The past four years have been marked by rapid change within the watch industry, ushering in a new era that aligns with the next generation of collectors and what they’re looking for in timepieces and the brands that make them. Last year set the pace for many trends that have been evolving during this period of more exponential growth, including key areas like more accessible sizing, an emphasis on sustainability, and the rise of independents. These are among several trends we expect to continue in the coming year in addition to a handful of new trends we predict will manifest further over the next twelve months. Here, we take a deeper look at the trends that are here to stay and newly emerging trends to take shape in 2024.
6 Wristwatch Trends from 2023 That Are Here to Stay
Bold Use of Color
One of the ways the watch industry has adapted and modernized in recent years is by taking a more spirited approach to the art form. This has resulted in a bolder use of color in all aspects of design, from the dial to the bracelet, and even techniques like enameling and gem setting. Last year alone saw the debut of a slew of watches that take a unique approach to color play across brands and styles, from Jaeger LeCoultre’s Precious Colors edition of its iconic Reverso to IWC’s “Miami Pink” F1 edition of its Pilot’s Watch Chronograph to Patek Philippe’s totally blinged out rainbow high jewelry watches. Given the more laidback and playful nature of today’s collector, we don’t see this trend going away anytime soon.
Accessible Sizing
Watch proportions are a loaded topic, one that means far more than numbers on a spec sheet. Sizing touches many facets from style preferences to gender, and it also impacts technical elements like legibility and complications. The trend of watchmakers offering more accessible sizing means watches are reaching more wrists, which goes hand in hand with the movement toward unisex or ungendered watches. In addition, it means watchmakers are pushing the bounds of what can be achieved in the limited real estate of a timepiece and adapting new technologies to create complex watches with more modest proportions.
Special Edition and Co-Branded Timepieces
Collaborations have become increasingly popular in the watch industry. They take many shapes, from powerhouse brands teaming up to watchmakers partnering with other artists, ambassadors, or organizations to create special edition, co-branded timepieces. Many of these partnerships serve to elevate a worthy cause or adjacent industry that resonates with collectors. In 2023, we saw watchmakers get more creative than ever with their collaborations–Zenith teamed up with DJ Carl Cox, AP did a mashup with Marvel for a Spiderman timepiece, and Hublot tapped artist Takashi Murakami for a watch shaped like a flower. This year, we’re already seeing the trend continue with Blancpain and Swatch’s second collaborative timepiece in the wake of their wildly successful collab from last summer.
Emphasis on Sustainability and Transparency
Today’s collector is more discerning than ever, armed with a desire to know more about how their watches are made, where the materials are sourced, and how brands are using their position to give back in meaningful ways. For some brands–take Breitling for instance–this means leveraging new technologies like traceability software that can provide the provenance of gems and precious metals and insights into sustainable manufacturing processes to its customers. For other brands like Zenith, this means utilizing recycled or upcycled materials and bolstering philanthropic partnerships that reflect the brand’s ethos. For the next generation of collectors, topics like sustainability and transparency largely inform their buying decisions, and we look forward to seeing more brands continuing to place focus on these initiatives in the coming year.
Revivals and Reissues
Vintage revivals and reissues have become another growing category within watchmaker’s catalogs. Some of the trends we’ve discussed so far directly connect to the increased interest in vintage-inspired watches. For instance, vintage timepieces tend to offer more timeless designs, including mid-range sizing and unisex appeal. With these models, we see brands marrying past and present, drawing on time-tested archival pieces and modernizing them with the latest technologies. With the slew of big anniversaries coming up this year, like Rolex’s GMT Master and A. Lange & Sohne’s Lange 1, we can likely expect some killer vintage-inspired pieces in 2024.
The Rise of Independents
The rise of independent watchmakers is another direct reflection of the next generation of watch collectors. While some powerhouse companies like Rolex and Patek will always be highly coveted, today’s enthusiast is becoming less interested in big box brands or mass-produced models and demonstrating a growing curiosity in more unique and bespoke timepieces. Beyond consumer demand, independents are also receiving more recognition within the industry at large, from the auction block to award competitions and tradeshows. This is definitely a trend we hope to see continue for years to come.
Outlook for 2024: Big Anniversaries
This year will mark a number of big anniversaries for key models and brands, which means we can expect to see some exciting commemorative watches. Piaget will celebrate its 150th anniversary, Bulgari and Breitling notch 140 years of watchmaking, and Seiko’s first watch will hit its 100th birthday. With these milestones, we can anticipate a mix of creative brainpower and heritage pieces to honor the occasions. This year is also the 55th anniversary of the first lunar landing, and Omega devotees are hopeful for the next special edition Moonwatch. Rolex has significant anniversaries for two of its most iconic models in 2024. The first GMT Master debuted 70 years ago. CERN, the organization that tapped The Crown to create the Milgauss, will also celebrate its 70th anniversary this year. In addition, the Lange 1 turns 30, and 2024 marks 25 years of Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive. We can’t wait to see how each brand chooses to honor these landmark events.
Leadership Changes and Their Impact
The past several months have also seen some major shake-ups in leadership at some of the industry’s biggest brands. Last year, AP appointed its first new CEO in three decades, and earlier this month, LVMH announced big changes with Frederic Arnault promoted from the CEO of TAG Heuer to the CEO of the watch division at LVMH. This paved the way for Juilien Tornare to leave his place as CEO of Zenith and step in as CEO of TAG, and Benoit de Clerck, who spent two decades at the Richemont Group with IWC and Panerai, to join Zenith as its new CEO. With these shifts, we anticipate some fresh energy for each of these brands in 2024.
3 New Trends We Hope to See This Year
The Return of the Dress Watch
In recent years the dress watch has fallen out of favor with dress codes becoming increasingly casual, a growing remote workforce, and the widespread popularity of luxury sport watches. However, in 2023, we slowly began to see a resurgence of the dress watch category with models like Rolex’s Perpetual 1908 and the revival of brands like Daniel Roth. For our 2024 prediction, we hope to see more dress watches debut this year but perhaps with a contemporary twist. Think of bucking the typical precious metals for a modern material like titanium in a minimalist, time-only styling of the quintessential dress watch. We expect to see the traditional calfskin or alligator leather strap get swapped for a more sustainable plant leather to give the dress watch a fresh feel. We’d love to see brands iterating on the classic in new ways.
Dials Reign Supreme
Gone are the days of totally neutral-colored dials. Bold pops of color are in, but many brands have started taking it a step further and placing greater attention on dial design by employing new and inventive materials to the canvas. Toward the end of last year, we saw the release of models like Girard Perregaux’s Chateau Latour, which features a pebble dial made of stones sourced from a vineyard. And this year, we’ve already seen new releases following suit, with model’s like H. Moser & Cie’s brand new Streamliner Tourbillon Concept Wyoming Jade. Throughout 2024, we anticipate brands will continue to get even more adventurous beyond the typical techniques of enameling, gem setting, guilloche (a decorating technique in which intricate geometric patterns are engraved into the dial), and skeletonization by experimenting with more exotic and specialty materials when considering dial design.
Ditching Round for Square or Other Shapes
There’s nothing more classic than a round watch, but other shapes have certainly had their moment in the spotlight. Square watches solidified their place in horological history back in 1904 with the introduction of the first square watch: the Cartier Santos. In the 120 years since, the popularity of square watches and other more unconventional case shapes have ebbed and flowed, and this year, we’re predicting a comeback. So far, we’ve seen a new release from a longtime purveyor of square watches, Bell & Ross, with the BR 03 Gyrocompass. However, we’d love to see brands who typically stick to traditional round watches play with a square case design or other, more unconventional, shapes.
