Watches and Wonders 2025 was full of stories. With over 60 of the world’s best watch brands vying for media attention, this year’s show delivered everything from ultra-complicated haute horlogerie to minimalist marvels.
But one watch stole the limelight the moment it was unveiled: the Rolex Land-Dweller. With its integrated bracelet design that nods to the 1970s Oysterquartz, the Land-Dweller boasts 32 patent applications – 18 exclusive to this model, and 16 relating to its new 5Hz movement. Everyone has an opinion on it.
And fair enough – it’s Rolex doing quite unusual things for a brand that usually plays things safe. But while everyone else was debating what a ‘Land-Dweller’ actually is, three genuinely great watches were flying under the radar.
Whether it’s technical wizardry, quiet elegance, or long-awaited functional upgrades, here are three standout timepieces you might have missed at Watches and Wonders 2025.
1. TAG Heuer Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1 Edition
TAG Heuer’s revived an icon with the Formula 1 Solagraph, but did you spot this limited edition Monaco? TAG’s Monaco is no stranger to reinvention – it’s been everything from retro chronograph to skeletonised and bright pink – but the Split-Seconds Chronograph F1 Edition is the most fun version yet.
Limited to just 10 pieces, this is the brand’s most complex watch to date – and a great way to celebrate its revived sponsorship of Formula 1. The case is made from a single block of white ceramic and finished entirely by hand. Twin ceramic arches accentuate the aerodynamic silhouette, while a red and white minute track is a nod to the race circuit. The translucent red dial reveals the mechanical complexity beneath, anchored by a hand-lacquered TAG Heuer shield at 12 o’clock and the phrase “LIGHTS OUT & AWAY WE GO” printed across the split-seconds counters – a tribute to Crofty’s iconic start call.
Underneath it all beats an advanced rattrapante movement, capable of measuring split-second intervals with absolute accuracy.
2. Grand Seiko Spring Drive U.F.A
In typical Grand Seiko fashion, a record-breaking technical achievement was unveiled quietly and elegantly, without much shouting or fanfare. But make no mistake: the new Spring Drive Calibre 9RB2 powering the Spring Drive U.F.A is an absolute milestone. It introduces the “U.F.A.” (Ultra Fine Accuracy) designation, and that’s no exaggeration – the movement achieves a mightily impressive ±20 seconds per year. That’s not daily, weekly, or monthly accuracy. That’s per year. And it’s still powered by a mainspring.
This next-gen Spring Drive movement uses a new quartz oscillator, a re-engineered IC, vacuum sealing, and thermo-compensation data taken at multiple temperatures. It’s obsessive, brilliant, and entirely on brand. And for the first time in the Spring Drive family, there’s even a regulation switch tucked inside, allowing service centres to nudge accuracy back in line decades down the road.
The best bit? It all fits inside a 37mm case – the most compact 9R-series Grand Seiko yet. Finally, it’s a proper fit for smaller wrists. The Titanium version of the SLGB001 also debuts a new tool-free micro-adjust clasp, letting you fine-tune the fit in 2mm steps.
The dial design is inspired by Shinshu’s frost-laced winter forests – the titanium version in a silver-tinged blue with a tempered seconds hand.
3. Cartier Tank Louis Cartier
While the Cartier Tank à Guichets made all the headlines (and rightly so – it’s a stunning re-issue of a rare Cartier), a more traditional Tank also joined the party. The new Tank Louis Cartier – available in platinum or yellow gold – introduces a mesmerising dial texture so delicate you might miss it at first glance. But once it catches the light, it’s hard to look away.
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill sunbursts. Instead, Cartier’s used laser etching to create subtle radial grooves that fan out from the centre. The effect adds depth and nuance to a dial that’s otherwise wonderfully minimal – no numerals, just Cartier’s signature cabochon crown and those sword-shaped hands. In yellow gold it sings of vintage glamour; in platinum, it’s almost monochrome.
In many ways, this is Cartier doing what Cartier does best – timeless shapes with just enough modernity. No gimmicks, no overthinking, just pure elegance.
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