The year 2025 has been a pleasant one when it comes to watches, and while tastes may be subjective, we certainly believe that the world has been spoiled by the amazing pieces that were released this year.
So naturally, we welcome 2026 with our wishes for the year. But before we head into that territory, we should first highlight some of our favourites from the past year to better prime you for our upcoming wishlist. So without further ado…
When it comes to watch tastes, there is hardly a factor more divisive than diameter size. You either fall in the small- or big-watch camp, with just a smattering of people left who can swing either way.
We love all sizes equally, but veer more towards the svelte. Which is why 2025 has been a lovely year for us, because there was no shortage of brands revisiting their classic models in a smaller package.
Highlights include the small Santos De Cartier, the 38mm Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the 37mm Grand Seiko Evolution 9 UFA watches, and the 36mm Tudor Ranger—most of which were available in much heftier dimensions until these releases.
Making small watches is one thing. Presenting some of the world’s most iconic watches in a smaller package takes this to another level.
Isn’t it interesting how timekeeping has come a long way since the sundial, and yet it cannot fully leave its solar roots behind?
This was apparent in the brands’ decision to build solar-powered watches in their many interesting varieties. One such example would be the TAG Heuer Formula One Solargraph. To be fair, the Solargraph technology was released a few years prior to this model. But it was nice to see the juxtaposition between modern advancements and nostalgia.
Another banger of a solar watch came in the form of the Tissot PRC 100 Solar. Here, the photovoltaic elements were applied on the crystal instead of the dial, which reduced the need to design the dial a certain way just to accommodate the placement of these receptors. Also, it looks clean and is sized very reasonably at 39mm, making it a great everyday watch.
It is safe to say that watch brands didn’t shy away from colour this year, with some brands embracing vibrance more than others.
One model, released in the latter part of 2025, featured bold colours in all of its four iterations. That was the Zenith Defy Chronograph USM. Not surprising, seeing what USM Modular Furniture stood for. While there were many USM Easter eggs incorporated into the design, it was the dial colours that stood out.
Another interesting example would be H. Moser & Cie.’s Endeavour Pop collection. Besides going all-in on colours, the brand also chose unique combinations that you don’t typically find on normal watches. Examples of these include an almost-mint-green (officially named lemon chrysoprase) and lapis lazuli; or pink and jade.
Now that we’ve gotten the biases out of the way, it’s time for the wishlist. With Watches & Wonders looming just around the corner (it’s only three months away), one can only hope that putting out this list would somehow bring these wants to fruition. And nothing would please us more than to see…
Or at least watches that don’t look like watches. The Cartier Tank à Guichets is a good example. Franck Muller’s Triple Mystery falls in that category too. And despite the unlimited boundaries afforded to this genre, creating a unique timepiece is not exactly the easiest thing to do. And on that same note, it’s hard to quantify what we’d love to see. It’s the omakase approach of not knowing what we’ll get, and hoping we get something good.
We hope this goes both ways. There is a certain responsibility involved with donning a watch too large or too small for your wrist. It is entirely possible to pull off both sides of the spectrum if you are willing to accompany your timepiece with a cohesive look. A large pilot watch might be overbearing on some wrists, for example, but would look fine when paired with long sleeves (sleeves that can accommodate said large watch, that is).
And when putting on a super-small watch—the Cartier Tank Mini, for example—there is a certain charm to wearing it as an ensemble of accessories rather than a standalone that makes this work for men, even with larger wrists.
Our final hope for watches of 2026 is that brands will find new ways to present their timepieces in a cleaner way. Parmigiani Fleurier is one watchmaker that maintains simplicity through all its timepieces, and as its Tonda Rattrapante models demonstrate, simplicity does not need to come at the cost of interesting design.
H. Moser & Cie. also does this well with its innovative way of displaying the perpetual calendar complication.
So there we have it, a quick highlight of our 2025 favourites and expectations for 2026. We will be re-visiting this post throughout the year, or we may let it get buried, and only time will tell which way we’ll swing.
Esquire Malaysia
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