Best Watches from Dubai Watch Week 2025
This week, Dubai welcomed the 7th edition of Dubai Watch Week, hosted from 19–23 November at the spectacular new venue of Burj Park in the heart of the city. With over 90 global brands exhibiting and a footprint that has doubled in size, this year’s edition firmly cements the fair as one of the most important gatherings on the horological calendar. Beyond the steady flow of new releases, the event delivered an expanded programme of masterclasses, forums and immersive experiences, drawing in the myriad of enthusiasts, collectors and industry leaders from around the UAE and the world. Organised once every two years by Ahmed Seddiqi, the UAE’s largest watch retailer, the event is potentially one of the best world wide, with more hype and a fabulosu atmosphere. As always, Wrist Enthusiast was on the ground to experience it all, let’s dive straight in and talk about the best watches from the show…
Ulysse Nardin X Urwerk ‘UR-Freak’
If you were to ask me for a recommendation for a watch that is just out of this world, I would send you to either Ulysse Nardin or Urwerk. The former is known for their rich heritage and avant-garde movement construction, whilst the latter is known for their radical independent design and advanced materials. Now, I would probably put them in the same niche of luxury watch brands, but never in a million years would I have been able to predict a collaboration: the UR-Freak. This is the equivalent of a horogical greatest hits album, you are getting the innovative UN movement combined with the signature Urwerk madness. This is an insanely complicated and unique piece, with a one of a kind wandering hour movement time display. Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk can genuinely claim to be the only ones offering this type of complication, and for that it definitely deserves a spot in this guide.
The UR-Freak is limited to 100 pieces and will retail for $122,000 USD.
Frederique Constant Manufacture Worldtimer Lapis Lazuli
Stone dials are the hottest thing on the market right now: every brand is rushing to release one and we are re seeing a lot of the same thing. Thankfully, Frederique Constant are here with their brand new Lapis Lazuli Worldtimer. What is so special about this watch? Well firstly, it is a Frederique Constant which means that you’re getting an unrivalled level of finishing and complex watchmaking that is unheard of in this price point. However, the reason we like this watch so much is the way that Frederique Constant have worked to make the lapis lazuli segments work seamlessly with the rest of the dial. On so many watches, the stone dial is the main attraction or seems to be an afterthought. Here, it acts as the perfect twist to complement the gorgeous world timer complication. Limited to just 37 pieces to celebrate 37 years of the manufacture, this piece is defintiely going to be one to get your hands on.
This Frederique Constant will retail as part of a set for $60,000 USD.
Tudor Ranger 36mm ‘Dune’
Tudor have had an exceptionally good 2025 in terms of releases. Starting off with their killer updates released at Watches & Wonders in the Black Bay, Pelagos, and Black Bay Pro collections, it only seems right that the Tudor Ranger gets a bit of a makeover. Tudor are extremely good at listening to their collector-base: we saw that with the ‘Polar’ dial on the Black-Bay Pro and the new BB68, for clients with larger wrists. One of the gripes people might have had over the years is the size of the Ranger, at 40mm it’s not quite the versatile piece it could be, especially for wearers with smaller wrists. The collection now boasts 40 and 36mm case sizes, catering to everyone. The new ‘Dune’ dial is also a fabulous upgrade, giving people that lighter dial option. In addition to this, the Dune dial has been released as part of Tudor’s partnership with the Dakar rally, which takes place in the deserts of the Middle East every year. Obviously, Tudor have made no compromises on the 36 mm variant, including all the features like the T-Fit clasp. If Tudor continue on this trajectory in 2026, there will be some fabulous surprises.
The new Tudor Ranger in 36mm will start at $3,700 USD.
Bell & Ross BR-X3 Micro-Rotor Tourbillon
Bell & Ross are best known for their aviation inspired instrument-like designs: high-performance, highly legible, and super-durable. As of recent, however, they have been doubling down on the rest of their collection: their sports watch, the BR-05, received a delightful new 36mm case. The one area, that until now, had not seen much development is their high-horology collection. Over the years, B&R have released the occasional limited edition or one-off watch with a crazy complication, but nothing like this: the Micro-Rotor Tourbillon. They are pushing the boundaries of calibre design with the intense skeletonization and brutalist architecture. On paper, the concept has all the hallmarks of someone like Max Büsser, but in the flesh it is undeniably a Bell & Ross, showing just how strong their design language and creativity are.
This watch will quite literally cost you an arm and a leg, with each of the 25 pieces retailing for $99,000 USD.
Atelier Wen X Revolution Watch Ancestra Yáo
In releasing the Ancestra earlier this year, Atelier Wen have taken a tangent away from their signature sports watch design. This piece is dressier and more refined, yet maintains their iconic oriental feel. With this latest edition, released in collaboration with Revolution Watch (a continuation of a fruitful partnership), the brand are already taking this model to a new level. The dial, often where Atelier Wen’s magic is most apparent, is completely different to the original production. Starting with the earthy tones of the grand feu fume enamel dial that really make you question whether it is brown or tan. The baguette diamond hour markers and Eastern Arabic numerals are subtle nod to the bling and charm of Dubai Watch Week, where the watch is a show exclusive.
This limited edition Atelier Wen currently retails for $5,850 USD.
Norqain Wild One 42 Meteorite
The Norman Wild One is a Wrist Enthusiast favourite. The watch’s sporty and robust feel has definitely got us wanting our own. And somehow, Norqain has managed to make this cool watch even cooler, with the addition of this sleek grey colour scheme and meteorite dial. Sourced from an iron-meteorite that came to earth somewhere in Sweden, this stone dial has several million years of history embedded in it. Powered by Norqain’s manufacture calibre and housed in their proprietary 42mm shock-absorbing case- this time in a gorgeous shade of burgundy- this piece is definitely worth its salt.
The 300 pieces of this limited edition will retail for $7,450 USD.
Konstantin Chaykin X Louis Erard ‘Unfrogettable’
Louis Erard and Konstantin Chaykin’s collaborations, in my opinion, are some of the most fun and playful pieces out there on the market, taking classic complications like the regulateur and giving them a unique twist. In this edition of their partnership, they have decided to interpret the classic fairy tale: the Princess and the Frog. Combining KC’s iconic time display with Louis Erard’s timeless large centre seconds gives us this wonderful blend of traditional and untraditional watch making. Paired with the fabulous colour schemes and devilish details, like the crown (that is an actual crown!), these make for very serious yet playful pieces. Never in a million years would I have thought to create a watch based on this particular fairytale, but if I did I would have done it this way.
The watches are limited to 178 pieces and you can find out more here.
