The Best New Watch Releases for January 2026

Welcoming in the new year, we wanted to maintain some of the traditions that made 2025 so great. With that spirit in mind, here are some of my picks for the best new watch releases of January 2026, the ones to keep your eye out for.

If you need a reminder of the type of watches that caught our attention last year, make sure to check out our top 5 new watch releases for 2025 and our top 5 watches that we reviewed in 2025.

Roll on 2026!

Arnold & Son have a tradition of marking the new Lunar year with an exeptional, hand-crafted limited edition, and with the beginning of the new zodiac approaching they have released yet another stunning timepiece.

Arnold & Son’s Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold “Year of the Horse” is a striking fusion of high watchmaking and métiers d’art, created to mark the Fire Horse zodiac year of 2026 to 2027. Limited to just eight pieces, the 41.5 mm red gold case frames a mesmerising dial where a hand-engraved 18-carat red gold horse beneath a star-filled aventurine sky. Miniature painting, luminous detailing and a radiant mother-of-pearl moon bring the nocturnal scene to life, celebrating the horse’s untamed energy and symbolism. Powering the watch is Arnold & Son’s manually wound A&S1512 calibre, an exceptionally precise moon-phase movement accurate to one day in 122 years and offers a 90-hour power reserve! This is horology that is also wearable art, bold and uncompromising.

I am a Speedmaster fan. It is arguably one of the most beautiful chronograph designs of all time while being effortlessly functional. It is also an undeniable icon in the history of the watch and so any new Speedmaster deserves some attention, especially when it looks this good.

OMEGA’s latest Speedmaster Moonwatch release for 2026 proves that even icons can evolve. Reimagining the classic chronograph in a striking black and white inverted dial, these new 42 mm models create contrast while staying true to Moonwatch DNA. A polished black step dial sits above white sub dials, reversing the classic layout for improved legibility and a sharper, more contemporary edge. The look is completed by a black ceramic bezel with white enamel tachymeter and a box-style sapphire crystal that nods to vintage proportions. Available in stainless steel or 18K Moonshine™ Gold, both versions are powered by the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 3861, offering cutting-edge precision, magnetic resistance and a five-year warranty. It is a thoughtful refresh that respects history while confidently stepping forward.

I do take issue with the price on this new model. The steel version at £8,700 is £1,200 more than the sapphire Speedmaster Professional and £2,100 more than the hesalite Moonwatch! For some different sundials and crystal dome, I really don’t see where the added value is in this watch. I’m not even going to mention the fact that the gold variation is £41,300 putting it in the same budget as many simple Patek and F.P. Journe models for a watch nowhere near their quality. Oops, I did anyway!

The Oris Pointer Date has long been my favourite model from the brand. It seems to me like a completely over-engineered but beautifully retro way to tell the date. It’s also rooted in Oris history, the Big Crown dates back to 1938, created for pilots who needed clarity, practicality and reliability.

The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date “Bullseye” is a return of one of the brand’s most characterful designs, now reintroduced as a non-limited release for 2026. This latest “Bullseye” version revives a striking two-tone dial layout first seen in early Oris pocket watches, pairing cool grey and black with a vivid red date scale and red-tipped pointer hand. The 38 mm stainless steel case, fluted bezel and oversized crown keep things classically proportioned, while inside beats the automatic Oris Calibre 754 with a 41-hour power reserve. Finished on a sustainable Cervo Volante deer leather strap, it is a watch that blends heritage, independence and everyday wearability with effortless charm. And is very reasonably priced at £1,800.

January saw the arrival of LVMH watch week, an event where many of the brands under LVMH ownership announced new models to the world. Of all the watches released, two stood out to me and the first is from none other than TAG Heuer.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Seafarer marks a confident return to the brand’s maritime roots, reinterpreting a purpose-built sailing instrument for the modern era. Inspired by TAG Heuer’s historic tide watches first introduced in 1949, the Seafarer channels the spirit of professional regattas through the refined lens of the Carrera Glassbox design. Nautical colours, functional maritime indications and a clear, highly legible layout speak directly to its seafaring heritage, while contemporary finishing ensures it feels every bit a modern luxury chronograph. Following the successful revival of the Skipper in 2023, the Seafarer continues TAG Heuer’s renewed dialogue with the ocean, blending vintage inspiration with present-day performance. It is a watch that celebrates timing, tradition and adventure, proving that authentic tool watch history can still feel fresh, relevant and deeply appealing to today’s collectors.

The Carerra line is really the only modern TAG range that excites me, and it’s down to inspired releases like this. I really enjoy the look of this watch paired with its historical significance.

Over the last five years the iconic Tiffany blue has made its way onto watch dials from brands of all shapes and sizes. Whether an official Tiffany and Co. collaboration or not, brands like Tissot, Rolex, Bamford, Christopher Ward, and, of course, Patek Phillipe have sported this shade of baby blue.

Tiffany and Co. also design and make their own watches, and I would say there’s no brand better suited to sport the Tiffany blue dial than Tiffany themselves.

The Tiffany Timer is a striking celebration of American watchmaking heritage, created to mark 160 years since Tiffany & Co. produced its first chronograph in 1866. Limited to just 60 pieces, this refined chronograph blends high jewellery savoir-faire with serious mechanical credentials. The 40 mm platinum case is elegantly sculpted, featuring crown and pushers in white gold, while the dial is finished in rich Tiffany Blue lacquer and set with baguette-cut diamond hour markers, a subtle nod to the House’s gemstone mastery. Powering the watch is a customised El Primero 400 automatic chronograph (amazing), visible through the sapphire case back and distinguished by a solid 18k yellow gold Bird on the rotor. Meticulously crafted and unapologetically expressive, this watch is a rare fusion of horological history, design artistry and unmistakable brand identity.

Christopher Ward have released a new limited-edition GMT with the brand that is 50% responsible for the existence of the GMT complication – Pan Am.

For anyone unfamiliar with the story, Rolex and Pan Am airlines (no longer an airline) worked together to create a watch that pilots could use to track multiple time zones allowing them to know the local time at their destination and current location. The bi-directional rotating bezel was split into two halves for daylight and nighttime hours. And the colours they used on this bezel, red and blue. What is now so often referred to as “The Pepsi” is the colour it is not due to the soft drink, but due to Pan Am’s company colours. That makes this new official collaboration quite significant.

The Christopher Ward C60 Clipper GMT is a tribute to one of aviation’s most romantic eras, created in partnership with Pan Am and limited to just 707 pieces. Built as a true international travel watch, it captures the spirit of the propeller-to-jet age that defined global travel in the mid-20th century. The 42 mm Light-catcher case houses a Sellita SW330-2 GMT movement, while the bidirectional bezel in Pan Am blue is printed with 24 historic destination codes, allowing instant world-time reference. A retro ‘Pepsi’ inner bezel delivers classic GMT functionality, paired with a creamy eggshell dial rich in vintage charm. Subtle details, from the Boeing 707 seconds hand counterbalance to the engraved ‘Blue Meatball’ case back, make this a thoughtfully executed celebration of timeless travel and enduring design.

Keep an eye on our YouTube Channel for a strap showcase and review of this watch!

I included Angelus’ collaboration with Massena Lab in October's Best New Releases list as that watch with its dark black dial and bi-compax design truly embodies the quality and beauty of Angelus watches. The brand has collaborated on another chronograph with the wonderful MONOCHROME publication, and it is just as deserving of a place on this list.

The MONOCHROME Montre de Souscription 5 Angelus Chronographe Tachymètre is a purist’s chronograph in the truest sense, blending serious vintage inspiration with rare mechanical pedigree. Limited to just 20 pieces, this hand-wound mono-pusher channels mid-century elegance through a compact 37 mm stainless steel case, slim proportions and beautifully restrained detailing. The matte gold-toned dial is paired with a striking snailed tachymeter scale, a motorsport-focused twist that reflects MONOCHROME’s passion for cars as much as watches. At its heart lies the Angelus Calibre A5000, a movement with roots tracing back to the legendary THA chronographs of the 1990s, finished with classical finesse and a clear, architectural layout. Elegant, tactile and deeply enthusiast-driven, this is a chronograph made for collectors who value substance, history and thoughtful design over hype.