What is a Feminine Timepiece’

While men are most commonly associated with watches, did you know that watches were first made for women? It’s true—the first popular wristwatch was made for the Queen of Naples in 1812, and they were regarded as an exclusively feminine accessory since the movement was seen as merely an addition to a bracelet. In World War I, however, soldiers needed accurate timekeeping to track artillery, and watches changed almost overnight to be regarded as a necessary masculine tool.

Women’s watches didn’t disappear, though, and while they’ve lingered in the background for decades, they’ve roared back to prominence in recent years. Esteemed watchmakers have been seeing the march of progress, and the exclusively feminine timepiece is something that’s become common. At BENARI JEWELERS, we’ve curated a collection of feminine timepieces, and here are a few features that distinguish the woman’s watch:

1. Diamonds and Jewels

One of the most important feminine features of a watch is the use of diamonds and gemstones. That isn’t to say that these can’t be present on a men’s watch, but they take on a prominence that isn’t seen in most men’s watches. Consider, for example, the Deco collection from Michele. These watches utilize rows of pave-set diamonds along their bezels, accentuating the dials. When those dials are made out of mother of pearl, another jewel, it only reiterates this feminine trend.

2. Dainty Silhouette

Men’s watches often boast a heavy profile, which gives them the presentation of authority that goes well with masculine accessories. However, a feminine watch is made to be a small treat that a woman can wear to complement her wardrobe and other accessories. Compare the men’s watches from the Tissot T-Gold collection with the women’s. The men’s watches are big, wrist-covering pieces, but their distaff counterparts are far slenderer, the smaller bezels drawing more attention to the mother of pearl dials and sleek bands.

3. Blurring the Bracelet Line

A third aspect of women’s watches that sets them apart from men’s watches is the blurring of the line between bracelet and wristwatch. Wristwatches were originally seen, after all, as a kind of bracelet, so this isn’t so foreign an idea. The TAG Heuer Quartz collection is a good example of this philosophy in action: Luminous purple straps flow into an equally violet dial; rose gold links and bezels surround diamond indices. A feminine timepiece is something generally made to seamlessly transition from the street to refined events.

If you’re interested in women’s watches and you’d like to learn more about the collections and designers available at BENARI JEWELERS, contact our Exton, Pennsylvania showroom at 610-363-8450; or our Newtown Square, Pennsylvania showroom at 610-355-1800.