This week delivered exceptional breadth across predictions for Watches and Wonders 2026 on Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Tudor, as well as a few exciting new releases from independent and established manufactures, that merit deeper consideration. These five essential editorials from January 26-30 provide deep information on where watch brands are heading in early 2026.
Begin with our predictions regarding the 50th anniversary of the Patek Philippe Nautilus. As Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026 approaches, speculation intensifies over how Patek Philippe will commemorate the Nautilus's golden 50th anniversary. But the signals have been clear for years—if you know where to look. This read Perspective: The Nautilus 50th Anniversary—Reading the Signals on What Patek Philippe Will and Won't Do Next is a must this weekend.
The new Piaget Polo 79 Two-Tone solidifies the brand's positioning, resurrecting this iconic watch, and brings exciting news from the masters of ultra-thin movements early on in the year—perhaps giving a glimpse into what Watches and Wonders 2026 could bring from some of their iconic models from the past.
Continuing with our predictions for Watches and Wonders 2026, we do a deep dive into what the most important watch fair in the world could bring and what it won’t bring as Rolex celebrates 100 years of the Oyster Case, and as Tudor celebrates 100 years since the brand was registered in 1926. The editorial Perspective: The Oyster Case Turns 100—Reading the Signals on What Rolex Will and Won't Do for the Oyster's Centenary brings a deep analysis of what has happened at Rolex in the past few years and how the Explorer II—launched in 1971 and now marking its own 55th anniversary in 2026—remains exclusively in stainless steel. We provide WCL’s visualization of what the Explorer II in 18K Yellow Gold or in Rolesor would look like, to complete the professional collection's material matrix. Meanwhile, Perspective: Tudor Turns 100—What the Brand Will and Won't Do for Watches and Wonders 2026 provides a thought-provoking editorial on what we could expect from Tudor this year.
Finally, we introduce the Chopard Zagato Lab One Concept watch, the third collaboration between this brand and the famous auto bodywork specialist Zagato. This is the lightest watch ever released by Chopard, and one of the lightest watches in the world at 43.2 grams—strap included.
These five editorials collectively address the week's essential watch-collecting questions: where Rolex and Tudor are heading this year, whether we expect the Patek Philippe Nautilus to be resurrected in stainless steel, and where the industry is heading with its latest releases.
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