In the ever-evolving stratosphere of minute repeaters and tourbillons, the task of standing out can be a tall one. Maisons take turns engaging each other in a horological arms race, each vying to see who can pack the most complications into ever-thinner cases while chasing increasingly impressive specifications. But whatever happened to the humble ol' hour and minute hand? The following edit of watches—most of them unveiled during the annual harvest that is Watches and Wonders 2026—is proof that you don't need grand complications to draw eyes. Sometimes, thoughtful design and impeccable proportions are more than enough. At the very least, they certainly caught our eye.
The gold alloy and black skeletonised dial combo is hard to beat, and Panerai knows that. What may be the best-looking watch to come out of their Watches and Wonders unveiling also happens to be their most technically impressive. The PAM01631 features a movement capable of running for an entire month on a single wind thanks to a series of four mainspring barrels coiled tightly within.
When it comes to Jaeger-LeCoultre, the mind naturally goes to leather straps and rectangular cases. Sporty, fully integrated bracelet watches are few and far between in the Maison's illustrious catalogue, especially when stacked against its iconic Reverso line. But they've managed to put together a collection here that seamlessly combines vintage elegance with modern utility in its latest Master Control Chronometre collection.
The Tudor Royal displays a masterclass in carefully considered colours and proportions. Aside from this warm steel and yellow gold combination, they've released an array of dial colours (salmon, light blue, silver, ivory, mother-of-pearl, and more) across a selection of 30, 36, and 40mm-sized dials.
Plus, the Tudor Royal resembles a certain other crown-bearing collection of watches at a pretty attractive price point.
The Sakura-Wakaba SBGH376 quite literally catches the eye. Its handcrafted dial collaborates with 18K yellow gold to convey the transient beauty of cherry blossom meeting fresh green leaves. Gold and green tones emerge through a delicate crisscross texture, illuminating the dial with an impressively noble aura.
Building upon the movement crafted in the late '40s for an observatory chronometry competition, the calibre 135 is rehoused in a modern body with a three-part dial design. Taking centre stage is a bloodstone disc of green jasper flecked with natural red inclusions, meaning no one piece is like the other. A small-seconds mother-of-pearl subdial and an outer ring of brick-pattern guilloché rounds out this beautiful love letter to high-end horology.
At a glance, this one looks just like another safe addition to H. Moser & Cie's seemingly endless line of faceless watches. But look closer, and you'll find two mini hands at 6 and 9 o'clock. The former tells the seconds, while the latter to tell its power reserve. But wait, look even closer: there's a mini central hand peeking from under the main hands, which tells the month—one o’clock for January, two o'clock for February, and so on. Subtly audacious and creative!
The Superleggera stands out by defying the J12's unisex appeal—it's sharper and more technical with a harder edge than the collection's usual polish. Matte black ceramic is paired with black-coated steel for a stealthy look. A satin-finished hardened steel insert is set over a blackened steel base, cut with tightly machined gouges that create real depth.
Born during the Roaring Twenties—sleek curves, geometric shapes, Arabic numerals and all—the Historiques American 1921 wasn't subtle then, and it certainly isn't subtle now. Its distinctive 45-degree-rotated dial and unconventional crown placement at 3 o'clock are playful yet practical—a reminder that innovation is not exclusive to modern times.
You probably didn't need much convincing, but what you're looking at is a space watch. With its white zirconium oxide ceramic and subtle blue accents, IWC's debut venture into the territory of stars looks like an extension of the spacesuit itself. But the bezel is where the watch earns its keep: it rotates and switches between power-winding and time-setting for ease of astronauts' use.
Featuring a black obsidian dial framed by yellow gold, you won't find another watch that shines and reflects light the way this Santos-Dumont does. But the real story here is the introduction of Cartier's newest bracelet. 394 rice beads form a silky mesh that moulds and drapes the wrist with a flexibility that's unmatched in the Maison's catalogue.
Photography: Jaya Khidir
Photography Assistant: Goh Chiang Yang
Stylist: Asri Jasman and Elliot Tan
Edit: Elliot Tan
