Despite the encroachment of iPads and Smartphones into the practical realm of telling time, wristwatches have not disappeared from the world of fashion—far from it. Styles are bountiful, providing a wide range of choices for the fashionable woman. Among this season’s editorial fashion spreads that highlight wristwatches are the following:
The November 2011 issue of O, the Oprah Magazine focuses on round-face watches with straps of unexpected colors and textures: Burberry with a plaid band; Raymond Weil with gray-green crocodile; Ebel with orange stingray; cherry red leather from Baume & Mercier, and a “rose gold and ivory leather” combo from Timex.
The October 2011 issue of More suggests: “If you’re splurging on a really good watch, choose a classic style in warm rose gold. It is–how can we put this–timeless.” The photo features a wide range of styles from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Dior Timepieces, Hermes, Longines, and Le Vian.
The October 2011 issue of Allure pictures round-face watches silver in color, “punctuated with stripes of gold and rose gold–and the occasional diamond.” The wristwatches pictured are from Rolex, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Longines, Omega, and Salvatore Ferragamo.
Silver’s closely related hue, gray, is the unifying factor in a display of round-face watches in the September 2011 issue of InStyle. The wristwatches pictured are in a range of materials: ceramic from Rado, ceramic and titanium from Chanel, PVD-coated stainless steel and python from Movado, diamond, steel, and embossed leather from Omega; and diamond, 18kt rose gold and leather from Roger Dubuis.
The December 2011 issue of InStyle highlights navy blue watches: “We love the sexy, sporty, unapologetically masculine vibe of these oversize timepieces in aquatic blue. Pair one with a crisp white shirt for preppy perfection.” The watches shown, all round-face styles, are from Dior Timepieces, Burberry Sport, Swatch, Coach, and Sector Watches.
Speaking of white, that is another hue highlighted specifically for ceramic wristwatches in the December 2011 issue of InStyle. The watches pictured are from TAG Heuer, Michael Kors, Bulova, Tissot, and Michele.
The November 2011 issue of Lucky focuses on chronographs, noting that: “No matter how glitzy or girly they get, these watches add a cool, masculine vibe to any look.” The featured watches are the “Full-Blooded Sunset” from Swatch; a pink-accented “Cruise Steel” from Techno Marine; a classic “Datron” watch from Movado; the chunky “Aviator” from Seiko Solar, which, it is noted, “looks best without other bracelets”; the “Calibre 8700” from Citizen Eco-Drive, which runs on light rather than a battery; the rose gold “Boyfriend” watch from Coach; the diamond-studded “Formula 1 Ceramic” from Tag Heuer, and the blue “Stella” watch from Fossil.
That cool, masculine vibe appears in the wearing of men’s style watches seen in a collection of celebrity photos in the September 2011 issue of InStyle. In the photos Charlize Theron wears Dior; Courteney Cox and Molly Sims wear Rolex; Sofia Vergara wears Harry Winston; Jennifer Aniston and January Jones are in Rolex; Kerry Washington wears Movado, and Julianne Hough wears Cartier.
Even chunkier watches appear in the November 2011 issue of InStyle, which notes: “If a delicate strap doesn’t get your heart ticking, try one of these wide leather cuff watches. They feel as luxurious as they look.” The watches shown are from Ebel, Movado, Georg Jensen and Louis Vuitton.
InStyle again promotes the look of men’s watches for women in the December 2011 “Style 100” write-up of top trends: “Like a huge bangle, the oversize men’s watch–either real or done for a woman–is a concept whose time has come.” The featured watch is from TKO.
In the same issue of InStyle, however, diamond watches with clever covers present a decidedly feminine point of view: “At first glance these watches appear to be bracelets, thanks to the clever gem-studded covers concealing their faces. Time check? Simply slide, rotate, or peek through the diamonds.” The watches pictured are from Chanel, Carrera y Carrera, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Indeed, the November 2011 issue of Harper’s Bazaar takes a contrarian view of the latest trend in wristwatches, stating that supersize shapes are “out,” and slim silhouettes, such as the Dior watch pictured, are now “in.”
The October 2011 issue of Town & Country salutes Christian Marclay’s film The Clock, which was released last winter and now is in the permanent collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The film, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, “marks a full day in real time through film clips spliced together. If Gary Cooper’s watch says 12 o’clock in High Noon, so does yours. The Clock was a reminder of the pleasure of sitting back and letting time go by. It also cataloged 24 hours’ worth of timepieces as art.” The watches pictured in Town & Country are from Rolex, Siegelson, Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Vacheron & Constantin for J.E. Caldwell.
Wristwatches have a value beyond that of a lovely piece of jewelry. The functional value of wristwatches as part of a professional image has been noted in the October 2011 issue of Glamour, in which the Slaves to Fashion bloggers advise a young college graduate: “The next time you hit the mall, ignore all the flashy trends and tempting wear-once styles. Instead, focus on these four essentials that you’re going to love (and need!). . . .” Along with a knee-length coat or trench, a fitted cardigan and an interview-ready satchel, the bloggers suggest “A classic metal watch: It pays to be on time, and steel looks rich, even if you’re not.” The watch pictured is from AK Anne Klein Watches.
There’s no better time to enjoy the perfect wristwatch.
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazineFollow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
