In 2025, Men’s Watches Explore Light & Colour

Jeremy Freed May 30, 2025

From the pages of SHARP: The Book For Men, our men’s watch photoshoot captures this season’s most compelling timepieces. Set against a slew of electric displays — from technicolour gradients to fluorescent blue stones — cutting-edge details come to the forefront: think ultralight materials, monochrome aesthetics, and ocean-inspired dials. With Swiss-made sports watches and vintage-inspired divers, these new men’s watches keep you up to speed all season long.

IWC Ingenieur Automatic 40

A tribute to the historic Ingenieur SL Reference 1832 created in the 1970s by superstar watch designer Gérald Genta, this version of the new Ingenieur Automatic 40 combines the unmistakable look of the original with a host of modern upgrades, including a case and integrated bracelet made of Grade 5 titanium. ($19,100)

Grand Seiko SLGA023

Grand Seiko is best known for the incredible accuracy of its spring-drive movements, the unique gleam of its “zaratsu” case polishing, and a selection of dials inspired by the Japanese landscape. This diver, whose dial pays tribute to Pacific Ocean currents, is a textbook example of these strengths, with the additional enticement of a high-intensity titanium case. ($16,300)

Chopard Alpine Eagle TT

Unlike every other piece in Chopard’s sporty Alpine Eagle collection, this titanium version forgoes the line’s signature dial texture for a dial that’s been excised to reveal the inner workings of its ultra-slim automatic movement. Look closely, however, and you’ll spot a micro-rotor engraved to mimic the eye of its namesake raptor. ($34,700)

Frederique Constant Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture

This isn’t just one of the most accessible Swiss-made perpetual calendars out there, it’s also among the most wearable. Thanks to a sporty integrated bracelet design and a navy blue dial displaying day, date, month, and moon phases, it’s versatile enough to pair with everything from suits to denim. ($12,995)

Cartier Ballon Bleu

Just as the century-old Cartier Tank is a study in parallel lines, this modern design is a study in concentric circles, with a round case encircling a curving chemin de fer minutes track and an elliptical date window. Its name refers to the blue sapphire cabochon that appears to float inside the rounded crown guard, but a moody blue dial only adds to the Ballon Bleu’s charm. ($9,250)

Tudor Black Bay Chrono “Flamingo Blue”

After the successful launch of a pastel pink Black Bay Chrono, Tudor went back to Miami Beach for another round of sun-drenched inspiration. The result is a new species of chronograph that pairs the classic mid-century design of the Black Bay with an irresistibly cheerful turquoise dial. ($7,420)

Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic

High-altitude adventure is the inspiration behind both the looks and the performance of Alpina’s namesake Swiss-made sports watch. A 316L stainless steel case gives it the requisite toughness, while a mountain-inspired triangular motif on the bezel screws and dial evokes the rugged majesty of the Alps. ($2,995)

Longines Ultra-Chron Carbon

The star of this rebooted 1960s diver’s watch is a highly accurate mechanical movement beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour, but if that doesn’t get your pulse racing, its monochrome dial and titanium and carbon case ought to. ($6,700)

Piaget Polo Skeleton

Sometimes less is more, and sometimes more is more. Improbably, this version of Piaget’s sporty Polo offers a bit of both, with a skeletonized dial that reveals the complex mechanics of its ultra-slim movement and a matt black ceramic case with muted navy blue hour markers and hands. ($57,000)

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Dark Green Ceramic

Sometimes you want a little green, and sometimes you want a lot. Part of a new collection released to celebrate the Big Bang’s 20th anniversary, this edition leans fully into the monochrome aesthetic with a microblasted and polished dark green ceramic case and a matching rubber strap. ($34,100)