Fratello’s Top 5 Late Highlights Of 2025 — Featuring Grand Seiko, Lebois & Co, Nomos, And More…

Another Friday, another list! This week, we shine the spotlight on five recent highlights that may make it onto our year-end lists. Just when you thought 2025 was coming to an end, we have seen some amazing new watches. With Dubai Watch Week, the horological calendar has an event late in the year that is a last big moment for participating brands to unveil their exciting new releases. Additionally, some non-participating brands time theirs to coincide with the momentum of the event in Dubai and the upcoming holiday season. So, just before we start making your year-end lists, let’s take a last look at some recent standout releases.

It’s fun realizing that right after I wrote an article about Tudor last week and mentioned its relatively modest 2025, the brand unveiled the 36mm Ranger and introduced a new beige dial color for its field watch. Is this a highlight that would have made last week’s list? Well, I wouldn’t have included it, but for some, the smaller Ranger is a welcome addition to the lineup. It also goes to show you that nowadays, the year is long when it comes to horological novelties. With that in mind, we picked some recent highlights. Some might have caught your eye already, and others you might not have seen or perhaps have forgotten about. Let’s jump in!

Grand Seiko U.F.A. SLGB005

Our first highlight debuted just less than two months ago. I had the pleasure of reviewing the Grand Seiko U.F.A. SLGB005, and it turned out to be one of my highlights of the year. To be honest, I didn’t expect that it would be when we first opened the box of novelties in the Fratello office. My first impression was that this was another great dial option of an existing model. While that is half true, there is far more to the story of the watch. Additionally, the purple dial was far more impressive than I had imagined.

The SLGB005 is the first of the U.F.A. models executed in stainless steel, or Grand Seiko’s Ever-Brilliant Steel, to be exact. The inaugural Ultra Fine Accuracy (U.F.A.) models unveiled during Watches and Wonders were crafted from 950 platinum and High-Intensity Titanium, so there was more to the story than new dial color. The latest model is part of the Evolution 9 series and therefore has a modern, angular case firmly rooted in the brand’s design tradition. This 37mm case has an 11.4mm profile, a 44.3mm lug-to-lug, and a wonderful shape and finishing. The dimensions and execution make it a joy to wear and admire on the wrist.

A movement that means business

The smaller-sized Spring Drive models are possible thanks to the dimensions of Grand Seiko’s 9RB2 caliber. This U.F.A. Spring Drive movement debuted in the two models I mentioned earlier, representing a significant step forward for the brand. The impressive caliber offers a 72-hour power reserve and an accuracy of ±20 seconds per year. It is the most accurate wristwatch movement powered by a mainspring today.

The dial is the star of the show

If all of that was not yet impressive, the purple dial soon proved to be the defining factor for me to fall head over heels for the SLGB005. The color and the depth are phenomenal. Granted, I like the less traditional dial colors because they offer something new and exciting. Having said that, it doesn’t mean that any purple dial will do.

This gradient dial, however, has great depth thanks to its beautiful texture. The combination of color, texture, and details makes it the perfect backdrop for the hands and applied indexes to stand out. The contrast of the dial is beautiful, creating a visual impact that I don’t often see. Add the excellent size and proportions, and it makes this 1,300-piece limited edition, which costs €11,000, a fantastic piece on the wrist.

Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf”

Another watch that stood out immediately for its beautiful dial is the Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf.” When Lebois & Co owner and fellow Dutchman Tom van Wijlick visited the Fratello offices recently, he brought this stunning version of the Heritage Chronograph. The impact of a seemingly simple dial change was staggering. However, there is more to the story than just a simple dial change. The new Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf” marks the start of a new generation of Heritage Chronograph models that honor the Métiers d’Art of Swiss watchmaking, as Lex explained.

The first release in this new series features a Grand Feu Coquille d’œuf — French for “eggshell” — dial. This beautiful, warm eggshell-tone dial consists of three separate parts. The main plate and two recessed sub-dials are each individually produced and soldered into place. Before that, though, all the parts are manually coated with enamel powder and fired at temperatures exceeding 800°C to fuse the finely ground glass to the copper base. Applying multiple layers and firing the pieces again helps to create depth and retain surface tension.

A beautifully crafted pulsation dial

But that’s not where it ends. Next, the dial’s numerals and scales are pad-printed using enamel-based inks before a final firing, which permanently bonds the markings to the surface. The result is a stunning display of traditional craftsmanship, and it looks jaw-droppingly beautiful.

The pulsation dial sits within the Heritage Chronograph’s 39mm stainless steel case, which has a 13.9mm thickness (including the crystal) and a 47.35mm lug-to-lug. The combination of the dial, beautiful black lacquered hands, and the case makes for an impressive traditional chronograph.

Lebois & Co’s LC-450 chronograph caliber powers the watch. This La Joux-Perret-based manual-winding movement operates at 28,800 beats per hour and offers a 60-hour power reserve. Not to be outdone by the stunning dial, the caliber features Côtes de Genève and perlage decoration, as well as a blued column wheel and blued screws.

The result is an impressive first model in the new series that pays homage to the Métiers d’Art. Lebois & Co will produce 25 examples of this watch annually, each with a price of €9,800. We had a little preview of what’s next, and we can say that this is a beautiful first taste of what’s to come.

Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Extreme GMT

Considering the speed at which Christopher Ward releases new watches, you might miss or forget about some. A recent highlight that multiple Fratello team members loved is the C63 Sealander Extreme GMT. The rugged adventure-style GMT immediately stands out in the extensive collection, falling into the realm of the Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT.

The adventure-ready version of the brand’s C63 Sealander GMT loses the steel bezel, the polished elements, and the standard applied markers. Instead, the watches get a newly designed brushed stainless steel case with a black ceramic bezel and a green or black dial with Globolight luminous indexes. We have also seen such hour markers in the titanium C60 Trident Lumière. The Sealander Extreme GMT has a nice 41mm diameter, an 11.65mm thickness, and a 48mm lug-to-lug. In particular, the last number is interesting since it gives the watch friendlier proportions than some of its contemporaries.

Dress it up or down

The black ceramic bezel, in combination with the green or the black dial, lends the watch an adventurous and military-style presence. Orange provides some nice contrast on the GMT hand and the tip of the central seconds hand, and “Automatic-GMT” text. It also brings a touch of popping color to the watches, making them more exciting to look at. Buyers can also opt for Christopher Ward’s orange V-Strap to increase the colorful aesthetic. The second option is the brand’s brilliant Bader bracelet for a more technical tool-watch look. I have to admit that the watches look great on both.

Inside the case, you will find the Sellita SW330-2. This automatic caller-style GMT movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers 56 hours of power reserve. It is the perfect, reliable power train for this handsome GMT. With a price of €1,695 on a strap or €1,895 on the bracelet, the C63 Sealander Extreme GMT is a great option for those seeking a rugged travel watch. As the brand offers incredible quality for the money, you know it is ready for any adventure you throw at it. I, for one, can’t wait to go hands-on with it.

Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer for Mansour

We recently covered the brilliant Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer Night Navigation Series. Those watches were a great follow-up to the initial limited editions that debuted during Watches and Wonders. I had a chance to go hands-on with some of the watches from that first series, and Fratello’s own Nacho bought the green-dial Jungle edition. In the article, I mentioned that once the right dial version pops up, I will pull the trigger and get one too. The German brand’s travel watch is an absolute blast to wear.

The watches combine the Bauhaus-inspired design style that Nomos is famous for with a fun GMT complication and a series of stunning dials. The latest proof of how powerful that combination is comes in the form of the Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer created for Mansour Jewellers. This multi-store retailer based in the United Arab Emirates collaborated with Nomos on a special 30-piece limited edition featuring a stunning purple sunburst dial. Okay, you know by now that I have a thing for purple dials. I admit it.

The little details that make it special

Surrounding the sparkling purple dial is an off-white outer ring displaying the city names of the different time zones. As you can see, the ring displays “Abu Dhabi” in Arabic at UTC+4 in red. You can read the home time via the 24-hour sub-dial at 3 o’clock. For this edition, it is silver with a grayish-green and dark red ring indicating the daytime and nighttime hours.

Powering the watch is the brand’s in-house-developed DUW 3202 caliber. This automatic movement runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers a 42-hour power reserve. Operating the GMT function with the pusher at 2 o’clock is an absolute blast. Not only does it make the watch functional and easy to use, but it also adds a playful element that is so much fun. Most of all, though, I love this dial for the watch. The colors make it look stunning.

Zenith Chronomaster Revival Daisuke Jigen Edition

Our fifth and final pick is the brilliant Zenith Chronomaster Revival Daisuke Jigen Edition that was announced earlier this week. This new 200-piece limited edition revives the popular Lupin the Third series that we all thought concluded with the Lupin the Third – Final Edition. But Zenith wasn’t done with the series and decided to release a new fourth model. As a result, completing the series now means that you are looking for a quartet of modern A384 models. But after seeing this new one, I wouldn’t call that a punishment.

As soon as you see this new watch, you might think that it resembles the panda-dial Second Edition in the previous trilogy. However, this new version was created to more accurately resemble the watch that Daisuke Jigen wears in the popular Japanese animation series.

The Zenith Chronomaster Revival Lupin the Third – Second Edition and its inspiration

I must admit that it does resemble the actual watch on the character’s wrist more closely. First, the watch has the characteristic blocky 37mm case we know from the A384, but it is executed in lightweight microblasted titanium with a matte black finish. The case is matched with a similar titanium ladder-style bracelet. As a result, it significantly alters the presence of the classic A384.

More closely resembling Jigen’s watch from the animation series

Inside the dark case lies a beige dial with contrasting black sub-dials. Additionally, the ruthenium-plated indexes are filled with beige Super-LumiNova to match the dial color. The date window is tucked away at 4:30 and shows a black date disc with white printing, matching the sub-dials and the white hands hovering over them. The result is a watch that looks really handsome and, once again, different from anything else we have seen from Zenith.

Powering it is the Zenith El Primero 400 caliber. The high-beat column-wheel chronograph movement operates at 36,000 vibrations per hour and has a 50-hour power reserve. It is visible thanks to the sapphire display in the case back, which also features Daisuke Jigen’s silhouette as a nice sign-off. Zenith will produce only 200 pieces of this limited-edition model, and each will cost CHF 10,400. I adore this fourth model in the series, and it makes me curious to find out if Zenith has more surprises in store for us. For now, this is a great way to revive the series of Lupin the Third watches.

Final thoughts on our top five late highlights of 2025

There you have it — five recently released watches that caught our eyes. As always, this is just a small selection in the great stream of recent releases. That’s why I want to turn the question over to you. What are some of your recent highlights? Let us know in the comments section, and we will see you for another list next week.