Dubai Watch Week 2025 Sets the Pace for Horology’s Future

Dubai Watch Week (DWW) 2025 arrived with a clarity of purpose that was undeniably future-facing. While Burj Park may have been the perfect horological playground for insiders, it was the scale of ambition that defined this edition, with more than 90 brands coming together under one open programme. This year, the biennial fair returned for its seventh edition — and its tenth as a free public event — with an energy that was momentous. The fair held a gala honouring the 75th anniversary of its driving force, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the region’s most prominent watch retailer. 

Hind Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, CEO, Dubai Watch Week, set the tone at the opening by emphasising the importance of the long view. Seddiqi outlined a vision for DWW to evolve into a year-round global platform, hinting at forthcoming initiatives such as the formation of an advisory committee and other exciting developments. Her remarks underscored a commitment to expanding horological footprint by building intellectual and creative depth. 

Across the pavilions, the mood mirrored that sentiment. Brands arrived with pieces that examined heritage through a forward-directed lens, whether by refining complications, enhancing material innovations or by rethinking how form meets function. What started as a niche event has turned into a conduit through which horological inventions meet a global waypoint. In that spirit, GMT India rounds up 7 novelties that read as propositions for where watchmaking is headed.

Chopard L.U.C Grand Strike 

Chopard marked the 30th anniversary of its Fleurier manufacture with its most complex chiming watch yet. The L.U.C Grand Strike houses the calibre 08.03-L, built from 686 components with a grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie and minute repeater. Its sapphire crystal gongs, machined as a single unit with the dial, give the watch its distinctive acoustic character. The 43mm ethical white gold case remains relatively slim at 14.08mm, holding a 60-second tourbillon and 70-hour power reserve. With dual certifications from COSC and the Poinçon de Genève, it is one of the most rigorously tested chiming watches on the market.

Louis Vuitton Escale 

Louis Vuitton continued its material-led approach with two Escale limited editions featuring turquoise and malachite. The 40mm case integrates a monolithic ring of the same stone used for the dial, framed by platinum lugs and crown. A Saffiano leather strap anchors each piece, grey for the turquoise model, rainforest green for the malachite. Inside sits the automatic calibre LFT023 with a 22k rose gold micro-rotor, a 50-hour power reserve, and a chronometer certification. Only 30 pieces of each variation will be made.

Bvlgari Mattar Bin Lahej x Octo Finissimo 

Bvlgari revisited the Octo Finissimo through the lens of UAE artist Mattar Bin Lahej. The 40mm titanium case, dial, and bracelet are laser-engraved with Arabic calligraphy saying, “The future will be for those who can imagine, design, and implement it. The future does not wait, but it can be designed and built today,” creating a continuous surface of linework. The watch retains the Finissimo profile at 5.15mm, powered by the BVL 138 calibre, an automatic ultra-thin movement with platinum micro-rotor, 60-hour power reserve and small seconds with a water-resistance scale that goes up to 30 metres. A transparent caseback carries Mattar Bin Lahej’s engraved signature. The edition is capped at 70 pieces.

H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Perpetual Moon Concept Meteorite 

Moser brings a fragment of the cosmos to this timepiece with a  meteorite dial rendered in golden tones and a fumé finish to its Streamliner line. Each dial is cut from the Gibeon meteorite and treated to reveal the Widmanstätten pattern, making each watch distinct. The 40mm steel case houses the HMC 270 automatic calibre with a perpetual moon display accurate to a single day every 1,027 years. The power reserve is 72 hours, and water resistance is rated at 120 metres.

Oris ProPilot Desert Edition 

Oris ProPilot Desert Edition introduces a sand-toned evolution of the ProPilot Date, bringing together lightweight materials and everyday durability. The 41mm case blends carbon fibre with grey PVD-coated steel, giving the watch a rugged profile. A hybrid strap in black rubber and textile anchors the design, playing against the sand-beige dial with black numerals and red accents. Inside, the Oris calibre 733-1 powers the watch with a 41-hour reserve, stop-seconds function, and date display. Water resistance is rated at 100 metres.

Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase 

For the Classics Moneta Moonphase, Frederique Constant shifted the fluted bezel beneath the sapphire crystal, turning it into a coin-edge flange. The 37mm steel case appears in a gilded finish paired with a deep black dial and moonphase at six o’clock. Dauphine hands keep the layout clean. A quartz movement provides a 60-month battery life. The calfskin strap is stamped with an alligator pattern to retain the watch’s vintage cues.

MB&F HM11 Art Deco 

The HM11 Art Deco stands apart even in a field crowded with design-led releases. The 42mm titanium case has a 23mm height and a display that reads as an architectural model: circular-grained markers in coloured PVD, white gold skeleton hands with transparent red enamel, and a crown-less silhouette. Time-setting happens by rotating the case itself. Inside sits a three-dimensional, manual-wind movement with a flying tourbillon, bevel gears, and a 96-hour power reserve, accompanied by an integrated temperature indicator. Functions include hours, minutes, power reserve, and temperature (–20 to 60°C / 0 to 140°F). The watch is finished with a lizard strap and a titanium folding buckle.

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