Five recommendations to amplify wrist swag AND feminine sass.

AUDEMARS PIGUET Royal Oak
How It Started
Introduced in 1972, Audemars Piguet’s Royal blazed the trail as the world’s first bona fide luxury sports watch. The original model came in stainless steel and retailed at CHF3,600 – an astronomical amount for a steel watch then. Though the watch’s design, distinguished by its octagonal bezel and exposed screws, was roundly derided by critics at the time of its launch, the Royal Oak’s aesthetic is now recognised as a design breakthrough and an all-time great in the canon of sports watches.

For You
The Royal Oak 37mm in rose gold and steel. Bearing the signature features of the collection, this sensibly sized option flaunts a touch of luxury with its bi-metal combination, as well as mechanical presence, driven by Audemars Piguet’s famed workhorse movement, the automatic Calibre 3120 with 60-hour power reserve.

CARTIER Santos
How It Started
A pioneering pilot’s wristwatch, the Cartier Santos was created by brand founder, Louis Cartier, for his friend, Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont in 1904. The Santos, as it became known, offered integrated lugs and a leather strap fastened with a small buckle, providing a secure fit on the wrist for pilots.

For You
The Santos-Dumont in pink gold with alligator strap from 2019. Of the numerous Santos variants released that year, this quartz-driven model gets our vote for its pared-down elegance. The design, anchored by its square case, screwed-down bezel, beaded winding crown with blue cabochon, harks back to the sportive yet understated refinement of the 1904 original.

OMEGA Speedmaster
How It Started
Originally developed as part of the Seamaster collection, the Speedmaster found acclaim as the ‘Moonwatch’ when Buzz Aldrin wore it on the moon (Neil Armstrong had left his on board the Lunar Module as a backup for the failed electronic timer), earning it the honour of being the first watch on the moon in 1962.

For You
The Speedmaster 38mm ‘Cappuccino’ from 2017. This model was among the epochal Speedmaster 38mm line-up. It was the first time that Omega had issued the popular chronograph in this size. Driven by the automatic Calibre 3300, the watch comes in a combination of stainless steel and 18K Sedna gold, complemented by a lovely bi-coloured dial featuring oval shaped chronograph totalisers – a signature for this collection.

PANERAI Luminor
How It Started
Distinguished by its protruding crown protector and sandwich dial with Arabic numerals at the quarters, the Panerai Luminor led the charge for plus-sized sport watches during the early-1990s. Historically, though, the Luminor was born in 1949, named after a self-luminous substance, and was originally conceived to be an evolution of the brand’s pioneering Radiomir collection.

For You
The Luminor Due 3 Days Automatic Acciaio (PAM755) in 38mm steel from 2018. If you ever wondered Panerai’s often domineering machismo could ever be tamed, the PAM 755 is your answer. The smaller and slimmer case makes it a much more comfortable fit for women, while retaining the watch’s trademark features. Performance-wise, the watch is a beast, powered by Panerai’s automatic Calibre OP XXXIV with three-day power reserve.

PATEK PHILIPPE Nautilus
How It Started
Legend has it that the Nautilus took all of five minutes to design. The watch’s unmistakable aesthetics was the brainchild of the late-Gerald Genta, the man who was also behind Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak. Launched in 1976, the watch with the famous porthole-shaped case was part of Patek Philippe’s drive to be on the then-new category of luxury sports watches.

For You
The Nautilus Ref. 7118/1A in stainless steel with blue dial from 2016. We rate this 35.2mm model for its resemblance to the legendary Ref. 5711/1A-010 men’s model, which boasts Birkin-style waiting lists but has recently been discontinued. Dimensions aside, this women’s version bears several significant differences from the men’s model, such as its wave-like pattern on the dial, stylised hour markers and lancet hands, and date window at six o’clock, instead of three o’clock.

 

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