Are watch brands going too far with their anniversary editions? Chanel J12 and Rolex Land-Dweller models dropped at Watches and Wonders 2025, among many others – but meaningful milestones are key

South China Morning Post

06-06-2025

From Rolex's quietly confident 120th anniversary to Vacheron Constantin's grand 270-year celebration, 2025 is awash with horological milestones. But with so many brands touting birthdays, reissues and limited edition drops, one can't help but ask: do these anniversaries still carry weight, or have they become just another marketing ploy?
If the
flurry of activity at Watches and Wonders 2025 is anything to go by, the answer is both. A convergence of anniversaries has put brand storytelling in the spotlight – some executing it with technical prowess and reverence, others leaning into pure spectacle.
A 1988 advertisement for Tag Heuer. Photo: Handout
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And let's not forget the brands playing to their most beloved icons. Tag Heuer is riding high on Formula One nostalgia, Jaeger-LeCoultre is diving deep into Reverso territory, and Cartier is pushing the Tank into every possible configuration.
Says watch journalist and editor Chris Hall: 'I don't think there was ever a time when they weren't a convenient marketing hook. That doesn't mean they can't be significant. … In an industry where tradition and history are the dominant intellectual currency, longevity is obviously respected.'
That respect is evident in Vacheron Constantin's ambitious new release, Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – a 45mm white gold marvel with a record-breaking 41 complications to mark the maison's 270th anniversary. If you're going to make a fuss, this is how you do it. It's technical, emotional, and true to the brand's legacy.
Zenith won five consecutive Neuchâtel Observatory chronometry prizes in the 1950s. Photo: Handout
Meanwhile, Zenith's 160-year milestone comes with the surprise launch of the G.F.J. collection, a vintage revival rooted in its founder Georges Favre-Jacot's original movement, updated with a contemporary blue-on-blue dial design. At 39mm, it's perfectly proportioned – and the dial is striking without veering into flamboyance.
Rolex, predictably, took a different tack. This year marks 120 years since Hans Wilsdorf founded the brand in 1905, but true to form, Rolex isn't waving any flags. Instead, it unveiled the Land-Dweller, a completely reimagined watch featuring 32 new patents – 18 for the watch, 16 for the movement – including the new Dynapulse escapement and a striking Flat Jubilee bracelet.
Rolex GMT-Master brochure, 1958. Photo: Handout
'It's only on very rare occasions that Rolex releases a watch specifically to mark an anniversary,' says Ross Povey, founder of TudorCollector.com. 'Collectors often anticipate something special, but more often than not, Rolex doesn't follow that path. When they do quietly release a commemorative model, like the Le Mans Daytona, it becomes an event in itself. That kind of restraint is brilliant marketing.'