« Jewel-Like Eye-Catchers for Her »
Women's watches express your personality and, above all, should be one thing: individual. With our top 5 unique women's watches, we show you how to escape mainstream taste with one-of-a-kind head-turners. Whether dancing diamonds, triangular cases or sculptural geometry – get ready for eye-catchers in a class of their own.
Chopard Happy Diamonds
When it comes to special watches for women, Chopard and its Happy Diamonds collection play in the very top league. The word "Happy" refers to the moving diamonds on and around the dial: First introduced in 1976, the design – in which the diamonds glide merrily about between two sapphire crystals – still turns heads today. How lavishly this playful feature is showcased is up to the wearer and her choice of collection:
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Happy Diamonds Icons: This distinctive series puts delicate lines front and center and catches the eye in two ways. First, through the dancing diamonds themselves; second, through the transparent effect. The stones don't move directly above the dial but appear to float weightlessly over a transparent ring encircling it. Every model guarantees luxury, since the cases are made exclusively of 18-karat white or rose gold rather than stainless steel.
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Happy Diamonds Joaillerie: As the most luxurious Happy Diamonds sub-collection, the Joaillerie line features an especially lavish use of diamonds. A prime example is Ref. 209437-5601: two rings of majestically set diamonds frame the dial and the dancing gems. Understatement? Not here. Ref. 204445-1006, which invites rubies onto the dance floor alongside the diamonds, is likewise in a class of its own.
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Happy Diamonds Oval: The name already gives away its defining trait. Instead of round cases and dials, these Happy Diamonds rely on distinctive oval, vertically elongated shapes for a graceful look. An elegant classic is the red-gold Ref. 204305-5301.
Hamilton Ventura S
First introduced in 1957 and made famous on the wrist of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, the Hamilton Ventura ranks among the great watch designs of the 20th century. But Elvis Presley wasn't the only one to fall for this triangular pioneer of electric watchmaking: to this day, the Ventura's exotic look captivates watch lovers worldwide and remains unrivaled. If you're looking for special women's watches, the Ventura S Quartz deserves your attention above all: while the large turbine-style crown and the wider design give it a bolder presence than the classic Ventura, its dimensions of 34.50 x 38.00 mm strike a good balance between clear presence and easy wearability on a woman's wrist.
The Ventura S stands out, but never in a showy or otherwise negative way. Anyone who sees this piece becomes curious and assumes its wearer must be an interesting person. That's why Ref. H24251391 is our favorite model: instead of distracting from the essence of the watch with loud colors, this Ventura S relies on a subtle silver dial and a white strap, so the viewer's attention is drawn entirely to the iconic case shape. The longer you look at the watch, the more special it appears.
Hublot Big Bang One Click Sang Bleu
After seven successful years, the Hublot Sang Bleu collection is now becoming iconic, too: created in collaboration with Swiss star tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Büchi, it puts three-dimensional geometry front and center and challenges conventional watch design. Not restraint but extroverted, "in your face" luxury is the motto of this intricately faceted series.
The Hublot Big Bang One Click 39mm collection, which allows quick strap changes at the push of a button, contains several special watches for women and reveals what is probably its most prestigious face in the Sang Bleu King Gold Pavé (Ref. 465.OS.1118.VR.1704.MXM18). 180 diamonds totaling 0.45 carats adorn the solid, distinctive King Gold case, complemented by another 96 diamonds (1 carat) on the bezel. Legibility of the dial – which, instead of traditional hands, features two triangles (hour and minute) within rotating squares – is not the Sang Bleu's priority. Rather, this high-end ladies' watch should be seen as a wearable work of art that expresses its owner's taste, as refined as it is unconventional. In everyday life, the sculpture scores with 100 meters of water resistance, which effectively shields the HUB 1710 automatic movement with its 50-hour power reserve from the outside world.
Junghans Form Damen
There are good arguments for why the Junghans Form Damen embodies the distinctive opposite of the Sang Bleu: extreme simplicity in the Bauhaus tradition, reduction to (less than) the essentials, and no sparkling diamonds. Ref. 047/4853.00 in particular, with its white dial and white indices, which at first glance reveals nothing but three hands and a date, has mastered the art of minimalism.
"Why," you may ask, "does this unassuming Junghans make the list of eye-catchers?" First, the simplicity of this quality timepiece from the Black Forest catches the eye; second, it shows its full strength when paired with different outfits. Whether casual, formal or colorful – this watch always looks harmonious. The simplicity that defines the dial continues in the 7-millimeter-thin stainless steel case and the leather strap. As an entry-level watch, the Junghans Form Damen offers excellent quality standards at an affordable price: from the sapphire crystal to the J645.36 quartz caliber, "Made in Germany" quality defines this ladies' watch. Women who prefer elegant design with subtle finesse over a flashy wow factor will be happy with this beautifully shaped piece.
A Special Italian: U-Boat Classico 30 Lady
The U-Boat Classico 30 Lady by Italian designer Italo Fontana follows a different philosophy: the models are defined by exotic accents – above all the left-hand crown with its locking lever – but not by the oversized proportions typical of many other U-Boat models. At 30 millimeters, it sits confidently on slender wrists and is easily large enough to showcase the Classico 30 Lady's other specialties. The dial layout in particular sets it apart from the crowd: only the numerals 4, 8 and 12 are Arabic, and they are also diamond-set, giving this otherwise unostentatious piece a certain glamour factor.
How eye-catching the U-Boat looks depends on the choice of dial color: while black mother-of-pearl (Ref. 8899) comes across as particularly refined and rather understated, pink (Ref. 8898) catches the eye with stereotypical femininity. In our view, the most special women's watches here are the Aquamarine editions (Ref. 8900), whose blue tone bursts with vibrancy. All dials are made of mother-of-pearl, as the proud "Mother of Pearl" lettering above the 6 o'clock position emphasizes. Functional bonus: a small date display at 9 o'clock.