Watchonista Staff Picks: Our Favorite Watches of 2023

Seeing as this was the first year I attended Watches & Wonders, I thought that, for sure, I would choose something from that show. But in a surprising twist, my favorite watch of 2023 is, hands down, the Longines Legend Diver.
 

Officially released in mid-November, I got the chance to test drive this 39mm beauty inspired by the original 1959 model for a few weeks in October. And to say that I enjoyed the experience would be a gross understatement. For starters, the new Legend Diver’s visually pleasing and utterly classy (and classic) dial design, with its elongated indices and rhodium-plated, polished arrow-shaped hands, cannot be overstated.
 

However, where Longines really outdid itself was in the realm of comfort because, despite being made from heavy stainless steel and having two crowns, the Legend Diver all but disappeared on my wrist. Perhaps this was due to the shape of the lugs or the design of the bracelet, but for whatever reason, once on the wrist, it felt as light as titanium.

I had really, really hoped to select a favorite watch for 2023 that was a bit off-piste of my well-known predilection for chunky sport watches. But, alas, as I looked back, I kept returning to this Alpina Alpiner Extreme Regulator Automatic on a steel bracelet.
 

Regulators (which tally hours, minutes, and seconds with their own dedicated hands and dial surfaces) are probably more associated with pocket watches. As such, they often get treated in an overly precious manner on a wristwatch. But that is not the case here.
 

By encasing the regulator function in a steel 41 x 45mm case, brushed H-link bracelet, and cool textured blue/grey dial, Alpina has created a watch collecting rarity in what I like to call a “bar” watch format. It’ll serve as a conversation starter for anyone along the rail interested in atypical timekeeping, and it’ll leave a mark on the other guy in the event of a cocktail altercation, as well.

Across the board, 2023 has been one of the richest years for watch releases in almost all categories (i.e., sports watches, dress watches, jewelry pieces, etc.). As a result, I thought choosing a single piece to declare my favorite would be difficult. But, quite unexpectedly, a specific watch immediately popped into my mind: the Louis Vuitton Tambour Automatic 40mm.
 

First, the integrated strap is very well-conceived, meaning the watch is extremely comfortable on the wrist. Meanwhile, its design seems to maximize your ability to appreciate the subtle beauty of the case and dial construction. Plus, by using Louis Vuitton’s iconic “LV” logo in its bridge architecture, the new Tambour offers a singular look via the caseback.
 

As unique as it is immediately recognizable, the 2023 Tambour Automatic 40mm sets a new long-term standard of quality in fine watchmaking for the brand by exploring a new universe of aesthetics that has resulted in a design as strong as it is iconoclastic to the brand’s own identity.

I’ve been anticipating this assignment for a while. Usually, choosing a piece involves a lot of handwringing. However, when TAG Heuer brought back the Skipper in July under the Carrera banner, I pretty much lost my mind.
 

The bezel-less “glassbox” interpretation of the Carrera collection was already a brilliant innovation for TAG Heuer. When they brought back the Skipper back under the Carrera banner, I pretty much lost my mind.

It’s an emotional choice, but this is the watch for me because I love the sea, and its combination of blue, teal, sea foam, and orange color on the dial seems scientifically arranged to make one feel happier (not to mention the Skipper’s storied history is practically a siren song for history nerds).
 

Finally, its bezel-less “glassbox” construction was the icing on the cake because it allows for more of this glorious dial to be displayed.

My 2023 pick is not so much a watch as a watchmaker: the one-man, Geneva-based brand Oligo that was founded last year by former Christie’s, Apple, and Vacheron Constantin employee Olivier Gaud.
 

I discovered Oligo at Geneva’s Time to Watches fair, and its timepieces really stood out for me because of their ultra-minimalist display featuring “floating” hands with no apparent connection to the dial center. The clever feat is managed by depositing chrome on a pair of coaxial sapphire discs.

Moreover, Oligo’s pared-down dial design is complemented by an equally sober case whose pure lines flow freely thanks to a lugless design. Meanwhile, Oligo’s ethos is to use local suppliers and sustainable materials, including recycled stainless steel for the 41mm case and vegan eco-suede for the slim 18mm strap.

But my favorite Oligo has to be the more recent FM01 because its face is all about sleek modernity, with a 12-point geometric pattern adorning a glossy, Zapon-treated dial.

Turn the watch over, and you can ogle at the more classical-looking, manual-winding Fleury manufacture-made movement inside, whose curvaceous, finely-finished bridges are made from a zinc alloy upcycled from the electrical industry.