There was no single, objective “best watch of 2023.” The year’s strongest releases succeeded for different reasons: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 24 Hours of Le Mans became the defining collector and cultural launch; TAG Heuer’s Carrera Glassbox won a mainstream design accolade; Tudor’s Black Bay 54 made a persuasive case for smaller sports watches; and the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 remained the most accessible enthusiast choice in this group.
Independent watchmaking was equally important. Christopher Ward’s C1 Bel Canto won a 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève award, while Simon Brette’s Chronomètre Artisans emerged as one of the year’s most striking small-maker discoveries.
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There was no single, objective “best watch of 2023.” The year’s strongest releases succeeded for different reasons: the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 24 Hours of Le Mans became the defining collector and cultural launch; TAG Heuer’s Carrera Glassbox won a mainstream design accolade; Tudor’s Black Bay 54 made a persuasive case for smaller sports watches; and the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 remained the most accessible enthusiast choice in this group.
Independent watchmaking was equally important. Christopher Ward’s C1 Bel Canto won a 2023 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève award, while Simon Brette’s Chronomètre Artisans emerged as one of the year’s most striking small-maker discoveries. The right way to read this list, then, is as a field of standouts—not a claim that one watch defeated every other watch on every criterion.
#1 Best Overall
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The best watches of 2023 at a glance
| Watch | Best described as | Why it stood out | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 24 Hours of Le Mans | Biggest collector and cultural release | A centenary Le Mans connection, unusual 24-hour chronograph functionality, and strong Daytona history | A scarce, high-luxury release—not an ordinary purchase recommendation |
| TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox | Mainstream design and heritage pick | A 60th-anniversary Carrera with a modern crystal and internal-bezel treatment | “Watch of the Year” was GQ’s award, not a universal industry verdict |
| Tudor Black Bay 54 | Compact mechanical sports watch | 37mm proportions, vintage-influenced styling, 200m water resistance, and roughly 70 hours of power reserve | Tudor’s 2023 GPHG Sports Watch prize went to the Pelagos 39, not the Black Bay 54 |
| Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 | Accessible enthusiast and value-oriented pick | A distinctive 1970s-inspired integrated-bracelet design and automatic movement | Check the exact reference, current price, and stock before buying |
| Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto | Award-winning independent complication | Christopher Ward London won the 2023 Petite Aiguille prize for it | Its award status does not by itself establish superior accuracy or value |
| Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans | Independent-watch revelation | Won the GPHG Horological Revelation prize and received repeated support in GQ’s expert survey | Production-volume claims should be treated as period reporting, not a current figure |
1. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 24 Hours of Le Mans
Best for: collectors seeking the most conspicuous release of the year.
Rolex’s Daytona Le Mans was the headline collector watch of 2023 because it brought together three unusually powerful ingredients: a major motorsport anniversary, a technically distinctive chronograph display, and one of the watch industry’s most recognizable designs.
The special model commemorated the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Rolex has long served as the race’s official timekeeper, and the company documented the presentation of engraved Daytonas to the drivers who won the 2023 event. That connection gives the watch significance beyond its case and dial: it is a commemorative object tied to a specific moment in endurance-racing history.
The watch’s calibre 4132 is especially notable. Unlike the conventional Daytona’s usual 12-hour chronograph capacity, this movement allows the chronograph function to count across a full 24-hour period. That is a meaningful technical distinction for a watch associated with a 24-hour race, rather than merely a decorative anniversary reference.
GQ’s 2023 expert survey placed the Daytona Le Mans at the center of its discussion of the year’s best watches. The panel’s enthusiasm also reflected the Daytona’s broader cultural history, including the influence of vintage Paul Newman and “Big Red” references. Those are expert and cultural judgments—not measurable proof that the Rolex is objectively the best watch of the year—but they explain why this release generated such outsized attention.
Why choose it: for the strongest combination of motorsport symbolism, collector interest, and recognizable design in the 2023 field.
What to know before buying: this is a precious-metal, scarcity-driven luxury watch. Readers should not interpret its prominence as evidence of normal retail availability, an easy purchase, or guaranteed investment performance.
2. TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox
Best for: readers who want a historically important racing chronograph with a clearly updated design.
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GQ’s 2023 Fashion Awards named the TAG Heuer Carrera its Watch of the Year, making the Carrera Glassbox the clearest mainstream design and heritage winner on this list. The award should be understood in that context: it was a fashion-publication honor, while other publications and the GPHG used different judging systems and categories.
The Carrera celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2023, and the Glassbox treatment gave the familiar racing chronograph a more contemporary visual identity. Its crystal architecture and internal bezel change the way the dial is framed, allowing the watch to feel more integrated and sculptural than a straightforward revival of an older Carrera.
TAG Heuer’s wider anniversary program also included heritage-inspired releases such as the Skipper and a gold Carrera chronograph. That broader strategy mattered: the Glassbox was not an isolated nostalgia exercise, but part of a deliberate attempt to connect the Carrera’s racing past with modern luxury-watch design.
Why choose it: for a recognizable chronograph whose historical references are visible without requiring specialist knowledge to appreciate.
What to know before buying: the “Watch of the Year” label belongs to GQ’s Fashion Awards. It should not be presented as a consensus award shared by every watch publication or judging body.
3. Tudor Black Bay 54
Best for: buyers who want a restrained, compact mechanical sports watch.
The Tudor Black Bay 54 was one of the most convincing responses to 2023’s renewed interest in smaller case sizes and vintage-inspired proportions. At 37mm, it is notably more compact than many modern dive watches, while retaining the essential visual language of Tudor’s Black Bay family.
Tudor’s specifications identify reference 79000N as a stainless-steel dive watch with a black domed dial, domed sapphire crystal, and a unidirectional 60-minute bezel. It uses the COSC-certified manufacture calibre MT5400, offers approximately 70 hours of power reserve, and is rated to 200 metres of water resistance.
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Those specifications make the Black Bay 54 a serious mechanical sports-watch candidate rather than merely a vintage-styled fashion piece. Its appeal is its restraint: the case is compact, the dial is uncomplicated, and the historical cues are strong without turning the watch into a fragile period re-creation.
The wider Tudor story in 2023 reinforces its relevance. Tudor’s Pelagos 39 won the GPHG Sports Watch prize that year, demonstrating the brand’s prominence in the compact and restrained sports-watch conversation. However, that award was for the Pelagos 39—not the Black Bay 54. The distinction matters and should not be blurred.
Why choose it: for a smaller sports watch with official diving specifications, a long power reserve, and vintage-influenced styling.
Rank #2
What to know before buying: case-size preference is personal. The 37mm measurement is an objective specification; claims that it will feel comfortable or suit every wrist require individual experience rather than assumption.
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Best for: first-time enthusiasts and buyers seeking a distinctive automatic watch at a lower price point than the luxury models above.
The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 was the most practical recommendation in this group. GQ’s 2023 expert survey included it among the year’s notable choices, recognizing the appeal of its angular case and integrated-bracelet design. Its silhouette draws on the sharp, geometric sports-watch language associated with the 1970s, giving it more visual character than many entry-level mechanical watches.
Tissot’s U.S. product listing identifies an exact 40mm PRX Powermatic 80 configuration as reference T1374071135100. That reference is useful when shopping because “PRX Powermatic 80” describes a family of watches, not necessarily one universal configuration. Dial color, case finish, bracelet, and regional availability can vary.
The PRX is best understood as a lower-price-point enthusiast watch—not as a direct technical substitute for a Rolex, Tudor, or high horology piece. Its strength is the combination of an identifiable design, an automatic movement, and a format that feels more deliberate than a generic everyday watch.
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Why choose it: for an accessible entry into mechanical watches with a strong integrated-bracelet profile.
What to know before buying: not every PRX configuration was necessarily released in 2023. Treat the year as the context for the model’s prominence, and verify the specific reference separately.
5. Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto
Best for: enthusiasts who want an independent brand and a watch built around a chiming complication.
The Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto demonstrated that the 2023 best-watch conversation was not limited to century-old luxury houses. Christopher Ward London won the 2023 GPHG Petite Aiguille prize for the model, giving it one of the strongest formal award credentials in this selection.
The Bel Canto’s identity is its chiming complication. That makes it a different kind of recommendation from the Rolex, Tudor, or Tissot: its appeal is not primarily rugged utility or familiar sports-watch styling, but the mechanical theater and technical ambition of an independent complication.
The award is significant because the Petite Aiguille category recognizes watches positioned below the most extreme high-complication and haute-horlogerie price tiers within the GPHG field. It does not make the Bel Canto an inexpensive watch, nor does it prove that it is more accurate, durable, or valuable than every competing model. It does show that an independent brand reached the top tier of professional watch-industry recognition in 2023.
Why choose it: for a distinctive mechanical experience and an award-backed alternative to conventional luxury-watch design.
What to know before buying: readers who need detailed information about the movement architecture, chiming behavior, servicing, and availability should consult the manufacturer’s current product documentation before committing to a purchase.
6. Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans
Best for: collectors interested in small-scale independent watchmaking.
Simon Brette’s Chronomètre Artisans was the year’s strongest independent-watch revelation in the available evidence. The GPHG awarded it the 2023 Horological Revelation prize, while GQ’s expert survey also recorded repeated support for the model from its panel.
That dual recognition is important. The watch was not simply a niche release praised by one specialist enthusiast; it attracted attention both from a major editorial survey and from the watch industry’s principal awards program. GQ’s coverage also described Simon Brette’s 2023 production output as very small. That statement belongs to the period reporting and should not be turned into a claim about the brand’s current production volume.
The Chronomètre Artisans represents the appeal of independent watchmaking at its most concentrated: a small maker, a highly individual design, and a level of attention that is difficult to reproduce at mass-market scale. Its place on this list is therefore about originality and horological credibility, not affordability or ease of purchase.
Why choose it: for the collector who values independent authorship and rarity over broad brand recognition.
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Other 2023 watches recognized by the GPHG
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève’s 2023 results provide a broader map of excellence. These watches are better treated as category leaders than as alternatives in a simple shopping ranking:
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- Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Ultra-Complication Universelle RD#4: winner of the Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix, the GPHG’s top overall award.
- Ulysse Nardin Freak One: winner of the Iconic Watch prize.
- Petermann Bédat Chronographe rattrapante: winner of the Chronograph prize.
- Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 3SPC: winner of the Chronometry prize.
- Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillon Pursuit: winner of the Tourbillon prize.
Recognition in these categories primarily reflects technical achievement, artistic execution, or horological significance. It should not be interpreted as a ranking of affordability, everyday practicality, resale value, or timekeeping performance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What defined watches in 2023?
Smaller proportions became harder to ignore
Contemporary 2023 coverage repeatedly highlighted a move toward smaller cases and more restrained proportions. The Black Bay 54 is the clearest example in this list, with its 37mm case offering a compact alternative to the oversized dive watches that had dominated parts of the market.
This was not a rejection of large watches so much as a broadening of choice. Smaller cases can make vintage designs feel more historically coherent, while also giving buyers an alternative to the visual and physical presence of modern oversized sports watches.
Heritage was being redesigned, not merely copied
The Daytona Le Mans, Carrera Glassbox, and Black Bay 54 all drew on the past, but they did so differently. Rolex connected a current release to a centenary race and a specialized 24-hour chronograph function. TAG Heuer reworked the crystal and dial architecture around the Carrera’s anniversary. Tudor used historical proportions and familiar dive-watch cues in a modern mechanical package.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe common thread was selective nostalgia: the most successful releases used historical references as a starting point rather than simply reproducing an old watch without adaptation.
Traditional luxury and newer materials coexisted
2023 watch coverage also emphasized the coexistence of traditional precious metals with titanium and newer composite materials. That contrast helps explain the year’s range. The Daytona Le Mans represented high-luxury commemorative watchmaking, while other releases across the market explored lighter or more contemporary materials. The important trend was not that one material replaced another, but that buyers had more ways to express taste and technical preference.
“Best” no longer had to mean “most expensive”
GQ’s expert survey placed Tissot and Tudor in the same broad conversation as Rolex, Cartier, Patek Philippe, and independent makers. The GPHG separately rewarded Christopher Ward and Simon Brette. Together, those results show why price should not be used as a shortcut for quality or importance.
A high-priced watch may be the most technically ambitious or culturally prominent release, while a less expensive model may be the one a larger number of enthusiasts can realistically enjoy. The PRX Powermatic 80 is valuable editorially precisely because it gives the 2023 list a credible entry point beyond collector-grade luxury.
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How to choose among the 2023 standouts
| If your priority is… | Start with… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Collector significance and motorsport history | Rolex Daytona Le Mans | Its Le Mans centenary connection and 24-hour chronograph function make it the defining commemorative release. |
| Accessible heritage design | TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox | It updates a famous racing chronograph without abandoning its visual identity. |
| A smaller sports watch | Tudor Black Bay 54 | Its 37mm case and 200m water resistance offer a restrained alternative to larger dive watches. |
| A lower-price-point mechanical watch | Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 | It combines an automatic movement with an unmistakable integrated-bracelet design. |
| A chiming complication | Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto | Its GPHG Petite Aiguille win gives the independent model strong award recognition. |
| Small-maker originality | Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans | It pairs GPHG recognition with repeated support from GQ’s expert panel. |
Buying notes for a 2023 watch today
A watch appearing on a 2023 list does not guarantee that it remains in production, in stock, or available at its original price. Before purchasing, confirm:
- the exact reference number and case size;
- whether the watch is new, pre-owned, or unworn;
- the seller’s authorization, reputation, warranty, and return policy;
- the condition of the movement, case, crystal, bracelet, and accessories for pre-owned examples;
- whether service history and authentication documentation are available;
- the current price and any region-specific taxes, duties, or shipping costs.
For the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 in particular, use the exact model phrase and reference when comparing listings. For expensive Rolex, TAG Heuer, Tudor, Christopher Ward, or independent watches, an authorized retailer or established specialist dealer is generally a more appropriate starting point than an unverified marketplace listing. No current inventory, seller, price, affiliate eligibility, or partner program is assumed here.
Verdict
The Rolex Daytona Le Mans was the defining collector release of 2023, but it was not the only legitimate answer to the question. TAG Heuer’s Carrera Glassbox was the strongest mainstream design story; Tudor’s Black Bay 54 captured the shift toward compact sports watches; and Tissot’s PRX Powermatic 80 offered the most approachable route into the year’s enthusiast conversation. Christopher Ward and Simon Brette showed that independent watchmaking could compete for serious attention, while the GPHG’s wider results demonstrated how much excellence existed beyond the headline names.
That makes the most useful 2023 shortlist a set of category winners rather than a forced one-to-six ranking. Choose the Daytona for cultural and collector significance, the Carrera for heritage design, the Black Bay 54 for compact sports-watch appeal, the PRX for accessibility, the Bel Canto for chiming independent watchmaking, and the Chronomètre Artisans for small-maker originality.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Was there one objectively best watch of 2023?
No. The evidence points to different winners for different criteria. GQ’s expert survey highlighted the Rolex Daytona Le Mans, GQ’s Fashion Awards named TAG Heuer’s Carrera Watch of the Year, and the GPHG distributed prizes across numerous technical and stylistic categories.
Did the Tudor Black Bay 54 win the 2023 GPHG Sports Watch award?
No. Tudor won the 2023 GPHG Sports Watch prize for the Pelagos 39. The Black Bay 54 was a separate model and is included here as a compact sports-watch recommendation, not as the GPHG category winner.
Which 2023 watch is the best entry point for a mechanical-watch enthusiast?
The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 is the most accessible enthusiast choice in this list, thanks to its automatic movement and distinctive integrated-bracelet design. Current prices, stock, and seller quality must be checked before buying.
Which watches from 2023 are most interesting to collectors?
The Rolex Daytona Le Mans is the clearest collector and cultural choice, while Simon Brette’s Chronomètre Artisans is the strongest small-maker revelation. Neither should be treated as a guaranteed investment or ordinary, readily available purchase.
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Bottom line: The Rolex Daytona Le Mans was the year’s biggest collector and cultural release, but the best choice depends on the reader. Choose the TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox for heritage design, Tudor Black Bay 54 for a compact sports watch, Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 for an accessible enthusiast entry, Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto for a chiming complication, or Simon Brette Chronomètre Artisans for independent-watchmaking originality.
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