Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Of 2025 — Jorg’s Picks From Vacheron Constantin, Grand Seiko, Laventure, And More

As you well know by now, I love a good list. As the Fratello resident listophile, compiling a list of my favorite releases of 2025 should be easy. Well, that depends on how you look at it. I have seen an abundance of stellar releases this year. That’s also where the challenge comes in. If we can only pick five, that is the problem. But as always, after a process of killing multiple of my darlings, I’ve ended up with my list of this year’s favorites. Did I stick to five? Please read on to find out.

As Lex mentioned in his article, I would like to emphasize that this list is highly personal, irrational, and not compiled with spec sheets or price tags in mind. Thank you!

The best watches of 2025 — Pick #1: Grand Seiko U.F.A. SLGB005

If you are a regular Fratello reader, you could have seen this one coming a mile away. I featured the purple-dial Grand Seiko U.F.A. SLGB005 in several lists this year. It all starts with the stunning dial, which makes this first stainless steel U.F.A. model an immediate top pick for my list. However, I would be selling the watch short by stating that it’s all about the dial, because the SLGB005 is the complete package. It has a modern 37mm case with an 11.4mm profile and a 44.3mm lug-to-lug. It is the first stainless steel U.F.A. model, following Grand Seiko’s unveiling of the platinum SLGB001 and High-Intensity Titanium SLGB003 during Watches and Wonders earlier in the year.

The modern Evolution 9 case is a fantastic evolution of the brand’s classic 1960s case designs. Combined with the stunning purple dial featuring large, applied, faceted markers, it gives the watch a contemporary presence I adore. And while we’re at it, let’s talk about that dial! It looks almost black in artificial light, but once you step into natural light, the magic reveals itself. The textured fumé dial features a lively purple at its center, gradually fading to almost black at the outer edges. It is truly something special.

The perfect modern daily wearer

Inside the case, you will find the Grand Seiko 9RB2 caliber. This Ultra Fine Accuracy (U.F.A.) movement offers a stunning accuracy of ±20 seconds per year. It makes the 9RB2 the most accurate wristwatch caliber powered by a mainspring today. Grand Seiko made a great choice by putting the power reserve indicator on the backside, leaving the dial super clean.

Finishing the look is the stainless steel bracelet, which makes this a great daily accessory. Sure, it doesn’t feature the toolless micro-adjust system that the titanium model has. However, I was able to size the watch perfectly, so I would not hesitate for a single second in putting down the €11,000 needed to buy this 1,300-piece limited edition.

Pick #2: Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer

Yes, this is the second purple dial in a row, but I assure you that you’re not reading my list of the top five purple-dial watches. However, the purple-dial version of the Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer, created for Mansour Jewellers, is an absolute stunner. Then again, all the limited editions that Nomos released were brilliant.

Let’s rewind to the beginning, though. During Watches and Wonders this year, Nomos presented eight Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer models. The first two were regular versions with blue and silver sunburst dials, which were decent. However, the big showstoppers were the six limited editions, which demonstrated that Nomos handles colors like no other brand.

Several magic ingredients make this GMT brilliant. When it comes to the dials, the layout offers the creative team at Nomos the opportunity to explore different color combinations. The first six LE models perfectly displayed that with the colors used for the dials and the 3 o’clock sub-dial. My favorite was the light blue Glacier version, but the green-dial Jungle model that Fratello’s managing editor Nacho bought was another highlight.

The gift that keeps on giving

Several months later, Nomos surprised us with the Night Navigation series. It consisted of three limited editions featuring black sunburst dials with either orange, green, or bright blue details. The green-accented Vector model was another highlight for me, displaying the grand style of this fun GMT. To remind you, the watch features a 40mm stainless steel case with a 9.9mm thickness and a 48mm lug-to-lug. The proportions are just right, making the watch extremely easy to wear.

Inside the case, you will find the brand’s in-house-developed DUW 3202 caliber. This automatic movement operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour, features 37 jewels, and offers a 42-hour power reserve. The biggest asset of this new caliber is its ability to display the time in a second time zone. You can change the time zone by clicking the pusher at 2 o’clock, and I must say that it is highly addictive.

One click rotates the peripheral ring to the next time zone, but returning to the original time zone offers the satisfaction of clicking 24 times in total. It’s hard to resist not doing that at least a few times per day. I have stated that one of these stellar Nomos Club Sport Neomatic Worldtimers will make its way to my collection, and I stand by that. This is easily one of my absolute horological highlights of 2025.

The best watches of 2025 — Pick #3: Laventure Marine Type 3

An easy third pick was the Laventure Marine Type 3 — more specifically, the version with a white fully luminous dial that lights up like a Christmas tree in the dark. But it’s far more than a nice watch with a cool party trick. The Marine Type 3 completely reinterprets the Laventure Marine. When I first saw the pictures, I wasn’t too sure because the dial opening seemed relatively small compared to the wide bezel. But when the watches landed on Daan’s desk, I immediately fell for the white-dial version on the mint-green rubber strap.

I should have known better than to doubt it at all because Laventure founder Clement Gaud consistently demonstrates an excellent eye for design. His Transatlantique GMT is one of my favorite watches of the past five years, and the gold-dial Marine II is another highlight that comes to mind.

This new Marine Type 3 offers a lightweight, super-slim Grade 23 titanium case. The watch has a 38mm diameter, an 11.2mm thickness (including the 2.3mm-thick domed plexiglass crystal), and a lug-to-lug distance of 46.2mm. Not only does the thin profile of the case itself make the watch a joy to wear, but the domed crystal also gives it a ton of character.

Inside the case of the Marine Type 3

The dark gray case is paired with a full-white Super-LumiNova dial featuring black printing and sandblasted matte black hands. Finishing the look is the mint green rubber strap, which ensures the watch wears like a charm. Inside the case, you will find the Sellita SW300-1-based Laventure Cal. 4. The customized automatic movement features 3N gold plating and a beautiful finish. Additionally, it operates 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a 56-hour power reserve. Despite its attractive finish, the caliber is safely hidden behind the titanium case back.

It wears like a charm

The aesthetic quickly grew on me once we received the watches. Putting the white-dial version on my wrist immediately made me fall in love with it. The Marine Type 3 is lightweight, features a super-thin case profile, and looks absolutely fantastic to me. Thanks to the super-comfortable rubber strap, it is an absolute joy to wear. It is easily among the most comfortable watches that I have worn this year, and it makes the Marine Type 3 another (now-sold-out) hit from Laventure.

Pick #4: Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222

One of the early highlights that stuck with me the entire year was the stainless steel Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222. Ever since the brand unveiled the full-gold model in 2022, fans were hoping for a version in stainless steel. The modern gold version of the iconic 222 has already shown its incredible power. The watch remains as relevant as ever, thanks to its distinctive design created by young Jorg Hysek. It feels redundant to go over all the details, as most watch enthusiasts will be familiar with them. However, I will point out three of them that immediately stood out to me.

The first is the small gold Maltese cross on the bottom right of the 37mm stainless steel case. The second is the incredible bracelet design, which still looks futuristic, even nearly five decades after Jörg Hysek designed it. It also ensures that the watch wears like a dream. The third and final detail is the beautiful blue dial. The Vacheron designers picked the perfect shade of blue for the watch. Not only is it stylish, but it’s also nicely vibrant for a dark blue, so hats off to the Vacheron creative team for choosing such a nice shade.

The dial is simply perfect

While on the subject, the blue backdrop is the perfect canvas for a dial that exudes class and has nothing on it that shouldn’t be there. From the applied markers to the hands, the size of the logo, and the applied Maltese cross, this dial displays unmatched style and sophistication. I could go on for a bit about the modern caliber that Vacheron uses for the 222 or the characteristic bezel. But it all comes together once you put the watch on your wrist.

Wearing the Historiques 222 is truly something special, and I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time. I was smitten by the 222’s looks and the incredible comfort of the bracelet. Additionally, the 37mm case makes it extremely wearable. I never thought I would say this, but if given the choice, I would pick the modern Historiques 222 over the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. Let me take it one step further: I have never been a fan of the phrase “exit watch.” However, if there is one watch that deserves that label for me, it is this stainless steel Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222.

The best watches of 2025 — Pick #5: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 126518LN

My last pick is the glorious turquoise-dial Rolex Daytona ref. 126518LN, which was introduced during Watches and Wonders this year. For a Daytona to make my list is already quite exceptional. However, it being a yellow gold Daytona with a black bezel on an Oysterflex bracelet makes it even more special. When it comes to precious-metal Daytonas, I would typically choose the full-gold versions, which feature a gold bracelet and gold bezel. However, when I had the opportunity to try the new gold Rolex Daytona models beyond first impressions, this is the one I kept coming back to.

What seemed like a loud Daytona at first turned out to be a lot more sophisticated and refined than I ever could have imagined. When I wrote the introduction article, I was just intrigued by the dial color, but when I had a chance to try it on my wrist, the magic of this watch revealed itself. Something truly clicked when I closed the beautiful yellow gold clasp and rolled my wrist to have a look.

The result is more than the sum of its parts

I could go over every last detail, but that won’t do a better job of explaining the vibe that I adore. It surprised me in all the right ways, from the combination of yellow gold, black, and turquoise as a main color scheme to that little pinch of red above the 6 o’clock sub-dial, where the model name sits. If this watch had had a full-gold bezel, it wouldn’t have made the same impact. If it had come fitted with a full-gold bracelet, it would not have had the same airy presence. This Rolex Daytona 126518LN really is executed flawlessly.

For the record, you get the familiar Daytona case with screw-down pushers executed in yellow gold. It has a 40mm diameter, an 11.9mm thickness, and a 46mm lug-to-lug. Inside the case, you get the in-house Rolex 4131 caliber. The automatic chronograph movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a generous 72-hour power reserve.

The black ceramic bezel insert features gold numerals and markings that correspond with the case and the applied gold indexes on the turquoise dial. Pleasingly, the black sub-dials not only create contrast but also serve as the glue that ties the Oysterflex bracelet, bezel, and dial together. The red “Daytona” text is a playful detail, while the black text on the upper half is the perfect classy sign-off on a watch that hasn’t left my thoughts all year. It is not just the closer of this list but also the biggest personal surprise of the year for me.

A long list of honorable mentions

There you have it — my top five favorite watches of 2025. If you’ve paid attention, you will have noticed that I only picked watches that I could spend some time with. The hands-on experience plays such a pivotal part in making a watch one’s favorite that choosing any watch I haven’t tried on my wrist feels almost like cheating for a list like this. Having said that, this year was a brilliant one for watch enthusiasts, and that’s why I want to share some other favorites, regardless of whether I had a chance to see them up close or not. Let’s go over them briefly.

The revived Gérald Genta brand surprised us with the super clean Minute Repeater. The watch demonstrates that a smaller minute repeater can still sound crisp and wonderful thanks to an ingenious, thin case construction. Additionally, I appreciate the clean dial design, featuring a railroad minute track that seamlessly combines a circle with a cushion shape that follows the contours of the case. This 40mm yellow gold Gérald Genta Minute Repeater is a brilliant display of haute horologie that I love.

Last year, I featured the brilliant Echo/Neutra Rivanera, the Italian brand’s modern take on a classic dress watch. It is one of my favorite watches in my collection, and every time I get it out of its box, it reminds me of its brilliance. Another reminder came with the introduction of the Rivanera Piccolo series not too long ago. The smaller Rivanera has quite a few clever tricks up its sleeve to make it another favorite. Keep an eye out for the review tomorrow, and you will understand why the version with the Musou Black dial is another highlight for me.

The brilliant limited editions kept on coming

A year without Zenith highlights seems almost impossible for me. The brand once again swooned me with multiple releases. The first was the blue-dial Chronomaster Original that showed why I love this model so much. However, beyond confirming what I already knew, the blue-dial version felt crisp and modern compared to its siblings. It was another pleasant surprise this year.

Another Zenith highlight was the collaborative effort with the Swiss furniture brand USM, which was presented during Geneva Watch Days. The classic Defy chronograph silhouette turned out to match the USM-specific dial colors brilliantly. And while collabs sometimes become overdone branding exercises, here, the dial colors and the small ball bearing on the chronograph seconds hand are subtle hints at USM’s iconic creations. This was a very nicely executed collaboration.

Some more random highlights…

Ask me for my favorite current chronographs, and I will instinctively gravitate towards A. Lange & Söhne. But Patek Philippe challenged that instinct with its 5370R Split-Seconds Chronograph. It combines a stunningly beautiful rose gold case with a stunning brown Grand Feu enamel dial, including sub-dials and a tachymeter scale in beige champlevé enamel. From the brushed recessed grooves on the case side to the applied rose gold Breguet numerals to the in-house rattrapante chronograph caliber CHR 29-535 PS, I adore this watch. Patek, take all my money!

Two extravagant final picks

I have two more divisive picks that I want to mention to close out my list. The first is the Richard Mille RM 16-02 Automatic Extraflat Terracotta Quartz TPT. Featuring something from Richard Mille on my year-end list would have been a drug-infused fever dream until I saw this watch. It’s far too big to be perfect. But boy, do I love the look of the quartz TPT case in a terracotta tone, combined with the creamy white quartz TPT case middle, the view of the wonderful CRMA9, and the burgundy strap. This is the first Richard Mille creation that I actually like.

I’ll conclude this article with another watch that I had the pleasure of wearing. Last year, Credor reintroduced its fan-favorite Locomotive in a limited run with a gray dial. This Genta classic is a wonderfully weird modern sports watch, the extravagant sibling of the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. This year’s new model only introduced a green dial, but what a dial it is. Add the lightweight titanium construction, the fabulous bracelet, and those infectious overall looks, and this watch becomes my perfect possible entry into the magical world of Gérald Genta.

With that in mind, we have come to the end of my list of picks for the best watches of 2025. As mentioned, my choices were highly personal and based on the simple desire to own and wear them. Sometimes, it’s that simple!