"I might like dress watches" Watch-loving YouTuber RY of the "Watch Life Channel" picks his top 5 new watches for 2024

This project asks prominent journalists from Japan and around the world to choose their top five watches released in 2024. This time, RY, the captain of a foreign ship and operator of the popular YouTube channel "Life with Watches," has chosen five. RY's view of watches has "drastically changed" in 2024. What are the models he chose based on certain criteria?

1st Place: Parmigiani Fleurier "Trick Petite Seconde" 18K Rose Gold Model

The Toric was first designed by Parmigiani's founder, Michel Parmigiani, when the brand was founded in 1996. Under the leadership of Guido Terreni, who became the brand's CEO in 2021, the new Toric was released this year. Despite its minimalist appearance, the watch boasts a refined, extremely elegant, and rich feel, with its signature knurled bezel, traditional grained dial, and colors inspired by Le Corbusier's color palette.

2st place: Grand Seiko "Evolution 9 Collection Hand-Wound Mechanical Hi-Beat 36000 80 Hours Model"

This model can be called a hand-wound dress watch from the popular "Birch Series."

Not only are the dial, case, and movement beautiful, but the sound and feel of the hand-wound movement are also pleasant. Personally, I applaud the fact that the size is also impressive, coming in at just 38mm and 9mm thick. Furthermore, the low center of gravity, a feature of the Evolution 9 series, increases the sense of stability on the wrist, and the "Brilliant Hard Titanium" ensures both lightness and rigidity. With a hand-wound movement and a power reserve of approximately 80 hours, this is a dress watch with very high overall performance.

3rd Place: Parmigiani Fleurier "Tonda PF Micro Rotor No Date"

I wondered if it was okay to include two from the same brand in this top 5 project, but I decided to rank them honestly based on my feelings.

The Tonda PF series ranks highly in this project every year; I'm completely captivated by its understated beauty and sense of spaciousness, and above all, its comfortable fit, which makes me feel as if it was made just for me. The combination of a micro-rotor and no date display is ideal for me. The golden sienna dial has a unique, exquisitely warm hue, and it's perfect for adding a touch of "unconventional style."

4th place: Jaeger-LeCoultre "Reverso Tribute Monoface"

This classic watch is sure to become one of the most iconic timepieces in history. With a case size almost identical to the 1931 original, this new model is sure to please those with smaller wrists. Its thinner and smaller size makes it a great choice for a shared watch. Its versatility makes it suitable for both formal and casual occasions, and the interchangeable strap system allows you to change the color to further expand its range of use.

5. Norqain Wild One Skeleton Coral

I personally consider Norqain to be the eye of the storm in the watch world. The company released the Wild One in 2022 as the "ultimate sports watch." There are many talking points, such as 200m water resistance, 5000g shock resistance, COSC-certified accuracy, and the new NORTEQ material, but I feel that its outstanding lightness and fit are particularly impressive. This is a major benefit not only when playing sports, but also in everyday life. Of these, the new coral color this year is the one that really appealed to me, as its vibrant and lively color matches the character of this watch. The skeleton dial, with its sparkling movement inside, gives it a luxurious feel that will satisfy any owner.

General comment

This year has seen a major change in my view of watches.

I first discovered the appeal of watches after buying a Rolex Submariner, and then I bought a Seiko SKX007, which got me completely hooked on watches. I'm someone who started out with divers' watches.

However, as I expanded my watch collection, the one that excited me the most, for some reason, was the Grand Seiko 4420-9000 (commonly known as 44GS).

And this year, I bought the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1. It may be because it's a dream watch I've been longing for, but I'm really excited.

Then, I suddenly realized, "Hey... I think I might like dress watches."

Dress watches are the polar opposite of diver's watches, which is why it had such a big impact on me.

Why do I like dress watches? After breaking it down into its elements, I arrived at the idea that they are thin, light, and small. In other words, they are comfortable watches (and if they're beautiful, that's even better).

This year, just like every year, I've introduced five products that I want to own, and each of these five products meets at least one of these criteria.

Of the four dress watches, the Norqain Wild One is the only one that stands out, but it is just as comfortable as a dress watch, so it's not a surprising combination in that respect.

But the world of watches is deep.

What is myself? In 2024, I felt that I was becoming a tool to "know myself" rather than "know what time it is."

I'm looking forward to exploring it again next year.

Selector Profile

Life with a watch RY

Born in 1990, Fukuda's main occupation is the captain of a foreign ship. He became obsessed with the charm of watches after purchasing his first mechanical watch. In order to increase the number of watch lovers, he started the blog "A Life with Watches" in 2019. In 20, he launched the YouTube "A Life with Watches Channel." He also contributes impression articles to webChronos and appears in Forza Stayle's popular video series "Rock Fukuda's Watch Spirit."