Watches have traditionally been a world centered on men's watches. However, Historically, Ladies' watches have also made significant contributions to the development of the industry. Thanks to women who are sensitive to trends and changes, It was possible to break away from existing conventions. A representative example is the pivotal role they played in ushering in the era of wristwatches, Which we now commonly refer to as watches.

The History of Ladies' Watches

In the early 20th century, Men, Who tended to be more conservative, Found it difficult to give up the pocket watches they had used for a long time. In contrast, Women began to wear watches designed like bracelets without hesitation. In other words, They readily accepted the new style of wristwatches.

The wristwatch said to have been made by Patek Philippe in 1868 for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary © Teddy Baldassarre

Even today, Men's watches still lead the market, But the proportion of ladies' watches is steadily increasing. While the growth of the already mature men's watch market is slowing, Ladies' watches still have great growth potential. Unlike in the past, When they were considered smaller versions of men's watches or simply fashion items with quartz movements, There is now a growing demand for mechanical movements and watches of the same quality as men's. Jewelry watches, Which combine jewelry and watches to increase added value, Also fall under the category of ladies' watches, So the potential for growth is very high. High-end ladies' watches are developing mainly among top-tier companies. Breguet's Reine de Naples, Blancpain's Lady Bird, Jaeger-LeCoultre's Rendez-vous, And Piaget's Limelight Gala are representative ladies' watch collections of today.

Breguet Reine de Naples
Reine de Naples

Maria Annunziata Caroline Bonaparte Murat, Also known as Caroline Murat, Was Napoleon Bonaparte's younger sister and the Queen of Naples. She loved the arts and spared no support, Recognizing Breguet's outstanding artistry and technical prowess. Between 1808 and 1815, She owned more than 30 pieces in her collection. This is known because Breguet meticulously recorded orders and watches from the time the company was founded. The Queen of Naples also ordered a watch to be worn on her wrist from Breguet. This is the basis for Breguet's claim to have invented the first wristwatch.

According to Breguet's records, Two watches were ordered in 1810, One of which was completed in 1812 and underwent repairs in 1849 and 1855. The queen's wristwatch, Whose whereabouts are now unknown, Featured a repeater that chimed the time, A moon phase display, And a thermometer. To secure the oval-shaped case to the wrist, A strap made of hair and gold thread was used. The price at the time was about 5, 000 francs, Which is said to be equivalent to about 50 million won today.

Reine de Naples 8918, Reine de Naples 8909 © breguet

The Reine de Naples, Named after the Queen of Naples, Continues the original features and completes today's collection. The elegant oval case, Droplet-shaped lugs, The coin-edge case side symbolizing Breguet, And mother-of-pearl or guilloché dials all exude the dignity befitting a queen's watch. As befits a high-end company, It uses small-sized mechanical movements. From the simplest time-only functions to high-end complications like the original repeater, It demonstrates the true essence of high-end watches not only in elegant and beautiful design and details but also in functionality.

Blancpain Lady Bird

Founded in 1735, Blancpain has never made a quartz watch, Even during the quartz crisis. In the 1930s, It introduced the Rolls, The first ladies' wristwatch with a self-winding movement.

Blancpain Rolls © quillandpad

The Rolls, Which is almost square, Used an innovative micro-rotor and a sliding crown to prevent damage to women's precious nails. In 1933, Betty Fiechter became president of Blancpain, Becoming the first female president in the watch industry and bringing about a small revolution. Thanks to its unique structure, It is now a vintage piece of great interest to collectors. In 1956, Blancpain introduced the Ladybird, Featuring the world's smallest-diameter movement, Pioneering the field of ladies' watches.

The Ladybird, Meaning ladybug, Was named for its small diameter and relatively thick case proportions, Making it a suitable design for women with slender wrists. Blancpain produced this design for some time before recently switching to a slimmer proportioned design.

Blancpain Lady Bird Colors Phase de Lune © blancpain

Although the case is rather large for a ladies' watch at about 35mm in diameter, It features a delicately textured mother-of-pearl dial. The colorful oversized Roman numerals are matched with leather straps, And the moon phase function adds a lyrical touch to the dial. The mechanical self-winding caliber is based on the men's model, Delivering the joy of mechanical watches.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-vous

Although the Rendez-vous has a shorter history compared to the Reine de Naples or Lady Bird, It has set the standard for modern ladies' watches. Born in 2012, The Rendez-vous used a mechanical caliber to bring ladies' watches to the same level as men's watches, At a time when quartz calibers were the norm for ladies' watches. However, Instead of the complex functions found in men's watches, It mainly introduced features tailored to women's preferences.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-vous Night & Day © jaeger-lecoultre

The moon phase, Which creates a gentle mood just by being present on the dial, And the celestial function, Which displays constellations, Unfold a brilliant night sky on the dial. The day/night indicator, Which was usually paired with a GMT function, Is used independently to bring the sun and moon onto the dial. The unpredictable shooting star indicator completes the celestial complication, Allowing you to experience stars and the universe.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-vous Celestial © gmtpost

The Rendez-vous offers features for women through mechanical calibers and also considers feminine elements in its details. It provides various case diameters to suit different wrist sizes, Irregular-patterned guilloché or mother-of-pearl dials, Floral indexes resembling handwriting, And gem setting, Completing a genre of mechanical watches exclusively for women. It continues to inspire newcomers to the ladies' watch market.

Piaget Limelight Gala

The Piaget Society refers to a gathering of "beautiful people" with wealth, Fame, And style, Created by Yves Piaget, The fourth generation of the Piaget family. Their parties were admired by all, Attended by figures such as Salvador Dalí, Jacqueline Kennedy, Andy Warhol, And Elizabeth Taylor. Piaget's representative Limelight Gala was inspired by a model from 1973, When the Piaget Society was at its peak.

The current Limelight Gala is most notable for its asymmetrical lugs, Which overlap the Arabic numerals 6 and 9 on the round case. The design, Which starts at one lug, Circles the bezel, And ends at the other lug, Is optimal for showcasing Piaget's expertise in gem setting. Combined with the bracelet, It is also ideal for implementing the Palace decoration, A unique detail of Piaget jewelry. Piaget has traditionally used quartz calibers in ladies' watches, But is now increasing the proportion of mechanical calibers in response to changing trends. This also reflects Piaget's history as an outstanding movement manufacturer, Renowned for ultra-slim calibers.

Piaget Limelight Gala, Piaget Society © piaget

Piaget Available for Trading

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Felix

Writer

Watch Columnist