LVMH Watch Week 2025 Doubles Down on Bling & Nostalgia
LVMH Watch Week 2025 delivered in full: wristwear that wouldn't feel out of place in the hip-hop bling era, statement pieces worthy of your For You Page, and watches dripping with nostalgia.
For the uninitiated, LVMH Watch Week (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) is an annual showcase of the latest horological flexes from the group’s powerhouse brands — Louis Vuitton, TAG Heuer, Daniel Roth, Gérald Genta, Bvlgari, Tiffany & Co., Hublot, and Zenith.
Much like its grip on fashion, LVMH has steadily carved its space in the watch industry, building a portfolio that competes with the best. And while I tend to lean toward independent watchmakers, there's something undeniably compelling — dare I say, exciting — about what LVMH is doing as watches and pop culture continue to collide.
Beyond just unveiling new watches, this year’s event hinted at the trends set to define 2025: nostalgia and bling. Expect these themes to dominate, with LVMH doubling down on both.
This year is shaping up to be one of the biggest for watches. Major brands are marking milestone anniversaries, while the next-gen players are dropping fresh heat.
LVMH Watch Week is setting the tone for what we’ll be talking about in 2025.
Nostalgia still reigns supreme
Cultural nostalgia is everywhere — archive fashion hauls, recycled pop culture throwbacks, and TikTok’s 80s/90s/Y2K obsession. Naturally, watches have followed suit, and at LVMH Watch Week, nostalgia took center stage.
Nostalgia in watchmaking isn’t new, but it’s taken on a sharper edge. Vintage pieces and the romanticized eras they hail from still captivate seasoned collectors and new-gen buyers alike.
It’s why reissues and callbacks aren’t just popular — they’re inevitable. And effective. Just look at how the recent Vacheron Constantin 222 reissue had collectors (me = collectors) foaming at the mouth.
This year, the Daniel Roth Extra Plat Souscription was one of the best examples of how to do neo-vintage right. Once a grail confined to vintage retailers and collector wishlists, LVMH has brought it back while keeping its charm intact.
Crafted in 18k gold, this faithful re-creation of the iconic 1990s-era dress watch offers modern precision without losing its original allure. Featuring an updated movement from La Fabrique du Temps, it’s a masterclass in balancing the old with the new.
TAG Heuer is also riding the nostalgia wave with the Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche Rallye.
Inspired by the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally, the watch honors Porsche’s storied motorsport legacy with a speckled black dial and an innovative TH20-08 movement engineered to precisely measure 9.1 seconds — an homage to the Porsche 911 "147" Rally car.
And then there's the Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence, arguably the unofficial face of LVMH Watch Week 2025. A nod to Art Deco-era montres à guichet (aperture watches), it perfectly embodies LV's knack for blending nostalgia with modern luxury.
It’s easy to imagine Tyler, The Creator — a known fan of vintage Cartier and LV — eyeing this piece already. But I digress.
At this point, vintage watches aren’t just popular — they dominate both social media and the market. LuxeConsult projects the pre-owned and vintage watch market to hit €79 billion by 2033.
Nostalgia in watches isn’t going anywhere. These reissues and callbacks aren’t just a nod to the past; they’re an entry point for new collectors and a wink to long-time enthusiasts.
Outside of LVMH, I expect to see many more reissues this year.
We’re deep into the jewelry watch arc
Bling wasn’t just present at LVMH Watch Week — it took over. Whether it’s hip-hop's close proximity to watches, social media’s influence, or the shrinking size of watches, the line between haute joaillerie and horology is disappearing.
"Both watchmakers and jewelers have since put their own spin on what they consider jewelry watches," writes style expert Gloria Fung. "The definition has evolved as more men embrace jewelry watches, thanks in part to the looming influence of hip-hop culture."
This sentiment rings true in Watchfinder & Co.’s 2024 study on Gen Z collectors, which found that 63% see watches more as jewelry than timepieces.
From Rihanna to Barry Keoghan and The Weeknd, blinged-out watches are no longer reserved for the red carpet — they’re everyday essentials. Whether stacked with tennis bracelets or worn solo, iced-out watches are thriving.
Take the Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal. Though it taps into nostalgia for Genta’s avant-garde designs, it also flexes serious high-jewelry energy. Featuring 137 Mexican fire opals set in a glass-blasted gold case, it’s equal parts timepiece and statement jewelry.
Then there's Tiffany & Co., which stole the show with its haute joaillerie hybrid creations. The Bird on a Rock Full Pavé Diamond Watch features 1,362 round brilliant diamonds set in a 36mm white-gold case and bracelet. And if that’s not enough, the Carat 128 Facet watches — crafted in white and yellow gold — pay homage to the legendary 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond, with a case back engraved “727” to honor the house’s iconic NYC flagship.
Even Zenith jumped on the bling train with the Chronomaster Sport Rainbow, featuring baguette-cut sapphires and diamonds framing its bezel. As someone who’s flirted with the idea of getting a Rolex Daytona (especially when you know the Zenith/Rolex history), this definitely scratches an itch for me and a lot of watch hunters.
But the pièce de résistance of the watch-jewelry hybrid? That title belongs to the newly unveiled Bvlgari Serpenti Tubogas and Serpenti Seduttori collections, now powered by the all-new BVS 100 Lady Solotempo — Bvlgari’s first self-winding, time-only movement designed exclusively for its ladies’ timepieces.
This ultra-slim automatic caliber isn’t just a technical flex; it’s engineered specifically to fit the iconic Serpenti head motif, seamlessly fusing haute horology with haute joaillerie in the most dazzling way possible.
Bling is back in a big way, and it’s not just for the boldest collectors anymore — it’s for anyone looking to add a little (or a lot) of sparkle to their rotation.
If LVMH Watch Week 2025 is any indication, this year will be all about watches that flex — whether it's flexing heritage, flexing craftsmanship, or straight-up flexing wealth.
Nostalgia continues to pull at our heartstrings, and bling is making a full-fledged comeback.
In other words, the era of loud, in-your-face luxury isn’t dead — it’s just evolving.
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