L.A. fires force LVMH to change the location of the 2025 Watch Week

LVMH makes some venue changes due to the L.A fires

By Nathan S.R Published January 14, 2025

LVMH — LVMH LVMH / LVMH

The 2025 LVMH Watch Week would have been held in Los Angeles, but the venue was changed due to the recent fires that have been consuming the city. Different luxury watch brands, from Zenith and Bulgari to Tag Heuer had prepped for the event, which was supposed to go down in Bel Air. It’s worth noting that all these brands are under the same company.

Unfortunately, the California wildfires, which started on January 7th, have covered over 38,600 acres and burnt down 12,000 structures in seven days. What started as small fires grew into huge fires. Multiple neighborhoods, such as Bel Air, Sylmar, and Pacific Palisades, were affected. Evacuation alerts were sent to residents. While the firefighting department has stopped fires in various regions, the wildfires might spread to different neighborhoods as the winds grow stronger.

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Due to such circumstances, LVMH made the decision to switch the venue of the 2025 Watch Week from Los Angeles to New York. The company announced the recent changes and informed everyone about its new venue in New York City. Despite all this, the Watch Week still kicks off on January 21st, as it had been scheduled. Since LVMH is a global company, it also scheduled another event in Europe.

The European Watch Week will be held in Paris, and it will start on January 31st.

Enthusiasts are expecting new watch models from LVMH this January. Just like the 2024 Watch Week, the 2025 week is perfect for new releases. Zenith, Bulgari, and Tag Heuer might launch some new models.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nathan has devoted his life to collecting watches, studying horology, reviewing watches, and writing about timepieces. As a…

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Watches

Fashion & Style

Urban Jürgensen revival captures watch world attention with modern approach

Danish legacy reborn: Urban jürgensen's 250-year heritage meets contemporary luxury under new ownership

Urban Jürgensen revival

Urban Jürgensen became 2025’s most discussed watch revival. A 250-year-old Danish horological legacy was transformed into a contemporary luxury brand through family ownership and the technical leadership of renowned independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen. The brand’s Los Angeles launch event was the year’s most talked-about watch presentation.
Founded in Copenhagen in 1773, Urban Jürgensen produced over 700 timepieces in the early 1800s and developed technical innovations such as ultra-precise marine chronometers. Despite several ownership changes and near disappearance over two centuries, passionate collectors preserved the brand’s reputation among watch experts.
“The biggest, most respected collectors own Urban Jürgensen watches—this brand, this name, is simply the highest level,” said watch writer Thomas Brechtel, highlighting the devoted following among serious enthusiasts, even though the brand remains little known to the general public.
The Rosenfield family acquired Urban Jürgensen in 2021, bringing a collector’s passion to the brand’s stewardship. Co-CEO Alex Rosenfield’s father had collected Urban Jürgensen pieces since the 1990s, which led to an unexpected opportunity to acquire the company when it needed investment to restart.
Kari Voutilainen, widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed independent watchmakers, leads technical development, while his 25-year-old daughter Venla serves as COO. This partnership brings authentic watchmaking credibility while modernizing the brand’s communication to appeal to younger audiences.
The launch collection includes three models showcasing Voutilainen’s craftsmanship: the UJ-1 250th Anniversary Tourbillon limited to 75 pieces (CHF 368,000), the UJ-2 three-hand watch (CHF 105,000), and the UJ-3 perpetual calendar with moonphase (CHF 168,000). Each features clean Scandinavian dial aesthetics, fine guilloché, and hand-applied numerals.
“The image contrasts modern, playful marketing with serious, traditional watchmaking—but it works because it is grounded in artisanal quality,” observed JX Su, founder of SJX Watches.
Rosenfield’s approach emphasizes accessibility rather than exclusivity, targeting a diverse audience including women and younger collectors, not just established enthusiasts. Ellen von Unwerth’s “Time Well-Spent” campaign, featuring people aged 19 to 82, reflects this inclusive vision.
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Fashion & Style

Hublot launches Big Bang Unico Summer 2025 in orange ceramic

Summer vibes: Hublot's orange ceramic big bang unico evokes sunset and ocean waves

Hublot big bang summer range

Hublot introduces the Big Bang Unico Summer 2025, a limited edition of 100 watches. It features a micro-blasted orange ceramic case and a sky-blue bezel, evoking the look of summer light on the sea. Priced at $31,300, the watch highlights Hublot’s expertise in coloring high-tech ceramics and its innovative strap systems.
The orange ceramic case represents a significant manufacturing achievement, requiring precise temperature control and material blends to achieve its deep, golden sunset-like color. Drawing on two decades of ceramic expertise, Hublot uses zirconium-based compounds baked at high temperatures to create scratch-resistant cases with vibrant colors.
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The open dial reveals the technical details of the HUB1280 Unico Manufacture movement. White Super-LumiNova coats the Arabic numerals and hour markers, which sit above the date wheel. A yellow central chronograph seconds hand adds a fourth color. The movement’s main plate, bridges, and date wheel are dark blue, and the 60-minute subdial at 3 o’clock is sky blue.
The column wheel chronograph is visible at 6 o’clock, showcasing Hublot’s in-house movement expertise. This movement consists of 354 parts, runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and offers a 72-hour power reserve. It features a silicon escapement and flyback function, allowing the chronograph to be reset and restarted with a single push. The transparent case back displays the dark blue movement against the orange case.
Hublot’s One-Click system allows users to change straps easily without tools. The watch comes with three rubber straps—orange, dark blue, and sky blue, each with a white lining—enabling quick changes to suit different moods and occasions, from beach outings to formal events.
While the color combination recalls Gulf Oil’s racing cars, Hublot states that the inspiration comes from summer, not motorsports. This mix of colors is more dynamic than the single-tone 2023 Sky Blue model, demonstrating how thoughtful color pairing can elevate a design.
The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters, making it suitable for swimming and water sports, even with the chronograph in use. Both the front and back sapphire crystals have anti-reflective coatings. Two chronograph pushers and a large crown ensure reliable operation near water.
With only 100 pieces available, the Summer 2025 edition appeals to collectors who appreciate Hublot’s mastery of materials and seasonal themes. The $31,300 price reflects the complexity of ceramic manufacturing and positions the watch among luxury sports chronographs.
This release reinforces Hublot’s commitment to bold colors and advanced materials, proving that summer inspiration can lead to serious watchmaking.

Fashion & Style

Noah and Timex release lighthouse watch following sun and moon success

Long island heritage: Noah's timex lighthouse watch honors golden ellipse legacy

Noah x timex collab

Noah continues its watch partnership with Timex through the Lighthouse Watch, following last summer’s sold-out Sun & Moon Watch. That earlier collaboration became one of 2024’s most popular affordable timepieces. This new $228 release draws inspiration from Long Island history and pays homage to an iconic watch design.
The Lighthouse Watch reflects Noah designer Brendon Babenzien’s connection to his Long Island roots, specifically the Fire Island Lighthouse near his childhood home. Babenzien explains that the lighthouse was always in the background of his life, making it a meaningful motif for this watch.
Design-wise, the watch is a clear nod to the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse, with a softly rounded, gold-plated stainless steel case measuring 31 x 35mm. This silhouette, paired with a croco-pattern leather strap, evokes the elegant, curvy shapes of the 1970s while remaining accessible thanks to Timex’s manufacturing. The minimalist white dial features a charcoal illustration of a lighthouse at six o’clock, serving as the centerpiece of the design. Gold-tone baton hands and subtle Noah NY and Timex branding at three and six o’clock complete the look, while the absence of hour markers keeps the focus on the artwork.
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Pre-orders run from June 5–12, with delivery expected in November 2025. The $228 price point positions the Lighthouse Watch between entry-level fashion watches and basic Swiss options, reflecting Noah’s accessible luxury ethos and appealing to both streetwear fans and those who prefer preppy style.
Notably, this is the first Noah watch Babenzien plans to wear himself, despite not being a watch collector—a testament to the design’s broad appeal for those seeking a unique, easy-to-wear piece rather than a collector’s item. The collaboration demonstrates how fashion brands can create meaningful, affordable watches through authentic partnerships and storytelling, attracting both core customers and watch enthusiasts looking for alternatives to luxury icons.