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Looking back at the closing months of last year in the fascinating universe of independent watchmaking, I discovered several “gems”, all sharing one defining characteristic: they place their mechanical microcosm firmly in the spotlight. And they do so with boldness, imagination and freedom, giving these creations a unique charm rarely encountered in more traditional watchmaking houses. Some are fully skeletonised, omitting the dial entirely and dramatically revealing their exquisitely finished movements. Others could be described as “hybrid” skeletons, displaying parts of the movement prominently on the dial side while concealing others. In some, vibrant colours dominate, while in others it is their unexpected architecture that takes centre stage. Without further ado, below you will find ten watches that left their mark in 2025 and deserve a closer look. They are presented in alphabetical order.
I begin this feature with a collaboration between the still young watchmaker Behrens and the renowned independent master watchmaker Vianney Halter. The inspiration? An old electricity meter in Halter’s workshop. Behrens founder Lin Bingqiang noticed it and was reminded of a similar industrial object he himself owned. From that moment came both the distinctive shape of the white gold case and the intricate architecture of the movement, with its gears standing out vividly against a purple background. This is the brand-new hand-wound Calibre BM06, composed of no fewer than 870 components. Two rotating rollers in the lower part of the dial display the power reserve and day/night indication (left) and the minutes (right). The reverse side of the watch also features a date display along with a moon phase indication at 12 o’clock, both easily adjusted via two pushers. Only 9 pieces were produced in this white gold version, along with another 9 in rose gold with a dark grey dial.
Transparency in its purest form. This is the thinnest tourbillon watch ever made with a sapphire crystal case. That alone makes it worthy of inclusion in this feature. Synthetic sapphire is harder than steel, impressively transparent and highly scratch-resistant. It is, however, a material that does not forgive mistakes. It is extremely fragile when shaped, nearly impossible to curve, and when used for watch cases, the result is usually bulky. This watch, however, is a true achievement. With an overall thickness of just 9.8 mm, it is among the thinnest sapphire watches ever made. Its transparent architecture reveals a beautifully engineered automatic movement featuring a Grade 5 titanium flying tourbillon just 3.85 mm thick, capable of withstanding shocks of up to 5,000 G.
Will robots one day rule our lives? Or will Czapek’s Rare People escape that fate? Perhaps the answer lies in the new Antarctique Rattrapante ‘R.U.R.’, where a robot adds a playful animation to the movement beneath the grey metallised sapphire dial. As the chronograph is activated, the robot’s eyes change colour: press start and they turn yellow, recalling Shrike from Mortal Engines. Press stop and they turn red. Reset the chronograph and they turn blue. Taking centre stage is the Calibre SHX6, Czapek’s manufacture movement developed in collaboration with Chronode, revealing in spectacular fashion the mechanical complexity of a split-seconds chronograph. To preserve the elegant proportions of the 42.5 mm case, the watchmakers reduced both the number and thickness of components to a minimum. The horizontal clutch, chosen instead of a vertical one, allows the wearer to admire the energy transmission visually.
I love it. Not only because it is visually breathtaking, but because it represents a unique watchmaking endeavour, condensing six years of research and collaboration between 80 artisans from Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud and Chopard. This COSC-certified wrist chronometer is entirely handcrafted using traditional tools, without any digital assistance, paying tribute to the classical art of watchmaking. Its extraordinary architecture draws inspiration from Ferdinand Berthoud’s historic Astronomical Pocket Watch No. 3, featuring a fusee-and-chain transmission system and a Guillaume-type bimetallic balance designed to compensate for temperature variations. The Chronomètre FB 4BTC.1 version features a handcrafted 18-carat white gold case, movement components in pale yellow gold, and a handmade white gold dial.
Like an amalgam of Cubism and contemporary architecture, the Vagabonde by Hautlence transforms geometry into motion. Inside its distinctive horizontal rectangular case, wandering hours rotate around a central minute disc, creating a display that feels more like mechanical choreography than traditional timekeeping. At 6 o’clock, a flying tourbillon adds depth and vitality, reinforcing the sensation of perpetual movement. The dial, produced using 3D printing technology, forms a faceted surface with sharp angles and layered relief that reflects light like a glass building façade at dusk. Circles and straight lines coexist in perfect balance, turning the watch into a sculptural object for the wrist.
When Jacob & Co. introduced the first Astronomia Tourbillon in 2015, it redefined the boundaries of haute horlogerie, presenting a theatrical three-dimensional architecture in which the entire movement rotated inside the case. Its evolution has been remarkable: from 20 minutes per rotation to 10, and eventually just 60 seconds with the Astronomia Revolution in 2023. In 2025, the brand pushed even further, adding a fourth axis to the tourbillon and creating a structure that appears to defy the laws of physics. The 47 mm rose gold case is constructed from curved sapphire panels, while beneath the rotating mechanism, mirror-polished rose gold elements cut like gemstones reflect light spectacularly.
In 2025, Swiss watchmaker L. Leroy celebrated its 240th anniversary. To mark the occasion, it presented the Osmior Bal du Temps, an ode to traditional haute horlogerie that combines the visual poetry of a tourbillon with the musicality of a minute repeater. At the forefront lies the hand-wound calibre L610SQ, composed of 321 components and offering a 90-hour power reserve. Activated via the slide on the left side of the case, the watch comes alive acoustically as two hammers strike the gongs, chiming hours, quarters and minutes. The 43 mm case, available in titanium, rose gold or platinum, frames an elegant sunray-finished dial with a tourbillon at 6 o’clock beneath Leroy’s signature double-L bridge. A feast for both the eyes and the ears.
In 2025, MB&F celebrated its 20th anniversary and, among other releases, introduced two new titanium versions of the LM101 EVO, featuring dial plates in salmon pink and vibrant green. The LM101, first unveiled in 2014, has a case measuring 40 mm in diameter and 16.5 mm in thickness, making it the most compact model in the Legacy Machine collection. Taking centre stage is the spectacular flying balance wheel, measuring 14 mm in diameter, which appears to float above the dial while regulating the movement’s operation. The watch displays hours and minutes, along with a power reserve indicator, focusing on the fundamental elements of mechanical watchmaking. The movement was designed entirely in-house by MB&F, with finishing overseen by renowned master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, following traditional 19th-century hand-finishing techniques. The EVO version enhances robustness and ergonomics, making the LM101 more suitable for everyday wear, without sacrificing its captivating three-dimensional character.
I chose yet another tourbillon here, one that captivated me with its intense purple colour and its modern, unconventional design. The Tourbillon Purple Hour by Speake-Marin is a watch that turns colour into the protagonist without losing its deeply technical identity. The signature Piccadilly case is available in 38 or 42 mm and measures 12.35 mm thick. Crafted from Grade 5 titanium, it combines strength and lightness, framing an openworked dial coated in vivid purple PVD and featuring a beautifully layered three-dimensional architecture. At 1:30 sits the flying tourbillon, while the automatic SMA05 calibre, equipped with a micro-rotor, delivers a 72-hour power reserve and beats at a frequency of 3 Hz. The ensemble is completed by a purple leather strap with a denim-style texture, reinforcing its contemporary and distinctive personality.
Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei, the brilliant duo behind Urwerk, have long fascinated the watch world with their “alien-like” creations. Since founding the brand in 1997, they have pursued unconventional designs, most famously their satellite-hour complication introduced in 2003. The latest evolution of this concept is the UR-150 Blue Scorpion. It draws inspiration from the scorpion itself: the retrograde minute hand resembles the creature’s stinger and instantly snaps back to zero at the end of each hour. This imposing hand travels across a 240-degree arc and resets in just 1/100th of a second, while the three hour satellites simultaneously rotate into position. The case measures 42.49 x 52.31 mm, with a thickness of 14.79 mm and a curved profile designed for optimal ergonomics. Crafted from satin-finished steel, it houses the automatic UR-50.01 calibre, featuring satellite hour display mounted on a carousel and finished in striking blue tones. The wandering hours glow brightly thanks to Super-LumiNova, while twin turbines regulate winding efficiency and provide shock protection.
The world of independent watchmaking continues to surprise us, proving that creative freedom and technical independence can still lead to truly groundbreaking creations. If you would like to discover even more timepieces from this fascinating universe, you can read our previous feature on independent watchmakers and the watches they introduced in 2025, highlighting some of the most compelling releases of the year. You can also explore our selection of eight creations by independent watchmakers that stood out at Watches & Wonders 2025, the most important annual gathering of the global watchmaking industry.
