Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Of 2024 — Lex’s Picks From Omega, Echo/Neutra, and Tudor

Lists — don’t you just love ‘em? Well, I don’t. I don’t want to sound like the Grinch, but the avalanche of end-of-the-year lists — whether about music, movies, or sports moments — that comes during the holiday season doesn’t exactly give me a warm and fuzzy feeling of remembrance. I prefer to look ahead. I’m more interested in watches to come than regurgitating has-beens. Yet despite my objections, I present you with “The Best Watches Of 2024 — Lex’s Picks.” I chose watches from Omega, Echo/Neutra, and Tudor that immediately made my heart jump when I put them on my wrist. Yes, this Grinch does have a heart; how about that?

Since I’ve already been brutally honest about year-end lists, I think it’s best to continue in that vein. It didn’t take me long to put together “The Best Watches of 2024” because the watches that made a long-lasting impression were on my wrist for a while. They almost left a physical mark, making it easy to find the three most memorable watches of this year. While writing about these three watches, a few others came to mind that deserve a brief mention.

The best watches of 2024 — Starting with the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M “Silver Surfer”

One danger when writing up a best-of list at the end of the year is that your short-term memory will take over. January was 11 months ago, which feels like a lifetime, and even Watches and Wonders is now well in the past. Luckily, the long-term memory gets help from the internet — first and foremost, our Fratello site archives — to bring the past year to life. Having said that, I can’t help but choose the new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M “Silver Surfer.” Until this Seamaster came out, I thought the Omega model on my year-end list would be the white-dial Speedmaster Professional. Still, a date-less Seamaster 300M with a vertically brushed steel dial and a “naked” titanium bezel made me take the Speedy off my list.

The monochromatic yet dynamic Seamaster Diver 300M ref. 210.30.42.20.06.002 (€7,200) is a mishmash of styles that forgoes functionality but works wonders as a stylish sports watch. Its dominant gray guise has a certain energetic lightness because light reflects and is absorbed differently depending on the finishing. The watch’s many angular details still flaunt its 1993 original design while being fully up to date. Yes, the overall design clearly represents the 1990s; the domed sapphire crystal and the mesh bracelet have a link to eras way before that, but maybe that’s exactly what makes this Seamaster a typical 2024 timepiece.

You get a state-of-the-art METAS-certified in-house-developed movement, excellent finishing and build quality, and a rather fashionable look. That said, the gray dial is also surprisingly readable thanks to the large indexes and distinct open-worked sword-shaped hands filled with white Super-LumiNova. These stand out very clearly against the vertically brushed background. It’s a watch that looks good and feels good. That can’t be a bad thing, and it’s historically relevant to boot.

More shades of gray: the Echo/Neutra Rivanera

No, the dress watch isn’t dead. On the contrary, microbrands like Serica and Dennison — agile brands with a finger on the pulse of what watch fans want and need these days — prove that smaller, elegant timepieces are still relevant. More proof that chic sophistication is alive and kicking is the Echo/Neutra Rivanera. According to the brand, it took two years to develop this watch. And it shows. The Rivanera, which comes with either a gray or black dial, is a rectangular Tank-like creation in a Grade 5 titanium case measuring 27mm wide, 40mm long, and 5.9mm thick.

This svelte creature mixes and matches an Art-Deco-style dial with an angular case in a contemporary material with a ditto finish. The case shows a fine-grain sandblasted finish contrasted by polished edges. One of the features that made me put the Rivanera on my list is the mirror-polished chamfers that contrast spectacularly with the subtle texture of the matte sandblasted finish.

Another neat aspect of the Echo/Neutra Rivanera is the presence of the manual-winding ETA/Peseux 7001 caliber. Picking a 2.5mm-thin mechanical movement over a quartz counterpart uplifts the watch from a cool piece to a luxury watch. Would you pay €1,490 for it? I think it’s worth it.

More than a watch, it’s an experience: the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition”

Tudor released the Pelagos FXD Chrono Pro “Cycling Edition” (€5,390) in May, and I road-tested the carbon watch in July. The best way to test the chronograph was to take it from Bern to Zermatt for a long spin in challenging weather conditions. The Chasing Cancellara Bern–Zermatt cycling event I participated in is a 310km endurance race that has participants overcome 5,000 meters of climbing. Fabian Cancellara is a Swiss cycling legend who now owns Tudor Pro Cycling, and his endurance race brought the worlds of cycling and watches together most spectacularly.

The 43 × 13.2mm lightweight carbon cycling chrono comes on a single-piece fabric strap. It joined me on my wrist when I rode through the Gantrisch Nature Park, over the passes of Mittelberg and Col du Pillon into the lower part of Valais, and ultimately reached Zermatt in the shadow of the famous Matterhorn. The watch proved to be the perfect companion with its fixed strap bars, comfy strap, and lightweight, 100m-water-resistant case. The downpour during the ascent to Zermatt “drowned” my cycling computer, but it didn’t hurt the watch, which kept me informed of the time and, consequently, helped me push the pedals. Yes, I functionally bonded with this watch, and that’s why it is on this list. The fact that it has an automatic MT5813 chronograph caliber with a 70-hour power reserve and a sporty and tasteful design that doesn’t fall into the gimmicky trap also helped.

Honorable mentions

While they’re not the best watches of 2024 in my view, four others deserve a mention. I’ll start with the Dennison A.L.D. Natural Stone Tiger Eye (€637.95). Like the Echo/Neutra Rivanera, it shows that elegance is not dead but very much alive. Audemars Piguet proved this year that it hasn’t lost its adventurous side by introducing the [RE]Master02 Selfwinding (€47,400). It’s a limited edition of 250 timepieces executed in sand gold, a new 18K gold alloy, and it pays homage to a Brutalist-inspired watch created in 1960 (Model 5159BA). If I get an invite to the 2025 Met Gala, this is the watch I want on my wrist. And if not, I won’t mind wearing it on my birthday.

The IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar (CHF 150,000 ex. VAT) is impressive in every way and a milestone in the development of perpetual calendars. This is a watch that should be on every end-of-the-year list. And since I’m a PRX fan, the stealthy, lightweight, high-tech Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Forged Carbon (€1,075) also deserves a mention.

But what do you think of my picks and honorable mentions? Also, would you prefer to list your favorite watches from 2024 or your hopes for 2025? Either way, you can do so in the comments.