The 10 Best Women’s Watches to Give This Valentine’s Day, From Breitling to Zenith
Flowers are nice, but why not up the ante in this season of love? Collectively, we’ve all been through a lot in the last few years so it’s a good moment to offer a generous token of endearment to celebrate what will hopefully be rosier years to come.
Aside from telling time and signaling an appreciation for craftsmanship, a luxury watch makes for a meaningful gift celebrating time spent with each other in the past, present and future. Capturing the essence of your loved one in a physical object of affection, however, isn’t always so easy. Here, we’ve rounded up a few suggestions for your special someone.
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Sporty and Casual: Breitling Super Chronomat 38 Automatic
The Breitling Super Chronomat 38 Automatic is perfect for the sporting lady on your list, with just the right balance of functional robustness and feminine spirit. It’s got the signature sporty rider tabs and rouleaux bracelet of the all-purpose sports watch. But the eco-conscious lab-grown diamonds on the bezel and the colored dials: ice blue ($10,150) or soft green ($13,600) dials with matching ceramic crowns and bezel tabs give it feminine flair.
Durable Elegance: Chopard Alpine Eagle
Yes, the Chopard Alpine Eagle is a sports watch collection, but the ladies’ version ($45,500) is a high-level version of the genre. It’s really more for ladies who occupy the slopes of Gstaad or the dance floor at the nearby Palace Hotel. The 33mm case is ethically sourced 18k rose gold, and the bezel and bracelet are set with diamonds. The indexes are also diamond, taking the total to just over half a carat.
High Fashion: Chanel Premiere
This enduring fashionista favorite has all the hallmarks of the Chanel Premiere ($5,500), first launched in 1987: the octagonal case shaped like the stopper of the N°5 perfume bottle; bracelet designed like the interlaced leather and chain strap of Chanel’s iconic quilted bag; and the beveled glass sapphire crystal. This one is enhanced with an onyx dial and a fashionable yellow gold case.
Métiers d’Art: Piaget Solstice
The Piaget Solstice ($147,000) is for art aficionados who appreciate both the value of high craftsmanship and the creative, joy-inducing art of the cocktail. The dial of the Solstice is decorated with lime slices and mint leaves on a background of engraved mother-of-pearl. It was created by Anita Porchet, Switzerland’s leading lady of enameling, and Dutch master engraver Dick Steenman.
Functional Classic: IWC Portofino
This discreet, down-to-business three-hander is engineered to perfection by the Schaffhausen watchmaker that brings you some of the world’s most robust tool watches. The IWC Portofino was recently revamped, with a smooth case design in a wearable 34 mm size ($5,450). It features the model’s signature clean dial, Roman numerals, slim feuille hands and diamond hour markers. There is also a diamond bezel option.
World Traveler: Patek Philippe Ladies’ World Time Ref. 7130R
Navigating the chaotic, increasingly unglamorous world of travel does not mean you shouldn’t wear the world’s most prestigious world timer while en route. No matter where you are in the world, the Patek Philippe Ladies’ World Time Ref. 7130R ($57,957) will remind you that you’re wearing the best of the best. It has an 18k rose gold with a diamond bezel and a basket weave guilloché dial.
If You Know, You Know: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF 36 MM
Parmigiani, a niche brand that makes only a few thousand watches a year, is one of the most under-the-radar forms of luxury you can wear. The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF ($65,000) is one of the more extroverted models in the understated collection, with more than 1,000 small diamonds set between webs of gold wires set in a barleycorn pattern. It’s how you flex in certain circles (King Charles of England wears a Parmigiani).
Society Statement: Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée
Van Cleef & Arpels is a master of the art of black-tie aesthetics, from jewelry and watches to stud sets and jeweled cigarette cases. The understated Perlée watch ($9,800) is a petite-sized (23mm) expression of the brand’s trademark elegance with its granulated gold bezel and dial engraved in a sunburst pattern. It’s a versatile feminine piece that is suitable for cocktail affairs to formal evening soirées alike or even daytime wear.
Colorful Characters: Zenith Chronomaster Original Pink
The Zenith Chronomaster Pink ($10,000) tells you there is more to its wearer than meets the eye. It’s pink and pretty on the outside, and all business on the inside, with the latest generation El Primero 3600 automatic movement, with 1/10th of a second measurement. It is also a gift that gives back: Proceeds from the sale of each are donated to the Susan G. Komen Center for Breast Cancer.
Love Struck: Breguet Phase de Lune 9085 Valentine’s Day Edition
The Breguet Phase de Lune 9085 Valentine’s Day Edition is the most literal interpretation of the annual holiday with a red strap and red ruby indexes that feel closely associated with the color archetypes of love. There is also a pearly white strap option to match the mother-of-pearl dial for those that may want a more toned-down option. Bezel and lugs are set with 66 diamonds, and it contains the automatic caliber 537L, with hours, minutes, seconds and moon phase indicator. It is a 28-piece numbered edition, priced on request.
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