Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases — Nacho’s Picks From Tudor, Nomos, Panerai, And More

Though it seems like an age has passed, Watches and Wonders 2025 closed its doors just less than a week ago. The intense week-long event sees media, retailers, and other interested entities tread thousands of steps onto Palexpo’s uncanny light brown carpet as they flock from appointment to appointment. This is where we first get to lay eyes and hands on the hundreds (if not thousands) of new watches. After the week is over, we go back home for a bit of R&R and let it all sink in. As tradition dictates, we then take turns picking our favorites. You’ve already seen those of a few of my colleagues, and now it’s my turn to lay the cards down on the table.

This year, I’ve kept things simple, with just four Watches and Wonders 2025 releases on my list. Maybe my memory doesn’t serve me correctly, but I feel like this year, it has been quite a struggle to settle on just a handful. Whereas the consensus in 2024 was that it had been a bit of a slow one, this latest show has changed the pace dramatically. And though the pre-tariff enthusiasm was relatively short-lived, there are still plenty of new watches to get excited about. The following four are those that I enjoyed the most.

The best Watches and Wonders 2025 releases: Tudor Pelagos Ultra

It will come as no surprise that I’m a fan of the new Tudor Pelagos Ultra. As someone who has adored the Pelagos since he first became aware of it and even owns the black-dial FXD model, this latest revamp of the original was a welcome surprise. The fact that it takes everything that made the original a remarkable watch and pushes it several steps further is something I very much enjoy. Some will turn a cynical eye to the slight increase in size in exchange for doubling its already overkill 500m water resistance. But that’s missing the point. Every year, we get a new version of most car brands’ big-name models with minor improvements and slight aesthetic tweaks. Does that mean that we need it? No, not really.

When you consider that the regular Pelagos has not seen any iteration that builds upon its already beastly baseline since 2015, you realize it was long overdue. The original has stood firm at the top of Tudor’s hierarchy of purpose-built watches for a decade. Seeing its dethroning by an improved version that remains wearable and as charming as the original was a welcome surprise. Plus, the integration of a lume-pip inside the signature spring-loaded clasp was the cherry on top that makes the new Pelagos Ultra my number-one favorite from this year’s releases.

Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer (Jungle)

Coming in on the heels of the Tudor is the new Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer. This new model is a spiritual successor to the dressier Zürich Worldtimer. The fact that the Glashütte brand managed to restrain itself to just two standard models and six colorful limited editions is almost unbelievable after last year’s 31 takes on the Tangente. In line with the Club Sport ethos, this latest model features a 40mm stainless steel case with a screw-down crown and a 100m water resistance rating. This improves what I felt were the shortcomings of the previous Nomos travel watch. Especially in the case of the six limited models, the brand’s ever-tasteful use of color makes these quite a distinctly Nomos take on the complication.

The Jungle model, specifically, truly excited me. Its combination of khaki-green shades and contrasting blue and magenta accents is one I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I first saw it. Not only does it look great from the front, but flip it over, and you’ll see the DUW 3202. It’s tastefully decorated and slim. It also arms the Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer’s time-zone-setting pusher with one of the most satisfying clicks out there. At €3,940 on the steel bracelet and €3,760 on a two-piece nylon strap, this watch is one that not only gets a spot on my list but may also have charmed its way onto my wrist.

Panerai Luminor Marina

Full disclosure: I did not expect to end up with a Panerai on my list of Watches and Wonders 2025 favorites. And if you’re not into what the brand does, you can look away now. However, I have to give credit where credit is due. The new Panerai Luminor Marina is a clear example of how playing to your strengths and sticking to the basics can sometimes be the key to doing something great. Is this the most exciting release? Well, much like the Pelagos Ultra, it’s not. However, it’s also similar in that it involves taking something already good and slightly improving it.

I thought I would remain impervious to the appeal of Panerai that so many Paneristi out there can’t resist. But it was a curiosity brought on by the brand’s heritage and the fervent following it gathered that took me down the path. I’ve since parted ways with my PAM00055, but my appreciation for the brand (and the most pared-back of its offerings) remains. So, this year, when Panerai announced the new and improved Luminor Marina with a 500m depth rating and slimmer proportions, I couldn’t wait to see it. Now that I’ve had a chance to do so and try it on, I’m happy to give it a spot on my list.

Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF

Did you notice I managed to keep each of my picks under €10K so far? Well, here’s where that goes out the window. But it goes out the window in a fiery blaze of glory on the wings of the new Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF. I don’t have much to say here; it’s just a case of the watch being my type. I loved the original Cadence 8HF introduced in 2023, and this SL version takes it a step further. The ceramized titanium case, rubber strap, pitch-black dial, and matching indexes and date give it the stealthy, hard-wearing look of a piece of military equipment. It’s hard to believe that this is made by the same brand that makes a watch called the “Happy Diamonds.” Honestly, it’s a bit like Tiffany & Co. making a sterling silver meat tenderizer, and I mean that as a complement.

In true Chopard style, the watch doesn’t just look good; it’s also equipped with an impressive caliber. Chopard’s in-house 01.14-C is an automatic, COSC-certified, high-beat (8Hz) movement. The version used here has a darker finish, matching the overall aesthetics of the watch. The rotor features a black coating and, like the movement, orange text. Would I have loved to see this watch on a matching ceramized titanium bracelet? It goes without saying. Priced at €26,800, this 250-piece limited-edition take on the Alpine Eagle soars high above my usual comfort zone, but if I were to someday find myself flying that high, I could see us becoming birds of a feather.

Final thoughts

It’s time to wrap up, but before that, I promised some honorable mentions. The first goes to the new Cartier Tank à Guichets in yellow gold. La Maison is leaning into an oddball model and got it right. Size-wise, it’s spot on, and the green and gold combination is too good not to earn a nod of recognition.

Up next is the unexpected Hermès Arceau Rocabar de Rire. Sometimes, a watch that gives you a good laugh is appreciated during an otherwise arduous week. It’s also one of the few watches I know with a “goofy” complication. The whimsy and lightheartedness are contrasted by its insane craftsmanship and matching six-figure price tag. Totally bonkers? Sure. But “Licky the Horse” (as it has become known at Fratello HQ) gets a mention of utmost honor.

Finally, the Doxa Sub 250T GMT also needs to be on my list. Though not officially a Watches and Wonders release, I still saw it while in Geneva last week. It’s a wearable 40mm dive GMT with all the Doxa DNA that I love. Will this be my first Doxa watch? Only time will tell. But for now, it gets a spot on this list of favorites. And with that, Watches and Wonders 2025 is officially wrapped up for me. What do you think of my picks, and which watches were your favorite releases of the show? Let me know in the comments section.