It is also the fair’s biggest iteration, with a total of 66 brands in attendance. Among them, 11 are new exhibitors, including Audemars Piguet, which made its long-awaited return to the industry’s biggest stage after seven years.
In a sea of hundreds of new timepiece unveilings at Watches and Wonders 2026, these stood out as the defining highlights of the fair.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41
Rolex celebrates 100 years of its renowned Oyster with a series of commemorative releases across its range. The Oyster Perpetual 41 emerges as the “face” of the anniversary collection, alongside updated 36, 34, and 28mm models. The Oyster Perpetual 36, in particular, flaunts a gorgeous multi-coloured Jubilee dial.
The Oyster Perpetual 41, on the other hand, has its fair share of meaningful tributes. The Rolesor, Rolex’s signature two-tone execution, is redesigned with 18-carat yellow gold for the bezel and Twinlock crown, in subtle contrast to the Oystersteel bracelet. Meanwhile, the dial features a “100 years” engraving at 6 o’clock with Rolex’s signature green for the minute markers to further reinforce the centenary celebration. Other than that, Rolex also introduced new models of the Datejust 41, Yacht-Master II, Day-Date 40, and Cosmograph Daytona.
IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur Automatic 42
IWC Schaffhausen unveiled a handful of exciting new timepieces this year, especially since the brand has some milestones to celebrate. Namely, 90 years of Pilot’s Watches, two decades of collaboration with the heirs of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (the author of The Little Prince), and the 50th anniversary of Gérald Genta’s Ingenieur SL design.
Thus, in the newly announced expanded Ingenieur collection, our eyes are on the Ingenieur Automatic 42, now in dark olive green ceramic and gold accents – a first! This is the second reference, as last year saw the debut of an Ingenieur Automatic 42 in black zirconium oxide ceramic. The follow-up model is as light, slim and comfortable as ever, yet utterly resistant to wear and tear. The technical watch is enhanced with a 5N gold crown and five screws made from 18-carat Armor Gold securing the bezel. At its heart is the IWC-manufactured Calibre 82110, equipped with the Pellaton winding system that can build up a 60-hour power reserve.
Zenith Chronomaster Sport Skeleton
Four new additions to Zenith’s name come in the Chronomaster Sport Skeleton, the Chronomaster Sport, and the new G.F.J. Calibre 135, either with a green bloodstone dial or a tantalum case. As a new interpretation of the El Primero legacy, Zenith’s Chronomaster Sport introduces an openworked dial for the first time with the Chronomaster Sport Skeleton. The revealed El Primero 3600 automatic chronograph movement is capable of measuring 1/10th of a second and beating at a high frequency of 5 Hz.
The overlapping tri-colour subdials in grey, anthracite, and blue for the black ceramic bezel version remain one of the watch’s most recognisable design cues. The rhodium-plated hour markers and hands are also treated with Super-LumiNova for enhanced legibility. The Chronomaster Sport Skeleton spans four versions: two stainless steels with green or black ceramic bezel; 18-carat rose gold with a black ceramic bezel and a rubber strap; and an exclusive 10-piece rose gold, completed with a 50 baguette-cut diamond bezel.
Audemars Piguet Établisseurs
After a seven-year absence from the fair, Audemars Piguet returned strongly with a new initiative called Atelier des Établisseurs. Under the direction of CEO Ilaria Resta, the maison revived the idea of an établissage system. It refers to an old Swiss watchmaking system where one master coordinator – the établisseur – worked with many independent artisans, each specialising in one part of the watch (case, dial, engraving, movement, and more), before everything was assembled into one final piece. This reflects a return to traditional collaborative watchmaking for Audemars Piguet, bringing master artisans together to create highly exclusive timepieces focused on innovation, craftsmanship, and creative expression.
A trio of rare handcrafted timepieces make up its inaugural collection: the Établisseurs Peacock, Établisseurs Nomade, and Établisseurs Galets. Uniquely shaped, the Établisseurs Galets, in particular, resemble the soft curves of pebbles reminiscent of Vallée de Joux’s natural landscape. Complete with a turquoise stone dial, 18-carat yellow-gold, and an asymmetrical bracelet, the timepiece is equipped with a hand‑finished Calibre 3098 visible through the caseback. It’s a significant mention as it marks the revival of Audemars Piguet’s first in-house movement. The maison also plans to release five different stone combinations in limited quantities throughout 2026.
Patek Philippe Celestial Sunrise and Sunset
Patek Philippe reinforces its technical mastery with several grand complications, including the first grand complication to display the times of sunrise and sunset, the first grand complication within the Cubitus collection, and a grand complication equipped with a 24-hour alarm function.
Alongside its lunar motion and moon-phase display, the Patek Philippe Reference 6105G Celestial allows wearers to read sunrise and sunset times directly from the wrist, among many other features. Powered by the ultra-thin new Calibre 240, the watch features a patented mechanism that enables simultaneous and precise correction of both the time and the sunrise/sunset indications during the transition between summer and winter time – without disrupting its celestial display. The result of five years of development and six patent applications, it combines technical innovation with a distinctive, astronomical-inspired aesthetic synonymous with Patek Philippe.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points
After marking its 270th anniversary last year, Vacheron Constantin continues its heritage of crafting timepieces defined by unique technical and aesthetic signatures. The maison took the opportunity at Watches and Wonders 2026 to present its overarching theme for the year, “Explore All Ways Possible”. It perfectly encapsulated the latest novelties unveiled: The Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin, which houses the newest ultra-thin Calibre 2550; Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points; Historiques American 1921; the exclusive Égérie Moon Phase Spring Blossom limited to 100 pieces worldwide; and Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Skeleton.
The non-limited four references of the new Overseas Dual Time Cardinal Points come perfectly to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Overseas collection. The spirit of exploration is interpreted with four new dial colours that mirror the cardinal compass points and their respective terrain: white for the cold North; brown for the vast South continents; green for tropical jungles and deep forests of the West; and blue for the East, where the ocean and sky meet on the horizon.
Crafted in titanium, the new additions are modelled after its predecessors from 2019 and 2021. After all, the 2019 version was a mere prototype created specifically for photographer and explorer Cory Richards, who wore and tested it during his ascent of Mount Everest. Later, two limited-edition Overseas Everest models with a model 150-piece production were released to the despair of many who couldn’t get their hands on one.
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo
In Bvlgari’s second participation at Watches and Wonders, the maison presented four versions of the Octo Finissimo, a new interpretation of its Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon, fresh takes on the iconic Serpenti Tubogas and Aeterna.
The refined Bvlgari Octo Finissimo 37mm stuns with a new movement that took three years to develop to be able to achieve a significant 20% volume reduction – albeit 0.12 mm thicker than the one in the 40 mm Octo Finissimo. Despite the reduced size, the new self-winding calibre BVF 100 with micro-rotor delivers a 72-hour power reserve, making it perfect for daily wear.
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