Considering the basic technology that powers today's mechanical watches has been around for centuries, you'd think there wouldn't be much room for innovation within the space in 2023. But you'd be wrong. This year saw a number of watches from across the spectrum finding new ways to surprise and excite us, with clever manufacturing and engineering bringing us shockingly affordable ceramic divers, luxury sports watches and flyback chronographs — and even the lightest mechanical watch ever made.
But it wasn't just technical innovations that drew our attention this year in the world of watches. There was also the element of surprise, with several prestigious brands trotting out models seemingly out of nowhere featuring unexpected dials, complications and crossovers. From a $1,000 Timex to an emoji-fied Rolex, here are the 14 watches that made the biggest waves in the industry this year.
Blancpain x Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms
Why It Matters: Swatch proved the MoonSwatch wasn't a fluke by tapping an even more illustrious partner for its second Bioceramic collab.
The Big Picture: The Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch was a sensation, taking over not only the watch world in 2022 but also entering the larger pop culture zeitgeist. So how could Swatch follow up such a global blockbuster? Would it even be possible? Should it even be attempted? In 2023, we got our answers in the form of the Blancpain x Swatch Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms. A $400 plastic version of a $16,000 luxury diver, the watch is both fun for enthusiasts pining for a real Fifty Fathoms and also beneficial to Blancpain, which was previously little known outside of watch geek circles. At the end of the day, it's also a better watch than the MoonSwatch, with good lume, an automatic movement, more solid construction and decent water resistance — all the way down to fifty fathoms.
Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition
Why It Matters: Oris not only added a Muppet to a dial but also went all-in to create a watch whose entire identity is based around fun and happiness.
The Big Picture: We're used to seeing cartoon characters on watches. Mickey Mouse, Snoopy, you know the drill. But a Muppet dial? From Oris? On the brand's ultra-modern, high-end titanium pilot's watch? The ProPilot X Kermit Edition was certainly unexpected, injecting a dose of fun into a hobby that can at times be too stuffy and self-serious. The watch features a felt-green dial, Kermit's face in the date window and its own mythology: Kermit only appears on the first of the month, which Oris has dubbed "Kermit Day" as a reminder not to take life too seriously. Apparently, it is easy being green.
Timex Giorgio Galli S2 Automatic
Why It Matters: This Swiss-made beauty is the most expensive Timex ever at nearly $1,000 and shows what the brand is really capable of.
The Big Picture: Timex is where you go when you want a $100 watch. But a $1,000 watch? Well, now they make one of those too — and it's a pretty compelling option. The brainchild of its namesake, Timex global creative director Giorgio Galli, the Giorgio Galli S2 Automatic is a Swiss-made, Sellita-powered automatic watch in a 38mm case crafted from both titanium and stainless steel. While it's the kind of spec sheet you'd expect on watches costing three times as much, seeing "Timex" on the dial brings a degree of sticker shock when paired with the $975 price tag. But it shouldn't. Timex has been making good watches for a while now, and if this one is any indication, we'd better get used to it.
Christopher Ward The Twelve
Why It Matters: The best and most coveted examples of the uber-hot integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch genre are outrageously priced and impossible to obtain. The Twelve turns that notion on its head.
The Big Picture: After coming into vogue in the 1970s with Gerald Genta designs, such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus, the integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch has seen a massive resurgence over the past handful of years. Most high-end brands make a version, and a number of cheaper brands have tried to make a suitable alternative for pennies on the dollar. But none had cracked the code until CW's Twelve. The watch's impeccable finishing, delicate proportions and intricate details — that dial pattern? It's the brand's cross logo, repeated over and over in 3D — all give the legitimate impression of a watch that costs $10,000, rather than one with a price barely north of $1,000. It's a monumental achievement that seems to have converted the last watch enthusiast holdouts who weren't buying what Christopher Ward was selling. They're buying now ... literally.
Tudor Black Bay 54
Why It Matters: Tudor went small and got big buzz with this retro-looking 37mm dive watch that recalls vintage Submariners.
The Big Picture: A few decades ago, midsize dive watches were commonplace. These days? Not so much. But Tudor in one fell swoop made smaller dive watches a thing again with its surprise unveiling of the Black Bay 54 at Watches and Wonders. Based on the original Tudor Submariner from 1954, the vintage-style diver comes in at the same 37mm case size as its ancestor, a refreshing change of pace in an industry that is finally coming to terms with the realization that bigger isn't always better. But the 54's charms stretch beyond its small size; it also sports pitch-perfect old-school styling that makes it the closest modern-day equivalent to a vintage Rolex Sub.
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona "Le Mans"
Why It Matters: Rolex did the unthinkable and brought back the "Paul Newman" dial — with a new race-day-ready movement to boot.
The Big Picture: One of, if not the most in-demand vintage watches is the Rolex Daytona "Paul Newman." Named for its most famous wearer, this version of Rolex's chronograph was produced for a short period in the 1960s and early '70s and is recognized for its unique "exotic" panda dials. No one thought Rolex would ever put a Paul Newman dial on a Daytona again, but here it is. This white gold Daytona was made by Rolex to celebrate 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a fact that no doubt would have made the racecar-driving Newman proud, but there's more going on than the coveted dial. The watch also has a new movement — visible through a sapphire caseback, a trick Rolex employed for the first time earlier this year on the platinum Daytona — that tracks 24 hours of the chronograph instead of the usual 12, a fitting tribute for Le Mans.
Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ceramic Compression Diver
Why It Matters: An innovative steel core helps keep costs down on this colorful and playful take on a ceramic dive watch.
The Big Picture: Zodiac's Sea Wolf has a long history. In fact, its history goes back as far as any dive watch, all the way to 1953, the same year Blancpain launched the Fifty Fathoms and Rolex the Submariner. While the nameplate has gone in and out of production over the decades, the modern Super Sea Wolf iteration has become well-known for its playful hues. In 2023, Zodiac kept the fun color palette but added ceramic to its experimentation via a unique and innovative case. Unlike a traditional ceramic case, Zodiac's features a ceramic outer case around a steel core. This structure aims to make the watch more durable while also keeping costs reasonable, a must for this value-oriented Swiss brand.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Moon Phase Retrograde Date
Why It Matters: Take a couple of high-end complications normally reserved for dress watches, put them on a luxury sports watch, and what do you get? One of the coolest and most unexpected releases of the year.
The Big Picture: Watch brands don't get much more prestigious than Vacheron Constantin. Founded in 1755, it's one of the oldest brands — and perhaps the oldest to operate continuously throughout its history — and it's considered one of Swiss watchmaking's "Holy Trinity" alongside Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. As such, Vacheron has built a reputation as a maker of high-horology movements with classic complications, such as the moonphase and its signature complication, the retrograde date. But what do you get when you put these complications on a modern luxury sports watch like the Overseas? A gorgeous timepiece that blends casual sporty looks with traditional watchmaking in a way that feels new and exciting.
Breguet Type XX/Type 20
Why It Matters: Breguet's sportiest watch made a welcome return this year and has us seeing double.
The Big Picture: More than any company on this list, Breguet is known as a dress watch brand. Its founder invented the tourbillon, for God's sake. But Breguet also has one very iconic tool watch in its portfolio: the Type XX, a pilot's chronograph originally produced for the French military in the 1950s. Breguet has made modern versions of the Type XX off and on since 1995, but the line had been out of production for several years before returning this year, when Breguet gave us not one but two new Type XX chronographs. The Type XX, for "civilian" use, and the Type 20, for "military" use. The watches feature the same case but different lume, hands, dial layouts and bezels, along with different calibers of the same new movement that have been tweaked to suit their intended targets (the military version is cleaner and easier to read at a glance). We'll take one of each, thanks.
Omega Seamaster Ploprof "Summer Blue"
Why It Matters: More than just a new colorway, this revamp of Omega's quirkiest watch also brings the Ploprof back to its roots in some unexpected ways.
The Big Picture: In 2023, Omega celebrated 75 years of the Seamaster. Perhaps the most varied nameplate in the entire watch industry, there have been divers, dress watches, bullhead chronographs and more over the past seven-plus decades all bearing the word "Seamaster" on the dial. But the strangest of all is the Ploprof, a chunky, asymmetrical dive watch with a huge bezel lock, a destro crown and a depth rating of 1,200m. The model has long sat gathering dust on the shelves at Omega, but it received a welcome injection of new life as part of the Seamaster's big birthday party. Not only did the Ploprof get a gorgeous new blue colorway but also a brand-new case that recalls the smaller, monobloc case of the 1970s original in Omega's proprietary and premium O-Mega Steel material.
Longines Spirit Flyback
Why It Matters: A flyback chronograph complication at this price point is practically unheard of. Or, at least, it was.
The Big Picture: Fans of Longines are used to getting a lot of bang for their buck. Where else can you find Swiss-made chronometers with luxury-level finishing from a top-selling heritage brand for around $2,000? Even so, the Spirit Flyback takes things to another level, as it gives you a flyback chronograph complication for well under $5,000. This feature alone makes the watch remarkable, as it's exceedingly rare, but on top of the brag-worthy complication, you're also getting a timing bezel with a ceramic insert, a COSC-certified movement and even 100m of water resistance — not to mention dynamite looks. It's another astounding value proposition from Longines in a catalog that's overflowing with them.
Ming LW.01
Why It Matters: This Malaysian marvel is likely the lightest mechanical watch ever made.
The Big Picture: Ming has only been around since 2017, but it has quickly carved out a name for itself as one of the most innovative and boundary-pushing entities in the industry. This watch may just be the indie brand's greatest achievement yet, as it's almost certainly lighter than any other mechanical watch ever. The hand-wound version of the LW.01 weighs in at just 8.8g for the watch head, and the automatic version isn't much heavier at 10.8g. For reference, two pieces of standard printer paper weigh about 10 grams, meaning these watches are practically weightless. The feat was achieved not only through the use of lightweight materials but also a whole lot of design ingenuity, doubly admirable in such a young brand.
TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph “Glassbox”
Why It Matters: TAG Heuer has spent the better part of the past decade repairing its image among enthusiasts, and this pitch-perfect makeover of the iconic Carrera is the culmination of those efforts.
The Big Picture: The Carrera is TAG Heuer's flagship model, and the brand pulled out all the stops to mark the nameplate's 60th anniversary this year. 2023 saw a murderer's row of special Carrera models like the throwback Skipper, the innovative Chronosprint x Porsche and a solid gold version, but none were more impactful — or more emblematic of the brand's rehabilitated image — than the "Glassbox" Chronograph. The new standard bearer for the Carrera name combines stellar good looks, a conservative case size of 39mm, high-level finishing, an improved movement and the star of the show: that gorgeous domed sapphire crystal that engulfs not only the dial but the bezel too.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 "Puzzle Dial"
Why It Matters: Love it or hate it, this unprecedented President is arguably the biggest swing we've ever seen from the Crown.
The Big Picture: Rolex typically doesn't do the unexpected. The brand is known for incremental change — for being reliably boring. Line up a Submariner from 1953 next to one from 2023 and it's not hard to see the common DNA. So when the brand unveiled this model at Watches & Wonders, it turned more than a few heads. Not only is it taking the brand's most prestigious model and putting a colorful puzzle pattern motif on the dial, it's also effectively removing its eponymous complication. The day? That's been replaced with words like "peace" and "love." The date? Instead of numbers, we get emojis. You might think it's ugly or silly, but one thing for certain is no one expected this from Rolex.
