As is the case most years, 2024 wrapped up with a tidal wave of Prime 10, Greatest Of, and Most Worn roundups across the watch world. Learn on to catch a couple of of our favorites from the aBlogtoWatch editorial workforce, Teddy Baldassarre, and a recap of Seiko’s completely satisfactory yr. Elsewhere, Ariel appears forward to what 2025 would possibly maintain for the watch biz, be it new shade sensibilities, permitting the hoi polloi into business occasions, or tariff troubles. We additionally look again on the GPHG awards and mirror on what wholesome amassing appears like. It’s all right here in our December wrap-up. Cheers to the brand new yr!
Group aBlogtoWatch’s Picks: The Watches We Wore Most in 2024
We will’t let Teddy have all of the enjoyable! Right here at aBlogtoWatch, our workforce has been doing an annual wrist-time roundup for at the least as lengthy, and this yr’s bunch options some surprising items. Ripley kicked issues off, getting factors for sheer honesty along with his Garmin, displaying he’s adopted the watch-geek path all the way in which again round to smartwatches — one thing solely a real watch nut can do. David’s Vulcain Cricket is historical past, enjoyable, and a neo-vintage aesthetic all rolled into one, and Ed’s JLC Polaris has the passport stamps to match its worldtimer title.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
Video: Most Worn Watches Of The Yr for 2024
On the content material calendar, the times between Christmas and the New Yr aren’t precisely identified for earth-shaking originality. However there’s one thing a couple of Greatest Of listing that’s like catnip for watch collectors. As he’s performed for the previous couple of years, Teddy Baldassarre gathered a gaggle of watch content material creators from throughout the online and requested them to current — in underneath 60 seconds — their most-worn look ahead to 2024. This yr, 40+ voices chimed in with the whole lot from a Casio AE1400 to a Royal Oak chronograph. What makes this roundup completely different? It reveals what the individuals who dwell and breathe watches really select to put on outdoors of the opinions and sponsorships. Shoutout to @youreterrific for packing in a evaluation, a message, and a few blue humor in underneath a minute.
Supply: YouTube
A Condensed Information to Seiko Releases from 2024
Okay, only one extra roundup — I swear. Monitoring the precise releases a watch model makes in a yr could be a bit like an archeological dig. Sifting via articles, podcasts, and press releases, an image begins to emerge of the exact order each bit was introduced. With Seiko, no such retrospective is required because the model places out a handy-dandy catalog (that’s not too exhausting to find) outlining the discharge date, reference quantity, and full-color photographs summarizing what’s new. The oldsters at Fratello helpfully put collectively a stroll via Seiko’s 2024 and it was… effective. The model had a couple of watches that generated buzz, however general, it looks like Japan’s largest watchmaker misplaced floor to rival Citizen whose Tsuyosa lineup is shortly discovering its method into collector’s watch bins. One notable second for Seiko that flew underneath the radar was the addition of the caliber 5X83 motion to the Prospex line. Beforehand solely present in chunky Astron watches, this GPS-enabled photo voltaic chronograph appears like 1,000,000 bucks within the slick Speedtimer circumstances. Right here’s to extra of that in 2025.
Supply: Fratello Watches
In keeping with Ariel: 5 Predictions for the Watch Trade in 2025
You heard it right here first: the looming menace of tariffs on luxurious watches means slashed costs. Get your wallets prepared. Ariel’s daring predictions for 2025 are (largely) enjoyable to think about however the 800-pound query mark within the room is what protectionist financial insurance policies would possibly imply for watch manufacturers’ pricing methods. Defying Newton’s legislation of common gravitation, in relation to luxe watch pricing, what goes up doesn’t ever appear to return down. Will the added burden of tariffs wipe out among the value will increase we’ve seen lately? Time will inform.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
Sincere Observations Concerning the GPHG And What Wants To Change
It looks like annually for the previous a number of years, the GPHG Awards (AKAt the “Watch Oscars”) have grow to be more and more related. Whether or not that’s a results of higher advertising and marketing, extra cultural consideration towards watches, or another mixture of things is anybody’s guess. And whereas this yr’s awards had been a becoming celebration of one of the best watchmaking has to supply, there’s room for enchancment. Roberta Naas at A Well timed Perspective acquired into the Festivus spirit with the Airing of Grievances, however hers are factors well-taken. The place are the massive manufacturers? Why don’t they take part? Is it a real “business occasion” with out them? Additionally, is 21 awards too many?
Supply: A Timely Perspective
Grinding Gears: How Lengthy Ought to Watch Manufacturers Milk Historic Achievements?
Waking as much as “I Obtained You Babe” by Sonny & Cher as soon as? Effective. Waking as much as it for all eternity like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day? Maddening. Equally, grizzled watch collectors should still have an appreciation for, say, Omega’s declare because the maker of THE moon watch however they’re not precisely thrilled to be consistently reminded of it at each flip. David Bredan asks, “When is sufficient sufficient?” Whereas a mentality of “what have you ever performed for me recently?” is fairly cynical, collectors spending their hard-earned shekels should demand greater than misty nostalgia from the world’s luxurious watch manufacturers.
Supply: aBlogtoWatch
Meet the Parmigiani L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse
It actually wasn’t the one watch launched in November however it was positively probably the most distinctive: meet Parmigiani’s audio-only watch, the L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse. Counting on a chiming mechanism to point the time, it has all of the hallmarks of a haute horlogerie timepiece — white gold, intricate guilloché, and a 392-component handbook wind chiming motion — with out all the trouble of foolish little issues like palms and dials. Whereas the Ulysse Nardin Freak has spent over 20 years boasting no palms and no dial, this one actually has none in any respect (at the least on the entrance aspect.)
Supply: A Timely Perspective
Unplugging: Combatting Enthusiasm Fatigue
Nathan Schultz speaks for a lot of collectors who got here to the passion post-COVID when he describes the self-awareness that got here with the conclusion his enthusiasm for watches continued rising “even after these big ‘stand 6 toes aside’ stickers had been peeled off of grocery retailer flooring.” Reflecting on a torrid affair with watch amassing that basically began in 2020, he lays out a thesis of “selective enthusiasm” for getting probably the most out of this horological hustle.
Supply: Worn and Wound
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