As the pace finally settles after a week that felt like nonstop movement in Dubai, we took a moment to reflect.
Dubai Watch Week has grown into something rare in this industry. It was my first year and still felt like joining a community that has been shaping itself for a long time. Giants and newcomers share the same spaces with equal curiosity. The atmosphere is open. Many watches never reach the display stands because they are already on someone’s wrist being tested, discussed and passed around. Price does not separate anyone. A shared enthusiasm for horology moves everything forward.
A celebration of the Seddiqi family
This year marks the 75th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi, the family owned retailer that stands behind the creation of Dubai Watch Week. Their influence on the region’s watch culture is undeniable, yet it is Hind Seddiqi who has shaped the event itself. Her leadership, vision and warmth have guided Dubai Watch Week into its present form. She is the driving force behind its character, its openness and its global relevance.
Dubai Watch Week was founded under the Seddiqi legacy and has now reached its seventh edition. The 2025 chapter was its most ambitious to date, held in a new two hundred thousand square foot venue at Dubai Mall’s Burj Park. The expanded setting welcomed more exhibiting brands than ever before. It brought together masterclasses, the Creative Hub, the Horology Forum and a full spectrum of independents, major houses and emerging voices. It demonstrated how deeply the Seddiqi family has shaped the cultural fabric of horology in the region.
It is a milestone that deserves genuine appreciation. Congratulations to Hind Seddiqi and the entire team for delivering an edition that set a new standard.
Looking back at a selection of timepieces we encountered during the week:
Chopard
To mark the 30th anniversary of its Manufacture, they released the L.U.C Grand Strike, its most mechanically complex watch to date. With a crystal clear chime that needs to be experienced live.
Rolex
A room dedicated to my personal favorite release of the year, the Landweller. They could have placed a familiar movement in a new case and stopped there. They did not. The full execution is on display and it shows.
Jacob & Co
The God of Time. A grand presence, a tourbillon that rotates in four seconds and the unmistakable Jacob signature.
H. Moser & Cie
Streamliner Perpetual Moon with a gold-toned meteorite dial, which was originally intended to be a gray natural dial.
Bvlgari
Not this year’s CPHG winner yet still a reminder of last year’s record with the 1.80 millimeter ultra thin masterpiece. See the full comparison with an American Express card here.
Audemars Piguet
The most immersive presentation of the week at the House of Wonders as AP celebrates its one hundred fiftieth anniversary. Our full tour is available on @menwithclass, here.
Hublot
A double celebration. A rare Big Bang created exclusively for the Seddiqi seventy-fifth anniversary featuring Eastern Arabic numerals.
Biver
One of the most active exhibitors with a collection that felt personal, ambitious and driven by pure passion. Plays with light beautifully.
Louis Vuitton
A 39 mm yellow gold Monterey with Grand Feu enamel, heritage accents and an in-house automatic caliber, limited to 188 pieces.
Tudor
New Ranger. The Dune White is the color to pick. I would love to see it on a five-link bracelet although the three-link suits its utilitarian purpose.
Nomos Glashütte
Hands-on time with the Limited Edition Worldtimer, made in two versions with Dubai and Abu Dhabi written in arabic.
Laurent Ferrier
Minimalism on the dial and immersive detail in the movement. Consistently elegant.
Roger Dubuis
A study in dual character. Urban Excalibur energy on one side and calmer refined novelties on the other.
Norqain
A playful take on life and watchmaking. Their Enjoy Life message resonated and the ice cream touch made people smile.
Leica
A camera icon that is steadily expanding its presence in watchmaking. Still under the radar yet guided by the same clarity and discipline that defines its photography. A journey worth following.
Tag Heuer
A source of inspiration that became her project to execute. Given the choice to simplify the design or change the manufacturing process they chose the latter.
Breitling
A night of comedy, kind of. CEO Georges Kern and comedian Shawn Chidiac on stage discussing watches and the use of humor in marketing.
Genus
The familiar 8 returns in full sparkle with diamonds. My personal favorite is still the Time2Race, a tribute to racing icons.
Duke
Clean lines and deep color tones. Known for their unique automatic movement with a hidden rotor.
Atelier Wen
A detail-rich timepiece. First the scratch dial, which creates a unique texture, paired with Eastern Arabic numerals. Then the Chinese engravings on the movement.
Gerald Charles
A one of one diamond set creation. Flashy on paper yet surprisingly balanced in person.
Greubel Forsey
Entirely handmade with a unique architecture where dial and movement merge. What could have been the caseback becomes the dial itself.
ArtyA
A sapphire case that looks simple at first glance but is heat treated to create soft yellow reflections. Extremely light and fun to handle.
Cyrus Genève
A watch so new it arrived without a strap. Skeletonized, modern and only slightly heavier than its predecessor while still maintaining a sense of lightness.
Armin Strom
The One Week Skeleton appears in rose gold for the first time, offering a clearer look at its layered construction and openworked detail.
Parmigiani Fleurier
It appears calm at first glance, but its Arctic Rose dial shows deeper textures as you move in.
MB&F
The HM11 comes back as an Art Deco reinterpretation, shaped like a miniature structure and new geometry.
Urwerk and Ulysse Nardin
It takes the Freak idea in a new direction, blending two independent voices into one openly collaborative creation.
Vyntage
It might come across as uncomplicated, but the ultra-thin titanium build reveals a focused approach to daily wear.
Tutima
A well executed manual wound novelty, at a good price point, that deserves attention. Limited to 25 pieces.
Oris
A familiar ProPilot seen through a softer desert palette, now carrying a lighter feel and a calmer ruggedness.
Moritz Grossmann
Glashütte based and dedicated to high-end finishing that don’t shouts for attention.
Speake Marin
A slim skeleton watch with hand-finished ripples, refined small seconds, rhodium details and Speake Marin aesthetics.
De Bethune
A deep purple dial that shifts from black to blue depending on the light. A familiar signature executed nicely.
Louis Erard
It stares back with expressive eyes and a quietly playful character, a collaboration with Konstantin Chaykin.
Favre Leuba
The new Deep Raider Renaissance introduces meteorite and malachite dials. We viewed the vintage watches too, a nice link back to the roots.
Perrelet
Turbine collaboration with Diaa Allam featuring dynamic Arabic calligraphy inspired by Emirati wickerwork. Limited to 50 pieces.
Bremont
A stealth grey titanium tool watch with meteorite texture, shock protection and pilot-grade clarity. Limited to 400 pieces.
Frédérique Constant
Highlife Chronograph reimagined by Bamford with sharp turquoise accents, smoked caseback and three straps. Limited to 100 pieces.
More in-depth stories from people we met during the week
With so many novelties and encounters shaping the week, some moments deserved a deeper look. Beyond the quick impressions and first takes, these are the conversations, interviews and stories that offered real insight into the minds behind the watches.
Biver
Jean-Claude Biver opens up about the influences, values and craftsmanship defining his lifelong journey.
Read more here.
A Lange Söhne
Wilhelm Schmid reflects on the values that guided A. Lange & Söhne through loss and revival.
Read more here.
Hublot
Julien Tornare described his first year as CEO, the Big Bang 20th Anniversary and changing the future of timekeeping.
Read more here.
H Moser & Cie
Edouard Meylan reflects on Moser’s momentum, design clarity and the long-term vision shaping its next chapter.
Read more here.
Laurent Ferrier
A conversation with Robert Bailey. Laurent Ferrier’s clash of ideologies shouldn’t work together, but creates something undeniably beautiful.
Read more here.
Tag Heuer
Head of Innovation Jean Laconte walked us through the thinking behind their novelty, and the new manufacturing processes behind it.
Read more here.
Norqain
Tobias Küffer reflects on Norqain’s emotional roots, family legacy and a future shaped by bold ideas.
Read more here.
Chopard
Marina Greene shared the story behind L.U.C Grand Strike. Highly complicated, beautiful on the wrist, yet the sound is the true star.
Read more here.
Tudor
Met with Sarah Candalh to explore their new Ranger. A focused take on utility and proportion, built for daily wear without forcing the point.
Read more here.
Audemars Piguet
An unexpected novelty. Swiss watchmaking meets the momentum of robotics and artificial intelligence.
Read more here.
House of Brands
CEO Georges Kern shares insights. A strategic triad emerges in Dubai as Breitling previews the return of Universal Genève and Gallet.
Read more here.
Nomos Glashütte
We did get hands-on time with the new grey Worldtimer, but the watch I personally wore most during DWW was the navy blue version.
More to come.
Closing thought
What makes Dubai Watch Week truly special is its openness. Collectors, creators and newcomers meet on equal ground, sharing the same curiosity and the same excitement for the craft. It feels like the core of what watchmaking should be. With more brands joining each edition and with so many novelties unveiled specifically for this event, it is clear that the industry now sees Dubai Watch Week as a stage worth saving ideas for. The next edition will no doubt bring even more, and we are already looking forward to experiencing it.
Thank you for having us.
