This April, the watch world once again descended on Geneva for the most important week in the horological calendar.
More than 25,000 tickets were sold, 6,000 retailers attended, and 1,750 journalists made their way around the year’s new launches.
With more than 80 brands unveiling fresh watches, there was plenty to absorb.
We’ve cut through the noise to pick our favourite standout releases from the show, spanning refreshed, accessible cool to the heaviest hitters in haute horology.
Rolex
Oyster Perpetual “Jubilee” Motif
Rolex celebrates 100 years of the Oyster in 2026 with several new additions to the line-up. While the collection is known for the game-changing waterproof watch case that announced the Swiss brand on the world stage, in recent times it’s the watchmaker’s colourful dial variations (think 2023’s bubbly “Celebration” dial) that have proven particularly appealing to its legions of fans.
Much of the early excitement at this year’s exhibition has centred on the kaleidoscopic “Jubilee” motif variation, which displays a typographic pattern on a dial composed of ten pad-printed colours. It’s the most complex pad-printed motif ever achieved by Rolex that requires the dial to be completely dried before the next layer of colour is applied. The whole process takes a week.
The colourful graphic repetition brings to mind contemporary artist Takashi Murakami’s collaboration with Louis Vuitton or perhaps more directly Andy Warhol’s Pop Art.
Whatever your preference, this youthful reimagining of the Oyster Perpetual is going to sell out faster than any tin of Campbell’s Soup.
The detail:
41mm or 36mm Oystersteel case with 100m water resistance
Calibre 3230 movement with 70 hour power reserve
From £5,600, rolex.com
Patek Philippe
Nautilus 50th Anniversary Limited Edition
Not all watch anniversaries deserve fanfare, but the beloved Patek Philippe Nautilus is a notable exception.
Celebrating 50 years in 2026, the Nautilus line has been graced with three new limited editions that are certain to go down very well with the public and collectors alike.
There are two ultra-thin 41mm “Jumbo” versions in white gold, one that features a matching bracelet and another that boasts baguette diamond hour markers and a blue composite strap (limited to 2,000 pieces each), but the real star of the show is the quite marvellous 38mm midsize variation finished in platinum.
Clocking in at just 6.9mm in depth, this slinky number distils the pure essence of the Nautilus into one very pleasing package.
Also limited to 2,000 pieces, it wears beautifully on its matching platinum bracelet and, as with all Patek platinum models, comes with a discreet diamond set at 9 o’clock.
As a loving nod to the first series Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref 3700, each of the three editions is delivered in a natty little cork box.
The detail:
Ref 5610/1P-001 (limited to 2,000 pieces) comes with 38mm case in platinum on a metal bracelet
Self-winding ultra-thin movement with 48-hour power reserve
£90,830, patek.com
Vacheron Constantin
Historiques American 1921
A watchmaking icon of the roaring 20s, the Vacheron Constantin Historiques American is a grail watch for many, and even the modern interpretations have a serious following – one that’s only going to get stronger with this latest version.
Despite its name, the new Historiques modernises the template a touch with a new grained silver dial and blue numerals slightly darker than the thermally coloured hands, set on a matching blue patinated strap.
The case is now in 40mm or 36.5mm of rose gold, though inside it is the same calibre 4400, Poinçon de Genève-worthy movement. Overall it’s a relatively straightforward aesthetic overhaul, but one that brings the American 1921 firmly into this century.
The detail:
40mm or 36.5mm rose gold case with 30m water resistance
4400 AS calibre manual-wind movement with 65-hour power reserve
PRICE TBC, vacheron-constantin.com
A Lange & Söhne
Saxonia Annual Calendar 36mm
“Sometimes we try to push the team out of their comfort zone,” the inimitable Anthony de Haas, Director of Product Development at A Lange & Söhne, tells me during our W&W appointment, “The aim was to create an annual calendar at 36mm and under 10mm. The process of developing any new movement is a learning path – not just to create the watch but to develop the people and the knowhow to do it.” Four years later and here we are: the Saxonia Annual Calendar 36mm.
Trimmed down from the previous generation's 38.5mm, yet crucially maintaining a slim 9.8mm profile, this may just be one of the most proportionate watches on show in Geneva. The dial retains Lange's signature outsize date at 12 o’clock, with sub-dials for day of the week, month, small seconds, and moon phase, but nothing feels in any way cluttered; everything remains in perfect balance. There’s new more elegant lancet-shaped hands replacing the former dagger style but, really, the major alteration is beating beneath the dial’s surface.
Powering the watch is the all-new calibre L207.1. The central rotor automatic movement features a platinum winding mass and delivers a 60-hour power reserve, up from the previous generation's 46 hours. The moonphase display requires correction by just one day after 122.6 years. It also features a welcome practical innovation in the form of a pusher at 10 o'clock that advances all calendar displays simultaneously, with individual correctors also available for each display.
The detail:
36mm in white gold with an argenté dial or pink gold with a grey dial
Calibre L207.1 with 60 hour power reserve
€65,000 (approx £56,287), alange-soehne.com
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Master Control Chronometre collection
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new CEO, Jérôme Lambert, has been in post since January 2025 and we’re finally beginning to see what direction he’ll be steering the “watchmaker’s watchmaker”. Unveiled at Watches & Wonders, the new-look Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronometre is a landmark collection for the storied Swiss manufacture as it marks JLC's first fully fledged entry into the integrated bracelet sports watch category, placing the brand in direct conversation with 1970s icons like the Royal Oak and Nautilus. The collection debuts with three references: the Master Control Chronometre Date, the Date Power Reserve, and the Perpetual Calendar.
The entry-level Date is the kind of bread and butter timepiece we’d argue JLC has been lacking of late. Measuring just 38mm with an 8.4mm profile and at a competitive price point, it’s an excellent initial foray into the category.
Inspired by the 1973 Master Mariner Chronometre, the new collection introduces a fantastic three-link integrated metal bracelet that is inspired by dauphine hands. There’s also a new quality standard – the High Precision Guarantee (HPG) Jaeger-LeCoultre, which replaces the historic "1,000 Hours Control" benchmark and focuses on real-world performance as opposed to lab conditions.
The detail:
38mm steel or rose gold case with 50m water resistance
Calibre 899 / Calibre 738 / Calibre 868 movement with 70 hour power reserve
From £12,300 in steel; jaeger-lecoultre.com
Tudor
Monarch
Another watch brand duking it out in the battle of the anniversaries is Tudor who marks 100 years since the brand name was registered in Geneva by relaunching the Monarch.
For us, this is commemorative watchmaking done right, with lovely little touches to the past displayed at every turn: the case and subdial echoing the 1920s and 1940s; the name itself dating back to a 1990s collection; and the error-proof dial (a combination of Roman and Arabic numerals) first used in the 2000s.
And then, of course, you have the mighty COSC and METAS-certified movement – first utilised in 2021 – showcasing Tudor’s horological chops.
This watch is one you’ll want to see in the metal as the papyrus dial and sharp, angular case lines – a little reminiscent of vintage Grand Seikos, if you ask us – really pop in person.
The detail:
39mm steel case with 100m water resistance
Calibre MT5662-2U movement with 65 hours power reserve
£4,600, tudorwatch.com
TAG Heuer
Monaco Evergraph
TAG Heuer has been on a roll in recent years, with groundbreaking innovations seemingly arriving at each annual watch exhibition. This unrivalled development continues in 2026 with the launch of the Monaco Evergraph – a paradigm-shifting chronograph design that may well represent the biggest step forward for the complication in decades. Five years in development by TAG Heuer Lab in close collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, the all-new Calibre TH80-00 is a ground-up rethink of the chronograph – featuring no column wheel and no articulated joints. Instead, flexible mechanical structures bend microscopically to trigger the start, stop, and reset functions, dramatically reducing wear and ensuring consistent pusher feel over time. And it does feel different: activate the chronograph and there’s softer more supple ‘click’ as opposed to the snap you might find when depressing a typical column-wheel chronograph.
The movement beats at 5Hz, offers 70 hours of power reserve, integrates TAG Heuer's proprietary TH-Carbonspring oscillator (first utilised in September 2025), and carries COSC certification. It sits inside a 40mm Grade 5 titanium case with a transparent dial that exposes the inverted movement architecture, with blue opaline counters on the titanium version and a stealthier black aesthetic on the DLC-coated variant.
The headline sponsor of Formula 1 now has its own piece of cutting-edge engineering to match its esteemed motorsport heritage.
The detail:
40mm in Grade 5 titanium
Calibre TH80-00 with 70 hour power reserve
£20,750, tagheuer.com
Panerai
Luminor 31 Giorni
Panerai's headline release at Watches & Wonders 2026 sets a new benchmark for the watchmaker: a 31-day power reserve, the longest ever achieved by the brand. The result of seven years of research and development by Laboratorio di Idee, Panerai's in-house technological ‘think tank’, the new P.2031/S hand-wound skeleton calibre pushes well beyond the limits once set by its celebrated 8 Giorni and 10 Giorni movements (giorni translates as days in English). The architecture behind it is as impressive as the headline figure: four mainspring barrels house a combined 3.3m of mainspring arranged in series, ensuring gradual and efficient energy release. A Torque Limiter selects the 31 most chronometrically stable days from the movement's potential 36-day reserve, after which the calibre halts entirely to preserve accuracy.
The PAM01631 retains the Luminor's bold silhouette and signature crown-protecting bridge within a 44mm case crafted from Panerai's proprietary Goldtech alloy – a blend of gold, copper, platinum, and silver that delivers a warm reddish hue and enhanced durability. A polarised date display and curved power reserve indicator complete the dial without cluttering the open-worked aesthetic.
The detail:
44mm Goldtech case with 100m water resistance
Calibre P.2031/S with 31-day (744 hour) power reserve
Limited edition of 200 pieces; £69,100; panerai.com
Oris
Star Edition
The Oris Star is an incredibly important watch in the brand's history – not so much for its technical prowess or pioneering design, but for its symbolism in overturning a draconian law (yes, such a thing did exist in the watch industry). The story begins in 1930s Switzerland, where the government had introduced the Swiss Watch Statute – a protectionist piece of legislation that effectively locked manufacturers into whatever technology they were already using. For many smaller brands like Oris, this was particularly damaging: the brands were confined to cruder pin-lever escapements for decades while rivals who'd already adopted the superior lever escapement continued to pull ahead. In 1956, Oris hired Dr Rolf Portmann to fight this statute and, after a decade of determined legal campaigning, the law was finally overturned in 1965.
The first watch Oris released in celebration of that hard-won freedom was the original Star of 1966, the brand's maiden lever-escapement timepiece. Now, 60 years on, Oris has brought the Star back with a faithful reissue that keeps the original's 35mm barrel-shaped stainless steel case and integrated lugs, complete with vertical satin-brushed finishing and wide polished bevels. An era-appropriate Plexi-crystal sits atop the silver dial, which retains the crosshair pattern, applied double-baton hour markers, square-tipped hands and a distinctive trapezoidal date window at 3 o'clock. Only the calibre 733 movement, based on the Sellita SW200-1, distinguishes this timepiece as a contemporary watch.
The detail:
35mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance
Calibre 733 with 41-hour power reserve
£1,750; oris.ch
Audemars Piguet
Neo Frame Jumping Hour
Audemars Piguet got the jump (pun intended) on most brands this year by launching before the show, but the novelty of their Neo Frame Jumping Hour still hasn’t worn off.
If last year’s Cartier Tank Cintree revisited the instantaneous hour complication, this perfects it. With a square window at 12 o’clock for hours and minutes in a curved aperture at 6, it shows the bare minimum of timekeeping information.
Everything else is either sapphire crystal bonded to a black dial plate or rose gold. Inside is AP’s newly developed Cal. 7122, which brings some much-needed shock resistance to the jump hour mechanism meaning that, even if this doesn’t look like a daily wearer, it could be.
And it’s still than most Royal Oak Jumbos. We know which we’d rather have.
The detail:
32.6mm x 34mm rose gold case with 20m water resistance
Calibre 7122 automatic movement with 52-hour power reserve
CHF 56,300, audemarspiguet.com
IWC
Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive
Plenty of watches have been into space – the Seiko Pogue, Breitling Cosmonaute and of course the Omega Speedmaster – but none of them have really been designed explicitly to leave the atmosphere.
With the new Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive, IWC joins the gang with gusto. Designed in collaboration with Vast, the company building the successor to the International Space Station, this is arguably the first true mechanical space watch.
hat means a 24-hour display as astronauts adhere to GMT in spite of their accelerated sunrise schedule; a bezel that sets all functionality for easier use in space suit gloves and a mix of ceramic and Ceratanium (a ceramic / titanium hybrid) for an ultra-hard, heat-proof case.
All of this means it’s mission-approved for the first Haven-1 space station when that launches later this year.
Nomos
Tangente Update
A Bauhaus classic, Nomos Glashutte’s minimalist Update has one of the most novel yet intuitive date displays around. Opting for a peripheral date similar to the likes of Oris, the Saxon watchmaker swaps a classic pointer hand for a pair of red dots that flank the correct date.
It’s quick and easy to read, makes for a fun twist on the brand’s often sparse German style and, in the new 38.5mm version, is more wearable than ever.
It’s not just the size though as this is also the first time we’ve seen a gold Update. The final watch is clean, dressy and, funky colourways be damned, why Nomos Glashutte is one of the coolest brands in Germany.
The detail:
38.5mm yellow gold case with 50m water resistance
DUW 6101 calibre automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve
From £3,380, nomos-glashuette.com
Laurent Ferrier
Sport Traveller
In a long-overdue combination we didn’t realise we needed this much, independent atelier Laurent Ferrier have combined two of their key collections – the streamlined Sport Auto and the enamelled Classic Traveller into one: the aptly named Sport Traveller.
And it’s a stunner. Instead of anything as pedestrian as a GMT hand to spoil the clean monochrome of the dial, the second timezone is instead displayed in a window at 9 o’clock, balancing the date at 3 o’clock, both with the sloping signature look of Laurent Ferrier.
The GMT is operable using the twin pushers on the left flank, but otherwise this is the faux vintage racing-inspired watch we love the brand for. That and the painfully immaculate finishing across the board; that helps too.
The detail:
42mm grade 5 titanium case with 100m water resistance
LF275.01 automatic movement with 72-hour power reserve
PRICE TBC, laurentferrier.ch
Hublot
Spirit of Big Bang Impact
The name may sound like a bad translation, but there’s no mistaking what Hublot are going for in their revamped Impact sub-collection. All three models here have the same intense, fragmented appearance though done in markedly different ways.
he most ‘straightforward’ of the three is the all-black ceramic with elements of the Unico movement peeking through. Other than the cracks, this is classic Hublot.
Then, however there’s a fully sapphire version with a dial made using ultra-rare, ultra-heavy Osmium, a metal we’ve only ever seen Czapek & Cie use before.
It’s glittering, pale-blue colour makes solid use of the extra light available through the transparent case. Finally, we have the sapphire and diamond version, which marks the first time anyone’s been mad enough to set diamonds into solid sapphire.
If you ever wanted to know what it looks like to shatter a watch with a sledgehammer (which incidentally these could all survive), this is it. And it’s awesome.
The detail:
42mm ceramic / sapphire case with 100m / 50m water resistance
HUB1770 calibre automatic movement with 50-hour power reserve
£26,500 (ceramic), £89,800 (osmium), £426,000 (diamond), hublot.com
Roger Dubuis
Excalibur Bi-Retrograde Perpetual Calendar
Last year, Roger Dubuis went back to its archives for a favourite complication of the eponymous watchmaker himself – namely the Bi-Retograde Calendar.
Now they’re upping the horological ante by adding the word ‘perpetual’ to the front, turning a novel calendar layout into a true high complication.
It’s an intense visual, with a funky day scale at 9 o’clock, date at 3 o’clock and month at 12 o’clock. A golden moon phase sits at 6 o’clock while the rest of the dial shows off the bi-retrograde mechanics, enough that you might miss the leap year indicator nestled at 1 o’clock.
This is Roger Dubuis’ bi-retrograde concept taken to the nth degree.
The detail:
40mm rose gold case with 100m water resistance
RD850 automatic movement with 60-hour power reserve
Limited to 188 pieces, rogerdubuis.com
Grand Seiko
'Ushio' Diver Spring Drive UFA
Grand Seiko have been building dive watches for a while now, but they’ve never gotten the attention their naturalistic dress watches have.
That’s something the Japanese brand is hoping to address with a new release that finally brings in 300m water resistance.
The lightweight, high-intensity titanium case keeps the 40.48mm case light with a ceramic bezel for knock-proof durability.
Complete with a wavy archipelagos-inspired dial in blue or grey, if anything’s going to convert Omega Seamaster fans to Japanese watchmaking, it’s these.
The detail:
40.84mm high-intensity titanium case with 300m water resistance
9RB1 UFA Spring Drive movement with 72-hour power reserve
£10,500, grand-seiko.com
Frederique Constant
Classics Manufacture Worldtimer
The Classics Manfacture Worldtimer has been Emblematic of Frederique Constant’s approach to watchmaking since 2012, an accessible complication done in a typically Swiss watch.
But if like us, you’ve always found it a bit too busy, 2026 might be your year. The latest version of the globe-trotting timepiece not only improves things mechanically with the new FC-719 calibre – almost doubling its power reserve to a weekend-proof 72 hours – but it’s dropped the 6 o’clock date subdial.
Now, the atlas dial has more room to breathe, especially in the simplest blue and dark grey version. Paired with a redesigned case, this is evolution over revolution for sure, but it’s more of a jump than Darwin would have expected.
The detail:
40mm stainless steel case with 50m water resistance
FC-719 automatic movement with 72-hour power reserve
£4,395, frederiqueconstant.co.uk
Alpina
Startimer Pilot
It’s a year of revamps for sister makers Frederique Constant and Alpina. Just as the former’s revisiting their signature worldtimer, so too is Alpina refreshing their 15-year-old, specs-heavy, price-light pilots’ watch.
A big part of that is a new case, which retains the 40mm diameter but is 10% thinner. That might not sound like much, but it makes the difference between slipping under a cuff or bunching up.
But despite the size, Alpina have opted to bevel every edge, giving the entire watch more wrist presence than before.
The same goes for the dial, with a new stepped flange minute track for more precise reading and the new La Joux-Perret movement upping its power reserve to 68 hours. This is a collection that deserved some love; now it has it.
The detail:
40mm stainless steel case with 100m water resistance
AL-525 automatic movement with 68-hour power reserve
£1,295, alpinawatches.com
