SS16 LADIES LUXURY WATCH EDIT

There were plenty of brands offering women small versions of the watches their men wear and Audemars Piguet was no exception. This 33mm version of the iconic Royal Oak Quartz is the perfect androgynous timepiece and it also taps into another of this year’s trends, yellow gold. Yes, the all-yellow original of this precious metal is back. It could be a little too much for some but, if you’re going to go for it, then offsetting the gold with diamonds and a blue dial is the stylish way to go.

65399 | £27,710

Another brand that has been an arbiter of androgyny is Hublot. It has long offered women smaller dialed versions of its men’s watches and no style showcases why this works better than this Classic Fusion. This is simply a smaller version of the man’s watch – there’s no diamonds and nothing has been prettified or stone set. It’s the perfect piece for women who want to wear their chaps’ watches but just don’t have the wrist radius to carry it off.

64799 | £11,800

Moonphases are certainly having a moment. There’s no denying the appeal of this most whimsical of complications but Parmigiani has given it an edge by housing it in its Metropolitaine range. Aimed at young and urbane, this collection has a sleek modernity, which sits in contrast to the poetic nature of the moonphase. It’s the horlogical equivalent of teaming a ballgown with a leather jacket and it’s pretty damn cool.

65386 | £9,900

Generally speaking pilot’s watches aren’t really made for women, but Graham subverts that idea by adding all its aviation signatures – the classic lever-release crown and chronograph function – to a moonphase. The juxtaposition of masculine and feminine combined with the grey dial and strap creates a watch that is unusual but ultimately very wearable. Perfect for those who want to standout rather than conform.

63514 | £1,890

The Promesse, which Baume & Mercier launched back in 2014, proved that the brand could do desirable women’s watches. For this year, it has decided to shrink the dials and add double straps. There are coloured leather options but the standout is this with the first-ever bracelet (not chain) double wrap. It speaks of the Roaring Twenties, decadent nights out drinking champagne and dancing ‘til dawn. Just putting it on is guaranteed to up your fabulousness quota.

64883 | £2,000

Usually women have to compromise when it comes to diver’s watches. If you want the requisite water resistance – 200m if you want to don a scuba suit – then you have to sacrifice prettiness for practicality. That isn’t the case with this Gucci. The look is classic “dive” but you’ve got diamonds on the bezel, which really softens the whole look. It also has the correct ATM; no 100m nonsense here. In short, it’s the ideal “beach to bar” accessory.

65333 | £1,280

Every woman should own a timepiece that has three cornerstones of female watch design – diamond bezel, mother-of-pearl dial and bracelet strap. This Raymond Weil combines them perfectly and manages to save the whole look from being politely pedestrian by making the dial 39mm as opposed to the usual 33. By making it  larger it makes a statement on the wrist, rather than being a charming wallflower. This is a watch that is unabashedly feminine and isn’t afraid to show it.

63323 | £1,695

CONTINUE READING

Building a watch collection is a lifelong journey with big brand milestones along the way. However, there comes a time when your watch just isn’t cutting it and it’s time to invest in something new.

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The definitive directory of what you should be wearing on your wrist right now. Words by Alex Doak.