From timeless classics to modern icons, these nine luxury watches for women showcase elegance, craftsmanship, and style from brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Cartier.
For women, a watch is more than just a way to tell the time. It’s a piece of jewellery that expresses her unique sense of style and personality. Generally, women’s watches aren’t as abundant as men's watches. However, some of the biggest luxury watch brands invest as much effort in creating women’s watches as they do with men's.
In this post, we’ll walk you through nine of the best women’s luxury watches, discussing their history, features, and what makes them special.
The Rolex Lady-Datejust is the ladies’ version of the iconic Rolex Datejust. It was released in 1957 based on the success of the original men’s Datejust from a decade earlier.
The Lady-Datejust had the same design as its famous counterpart, with features like the waterproof Oyster case, a self-winding movement, and the signature date display that changes automatically. The only difference was that the Lady-Datejust came in a smaller case size.
The Lady-Datejust is available in a wide variety of designs. Although it was originally released in a 26mm case, a 28mm case variant was added to the collection in 2015. This iconic timepiece has been produced in every metal finish in the Rolex catalogue. Depending on your preferences, You can choose a stainless steel or a gold case (yellow, white, or rose gold). There’s also a two-tone Rolesor version made from gold and steel.
Some models in this collection are also embellished with precious gems on their dials and bezel. The Lady-Datejust is offered a prestigious President bracelet and the Datejust collection’s signature Jubilee bracelet.
The Ballon Bleu represents Cartier’s first foray into the circular watch niche. The French watchmaker has always been famous for rectangular watches like the Santos and Tank, but that changed in 2007 with the release of the Ballon Bleu. The prominently round case of this watch was inspired by balloons. Cartier aimed to create a watch resembling a balloon floating on the wearer’s wrist.
The Ballon Blue Collection has different sizes, but the women’s watch is the 28mm size variant. The most luxurious models in the collection come in an 18k gold case encrusted with sparkling gems. These models also feature tempered sapphire in their automatic calibre and a crown capped with spinel cabochon or domed sapphire.
The collection also has models with stainless steel casing. The stainless steel variants are less flashy but equally elegant. Most versions have simple dials with either diamond markers or generic Roman numerals.
Overall, the Ballon Bleu’s design is iconic and unique. While round watches are fairly common in the feminine watch category, the roundness of the Ballon Bleu differs from any timepiece. This unique appearance makes this piece the perfect highlight for any outfit.
The Omega Constellation is the brand’s flagship watch model. The collection made its debut in 1952, which makes it one of Omega’s oldest watches. The Omega Constellation is the watchmaker’s first chronometer watch to be mass-produced.
Although the collection has several models, the 28mm Omega Constellation is designed specifically for the brand’s female audience. In addition to their smaller size, the feminine constellation watches also had a lavish appearance, with finely decorated cases featuring diamond embellishments.
Some models even have diamonds on the bezel and bracelet; their dials are made from exotic materials like mother of pearl. These watches also have colourful dials. Stainless steel and gold are the two material options for the Constellation watches for women.
The Omega Constellation is one of few watch collections with a case size as small as 24mm. These extremely portable and delicate watches look almost like bracelets and perfectly suit women with slender wrists.
If you’re a fan of durable but elegant sports watches for women, the J12 is one of the best options. This line of luxury watches was launched in 1999 by French haute fashion house Chanel. The J12 was designed by the brand’s artistic director, Jacques Hélleu, who was also the brain behind the watchmaker’s first watch, known as the Première cocktail watch, which was released earlier in 1987.
The J12 was launched as a unisex timepiece designed to cater to male and female wearers. While Chanel is not a traditional watchmaker, the J12 is a fine piece of Swiss horology renowned for its elegance. Chanel ditched all the popular stereotypes associated with feminine watches in creating this timepiece.
The J12 is designed to be just as mechanically complex and robust as a typical men’s watch. Yet, it was an aesthetically pleasing piece of Jewelry. The watch also incorporated features and complications typically reserved for male watches, like moon phases and chronographs. The J12 is also built to be water-resistant, which makes it suitable for light swimming. The J12’s case and bracelet are famously made from scratch-resistant ceramic material. However, a few models are made from titanium and steel.
Regarded as the mother of all modern Rolex watches, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual collection is an undisputed classic. Although no designated male and female models exist, the smaller models (26mm to 31mm) are generally considered feminine or unisex options due to their smaller case size.
The Oyster Perpetual is one of the oldest Rolex collections still in production. The timepiece is backed by a century of history and remains a simple but elegant Rolex lady's watch.
All the Oyster Perpetual collection models are characterised by a discrete design. They’re entry-level watches with a simple time-only dial functionality, but a few models have a date window.
The defining qualities of an Oyster Perpetual include the robust casing and the in-house automatic movement. Watches in this collection are typically crafted from Rolex’s extremely durable Oystersteel material, except for a few vintage models in yellow gold and two-tone Rolesor versions.
The smaller models (26 to 31 mm) are equipped with the calibre 2232, a highly reliable In-house Rolex calibre with chronometer certification. This watch has different dial designs, from muted elegant colours to flashy and colourful options.
The Royal Oak line is arguably the most important collection in Audemars Piguet’s catalogue. When it was launched in 1972, this watch broke many conventions with its steel case, unconventional octagonal bezel, and integrated bracelet. The Royal Oak was designed by Gerald Genta, one of horologic history's most iconic watch designers.
A few years later, Audemars Piguet began working on a special variant of this watch for female buyers. To create this watch, the brand worked with designer Jacqueline Dimier. Who transformed the Royal Oak into an ideal ladies' watch.
The original Royal Oak came in a case so big the watch was given the nickname “jumbo” in 1972. While the Royal Oak Lady had the same classic porthole-inspired design as the original, the watch has been trimmed down to a smaller casing of about 26 to 41 mm in diameter, depending on your preference.
Most Royal Oak models have a classic appearance for a traditional ladies' watch. However, a Royal Oak Lady with diamonds and other embellishments may be just right for you if you want something more glamorous. These more luxurious-looking models have gems on their bezel and dial.
The Reverso One is an all-time classic timepiece that has become quite emblematic of the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand. It is one of three series of watches in the broader Reverso collection (the others being the Tribute and Classique). Of these three, the Reverso One collection has the highest number of women’s watches.
The Reverso collection is one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s longest-running collections. The watch was created in the 1930s with a reversible case design to keep the watch crystals from breaking during polo matches.
Over time, this slender rectangular watch has become a status symbol and a true icon in the luxury watch world. Most models in this collection are crafted from stainless steel, but a few have rose gold and white gold casings.
The Reverso One’s case is paired with a bracelet or an alligator-skin strap. Some models also have their cases decorated with rows of brilliant cut diamonds, adding a sparkle to the elegant quartz-driven watch.
The Twenty~4 collection represents the Patek Philippe line of elegant feminine watches. Curated specifically as a jewellery piece for the modern lady, this timepiece perfectly balances classical and contemporary in one timepiece. Patek Philippe launched this collection in 1999. Today, it is one of Patek Philippe's best-selling watches.
The Twenty-4 line is one of few feminine watches created from scratch for women. Most watchmakers modify their masculine watches' appearance to suit female audiences, but the Twenty-4 is an exception.
The earliest models in this collection were quartz watches. Patek Philippe released the first automatic model for this collection in 2018, completing the catalogue. This automatic model is also the first Patek Philippe Twenty-4 with a round case. Other watches in the collection are characterised by a slim rectangular case with a luxurious design that makes them look more like a fashion bracelet than a wristwatch. Despite their simple design, all models exude an air of elegance and exotic presence on the wearer’s wrist.
The Vacheron Constantin Égérie is the youngest of all the watches on this list. Released in 2020, the Egerie collection by Swiss brand Vacheron Constantin is the watchmaker's most recent release of a feminine watch in decades.
This timepiece has one of the most unique and stunning designs you’ll ever find on a female timepiece. The Egerie’s design was inspired by the “pleats” of a woman’s dress. Consequently, all the models in this collection are characterised by a miniature draped motif on the dial. With this design, the numbers and all the other elements on the dial appear floating on a delicate silk drape.
The case and bracelet of this watch are also exquisitely finished. They are remarkably slim with a sleek design that allows them to hug the wearer’s skin like it's a second skin. These watches also have sparkly diamonds on their case and dial, adding to their exotic appearance.
For some of the most reputable watchmakers in the world, a feminine watch is never an afterthought. These timepieces are deliberately crafted, sometimes from scratch, or as a thoughtful adaptation of an existing line of men’s watches with features that make them even more appealing to a female audience. In either case, the women’s luxury watches listed above are some of the best options for anyone looking to expand their collection or buy a women’s watch for everyday use.
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