How To Choose Luxury Watches For Women
The world of women’s luxury watches has never been more exciting, or expansive. Women are no longer limited to shrunken, diamond-studded versions of men’s watches, or delicate cocktail pieces (although, I do love a gorgeous cocktail watch!). Today’s modern landscape embraces versatility, craftsmanship and personal expression. Speaking from personal experience, you can be drawn to a robust 40mm sports watch one minute, and a statement making small jewelry piece another.
Working at an authorized retailer of over 40 luxury watch brands, along with an extensive collection of pre-owned watches, I have seen, and lived, the evolution of ladies’ watches. Women watch collectors today are increasingly sophisticated and have the same curiosity and passion as collectors that are men.
This guide will help you navigate understanding what to look for based on your lifestyle. And remember, the modern definition of a women’s watch is simple: any watch a woman chooses to wear.
A Quick History of Women’s Luxury Watches
In 1810, Abraham-Louis Breguet created the first wristwatch for the Queen of Naples, as women’s elaborate dresses lacked pockets for the pocket watches men carried. Throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, wristwatches remained primarily feminine, being ornate, jeweled pieces that were a status symbol.
The evolution of the pocket watch to the wristwatch during World War I also saw the evolution of women’s watches through the eras. The 1920s brought the geometric elegance of Art Deco, cocktail watches trending in the 1950s, and the quartz revolution in the 1970s, which allowed for more diverse and fashion-forward designs.
For many years, the watch industry defaulted to making women’s watches smaller, pink, and full of diamonds, assuming women wanted something pastel and embellished. But the modern years have brought a shift in women’s watch design, embracing more of a gender-neutral design while still offering watches with a more traditionally feminine look.
The modern woman’s watch is not always defined by this prescribed femininity but by personal style, wrist size, and lifestyle needs. This evolution reflects a change in watches from decorative jewelry to everyday wear. Luckily for us, in 2026, a “women’s watch” is simply any watch a woman chooses to wear.
How to Choose the Perfect Women’s Watch
While watch designs and preferences have changed over the years, there are some key considerations before choosing the perfect watch.
Lifestyle & Styling Considerations
First and foremost, whether you are purchasing for yourself, or as a gift for your loved one, lifestyle and general style should be considered. Are you looking for something that can be worn every day, more formal occasions, or something to generally make a statement.
Are you looking for a sports watch? Something that is more jewelry forward that you can stack with other bracelets? Or are you more interested in something technical and featuring a higher complication than something that may be time, or time and date only? Thinking about how and where you may wear your watches can help narrow down the ever-growing list of favorite watches.
Case Sizes
In addition to how you may be wearing your watch, size is still pretty important to consider. And while case size itself is a good indicator of fit, it’s also good to know how the lugs and strap may come into play when sizing. For example, on my 6-inch wrist, I can wear something that is 40-41mm but if it has an integrated bracelet or strap, game over, the lugs don’t articulate around my wrist and there is noticeable overhang. Learn more about finding the perfect watch size.
In today’s world of women’s watches, and what watches women gravitate towards, there’s a neutral sizing trend. Gone are the days where only petite watches are being designed for women, or preferred. There are ladies’ watches that are sized from 36-38mm, a traditional men’s size, but then there are watches that were originally designed for men that women gravitate towards in today’s world, such as a certain 40mm chronograph.
Material Shift
As alluded to in speaking about the evolution of ladies watches over the years and lifestyle considerations, there has been a shift in materials used in ladies watches. Pinks, mother-of-pearl, precious metals, and diamonds have all traditionally been found on ladies watches, or shrunken versions of men’s watches for women. In today’s modern world though, we need watches that can keep up with us regardless of the activity.
There are still options with precious metals, I’m personally beginning to gravitate towards yellow gold, but now there are expanded options in stainless steel and non-traditional materials like titanium that are being designed with purpose for smaller wrists, rather than simply adding pink details.
Mechanical Movements vs Quartz
The quartz revolution brought about the ability to make smaller and thinner movements, although small mechanical movements existed before quartz, my favorites being the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101 from 1929, and the Omega Calibre 455 in the Ladymatic from 1955. With this, many women’s watches shifted to quartz which need less maintenance, an appealing benefit for women with busy lifestyles. However, as watches have evolved beyond just being another piece of jewelry, there is also a growing appreciation of mechanical movements.
There are strong designs in both mechanical and quartz categories, making it hard to narrow down one versus the other. This then leads back to the question: what is your lifestyle like? Do you want to wind a watch? If you don’t wear it for a few days, do you want to have to reset the time and date? If you answer no to those, quartz may be the best option for you as you would only need to change the battery every few years.
Finding your Perfect Timepiece at The 1916 Company
Whether you’re purchasing your first luxury watch or adding to an established collection, the journey should be as enjoyable as wearing the timepiece itself. The evolution of women’s watches—from decorative jewelry to sophisticated instruments of horology—means today’s choices are richer and more personal than ever before.
At The 1916 Company, we specialize in helping collectors navigate these options with expertise gained from representing over 40 prestigious brands. Our current production inventory offers the latest releases from brands pushing the boundaries of design and innovation, while our carefully curated pre-owned womens collection provides access to discontinued models, vintage treasures, and hard-to-find references—all backed by our authentication guarantee and warranty. Stay tuned for my favorite new and pre-owned watches.
Ready to start your journey? Browse our current collections online or visit us to experience these timepieces in person. Our team is here to help you find not just a watch, but the watch that speaks to you. We have locations across the United States, in Philadelphia, Ardmore, Baltimore, Delaware, Denver, Newport Beach, Scottsdale, and our recently opened Manhattan Beach showroom. We also have pre-owned Collectors Lounges in New York and Miami, and internationally in Switzerland, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.