The MONOCHROME Team’s Favorites Timepieces of Watches and Wonders 2025

Watches and Wonders 2025 is about to close its doors and it’s time for Team MONOCHROME to fly back home after one of the most intense weeks of the year. We’ve seen hundreds of watches, if not thousands, published way over a hundred articles, took several thousands of photos and published over a dozen videos on YouTube. But it is time now to settle a bit and simply discussed what were the watches that gave us the best impression, the watches we, on a personal level, liked the most. The brief to Frank, Xavier, Robin and Brice, the core members of the team was simple: no constraints, just select the three watches that you’d want on your wrist. 

Note: this selection is based on our own preferences. We will come back with more of these selections in the coming days, covering specific topics – technical, design, affordable… So stay tuned.

Brice – Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P

Why…? Because it is the essence of the dress watch by Patek, a watch that’s classic, restrained, discreet – yet with a touch more boldness this year – and the direct descendant of the emblematic and important reference 96, and the watch that finally replaces the too-long-discontinued reference 5196. This year, Patek brings back this classic reference in a slightly larger 38mm case made of platinum, measuring only 9.3mm in thickness. Yes, it’s a bit more than in the past but considering the enlarged case, and the fact that inside beats a modern movement with 65h power reserve, we can pardon that. And then comes the dial, in a handsome rose gold opaline colour, with striking anthracite polished markers – which didn’t make unanimity within the team…

For more details, please consult our article here.

Frank – Chopard L.U.C Quattro Platinum

Why…? Because the Quattro has always been one of the most fascinating movement of the Fleurier manufacture, with its impressive 9-day power reserve stacked in 4 mainsprings, and yet extremely compact proportions (28.6mm by only 3.75mm), with superb finishing. For the 25 years of this movement, Chopard gave a very tasteful revamp, in a platinum case of only 39mm x 10mm. The best is the dial, which has been entirely redesigned and new has a grained texture, streamlined markers and hands, and a power reserve hidden on the back. The watch is modern, elegant, refined and yet packs a punch with its light blue dial and nice grey strap. A winner.

For more details, please consult our article here.

Robin – Parmigiani Toric Perpetual Calendar Gold

Why…? Because the brand has found its style and manages to mix refined, minimalistic design with a touch of discreet luxury, while at the same time bringing mechanical beauty – as a Parmigiani watch always does. The new direction has brought a fantastic design consistency and the new Toric Perpetual Calendar, with its handsome combination of colours and materials (specifically in the gold edition-, as well as a streamlined display for the calendar, is simple excellent to look, wear and use. The back reveals a movement with the same idea of design, with bridges made of gold and finishing in a rather striking way.

For more details, please consult our article here.

Xavier – Vacheron Constantin Solaria Grande Complication

Why…? Well, simply because it is the most complicated wristwatch ever created. But besides its 41 complications across two dials and 1,521 components for the movement, there’s more to the VC Solaria. The brand has managed to give it a modern twist, a design that feels contemporary and technical, but also a very decent legibility – at least considering the crazy amount of indications on both dials. The list of marvels… 6 time indications, 8 perpetual calendar indications, 3 lunar indicaitons, 14 astronomical indications, 5 chiming functions, split-seconds chronograph. And many, many more. A true feast of miniaturization and watchmaking, which should be praised even though it is inaccessible and unique.

For more details, please consult our article here.

Brice – Rolex Perpetual 1908 Settimo bracelet

Why…? Because it is one of the most elegant watches on metal bracelet of the year. This new bracelet for Rolex, named the Settimo, was a surprise and is, in the metal, simple stunning. Supple, dressy, vintage-looking and superbly executed. It wears like a charm, and looks fantastic attached to the already very appealing 1908 Perpetual watch. Another surprise comes from the fact that Rolex brings it on straight end-links and not its usual solid end-links, but this opened look between the case and the bracelet adds to the vintage charm, with a bit of a Gay Frères touch. The concealed clasp is also stunning visually, even though it means no micro-adjustment system. For now, it only comes in yellow gold, with a choice of white or black dial. And it surely doesn’t come cheap…

For more details, please consult our article here.

Frank – Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day 5328G

Why…? Because it is a visually and mechanically brilliant watch. The combination of the modern Calatrava style, first introduced in 2022 with the Annual Calendar Travel Time 5326G – yes, this sharp case with clous de Paris on the side is truly something special – with a powerful hand-wound movement (which is derived from the Gondolo 5200) is making quite a complete package. Looking through the caseback, the calibre 31-505 has a classic and appealing pocket-watch look and the front of the dial, with a textured gradient blue dial with several complications packed in a clever way is nothing short of pleasant too. A modern Patek as we’d like to see more often.

For more details, please consult our article here.

Robin – A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Honeygold

Why…? Because of the subtle tone and flex of the Honeygold combined to a warm, charmful tobacco brown dial, but also everything positive we always said about the Odysseus: the practicality of the pushers, the great combination of sportiness and daily-usability with mechanical Lange beauty. This new edition, worn on a matching gold bracelet, is certainly not the most discreet and not the lightest on the wrist but still has a certain subtleness despite its material and colors. It is as tasteful as a Lange sports watch can get and still retains what we love about this model in general.

For more details, please consult our article.

Xavier – Rolex Land-Dweller

Why…? Well, for many reasons. One, it’s an entirely new Rolex collection and that’s not something we see often. Second, it marks the return of Rolex in the integrated bracelet market. But Xavier certainly expresses some reservations regarding the design – it’s not love at first sight and it’ll take a bit of time to digest the watch as a whole. His main reason for including the Land-Dweller in this selection is pure mechanical. Indeed, with the calibre 7135, Rolex launches a rather revolutionary escapement, the Dynapulse, a sequential distribution escapement made from silicon, with two escape wheels showing a highly complex geometry and a balance staff made from ceramic. The whole assembly, despite the 5Hz frequency (a first for the brand), is highly efficient and the power reserve remains to a comfortable 66h. Rolex has done the unexpected here, and mostly on an industrial production scale that was hardly imaginable.

For more details, please consult our article here.

Brice – Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Gold Milanese

Why…? Because it is the first Reverso I’d truly want to own. The JLC Reverso is a watch that I’ve always enjoyed seeing on other’s wrist but I’ve never managed to find the right model for me. Putting the new Tribute Monoface Small Seconds with gold Milanese bracelet on the wrist might have finally give the answer: this is the one. And it’s hard for me to admit it, as gold watches are not entirely my thing. Here though, the consistency of the design, the texture of the dial and its gold colour, the flexility and comfort of the bracelet, as well as the near-perfect proportions of the case – specifically the 7.5mm thickness – are making it one of the best Reverso on the market.

For more details, please consult our article here.

Frank – A. Lange & Söhne Minute Repeater Perpetual

Why…? Because Frank wouldn’t be Frank if there was not something highly technical in his selection. And this new Lange Minute Repeater Perpetual is quite impressive technically speaking. Of course, there’s the minute repeater system – which sounds amazing as I could experience – and a movement that’s spectacular, even with its restrained frosted decoration. But the Lange Minute Repeater Perpetual is more than just mechanics, as it also brings all the expertise of the brand in dial making. It comes with an incredibly deep black enamel dial, a monochromatic look that Frank had to approve (this website isn’t named MONOCHROME without reasons) and a handsome hand-engraved moon disc. A striking watch, in all senses of the word.

For more details, please consult our article here.

Robin – Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer

Why…? Because it looks fantastic, fresh and modern, but also is one of the best “value proposition” watches of the fair. Not that it’s particularly accessible, but considering all you get for your money, the Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer is certainly impressive… An in-house, thin automatic movement, a traveller’s complication that’s highly practical with its correction pusher, a sporty look with great finishing, a cool steel bracelet, all of that for less than 4,000 euros. Well done, Nomos. The watch is available in 6 colorful limited editions, as well as 2 classic editions: dark blue and silver. And the latter, with its playful and dynamic execution, made quite an impression on Robin.

For more details, please consult our article here.

Xavier – Zenith G.F.J Calibre 135

Why…? Because Zenith is bringing back one of its most important movements – yes, the brand has far more under its sleeve than just the El Primero… The Le Locle-based brand relaunches the Calibre 135, a legendary engine that was the most awarded movement from the golden age of observatory chronometer competitions. It is now back to life and modernized, with longer power reserve, improved kinetic chain but still an oversized balance wheel that features regulation screws and still Charles Fleck’s characteristic double arrow-shaped regulator for fine adjustment. The movement is also beautifully finished and comes in a handsome platinum case with great proportions. It is first presented in this blue edition for the brand’s 160th anniversary but more classic editions will come later.

For more details, please consult our article here.