Matter of TIME

Looking for a timepiece that embraces gender-agnostic yet fashion-fluent styles? Behold, the girlfriend watch.

- CELINE YAP

To think it wasn’t even that long ago when it was trendy and chic for a woman to be wearing a men’s watch. There was even a term for it: the boyfriend watch. Whether or not said watch was conveniently swiped from one’s boyfriend’s stash, or actually acquired with one’s own hard-earned money. That juxtaposition of a feminine identity against an object that is unambiguously masculine appealed to us, because it signified a level of deeper understanding on a subject— horology—that was typically rather arcane, and arguably quite archaic as well. But never mind that, it told others that we too have taste in watches.

Compared to the available ladies timepieces on the luxury market at the time, men’s watches were simply more interesting. There were high complications, there was finesse in craftsmanship, such amazing heritage, there was greater variety in terms of design—so much watchmaking excellence.

These days however, things have changed. At least a little. Lots of women still do prefer men’s watches, especially the sporty ones. But the women’s watch segment has grown by leaps and bounds, as acknowledgement by the industry that female audiences do appreciate high watchmaking too. More so, in fact, than men in that women take a more comprehensive approach to luxury timepieces, rather than just focusing on the technical aspect. Women want the whole package, not just a high-quality movement, and this has been one of the single most important driving forces shaping the industry as we see it today. They want products that make sense to the companies making them.

As such, brands have turned their focus back towards their core values in a bid to develop products that naturally make sense to them, as opposed to swimming against the tide in untested waters.