This project involves prominent journalists from Japan and around the world choosing their top five watches from those unveiled at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2025. This time, the main MC of the YouTube channel "Watch Passion Support Group," Dancho, will be appearing. The top five selections, which cover everything from high-end models to models that are evaluated for their functionality, are not to be missed, as are the "overall reviews" that analyze the trends in this year's new releases.
1st Place: Panerai "Luminor Marina Titanio"
The new Luminor Marina has been described by many viewers as a "divine update."
The water resistance has been increased to 500m, yet the case is thinner and has a see-through back, and the strap can now be changed to an interchangeable type that requires no tools.
W&WG has released five variations, and the one that interests me the most is Titanium.
The green dial color also gives you a visual sense of the lightness of titanium, which is great!
Automatic movement (Cal. P.980). 23 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 72 hours. Ti case (diameter 44mm, thickness 13.7mm). 500m water resistant. Price: 1,474,000 yen (tax included).
2nd place: Cartier "Tank Louis Cartier" LM size
The Tank Louis Cartier, undoubtedly the epitome of a "good watch," now comes in an automatic variation.
The size of 27.75mm, which is about 2mm wider than the manual winding LM, felt perfect for the current mood.
While many brands are increasing the variety of their small diameter watches, Cartier and Tudor are probably the only ones that have increased the variety of their larger diameter watches.
I felt that he had a great sense of style.
Automatic winding (Cal. 1899 MC). 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 38 hours. 18KPG case (38.1mm x 27.75mm, 8.18mm thick). Water resistant for everyday use. Price: 2,362,800 yen (tax included).
3. Tudor Black Bay 58
Following on from last year, another great thing this year was the new Black Bay 58, which has been thoroughly certified by a Master Chronometer.
The Master Chronometer was once called the "standard for co-axial escapements."
Tudor overturned this conventional wisdom with the 2021 "Black Ceramic" model.
It's truly amazing that just four years later, mass production has become a normal part of life.
The vibrant burgundy color is great too!
Automatic movement (Cal. MT5400-U). 28,800 vph. Power reserve: approximately 70 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 39mm, thickness 11.7mm). Water resistant to 200m. Price: 718,300 yen (tax included).
4. Rolex Perpetual 1908
The movement, case, bracelet, and price (manufacturer's price) are all impeccable.
This is a wonderful piece that combines the practical performance of a Rolex with the authentic style of full gold.
Normally, I think this is a watch for party dresses, which has a very limited range of uses.
However, it is reasonably resistant to magnetism, water and shocks, and has a power reserve of approximately 66 hours, making it suitable for everyday use.
I'd like to try wearing it with a T-shirt for a cool look.
Automatic movement (Cal. 7140). 38 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 66 hours. 18K yellow gold case (39mm diameter). Water resistant to 50m. Price: 5,273,400 yen (tax included).
5th place: Vacheron Constantin "Traditional Manual Winding"
"Hmm? Is there something written on the dial? It's a Maltese cross! So cool!"
The initial reaction was exactly like this.
I always think that Vacheron is so good at design.
Manual-winding (Cal. 4400 AS/270). 21 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 65 hours. Pt case (diameter 38mm, thickness 7.77mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Limited to 370 pieces worldwide. Price: 5,412,000 yen (tax included).
General comment
Overall, the trend towards smaller diameter wheels was strongly felt at this year's W&WG.
Notable examples include the IWC Ingenieur, Bell & Ross BR-05, and Norqain Wild One.
None of the pieces have simply been made smaller; each has been "optimized" to reflect the brand's philosophy, which has helped to broaden the range of the collection.
Also, the advances in titanium and ceramics are amazing!
As with the Panerai introduced above, many titanium products these days have a high quality feel that makes them virtually indistinguishable from stainless steel.
Although people have different perceptions of what is "light," I would like to express my deepest respect to the craftsmen who work with difficult materials every day.
As an example of ceramics, Ingenieur's black ceramics were also good.
I was impressed that they took advantage of the screw fastening system to ensure water resistance while also addressing the needs of some fans who wanted a Pellaton movement.
Another thing I noticed was that there were a lot of perpetual calendars.
Each brand has a different philosophy on how to display and read the information, and it's an interesting mechanism that makes this easy to understand through the design.
Profile of the leader of the Watch Passion Support Group
He is the main MC of the YouTube channel Watch Passion Support Group, which conveys the fun of watches.
Dreaming of becoming a craftsman, he got a job as a researcher at an electronics manufacturer listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. However, he realized he was interested in "handmade" work rather than mass-produced products, and so he switched to the world of craftsmen.
With the theme of "praising craftsmanship," he posts approximately 300 videos a year, and has posted over 2150 videos to date, with a total of over 63 million views (as of April 2025).
