Watches Have a New Idea, and I Think I Like It
Smaller, wearable, with lots of gold and bracelets. It's the era of 'opulent simplicity.'
I’m finishing this newsletter on the shuttle to my second day of appointments at Watches and Wonders (local time: 8:14am). Yesterday, I wore my Rolex Explorer 1016. Today, it’s the Black Bay 58—I typically only travel with two watches. Watches get tossed around and taken on and off a lot this week, so best not to have anything too precious.
Yesterday, I gave instant reactions from Watches and Wonders and answered questions in the chat for paid subscribers. Join in here:
On Day 1, many of the biggest releases felt very different, while also circling a similar idea. I won’t call it a “trend,” but it’s certainly something—the love child of “quiet luxury,” “geezer watches” (both eye-roll inducing in their own way), and integrated-braclet everything.
I’m calling it opulent simplicity.
Okay, I didn’t come up with the phrase—Pantone did, the trend forecasters who give us the annual “Color of the Year.” But it’s an idea that’s clearly coming for watches.
First, let’s look at the watches. Then, let’s look at the opulent simplicity.
Watches and Wonders 2025: Different Releases, Same Idea
Here are some of the more notable releases:
New pastel colors for the Rolex Oyster Perpetual: Pistachio green, lavender, and sand/beige. The muted colors are a long way from the bright blue, coral, and Celebration dials. I immediately want the pistachio green.
Rolex also added a new yellow gold “Settimo” bracelet to its 1908 dress watch.
Of course, the Land-Dweller. Rolex finally has a true integrated bracelet watch. On the spectrum of Rolex bracelets from simple to opulent, the new flat-link Jubilee sits right in the middle.1 The Land-Dweller is part of Rolex’s “Classic” collection along with the Day-Date and Datejust, and isn’t a professional (sports) watch.
Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced a pink gold Reverso Monoface with grained pink dial and matching Milanese bracelet that completely changes the look of the flippable watch. It’s the larger size—I prefer the smaller steel model JLC released last year—but gorgeous.
Cartier did a bunch of Cartier things that fit the bill. While it’s still an elegant dress watch, the Tank a Guichet is certainly the most opulent of Tanks, a big (expensive) chunk of precious metal.
Cartier also released a pair of monochromatic Tank Louis models in gold and platinum and a small Santos that should be a big hit.
A. Lange & Sohne introduced a gorgeous 1815 in 34mm (!) and a Honeygold Odysseus with a rich brown dial. The 1815 is a small, wearable dress watch, while the Honeygold is about as subdued as any all-gold bracelet watch can be.
Etc.
While these watches are all doing something different, they have a lot in common. Smaller. More wearable. Muted but rich colors. Tone-on-tone. Lots of gold and lots of bracelets. It’s certainly not 2020, when everything was steel and sports, but it’s not so far from those days.
These watches all make a statement, but not too loudly. It’s opulent simplicity.
Okay, But What Is Opulent Simplicity?
“Opulent simplicity is the idea of opulent yet wearable,” Pantone says. “It evokes a luxury reminiscent of a bygone era.” It’s not quiet luxury, but it’s certainly not screaming either.
In terms of colors, Pantone says opulent simplicity is pastels matched with deep, richer colors. It called “Mocha Mousse” the 2025 Color of the Year, but suggests matching this rich brown with pastels (above). Pantone’s suggested color palette has a lot in common with the muted green, purple, and beige in Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual dials, doesn’t it?
Across the Palexpo, other brands leaned more heavily into the rich feeling that only gold-on-gold offers: Jaeger-LeCoultre (Reverso), IWC (Ingenieur), Cartier, Parmigiani Fleurier, and others.
But opulent simplicity is more than colors and materials. I’s a shift in mindset. Just a few years ago, it seemed like every brand wanted its version of an integrated bracelet sports watch—from the Tissot PRX to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and every single brand in between.2
In the past few years, brands also used more bright, bold colors after seeing Rolex introduce its colorful Oyster Perpetual dials. Then, we saw the rise of stone dials—a trend still on full display at the Palexpo this year.
But these celebratory, post-pandemic colors are settling into something more classic and neutral. The colors still feel rich and vivid, but more muted. And there’s a lot more gold. This is enabled by the fact that watches are also becoming smaller and more wearable—the very definition of opulent simplicity.
I’d never pull off a 42mm IWC Ingenieur in gold, but in 35mm, it kinda works (with matching gold dial!).
There are also more dressy watches and a lot more bracelets.
This also means leaning into the classics and what works. While that can result in watches that feel lacking in innovation or excitement, I was excited by so much of what I saw yesterday. They’re leaning into staples, and that’s different for each brand. It’s a new Reverso, Tank, or even a Land-Dweller that really feels kind of like a ‘70s Rolex (the Oysterquartz).
The Lange 1815 in 34mm is the release I can’t get out of my head, but every watch I included photos of is compelling in its own right.3
Most importantly, there are more wearable watches for a broad range of sensibilities and wrist sizes, something I wouldn’t have said five years ago.
Let me know which watches you want to see more of from Watches and Wonders, and what you think of the idea of opulent simplicity. Day 1 is for big brands, so we’ll cover a lot more small and indie ones soon.
The Roundup
Two very different signs of the times:
YouTuber Teddy Baldassare got an exclusive first look at the Rolex Land-Dweller.
Rolex has now introduced two new collections in the past three years: Land-Dweller (2025) and 1908 (2023). Before that, Rolex’s last new collection was the Sky-Dweller (2012); before that, the Yacht-Master (1992). A speedy uptick in new for the brand that, supposedly, takes it slow.
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That spectrum is now, from opulent to simple: Presidential, Jubilee, Flat Jubilee, Oyster.
To be clear, many still want this—the Vacheron 222 was only released three months ago.
And it most reminds me of the 36mm 1815 Up/Down, which is delicious on wrist.
Would love to see more coverage (photos and videos, I guess is really what I mean) of the new small Santos and a comparison of the new OPs in 36mm v 34mm. I have a very small wrist and both of those releases seem to be extremely promising in terms of pricing x wearability x opulent simplicity.
As always, MrT says it like it is. Of all the W&W blurb written by the 'watchworld', Tony's are the only words to pay attention to. I think the Land Dweller dial is hideous - the whole watch looks odd anyway...