Luxury Watches

Watches for women that showcase technical and artistic virtuosity

Watchmakers are increasingly celebrating the multifaceted nature of women with timepieces that combine technical mastery and artistic flair—from diamond-studded creations to poetic complications. These designs honour heritage while pushing the boundaries of innovation.

At the heart of each watch lies exceptional craftsmanship. Master watchmakers devote years to perfecting their movements and integrating complex features—such as tourbillons and moon phases—that evoke an emotive narrative, while skilled artisans flex their creative muscles with innovative gem-setting techniques and artistic methods.

From the classic elegance of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso One Blue Aurum to the intricate artistry of Van Cleef & Arpels’ Pont des Amoureux, here are some of Boulevard’s favourite women’s watches.

Van Cleef & Arpels Pont de Amoureux

A watch tells the time. A watch can also be an expression of artistry. But can a watch express emotion? In the talented hands of the artisans of Van Cleef & Arpels, it certainly can. Case in point: The Pont des Amoureux timepiece, where two lovers meet at a bridge, leaning in for a kiss at 12 o’clock.

It’s whimsical and endearing, two words that are not often bandied about in the horological universe. Since their launch in 2005, Van Cleef & Arpels’ Poetic Complications timepieces have featured butterflies, flowers and lovers, fluttering, blooming and kissing at the push of a button.

This kind of mechanism is called an automaton, and Van Cleef & Arpels is not the first maison to use it in watchmaking. Some historians argue that automatons and clockmaking flourished simultaneously, linked by the fact that both employ similar mechanical components. Some of the biggest proponents of automatons were watchmakers like Jaquet Droz and Ulysse Nardin.

But what Van Cleef & Arpels’ Poetic Complications collection did was to usher in an era of artistry, drama and heart – one where various crafts, including enamelling, painting and engraving, set the scene for a theatrical display, powered by intelligent mechanical systems. When you see the two lovers kissing at the bridge at 12, or flowers unfurling to reveal the time, the sentiment is beyond awe – it tugs at the heart, and brings a smile to the beholder’s face. Top: Van Cleef & Arpels Pont des Amoureux; ‘Cicladi’ side table in solid alabaster by Jacopo Foggini for Edra.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Blue Aurum

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Blue Aurum; ‘Tissu Casino’ fabric by Jean Paul Gaultier for Roche Bobois.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso collection needs no introduction. The swivelling timepiece was built in 1931 to protect the watch dial from hard knocks during polo matches. Since then, it has been reiterated in countless avatars, its versatile double-face proving to be an excellent canvas for all manner of horological and artistic crafts, including ultra-high complications and bejewelled wonders.

The Reverso One Precious Flowers set of four watches was inspired by the decorative, bejewelled timepieces of the 1920s, the era between WW1 and the Great Depression that was rife with hope, creativity and abundance. The Reverso Blue Aurum, featured here, is emblematic of the creativity of that period while reflecting the sophisticated tastes of today’s collectors. The timepiece features a number of artistic crafts including enamelling and gem-setting.

Enamelling, in particular, is an exacting skill that requires the craftsman to fire the colour in a heated oven over and over again for a period of a few days, until the colour is set. One mistake, and the process needs to be started all over again. Now imagine doing that for each tiny element of the flower, including the pistil and the gradient blue of the petal. Once the flowers have been enamelled, the jeweller then uses a snow setting technique to fill every empty space with diamonds. The flowers and diamonds cascade to the other side of the watch as well, framing a mother-of-pearl dial.

Given the sheer complexity of crafting this timepiece, it’s no wonder that it comes in a limited edition of 10 pieces. It’s packed with technical virtue as well, as it features the diminutive hand-wound Jaeger LeCoultre Calibre 846.

Piaget Limelight Gala Precious watch

Piaget Limelight Gala Precious watch in white-gold; ‘Casilia’ lounge armchair in teal velvet by Carlo Colombo for Trussardi Casa.

Blending horology and haute joaillerie, women’s high jewellery watches transcend timekeeping, becoming radiant expressions of elegance and artistry. With precious gemstones, intricate detailing and exceptional craftsmanship, these timepieces become wearable treasures that capture the essence of timeless glamour and modern femininity.

Piaget’s Limelight Gala Precious watch perfectly embodies this fusion of luxury and craftsmanship with its signature asymmetrical lugs and a striking malachite dial. Its bezel, adorned with 174 brilliant-cut diamonds and 22 tsavorites, creates a mesmerising gradient from light to deep green, enhancing its luminous allure. The artistry behind this timepiece is further showcased in the highly textured gold engraving, demonstrated by the Palace Décor technique on the white gold bracelet—a testament to Piaget’s dedication to both haute joaillerie and fine watchmaking.

Chopard Precious Lace watch

Chopard Precious Lace watch; ‘Dolomie’ marble-top end by R&D Monitillo 1980 for Roche Bobois.

It’s easy to get lost in the sheer dazzle of the Chopard ‘Precious Lace’ collection, but astute collectors will also appreciate the sheer artistry that goes into designing a jewel that emulates the etherealness of lace.

‘Precious Lace’ has long been a cornerstone of Chopard’s creations, and this high jewellery watch is a spectacular exhibition of the Swiss jeweller’s multi-faceted skills. There are diamonds set on every surface to mimic the intricacy of lace fabric. The case features a cornucopia of petals with an array of fancy- and brilliant-cut diamonds. The dial is not simply pavé-set like regular bejewelled watches. Instead, baguette-cut diamonds frame an enchanting diamond-set flower that unfurls into the hour and minute hands. This one-of-a-kind creation features diamonds weighing more than 165 carats set in white gold.

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin in pink gold; ‘6338 Woodlands’ kitchen worktop by Caesarstone for 4Plus8.

As far as anachronisms go, the perpetual calendar firmly sits in the camp of, ‘We don’t really need one, but boy is it a sight to behold’. Invented in the 1700s, this sophisticated movement gives us the time, day, date and year, and need not be adjusted for leap years. It’s no mean feat, and it’s an endeavour that countless watchmakers have attempted.

One watchmaker that has effortlessly mastered the art of building perpetual calendars is Vacheron Constantin. It’s no surprise really, as the watchmaker holds the distinction of being the oldest watch brand in Switzerland boasting an uninterrupted history. In 1901, it established a Grand Complications workshop, and in 2016, it built the most complicated pocket watch in the world, the 57260, which features 57 complications.

The Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin demonstrates the brand’s desire to seduce female collectors by presenting the complication in a feminine guise. Featuring a self-winding in-house movement, the 36.5mm watch exudes quiet elegance despite its many dial indications – a testament to the maison’s skilled designers.

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