The watch world loves an excuse to throw a party. From athletic partnerships like the Olympics to cinematic celebrations like the Behind the Camera Awards, horological brands are more than happy to indulge in a bit of merrimaking. But the best excuse to hit the metaphorical dance floor will always be a big birthday — and 2025 has a ton of ‘em.
This year, two of the world’s most important watch companies will celebrate 150 years and 270 years, respectively. (After all, why wait the extra 30 or 50 years for an even century given the apocalyptic tone on the front page of any newspaper?) Others are putting their party hats on for 10, 20 or 50 years of continuous watchmaking, while a few produce models with significant anniversaries this year — though in several cases, it’s still an open question as to whether or not they’ll release any special editions. With just under two months to go until Geneva’s Watches and Wonders, the excitement is palpable in the industry in a way it hasn’t been for several years.
What can we expect from 2025? It’s anyone’s guess, but at the very least, we’re ready to party. Here are some of the big anniversaries coming up over the next 12 months.
Audemars Piguet Turns 150
Founded in 1875, Audemars Piguet is celebrating an incredible 150 years of watchmaking. While many young collectors know the brand for its flagship Royal Oak luxury sports watch, nearly a hundred years of history preceded that model’s debut in 1972. Today, the AP oeuvre includes not only the Royal Oak, Royal Oak Offshore and Royal Oak Concept, but also 2019’s adventurous Code 11.59 collection and the [Re]Master program, which reissues contemporary takes on vintage watches from the brand’s back catalog. What could we see this year? Given the importance of the Royal Oak to the brand’s modern identity, one can only imagine that fresh takes on that icon are in store — though whether any of them will specifically celebrate AP’s big birthday is anybody’s guess. Perhaps we’re in for another special collaboration like the John Mayer edition?
Rolex GMT-Master Turns 70
There’s some debate as to whether the GMT-Master — the iconic, dual-time travel watch developed by Rolex for Pan Am air crews — came out in 1954 or 1955. However, the brand’s own website states that it’s the latter, so we’ll have to defer to the Crown on this one. Rolex is famously uninterested in significant birthdays, having allowed the 70th anniversary of the Submariner to come and go without so much as a sheet cake. So while we’re not necessarily counting on a special, iced-out take on the world’s most famous travel watch, that doesn’t mean we won’t be celebrating it privately. With its dual-color 24-hour bezel, fourth GMT hand, bulletproof automatic movement, comfortable Jubilee or Oyster bracelet, and myriad configurations — including several in precious metal — the GMT-Master may not be the world’s first dedicated travel timepiece, but it’s certainly the most famous. And for good reason.
Vacheron Constantin Turns 270
Founded in 1755 by Jean-Marc Vacheron, Vacheron Constantin is one of the world’s oldest continually operating watch companies. Having provided watches and clocks to the likes of Kings Fuad I and Farouk of Egypt and produced the world’s most complicated timepieces for American businessman William Berkley, the maison’s reputation is one of sustained excellence and innovation. A member of Richemont, Vacheron typically exhibits its biggest crop of new wares at Watches and Wonders, where we’ll inevitably see some compelling new pieces. Earlier in the year it released a new version of its 222 luxury sports watch in steel; with that out of the way, we can only assume more complicated and dressy fare is forthcoming. (We wouldn’t object to a 37mm Patrimony Moon Phase Retrograde Date.)
Breguet Turns 250
Few horological concerns have as august a founder as Abraham-Louis Breguet, perhaps history’s most important watchmaker. Inventor of the tourbillon, the world’s first self-winding watch and the world’s first wristwatch, Breguet (and his eponymous company) made timepieces for royalty, politicians and some of the world’s most important musicians. A quarter-millennium of watchmaking is a big deal, and we can only imagine that the company will stage a significant blowout at some point in 2025. How (and when) will this manifest in terms of new watches? As the brand is part of the Swatch Group, it doesn’t participate in Watches and Wonders, so fresh additions to the collections could conceivably come at any time. The company’s guilloché dials are some of the best in the ‘biz…perhaps there’s a special 250th-anniversary model with such a dial in store?
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Turns 50
Launched in 1975 as a quartz model, the Laureato is Girard-Perregaux’s luxury sports watch. Kicking off its 50th anniversary this year, GP launched a special ice blue version of its Laureato Chronograph in a limited run of 180 pieces, but we have to imagine more newness is coming our way. While this nifty collection might not have the same zeitgeist-impacting cachet of the Royal Oak or Patek Philippe Nautilus, it’s still an impressive, handsome collection that dates to the early days of the luxury sports watch. Personally, we love the 38mm versions in midnight blue and sage green. What’s currently missing from this size, however? A simple black Clous de Paris dial. Maybe there’s one in store in celebration of 250 years? Hey, a guy can dream.
MB&F Turns 20
A relative youngster in the watch world, MB&F was established in 2005 by Maximilian Büsser, previously CEO of Harry Winston Rare Timepieces. After developing the Opus series for Harry Winston, Büsser left to develop his own brand, partnering with some of the world’s most talented watchmakers to create outstanding, avant-garde “Horological Machines,” which blended kinetic sculpture with conventional timepieces. The brand kicked off its 20th anniversary year in a big way, debuting the Legacy Machine Perpetual and Sequential Flyback in “Longhorn” versions —wildly cool (and complicated) models with eye-watering price tags. What else is in store for the brand’s 20th? In addition to more wristwatches, the company also partners with talented designers to make beautiful “Machines” in futuristic formats. We can only imagine a stellar new invention is on the horizon as 2025 ticks along.
Rolex Datejust Turns 80
While one might expect that the utilitarian Submariner or the automotive-inspired Daytona would be the best-selling Rolex models, it’s continuously the relatively humble Datejust that moves the most units around the world. Born in 1945, this model holds the claim as the world’s first watch with a date window that ticks over precisely at midnight — a function that gave it its name. In addition to the highly useful date complication, the Datejust also marries several important Rolex technologies: namely, a water-resistant Oyster case, an automatic, perpetually-winding movement, and the brand’s famed Jubilee bracelet, which also debuted in 1945 in celebration of Rolex’s 40th anniversary. (These days, one can also buy a “DJ” on an Oyster bracelet.) Once again, we doubt Rolex will make a big deal of the anniversary — but that doesn’t rule out the possibility of a sleek new Datejust or two amongst the 2025 Watches and Wonders rollouts.
Zenith Turns 160
Zenith, founded in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot in Le Locle, Switzerland, is a quiet powerhouse in the world of fine watchmaking. The story of the development and reemergence of its groundbreaking El Primero automatic movement reads like something out of a Hollywood flick — indeed, it was Rolex’s use of this very movement from the late 1980s through 2000 that helped save the company from destruction during the Quartz Crisis. These days, as part of LVMH, Zenith is in a fascinating position: On the one hand, it produces beautiful, complicated tool watches largely at the mid-tier luxury price point; on the other hand, it produces them in relatively limited quantities, and it also provides movements for other members of the Group. The brand has always done an admirable job of balancing newer collections with vintage reissues — perhaps 2025’s next release will be something cool and limited within the Pilot or Elite collections? We’ll likely find out at Watches and Wonders. Stay tuned!
Laco Turns 100
It’s not every day that we get to celebrate a centennial in the watch world. Founded in 1925, Laco is a German firm and one of the original producers of the “B-ühren,” the pilot’s watch made for the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. The majority of Laco’s production is still based upon this famous watch type — though these days, rather than being only a 50mm+, hand-wound behemoth, it can be had in myriad configurations. (Indeed, you can get a Laco Pilot Watch Original in hand-wound or automatic form; in a smaller 39mm case or a huge 45mm case; in a black dial or a white dial, etc. There are also more modern Pilot Watch Basic and Special Models such as GMTs, chronographs, etc.) The brand’s Edition 99 — a celebration of 100 years — is long sold out, unfortunately, but there are still 11 months to go in 2025, and we’d be surprised if Laco let the year go by without any other celebratory fare.
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