GLOBAL TRENDS FOR 2025

Faye reunites with Watchworld series regular Mark Toulson, Global Watch Industry Leader and Horology expert. (And thoroughly lovely chap.) A review of 2024 and our forecasts for 2025.

2024 Recap and 2025 Crystal Ball-Gazing with Mark Toulson

By Faye Soteri

I was delighted to be reunited with Mark again. Mark is the former global head of watch buying for Watches of Switzerland, a long-established industry expert, and a man who’s forgotten more about watches than most of us will ever learn. We’ve known each other for over 15 years (yes, we still look that good), and our chats usually go between fish and chips and finely crafted timepieces. Today, it’s all about the latter as we recap 2024 and peek into 2025’s watch-shaped future.

2024: A Mixed Bag of Hits and Misses

The year kicked off with Watches and Wonders in April, which Mark observed  “a bit downbeat.” Rolex played it safe with just one steel GMT (the “Bruce Wayne”) while Tudor held back too—though they later redeemed themselves with the Pelagos FXD GMT and a Coke-bezel Black Bay. Tag Heuer, a brand Mark and I both adore despite its occasional criticism, stole some spotlight with the 39mm Carrera green-dial Dato— just over £6,000 inspired by the 1968 Heuer Carrera 45 Dato that’s as cool as it is wearable.

Omega’s white-dial Speedmaster (£7,600*) was applauded universally, proving that an icon can be transformed whilst continuing to resonate with its loyal fan base and still make it sing. Zenith’s 37mm Defy Revival diver (£7,000) brought vintage vibes, and Patek Philippe dropped the Cubitus in October—a 45mm square steel stunner that got more hate than it deserved. At £35,330, it’s pricey for what it offers (30m water resistance), but it’s a Patek.

Anniversaries: Marketing Ploy or Milestone Magic?

Mark’s fresh off-influencing Watches of Switzerland’s 2024 centenary pieces—think Cartier gold Tanks and a bespoke Struthers one-off with 1920s typography. But 2025 is the real anniversary: Breguet’s 250th, Blancpain’s 290th, Panerai’s 165th, Zenith’s 160th, Audemars Piguet’s 150th, and baby MB&F at 20. Are these dates a big deal? Mark says yes, but only for the “proper” numbers—25, 50, 100. Intrigued to see if Breguet will embrace the quarter century with the celebration it deserves or continue with its tradition of quiet refinement.

Rolex hits 120 (and the GMT turns 70), so maybe we’ll see a sapphire-back iteration. Omega’s Bond partnership clocks 30 years—Mark’s betting on a special edition, even without a film, especially if they announce a new 007 (he jokingly pitched himself).

Anniversaries: a time for reflection, celebration... and maybe a little bit of shameless self-promotion? But here's the thing: when it's done with style and substance, an anniversary can actually be a wonderful opportunity to connect with watch enthusiasts on a deeper level.

 2025 Predictions: Trends, Launches, and Industry Shuffles

What’s coming? Mark’s crystal ball is cloudy, but he’s predicting a shift from steel sports watches to understated dress pieces—partly because sadly we’re in an era of concern whereby some instantly recognisable models and brands are theft magnets, watch wearers are having to think twice these days. Stone dials (think Rolex meteorite) might continue to trend, with Omega teasing a Speedmaster version. Odd case shapes—like AP’s brutal Remaster 02 or Berneron’s curvy Mirage—could inject some thing to different to the round or square cases we usually see. And Oris’s Miss Piggy?  I called that after their Kermit frenzy. Think pink.

The big one? Universal Genève’s relaunch under Breitling’s Georges Kern. With Genta-designed Polerouters and a rich history (the slimmest automatic in the ‘60s!), it’s poised to speak to the Jaeger-LeCoultre’s client. Meanwhile, industry changes saw Julien Tornare move from Zenith to Hublot (let’s hope he refines that collection), Benoit de Clerck takes Zenith, and Louis Ferla swap Vacheron for Cartier. Change is good – There’s often rejuvenation with these changes.

Wrist Check and Farewell

Mark wore a 1991 Swatch Chrono “Silver Star”—37mm of plastic nostalgia. I stuck with my trusty Tissot PRX (the carbon fibre version just dropped, and I’m drooling). We wrapped with a promise to chat again—maybe about theft-proof collecting or indie brand rises. If you have any tick tock talk you’d like us to explore – please do send the suggestions over!

 Thanks to Mark for his wisdom and to you for tuning in. Until next time, may your watches always be on time, your bezels aligned and your crowns precious.

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