Women's Watches

If you're looking for a women's watch, you're faced with an almost limitless number of options. From simple stainless steel watches to gold watches, two-tone gold and steel watches, to high-tech ceramic watches, there's truly something for everyone.
 
Manufacturers such as Rolex, Cartier, and Jaeger-LeCoultre offer luxury ladies' models. Breitling and Patek Philippe also have women's watches in their catalog. If you're in the market for a more affordable timepiece, you're sure to find something suitable from Michael Kors, Tissot, or Fossil.
 
Read on to find out how much the most sought-after luxury watches from Swiss manufacturers cost and learn more about the latest trends.
 
Highlights
 

• Famous women's watches: Rolex Datejust and Cartier Tank
• Diamond-set luxury watches made of gold or platinum
• Adorned with countless diamonds: Rolex Pearlmaster

But there are also more affordable options. Traditional brands such as Longines, Tissot, and Mido offer many attractive women's watches in stainless steel and with quartz movements that cost less than $1,000.
 
Classics such as the Cartier Tank can also be purchased on Chrono24 for just over $3,000 in mint condition. You'll need to dig a little deeper for the Rolex evergreen Datejust. Prices for older models in mint condition start at around $5,400.

The brand Rolex is synonymous with luxury and success. When you wear a Rolex on your wrist, you're telling the world that you've made it to the top.
 
One of the manufacturer's most popular watches is the Datejust. The watch is popular with both men and women, thanks to its sporty and elegant design, and the fact that it's available in countless versions and sizes. The 36-mm ref. 116234, for example, has a fluted white gold bezel, diamond indices, and a mother-of-pearl dial, and costs approximately $12,500. Used specimens are only about a thousand dollars less.
 
The Datejust is comes in two-tone versions made of stainless steel and yellow or rose gold, like the 31-mm ref. 178271 with a pink sunburst dial. On Chrono24, this model will set you back about $13,000 in mint condition and just over $12,000 used.
 
The Lady-Datejust models, with their 28-mm diameter, are aimed specifically at women. These ladies' watches can be worn as a decorative accessory with an evening gown, or as a dress watch with a suit or pants. Some models offer platinum or gold cases combined with diamonds on the bezel and dial. Prices for a Lady-Datejust range from around $2,200 for a used stainless steel model to just under $110,000 for a diamond-set "iced out" model.
 
Features of the Rolex Datejust
 

• Classic timepiece with a date display and cyclops lens
• Perfect everyday watch for leisure time and office hours
• Models with mother-of-pearl dials and diamonds are especially feminine
• Powerful prestigious brand

The Tank is one of the most famous watch models from the French jewelry and watch manufacturer Cartier. The rectangular case and the armored chain look of the bracelet made this wristwatch a design icon. The ladies' and men's models have been around since 1917, making the Tank one of the first wristwatches in the world.
 
Today, the Parisian maison offers several lines within its ladies' watch collection, including the classic Tank Louis Cartier, modern Tank Française, and the particularly elegant Tank Américaine. The Tank Must is the entry-level model in the collection. Watches in the Tank Must line are made of stainless steel and powered primarily by quartz movements. There is also a solar-powered version called the Tank Must Solarbeat. For a small or medium-sized Tank Must, you can expect to spend around $3,800.
 
The Tank Louis Cartier most closely resembles the earliest models of the watch. It features a gold case, Roman numerals, and a leather strap. Like the Américaine, the Louis Cartier is available as a quartz or mechanical watch. Prices for a pre-owned quartz model start at approximately $3,600, while prices for new models start at around $8,800. Pre-owned models with manual movements change hands for as little as $5,500, while their newer counterparts cost between $10,000 and $22,000.
 
Features of the Cartier Tank
 

• Rectangular luxury watch with cult status
• One of the first wristwatches in the world
• Especially elegant: Gold Tank Américaine with diamonds

The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoultre designed the Reverso with a reversible case in the early 1930s with polo players in mind. Today, the Reverso is Jaeger-LeCoultre's most famous timepiece; its unique design has made it an icon. Over the years, the Reverso has evolved from a sports watch to a dress watch. Its flat case and Art Deco design make it the perfect companion to a business suit.
 
For the case, you can choose between stainless steel and gold. Variants made of white gold with a mother-of-pearl dial and diamonds embedded on the case have an especially feminine feel. Leather straps are most frequently used on this model, but stainless steel or gold bracelets are also available.
 
A used Reverso Dame with a quartz movement and stainless steel case can be yours for as little as $3,500, while the price of a mint-condition model will set you back about $4,400. The average price of a Reverso with a mechanical hand-wound caliber is around $4,200.
 
If you'd prefer a gold Reverso, be prepared to shell out at least $3,800 for a second-hand ladies' quartz model. Well-maintained models with diamonds, however, can cost over $10,000. A new gold women's watch with diamonds and a quartz caliber will set you back upwards of $16,000.

The Swiss watch manufacturer Breitling, which is generally more well-known for sports and pilot's watches, has greatly expanded its range of ladies' watches in recent years, to include such classics as the Navitimer, Superocean, and Chronomat.
 
The Navitimer 32 is a 32-mm three-hand version of the famous pilot's chronograph. Available in stainless steel, gold, and two-tone versions, it features a thermo-compensated SuperQuartz caliber and a mother-of-pearl dial with diamond indices. Prices range from $3,700 for models in stainless steel with a leather strap to just over $20,000 for a red gold model with a matching red gold bracelet.
 
The women's version of the Superocean diving watch measures 36 mm in diameter and is water-resistant to 300 m (30 bar, 984 ft). Inside its stainless steel case ticks the automatic caliber B17. Dial colors range from white to orange to turquoise. For a model with a rubber strap that matches the color of the dial, be prepared to spend around $4,200. Versions with a stainless steel bracelet cost about another $100.
 
The Chronomat Automatic 36 is the ladies' version of the pilot's watch of the same name. Its 36-mm case comes in stainless steel or yellow gold. Some models also feature colored sapphires on the bezel and diamonds on the dial. Available bands include the traditional metal Rouleaux bracelet or high-quality leather straps. Depending on the particular variant, plan to spend between $4,000 and $23,000.

Is a ladies' watch a good investment?
 
Whether a ladies' watch is a good investment depends largely on the brand and model. Classic timpieces from major brands, like the Rolex Lady-Datejust, Patek Philippe Ellipse d'Or, or Cartier Tank, are generally considered to be very stable in value over longer periods of time. However, most inexpensive watches do not offer the same level of stability in terms of financial performance.
 
What's the right size for a ladies' watch?
 
A general rule of thumb for the size of a women's watch is that you can go as big as you want, but you should make sure that the proportions of the watch match the size of your wrist, as this is also important for comfort.