The Watches I want to See Released this year.
Fingers crossed!
If you could manage the watch releases of this year what would you come out with? A blue Pelagos 39, a GMT Master III, a full gold Christopher Ward Sealander, a new Autavia?
As watch nerds it’s normal for us, especially if we have a background in engineering, industrial design, or history, to theorize, sketch, and even render some of our ideas and desires.
Thus following this time-honored tradition, here is my wishlist of releases for this particular year, please bear in mind that I don’t know how to edit photos nor use image editing spftware, so I’ll do my best to describe them in text, also I do not have any inside connections in the industry, thus rendering this as an exercise in wishful thinking and armchair watch design.
In case I 100% hit in any of these predictions, DM me for the Powerball numbers.
Seiko 5 Navigator Timer GMT
The Seiko 5 GMT has been one of the most successful releases in the past few years, not only for the massification of the GMT in the affordable sector of the market but also for demonstrating that the SKX platform has a lot of life left in it, basically consolidating its design as Seikos’ Submariner.
One of my favorite Seiko designs ever released is the Navigator timer GMT, or SPB411J1 for its modern guise, and let me tell you this is the almost perfect GMT watch, a perfect do-it-all color scheme, the cool quirkiness of Seikos’ design language, slim, effortless, sapphire crystal, it’s just gorgeous, and rugged, with a fairly affordable price for the spec, but its limited edition, yes Seiko “limited edition” but still one nevertheless, and it would be better if it was cheaper too.
So for this year, I’d like Seiko to release a Navigator 5 GMT, the case is already there, and the form factor is classically Seiko so the hints of the Navigator are still there, stainless steel 24h or 12h bezel (for a P-01 look), grey sunburst dial, black chapter ring, and a red GMT hand keeping the cyclops, the hardlex and using the 5 field GMT bracelet.
The benefit of this configuration is that we have all the coolness and versatility of the Navigator on a more affordable package, that will respect Seikos’ history and tradition, without the necessity for modding, and based on its 2024 release schedule of field style GMT giving it a non-rotating 24h steel bezel, while also releasing new dial colors on the standard SKX case format, and solid color chapter rings, is very possible for Seiko to release it.
Honorable Mention: Seiko Turtle GMT, how about you move the movement from one case to the other? Is like printing money!
Omega CK859 re-release
In 2022 Omega released one of its, if not the most, beautiful dress watches of their line-up, and dare I say the year, the Omega CK859, only for then it to be quietly discontinued by the end of the year, or was it mid-2023, please confirm in the comments.
And as a weird consolation prize, a gorgeous re-release with clus-de-Paris for the 2024 Olympics in rose gold, making it even more beautiful and dress-oriented.
For 2025 Omega should re-release this watch in their 2022 variation, as well as new color dials, a clus-de-Paris cream or silver dial, and additionally a 14k gold case variation.
I see this release as probable, but at the same time very far, given that:
a) Omega has every template to re-release this watch ready; design, machinery, dials, and hands, is just a simple no-brainer, re-release it and see the money flow.
b) The discontinuation and special edition are too recent, thus rendering it a bit redundant to re-release it in Omegas’ eyes.
Honorable Mention: Omega Seamaster Professional 2254.50, search for @theillustratedwatch on Insta, to see what I mean.
Serica 6190 Commando Polar the “Cowboy”
Serica as a brand has been killing it lately, from humble beginnings with their 4512 collection, to now having one of the best divers and one-watch collection watches on the market with the 5303 diver, and a 100m dress watch in a “stadium” case, they’ve been on a roll.
When they revamped their 4512 collection under the new guise of the 6190, an homage to their adventures in the Denali, the three new models were captivating and streamlined.
Despite me having some qualms with certain designs, such as the lack of cream dials and a railroad minute track, and the continued presence of my sworn dial enemy.
So this is my wish for 2025 a simple white dial, preferably cream colored. version of the 6190, ideally with a railroad minute track harking back to the ATP watches of the British army, pre-Dirty Dozen, or if we keep the “open” minute track of the original, the Ranchero succesor we deserve.
Some adjustments of the lume for legibility reasons, and bingo dino DNA… I mean a do-it-all field watch, that pays tribute to their previous models while perfectly adjusting to their current line-up.
As the change is fairly small the probability of this piece coming out this year is likely, but given that Serica just released a new watch and the 6190 has a new M.S.L. dial version, the effort put in 2024 might hinder this wishful release for 2025.
Honorable Mention: Serica Racing Chronograph let’s call it the 5769, 1957 for the Speedy, and 1969 for the first automatic chrono, plus is the last watch they need in their line-up.
Nivada Grenchen Wanderer GMT
Ever since I’ve laid eyes on this watch I knew it had the potential to be the ultimate travel watch.
The design, proportions, looks, and complications just make it perfect! An alarm, dual-timezone, sports watch that is perfect for traveling.
This is also the one I’ve wished for the longest, and the only watch for which my Seiko GMT rule would be broken.
Nivada is no amateur when it comes to resurrecting older models, their entire catalog is witness to this, and the idea for the modernization of this beauty could follow the following template for 2025.
Firstly exchange the alarm complication for a GMT, as it embraces the wanderer ethos more precisely, ideally, it should be a slim Swiss GMT caliber, maybe a Soprod or Selita, but the Miyota 9075 would prove perfect for keeping the watch slim, while also keeping and luming the slim red GMT hand.
Second, keep the 12h (Second time-zone) fully graduated aluminum bezel, but either do it as a bidirectional friction or a 60-click bezel, as it can also work as a timing bezel, in conjunction with its original 2nd timezone functionality.
Third, let the lume plots be the 24-hour indicator for the GMT, not only as a nod to many designs of the 50s and 60s, think Accutron Astronaut, surrounding the ones not marked by the indices in black and voilá.
Fourth, keep the lumed dauphine hands, filling them with lume, while letting the edges shine, would be a nice cherry on top, although I don’t mind them keeping the classic slim strip of lume.
Finally, the usual modern complement of a sapphire crystal, 20mm between the lugs, an on-the-fly micro-adjust mesh bracelet, and 100m WR, would make this watch a nice travel watch that works for every situation.
Please Nivada Grenchen bring this watch back!
Honorable Mention: Nivada Grenchen Datomaster/Chronomaster Big-Eye, it’s right there NG you can do this!
Tudor 1926 Mk. II
The Tudor 1926 is one of the brand’s most underrated models, and one of its best, as itself, in conjunction with the Pelagos line, represents what the brand is about rugged, classic, and elegant watches.
I’ve gushed about how the 1926 is the ultimate GADA watch in a previous post, so I won’t expand on it here.
Mind you every year I live with the fear Tudor decides to discontinue one of its best watches, and dare I say, one of the best entry-level watches you can buy from any big brand, fingers crossed it never happens.
Now for this year, I hope Tudor updates the watch with very simple add-ons, mainly lume on the dagger indices, a small lume pip on top of the twelve o’clock numeral, exchange the the blued leaf hand with lumed alpha hands, while also brushing the top part of the case.
Lastly, in addition to these changes, a 19mm (ideally 20mm) five-link bracelet with a T-Fit adjustment system, would make the watch ideal for every situation.
All of this while keeping the gorgeous honeycomb dial.
I believe these updates, except the alpha hands, are fairly easy to do from Tudor, as many of them are just polishing and lume positioning, and using an already amazing stock bracelet, a chore any competent watch company should be able to do without significantly raising the price.
Honorable Mention: Tudor Pelagos 39 GMT in blue, they have the movement and the dial, is just very easy.
Praesidus Rec Spec II
I have a soft spot for military timepieces, either issued ones e.g. Hamilton, Longines, Marathon, Seiko; or military-inspired ones e.g. Farer, Vaer, Serica, and certainly Praesidus.
And some of my favorite military watches of all time are the MAC-V-SOG Seikos, not only because I’m a massive Call of Duty Balck Ops fan, but also because the history behind them is just baffling, especially the reference 7005-8030, as it is said that these were specially commissioned by the CIA from Seiko directly.
Enter the aforementioned Praesidus, a company specializing in re-issuing military watches, especially rare or important pieces.
I really hope that one of their big releases for this year is a Rec Spec II following the design of the 7005-8030 pictured above.
My only two considerations for this release are a 100m Water Resistance, and sapphire crystal.
Although a cream-dial version of this baby would be amazing too.
They previously re-issued the reference 6119-8100 under the name Rec Spec, so we know they’re up for the challenge, and knowing them, they’re most likely working on it.
So we have a really high chance that this watch comes out this year
Honorable Mention: Praesidus 6B/159 in either night or day configuration, with 100m of water resistance.
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Among other ideas I had were a Monswatch 57, a 1019 inspired Rolex Milgauss and a Timex 100 re-release, but I think 6 in-depth wishlist releases should be enough, if you want to see these three extra designs explored please let me know in the comments.
Before we continue on with the conclusion I must come clean and say that this post was inspired by Teddy Baldasarres’ Instagram post the on December 31st 2024, please check it out as some of the ideas they came up with are amazing.
As you can see I decided to go to the most probable watches we could see based on how easy it is for the manufactuerer to make them, granteed this is not a guarantee, yes I’d like to go crazy and design the Glashütte Original x Swatch Panomatic for its 2025 release, but that wouldn’t be satisfying nor relaistic, as the trend in the watch world seems to be “slow down”.
From this list the one I want to see released the most is either the Wanderer GMT or the 5 Navigator GMT, whie the one I think it will most likely get released is the Rec Spec II.
I really want to know which watches would you like to see released in 2025, don’t worry ifits the most outlandish or consevative proposition, please let me know in the commnts so we can discuss them!
As always…
Great picks! I'd love to see a California dial Submariner at some point this year 😂 jk. Solid list!