When choosing watches, women have long given preference to models created for men. Hollywood royalty Salma Hayek, for example, regularly favors the 44mm PAM 104 from Florentine watchmaker Panerai, a heritage brand known for its chunky, bold, custom-made models. Meanwhile, global style icon Victoria Beckham has been repeatedly photographed wearing traditional men’s watches, such as the all-gold Patek Philippe Nautilus or the Rolex Presidential with a champagne dial.
Six celebrity children with extravagant luxury watches, from Rolex to Richard Mille
Six celebrity children with extravagant luxury watches, from Rolex to Richard Mille
Today, however, the opposite is true, thanks to a new wave of celebrities like Austin Butler, Damson Idris and Tyler, the Creator who dare to break with convention and downsize their favorite timepieces.
“People are looking for more subtle ways to be flexible that don’t involve flashy logos, and in watch wear in particular, the ‘bigger is better’ trend has run its course,” says Brynn Wallner, founder of Dimepiece, an online platform for everything. women and watches.
“See how brands move slower than fashion and often fail to keep up with trends. New watch releases tend to be larger in size, a stark contrast to what was produced back in the 90s when 40mm was considered huge. So, if a man is looking for a watch that suits his current fashion tastes but deviates from the more sophisticated, minimalist side, he will choose a women’s watch.”
Being a trendsetter, actor Timothée Chalamet recently supported this idea by releasing a tiny version of Cartier’s Panthère watch. First introduced in 1983, Panthère has become the house’s flagship model, attracting fans from Gwyneth Paltrow to Dua Lipa and Madonna. Typically considered a ladies’ model due to its elegant, feminine silhouette, the Chalamet version is one of the smallest in production, measuring just 25mm by 19mm and just 6mm thick, proving that the watch looks equally at home on men’s wrists. as it happens with women.
“The androgyny is there,” Wallner notes. “Gen Z is comfortable wearing jewelry and nail polish, so it makes sense that this comfort would extend to wearing watches and that the trend would extend beyond young people. Gender labels have become almost irrelevant for many watch lovers, with both women and men choosing models that they personally like, rather than adhering to any outdated rules about who should wear them.”
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8 Bold Watches with the Red Dial Trend of 2023: From AP to JLC
Men avoid gender categorization not only because of the androgynous appeal of women’s watches, but also because of the unusual jewel settings inherent in these exquisite models. Take The Weeknd, one of the best-dressed musicians in the world right now, who wore a stunning bejeweled Piaget watch with over 700 diamonds and sapphires on its 32mm dial during his Cannes debut. Although the watch was technically designed for women, it was a stunning complement to the star’s custom Loewe tuxedo.
“More and more people are buying watches and wearing them the way they want, regardless of any preconceived notions of what is cool or common,” says Wallner. “As more people come into this world and speak their minds, brands feel the need to be more creative in their product designs, opening their eyes to the innovation that is possible without appealing to the same demographic they have historically catered to.”
However, the question remains. Will the appeal of women’s watches continue to grow among men or will it soon fade away like so many other fads before it?
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“This trend is deeply rooted in history and therefore remains strong,” says Wallner. Indeed, in the 1950s, 35mm watches were considered large, and the range has only expanded since then, Wallner notes.
“Now we’re seeing people scaling back, nodding towards the vintage sensibility that is at the heart of this industry,” she says. “Of course, everything is cyclical, but the watch world benefits from consistency and a commitment to quality that makes it more than the average fashion brand. Trends in the watch industry are less fast-paced and unbridled. The glacial pace at which watch brands are moving may help continue this trend.”