https://www.scmp.com/rss/323330/feed A female connoisseur's perspective on the luxury watch world en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com “Fashions fade, but style is eternal.” This phrase, coined by the legendary Yves Saint Laurent, expresses how style is profoundly personal and transcends trends; its power lies in being one of the few things you can control in an increasingly uncontrollable world. One of the main ways we can express our sense of style is in our choice of watch, and here we explore what this means with respect to ladies’ timepieces. Great watches are works of art, often influenced by their surroundings and paying... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3194907/her-watch-how-womens-timepieces-embody-distinct-style-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3194907/her-watch-how-womens-timepieces-embody-distinct-style-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Oct 2022 02:00:12 +0000 It’s one of my pet peeves: a luxury watch brand launches a women’s collection, unveiling a line that is identical to their men’s novelties, just with smaller dials. The design of the watch may have some appeal, but if the watches didn’t delight in a larger size, they will not be attractive to women just because they’ve been shrunk. When I view these women’s novelties, I am struck by how cursory the efforts have often been for what is a growing market. Of course, the watch industry isn’t the only... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3191727/her-watch-how-luxury-watchmakers-are-diversifying-womens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3191727/her-watch-how-luxury-watchmakers-are-diversifying-womens?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Sep 2022 02:00:19 +0000 It’s often been argued that there have been few truly novel and impactful technical advances in horology over the last 300 years. Save for the invention of quartz, there was not much – mechanically speaking – that the revered master watchmakers of the mid- to late- 18th century hadn’t already figured out. But watchmaking is not just about the movement, but creating devices that are beautiful and creative, and in those respects, it’s never been a more thrilling time for horology. We’ve seen in... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3186087/her-watch-how-new-materials-are-revolutionising-watchmaking-chanel-rolex-van-cleef-arpels-omega-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3186087/her-watch-how-new-materials-are-revolutionising-watchmaking-chanel-rolex-van-cleef-arpels-omega-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Jul 2022 02:00:15 +0000 A different kind of fascination comes with looking at jewellery and Métiers d’Art watches. Whenever I’m presented with one, I find myself scrutinising it separately for its merits as a finely made timepiece, a beautifully crafted jewel or indeed a miniature art piece. Then I stop, because really, these pieces are not meant to be dissected. Instead, they should be appreciated in their entirety and valued for the way different crafts from across disciplines all come together harmoniously. As... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3180871/her-watch-why-high-jewellery-and-metiers-dart-timepieces-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3180871/her-watch-why-high-jewellery-and-metiers-dart-timepieces-are?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jun 2022 02:00:14 +0000 My earliest memory as an editor taking her first steps into the horological world many years ago was how bewildering everything was: tourbillons, minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, escapements, balance wheels, power reserves … it was almost like learning a new foreign language! Until then, my first considerations of what a good watch should be was that it should tell the time, ideally accurately, whether it looked “nice”, and its price point. Many workshops and press viewings later, I’ve... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3176484/her-watch-5-most-popular-timepiece-complications-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3176484/her-watch-5-most-popular-timepiece-complications-women?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 May 2022 02:00:11 +0000 Amanda Mille, brand and partnerships director of Richard Mille, and daughter of the eponymous founder, talks about how the watchmaker is empowering women. How has Richard Mille evolved as a brand? Firstly we’re still quite a young brand, we’ve existed for two decades only – which is very young compared to some other watch brands. Change is what we’re all about, in terms of technology. Richard Mille watches are about breaking codes, meeting exciting new technological changes, working with new... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3175774/driving-change-amanda-mille-daughter-richard-mille-eponymous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3175774/driving-change-amanda-mille-daughter-richard-mille-eponymous?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 May 2022 14:00:26 +0000 This November saw the fourth edition of Dubai Watch Week, a public event which attracts watch aficionados from around the world. The venue – the shiny, black marble plaza of Dubai International Financial Centre, one of the world’s top 10 financial hubs – features pavilions and pop-up restaurants for one of the global biennial celebrations of horology, Dubai Watch Week. Not only are 44 watch brands – ranging from big houses such as Breitling, Grand Seiko and Bulgari to independents such as Armin... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3041638/how-vacheron-constantin-patek-philippe-and-other-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3041638/how-vacheron-constantin-patek-philippe-and-other-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Dec 2019 04:00:10 +0000 Rolex’s 2019 novelties land in Hong Kong and we take a closer look at the new Yacht-Master 42, offered for the first time in this new size. 7 new Rolex watches hit Baselworld 2019 The 42mm watch now joins the 37mm and 40mm in the Yacht-Master family, making this new reference the third time and date Yacht-Master in the Rolex line-up. Aside from its new size, the watch also sports several noteworthy features, including the matt black ceramic bezel and a rubber Oysterflex bracelet. This sporty,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3017357/see-rolexs-oyster-perpetual-yacht-master-42-unboxed-you-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3017357/see-rolexs-oyster-perpetual-yacht-master-42-unboxed-you-go?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2019 05:00:16 +0000 It feels like the year of the Submersibles for Panerai, ever since it unveiled a long list at SIHH 2019 – from the new Submersible Marina Militare Carbotech PAM979 and PAM961 to the Submersible Luna Rossa PAM 1039. They’ve just added the Bronzo PAM 968 to the line-up. The new 47mm timepiece, which retails for €16,000 (US$16,500), features bronze as a case material for the first time in the Submersible collection.   While this might not sound like thrilling news, bronze is a material that has... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3002299/panerais-new-bronzo-pam-968-submersible-watch-we-get-hands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3002299/panerais-new-bronzo-pam-968-submersible-watch-we-get-hands?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Mar 2019 14:00:11 +0000 This year’s edition of Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, the annual watch fair in Geneva, showcased beautiful timepieces from some of the world’s most elite watch brands. Here are our six favourite women’s timepieces that were unveiled at SIHH this year. Top 11 timepieces for men at SIHH 2019 1. Jaeger-LeCoultre, Rendez-Vous Night & Day Jewellery The Rendez-Vous is one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most popular options for women – and its latest model, the Rendez-Vous Night & Day Jewellery... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2183600/sihh-2019-6-best-womens-timepieces-unveiled-geneva?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2183600/sihh-2019-6-best-womens-timepieces-unveiled-geneva?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jan 2019 09:01:36 +0000 This year’s ladies’ watches offered a lot more than just sparkle and shine. From complications that nod to the vast and beautiful universe to numerous feminine interpretations of the tourbillon, here is a round-up of our favourite ladies’ timepieces of 2018. Richard Mille RM 71-01  Richard Mille charmed the ladies this year when it launched its first automatic tourbillon in its women’s timepiece, the RM 71-01 Automatic Tourbillon Talisman. There are 10 different variations of the watch,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/2180128/best-womens-watches-2018-richard-milles-art-deco-talisman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/2180128/best-womens-watches-2018-richard-milles-art-deco-talisman?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Dec 2018 09:06:44 +0000 Who does not love vintage timepieces? Beautiful vintage novelties are not only a great conversation starter, but they also allow wearers a rare glimpse into the past. Vacheron Constantin has tapped into that niche need by buying back vintage timepieces from the market, either directly from auction houses or collectors. Vacheron Constantin launches Fiftysix collection with stylish celebration It authenticates the novelties’ provenance and restores them, before selling them on to watch... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2174937/what-does-us420000-watch-look-3-vintage-vacheron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2174937/what-does-us420000-watch-look-3-vintage-vacheron?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Nov 2018 05:02:32 +0000 The family man View this post on Instagram 46 has already arrived, and happy about this!! Thanks for all the birthday wishes A post shared by Luís Figo (@luis__figo) on Nov 4, 2018 at 8:20am PST “I have the luck that I don't have a schedule, like an office schedule, from 8-to-5 or 8-to-6. Sometimes I have to travel a lot. So the time I have free, I always try to dedicate to my family and my kids.” The watch enthusiast Bovet wins top prize at watchmaking... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/2173354/meet-luis-figo-watch-enthusiast-risk-taker-and-former?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/2173354/meet-luis-figo-watch-enthusiast-risk-taker-and-former?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Nov 2018 02:01:55 +0000 Christmas is just around the corner – but there’s one more thing to look forward to in the watch world before Santa season officially hits. The annual Grand Prix D’Horlogerie de Genève (or GPHG) takes place this year in Geneva on November 9, where some of the world’s best and most innovative timepieces compete across 12 categories. The categories range from Ladies’ Complication to Mechanical Exception, and Artistic Crafts to Chronograph. Often referred to as the Oscars of the watchmaking... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2171034/oscars-watch-world-5-stars-gphg-2018-shortlist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2171034/oscars-watch-world-5-stars-gphg-2018-shortlist?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Nov 2018 04:04:23 +0000 For those people lucky enough to have attended the luxury watch fair SIHH in the flesh, they’d have known how unique and special the new L’astronomo Luminor 1950 Tourbillon Moon Phases Equation of Time GMT from Panerai was – and not just because it’s a mouthful to read. Angelo Bonati, who helped build Panera into luxury watchmaker bids farewell I, however, had to wait a little bit until the Panerai timepiece came to Hong Kong before I saw it in the flesh. But the wait was worth it. The model... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2161043/panerais-galileo-inspired-made-order-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2161043/panerais-galileo-inspired-made-order-luxury?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Aug 2018 18:03:19 +0000 Bovet takes you on a journey from the centre of the Earth to the outer reaches of the universe with its new models, Fleurier Virtuoso III and Fleurier Rising Star. Fleurier Virtuoso III and Fleurier Rising Star feature aventurine and bits of meteorites, which Bovet’s artisans have been mastering since 2008. These two materials have unique characteristics. Aventurine is a rare quartz, featuring the translucence of glass, studded with tiny copper highlights for a stellar appearance. It evokes the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2105706/out-world-bovets-new-watches-contain-meteorites-or?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2105706/out-world-bovets-new-watches-contain-meteorites-or?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:01:08 +0000 Not too long ago, women used to buy timepieces to be worn day and night, winter and summer and year after year. They were meant to last forever, like diamonds. I inherited my mother’s Omega Constellation – the only watch she had ever owned and worn for more than 30 years. Today, watches have evolved to complement a women’s wardrobe even though they had always enjoyed a place in the fashion industry. They are as important a fashion accessory as a handbag or a scarf. And, as in fashion, there are... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2069480/creative-luxury-watch-straps-make-myriad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2069480/creative-luxury-watch-straps-make-myriad?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Feb 2017 08:00:00 +0000 The watch industry has always been a bit of a boy’s club. From the very beginning, pocket watches and wristwatches were geared towards men and their designs reflected that theory of thought. When I started writing about watches, I was surprised at how many women I kept meeting from the industry. The people I turn to for advice regarding watches are women. Even the title of this blog series is called “On Her Watch” – no prizes there for figuring out who is writing, and what the subject matter is.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2061956/womens-watches-dont-have-be-sparkly-attract?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2061956/womens-watches-dont-have-be-sparkly-attract?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jan 2017 09:30:45 +0000 I was spellbound the first time I saw Jaquet Droz’s Charming Bird at the 2012 Baselworld fair. The miniaturised automaton bird inside the 47mm-diameter watch turned, flapped its wings, moved its head and tail, and opened its beak to chirp, all driven by an intricate mechanism set against an even more intricate hand-decorated dial which depicted the Swiss countryside. Priced at US$450,000 then, this wristwatch was way beyond the budget of ordinary watch-lovers but I could see why it would be a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2061565/timeless-metiers-dart-watches-continue-defy-trends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2061565/timeless-metiers-dart-watches-continue-defy-trends?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jan 2017 07:15:30 +0000 There’s nothing worse than starting a conversation, and then realising you don’t know half the terms being thrown around. To save you from potential embarrassment, STYLE has compiled a quick infographic and glossary to help you navigate the world of watch lovers. 1: BEZEL This one is simple, but important. A bezel holds the dial-side crystal in place. It is either screwed onto or snapped onto the case. Some bezels rotate in order to record elapsed time. 2: TOURBILLON If you want to show off... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2061208/mind-your-bezel-glossary-watch-lovers-following?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2061208/mind-your-bezel-glossary-watch-lovers-following?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jan 2017 07:00:00 +0000 Watchmaking to me is, above all, romantic. Just the thought of a timekeeper being passed on to the generations to come is a love letter for the future. I’m pretty glad that I dived into writing about watches four years ago with exactly this thought, which really helped me understand the artisans and connoisseurs’ passion and, at times, obsession. It would be difficult to reduce a watch to just one part, but indeed, what makes a watch come to life is the calibre, the beating “tick-tock” heart and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2021664/her-watch-why-you-should-mechanical-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches-jewellery/article/2021664/her-watch-why-you-should-mechanical-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Sep 2016 10:00:30 +0000