The Best Watches Spotted at Dubai Watch Week 2025

The Best Watches Spotted at Dubai Watch Week 2025

Dubai Watch Week has rapidly established itself as one of the most important events on the horological calendar. Founded in 2015 by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and held biannually, the event has evolved into an international platform where established Maisons, independent watchmakers and collectors congregate to celebrate the art of watchmaking.

As valuation professionals, attending Dubai Watch Week offers a unique opportunity to assess emerging trends, preview new releases and gain perspective on the broader direction of the market. From the impressive brand showcase of Audemars Piguet and Van Cleef & Arpels in particular, rare watches spotted on the wrist of fellow attendees, to technical innovations from exciting independents, several watches stood out to us as highlights of this year’s event. In this article, we share our observations from Dubai Watch Week and reveal some of our favourite timepieces on display.

The watch that we felt best encapsulated the ethos of Dubai Watch Week 2025 for us was this limited-edition Emirati and Bulgari collaboration – in the form of the Bulgari Mattar Bin Lahej x Octo Finissimo ref. 104311. This 40mm titanium Octo Finissimo was laser engraved with calligraphy from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum “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.” Working in collaboration with the Emirati artist Mattar Bin Lahej, this impressive timepiece was impeccably displayed in its own showcase, with shadowed calligraphy further echoing its important message. And indeed, Dubai Watch Week is imagining, designing and implementing the future of watchmaking – from its beginnings in 2015 the week has grown from 14 exhibiting brands to 60, with over 20 watch launches. The Bulgari Mattar Bin Lahej x Octo Finissimo was limited to 70 pieces, and retailed at €23,000. This limited-edition piece has not been seen on the secondary or open market since, at the time of writing.

Bulgari Fuochi D’Artificio Machette (Fireworks) High Jewellery Secret Watch, 2024.

A High Jewellery horological creation in the Bulgari exhibit that was hard to miss was this spectacular Fuochi D’Artificio Machette (Fireworks) High Jewellery Secret Watch from 2024. This piece was set in rose gold and titanium with emeralds, diamonds and coloured gemstones. It took over 1,450 hours to create this sensational piece.

Another timepiece that displayed the overarching trend of combining fine jewellery techniques with horology was this incredible tri-colour gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Creating a striking ‘camouflage’ pattern of white, yellow and rose gold applied to the case, bracelet and brand’s iconic tapisserie dial – with the hours, minutes and seconds hands each in a different gold hue.

Dating to 2024, this prototype model was formed from a ‘single homogenous block of precious metal,’ the effect created by the process of Spark Plasma Sintering. Why choose one colour gold when Audemars can give you all three?

It was a real treat to see the newly-released and much discussed Rolex Land-Dweller, after its launch in April 2025 at Watches & Wonders. Within the brand’s showcase was an off-catalogue platinum and fully diamond-set example that naturally drew quite the crowd! Unfortunately, no photographs of this stunning piece were allowed.

Amongst the independent watch brands and highly anticipated exhibitors on display was F.P. Journe.

Eye-catching as ever were the selection of Élégante watches, in their classic flat tortue case shape – one fully diamond set and the other ‘Gino’s Dream’ with a channel set rainbow sapphire bezel.

Our favourite F.P. Journe on display was an example of the F.P. Journe x Francis Ford Coppola collaboration, born in 2012 and now offered as a regular production piece in the Classique collection. Where watchmaking meets automata, this unique model was inspired by a 16^th century prosthesis of a hand, with the fingers animating, appearing or vanishing to display the time.

Just one month after this sighting at Dubai Watch Week, the prototype watch of this model sold at auction for $10.75 million – making it the most expensive timepiece ever sold by F.P. Journe.

Speaking of horology meeting automata, as one would expect Van Cleef & Arpels’ brand showcase was full of wonder and creativity. Housing the impressive Brassée de Lavande Automaton clock, designed as a lavender flower globe that opened up to reveal a perching butterfly every quarter – this piece was certainly the piece de resistance of the exhibit.

A more portable adaptation came in the form of the Maison’s Lady Arpels Heures Florales watch, with a mother of pearl, enamel, diamond and gemstone dial, indicating the hour with the number of flowers open, and the minutes on a scale to the gallery of the watch case. From the Poetic Complications collection, these wonderful women’s watches are works of art, and the particular example above – ref. VCARPBJMOO, retails for £248,000 at the time of writing.

And finally, to round off our list was an example from another sought-after independent Jacob & Co. One of many limited edition and unique masterpieces was this Epic SF24 Tourbillion Baguette watch ref. ES802.30.AC.A.A.A, limited edition of 18, in white gold with a striking green dial, with 8.90 carats of baguette diamond accents throughout. Displaying Dubai as part of its world time complication encapsulating 24 reference cities of the main 24 time zones on earth, this wonderful piece felt like it encapsulated the luxury, energy and strong storytelling of this special horological week.

At The Jewellery & Watch Consultancy, attending events such as Dubai Watch Week is central to our commitment to continually expanding our expertise and insights for our clients. What we observed in Dubai reinforces a shift in perspective: watchmaking is becoming ever more expressive, technical, and narrative-led, with Maisons and independents alike pushing boundaries in both craftsmanship, traditional horology and storytelling. These first-hand insights directly inform the valuation, acquisition and advisory services we provide, ensuring our clients benefit from the most current, relevant and commercially grounded perspective possible.

To enquire about a valuation for your watch collection, contact us via enquiries@jewellerywatchvaluations.co.uk, or fill in our form here.