Summary Waqt Picks the Best Four High-Complication Watches of 2025

As 2025 draws to a close, the Waqt team looks back at a year marked by exceptional watchmaking creativity and technical ambition. We have witnessed an impressive number of releases, timepieces that introduced new technologies, pushed mechanical boundaries through sheer complication, or stood out through daring new designs.

For this selection, we focused on watches that successfully combine technical complexity with strong visual identity. As you might expect, narrowing down the list was no easy task. From established maisons demonstrating their mastery to independent watchmakers expressing bold, unconventional ideas, the field was exceptionally rich. Nevertheless, here are our four favorite complicated watches of 2025.

Konstantin Chaykin Joker Golden Mask

The independent Russian watchmaker elevates his iconic Wristmons collection with the Joker Golden Mask, featuring a striking openworked dial housed in a stainless steel case measuring 40 mm in diameter and 12.78 mm in thickness. The two-crown configuration and a case constructed from 41 individual components highlight Chaykin’s meticulous approach to watchmaking.

True to the Joker’s expressive identity, the open dial showcases the brand’s signature facial display: the eyes indicate hours and minutes, while the wide, smiling mouth reveals the day of the week. The pupils, crafted as blued steel decorative rings, serve as hour and minute indicators, while the day display is marked by a red rectangular-tipped pointer. Eyebrow-shaped bridges and a ruby-set nose further enhance the mask-like character of this unmistakable creation.

The full article about the watch can be found here.

Roger Dubuis Unique Piece Hommage Perpetual Calendar Bi-Retrograde “Sukoon Al-Layl”

Unveiled during Dubai Watch Week, this unique piece from Roger Dubuis’ “La Placide” series completes the brand’s heartfelt tribute to its founder. It provides the perfect canvas to showcase Mr. Roger Dubuis’ favorite complication: the perpetual calendar with a bi-retrograde display.

The dial immediately captivates with its multi-layered architecture and bi-retrograde layout. It displays the month and leap-year indications at 12 o’clock, while the moon phase is positioned at 6 o’clock. This edition replaces indices with four Arabic numerals, paired with blued hands featuring red-tipped pointers, adding both legibility and character.

The full article about the watch can be found here.

Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante

Greubel Forsey’s smallest timepiece to date officially enters production in white gold, presented during the “Mavericks of Time” exhibition in Abu Dhabi, marking the brand’s 20th anniversary.

The multi-level dial, crafted in rhodium-plated gold, features engraved and lacquered hour and minute markers. A small seconds sub-dial sits between six and seven o’clock, while a chronograph minutes counter is positioned at nine. A large aperture between five and six o’clock reveals the tourbillon, while the centrally positioned foudroyante display dominates the composition.

Mounted directly on the tourbillon cage above the balance wheel, the foudroyante mechanism completes one rotation per minute along with the tourbillon, while its lightning-fast seconds hand makes a full revolution every second, a spectacular demonstration of kinetic precision.

The full article about the watch can be found here.

2025 has been a year of record-breaking achievements, the arrival of new players, and the revival of historically significant designs. These selections reflect the Waqt team’s personal choices, but many outstanding releases could not be included.

We invite you to share your favorite complicated watches of 2025 in the comments—we would be delighted to discuss them in detail. You can also explore more exceptional timepieces in the High Complications section on our website.

Chopard L.U.C Grand Strike

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of its L.U.C Manufacture, Chopard unveiled the most complex chiming watch it has ever produced. The L.U.C Grand Strike represents the pinnacle of the brand’s sonnerie expertise, combining advanced engineering, proprietary acoustic technology, and a profound mastery of Haute Horlogerie.

This exceptional timepiece offers grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, and minute repeater functions. Thirty-four components coordinate each chime activation, regulated by twenty-two hand-adjusted blade springs. Multiple patents protect the movement from improper use, ensure precise switching between chiming modes, and optimize energy transfer throughout the sonnerie mechanism.

The full article about the watch can be found here.