There has never been a better time for women to take a dive into the wide and wondrous world of watches. From the dainty and diamond-set to the robust and mechanically driven, these timepieces drive real investment value through meticulous craftsmanship, classic design and straight-up brand cachet.
A crisp, white colourway adds feminine flair to this typically masculine complication. The 35mm stainless steel case features a glossy white dial set with 12 polished cabochons on the flange, a playful golden Star Monogram flower acting as the small seconds disc at 6 o’clock, and a small date aperture at 5 o’clock. Comes with an interchangeable rubber strap, and is water resistant to 50m.
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The Italian jeweller’s famous “tubogas” technique was developed in the 1940s and inspired by the way gas tubes were made. By wrapping metal strands around an internal structure without the use of any soldering, Bulgari managed to create a slinky, supple bracelet to embody its beloved motif, the serpent. In this single spiral 35mm steel model, the snake’s head bears a black opaline dial with sunburst guilloche and a crown set with a pink rubellite cabochon.
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Renamed in the 1950s thanks to its number one fan, Grace Kelly, the Hermes Kelly remains one of the most sought after bags today. Now you can also carry one of its most delightful features — the padlock-shaped clasp — in the form of a watch. Inside this steel padlock is a white lacquer dial that runs on a Swiss-made quartz movement.
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For those who prefer their tickers on the gender-neutral side, Zenith offers sharp styling in its 40.5mm steel Elite Classic. A sunburst patterned dial in blue or silver is accented by faceted and polished hour markers, dauphine hands, and a date window at 6 o’clock. It is powered by the Elite 670 SK self-winding movement, which provides 48 hours of autonomy.
You probably wouldn’t be able to tell from its pearlescent dial and diamond-set bezel and hour markers that this is actually a pretty tough ticker. It was a water resistance of 200m and a 12-sided, unidirectional rotating bezel that is notched for better grip. Satin-finished and polished bracelet links add the final touches to elevate this professional diving watch to a glamorous one.
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Narrower than the classic Reverso watches, the Reverso One was based on the ladies’ versions of this timeless flippable favourite from Jaeger-LeCoultre. Measuring 40.1mm by 20mm, the steel case and diamond-set gadroons frame a silvered grey dial with sunburst guilloche and Arabic numerals.
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Under this sweet, shell pink dial lies some serious horology. The calibre 8800 is a Master Chronometer, which means it is double certified by the COSC as well as METAS, the latter comprising another eight tests that include magnetic resistance. The date window, hands, indexes and Omega logo are polished 18k white gold, and the bracelet is interchangeable. All of this is packed into a dainty 34mm steel case.
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Even after a century of success, the Cartier Tank is still capable of surprise. Keeping in line with the environmentally conscious zeitgeist, this version of the Tank Must features a solar-powered quartz movement. Charged by light that enters through the numerals on the dial, the battery won’t need changing for 16 years. It even comes with a vegan leather strap.
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It makes sense for IWC’s smallest watches to come from the simple and chic Portofino collection. With slender lugs, narrow indexes and slim case profile of just 8.6mm, the Portofino Automatic 34 is minimalism at its finest. But a wash of the trendiest colour this season (with a matching alligator strap by Santoni) ensures it is still a visually arresting statement on the wrist.
It took over half a century for Panerai to downsize and refine its famous Luminor for the ladies, but the Luminor Due is everything we could have asked for. It has all the hallmarks that earned the Luminor its loyal following — signature crown guard, sandwich dial, distinctive hour markers — but in a more wearable 38mm steel case, as seen in this PAM01248. The in-house calibre P.900 also provides a handy three days of reserve power, and 300m of water resistance.
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