Thomas Van Straaten’s three favorite Watches and Wonders 2024 releases were the yellow-gold Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir, the rose-gold-and-green Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time, and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph Moon. They are his personal post-show picks, not an objective award list or a consensus ranking.
In his April 17, 2024 Fratello article, Van Straaten wrote, “These are the Watches and Wonders 2024 releases that impressed me the most.” The choices reflect what stayed with him after an overwhelming show, judged largely through design, complications, proportions, finishing, and presentation.
1. Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir in yellow gold
Van Straaten’s top pick pairs a classic Cartier look with a monopusher chronograph movement. He says he has long favored both Cartier and the Tortue shape, and found the combination of the watch’s proportions and complication especially compelling.
His preference was specifically for the yellow-gold version: he liked its black printed numerals and blue sapphire crown detail over the platinum model’s applied Roman numerals and ruby crown. Fratello reported its dimensions as 41.4 mm long, 32.9 mm wide, and 7.2 mm thick. The article also reported a 200-piece limited edition and a price just under €50,000 in April 2024. Those are launch-era details from that article, not current price, production, or availability information. Fratello.
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- [Waterproof] Water resistant to 50m (165ft) -suitable for short periods of recreational swimming and showering, but not diving or snorkeling
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2. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time in rose gold and green
Van Straaten’s second choice was an existing Overseas Dual Time model in a new configuration, rather than a wholly new model. He liked the mostly brushed rose-gold case against the green dial, with red accents on the second-time-zone hand and AM/PM indicator. In his view, those red details make the precious-metal watch feel more casual.
This pick’s appeal is primarily a matter of color and execution: the contrast between green and rose gold, plus the restrained use of red. Van Straaten offered an aesthetic judgment rather than a full technical or specification comparison.
Rank #2
- [Luxurious Mechanical Watch] High quality hollow mechanical watch appearance retro gorgeous, exquisite carving and design of the golden appearance of the European nobility more highlight your noble identity extraordinary taste, to bring you a pleasant luxury experience
- [Mechanical Movement] There's no need to worry if the battery is dead because this watch has manual self-winding. Please consider that mechanical watches that require manual winding can only keep time for a short time after winding. To prevent running or inaccurate time, it is advised that you verify the time periodically and wind up the chain 15–20 times.
- [Waterproof] Water resistant to 30m (98FT) -suitable for daily water resistance, withstands splashes and light rain. Not for swimming, showering or diving
- [Ideal as a Gift] This beautiful retro-style watch can be worn on any occasion or given as a gift to your father, brother, partner, or boyfriend. At weddings and any holiday gatherings, it can be a really appreciated and elegant gift.
- [Professional After-Sale Service] Please contact us if you need any additional details about our watches. We will be happy to answer and help you anytime.
3. Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph Moon
Van Straaten said handling the new Duometre watches in person left an impression through their finishing and presentation. He explained the Duometre principle as two mainsprings and gear trains: one serves timekeeping, while the other powers complications. The intended benefit, in his summary, is that using a complication such as the chronograph does not affect the accuracy of the regular time display. This is his brief explanation in the 2024 article, not a substitute for current technical specifications or performance data.
Other watches that stood out
Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25
Van Straaten called this jump-hour watch a very close fourth. He highlighted its stark black dial, staggered handset, and Chopard typography.
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Chopard L.U.C. XPS and Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon
He also said the Chopard L.U.C. XPS with a forest-green sector dial could have made his list, and named the Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon as another release that impressed him.
Tudor releases
Van Straaten thought the Black Bay 58 GMT and monochromatic divers could appeal commercially. That was his prediction at the time, not evidence of sales or market performance.
Rank #4
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- WATER RESISTANT TO 30M:Waterproof:In general, withstands splashes or brief immersion in water ,but not suitable for hot water bathing or diving. Please do not press any buttons in the water
- NO BATTERY NEEDED:Automatic mechanical movement, Powers with the mechanical movement, without a battery. Operate the watch, to wind-up please whirl the button on the clockwise (Don't need to pull out, just in normal condition.) for 15 to 20 complete revolutions
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What the ranking says about the 2024 show
Van Straaten characterized Watches and Wonders 2024 as somewhat tame and said his leading choices were all high-end, with few affordable releases in his view. That is his personal assessment of the show, not an event-wide finding. His favorite releases were distinguished by specific design choices as much as by their complications: a Tortue’s proportions and dial details, an Overseas color combination, and the Duometre’s finishing and presentation.
His closing question remains a useful one for comparing tastes: “Which are your favorite releases of Watches and Wonders 2024?”
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