Scarlett Baker breaks down the latest must-haves in the world of watches both at Wonders & Watches and in the general horology world that will define the year ahead.
From two-tone timepieces to space age silhouettes – check them out below.
Mixed Metals
Think less ‘80s hedonism and more a study of contrast that’s elegantly assertive. Updating the angular profile of its seminal Monaco line, TAG Heuer’s Monaco Chronograph toys with the duality of metals, with grade-5 titanium for improved comfort and a vivid 18K rose gold giving visual richness and depth to this automotive hero that now embarks on its next chapter.
Reimagining a classic through the lens of two-tone design also brings a fresh focus to the Cartier Roadster – a sporting companion introduced at the turn of the millennium before its discontinuation in 2012. It returns once more in a harmony of steel and soft-hued yellow gold, which highlights its gentle contours like a bejewelled bangle.
While two metals can be blended with quiet restraint, some watches lean into the contrast with confidence and clarity. The handsome new Piaget Polo 79 exemplifies this approach, uniting warm yellow gold with cool-toned white gold in a seamless integrated design.
Tiny but Mighty
Good things continue to come in small packages. Audemars Piguet adds two new confi gurations to its 23mm Royal Oak Mini line-up (as seen on both Hailey Bieber and Drake), one in 18K yellow gold with white mother-of-pearl adornment, the other in 18K pink gold with black onyx and diamonds. Equipped with a quartz movement for daily wear, each modest- sized timepiece radiates charisma – and they only look more striking when worn together.
Similarly, Hermès has revived its chain link-shaped Cape Cod with a new personality. Reborn within a mini (27 x 20mm) format, in either steel and yellow gold, its colourful new dial configurations and meticulously crafted leather straps prove petite can still have wrist presence.
Indeed, hallmark collections are undergoing little ‘tweakments’ right across the board. For Bvlgari, it means a further shrinking of its already ultra-slim Octo Finissimo, bringing the daring model into its most exciting act yet.
After over a decade of pleading from fans, it’s been fine-tuned from 40mm to 37mm in either sandblasted titanium, satin-polished titanium or satin-polished yellow gold. Retaining its modular profile, it boasts a new calibre, the BVF 100, which required three years of development.
Cosmic Inspiration
While watchmaking often flirts with the limits of our imagination, this year it ventures into hyperdrive. Leading the charge, IWC Schahausen unveils the Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive, designed in collaboration with Vast Space, the company behind the world’s first commercial space station.
Engineered for astronauts wearing bulky gloves, every function is operated via a rotating bezel, eliminating the need for a traditional crown. With aerodynamics in mind, the watch is crafted from lightweight zirconium oxide ceramic and Ceratanium, IWC’s proprietary ceramic and titanium hybrid that delivers the durability and resilience needed for a mission to Mars.
Bremont also looks to the future with its otherworldly Supernova Chronograph, constructed with a 41mm case in high performance, non-magnetic stainless steel and black DLC ceramic bezel. Taking design cues from the multi-layered forms of satellites and solar panels, its geometric dial references the illusion of movement through space.
Meanwhile, Belgian watchmaker Ressence envisions a bold new world with its limited-edition TYPE 9 Ikeda, which marries the vision of Japanese fine artist and nacre inlay specialist, Terumasa Ikeda, with Ressence’s futuristic approach to timekeeping.
Time is displayed on revolving, oil-filled subdials crafted with black lacquer and mother-of-pearl detailing, creating a digital screen-like e ect, while a traditional movement quietly powers the mechanism below.
The New Dress Watch
The drastic change in our lifestyle habits at the turn of the 2020s reshaped dress watch conventions – ultra thin, minimalist, formal – into something more functional, with plenty of added extras.
OMEGA approaches this pursuit with the Constellation Observatory, a 39.4mm timepiece that blends a signature pie-pan dial, first introduced in 1952, with two new movements across nine references. Its vintage good looks belie the fact that it’s the first two-hand watch to achieve Master Chronometer certification.
Meanwhile, elegant dress watch expert Vacheron Constantin injects a new hue to the Historiques American 1921, a tribute to a 1920s driver’s watch, featuring a cushion-shaped case and a dial set at a 45° angle for legibility on the road.
A beacon of Art Deco architecture, its proposal for 2026 welcomes subtlety, in a dial configuration of grained silver tones and blue Arabic numerals, in both 40mm and 36.5mm editions.
By nature a tool watch, its rich 18K 5N pink gold finish redefines it as a striking evening accessory, whether you’re in the driver’s seat or not.
Finally, Chopard’s coveted L.U.C receives a sleek update to honour the 30th anniversary of the maker’s manufacturing facility in Fleurier, Switzerland – one which preserves the timepiece’s original beauty but adds technical prowess in the form of an all-new L.U.C Calibre 96.40-L.
Despite being just 3.3mm thin, this self-winding movement is Chronometer-certified and packs a 65-hour power reserve and stop-seconds function. Smart and handsome, a truly captivating combination.
Big and Bold
Adieu to quiet luxury: more is more again.
Hublot’s Big Bang, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, now has a bigger brother, the Big Bang Tourbillon Impact High Jewellery One Million, which brings a visual punch to your wrist with a frosting of 500 diamonds.
Likewise, Tiffany & Co. has unleashed a trio of exuberant timepieces fit for any extrovert. Reinterpreting Jean Schlumberger’s iconic paillonné enamel jewellery, its new Enamel watches feature a ring of vivid enamel accented with 18K gold cross-stitch motifs, plus plenty of diamond detailing on the bezel, case and lugs.
Also feeling loud and proud is Frederique Constant, with an all-new Manchette cuff. Boasting a gold toned steel bracelet enhanced with the texture of ‘clou de Paris’, and an eye- catching turquoise dial, it’s the perfect paradigm of where watches and jewellery intersect. Shrinking violets need not apply.
Like this? Check out our coverage of Watches and Wonders 2026: Piaget releases stunning new timepieces and Rolex and 100 years of the Oyster Perpetual.
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