The watch industry is evolving at a rapid pace. Although it is true that the watch industry for the most part is still geared towards men, there are indications that women’s watches (or rather watches aimed at women) are gaining their due place.
One development that has blurred the line between men’s and women’s watches is the rise of the smart watch. Manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung and Garmin do not have the economies of scale to offer separate men’s and women’s sizes for smart watches. Hence, both sexes are compelled to go for the same sizes.
Another development is that men are also looking for smaller watches, turning their backs (or wrists?) on huge 50 mm watches – and not necessarily men who have smaller wrists. They have turned to some of the bigger women’s watches or even so-called unisex watches, which are less than 38 mm in size.
Besides, watchmakers have noticed another trend – men are also going for watches embedded with gemstones and other ornaments. Some manufacturers such as Piaget, LV and Cartier have successfully exploited this niche market. The Gérald Genta Gentissima Oursin Fire Opal, (named after the legendary watch designer) a brilliant 36-millimeter watch with 137 fire opals attached to its 18-karat yellow gold case has become a hit among both men and women.
On the other hand, some women are moving in the opposite direction, shunning such “bling” watches and going for more spartan designs usually found in men’s watches. Thus many maisons have abandoned the usual formula for making women’s watches – “Shrink it, Pink it and Stone it”, experimenting with new designs for women’s and unisex watches. Concerns over theft have also resulted in women choosing mid-tier and luxury watches that do not scream “money”.
There is also a movement by watchmakers not to apply gender labels to their watches and indicate only the size of the watch so that the buyers can decide. Audemars Piguet (AP) and Zenith, for example, now define their watches by size rather than gender. Watch industry analysts say that the social media have played a huge role in this transformation, along with celebrity endorsements.
The (male) Canadian artist Weeknd recently wore a Piaget Gala Limelight, a 32-millimeter model with asymmetric swirl lugs and brilliant-cut diamonds that would normally pass off as a women’s watch, to a concert in New York. This became a hit on social media, with many men and women looking for information on the watch on the web. Some searches would translate into sales for Piaget, which, incidentally is the only major watchmaker that still uses the rather outdated moniker “ladies’ watches”. Moreover, today’s youth are looking for products that will help them to stand out in a crowd.
Still, women’s watches command only around 20 percent of the market for Swiss watches, amounting to sales of nearly US$ 6 billion. Indeed, some brands such as Longines are defying the trends and keeping separate lines for men and women at least for the time being. In February 2025, Longines’ website listed 408 products as women’s watches, 368 as men’s and 60 as unisex. Of course, they would not mind if a man bought a women’s watch or vice versa.
Women’s awareness on fine watches and watch movements is also on the rise, according to watch industry analysts. This used to be the preserve of men, after all. In response, many watchmakers are including elaborate mechanical movements inside their smaller watches. Moreover, some watchmakers such as Bulgari, which is also a fine jeweller, are retaining unusual watch shapes which are generally more favoured by women. Bulgari’s Serpenti Seduttori Automatic, a 34-millimeter watch with 36 brilliant-cut diamonds on its triangular case, is such a watch with an unusual shape that most men would not want to wear at all.
Although the watch industry – or rather the manufacturing process – is still heavily dominated by men, more women are climbing to top positions in Swiss and other horology houses. Among them are Carole Forestier-Kasapi, the “Movements Director” at TAG Heuer, and Anne-Gaëlle Quinet, the Head of Complications at Audemars Piguet. But there is a dire need for more women in the watchmaking industry at all levels – the current trend whereby more girls are studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects will be a good omen for the industry, some aspects of which have barely changed in the last 250 years. But now it has to keep up with the time(s).
At the end of the day, if you like a particular watch, try it on and see the seller, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman. If you like how it feels and looks, go for it, regardless of what others say. It is your hand and your watch.
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