No products in the cart.
Normally, I would have written this article at the beginning of the year. But due to major changes in my professional life and the birth of Watching.gr, I’m coming back to the subject now. Maybe that’s for the best, actually, because we’re now halfway through the year and we’ve had the chance to see how the Maisons of haute horlogerie are celebrating their big anniversaries. Some with events across the globe, others more discreetly, letting their watches do the talking. What’s certain is that during the first seven months of this year, we’ve witnessed several miniature masterpieces of high mechanics and avant-garde design, each encapsulating decades, or even centuries, of experience and tradition in the art of watchmaking. Below, you’ll find twenty brands celebrating important birthdays, from fresh-faced fifteen-year-olds to venerable Maisons that have been around for 290 years! And what a wondrous arsenal they’ve built up over the years. Let’s get to know them a little better.
Fifteen years may not seem like much, you might say. But when you’ve covered so much ground in mechanical innovation and when you’ve proposed such revolutionary ways of displaying time, then yes, you absolutely deserve a place on this list. Because Ressence is not your average watch brand.
From the exclusive and one-of-a-kind Rocs system of rotating discs, which redefines the way we view hours, minutes and other functions, to the unprecedented e-Crown electromagnetic crown or the fact that its watches are filled with special oil, the creativity of Ressence’s team is unmatched and endlessly fascinating.
“A creative adult is a child who survived.” When this is your motto, it becomes clear that there’s virtually no limit to imagination and creative design. Νo wonder MB&F’s watches don’t belong to this world. They are alien. Unreal. MB&F, the brainchild of Max Büsser and his talented friends, has just turned 20, but it has already produced work that feels 40 or 60 years ahead of its time.
Twenty years and twenty pioneering calibres later, the MB&F adventure continues, and we’ve already seen some jaw-dropping models and collaborations. Like the LM Perpetual Longhorn, a limited edition of just 20 pieces unveiled this January, which essentially sums up all the technical knowledge, creative madness and mechanical excellence of MB&F. Or the mind-blowing reinterpretation of Bulgari’s Serpenti in a more mechanically and technically advanced way. Or the brilliantly simple SP One, which, though more classical in spirit, is anything but conventional. You can’t help but wonder what they’ll come up with next. But as we said, there’s no limit to imagination.
Though it was born just 20 years ago, and has only recently come of age, Cvstos, the brainchild of gifted designer Antonio Terranova and visionary businessman Sassoon Sirmakes, already boasts a wealth of avant-garde haute horlogerie models.
The brand has a deep love for tonneau-shaped cases, skeletonised calibres and draws much of its inspiration from the sea. What makes Cvstos stand out is its cutting-edge movements, innovative design and highly recognisable aesthetic. To mark its 20th anniversary this year, it introduced a wide range of new Sealiner, Jetliner, Metropolitan and Challenge models. One of the most impressive among them is the featured Challenge Tourbillon 8, with a transparent sapphire crystal case and skeleton movement, released in a limited edition of just 20 pieces.
When the late designer-watchmaker Gerald Genta founded the independent Gerald Charles brand in 2000, he named it after his first two names. He had just sold the Gerald Genta brand to Bulgari earlier that same year, but his creative spirit was far too restless and rich in ideas for him to sit still. And so, almost immediately, he founded a new company in partnership with the Ziviani family.
Gérald Charles Genta remained active and kept designing watches until his death in 2011, and today his legacy lives on thanks to Franco, Giampaolo and Federico Ziviani. Gerald Charles remains an independent and strictly family-run Swiss-based Maison. To mark its 25th year in the world of watchmaking, the brand presented exciting new Maestro models, dedicated, of course, to none other than the late Maestro of horology himself.
The late master watchmaker Roger Dubuis is one of the modern legends in the world of horology. After a long collaboration with Patek Philippe and having already established his own atelier specialising in complex movements, he decided, exactly thirty years ago, in 1995, to co-found the brand bearing his name with Carlos Dias.
Since then, we’ve seen true mechanical marvels emerge from Roger Dubuis’s Geneva workshops. To honour its founder’s vision and design brilliance, the Maison unveiled two exceptional examples of haute horlogerie this year at Watches & Wonders. The first is the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar, featuring two instant-return retrograde hands for day and date, based on the Maison’s original Biretrograde model from 1996. The second is the Excalibur Grande Complication, which in addition to the biretrograde day and date display, includes three top-tier complications: perpetual calendar, minute repeater, and tourbillon.
In 1845, that is 180 years ago, Ferdinand Adolph Lange set up his first watchmaking workshop in the German town of Glashütte. It marked the beginning of the art of watchmaking in that region. A century later, after WWII, his company was nationalised and became part of VEB Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe.
Everything changed again with Germany’s reunification in the 1990s, when the company was once again privatised and took the name Glashütte Original. Since then, it has excelled in the realm of haute horlogerie, producing high-performance, high-spec models. One of its recent creations that stood out was the Senator Chronometer Tourbillon, not simply because it’s a tourbillon, but because the level of detail and finishing truly leaves you speechless. Of course, the same can be said for every watch bearing the Glashütte Original name.
Although its story is intertwined with that of the town of Glashütte, where the art of watchmaking began to flourish 180 years ago, Nomos Glashütte as a company was founded in 1990 by Roland Schwertner, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and today it is the largest producer of mechanical watches in Germany.
At this year’s Watches & Wonders, the brand made an excellent impression with its Club Sport Neomatic Worldtimer models, which combine elegant design with functionality. The brand stands out for the minimalist Bauhaus style of its watches, its exceptional mechanical reliability, and the outstanding value for money (under €5,000) that has earned it a loyal following around the world.
Although the Swiss brand is focusing this year mainly on the 20th anniversary of the now-iconic Big Bang model, its history began much earlier, in 1980, when its founder, Carlo Crocco, took a bold step: he launched a watch combining two completely different materials, one precious, the other humble: gold and rubber. Despite the market’s initial shock, the idea caught on, and the first Hublot models soon appeared on the wrists of the international jet set.
The second act of the story, arguably the more famous one, began in late 2003, when the charismatic Jean-Claude Biver accepted Crocco’s proposal to take the helm of Hublot and conceived a new concept for the brand: “The Art of Fusion.” This referred both to the fusion of seemingly contradictory materials – gold with ceramic, Kevlar with rose gold, tantalum with rubber, and so on – and to the harmonious blending of traditional Swiss mechanical movements with the avant-garde creativity of the 21st century. The rest is history, and Hublot continues on this path undeterred, releasing a multitude of new models every year, each carrying fusion in its DNA.
It was back in 1975 when Maurice Lacroix was founded in Switzerland. For half a century, it has produced reliable watches with both automatic and quartz movements, and since becoming an independent manufacture in 2007, its workshops have turned out quite a few mechanical “gems.” Who could forget the Masterpiece models, which, as their name suggests, flirt with the very notion of a masterpiece?
At that time, Maurice Lacroix had one of the largest booths at the Baselworld Fair, drawing a substantial audience and international media attention. A period of “quiet reflection” followed, but the brand returned stronger in recent years, particularly in 2016 with the Aikon collection, inspired by a historic model, the Calypso. To mark its 50th anniversary, Maurice Lacroix unveiled the 1975 Collection this spring, a new line of models blending contemporary elegance with subtle touches of vintage flair. In July, the collection was expanded with two limited editions of 200 pieces each, featuring beautiful embossed dials with a Vagues du Jura pattern.
Grand Seiko was born in 1960, with the word “Grand” reflecting Seiko’s ambition to create haute horlogerie timepieces capable of competing with the finest Swiss houses in terms of precision and craftsmanship. In fact, from the very beginning, the company participated in chronometry competitions in Switzerland, always striving for excellence.
Since then, much has changed, and today Grand Seiko is considered one of the top watch brands in the world, with a devoted following and creations known for their mechanical superiority and flawless finishing, whether we’re talking about the movement, case, or dial. What can one say about their incredible dial decoration techniques? Nothing. Just admire them endlessly. This year, the brand introduced the most accurate spring-driven mechanical movement in the world, housed in the Evolution 9 Spring Drive U.F.A., those initials standing for “Ultra Fine Accuracy.”
Corum is a unique case in watchmaking. From its early steps in 1955, the brand stood out for its bold design choices: a case shaped like a Chinese hat, dials made from U.S. gold coins, peacock feathers, or hidden behind the iconic Rolls-Royce grille, and more. Fast forward to 1980 and the emblematic Golden Bridge baguette movement, or to the modern reinterpretation of the nautical Admiral’s Cup models with their colorful signal flags marking the hours on the dial.
Then came the era of Severin Wunderman, the charismatic man who took the brand to new heights. Who could forget Corum’s massive Baselworld booths at the main entrance? That’s when the first skull motifs appeared, as well as the unforgettable Bubble models, with their oversized domed crystal that magnified dial decorations. Sadly, in recent years, the brand faded into relative obscurity. The good news is that we’ve recently learned of a new change in ownership and a return to Swiss hands, so we’re hopeful for a brighter future.
Believe it or not, it’s approaching one hundred! Baume & Mercier is a model company, with steady growth and consistent quality in everything it does.
A major milestone in its recent history was the development of the Baumatic movement, which offers improved accuracy and reliability, magnetic resistance, and an impressive 120-hour power reserve, that is five full days. This automatic movement powers all of the brand’s high-end creations, both in the Riviera collection and the more classically styled Clifton line.
This year, Audemars Piguet celebrates one and a half centuries at the top, enriching its Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore, and Code 11.59 collections with a wide range of complicated and precious creations.
A veritable feast of perpetual calendars, minute repeaters, tourbillons, chronographs, but also simpler automatic models, all featuring sophisticated design, exceptional materials, and pioneering movements, as we’ve come to expect from this Grande Maison over the years. A stunning skeleton model in titanium, featuring a perpetual calendar, is dedicated specifically to the 150th anniversary of the brand. It encapsulates AP’s valuable know-how and mechanical excellence. And the year isn’t over yet. I’m certain we’ll see many more masterpieces in the coming months.
This year, Zenith is quite literally dressed in blue. That’s the color the Swiss brand chose to celebrate its 160th anniversary. From the first creations unveiled at the LVMH Watch Week in January to the models presented later at Watches & Wonders 2025 in Geneva, a vivid electric blue has been the unifying theme, appearing on ceramic cases, finely crafted dials, and straps alike.
Beyond the trio of 160th Anniversary chronographs – the Pilot Big Date Flyback, DEFY Skyline Chronograph, and Chronomaster Sport – Zenith also created another standout model, the G.F.J. Calibre 135, dedicated to its founder, Georges Favre-Jacot. For Zenith, this is the “perfect watch.” It’s equipped with the historic Calibre 135, which has won numerous chronometry awards for its accuracy, and comes in 160 limited pieces in platinum.
The number 165 might not lend itself to grand celebrations, as it’s not “round.” But that doesn’t mean it’s not important. Because since Giovanni Panerai opened his first shop on Ponte alle Grazie in Florence back in 1860, 165 years have passed! A quick look through Panerai’s history reveals dozens of milestones tied to technical innovations that have shaped the brand’s trajectory.
So even though this year is mainly focused on the Luminor models, Panerai made sure to reward us with two creations of high complexity. The first is the Jupiterium, a desk-sized planetarium dedicated to Galileo. The second is the Luminor Perpetual Calendar GMT Platinumtech, a showcase of Panerai’s deep technical expertise, combining perpetual calendar functions on a transparent sapphire dial and housed in a Platinumtech™ case, the Maison’s precious, ultra-durable platinum alloy.
The house of Chopard doesn’t seem to be putting much emphasis on its 165th anniversary. Instead, it’s focusing on 20 years of the Qualité Fleurier certification, with a commemorative L.U.C. model crafted from ethically sourced yellow gold, as well as the 50th anniversary of its historic gemstone dial models, celebrated with a collector’s box of twelve one-of-a-kind L’Heure du Diamant pieces.
Still, Chopard’s 2025 lineup, from the beginning of the year and at Watches & Wonders, has been packed with watches of exceptional artistic and mechanical value. Complicated creations like the L.U.C Flying T Twin Perpetual with tourbillon and perpetual calendar, the L.U.C Full Strike Revelation, or the stunning L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 with a straw marquetry dial, and the dreamlike L.U.C Heritage EHF Moon. The list is long and once again affirms the Swiss Maison’s high standards and unique savoir faire.
TAG Heuer is another brand with a long history, even if they don’t advertise it in their recent communication. Still, the fact remains, and the brand’s latest releases reveal just how much knowledge and tradition are embedded within.
Alongside the expected Carrera, Formula 1, and Monaco models, both automatic and quartz, that cater to a wide audience, TAG kicked off 2025 by adding a few truly complex, avant-garde pieces to its collection. Take the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon with its smoky purple dial, issued as a limited edition. Or the Monaco Split Seconds Chronograph, this year in a white ceramic version, featuring the now-iconic see-through dial with red details and the ultra-high-performance rattrapante chronograph movement within.
Just seeing a “2” in front of a three-digit age number like that of Breguet gives you goosebumps. What’s even more impressive is that since its founding in 1775, the brand has never stopped producing timepieces, introducing new ways to measure time, and enhancing the art of watchmaking through countless inventions and innovations. And surely you don’t believe Breguet’s only claim to fame is the tourbillon invented by its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet?
It would take page after page to list the Maison’s accomplishments. So, let’s focus on how it chose to celebrate this milestone: not with trumpets and fireworks, but with watches. And what watches! From the Classique Souscription with its single hand, the Tradition Seconde Retrograde, the two pilot chronographs Type XX honoring the brand’s long aviation heritage, to the breathtaking Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 that pays tribute to its founder, Breguet chose craftsmanship over spectacle. And the year’s not over yet…
I still remember when, twenty years ago, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of Vacheron Constantin. Back then, the Swiss Maison created a stunning watch, the Tour de l’Île, in a limited run of eight pieces. At the time, it was the world’s most complex wristwatch, with 16 complications and 834 components. Since then, the oldest continuously operating watchmaker has released many more such marvels, culminating this year in the record-setting Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, boasting 41 complications and 1,521 components! But that wasn’t all.
Vacheron Constantin also presented a wide array of anniversary models, from simple automatics and moon phases in the Patrimony and Traditionnelle lines to spectacular skeletonized creations like the Traditionnelle Openface, a classic Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, a Métiers d’Art Tribute to the Celestial series with 12 tourbillons, one for each zodiac sign, another Les Cabinotiers Tribute to the Tour de l’Île with dial-art dedicated to Geneva, and more recently, the Overseas Grand Complication in titanium with a minute repeater, perpetual calendar and tourbillon, as well as the one-of-a-kind Temporis Duo Grand Complication in rose gold with a split-seconds chronograph, minute repeater and tourbillon. As I said earlier, the anniversary year isn’t over, so we’re bound to see more wonders from Vacheron Constantin.
Blancpain has the year of its founding – 1735 – in its logo. That was when Jehan-Jacques Blancpain was registered as a watchmaker in the Swiss village of Villeret. The watchmaking house remained in the Blancpain family until 1932, when Frédéric-Émile Blancpain passed away and left the company to his right-hand woman, Betty Fiechter, who became the first female CEO in watchmaking. In 1961, Blancpain became part of the Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère (SSIH), alongside Omega, Tissot and Lémania, manufacturing calibres for SSIH.
In 1982, the brand was acquired by Jacques Piguet, who hired the charismatic Jean-Claude Biver. He breathed new life into Blancpain. Ten years later, the company became part of SMH, which later became the Swatch Group. And though we’re now past mid-2025, Blancpain hasn’t marked its 290th anniversary in any particular way so far. The focus has been mainly on the Fifty Fathoms collection, which was expanded with models in three case sizes for every wrist, and just recently, the Fifty Fathoms Tech 5029 was added to the permanent collection, with a new quick-strap-change system and straps in black, white, or orange rubber.
