where the braking happens on the cage (the other is the Grönefeld Parallax Tourbillon). Six, it is a flying tourbillon where the view of the entire mechanism is unencumbered by a top bridge. And seven, it is a masterpiece of classic design, from its stunning ethically sourced gold case to its solid gold guilloché à main dial.

– Wei Koh

Best Chronograph: Cartier Tortue Monopusher

When it comes to working out what the best chronograph of the year is, the first problem is one of metrics. A solid argument can be made for basing your decision on the quality, ingenuity and innovation of the caliber — this is the chronograph category, after all. On the other side of the coin, a watch is always more than simply the sum of its parts — it exists in and of itself. It’s for this rationale of the whole watch that, ultimately, the chronograph of 2024 has to be the Cartier Tortue Monopusher.

Paradoxically enough, one reason this watch stands out as the best chronograph of the year is because it challenges conventions and defies expectations as to what a chronograph is. It’s an elegant, softly dressy, precious metal case with a single pusher. It’s leagues away from the stereotypical image of the rough-and-tumble sports chronograph.

It’s the epitome of a genre of watch you might well call the “gentlemen’s chronograph” — though it works just as well on women’s wrists — a watch of sophistication and style that dates back in its monopusher form to 1928. In fact, it was Cartier’s first chronograph. It’s the work that the Cartier Tortue Monopusher has done (over the course of its life as well as this year) in reframing that chronograph that’s earned it this award.

Of course, that’s not to say that the caliber isn’t worthy of recognition. The 1928MC is a new movement, a 4Hz column wheel chronograph, manually wound caliber that is distinct from the movement found in the 1998 version in the Collection Privée Cartier Paris, a movement made by Techniques Horlogères Appliquées, a company consisting of three of independent watchmaking’s biggest names — Denis Flageollet, Vianney Halter and François-Paul Journe. It’s for these historic notes as much as the bravura choice of revisiting them in such fidelity that has earned Cartier the crown as 2024’s king of the chronographs.

– Felix Scholz

Best Collaboration: Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Frank Gehry

For the most part, when a watch is made completely out of transparent sapphire crystal, it means its job is to fully reveal the mechanism within. It means you’re not meant to look at it, but look through it. That, however, was not the case (wink) with the Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Frank Gehry, and that’s what makes it so refreshing to discover. And the dial too, as a matter of fact. It is crafted entirely out of transparent sapphire crystal and, believe it or not, modeled after a crumpled large-scale photograph of the 2022 Tambour Moon Saphir. Such is the architectural audacity and design brilliance of Frank Gehry that has been ingrained so deeply within the 43.8mm timepiece.

Yes, it is a big watch but that sculptural form exudes such airiness and depth that you would not just accept its heft but rather appreciate the opportunity to admire those undulating waves, which were machined by La Fabrique du Temps from a single 200-kilogram block of sapphire. The team took 250 hours just to manufacture the dial. Incredibly, despite the phenomenal three-dimensional view, this dial is no thicker than a sheet of paper, mattified by hand as it perfectly echoes the mind-bending architectural style of the Fondation Louis Vuitton building and the Louis Vuitton Maison in Seoul, both of which were also designed by Gehry.

– Celine Yap

Best Sports Watch: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “100th Year” Le Mans Ref. 126528LN

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “Le Mans” Ref. 126528LN-0001 is our frontrunner for Best Sports Watch of the year, paying tribute to both Rolex’s enduring legacy with the legendary race and the technical evolution that defines the Daytona collection. Originally introduced in white gold in 2023 to mark the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 60th anniversary of the Daytona, Rolex took it up a notch this year with a discreet yet impactful release in yellow gold, elevating the line’s classic appeal.

The standout feature of the Le Mans edition is its reverse panda dial — a nod to Rolex’s celebrated vintage catalog — paired with a sleek black Cerachrom bezel. For the centenary, Rolex thoughtfully highlighted the “100” marker on the bezel in red, an elegant tribute to Paul Newman, whose 1979 Le Mans appearance remains iconic in racing history. Practicality meets sentiment in the chronograph hour register that’s been configured to measure up to 24 hours in a nod to the endurance race, as opposed to the Daytona’s traditional 12-hour capacity.

Operating all this is the caliber 4132 movement that has been specially modified for 24-hour timing. Moreover, Rolex has included an exhibition caseback — a rarity for the Daytona, previously reserved only for the platinum model. With its unique blend of vintage aesthetics and cutting-edge mechanics, the Rolex Daytona “Le Mans” Ref. 126528LN-0001 perfectly embodies the brand’s commitment to excellence — and a crowning achievement as such looks better in matching metal.

– Katherine Arteche

Best Men’s Watch: Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde

Many watches vie for Best Men’s Watch, but the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Petite Seconde stands out as the strongest contender. The reimagined Toric collection subtly recalls its original 1996 debut, yet diverges from mere homage. Instead, it redefines masculine elegance with an audaciously fresh approach that brings sophistication to contemporary watchmaking without losing its roots in classicism. Unlike the more ornate watches of the original Toric line, the Toric Petite Seconde boasts a minimalist allure, achieved through its pared-down case, sleek lines and absence of superfluous detailing. The refined knurled bezel — a nod to the Doric columns of ancient architecture and the geometry of the torus that inspired the initial designs — remains a defining feature, a continuity from the brand’s early years.

Under the leadership of Guido Terreni, Parmigiani Fleurier has revived the Toric’s appeal, becoming a watch that only the sophisticated collectors enjoy at their discretion. Each Petite Seconde is crafted solely in gold or platinum, with a dial in exclusive earthy tones inspired by Le Corbusier’s chromatic universe. Parmigiani Fleurier’s restrained luxury offers a new grail and, in turn, the brand reinforces its reputation as a visionary yet heritage-driven brand.

– Katherine Arteche

Best Women’s Watch: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 23mm

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Mini 23mm deserves the Revo Awards 2024 title for Best Women’s Watch, as it has reshaped expectations around ladies’ timepieces by combining heritage, design integrity and thoughtful craftsmanship. While Audemars Piguet has made numerous iterations of the Royal Oak that appeal deeply to women, such as the lovely 37mm and 34mm series in a host of trendy hues, none have turned heads and triggered a retail response as fervent as the Mini. Yes, it runs on a quartz movement, but does that really matter?

Rooted in the legacy of the original Royal Oak, the Royal Oak Mini’s appeal is emotional as much as technical. Its design harkens back to the coveted Royal Oak model 67075 from 1997, the smallest Royal Oak produced at 20mm with the quartz caliber 2601. This 23mm reimagining pays homage to Jacqueline Dimier, Audemars Piguet’s head of design from 1975 to 1999, who first adapted the Royal Oak for women in 1976, creating a piece that balanced the original’s codes with a feminine grace.

The Royal Oak Mini 23mm is a contemporary nod to that legacy, distinguished by its exceptional frosted finish, executed by jewelry designer Carolina Bucci. Rather than a “lesser” version of a men’s piece, it exemplifies how quartz can offer aesthetic refinement without losing sophistication. Its quartz caliber 2730 already offers precise timekeeping, yet above all, this watch celebrates a modern woman’s desire for both legacy and elegance and is far from being a frivolous creation.

– Katherine Arteche

Best Jewelry Watch: Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse

Patek Philippe couldn’t have chosen a better time to release this fantastic timepiece as market demand for elaborate bracelet watches of the ’60s and ’70s are currently at an all-time high. Lovingly nicknamed “geezer watches”, they offer today’s millennial and Gen Z audience a direct link to one of the most evocative eras in haute horlogerie design, often featuring intricate gold bracelets in myriad styles. With the Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R, Patek Philippe has brought this distinctive aesthetic back into the 21st century, essentially producing a super elegant modern homage to some of its early 1970s references including the Ref. 3548 from 1968 paired with a Milanese bracelet and the Ref. 3605 from 1974 featuring a polonaise-style bracelet all in solid gold. The difference, however, lies in the way this new bracelet has been crafted.

It should be said that this is the first bracelet version of the large sized Ref. 5738 and that this design features a modern patented construction which comprises 363 elements, of which more than 300 links are mounted by hand. Historically, such bracelets were supplied by jewelers or bracelet specialists as they called for more jewelry making expertise rather than watchmaking. Patek Philippe does have its own bracelet production, with the savoir-faire of Ateliers Réunis well integrated under its roof since 1975, but for the Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R, the manufacture worked with a long-time partner for a modern solution that utilizes technology to produce those V-shaped links which are then assembled and finished by hand.

This brings us to the single most amazing thing about this bracelet: its links can be removed, so it is possible to adjust the bracelet to the wearer’s wrist size. Three adjustment notches within the clasp allow for micro-adjustments to be made, and this is something you could not say about any other chain-link bracelet watch, past or present. Patek Philippe spent 15 years finding a solution on this and we would say it is certainly well worth the wait.

– Celine Yap

Best Metiers d’Art: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Jour Enchanté

Full disclosure: We tried very hard not to give Van Cleef & Arpels the Best Métiers d’Art Award this year and, believe us, we really tried. But when we thought back about our collective reactions upon discovering the Lady Arpels Jour Enchanté as well as the Nuit Enchanté, we would be remiss to pass over the contributions this timepiece has brought to the field of enameling.

Van Cleef & Arpels, as we all know, has devoted itself to preserving and promoting métiers d’art since the late 2000s. It was the first luxury maison to emphasize the importance of handcrafts in luxury haute horlogerie, and it has consistently demonstrated its dominance in this space. Not only has Van Cleef & Arpels mastered many, if not all, of the traditional enameling styles, it has also further developed this craft, taking it beyond even the realm of imagination. Indeed, many a jaded eye sometimes feel as though the watch brands have done all there is to do in métiers d’art. After all, these are ancient traditions, and the best one can do is to perpetuate them. That is true, of course, but Van Cleef & Arpels envisioned more.

With the Lady Arpels Jour Enchanté, we witness the true mastery of enameling that sets the maison apart from all others, as it premiered not one, not two, but three new techniques, two of which are related to enameling, namely façonné enamel and gem-setting in enamel, which blew our minds. Gem-setting in enamel? No way! Well, apparently, Van Cleef & Arpels has found a way. Check out the foliage around the dial; it is crafted in plique-à-jour enamel with round diamonds dotted over the leaves. Then there’s façonné enamel which sculpts three-dimensional forms out of vitreous enamel, a technique also seen in the very charming Lady Arpels Nutcracker watch. Along with fantastic lapidary skills shown through turquoise marquetry work and the new lifted setting style, which raises the gemstone to give the impression the stones are completely suspended, Van Cleef & Arpels demonstrated yet again why it is a veritable tour de force in métiers d’art. Chapeau!

– Celine Yap

Best Re-Edition: Omega Speedmaster CK2998

The most thoughtful and compelling re-edition this year is inarguably the Speedmaster “First Omega in Space” (FOIS). Its historically accurate case, bezel, domed crystal, hands and beautiful gray-blue dial have made it a headline release. Notably, the case differs from the 2012 FOIS and is an exact reproduction of the original CK2998 from 1959. It has straight lugs without facets. The first three generations of the Speedmaster (CK2915, CK2998 and 105.003) had this same case design and any facets seen on these vintage originals were added after servicing. The tachymeter bezel, like the original, is made of aluminum with the hallmark “Dot over Ninety” (DON), which was absent in the 2012 model. The case is topped by a domed sapphire crystal shaped to mimic the look of acrylic (Hesalite) crystal on the original.

The most impressive aspect of the watch is perhaps the dial. It has a stepped dial and features an applied Omega logo along with a period-correct Alpha handset and a needle chronograph seconds hand, which is faithful to the fourth series CK2998-4, the original worn by Walter Schirra during the Sigma 7 mission of the Mercury Program in 1962. It has an incredibly nuanced gray-blue hue, achieved using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to replicate some of the original dials from the 1960s that left the factory in this specific color. Its lovely colored lume might be niggling for some but it works well with the bluish dial.

Powering the watch is the superb Master Chronometer-certified caliber 3861 with a co-axial escapement. It’s concealed behind a solid caseback with double bevels and the Speedmaster seahorse logo, true to the original design, along with commemorative engraving. The watch is a real beauty and an outstanding exercise in vintage reissue.

– Cheryl Chia

Revolution’s Choice: SpaceOne

For this year’s Revolution’s Choice award — our magazine’s pick for the top annual microbrand — we are pleased to present it to a newly established French brand named SpaceOne. There are many reasons why this brand has risen to the top, starting with its ethos. Founded by Guillaume Laidet and Théo Auffret, SpaceOne embodies the spirit and skill of independent watchmaking, largely thanks to Mr. Auffret, a winner at the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition in 2018, who has since created interesting watches like the Tourbillon à Paris.

With SpaceOne, Mr. Auffret has shifted his style from classical to futuristic, making it a perfect choice for those who appreciate creativity and character in watches at an entry-level price point. This year, SpaceOne produced something remarkable in its category: the Tellurium, a sci-fi-themed watch that’s not only striking in design but also in function. It features a planetarium complication, where the earth orbits the sun in 365 days, and the moon revolves around the earth every 29.5 days — both represented by 3D spheres above an aventurine glass dial.

Typically, a planetarium complication is large, complex and expensive. SpaceOne has simplified this to focus on the sun, earth and moon, with no self-rotation for the earth. This approach creates an impressive visual effect that remains clean and versatile enough to pair with various styles. Additionally, the price is set at a comfortable USD 3,000 — a refreshing entry point for such a unique complication.

– Sheng Lee

Honorary Mention: IAMWATCH

In a year where no fewer than 10 watch fairs have kept our social calendars fully occupied — and our social media feeds trawling with new watch content — IAMWATCH stands out as the community event par excellence. Yes, IAMWATCH is a breath of fresh air even during a time when watch fairs have increasingly shifted away from a pure B2B model, inching closer and closer to incorporate a B2C strategy that values client interaction and community building, apart from annual sales and product allocation. Everything here, from the participators to the panels, to the ambience and even the merchandise, demonstrates an unwavering passion for horology, specifically independent watchmaking, and we honestly would expect nothing less from The Hour Glass, undoubtedly one of the very best luxury watch retailers in the world. Michael Tay’s outstanding vision for IAMWATCH is the corollary of his love for independent watchmaking, which goes as far back as 2004 when The Hour Glass staged Tempus, its first global event dedicated to this genre.

Twenty years later, IAMWATCH draws visitors and participators from all over the world, across all facets of the watch industry from watchmakers to designers, to auctioneers, to journalists and influencers who come together to revel in lush, tropical surroundings where luxury meets nature, taking the opportunity to show everyone what it’s really like being a watch aficionado in Singapore. There are no brand logos, there are no endless back-to-back meetings, just makers and aficionados sharing a moment in time. One last point: the “resort chic double wristing” dress code is absolutely brilliant because no other watch event encourages everyone to wear their love for watches on their sleeve more than IAMWATCH. Kudos to the entire team at The Hour Glass for pulling off the most memorable event in the watch industry.

– Celine Yap

“The One to Watch”: Aigaki Timepieces Tourbillon

The Aigaki Direct Impulse Tourbillon is a milestone in modern watchmaking. Its core lies the natural escapement, first conceived by Abraham-Louis Breguet, paired ingeniously with a tourbillon. Technical Editor Cheryl Chia has written about it in length, which you can read all about here, but we really, we want to spotlight Japanese watchmaker Takahiko Aigaki, who trained under Kari Voutilainen, bringing his meticulous craftsmanship and innovative thinking to this extraordinary creation.

His debut timepiece is a 37mm stainless steel case featuring a minimalist dial crafted with Breguet frosting and hand-engraved details, including a guilloché sub-dial and black-polished carbon steel hour markers. Beneath its serene surface lies a hand-finished movement with rose-gold-plated German silver bridges, polished steelwork, and a striking 15mm tourbillon cage. Aigaki’s design places the gear train on the dial side, enhancing the watch’s depth while maintaining a classic profile.

The natural escapement, with its twin escape wheels mounted on opposite sides of the tourbillon cage, is reimagined to reduce inertia and maximize efficiency. This unique approach, driven by a single gear train, reflects Aigaki’s technical ingenuity and commitment to precision. Limited to just three pieces, the Direct Impulse Tourbillon is a masterclass in horological restraint, showcasing unparalleled craftsmanship and innovation that balances aesthetics and mechanics.

– Cheryl Chia

Merit Prize: Behrens

The wristwatch industry has traditionally been dominated by European companies and independent brands, but there are some from Asia that deserve recognition. Our selection for non-European merit this year first goes to Behrens, a Chinese brand founded in Shenzhen in 2012 and now based in Hong Kong. Unlike the more commonly known watchmaking companies in China, Behrens is newer, smaller and can be classified as an independent brand. Most importantly, it stands out in style, focusing on intricate time displays and complications — similar to MB&F and Urwerk — but with a simplified approach and a more accessible price range, starting at around USD 2,000.

Among Behrens’ standout watches is the Astronomer Collection, a series featuring the wandering hours (or “starwheel”) complication, with triple transparent rotating disks above dials offered in various colors and materials, including aventurine.

Speaking of rotating indicators, the brand offers a variety of options, from the Space Traveler, which is inspired by the revolution of planets and features twin horizontally aligned rotating disks for hours and minutes, to the Apolar series with twin decentralized disks for time display. The Apolar series also includes a rotating globe on the dial that completes one rotation every 24 hours, serving as a day/night indicator with a micro moon orbiting the globe. The highlight of the rotating indicators series is likely the Rotary, inspired by the C3H5N3O9 — a watch inspired by the Wankel engine and created by a brand founded by none other than MB&F and Urwerk.

– Lee Sheng

Watch of the Year: Grand Seiko Evolution 9 SLGW003

“Watch of the Year” is a lofty title, one that suggests technical prowess, sheer beauty, a compelling price point, and a combination of qualities for which there is no equivalent. In all these ways and more, the Grand Seiko SLGW003 delivers.

Its beautifully crafted “Birch Bark” dial, with immaculately finished markers and hands, is housed in a sturdy yet elegant case, showcasing an enormous attention to detail that leaves many other luxury watches, even those beyond this price range, feeling perfunctory in comparison. At its heart lies the new 9SA4 caliber — a hand-wound, chronometer-grade movement with an impressive 80-hour power reserve and high-beat rate of 36,000vph thanks to the Dual Impulse escapement. It also features a power reserve indicator on the bridge side of the movement with a differential train consisting of 10 parts. The case, crafted from Brilliant Hard Titanium, measures 38.6mm in diameter and 9.95mm high, which hits the sweet spot for dress watches, making it one of the slimmest, most compact mechanical watches from Grand Seiko.

All of this would have been enough to make the watch genuinely exceptional but the real magic happens when you wind the timepiece and watch as the “wagtail” shaped click draws back its head and thrusts forward into the ratchet teeth in rapid, almost meditative taps. If you already love the experience of winding a watch, this is phenomenal. The blending of sound, motion and sensation is utterly captivating. For how it excels on every painstaking level and elevates the experience of ownership, the Grand Seiko SLGW003 is our watch of the year.

– Cheryl Chia

Brand of the Year: Omega

Watchmaking, much as most brands would hate to admit it, is an industry driven by the winds of fashion. Sure, the trends aren’t as fast-moving as those of the catwalk, but they’re there. As a result of this, brands track up or down, depending on what’s cool for any given month. Omega is one of the few exceptions. It is one of the few brands that are ever-reliable in watches, offering a regular rotation of major event sponsorships, outstanding Speedmasters, technical innovation and a value proposition that’s still hard to beat. Everyone loves Omega, and that’s why it is our brand of the year.

Of course, Omega’s main moment in 2024 was on the world stage, courtesy of its sponsorship of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This key pillar of the brand’s marketing strategy has allowed the brand, since 1932, to flex its timekeeping muscles in the real world. Of course, there are plenty of product placement opportunities (we’ll get to that in a second), but the Olympics is a great opportunity for the brand to be associated with cutting-edge timekeeping technologies that go into things like the Scan ’O’ Vision Ultimate, which was crucial in Noah Lyles’ iconic 100-meter photo finish.

When it comes to the watches, one of the big stars of the year was, funnily enough, an older watch — the Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light was always a niche proposition, but there’s something about seeing it on the wrists of so many Olympic stars that reminds us of how incredibly cool it is. Not to be outdone in the cool stakes is the revived version of the Speedmaster CK2998, aka the “First Omega in Space,” a watch which encapsulates just why Omega is a GOAT. It’s a finely tuned ode to the past, packed with cutting-edge features. Unbeatable.

– Felix Scholz