As 2024 draws to a close, and before we ring in the New Year, let’s take a look back at the watch year 2024 and reveal the most important trends in the industry. How has the market evolved in general? What trends have we observed in our Chrono24 data this year, and what developments have we noticed personally?
How did the watch market develop in 2024?
Let me start with a trend I personally noticed in 2024 that’s not based on facts. After a veritable vintage boom in many watch models in recent years, particularly in terms of design, manufacturers moved away from this a little in 2024. Although vintage-inspired watches are still part of this cosmos: Many dials are returning to monochrome and fresher colors, eschewing vintage elements like gilded indices and warm cream tones. Even Tudor, the king of vintage watches, has noticed this trend: With watches like the Tudor Black Bay Monochrome, the Tudor Pelagos FXD Cycling Edition, and the pink and blue color variants of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono, the brand has taken a slightly more visually modern direction than before. Another trend we saw was the way new watches were presented to the public in 2024. Many new timepieces were launched throughout the year, rather than exclusively at major events such as Watches and Wonders. This trend started back in 2020, when the pandemic forced manufacturers to find other ways to bring new products to market. Meanwhile, watch manufacturers have become very good at surprising fans and the press to keep themselves in the conversation. Omega created a sensation with the launch of the new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M at the very end of 2024. According to our data, Cartier was the top-selling brand – not only the brand’s models were very popular, but also Cartier-style watches in general. Smaller, rectangular case shapes were particularly popular on Chrono24, especially when paired with white dials and Roman numerals. Cartier has become a very popular manufacturer in recent years, delighting customers with its iconic jewelry lines as well as its watches. It’s therefore hardly surprising that the iconic manufacturer experienced a major upswing in 2024.
Watch Trend 2024: Titanium
Titanium was particularly popular with watch enthusiasts in 2024. This material is lighter and more resistant to corrosion than steel. It has a “toolier,” rougher look that is particularly popular for sporty diving watches. Titanium was a major trend among this year’s new products. These included a new variant of the iconic Breitling Chronomat and several variants of the Pelagos FXD, the latter of which was the talk of the town following the launch of the Pelagos FXD GMT a few weeks ago. One of the best known titanium watches is the Pelagos collection from Tudor. Of particular interest is the Tudor Pelagos 39, which combines functionality and style like few other titanium timepieces. This titanium watch looks great on the beach or in the water, but also at night.
Watch Trend 2024: White and Gold Dials
Another 2024 watch trend that was clearly visible in our data is the white dial color. The new Omega Speedmaster Professional in white was just one of the hits: The new model is one of the highlights of 2024, bringing the iconic Moonwatch to new heights. White not only looks great on legendary chronographs such as the Rolex Daytona or the Omega Speedmaster, it also looks really good on all-rounders. A well-known and very popular representative on the Chrono24 marketplace is the Grand Seiko “Snowflake” which not only impresses with its great Spring Drive technology and excellent quality, but with the special structure of its dial as well that’s reminiscent of a snow-covered landscape.
White was not the only color in 2024 that caused a stir among watch enthusiasts. Gold was also very popular, at least with vintage watches. Gold was one of the most popular dial colors for older Rolex Day-Date models. Particularly with a yellow-gold watch like this Rolex icon, the color variant fits like a glove, making the Presidential look even more noble and luxurious.
Watch Trend 2024: Rectangular Case Shape
Cartier’s rectangular watches have long been among the most popular of all time. Rectangular and tonneau-shaped watches were particularly popular this year. One of the most popular models is the Cartier Santos – even though watch enthusiasts often disagree about what kind of watch this Cartier icon is. Is it really a pilot’s watch? An all-rounder? Or a dress watch after all? This shows how versatile and important this model is to the watchmaking world. The Cartier Santos has an incredibly rich and fascinating history as the first pilot’s watch, is great for everyday wear, and is also a fantastic option for evening wear thanks to its elegant appearance. I particularly recommend the white medium version with Roman numerals, which strikes the perfect balance between a traditional look and suitability for everyday wear.
Watch Trend 2024: Moon Phase Complication
This 2024 watch trend is a bit of a surprise. Even though watch enthusiasts appreciate a moon phase complication, I didn’t expect it to be one of the big watch trends of 2024. The usefulness of a moon phase display is certainly debatable, especially in this day and age, but visually speaking, this complication is an upgrade for any dress watch. One example is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master, the Ultra Thin Moon version of which is currently one of the most beautiful dress watches on the market. The dial of this timepiece is particularly striking, with a special silky texture that looks great with darker colors. The whole thing is topped off by a beautifully presented movement that can be admired through a sapphire crystal case back. The JLC Master Ultra Thin Moon is a very special dress watch that you should definitely take a look at.
Final Thoughts
The watch year 2024 had a few surprises in store for watch enthusiasts. As someone who is involved with watches for a living, I like the fact that manufacturers are finally giving their fans new products to enjoy throughout the year. This keeps things interesting all year round, not just in April when Watches and Wonders takes place. My personal favorite of the 2024 watch trends is the rise in interest in white dials. As a lover of white dials, I’m particularly pleased with this development. They are at least as timeless as their black counterparts and add great variety to any watch collection. I’m curious to see if this watch trend continues in 2025.
