The return of so-called ladylike fashions that commenced with the fall season has brought about a resurgence of delicate designs in ladies’ wristwatches. You may recall the quotation from an editor of Lucky magazine back in my Aug. 19, 2010 blog post: “I’m retiring my chunky watch for now in favor of a lady-size classic.”
The December 2010 issue of InStyle confirms this trend, saying: “With the return of all things ladylike comes the tiny watch face. These delicate accessories match the refinement of full skirts, structured bags, and pointy-toe pumps.” The watches illustrating the InStyle article display a wide range of bracelet styles and both round and rectangular watch faces. The pictured watches are from Skagen Denmark, Gucci, Dior, Tissot, and Piaget.
In its Fall Jewelry Guide published in November 2010, Lucky magazine featured vintage looks from D&G Time (“gold links add oomph to a ladylike face”) and Bulova (“delicate but tough and architectural too”). Partially seen in the photo above to the right of the Bulova watch is a cuff by Miriam Salat.
Here’s an ad for that watch from D&G Time that ran in the December 2010 issue of InStyle, showing a marked distinction in the size of the men’s and women’s wristwatches pictured.
The new small face style is not by any means relegated to evening looks. The fresh look of a small face watch with daywear comes through in this editorial fashion photograph from the February 2011 issue of Harper’s Bazaar. With her geometric-detailed Versace dress, the model wears a chunky cuff from Herve Van Der Straeten, a rigid collar necklace from House of Lavande, and a wristwatch from Cartier.
Watches pictured in the December 2010 issue of InStyle feature a bold link bracelet combined with a small watch face. The watches shown are from Verdura, Movado, Michael Michael Kors, and Fossil.
With the current trend in women’s wristwatches, the classic Cartier Tank watch is once again receiving press, as seen here in the February 2011 issue of More magazine.
Here’s a leather-strap Cartier featured in the March 2011 issue of Glamour with the comment “a slim leather strap is sexy and bold without being cutesy.”
Similar shapes are seen in these examples from the November 2010 Fall Jewelry Guide in Lucky: “a sporty face with a genteel bracelet” in the form of a stainless steel watch from Citizen Eco-Drive, and “a pared-down uptown staple” in the form of a leather-band watch from Seiko.
Lucky also features this edgy rocker look in a wristwatch from Armani Exchange.
Even the sportiest of wristwatches are trending toward small faces, as seen in these watches featured in the March 2011 issue of Glamour. The watches are from Nooka, Kenneth Cole New York, Nixon, Timex 80, Diesel, Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière, and Reed Krakoff.
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