The new sophistication
BEAUTY or brains? For a long time women’s watches have been focused on the former with lashings of diamonds distracting from what’s hidden inside – typically a battery-run movement. But now we can enjoy both and stop borrowing from the boys, because some of the world’s finest watch brands have realised that women want a bit of integrity from their timepiece – in the form of a mechanical movement.
Katie Worrall, luxury watch concierge for Selfridges watch retailer Time2, says the watch brands’ recognition that women have sophisticated watch tastes too is not before time.
“Most women come to us with an idea of what they want but they’ve been stuck wearing a man’s automatic watch,” says Worrall, who provides everything from explanations of watch jargon to style advice. At present, she reports, automatic rose gold watches and sportier styles such as Chanel’s J12 are bestsellers.
LONGEVITY
Fine jewellery and watch aficionado Maria Doulton of online magazine TheJewelleryEditor.com agrees that the J12 has become one of the most popular women’s automatics in recent years and Chanel has likely influenced other watchmakers to follow suit with designing luxury watches for women.
“Watch companies are producing more mechanical women’s watches than they were five years ago,” she explains. “Women look for quality and have realised that it’s silly to buy an expensive watch with a battery powered movement when a mechanical watch has longevity and doesn’t feel disposable.”
Dior’s vampish black ceramic Dior VIII mechanical watch is a striking new contender for Chanel fans, while Omega has lead the charge in mechanical watches with its elegant Ladymatic, one of the most talked about women’s watches of the past 12 months.
Frédérique Constant, a recent arrival at Selfridges in London, boasts an array of automatic watches specially designed by a female team of watchmakers. Its Heart Beat collection includes steel, rose gold and chocolate brown leather options, but also has well-considered details such as hearts cut in to its mother-of-pearl dial to reveal a glimpse of its automatic movement.
SWAP STRAPS
In a bid to embrace the various facets of a woman’s life, Baume & Mercier has created a practical day-into-night collection of automatic watches called Linea with interchangeable straps that allow you to swap from leather to steel to match outfits or moods. As a tasty addition to its offer, the watchmaker has also released a collection of summer-inspired leather straps in hues of mandarin, violet and sky blue.
But if high luxury and heritage is your thing then look no further than Van Cleef & Arpels or Cartier for stunning women’s automatics with a playful twist. Cartier recently unveiled its Promenade d’une Panthère jewellery watch, a timepiece mixing undeniable beauty with technical innovation.
PANTHER
The watch’s rotor – the fan-shaped part that rotates as you move, keeping the watch ticking – is moved from its typical place at the back of the watch onto the dial, and is styled into a black and white, diamond-encrusted panther. It appears to walk, or better swing, around the watch as the wearer moves – a truly striking piece of design.
With watchmakers taking women shoppers seriously, now is the time to invest in an intelligent, mechanical timepiece that reflecting the sophistication of a modern tastemaker.
Kathryn Bishop is a freelance writer specialising in jewellery and watches.
1. Cartier – Promenade d’une Panthere, £139,000. www.cartier.com
2. Baume & Mercier – Linea Rose Gold, £3,950. www.time2.com
3. Frederique Constant – Double Heartbeat, £3,420. www.frederique-constant.com
4. Omega – Ladymatic in steel with bracelet and diamonds, £9,900. www.omegawatches.com