993 New Watches Landed In 2024: We Reveal The Winners & Losers In Luxury Timepieces

• The watch world had another big year in 2024, with Watches & Wonders revealing some stellar releases.
• IWC was the biggest winner with the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar, which won the top prize at GPHG 2024.
• Some brands missed out on an ultra-competitive horological market.

According to The Watch Pages, 993 new watches hit the market this year. That’s a lot in a challenging economy, so someone must be spending.

2024 saw massive releases from the annual Watches and Wonders in Geneva, in addition to smaller yet impactful releases scattered throughout the year- there was certainly no shortage of buzz-worthy horological moments to get excited about.

While some brands, like Jaeger-LeCoultre, OMEGA and IWC, emerged stronger with innovative designs and impressive marketing, others seemed to stumble, unable to capture the imagination of collectors and enthusiasts. In this roundup, we’ll look at the winners, the losers, and other noteworthy releases that defined another year in watchmaking.

Who Were the Winners?

2024 brought us some truly spectacular timepieces, with certain brands standing out in a competitive market.

IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar was Best In Show

Arguably one of the year’s biggest winners, the IWC Portugieser Eternal Calendar dazzled with its extraordinary celestial calendar functionality, promising accuracy for an astonishing 45 million years.

We were lucky enough to attend this year’s unveiling to speak with physicist Brian Cox, tying the watch to themes of space exploration and scientific frontiers. It was a stellar release and rightly recognised at the 2024 Le Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

Despite its groundbreaking complexity, IWC managed to house it in a 44mm case – large but not overbearing. It struck a perfect balance between innovation and wearability, and its success in markets like Australia shows just how universal this watch’s broad appeal is.

Cartier Santos-Dumont Rewind Was Weird But Oh So Cool

Cartier is truly enjoying a renaissance; the French luxury Maison was flexing its horological muscles with the release of the Santos-Dumont Rewind at this year’s Watches & Wonders and proof of its creative prowess.

With its vibrant carnelian dial and contrasting Roman numerals, this ultra-thin, limited-edition timepiece was grabbing the attention in Geneva. It was only when you looked closer that you spotted this piece’s hidden talents: an inverted manual-winding 230 MC Calibre that allows the hours and minutes to run backwards.

Cartier’s broader successes with the Santos range and the increasing popularity of the Tank among men signal a brand on a strong upward trajectory.

OMEGA White Speedmaster Was Just What the Doctor Ordered

The OMEGA White Speedmaster continued the brand’s dominance in the chronograph category and jumped on the popular trend of white dials that we’ve noticed in 2024.

While some might argue the Speedmaster range is oversaturated, this clean, bright design stood out this year; Its blend of timeless aesthetics and collectability ensures it’s a watch destined to become a staple for enthusiasts, myself included.

Breitling Chronomat 41 was a surprise for the Australian market.

Celebrating its 140th anniversary, Breitling had a solid year, with the Chronomat B01 42 in particular standing out. Its matte white dial, black subdials, and rubber Rouleaux strap lent it a playful yet refined Snoopy-esque vibe. This piece didn’t rewrite the rules of watchmaking but exemplified Breitling’s knack for producing highly wearable, desirable chronographs.

Berneron Mirage was the weirdness we needed

Although overshadowed by controversy – founder Sylvain Berneron’s fiery altercation with journalists in Geneva, which you can read more about here – the Berneron Mirage was undeniably a winner.

To say Berneron’s story is unique, would be an understatement. After spending five years with Breitling, he decided to venture out and launch his own brand, remortgaging his home and pouring everything into an independent watch brand that bears his name.

It wasn’t long before the Mirage, Berneron’s first watch, would win the Audacity Prize at the 2024 GPHG. It was a risk-taker that reportedly cost Berneron close to a million Swiss Francs to develop. But the result is exquisite: a piece fused exceptional craftsmanship with bold design elements, earning it a place on the radar of discerning collectors. Sometimes, a bit of drama only adds to the allure of a standout timepiece.

Who Were the Losers?

Not every brand struck gold in 2024. A few stumbled, either with underwhelming releases or questionable strategic decisions.

Patek Philippe Cubitus shows a lack of imagination

While Patek rarely misses the mark, the Cubitus left many scratching their heads. Its oversized design – wearing more like a 43-44mm despite its 41mm spec – felt out of touch with market preferences, especially given its target audience in China, where smaller sizes are favoured.

While we were looking forward to being proved wrong when we managed to get a hands-on last month, as well as high-profile purchases from A-Lister celebrities like Mark Wahlberg, the watch failed to resonate with core collectors looking for a Nautilus alternative for their rotation.

Audemars Piguet’s pop culture play is a snore

Audemars Piguet’s focus on pop culture collaborations, including its partnership with artist KAWS, felt uninspired. The brand’s limited-edition strategy increasingly caters to only the ultra-rich, alienating mainstream enthusiasts.

With a Sydney boutique rumoured to open near Circular Quay in 2025, AP will no doubt continue to baffle collectors and consumers.

Bremont bins its founders

Bremont had a challenging year, with the departure of founders Giles and Nick English signalling the loss of the brand’s beating heart.

While technically competent, the resulting releases lacked the distinctive charm that once made Bremont stand out. This strategic misstep might have long-term repercussions for the brand.

Will they make an appearance at Watches & Wonders in 2025? Unlikely but the boys are integral to the brand’s success.

Other releases worth mentioning

Beyond the winners and losers, several other releases captured our attention in 2024:

• Hublot Pink Sapphire Big Bang: While primarily a women’s piece, this bold, colourful release was a conversation starter and a commercial success for the brand.
• TAG Heuer: Despite a relatively quiet year for TAG Heuer, their partnership with Formula 1 will set the stage for a massive 2025.

Grand Seiko maintained its status as a collector favourite, offering some of the most interesting dials in the market (special mention to the Silver Birch dial sported earlier this year).

On the decline, Panerai struggled to stay relevant with four new releases to the Submersible collection. We enjoyed them at the time, thanks to the America’s Cup and their partnership with Luna Rossa. But in a busy horological year, keeping up with the other brands in the fleet can sometimes be more challenging.

As we look ahead to Watches and Wonders 2025 in Geneva, the stage is set for new surprises, bold moves, and perhaps even a few redemptions. Until then, keep your eye on the wrist—there’s always more to discover.