Why Do Women Love Wearing Men’s Watches?

A good watch can mean a number of things to someone. It can be a status symbol, a store of value, a practical tool or simply a fashion accessory. Today, watches are much less common overall, at least as a practical tool. However, they are seeing a resurgence in popularity as a style accessory – especially amongst women, who have recently taken to wearing men’s watches over watches designed for women. Where has this phenomenon come from?

Men’s and Women’s Watches – What are the Differences?
Before we get into it, it’s important to identify some key differences between men’s and women’s watches for the uninitiated amongst us. If you’re not particularly clued-in on jewellery, or even fashion for that matter, you’d be forgiven for thinking that gendered watches are a somewhat silly concept. After all, a watch is a watch, right? But there are some major design differences, that lean into design tropes and fashion history.

Women’s watches are traditionally smaller than men’s; their faces are smaller and narrower, to make less of an impact on the wrist. They also often have thinner straps, that lean into jewellery trends – sometimes being as simple as a lightweight chain, but often dialling up the decoration with inlaid gems or accents. The surround for the watch face also takes cues from quintessential jewellery items, making the women’s watch a dainty jewellery-forward item.

Meanwhile, men’s watches differ widely, but tend to offer large faces and wide straps, tending towards the sleek as opposed to the flashy, unless you’re looking at some of the more ostentatious pieces by status brands like Omega.

A Growing Trend
But why are women wearing more men’s watches? There are a number of reasons, one of which is practical utility. Men’s watches have larger faces and often have more functionality too. This is particularly the case for diver’s watches but extends to conventional watches that are simply easier to read. Chunkier watches are also well in-vogue at the moment, pairing well with femme dress styles whether by contrast or assimilation!

Men’s Watch Tips for Women
If you’re thinking you’d like to incorporate men’s watches into your own personal style, but not sure quite where to start, you might be looking for some tips. Here are some simple approaches to get you mixing up your accessories in the right way.

For one, the brand is an important consideration. Rolex is one of the most recognisable watch brands on the planet, and caters for men and women – but their male-coded ranges are truly iconic, and an extremely easy way to get started on this fashion journey. Used ones are a much more accessible place to start out, and watches with a bit of wear can add colour to your look.

You might also think carefully about how busy the watch face looks. Chunky watches work well with most looks, particularly hyper-femme looks for the contrast, but too many dials and gadgets can make your wrist look a little too busy!