07-05-2025
What 2 watch collectors took away from Watches and Wonders 2025
Self-confessed Cartier watch nerd Nic James and TickTockBelle Stephanie Soh share their highlights from the Geneva watch fair
With Watches and Wonders 2025 (WWG) still fresh in our minds, Tatler GMT reached out to Nic James, head of The Horology Club Malaysia, and Stephanie Soh, one-half of TicktockBelles in Singapore, for their thoughts on the fair from an enthusiast's perspective.
Read more: Watches and Wonders 2025: Tatler GMT editors pick their favourite watches NIC JAMES
What watch releases or trends stood out to you?
Last year's event left me a bit underwhelmed. There were plenty of releases, but nothing that really grabbed my attention. As a collector, it came across like the industry was playing it safe.
But this year brought back the wow factor. We saw new movements, interesting technology, better case proportions, and thoughtful updates that made the watches more wearable. It felt like the brands cared about what was happening under the hood, not just how the watch looked on the outside. I was genuinely excited, and that hasn't happened in a while.
Which maisons made the strongest statements this year?
Rolex really stood out to me. They launched the Land-Dweller with the new Dynapulse escapement, and that's a big move from a brand known for slow and incremental changes. Rolex doesn't often introduce entirely new models, so this was exciting to see. The engineering behind the escapement is interesting, and I'm curious to see how it performs over time. What excites me most is its potential— does this mean we will get to see a slimmer Submariner one day?
Ulysse Nardin also impressed me. I've always appreciated the Freak, but the new Diver [Air] really excited me. The skeletonised diver can handle 5,000g of force and is water-resistant up to 200m. It's like Richard Mille technology that can be taken underwater. It wore so well too for a 44mm.
