2022 was a wild year for watch enthusiasts. New watches and collaborations took the world by storm, with luxury watch trends reaching even mainstream pop culture. Not to mention that watch releases from affordable brands paved the way for new collectors to enter the market.
Despite this, the general market witnessed a recess in watch values, with demand subsiding and the bubble of overpriced watches finally starting to burst. 2023 looks like a very exciting year, with new watch releases and brands rising to prominence. Plus, some favorites from 2022 will definitely remain on top for the foreseeable future.
So, what were the biggest watch stories last year? What can you expect in terms of watch trends and new watches in 2023? Is there anything to be hyped about?
If you want the answers to these questions, keep on reading!
Recap: Last Year in Watches
2022 had tons of exciting watch trends and stories, including one that began at the tail end of 2021.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus “Tiffany” Appears In Public
In December 2021, Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. announced their new collaboration, a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 in a unique light blue color. The importance of this watch was huge since earlier in the year, Patek had announced the discontinuation of one of the most iconic watches in the last few years.
The aptly named “Tiffany” Nautilus would only be available in 170 limited pieces, and the first one went to Californian watch collector Zach Lu for $6.5 million. Throughout 2022, more and more celebrities were seen wearing the “Tiffany” Nautilus, and the watch sparked a new watch trend for dials with this color.
We’re confident that the hype for the Patek Philippe Nautilus “Tiffany” won’t decrease any time soon, especially with the appearance of a few pieces on the gray market. But, if you want to get your hands on it, expect to pay at least a few million for one.
The MoonSwatch Landing Shakes Up The Market
Traditionally, the most popular topic in late March is the Watches & Wonders exhibition in Geneva, where brands present their new watch releases. However, last year, the public turned its attention to the admittedly unexpected Omega X Swatch collaboration.
The MoonSwatch announcement shook the world and had people lining up for hours to get one, as it was only available at select Swatch retail stores. The entire stock sold out within hours, and prices on the second-hand market were through the roof.
Swatch had mentioned that the watches would be available for online purchases. Almost a year later, the collection is still not easy to find, and its hype and prices are still very high. Combined with rumors about new watches in 2023 from Omega X Swatch, it doesn’t seem like their popularity will fade away soon.
Let’s Not Forget About Rolex
While the MoonSwatch was a particularly hot topic, watch enthusiasts still thoroughly discussed the new Rolex watch releases for 2022. Several of them were underwhelmed, while others found their new grail watches.
Undoubtedly the most popular new watch was the “Southpaw” GMT Master II, the first Rolex focused on left-handed individuals. The new Air King brought much-needed upgrades to an underappreciated collection, while the new Platinum Day-Date exuded pure class.
What shocked many watch fans was the discontinuation of the colorful dial options for the 41 mm Oyster Perpetual since they were particularly popular. Another fantastic Rolex release that went under the radar was the Deepsea Challenge, a great dive watch with a whopping 11,000 m of water resistance, which came out in November.
Vacheron & AP Leave Their Mark
Watches & Wonders also gave us an exceptional new (or perhaps not so new) timepiece from Vacheron Constantin. The Historiques 222 in yellow gold bears a striking resemblance to the Vacheron Constantin 222, a sports watch with an integrated bracelet from the 1970s.
The new timepiece retains the original hexagonal-link bracelet and includes Vacheron’s in-house caliber 2455/2. The watch became an instant hit among both watch enthusiasts and celebrities.
For the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary, Audemars Piguet came up with a brilliant new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in blue ceramic. After the success of the black and white ceramic models from the same collection, the new blue ceramic RO was an instant hit. Its unique design, high-end automatic movement and AP’s brand name will surely make this watch a future icon.
Underrated Brands Rise To Prominence
2022 was a great year for many luxury watch brands, including some underrated ones. Tudor, which was often in the shadow of its parent company Rolex, has finally begun to forge its own path and set new luxury watch trends. The Black Bay collection stands stronger than ever, and the new Ranger and Pelagos models were very well-received by watch fans.
While IWC has always been an excellent watch brand, it saw particular interest from watch fans and celebrities in 2022. The brand’s prominent appearance in the movie Top Gun: Maverick, along with the release of the new and excellent IWC Mark XX, got it on the radar of many new watch fans.
Breitling also saw a rise in popularity in 2022 thanks to its several collaborations, one of which was with famous NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo. This partnership will bring the brand to the forefront of pop culture and significantly enhance its reputation.
Trendiest Watches in 2023
So, what’s in store in terms of luxury watch trends in 2023? Well, we can’t be sure, but there are a few new watches, along with some old favorites, that will probably sit atop the list of popular watches for 2023.
Grand Seiko SLGA021G
Grand Seiko began the year with a bang and released the model SLGA021. This watch is a part of the growing Evolution 9 collection and features Grand Seiko’s latest caliber, 9RA2, a Spring Drive movement with a staggering five-day power reserve.
The SLGA021 comes in a gorgeous deep blue dial that has a wave pattern similar to the ripples of Lake Suwa in Japan. With such a beautiful and clean dial and Grand Seiko’s usual robustness, this watch makes for an excellent timepiece to accompany you in your daily life.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42 Infinity Edition
Girard-Perregaux is a relatively unknown brand to most, even though it’s one of the oldest brands dating back to 1791. The original Laureato came out in 1975 with an integrated bracelet and a quartz movement, which differentiated it significantly from other sports watches of the era.
The modern Laureato comes in a 42 mm case diameter with one of the brand’s high-end in-house automatic movements. The Infinity Edition was a limited run that featured a gorgeous onyx black dial. This watch is a great alternative to the most popular steel sports watches, with a unique aesthetic and a huge history behind it.
Rolex New Watches For 2023
Everybody loves to talk about Rolex and predict what new watches they may come out with. While that’s a hard task to achieve, it’s always fun to make predictions and end up not getting a single one of them right. So, what’s in store for Rolex in 2023?
It’s worth mentioning that 2023 is the 70th anniversary of the Submariner and Explorer collections, as well as the 60th anniversary of the Daytona. Therefore, it’s likely that we’ll see some new versions for at least one of these watches. Also, thanks to the titanium Rolex Deepsea Challenge, everyone expects more titanium sports watches from the brand.
Another common prediction is a potential new Milgauss. The watch has risen in popularity significantly and hasn’t had a refresh in almost ten years.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Brown Dial
With Vacheron’s ascent to mainstream culture this year, more watch fans now consider the Overseas a great alternative to the Royal Oak or the Nautilus. Both watches are extremely expensive and hard to find, and the Overseas is still an amazing stainless steel sports watch from one of the most iconic Swiss watch brands.
While the Overseas is generally a lot cheaper than similar sports watches, the brown dial Overseas 4500V remains pricey due to its scarcity. It’s a classy sports watch with a unique design and dial color. You’ll be hard-pressed to find one since it was only in production for one year, but it’ll be worth your money and effort.
New Year, New Watch?
Overall, 2022 was definitely an exciting year for watch fans, and it seems like 2023 will produce some equally great stories and watch trends. If you’re eyeing that luxurious new watch for 2023, why not protect it with an equally luxurious and well-made watch roll?
Our team at Operandi Firenze works diligently to produce the best watch rolls with attention to detail and impeccable craftsmanship. We source the highest quality Italian leather and rigorously test every single watch roll to ensure its reliability and the safety of your watches.
Consider picking up one of our premium watch rolls to keep your new luxury watches safe when they’re not on your wrist.
So, go out there, buy that new watch you’ve yearned for in 2023, and don’t forget to keep an eye on the time!
