Watches That Disappointed This Year
All of my favorite watch brands came up with some exciting new watches this year. While I have already shared a list of the best watch releases in 2024, I guess it’s time to also talk about the watches that left us disappointed. These brands do put up the effort to release something different every now and then. Sure, there might be some of you who even loved these releases. But when you ask for my own opinion, I wasn’t really happy with them. Let’s take a look at the worst watch releases of 2024 as per me and my team.
Rolex Deepsea Yellow Gold
I personally love Rolex watches and some of their models including the GMT Master II Bruce Wayne and Daytona Platinum are my absolute favorite watches. When the Swiss watchmaker released the full Yellow Gold version of the Sea-Dweller Deepsea, I just couldn’t take it. The Deepsea is already known for its bulky design and the last thing we wanted to see is a full gold version of the same which will wear extremely heavy on the wrist. I would have preferred to see a Titanium version of the regular Sea-Dweller or the Deepsea so people didn’t have to go for the 50mm gigantic Deepsea Challenge.
I respect the Deepsea model itself as it serves a great purpose for people who are into diving and watches. However, if you want to wear a gold watch, I’m sure you would rather wear it to a party than under the sea. And for a party, you would like something with a slimmer profile like the Submariner in yellow gold. All I would like to say is, that the release of the Yellow Gold Deepsea is a bold move by Rolex, but perhaps a step in the wrong direction.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tamara Ralph
View this post on Instagram
Audemars Piguet has released some extraordinary watches in the past few years. I would even go as far as saying that AP is one of my personal favorite brands both for its amazing Royal Oak collection and its hunger for doing something different. The Royal Oak Concept Spiderman and Black Panther watches were well received by the watch community. But the Royal Oak Concept Tamara Ralph is just not doing it for me.
The Royal Oak Concept line has always been about experimentation. However, this collaboration feels like it strayed too far from AP’s DNA. While the design of the watch is very different and it might have its fans, it didn’t resonate with me at all. I will still give credit to the brand for trying something different, but this one just doesn’t feel like a win to me.
Richard Mille RM 65-01 in Yellow And Blue Quartz TPT
Richard Mille RM 65-01 is essentially one of the best RM models out there. When I heard they were releasing a new variant of this legendary watch, I was excited. But I was taken a back a bit when I saw the new releases. RM definitely wanted to create a stand-out watch with the new Quartz TPT. However, these Yellow and Blue variants came out to be too loud in my opinion. This year, I have sourced a lot of RMs for my clients but I haven’t had any requests for this model.
In my opinion, these bright yellow and blue colors give the watch an almost toy-like appearance, killing the vibe typically associated with RM pieces. On top of that, the loud colors make it incredibly hard to pair with any outfit, limiting its versatility.
Cartier Santos-Dumont Rewind
Cartier Santos is a great dress watch that comes in amazing dial options. I have always loved the innovative bracelets on these Cartier models as they make it quite easy for us to replace the bracelet with a strap or even adjust the links right at home. This year, Cartier decided to do something experimental with the watch and I had my own thoughts on it. Yes, it is definitely something fascinating and different where the watch sweeps in the opposite direction. It is a cool concept no doubt but you will need to go through a learning curve here.
Also, if you switch between different watches like me, it is going to be incredibly hard for you to look at the time when it is your turn to wear this Cartier Santos-Dumont Rewind. I would still want to give the credit to Cartier for releasing this red lacquer dial that looks absolutely stunning!
Should you still Buy these Watches in 2025?
If you have managed to get yourself on the waitlist for any of the above-mentioned watches, chances are you are going to get it in 2025 if you have not got them already. So, when given the chance to actually buy it, you should rather trust your own judgment there. If you actually like the piece and thing that this is something you would happily wear, by all means go ahead. The list mentioned above is purely subjective and based on my personal opinions.
