In recent years, women’s watches have undoubtedly acquired a never-before-experienced interest among collectors, thus creating a fertile ground for novelties from the brands and a significant attention for interesting solutions, both from a technical and an aesthetic point of view. Women’s watches market has been continuously evolving and has provided interesting prompts for the whole industry.
It is safe to imagine that some interesting trends will be characterizing 2024, gaining broad recognition among enthusiasts and keeping interest in women’s watches. We are going to analyze some of these trends, giving evidence to the most interesting and remarkable technical and stylistic choices.
Jewelry watches
Despite being only at the beginning of the year, we can already note how the link between watches and jewels will remain a staple in 2024 production. Renowned brands, such as Bulgari, Piaget and Jaeger Le Coutre have been focusing their production on exquisite, elegant and extensively refined models, using diamonds and other precious stones – both for the case and the bracelet – as well as mechanically complex movements, sometimes overlooked in jewelry watches. Craftsmanship has become increasingly important among collectors and enthusiasts and a distinctive aspect used to modernize iconic models, giving them a new, sleek look, even more appealing than before.
Wanting to produce a jewelry watch doesn’t just mean focusing on its appearance and preciousness but also aiming to innovate from a technical standpoint. Bulgari’s “Piccolissimo” movements are a remarkable demonstration of this, being used for their amazing Serpenti watches. For many passionate women, this signifies not only appreciating the beauty of the timepiece but also the mechanical aspect, a concept traditionally associated more with men’s watchmaking.
Stone and colorful dials
Precious dials have as well been a point of focus in recent production, with an extensive use of onyx, mother of pearl, but also more affordable colored dials. Such an eye-catching piece is able to elevate any outfit and is a perfect, yet subtle, way to express personality and a feminine character.
The prediction of this trend is confirmed by those watches that have been designed by prominent women. An example of this is the colorful dial of Tamara Ralph’s Royal Oak Concept, which we analyzed in a recent article, as well as the Breitling collection launched in collaboration with Victoria Beckham. In the six different configurations of the 36mm Chronomat, the mint-colored dials stand out, both in the gold and steel configurations.
Shapes
Speaking of shapes, women’s watches are going to be characterized by an extensive variety, such as tanks, ovals and round dials, with Cartier in particular being at the forefront of the offer. With some of the models being wearable both on a leather strap and a more formal metal bracelet, these watches are the perfect choice for a young woman looking to start her collection with a versatile piece.
Men’s watches
Lastly, we can anticipate that larger watch sizes, historically associated predominantly with men, will remain highly sought after in the women’s market. These watches complement sporty and youthful styles while also being suitable for elegant occasions, particularly with vintage options. This suggests that the clear distinction between women’s and men’s watches will continue to diminish.
In the female segment of the industry, there is still a lack of true icons as commonly seen in typically male watches. Consequently, it is not uncommon to find passionate women proudly sporting typically male watches, including renowned sports models like the Rolex Daytona and GMT Master, which are typically produced in larger sizes.
