Geneva Watch Days and beyond: the Time+Tide Team shares our favourite watches of September 2025
Time+TideThis September has been a particularly stacked month as far as watch releases go. Not only did we see the biggest edition of Geneva Watch Days yet – with a cavalcade of releases reflecting the fair’s growing status – but we also had some of the watch industry’s most respected Maisons also drop some seriously heavy-hitting horological creations. From the Swiss Alps to the halls of the Louvre and beyond, our editorial team have come together to share their favourite watch releases of September 2025.
Pietro’s pick: Bulgari x Lee Ufan Octo Finissimo
I always appreciate it when Bulgari uses the Octo Finissimo as a blank canvas for collaborations (special mention goes to their collab with Tadao Ando), and I couldn’t wait to find out what the next one would be. Although I was unfamiliar with Lee Ufan’s work, after doing some research, I immediately understood how the artist’s philosophy influenced the different components of the watch.
When I first saw it, I was convinced that both the case and the bracelet were made of meteorite, and knowing how difficult and expensive it is to machine this material, I was quite surprised. When I then discovered that it was actually hand-filed titanium, I was equally impressed, as it was the first time I had seen titanium treated in this way.
The way in which the rough-looking case interacts with the mirrored dial amplifies the feeling of each element, making it very easy to understand what the artist wanted to express in this play of contrasts. Just as in his works, there is a dialogue between rocks and mirrors; we find the same essence in this watch, which, in my opinion, gives life to one of the most successful collaborations Bulgari has penned yet.
Borna’s pick: Ferdinand Berthoud Naissance d’une Montre 3
The watch world isn’t shy about marketing its products as extensively hand-made, even though the press releases are often quite far from the truth. There are, however, watches that take the guesswork out of figuring out whether a bevel was actually hand-made, or CNC-cut and then just hand-polished. Watches like the Ferdinand Berthoud Naissance d’Une Montre 3 go a whole lot further than that, making handcraft their ethos. The third chapter of a Time Aeon Foundation project that started in 2009, Ferdinand Berthoud’s attempt follows two takes by the boffins over at Greubel Forsey, and uses solely hand-operated tools for every component of the complicated, fusée-and-chain-equipped watch.
Yes, the case is perhaps too large for everyday wear at over 44mm, and the simple lines of the case and ever-so-slightly imperfect, free-handed engravings of the subdial are a far cry from what the intricate perfection modern technology offers. And yet, it exudes such undeniable charm on top of the downright impressive manufacturing achievement. The white gold case is turned on a hand-operated lathe, and the lugs are made separately and then soldered to the midcase.
Naturally, the centre point of the Naissance d’Une Montre 3 is its movement, with the aforementioned constant supply of power to the escapement that features a hand-made Guillaume balance, all in all amounting to COSC-certified precision. The cost of undertaking such a project? 11,000 hours of work by FB’s and Chopard’s finest artisans per watch, and perhaps more easily quantified by the asking price – CHF 850,000. Writing this, I just realised I haven’t even said why it’s my favourite, but I don’t think that’s really necessary…
Jamie’s pick: Berneron Quantième Annuel
While technically not an exhibiting brand, the highlight of my Geneva Watch Days came on my very last day in the city, when Zach and I visited Sylvain Berneron to take a look at his new Quantième Annuel. Borna has gone into detail about why this watch is so impressive in his review here, but for me, what really blew me away about this watch is how Sylvain has considered every little detail to an almost obsessive level… But also, how he’s really considered the ownership experience. As he put it to me, typical mechanical calendar watches from high-end brands are as hard to operate as they are to acquire, almost by design. His QA (it’s not a QP!) is the opposite.
Scratch the top of the lugs? No worries, you can just replace the steel lug shields; you haven’t lost a chunk of platinum. Accidentally set the calendar to an impossible position? That’s okay, the movement has a safety mechanism that resets the date to the first day of the following month. The hunter caseback? It opens well beyond 90°, so you not only get a better view of the movement, but also don’t have to worry about stressing the hinge as much. Its entire design is both technically and aesthetically adventurous, while also being totally logical and user-friendly.
Quite serendipitously, while we had our appointment with Sylvain, we were gate-crashed by the always-affable Max Büsser, who was just as keen as we were to see Berneron’s Quantième Annuel. As he put it, “It’s so great to finally see a watchmaker with some balls!” (A hell of a compliment, coming from a guy responsible for some of the most out-there watches in the industry). Sylvain undoubtedly deserves his laurels: the Quantième Annuel is a very different but very worthy sequel to the Mirage, and in my eyes, is cementing Berneron as one of the most interesting names in modern horology.
Jason’s pick: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art “Tribute to the Quest of Time”
My favourite release this month is Vacheron Constantin’s Métiers d’Art “Tribute to the Quest of Time”. It may look like an obvious pick: I’ve long admired Vacheron, with the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra‑Thin Skeleton and the 222 in steel among my personal benchmarks, but the watch earns it. The animated figure that doubles as retrograde hour and minute hands is both conceptually coherent and technically sophisticated, and the switchable display—offering “active” and “standby” time‑telling modes—adds an engaging layer of interaction.
Beyond the craft on show, it underlines the manufacture’s appetite for inventive mechanics. In a market that often rewards louder narratives, Vacheron remains under‑recognised for this kind of creativity, and this release makes a clear case for paying closer attention.
Tom’s pick: Laurent Ferrier Classic Tourbillon Teal Série Atelier VII
The thing I love most about Laurent Ferrier is the way they do subtlety. There are several understated high-end watches out there, but for me, the new Laurent Ferrier Classic Tourbillon Teal Série Atelier VII is probably the most “if you know, you know” watch I’ve seen all year. Firstly, its design is a fantastic blend of classic and contemporary themes, with the way the crystal, bezel, and case sides melt into a seamless, pebble-like form, while the teal enamel dial brings minimalist restraint to a traditional look. The fact that this model is in platinum means it leans even more into that subtle aesthetic, too.
Finally, it doesn’t shout about how stunningly gorgeous the hand‑wound calibre LF619.01 is until you flip the watch over, revealing the tourbillon escapement, ruthenium and rhodium-plated finishes and swathes of internal angles. It’s pure, discreet perfection for me.
Russell’s pick: A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Jumping Seconds
The jump hour complication appears incredibly simple from the outside, yet when you understand what goes into allowing this massive release of stored energy in one precise, instant movement inside a mechanical timepiece, the realisation of just how hard it is to achieve becomes clear. That is why we see so few jump hour watches on the market today, although the number certainly seems to be increasing. However, the complexity intensifies when you go from a jump hour to a jump minute, and it becomes almost impossible if you go to a jump second. The continual generation, storage, and release of power in an instant should theoretically break any mechanical movement apart, but thanks to the work of Anthony de Haas, the Director of Product Development at Lange, and his team, this complication has become a reality.
The original version of the Richard Lange Jumping Seconds played within the A. Lange & Söhne school of aesthetics perfectly: incredibly monochromatic, only using colour as a means to highlight and contrast important factors. But this new model that was released earlier this month shows how good a Lange timepiece can look when it softens a bit in its colour palette. The dusty salmon dial that is crafted from a solid piece of rose gold has an impossible fine texture applied to it and this allows the watch to appear less austere when compared to the original black enamel version.
I was lucky enough to be one of the first members of the press to see this watch as it was unveiled at this year’s Concourse of Elegance car show at Hampton Court Palace. While that dead beat seconds hand may make this watch look like it’s quartz-powered, the reality is a complex construction with a remontoir d’égalité providing constant force to this exceedingly rare complication. The dial layout here ensures that you notice that novel seconds hand’s movement as well. Placing the seconds hand front and centre with the biggest sub-dial, while the minutes and hours are relegated to the bottom. This dial makes sure the complication is given pride of place in a watch that many might overlook… But not me.
Andrew O’Connor’s pick: Bulgari Bronzo Chronograph
While the Lee Ufan Octo Finissimo stole the show, I can’t help but keep looking at the new Bronzo Chronograph. Take the styling of the Diagono, ditch the aluminium case, and replace it with bronze – this formula makes for what I think is a very fun take on a luxury sport watch from the Italian brand. The iconic rubber strap design is updated with bronze inserts and features a hook-and-loop closure, seemingly inviting salty aquatic activities. Measuring 41mm in diameter and 12.35mm thick, the dimensions seem wearable for a sporty chronograph.
The point here is the dichotomy of a style-forward luxury watch made of a material that will patina rapidly, making it oddly at home with the effortlessly suave personality that Bulgari timepieces exude. While this isn’t as groundbreaking as an Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater, my experience with Bulgari watches is that the wearing experience is unlike any other, and that is the appeal of their timepieces.
Zach and Marcus’ pick: Trilobe Trente-Deux
When wading into the ever-popular integrated bracelet watch category, it can be very hard to create something novel or original. Trilobe, however, really caught Marcus and my eyes at Geneva Watch Days with its new Trente-Deux collection. On the surface, it is simply an exercise in bringing Trilobe’s signature digital display into a sportier watch for the first time. It also arguably borrows visual cues from hot models and brands like Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, and F.P. Journe. Dig deeper, and you will learn it is really all about Trilobe planting its flag and ushering in a new era of its watchmaking.
The Trente-Deux is Trilobe’s first watch to utilise a manufacture calibre conceived, designed, developed, prototyped, machined, decorated, and assembled entirely in-house at its new facility just outside of Paris. The ’32’ nomenclature is a nod to the address of its Parisian workshop that started it all. Inspecting the watch up close, all of the detailing and finishing is top-notch and on the wrist, it felt super comfortable and just looked so good that I did not want to take it off. It will be very exciting to watch Trilobe grow further and see how the brand furthers proud, modern French watchmaking over the next few years.