In 2025, quite a few models were released that managed to impress even the most discerning connoisseurs. Here are some of them.
The House of Chopard showcased impeccable craftsmanship by adding to its miniature “bestiary” with the secret Swan Lake timepiece. This unique creation is the result of more than 1,500 hours of research, development, and handcrafting. The masterpiece, made from “ethical” white and yellow gold along with titanium, is set with a scattering of gemstones totaling 35.09 carats. When the swan’s head is moved into the central position, a true mechanical performance begins: the wings, made of three movable sections, gradually spread open to reveal a tiny mother-of-pearl dial. The watch is fastened to the wrist with a satin strap adorned with white feathers and secured by a feather-shaped buckle.
Ulysse Nardin unveiled the Freak X Crystalium model. The name and the grainy texture of the dial evoke minerals, yet in reality, the surface is not crystalline at all. It is formed from a ruthenium disc, which undergoes several days of PVD treatment to create a quartz-like structure. Afterward, it is coated with a layer of rose gold. The hour hand rotates together with the golden base platform, while the entire platform, with its regulator and escapement, forms the minute hand, producing the signature “floating carousel” effect of the collection.
Tiffany & Co. once again reinterpreted the iconic 1965 brooch by Jean Schlumberger, one of the greatest jewelry designers of all time. Today, his delicate bird has flown onto the dial of the elegant ladies’ watch Bird on a Rock Legacy Tanzanite, at the center of which rests a 2.72-carat cushion-cut tanzanite. Even the prongs holding the stone resemble bird’s claws. The 36 mm case is decorated with diamonds in the intricate snow-setting technique, which takes artisans about 55 hours of work. Inlaying the golden bird with 119 diamonds and a pink sapphire requires more than a full day. A magnifying window on the caseback allows a glimpse of the stone’s hidden beauty.
The White Tiger by Konstantin Chaykin is a unique wristwatch dedicated to the extremely rare tigers that lack the typical yellow-orange coloring, as well as to the mythological Guardian of the West in Chinese cosmology. In Chinese philosophy, the White Tiger symbolizes the color white, the element of metal, and the twilight hours. That is why the creator chose titanium — a white metal — for the case of this one-of-a-kind watch. The blue eye indicators and fanged mouth, which closes at midnight and opens at dawn, create a striking and unforgettable image. Inside is a manufacture movement with a micro-rotor and an integrated Joker indication, while pictograms of the predator’s “prey” appear in its jaws — one for each day of the week. The dial is decorated with embossed guilloché and multilayer lacquer, while the upper lugs of the case are shaped like the predator’s ears.
This year, the Breguet manufacture celebrates its 250th anniversary. Among the standout anniversary editions is a new interpretation of the Marine Hora Mundi 5555 model. This version, featuring an instant time-zone switch function, comes in a 43.9 mm case made of Breguet’s proprietary gold alloy. The gold dial, with a gradient from light blue to deep navy, reproduces a nighttime view of Earth based on NASA’s Black Marble image. A sapphire crystal overlay is hand-painted: continents are rendered in enamel and pad printing, clouds in the Grand Feu technique, and cities glow with dots of phosphorescent enamel — a manufacturing method for which a patent has been filed. Each of the 50 collectors will be able to personalize the cities assigned to the 24 time zones.
Photo: press-office
