Editors' PicksOur Favorite Watches From Geneva Watch Days 2025

As Max Busser and the MB&F team very plainly acknowledged during the watch's introduction, it was about damn time that MB&F's simplest (and most wearable) Legacy Machine got the EVO treatment. For those who loved the LM101 and its "simplicity" of featuring the oversized balance wheel with no complications, but also love the space-age design of many of the crazy Horological Machines, the LM101 EVO meets you right in the middle. Everything feels just a little bit more futuristic, from the streamlined case with an integrated rubber bracelet to the smoothed-out balance wheel arches and skeletonized escape wheel, while still feeling closely related to its more traditional brother.

Most importantly, the LM101 Evo was designed as a true sports watch, featuring 80 meters of water resistance and a screw-down crown, along with the brand's FlexRing shock absorber to protect the movement. That's huge, and could theoretically make this crazy machine a one-and-done watch.

But at the end of the day, the reason why this is my pick is much simpler (and to some, dumber). MB&F finally answered my prayers and made an LM101 with a green dial. What has certainly gotten the greatest buzz is that dial, which, as a result of its CVD coating, creates the most whimsical shifts between bright green, blue, and even purple at certain angles. Having the horological equivalent of a mood ring paired with some absolutely serious watchmaking (let's not forget that Voutilainen's name is signed on one of the movement bridges) is absolutely the cherry on top.

Read the Introducing article about the LV101 EVO here.

At first, I struggled to choose between a watch I had already selected (the Furlan Marri Disco Onyx Diamonds) and a watch that I truly believe is the best interpretation of an artist's vision I've ever seen (the Bulgari x Lee Ufan collaboration). Instead, I decided to go a completely different route, with what is likely one of the most extraordinary watches of the year: the Ferdinand Berthoud Naissance d'une Montre 3.

Ferdinand Berthoud has been on my radar for a while, producing some exquisite watches that blend history and modern watchmaking, with around 50 to 60 watches made per year. However, with such low production, I've never had any direct contact with the brand. Then, I heard they launched the third Naissance d'une Montre—"Birth of a Watch"—and I immediately started reaching out to see it. In fact, it was Philippe Dufour, whom I ran into outside one of my Geneva Watch Days appointments, who encouraged me to keep trying to see it.

The Naissance d'une Montre project, started by Greubel Forsey, Philippe Dufour, and Michel Boulanger, is about both horological craft and the transmission of heritage. The goal is to revive, preserve, and teach young watchmakers techniques that have been lost to time, and create a truly and nearly completely handmade watch. Essentially, aside from the crystal, the watch has been crafted using traditional tools and without the use of CNC machines, done with some collaboration between Ferdinand Berthoud and watchmakers at their sister company, Chopard. At CHF 830,000, and limited to 11 pieces (including a steel prototype being auctioned by Phillips this fall), the watch features a constant-force fusée-and-chain system and a bimetallic balance, requiring over 11,000 hours of work from more than 80 artisans. I'll have more on this watch and project in the coming weeks, but if you look at the photos, you'll see why the watch is so captivating.

Click here to learn more about the Ferdinand Berthoud Naissance d'une Montre 3. 

The best measure of a product is whether or not you continue to think about it after your initial reaction wears off. This was the case for me with the Berneron Quantième Annuel. After our meeting and for several days, I continued to think about everything Sylvain told me. The watch is, objectively, beautiful. But it's the subtle details that caught my attention.

That steel "overcase"? It's not just for the protection of the platinum underneath. Take a look again, and you'll see that its placement on the lugs creates a step not dissimilar to that of a Patek 3970, a reference Sylvain mentioned he loved and collected, but sold to finance the business. The slight variation in white metal tones calls to mind old tantalum and steel Royal Oak references, a favorite of mine.

The dial layout? Not only lovely to look at, but also easy to read. Sylvain says the design was driven by the practicality of reading the time top to bottom and the calendar left to right. However, the same cross shape is mirrored by the movement on the back, which is not an easy feat to accomplish. A slightly heady take, but one I liked nonetheless.

As an annual calendar fan, Sylvain lamented that most people, including himself, don't often set them because it's time-consuming and stressful. The presence of easy-to-click buttons at 4:30 and 7:30, an AM/PM indicator at 6 o'clock, and an auto-reset mechanism for months without 31 days makes things easy. So easy, in fact, that you may set it.

Yes, there is the price. A price that aligns it not so shyly with Patek and Lange. But it's not pulled out of thin air. Sylvain has not only created a beautiful watch, but one that uncovers and addresses issues that larger players often overlook. Some people underestimate how hard it is to shake up entrenched industries. That's exactly what Sylvain is doing, and I think it's worth paying for that innovation.

Read the Introducing article about the Quantiéme Annuel here. 

This surprising but logical collaboration is about as Swiss as it gets. I've already introduced you to the concept, but after spending more time with the watches, furniture, and executives from both companies during Geneva Watch Days, I'm doubling down on my take. This is the coolest Swiss brand tie-up we've seen in a while.

It's exciting because it's the first time we've ever seen the mighty El Primero chronograph in the original Defy case. It makes total sense because the first Defy is the most architectural of Zenith's case designs, and that pairs well with USM, a family company founded as a metal shop back in 1885 that evolved through a collaboration with architect and designer Fritz Haller into a celebrated furniture maker that's now part of the Permanent Design collection at MoMA.   At the same time, the nods to USM's unique design cues are subtle and not too in your face. Using some of the original colors from the USM Haller line allows 160-year-old Zenith to play in the colored dial space—a move we've seen from bigger rivals, including Rolex and Omega. However, these shades are truly USM, and that makes them original. 

The tiny ball joint on the chronograph seconds hand pays tribute to the defining way the USM Haller modular system is configured and joined. Plus, you get a real piece of USM furniture to store watches, or anything else for that matter, at a price of CHF 10,900, which is in line with Zenith's other top chronographs. It's an LE, and there are only 60 pieces of each of the four colors. My only warning, if you're already a watch collector, an introduction to USM is highly likely to form another costly collecting habit, this one for premium Swiss furniture design. Don't say you weren't warned.

Read the Introducing article about the Zenith Defy Chronograph USM here.

When asked to name an iconic watch of recent decades, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo immediately comes to mind. With its ultra-thin architecture and minimalist elegance, it has introduced a new dimension to the world of luxury watchmaking. What makes the Octo Finissimo especially compelling is its role as a creative platform. Bulgari has used it as a stage for collaborations with creators such as Tadao Ando and Ryuichi Sakamoto, blending fine watchmaking with broader artistic expression. These projects highlight how the watch can uniquely embrace diverse creative voices.

My choice from this year's Geneva Watch Days is the Octo Finissimo Lee Ufan x Bulgari. This piece represents a sculptural evolution from earlier collaborations. While mirrored dials were explored in the Kazuyo Sejima edition and laser-engraved bracelets in the Tattoo Acqua model, the Lee Ufan edition goes further. Its entire case has been meticulously hand-filed, producing a raw, textured surface that contrasts beautifully with the polished dial. The result is not only visually striking but also richly tactile — a watch that truly comes alive in the hand.

All of this, of course, comes under the hand of Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, the brand's Product Creation Executive Director. His many creative works continue to excite me, but I must admit: I would love to see a smaller-sized Octo Finissimo sometime soon.

Read the Introducing article about the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Lee Ufan x Bulgari here.

Broadly speaking, my favorite aspect of design is subtlety. I always tend to favor a less ostentatious or overt display, especially in watchmaking, and there's no more perfect example of that than Laurent Ferrier's new Classic Tourbillon Série Atelier VII. On the surface, it appears to be just a time-only piece with a six o'clock seconds subdial. But, it's when you flip the watch over that the tourbillon is revealed—providing the most understated way to showcase one of watchmaking's more theatrical and striking complications.

Speaking of subtlety, at first glance and from afar, the hour marks look like simple indices, but upon closer inspection, they reveal themselves to be delicately rendered Roman numerals—another layer of understated sophistication that really speaks to me.

But beneath this restrained exterior lies serious substance—the Série Atelier VII is powered by the Calibre LF619.01, a manual-winding, double hairspring tourbillon movement making its debut in this watch, yielding an incredible 80 hours of power reserve, which will keep you going all weekend long.

I respect the confidence it takes to pull off such a subtle yet technically proficient design. Although Mr. Ferrier himself has been a stalwart for half a century, his eponymous brand is still in its teenage years; yet, I find its approach to design carries the wisdom of a much more seasoned maison. Throw in the platinum case, that beautiful teal grand feu enamel dial, and the alligator strap, and we've got my pick for my favorite watch at Geneva Watch Days.

Read the Introducing article from the Laurent Ferrier Classic Tourbillon Série Atelier VII here. 

Ok, so, I basically stole this pick from Andy... but let me explain. When this new dual-time Dennison dropped, I gave the email a quick look. Then another. Then checked the price. And by the time I had completed a scan of its press release bona fides, I had a message from Andy lighting up my phone. Sorry, Andy, but the USM Zenith is rad, so I don't feel all that bad. 

As much as I recall drafting on Rich Fordon's interest in the first Dennison ALD references from December of last year, I've never managed to be much of a "time only" sort of guy. So imagine my delight when Dennison fitted a sleek second time display into an otherwise similar look and feel for their 70s-inspired quartz-powered watch.

The new range spans 12 different mixes of steel or gold-tone cases, along with an array of dial executions spanning lapis, malachite, tiger eye, and aventurine. Over those dials, Dennison has a pair of minimalist two-hand displays. The specific execution varies depending on the dial format, with some models offering two displays on a single material with a grained backdrop for one of the displays, while others feature two segment dials in different materials, set with a dual pair of hour and minute hands. 

The design is clean and offers a stage for the dial material of your choosing - and your guess is as good as mine, as I cannot pick between options like the Lapis/gold, malachite/steel, or the aventurine/steel. These new travel-ready ALD models are powered by a pair of Ronda quartz movements and carry a price tag of $890. Solid value, great style – I cannot wait to see an example in person. 

Read the Introducing article about the Dennison ALD Dual Time here.