Women are seen as one of the biggest growth opportunities for luxury watchmakers, but the industry is still divided over how best to reach them. While some brands are abandoning distinctions between men's and women's watches in favour of gender-neutral designs, others argue that this risks overlooking female buyers who want watches designed specifically for them. Last month, Blancpain introduced the Lady B, a revival of a design from the 1950s when the company was owned by Betty Fiechter, thought to be the first woman to run a Swiss watchmaker. The watch measures just 19mm in diameter and is powered by one of the world's smallest mechanical movements. Blancpain's head of product, Christian Lattmann, is explicit about who the watch is for: 'Women looking for both genuine watchmaking substance and a highly personal object, one that can also engage in a dialogue with jewellery and style. Betty Fiechter was convinced a women's watch deserved the same level of mechanical ambition as any other timepiece.'
Watchmakers differ, however, over whether catering to female buyers requires specifically women's designs. While fashion and jewellery brands such as Dior, Bvlgari and Chopard are recognised for their women's watches, many specialist watchmakers have instead produced smaller versions of established designs, or marketed pieces as unisex after being encouraged by a trend towards smaller watches among men. Blancpain Lady B Hublot Big Bang in 33mm Some industry observers question that approach. 'Why is feminism in watches about making everything homogenous?' asks Malaika Crawford, editorial director at watch magazine Hodinkee. 'Why is unisex the answer? Why are we eradicating difference?' There is no accurate data indicating the male-female buyer split in high-end watches, but in its most recent watch industry study, consultancy Deloitte noted that 'the greatest potential for growth lies with female buyers and Gen Z'.
Yet traditional watches face greater competition for female consumers. In a separate study in 2024, Deloitte found that only 22 per cent of women wore traditional watches exclusively, almost half the proportion in 2020, while more than half either wore only a smartwatch or alternated between smart and traditional watches. Bvlgari's 37mm version of its 40mm Octo Finissimo Some industry observers question that approach. 'Why is feminism in watches about making everything homogenous?' asks Malaika Crawford, editorial director at watch magazine Hodinkee. 'Why is unisex the answer? Why are we eradicating difference?' There is no accurate data indicating the male-female buyer split in high-end watches, but in its most recent watch industry study, consultancy Deloitte noted that 'the greatest potential for growth lies with female buyers and Gen Z'. Yet traditional watches face greater competition for female consumers. In a separate study in 2024, Deloitte found that only 22 per cent of women wore traditional watches exclusively, almost half the proportion in 2020, while more than half either wore only a smartwatch or alternated between smart and traditional watches. Bvlgari introduced a 37mm version of its 40mm Octo Finissimo, broadening the range with a smaller case size. According to Jonathan Brinbaum, the company's watch division managing director, one in three buyers of the new model is female, compared with one in 10 of the larger original. But Brinbaum says there remains a strong commercial case for designs created specifically for women. 'With the rise of interest among women, I think design made for them is crucially important,' he says. 'Serpenti Tubogas and Seduttoriare big successes for Bvlgari because they are designs meant at the beginning for women.' Brinbaum also cautions that tastes may be changing. 'You also have a new generation approaching watches in a slightly different way,' he says. 'Brands need to keep their tradition and their DNA, but also to evolve into genderless designs.'
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing