It brings me immense joy when I see women enjoying watches. It is often said that men’s universe of accessories is small and limited when compared to bags, scarves, bracelets, earrings, and much more that constitute women’s accessories, due to which men gravitate more towards watches. is is also why watches are predominantly seen as a male bastion. But I was recently at an event held by Longines for the launch of their new Conquest collection—it is represented by their Ambassadors of Elegance Chinese actor Zhao Liying, South Korean singer and actor Suzy, and Hungarian model Barbara Palvin—and the conversations of the women attendees around these timepieces was spirited. The Conquest is a sporty, robust, elegant, automatic watch, available in a range of colours, perfect for everyday wear, and also the kind of watch that can easily lure a watch novice into the world of high-end timepieces. And that is exactly what it seemed to be doing at the event.
The world of women’s watches is steadily expanding, which in itself is proof that there is a demand for them. But even within this world, there are different ways that brands are approaching the idea. This year, brands like Glashütte Original have launched a new women’s collection, while Van Cleef & Arpels and Arnold & Son continue to innovate with their ‘Poetic Complications’ and moonphase complications in women’s watches, respectively. The unisex watches category grew by leaps and bounds, with Hermès and Czapek launching an entirely new line called Cut and Promenade, respectively, and Parmigiani redesigned its Toric line, as did Louis Vuitton with its Escale collection, in way that it became accessible to most wrists. Beyond this, plenty of brands added new models to popular lines. And hearteningly, for me, the smallest increase seemed to be in the genre of jewellery watches.
With this issue, we have attempted to track all the big moments in the world of watches for women, from new designs and innovations, to buzzing collections and the names behind it. We give you a roundup of the best 2024 timepieces in ‘A Year in Review’, and go in-depth into Chanel’s new capsule collection called Couture O’Clock, in ‘Cast in the Same Mould’. In our ‘History’ section, we revisit the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101, the smallest mechanical movement ever, and track how it revolutionised women’s watches in ‘Tiny Triumph’. We also speak to Anita Porchet, dial enamellist; Marie Boutteçon, watch designer; Rose Saneuil, marquetry artist; and Angelique Chappuis, habillage expert, about their work in watches, in ‘Leading Ladies’.
Also, in this issue, for the first time, we decided to do a sub-section on design. Our features focus on timepieces and trends that highlight interestingly crafted pieces/collections like, ‘Purely a Formality’, which takes a look at Cartier’s shaped watches, and ‘Louis Vuitton’s Ambitious Dress Watch’, which deep dives into the redesign of the Escale. We also speak to Kalpana Rangamani, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Premium and Luxury Watches, Titan, on its design- and engineering-oriented Edge series, in ‘Competitive Edge’—the Edge UltraSlim and Edge Squircle have been longlisted at the 2024 GPHG Awards, marking the first time that an Indian brand has featured in the long list. On our cover is the L’Heure du Diamant by Chopard, also a beautifully designed watch for women, whose crown setting on the bezel reduces the visibility of the V-shaped setting prongs, thereby allowing maximum exposure of the sparkling jewels. It melds both worlds—of watches for women, and design—and sets the perfect tone for the rest of the magazine.
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