Written by Julie de Los Rios - Thursday, June 6, 2024
Gathering 54 exhibiting houses, the largest watch fair took place from 9th to 14th April in Geneva, attracting no less than 49,000 visitors. This year, the event
High-end watchmaking is no longer reserved for men and seniors! The 2024 edition of Watches & Wonders proves this: 25% of the tickets were sold to those under 25, with an average age of 35. No wonder watchmakers are shaking up classic codes to create timepieces that will appeal to the digital natives of Gen Y.
First strong trend – as in fashion, manufacturers are playing the "gender fluid" card by reducing proportions. According to Watchfinder & Co, the expert platform for pre-owned luxury watches, 34% of launches – among the 660 new releases – range between 36 and 38 mm in diameter for sporty chic and unisex models.
Women are still snapping up classic masculine models. Notable examples from 2024 include the IWC Portugieser Automatic, which has been slimmed down. At 40 mm, it adds elegance to a feminine silhouette. Similarly, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar, which displays the day, month, and year within the leap year cycle, captivates with its redesigned, pure dial.
More delicate, smaller watches are prevalent, perfectly aligning with the
Mini versions are also seen at Cartier with the Baignoire and Tank Louis Cartier models, which blend seamlessly with the bracelets that It girls stack on their wrists. Lacquered dials and yellow gold cases make the little black watch a star. Even Hublot joins in, revisiting its iconic Classic Fusion in a 29 mm diameter. Chopard's Happy Sport sparkles brighter, with mobile diamonds contrasting against a black dial.
What would fashion be without the chicness of black? This year, Chanel drew all eyes with Couture O’Clock, an immersive journey into Mademoiselle's atelier. The Première Ruban Couture watch, featuring a double wrap black leather strap printed with measuring tape, showcases essential seamstress tools – thimble, needle, pin, or bust – dangling from chains, with the dial playing hide-and-seek. Discreet elegance is also seen in the Bobine Couture cuff watch, hiding its dial under an emerald-cut yellow sapphire.
In an era where everyone owns a smartphone, the utility of a watch might seem negligible. More than ever, the watch is conceived as jewellery, blurring the lines between fine watchmaking and fine jewellery.
Rolex gives its iconic Daytona a makeover with a mother-of-pearl dial and a diamond-set bezel. Piaget, the house of Extraleganza – a blend of extravagance and elegance – celebrates its 150th anniversary with the reissue of its fine jewellery watch Aura, featuring a whirlwind of diamonds, rubies, and pink sapphires. Piaget's Polo 79 and Patek Philippe's Golden Ellipse both shine in all-gold looks, designed to gracefully highlight a woman's wrist.
Van Cleef & Arpels' new Lady Arpels Jour Nuit watch invites us to observe the stars and the moon chasing the sun, thanks to a rotating disc. Vacheron Constantin dazzles with the Grand Lady Kalla, a transformable watch that creates a sumptuous parure offering multiple ways to wear it.
These dazzling watch-jewels sit alongside ready-to-wear models in showcases, easier to style daily with jeans and trainers.
Tag Heuer's Carrera Date embraces its femininity with a sophisticated steel bracelet and a mother-of-pearl or copper dial. The new Hermès Cut, a quintessential daily watch, boasts versatility with eight interchangeable rubber strap colours.
Offering various hues and combinations to suit all styles and expectations is a strategic choice made by Alpina, dressing its Alpiner Extreme Quartz watch with a palette of sober or vibrant dial colours – beige, glacier blue, pink, and pastel green – to match the outfit of the day.
Pequignet also embraces this approach with multiple interpretations of its Concorde watch, launched in 2023, and Frédérique Constant with its Classics Elegance Luna watch available in four colours, with indices matching the crocodile leather strap.
In summary, watchmakers are balancing their offerings to provide watches for every moment of a modern woman's life.
From sculptural masterpieces to small jewellery watches that make us forget time, to accessory watches perfecting a casual chic look… there is something for everyone!