The Obsession-Worthy Women's Watches for 2021
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It’s a moment for glamorous, colorful, and unapologetically luxurious watches. At this year’s Watches and Wonders, the watch industry’s main event where the newest models are revealed, the biggest trend was show-stopping jeweled, feminine, and super-luxe timepieces. But don’t be fooled by good looks, many of these watches carried high-performance mechanical movements. These are the kind of investment-worthy pieces that you won’t see everywhere, and that’s because most of them are limited edition. If you miss out on your coveted model, these timepieces are still worth dreaming about.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36
Rolex’s new Day-Date 36 has arrived in rich, vibrant colors and covered with diamonds. There’s nothing shy about these sparkling iconic gold timepieces: each watch is set with 450 diamonds on the dial, 356 brilliant-cut diamonds around the case and bezel, and hand-painted Roman numerals in bright colored turquoise, coral, or burgundy enamel, and each comes with a matching alligator strap. The limited-edition models are available for special order, and the only dilemma will be which color to choose.
Cartier Panthère Songeuse
Cartier’s signature panther makes a grand entrance atop a jeweled timepiece. The diamond-covered feline, with emerald eyes and sapphire and black lacquer spots, is wrapped around the case of the watch and leans over the dial which is made of ribbons of champlevé enamel and diamonds. Artisans spent countless hours blanketing the gold watch with 734 brilliant-cut diamonds and painstakingly applying the enamel which is then fired several times to achieve lustrous shades of blue. It’s made in a limited edition of 30 numbered models.
Chanel Première Electro
Chanel’s ladylike Première gets a blast of vibrant color in the new Electro model. This limited-edition timepiece features Chanel’s signature octagonal-shape steel case with a sleek black lacquer dial—and gets electric with a triple-wrap rainbow leather and chain link strap. It’s classic Chanel with a brilliant edge.
Patek Philippe Nautilus
The newly reimagined Patek Nautilus 5711 is already a favorite of watch enthusiasts. It’s got the markings of the classic Nautilus, but it is updated with a sophisticated sunburst olive-green dial in a stainless-steel case that is outlined with 32 internally flawless Top Wesselton baguette-cut diamonds. This elegant sports model—which carries a self-winding caliber visible through a sapphire case-back—marks a new era for the iconic Nautilus.
Bulgari Hypnotic Serpenti Misteriosi Cleopatra
This ultra-glamourous high jewelry cuff is a masterclass in Bulgari’s artistic prowess: It features a rainbow of colorful precision-cut gemstones and diamonds set in a wide cuff that envelopes the wrist, with a tiny diamond-covered watch dial concealed under a hexagonal-cut transparent rubellite stone. But it’s easy to forget about time with this statement cuff.
Chopard Haute Joaillerie Watch
If you are a fan of Chopard’s Happy Diamonds dancing around the dial, then you will love the super-luxe new high jewelry timepieces featuring five spinning diamonds in an elegant case that is topped with a tiara of marquise-cut pink or blue sapphires on matching satin straps.
Vacheron Constantin Égérie
In the spirit haute couture, Vacheron’s new Égérie (muse) collection draws inspiration from the elegant pleats of a woman’s dress. It’s expressed with 547 diamonds on the dial and circles of diamonds on the bezel and case and surrounding the date window. This sparkly timepiece is remarkably refined and elegant.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rare Handcrafts
Since it was first released 90 years ago, the Reverso has served as a canvas for artistic expression. This year’s four new limited-edition models illustrate the remarkable craftsmanship, beauty, and emotion that all fit on a single surface that is about the size of a postage stamp. The rose-gold Pink Arums model features diamond foliage and enameled flowers in graduated shades of rich and lustrous pink, a process which requires multiple layers of enamel and firing to achieve. It’s art for the wrist.
Hermès Faubourg Polka
The dainty Faubourg with a 15.5 mm case has been designed with an elegant diamond bracelet made of interconnected dots and oblique lines. It’s a cross-over between the house’s fine jewelry and watches and an artistically playful interpretation of a diamond bracelet watch.
Piaget Limelight Gala Watch
In the spirit of the bold gold '70s era, Piaget introduced six new limited edition Limelight Gala watches. The super-luxe model is defined by its seamlessly integrated hand-engraved gold bracelet and gem-set bezel with a rainbow of sapphires and green tsavorites. Don’t be fooled by the silky soft gold bracelet, this is much more than a pretty jewel; the timepiece is powered by Piaget’s automatic Calibre 501P1 movement.
Gucci Grip
On its centenary anniversary, Gucci is the latest fashion house to get serious about high jewelry and watchmaking. The new collection features the kind of creative jeweled timepieces and innovative mechanics one expects to find at the legacy houses, but they are also a wink to Gucci’s high-spirited style. A great example is the Gucci Grip, a retro-style timepiece that was originally made with a quartz movement but has been upgraded this year with a mechanical movement housed in a gold and malachite case with a matching emerald-green alligator strap and accented with 44 baguette-cut diamonds.
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