Watch collecting is not just for geeks. Women can enjoy the thrill of it also!
Through the centuries, watches have evolved from being a functional tool to a fashionable status symbol. Many years back, women wore watches as pendants, much like the equivalent of men’s pocket watches. They were worn with long chains around the neck and usually tucked into the waistband or kept in a subtle seam pocket near the waistline.
During those times, watches for women were more versatile than men’s and there were many ways of wearing them. Today, there is a dizzying array of watches for women and new designs are introduced each year. From the ultra-expensive pieces to the more affordable ones, women’s watches have become a reflection of the wearer’s personal style.
To start a basic watch collection, you need to have at least one item for each of the following watch types: jewelry watches, dress watches, and sports watches. There are watchmakers who have watches in all these categories, but most aficionados choose to purchase from different watchmakers.
Jewelry watches are timepieces which hardly look functional because of their elegance. Some are heavily studded with diamonds and precious stones that people who see them can’t help but gasp in awe. Watches that are extremely expensive have stones that have been meticulously selected for their cut, clarity, and color.
Piaget is a popular jewelry watch brand. Its “Exceptional Pieces” collection boasts watches that are literally covered in diamonds. Part of this collection is the Emperador Tourbillon, which has a face cover encrusted with carefully selected princess-cut and emerald-cut diamonds.
Other brand names that, when mentioned, invariably mean luxury, are: Chopard, Girard-Peregaux, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Breguet, and Rolex, among others. The style you choose should be something you could carry in relative comfort.
Next are the dress watches. These can be worn every day and are suited for wear both within the office and during after-office parties. Traditionally, a dress watch would have a slim, classic design, made with a bracelet of white or yellow gold or a high-quality leather strap.
However, the standards for dress watches have recently been more lenient. As long as the watch doesn’t have rubber or velcro straps, oversized parts, or gross markings, it can easily shift between use at work to being an elegant evening accessory.
The watch brands Rolex and Omega have non-sports models and these are highly favored by discriminating women for formal or business functions. The Rolex Lady Datejust and the Omega Constellation are extremely versatile dress watch models, as are Cartier’s Tank or Jaeger-Le Coultre’s Reverso. These models have stood the test of time and never go out of style.
Lastly, we have the sports watches which are a necessity for the active woman. There are now specialized watches for almost every type of athletic pursuit, from diving to rock climbing to car racing. Even if you just keep fit with aerobics or running, you can purchase models that have features such as chronographs, interval timers, and lap memories. Sports watches in pastel colors go well with fair complexion, while neutral or very bright colors are ideal for those with darker skin shades.
