Designer Watches - What's in a Name?
Designer watches have come a long way, baby. In the past decade or so, more and more haute couture brands are improving their timepiece divisions to better meet the demands of their discerning customers. From today's business woman to today's multi-tasking moms and chic socialites, women want style, form and function from their timepieces - and a name on the dial doesn't hurt.
Generally it is great to have a watch that can go from business to evening in style and many brands are complying - offering everything from fashion-forward colorful pieces to architecturally inspired designs and watches that reflect jewelry collections and couture directions. Additionally, some brands are going extremely upscale in their timepieces - offering mechanical and automatic watches and watches with creative technical innovations that attract women in the know.
Hermes, for instance, put a great deal of research and development into creating its own movement, which will be used in different timepieces moving forward. Similarly, Chanel partners with Audemars Piguet on some of its luxury J12 pieces (which celebrate their 10th anniversary this year), and Dior has created its famed - and much loved - Inverse Caliber, whose rotors are bedecked with incredible decorative elements such as feathers, stone marquetry, or diamonds.
Color also plays an important role in designer timepieces, as many brands coordinate with their haute couture. Designer watches this year flaunt straps or dial accents in moss green, royal blue, red, and hues of orange and pink for delightful bursts of bold summer color. Jewelry link bracelets and Milanese mesh bracelets are also important in the season's line up, as the jewelry look for watches makes its way nicely from day to night. Sometimes, too, the designer influence is a nod back to a signature piece of hardware from the brand's other lines (such as leather goods), or a distinctive accent on the dial or lugs that recalls the brand's heritage.
Indeed, for the woman who knows what she likes, a host of great styles await from famed designer names.