But where have all the Sporty Spice watches gone? Currently, it’s surprisingly quite rare to find anything “sporty” under 40mm. Yes, I’d love a Rolex Submariner but it is a bit large if I’m looking for true wearability on my hikes and swims (but to be fair, a 36mm Rolex Explorer would work great here).

It wasn’t until my dear friend Alan Bedwell (the vintage watch dealer known as Foundwell) gifted me a ‘90s Seiko diver that I was even aware of the existence of Sporty Spice watches. It’s a ref. 4205-0140 and it cost around $500 on eBay (see below). The watch is 33mm and was marketed to women at the time, evoking a seemingly bygone era in watchmaking when sporty, no-frills, mechanical timepieces were considered and created for the ladies.

Similarly, I own a teeny (pre-TAG) Heuer dive watch, with a coveted “ghost bezel” (meaning the color has faded, which is actually a great thing in the vintage world). It’s a Reference 980.008 (also below), which Heuer introduced in 1978, the first year the company sold dive watches. According to Jeff Stein, the watch world’s beloved Heuer scholar, “Heuer began offering dive watches in 1978, and by 1982 was offering most of its dive watches in four sizes (usually, 28 mm, 32 mm, 38 mm and 42 mm).” Not only that, but, “across these four sizes, the design, construction, performance and type of movement were identical, the only difference being the size.” No diamonds or bloated price tag that plagues many modern ladies watches. Just a simple, sporty design.

The lack of such watches on the modern market inspired me and Alan to create my first collaboration with Timex, the Intrepid “Dimepiece” edition (a riff of JFK Jr’s ‘90s-era Intrepid, that we worked with Timex to re-release). Unlike its predecessor – clocking in at a hunky 46mm – the Dimepiece edition is sized down a full 10mm and has been my summer staple, empowering me to leave the house without my phone and CARPE DIEM!

I styled a few deliberately simple looks during a recent LA trip visiting my mom. They all feature Sporty Spice watches to show how versatile they can be. Bring back Sporty Spice watches.

LOOK 1 – HOLLYWOOD HIKE

Here’s a Sporty Spice watch in her natural element. This is the aforementioned Timex Intrepid Dimepiece edition (aka the Dimex). This watch sold out in 2 days when it debuted last year (!), but you can find one on eBay. And a variation on it is coming in October… I’m also wearing, among other things: Nike V2K running shoes and a Rip Curl tank top I got at Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach Florida (near where my mom grew up. Also shout out to lifelong surf-style girlie ).

LOOK 2 – FLIRTY TRIP TO THE GROVE

I wore this out shopping the Grove with my mom, where we beat the line at Brandy Melville because we showed up the second the doors opened at 11am lol. On my wrist is a Parchie watch, a kids brand named after ’s childhood imaginary friend :’) The watches are no longer available, but I hope they re-stock soon because I love the joyful, child-like pops of color contrasted with a flirty lil ‘fit featuring the famous TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES tee by , a silk Reformation skirt, my grandma’s Louis Vuitton Speedy (tied with an Hermès twilly and some keychains which I added cus the zipper broke, unknowingly following the bag charm trend), a sterling silver Gucci crest necklace I got attending their film premiere last fashion week, my Dorsey earrings (shout out ) and some J.Crew woven flats that I’ve absolutely destroyed this summer (they’ve stopped selling them, but these are cute).

LOOK 7 – WANNABE SHARON TATE

I just re-watched Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and I feel like this is something Sharon Tate would have worn, kicking her bare feet up in the Westwood movie theatre. I’m not brave enough to wear a headscarf out of the house, but I am brave enough to wear this bright yellow Shinola Duck watch. It’s a dive watch and it’s big, but the bold color oddly neutralizes it.

LOOK 3 – EREWHON RUN

For all the fancy watches spotted at Erewhon (a sea of Royal Oaks and Cartier Tanks) I present to you the previously mentioned vintage Heuer Diver watch that you can get for $450 on eBay. Worn with my FAVORITE white t-shirt by Buck Mason, Cou Cou pantaloons, Celine sunglasses, a vintage Louis Vuitton tote and some kitten heel thongs I borrowed from my mom.

LOOK 4 – PREP STAR AT THE MANSION

My friend Paul is my mom’s age and they dress the same, having both grown up in the ‘80s, inspired by the perfect prep look that defined the decade (currently featured in The Shards). He lives in Holmby Hills and this is what I wore to dinner at his mansion with a pool and a big yard: my (nearly) period-correct vintage Seiko Diver (this is a close match), the sold-out Hanover Oxford and a giant Tote from the twisted mind of Chris Black (also bare feet in honor of CB).

LOOK 5 – THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT! NIGHT OUT

My night looks tend to be extremely casual after I went to a club in 2012 with an up and coming actress who looked way cooler than everyone in jean shorts and a t-shirt. Here I’m wearing a TAG Heuer Formula 1 watch (Cameron Diaz forever the inspo), a belted mini skirt by EB Denim, Margaux flats (my Parisian agent says these are better than Repettos) and a vintage Gucci bag.

LOOK 6 – POOL DAY!!

I really do the bare minimum with my pool/beach looks. No Pucci sarongs here! I just look like I’m going to summer camp. Here with a Swatch “Lady” Watch (their name, not mine) that I really love for its teeny-tiny size, my fav athletic shorts by H-O-R-S-E (also my fav athletic wear brand, all cotton, started by Sue Williamson), a bikini by Pech ( influenced me, also my mom says she loves it because it’s like a “Dua Lipa bikini”), my mom’s monogrammed LL Bean boat tote, my rubber Birkenstocks that I’ve literally walked 500 miles in and a GAP knit tank because we love the GAP.

LOOK 8 – LAX TO EWR

Traveling to and from LAX I have no qualms about dressing like a 36 year-old Gen Z, but this time I added a $12.5K Gerald Charles Mini Maestro watch with a light pink rubber strap. The brand lent me this watch for the summer. I wouldn’t pay that for literally anything but I am happy this Sporty Spice watch exists and I hope it encourages other brands to follow suit (will Patek Philippe ever bring back their teeny tiny Aquanaut?). The sweatpants are from H-O-R-S-E, hoodie is LA Apparel, shoes are Vans Authentic, which I started wearing consistently after seeing this photo of Lauren Hutton and I borrowed my mom’s monogrammed Alex Mill tote. I also cannot live without my Victorinox Spectra rolly suitcase, which is small enough to carry on but expandable for longer trips.

It should come as no surprise that the watch world and the horse world are intertwined. At the center of that Venn diagram is precision, specialty, craftsmanship, country-club vibes, wealth…

Depending on which competitive horse event you attend, you’re likely to see the Longines or Rolex logos decorating the ring (Longines has been officially partnering with an array of equestrian events since 1912, with Rolex close behind, counting 70 years of involvement and their 2013 founding of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping). Side note: Mary-Kate Olsen wears a Rolex ‘Presidential’ Day-Date when she rides.

Then there are brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre, whose iconic Reverso was created in 1931 for polo players looking to check the time on horseback without damaging their watch (hence the swiveling case, with a watch on one side and durable steel on the “reverse” side). And one cannot talk horses without Hermès, which started as a Parisian horse harness workshop in 1837, long before the Birkin.

Over the years, there have emerged some beautiful watches from a variety of brands suitable for any horse girl, which I’ve linked to below. But first, a look into one of my all-time favorite watches: La Galop by Hermès.

A CONVERSATION WITH INI ARCHIBONG, DESIGNER OF THE GALOP D’HERMÈS WATCH

I introduced myself to Ini Archibong in 2022 at the Swiss Institute Gala because he was wearing an F.P. Journe…

He was visiting New York from Neuchâtel, Switzerland, where he settled down after earning a master’s degree in luxury design and craftsmanship from the prestigious École cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ECAL) in 2015. A mere month after graduation, Archibong sent a cold email to Philippe Delholtal, Creative Director at Hermès Horloger, which led to a meeting.

“Technically I’m not a watch designer,” says Archibong, originally from Pasadena, who has created objects for clients ranging from Knoll to Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. “I’m a watch fan who used my design skills to get me access into the watch world.”

That meeting with Philippe Delholtal led to a design brief. What Hermès was looking for was a new flagship ladies watch. “It was the scariest brief ever,” says Archibong with a laugh. “Like, ‘Congratulations on graduating school last month! We need a new icon.’”

“I started by doing a deep dive into what constitutes the ‘new’ Hermès woman,” says Archibong. “I was filling folders with editorial images of fashionable women from different countries, and the through line was that the women were always moving. So I started thinking about motion.” MOTION!

Archibong presented seven watch designs to the team, nearly landing on the one. “But then Pierre-Alexis Dumas [the current artistic director at Hermès] said, ‘He’s missing something,’ and that’s when I started making my trips to Paris to sit with the historian, who took me through Hermès as the harness maker. That’s how the Galop really started.”

As 19th century carriages evolved from large, slow processions with multiple horses to shorter, faster more cosmopolitan models, “Hermès started to flourish. Their sleekly designed harnesses mirrored the sinews of the horses muscles. Then it all started coming together. I was like, ‘Okay, this needs to be a fast watch for women on the go, with clean, beautiful lines’” evoking those initial harnesses.

Archibong then spent time in the office of the late Émile Hermès [the former president of Hermès], filled with items he’d collected from his world travels. “He had stirrups from every culture, from different eras. They would all be decorated differently, made out of different materials, but they all had that same silhouette.” It was this shape that became the basis for the Galop.

“Every culture can relate to a moment when their ancestors got on a horse with stirrups,” says Archibong. “So I simplified the silhouette to be universally appealing.” And the result was the Galop. Fast, elegant, legible.

The dials are composed of different textures, including graining and opaline gloss, topped with numerals rendered in a typography that Archibong designed with fellow ECAL-alum Vincent Sauvaire (“Fun fact: the way the dial is laid out, you don’t have to stop walking when you read the watch. You can just tilt it towards you and read it while moving”).

The final Galop d’Hermes collection debuted in 2019 with variations in different metals (steel or gold, gem-set or not) and size (small or medium), all completed with a beautiful, buttery Hermès leather strap and equine buckle.

My favorite is the plain steel version (no diamonds, no mother of pearl dial). This costs around $4K but always seems to sell out on the Hermès website, so here’s one pre-owned from The Real Real. I need this in my stable…

+ MY FAV HORSE WATCHES AVAILABLE FOR SALE

$5K+

1970s Chopard Stirrup Watch - $5,390.00
Ulysse Nardin Horse Watch - $23,800.00
Vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso - $7,995.00

HORSESHOE WATCHES

LA Apparel Horseshoe Watch - $28.00
Art Deco Girard-Perregaux Horseshoe Watch - $550.00
Vintage Coach Horsehoe Watch - $75.00
Vintage Wrangler Horseshoe Watch - $32.00

INSPIRED BY HORSE EQUIPMENT

Ralph Lauren Stirrup Petite - $2750.00
Vintage Gucci Horsebit Watch - $564.80
Vintage Gucci Horsebit Watch - $199.90
Vintage Gucci Signoria Watch - $550.00
Longines Equestrian Watch - $807.60

AND SOME SUPER FUN ONES

Vintage Navajo Sterling Silver Horse Watch - $459.99
‘Your Text Here’ Horse Watch - $39.49

PLUS, TWO REAL-LIFE HORSE GIRLS AND THE WATCHES THEY DO (OR DON’T) WEAR WHILE RIDING

Danielle Prescod, Author

“I used to wear my watch when I went riding, but I don’t anymore. I fell with it on (twice in one lesson actually) and it popped off in the dirt and that was enough to scare me into never doing that again. It did not crack, however, which is really good because that was also a fear. The bracelet opened and it slid off. After that, I switched to wearing my Apple Watch for riding so I could cheat with my step count, but now that’s so old that it doesn’t really work anymore so I don’t wear anything. :)

To be honest, it was a risky choice anyway, even without the fall. Horses like shiny things. I once had a horse bite off a diamond bracelet and then I lost that too. A lot of them try to nibble at anything that sparkles. It’s not that I am intentionally trying to be flashy while at the barn, either. It’s more that I am chronically lazy and things that I wear everyday, I don’t take off just because I am riding. Now I do though.”

Jackie Skye Muller, Founder, Recreational Habits

“The few times I have worn a watch when in the saddle was during Fox Hunting or when going out on the trail without my phone - strictly to keep time! I’ll wear my Tank Normale which feels like second skin at this point and tucks well under my gloves. There’s always the chance of damaging your watch, or worse, getting hooked into your tack somehow, but thankfully I haven’t experienced any horological injuries at this point. Personally, I’ve decided that mucking stalls with a wrist watch is a risk I do not need to take.

Out of the barn, I’m currently collecting vintage Omega Constellation watches. I like to discover them when I travel and it’s been a fun reason to stop by antique shops when I’m abroad.”

EVERYTHING IS ROMANTIC!

Say what you want about Valentine’s Day but I love it as a cheerleader for romance in the middle of February, painting the aisles of CVS pink and red.

If you haven’t locked down a V-Day gift yet, scroll below for a list of 14 heart-shaped watches. In the watch world, “shaped watches” have been trending, kickstarted by the post-pandemic frenzy over the Cartier Crash, whose prohibitive price led creative watch enthusiasts hunting down alternative pieces in fun shapes, veering from the rectangular or circular cases we’re used to.

But I haven’t seen enough love for the HEART shape, which was executed flawlessly by YSL starting in the 1980s and, on the luxury Swiss end, by Chopard. The watches listed below are mostly vintage/pre-owned as most modern brands have altogether ditched the heart shape, perhaps because they read too “novelty” – but I say we bring it back and commit to this whimsical, ultra-feminine look.

If this isn’t for you but you’re nonetheless looking for the perfect watch to gift your beloved, read my GQ article How to Buy a Watch for Your Wife or Girlfriend, According to a Women’s Watch Expert. GQ positioned this as a guide for men in need of tips for gifting to women, but the advice is transcendent here (communication is key, etc). And the reigning piece of advice, if all else fails, buy her a Cartier. Who could say no to something in that gorgeous red box?

Also, I <3 Chanel watches.

Check out Chanel’s Valentine’s Day project, featuring intimate portraits of lovers, sisters and friends in their fine jewelry and watches. Using ‘real’ people in this elevated way feels tender and natural against the typical backdrop of luxury watch advertising, which can sometimes feel stiff and a-list heavy.

Everyone has their eyes on Matthieu Blazy’s work since his official start as the Chanel’s creative director last year. But I’m finely tuned into what’s going on within their watchmaking division, which has been a quiet force to be reckoned with since the 1987 release of their Première, integrating Chanel’s iconic design codes (the leather-woven chain found on the classic quilted bag and the shape of the cap on Chanel No. 5 perfume). Jacques Hélleu, who designed this watch, later went on to create the relatively oversized, ceramic Chanel J12 in 2000, meeting the sartorial mood of Y2K.

The J12 has evolved to be a canvas for Chanel’s pursuits in high watchmaking, occasionally fitted with mechanical complications made by watch-world legends Dominique Renaud and Giulio Papi, who have worked with basically every important watch brand and created the movement for the first-ever Richard Mille watch.

Over the years, Chanel has continued to bet on haute horlogerie by investing and owning stakes in Swiss movement manufacturer Kenissi and Châtelain, as well as watch brands Bell & Ross, Romain Gauthier, F.P. Journe and, as of 2024, cult independent watch brand MB&F.

Watchmaking at Chanel is currently conducted entirely in-house. Since 2016, Frédéric Grangié has been presiding over this continuously developing category as President of their Watches & Fine Jewelry division, prioritizing innovation for women’s watches. Last September, the Maison debuted the stackable Première Galon bangle watch in lock-step with the “watches as jewelry” trend dominating the ladies market.

The product is beautiful and so is the marketing… In addition to this recent V-Day concept, I loved their takeover of Homme Girls Winter 2025 issue starring ambassador Gracie Abrams dripping in Chanel. I’m also still not over them putting Lana del Rey in their Premiere chain link watch necklace. Fall in love again and again…

If you’d like to learn more about Chanel’s watchmaking through the years, I highly recommend Malaika Crawford’s deep-dive in HODINKEE.

14 Heart-Shaped Watches for February 14 (for every budget)

Seiko Heart Chain - $220. Cheap and chic <3
Yves Saint Laurent Heart Watch - $1499.99. I’m putting a variation of this in every category because it’s the king.Chopard Happy Heart Watch - $6200.00. The diamonds dance within the watch case :’)
Cartier Heart Bezel Watch - Price upon request. Not heart-shaped but I was obligated to include something by Cartier!!
Waltham Heart Pendant Watch - $110. Put a chain around this watch and drape it over your beloved’s neck.
Swarovski Heart Watch - $420. I can’t help but stan Swarovski’s fun gem-set watches.

Los Angeles Apparel Heart Chain Watch - At $28, this is a no-brainer even if it stops working after a year.
Yves Saint Laurent Heart Watch - $599. Anotha one!
Salvador Dalí Royal Heart Watch - $472.49. Some lite surrealism for your funkiest friend.
Kate Spade Heart Ring Watch - $198. Cute take on the watch ring trend.

Guess Heart Watch - $165. Because the Y2K trend still has a chokehold on us.
Yves Saint Laurent Heart Bangle - $749.99. Riding the wave of the watch bangle movement, made popular by 2024’s Cartier Baignoire bangle release.
Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Heart - $1500. More Y2K vibes / I wish I could time travel and ask for this for my Sweet 16.
Chopard Heart Watch - $8900. Chopard, please bring back the heart shape.

OKAY LOVE YOU GUYS HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

WHAT SHOULD I GET MY GF UNDER $1K?

For this price point, you could find something good from a heritage brand like Movado or Bulova, but I’d also not shy away from fun and flirty fashion watches. Stay tuned for next week’s Valentine’s Day gift guide, but for now…

I love vintage Gucci:

Vintage Gucci Bangle Watch - $364
Vintage Gucci Bezel watch - $698.97 (The watch that went TikTok viral, leading Gucci to official re-release it Gucci Play Watch)
Vintage Gucci bracelet watch - $519
Vintage Gucci Signoria Watch - $495

Selects from the affordable heritage brands:

Movado Museum Bangle - $850 - Stackable and cute, riding the wave of the bangle watch trend sparked by Cartier.
Vintage Bulgari Bulgari - $489 - Underrated Bulgari model if you can’t afford the Serpenti.
Vintage Longines Dolce Vita - $361.25
Vintage TAG Heuer Professional - $299.99 - There’s something very y2k, “ugly hot” about these vintage TAGs.

Dress watches for less:

Heaven Mayhem Bella Watch - $250
Breda Jane Tethered Watch - $195

WHAT’S A GOOD EVERYDAY WATCH FOR A BUSY MOM?

When I asked luxury watch dealer and new mom Zoe Abelson about the best watch to wear she texted back immediately: “My gut reaction is no watch, lol,” she said. “I’ve been too nervous to scratch his head.” (Her baby boy just turned 5 months old)

But then she thought about it some more. “As much as a busy mom deserves everything and anything she wants, she’s practical.” So below are some practical suggestions.

CHEAP AND CHIC

I’ve been saying that the coolest flex is a cheap watch. No better time than early motherhood to prove this right. Get yourself a sub-$200 watch from one of the tried and true heritage brands like Swatch, Timex, Seiko, Casio etc. These are fun, reliable, durable… And if you damage them, it won’t be the end of the world.

TEENY TINY SWATCH - $75.00 - MADE OUT OF SOFT RUBBER! AND I LOVE ALL THE COLORS!
TEENY TINY TIMEX - $149.00 - I WORKED ON THESE WITH TIMEX SO I’M BIASED!
BABY-G - $120 - TO TUG ON THE HEART STRINGS OF MILLENNIAL MOMS

GO DEEP

Your average Cartier is water-resistant to the point where you can wash your hands in it. But if you’re a busy mom, constantly washing dishes, bathing your baby, etc you might want to opt for a watch with increased resistance for more peace of mind.

Watches designed for diving could be a fun way to confront your many water-based tasks. Sadly a lot of watch brands have phased out their smaller dive watches >:( So below is one dive watch and 3 sports watches with higher water resistance.

Of course, you don’t have to be overly precious about it. I recently posted Bella Hadid diving in her Cartier Panthère. If her watch is fine after going deep in salt water, yours should be fine in the baby bath. JUST MAKE SURE TO KEEP YOUR CROWN SCREWED TIGHT SO YOUR WATCH DOESN’T GET FLOODED WITH WATER!

TAG Heuer Aquaracer - $2300 (There’s a fluted aka non-smooth bezel on this one, but at 30mm, you should be fine)
Seiko 5 Watch - $252 (Sporty, classic and durable)
Omega Seamaster Aquaterra - $7100 (A 30mm watch equipped with an automatic movement!)
Hermès Cut Watch – $7125 (Hermès’ first automatic sports watch designed for women)

(DON’T) GO FOR THE GOLD

If you’re going with a metal watch, I recommend steel. Gold is softer and thus more susceptible to scratches. You also might want to go with a smaller watch because you don’t want to knock your baby in the head with a 41mm chunk of steel.

Also, Zoe recommends a watch with round edges and a smooth bezel. “Don’t scratch the baby!” she says.

That being said, it could be nice to indulge in something more precious for nights off: “I like the idea of gold because moms deserve to be taken care of after taking care of everyone else first,” continues Zoe.

CONSIDER MOVEMENT

As you may know, there are different mechanisms tucked inside a watch that keep it ticking. These can be divided into two camps: mechanical and quartz. Mechanical movements are either manually wound or automatic (running off the synergy of your wrist to operate). If you’re going the mechanical route, Zoe suggests automatic. “Moms can’t be fussed with one more task of winding the watch.”

Then, there are quartz watches, which run on a battery. Many “ladies” watches are quartz because watchmakers decided in recent history that women don’t prioritize mechanics. Whatever you may think of this arguably sexist opinion, the objective fact is that quartz watches are lower maintenance. You never have to wind them and they don’t require everyday wear to keep time. So, if you’re looking for the path of least resistance, a quartz watch may be for you as you hustle through early motherhood.

GET YOURSELF SOME NON-LUXURY / THRIFTED WATCHES

My friend Karina Muslimova’s daughter is about to turn 2 years old.

“I love thrifted watches that cost $65 tops,” she says. “Your hands will always be wet and dirty and you don’t want to damage a nice one!” she says. Note: thrifted/vintage watches can be a little delicate so you might risk breaking them, but the solution is to not be precious about it and have multiples: “I have a stack of $35 watches that I’ve been wearing all the time,” says Karina. “They’re chic and fun.”

Try your local thrift shop or stalk eBay or The Real Real for some good deals.

THAT BEING SAID, AVOID VINTAGE LUXURY WATCHES

For daily wear, you might want to avoid an expensive vintage watch (20/30+ years old), as vintage tends to be more fragile and high-maintenance than modern watches. There are obviously exceptions, but, in general, you don’t wanna remove your watch every time you bathe the bébé, lift the stroller, knock your wrist against the kitchen counter…

ZOE’S TOP PICK

“A Rolex Oyster Perpetual ticks all the boxes,” says Zoe. “It’s automatic, has a smooth bezel, easily styled day-to-night…” A colorful dial is a bonus. These watches are difficult to buy at retail (from an authorized Rolex dealer) because they are in high demand with low supply. But if you have the money and want to find one on the secondary market, reach out to Zoe.

Last Thursday, after nearly five years of working on Dimepiece, I released my first-ever watch collaboration. It sold out over the weekend!! Here’s the story:

The Timex Intrepid Dimepiece Edition is a collaboration between me and Timex, in partnership with my dear friend Alan Bedwell aka Foundwell, who I work with to sell vintage watches. My collab is a riff on the original Timex Intrepid from 1995 that we worked together to reissue this spring after I spotted a photo of JFK Jr. wearing it on Getty Images. That watch actually found its way onto the wrist of the actor playing JFK Jr. in Ryan Murphy’s American Love Story – the only non-disastrous styling decision made on that show so far!

J’adore JFK’s watch and our reissue, but 46mm can be hard to pull off if you don’t have arms like him or Jacob Elordi, so it only felt right to serve up my own spin on the ‘90s icon. Dimepiece is all about inclusivity in the watch space, and I believe this starts with the product.

Much to my dismay, there aren’t a lot of sporty, gender-neutral watches available on the market. Somewhere around the Y2K era, most watch brands halted production on their smaller sports watches, and those marketed to women were stripped of their simplicity in favor of diamonds, pink dials and other stereotypically girly attributes (hence the phrase “pink it and shrink it” thrown around the watch world).

Now felt like the perfect time to reimagine the original scaled down to 36mm. Throughout the design process, I worked closely with Alan, who cut his teeth in the industry when he moved to the US to start the Ralph Lauren watch program in 2007. For Alan, this was an extension of the family business – he learned much of what he knows from his mother who had a stall at the legendary Grays Antique Market in London and has independently been in watches for over 20 years now. He has since spun off to curate and sell vintage goods, doing business as Foundwell, which he started in 2009. We met in 2020 and have sold watches to friends, family and celebz (Charli XCX, Bad Bunny among others).

We’d been dying to work on a watch design together, and when it came to working on this Timex, we were intent on preserving the integrity of the original, albeit with some cosmetic nods to Dimepiece. You will see pops of my signature purple on the second hand, hour markers, and the nostalgia-fueled INDIGLO pusher. We also replaced the white dial of the original with a creamy vintage-inspired color.

The only Dimepiece logo you’ll find is on the caseback. I won’t name any names, but I’ve been turned off lately at the amount of logos found on recent watch collaborations – one brand name on the dial is enough! I want people to be happy to wear this watch even if they don’t know what Dimepiece is.

The seed for this project had actually been planted in my brain when I first started Dimepiece and Alan gifted me a small Heuer diving watch from the ‘90s. At the time, I didn’t know much about divers or the general category of “sports watches”, exposed only to the big, masculine versions that contemporary brands have to offer. It wasn’t until Alan gifted me that tiny vintage one that I discovered this seemingly bygone era in watchmaking, when sporty, no-frills timepieces were considered and created for the ladies.

This watch aims to fill that void, and Timex proved to be the perfect partner for this. The genius design team in Milan, led by the iconic Giorgio Galli, trusted us completely and I now consider them famiglia.

Regarding the overall vibe – My sense of style is very ‘90s prep inspired, a symptom of my fascination with New England and the closest thing America had to a Royal Family. Then there’s fact that I live in New York City, where this clean, timeless aesthetic has long been undergoing a major comeback – every creative director with tiny tattoos is cosplaying as a Kennedy right now.

Regardless of whether or not this trend sticks, I’ll always love collared shirts, collegiate crewnecks, blue jeans, broken in boat shoes… Pretty much everything I wear is “unisex” and could be shared with a boyfriend, and in co-designing the Timex Intrepid Dimepiece Edition, I dreamed up a watch that could do just that <3

Shout out to Sofia Ziman who shot the campaign and shout out to the press outlets that have covered the launch :’) And if you bought a watch… THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU!

JFK Jr. Made This Watch Iconic. Timex Just Made It Look Even Better by Cam Wolf (GQ)

Timex Rebooted JFK Jr.'s Normcore Watch as a Total Dimepiece by Donovan Barnett (Highsnobiety)

How a '90s Sailing Watch Beloved By JKF Jr. Became 2025's It Timepiece by Emma Childs (Marie Claire)

IntroducingThe Timex Intrepid x Dimepiece Edition by Rich Fordon (HODINKEE)

The Timex Intrepid × Dimepiece Edition Is the Unisex Watch You Need This Summer (But That Won't Be Easy) by Johnny Davis (Esquire)

++ more

Two years ago, I was aimlessly scrolling through Getty Images looking at photos of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy… As one does.

I stumbled across this photo of JFK Jr. in what looked to be a diving watch and sent it to Alan Bedwell (aka Foundwell, who I work with to sell vintage watches) to have him identify it.

“It’s a Timex,” he said. Followed by: “DO NOT POST THIS PHOTO. Let’s send it to Timex and see if they’ll reissue the watch.”

I thought Alan was dreaming. But we got our friends at Todd Snyder, who’ve worked on several Timex collabs, to connect us, and one Zoom led to another, which led to serious conversations about reissuing this watch, the Intrepid from 1995.

The Intrepid has always been a big boi (46mm), designed for sailing and diving (perfect for John John). Timex let us know that the version he was wearing seemed to be modified. Instead of fitted to the steel and resin bracelet it came with, his had a simple rubber strap.

We decided to reissue it the way JFK Jr. wore his, with the rubber strap – that’s just how powerful he is. We worked with the lovely Timex design team based in Milano (led by the iconic Giorgio Galli) to ensure the rest of the design is an honorable reinterpretation of the original, complete with the nostalgic “Indiglo” button (when you press it, the dial is flooded in indigo light to allow for legibility in the dark or under water) and the “slide rule” bezel, which helps with navigation if you’re sailing around Martha’s Vineyard or whatever.

“The importance of Timex as a brand should not be ignored,” says Alan Bedwell. “The Snoopy tennis watch was my first watch as a child… It has always been my mantra to find cool timepieces across all price points.”

The fact that Timex is a strong American brand that, as Alan says, “has kept people on time for generations” is so cool – especially when the watches are affordable. Like, American Royalty JFK Jr. wearing what would have been a sub-$100 watch on his commute is just gorgeous.

Our’s is $199 (#inflation) and water resistant up to 100M, which will be just great if you’re splish splashing in the Hamptons at your rich friend’s family’s pool.

And, although it’s a big watch, it looks hot with the right styling. Like, if you’re wannabe JFK Jr. wearing it with a suit. I’ve been wearing mine in Central Park and I feel sexy in it with my skimpy workout clothes, which has me closer to understanding why supermodels and y2k it-girls like Paris Hilton loved to style their crop tops and low-rise jeans with big ass watches.

YOU CAN BUY ONE HERE. WE ONLY HAVE 90 OF THEM LEFT AND THEY’RE SOLD OUT ON TIMEX.COM <3 SO GET IT IN TIME FOR THAT TRIP TO THE CAPE OR *IBITHA*.

If it’s too big for you, buy it for a man friend. Or wait for the Dimepiece edition, which is a full 10mm smaller and is coming out later this summer (!!! this is the official teaser !!! more on that soon)

Parting shot – a vintage Timex ad featuring a sibling of this watch:

Now: Grad watches.

Last month, I spoke on a career day discussion panel at my high school in downtown New York City (I grew up in Hoboken, NJ but would commute into the city – #bridgeandtunnel). Next to me on the panel was a doctor, a lawyer, an architect, a finance guy and a teacher. Such REAL jobs. I felt a little imposter syndrome up there, talking to the entire high school about forging a career in the luxury watch industry via journalism and content creation. What I do feels so frivolous compared to, say, the pediatrician working with low-income families to ensure the best childcare.

So… thank god for the senior girl that came up to me after, asking a question maybe she felt wasn’t important enough to ask in front of the whole school. She explained that she’s about to graduate, and her parents offered to get her a watch to celebrate that achievement – but what to get?!

Her question jolted me back into my purpose, which is educating the girlies about watches. No one NEEDS watch. They are not SAVING LIVES. But they can be tangible symbols of our success, which is real :’) We need to celebrate our wins (let’s go Knicks).

Last week, I had coffee with Meg Strachan, aka , aka the founder of the accessible jewelry brand Dorsey,. and she asked me what I’m inspired by. Honestly, it’s small moments like this. A teenage girl in need of watch advice.

In addition to hearing my opinion meant anything to her (per Sofia Coppola in her i-D interview by Steff Yotka: “I feel really complimented if a teenage girl accepts something I do because that’s the hardest critic.”), it was exciting for me to hear that she was seeking a gift typically reserved for male graduates.

When my dad graduated law school in June 1986, my chic, sober icon grandma Sally gifted him a Rolex Datejust with a blue dial, engraved with his initials and his grad date. The watch has since been passed down to me, but if I hadn’t started Dimepiece, it would have almost certainly gone to my brother. Because men historically get the grad watches. And men pass watches down to other men.

Well, we’re switching up the status quo. If you’re graduating this spring, ask for a watch, regardless of your gender identity. And if you’re unsure of what to ask for (as I was when I was searching for my first luxury watch – the vast array of what’s available online is INTIMIDATING), I’ve created this list* of my fav femme-focused watches for every price range… Under $500, under $5000 (with only three above that if you’re fancy). I had to practice some real restraint, narrowing my selects down to 20 – so if you still don’t see your dream watch here, DM me and we’ll figure it out.

UNDER $500

Breda Jane Watch ($195)

I love Breda! They’re a small company based out of Texas offering affordable, cute watches that I spot constantly on chic young New Yorkers. I’ve worked with them several times, and the team is sooooo nice and genuine that I’m truly happy to support them. Plus, the founder comes from a family with roots in the watch biz, so you know it’s real. I love their Jane watches with the woven bracelet the most.

Kate Spade Heart Watch ($245)

This is a great heart shaped watch if you can’t find a good vintage YSL one (see below) or want to save a little money. J’adore j’adore. Mon cœur. I haven’t seen this gold-tone stainless steel watch in person, but it looks flirty and fun to stack with your summery beaded bracelets.

Seiko 5 ($295)

Seiko is an iconic Japanese brand that gave the Swiss a run for their money when they helped popularize the “quartz” battery movement (an alternative to mechanical movements, making for more affordable watches – if you’re confused about what this means, DM me). The sporty Seiko 5 watch, in particular, is very popular amongst the boyz – but I love this sized down version for the girlies. In stainless steel, it’s durable and perf for any summer adventure, whether you’re backpacking through Europe or the mean streets of your hometown.

Tissot PRX Mini ($325)

The Tissot PRX is a reissue of an original 1970s design that is chattered about as one of the best affordable Swiss watches in the game. I own one!! But I wish I owned this mini version, which just dropped last year, riding the wave of the small watches boom. If you’re like me and can’t afford an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak like Rihanna or a Patek Philippe Nautilus like Hailey Bieber – but you’re a fan of ‘70s style “sport” watches – this is for you.

Swarovski Gem Watch ($500)

Ever since I saw this Swarovski watch in the windows at their massive 5th avenue flagship store, I’ve been obsessed with it. It’s juicy, like candy. I want a whole drawer at BonBon filled with them in every color. It’s so hard to choose which is best (pink? blue? green?). What if you bought a couple and stacked them…..? Nooo that’s crazyyyyy. Unlesssss……

UNDER $1K

Viral Gucci ($595, pre-owned)

If you’re on TikTok, you’re probably already aware of this super fun Gucci watch with the interchangeable colored bezels (the ring that goes around the watch’s case). It went viral for a reason – how fun to be able to change colors on it like a mood ring. This watch came out around the ‘70s/’80s under the creative direction of Severin Wunderman, a truly incredible figure in the watch scene who essentially saved Gucci from bankruptcy back in the day by establishing their watch program (inventing the “fashion watch” as we know it today). Get yourself a piece of watchmaking history and look cute doing it!

Bulgari Bulgari ($695)

I wrote an article about the Bulgari Bulgari aka the “BB”, hoping it would make a big comeback when the brand re-launched it last year – but so far (even with a LISA collaboration) it seems to be flying under the radar! The BB originally came out in the ‘70s, a sporty, minimal yet kinda flashy watch… It worked well in the Reagan ‘80s, when George Michael famously accessorized it with that lush head of hair, those bedroom eyes and his signature gold cross earring. And… It worked in the ‘90s when Carrie Bradshaw wore it during her Aidan era. I’m sure it worked for the y2k era, too, because Foundwell and I sourced a tiny steel version from 2000 that we sold within a day of listing. This version is not so different from the one we sold, so if you don’t have Bulgari Serpenti money yet, you can invest in this watch as a way into the world of Italian luxury.

Charriol Alexandre ($749, pre-owned)

J’adore Charriol, which was started in 1983 by the former president of Cartier, Philippe Charriol. Since 2020, his daughter, Coralie Charriol (iconic blonde bombshell amazing intelligent woman) has been in charge as CEO and creative director. So cool to see how Coralie has developed this very female forward brand, and her new stuff is amazing (visit the Charriol website), but here’s a super affordable vintage one from 1stDibs! I love the blue-pinky mother of pearl dial and the sporty, stainless steel very y2k overall looque.

Movado Museum Bangle ($750)

Movado is one of the few Swiss heritage brands (established in 1881!) that serves up luxury at an affordable price. In lock-step with the current trend (I hope it's more than a trend) of jewelry forward, stackable watches, this is their "Museum Watch" (punctuated by the famous dot at the 12 o'clock) on a flirty bangle. C'est cute!

UNDER $5K

(I’d include more pics but I’m at the email length limit, so click on the links!)

YSL Heart Bangle ($1110.51, pre-owned)

I’m literally obsessed with this YSL Heart Watch. Why aren’t there more heart shaped watches?!?! This design came out in the ‘80s and there are several variations out there on the secondary market (eBay, Etsy, etc.). I love this bangle version (def more expensive than the leather strapped options), but they’re all cute… And I feel like the price is rising, so scoop yours up before it’s fully a thing.

Chanel Premiére ($1575, pre-owned)

J’adore the Chanel Premiére watch <3 The classic Chanel chain interwoven with leather is used here as the bracelet, which is just… génial. And Chanel watches are having a real moment right now. They just dropped a double-wrap Premiére at Watches & Wonders (the big annual watch tradeshow in Switzerland), but that is trés cher… This one is a good price and just as chicy chic. Ça va mon français? Is it getting annoying?

Omega Constellation ($1595, pre-owned)

Ever since I saw y2k tennis icon Anna Kournikova wearing her Omega Constellation on the court, I've been into this watch. It was designed by a woman (!!), accented with 18K yellow gold and comes from one of the most prestigious Swiss luxury watch brands at a very reasonable price.

Frederique Constant Manchette ($1950)

I got to try on the Frederique Constant Manchette at Watches & Wonders (the big annual watch tradeshow in Switzerland) this past Spring and it’s soooo fun! It’s very, like, glam rock? Dare I say “indie sleaze” lol? Frederique Constant was founded in 1988, making it one of the younger Swiss watch brands, but it has made a name for itself by offering affordable luxury (v rare in this industry).

TAG Heuer Aquaracer ($2050)

I own a teeny tiny Heuer diver, and it’s one of my favorite watches EVER. My friend gave it to me after buying it for, like, $300 on eBay. Those exact watches don’t exist anymore (google reference 980.008 if you’re looking for something similar to what I own), but, looking at the current TAG Heuer collection, I do love this small sporty chic, light blue dial Aquaterra. TAG is a great “starter” luxury watch and was HUGE in the ‘90s/y2k era, which has been having the longest running comeback in history.

Cartier Tank Française ($3010, pre-owned)

This was the first ever luxury watch I bought for myself, so of course I have to recommend it. It’s small, steel and low-key. Perfect for traveling, goes with literally everything, and hails from Cartier, theeee most coveted brand right now. This version of the Française is the same design from when it debuted in 1997 (Princess Diana owned the gold one). Cartier has since re-designed the watch, so you can’t get this version (which I like much better than the new one) from the source. Which is probably why prices for it have gone up on the secondary market. Worth it though… My watch collection has grown slightly, but this is still the one that gets the most wear.

Hermès Heure H ($3850)

Everyone wants a Cartier Tank, but they can be a little pricey. And then there are the numerous Cartier Tank knockoffs by the affordable brands (I shan’t name names)... These are fine, but I always say… If, from a distance, a knockoff watch design could be mistaken for the luxury version… It’s a no. That’s why I find the Hermès Heure H so compelling. It’s got all the ingredients the classic Cartier Tank has: The square-ish case, the leather strap. The ‘H’, though, is a quirky, very Hermès touch that makes it just different enough. Hermès watches are hotter than ever, with the luxury French house investing more in their ladies offerings (we love to see it). Also… Lana del Rey has this watch. Say less? There are lots of Hermès H watches on the luxury consignment sites that are more affordable than this one, but if you want new, this is a good choice! To go with your imaginary Birkin!

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso ($4695, pre-owned)

Most of you are graduating in late May or June, so what better time to invest in the historic Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso aka the GEMINI of the watch world. I call it that because this watch has two faces – one side is a watch, and then you can literally “reverse” it so that the smooth, steel caseback faces outwards. This ingenious design came out in 1931 so that super-chic polo players could wear the watch mid-match, watch dial facing inwards, so it wouldn’t get damaged. I also love that the Reverso is perfect for engravings – you could get your graduation date engraved on the caseback, so that when you pass it down one day, it feels even more special and personal!

ABOVE $5K (RICH!)

Rolex Datejust ($5560, pre-owned)

Everyone deserves a Rolex Datejust. Theeee most classic, versatile watch out there. I own one, and fun fact: I bought mine on Rebag, which is where this one is from (this one isn’t identical to mine – it has the rare “linen dial” – but pretty close… All you need to know is that a tiny two-tone Datejust is the Carmela Soprano watch). I know it can be scary buying an expensive vintage watch from a luxury consignment website, so if you have questions, feel free to DM me… I have some hot tips.

Cartier Baignoire Bangle ($17,800)

Ever since this Baignoire Bangle dropped in 2023, it has been THE it-girl watch, spotted on everyone from Kylie Jenner to Emma Chamberlain. Inspired by the original Baignoire (dating back to the 1960s-ish), this jewelry-forward version on a stackable BANGLE set the watch world on fire when it dropped in 2023 and hasn't slowed in momentum yet. It's pricey, so I hope you were the Valedictorian!!!

Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas ($27,200)

The Bulgari Sssssserpenti is a 75 year old design that, today, is more relevant than ever. It’s also the Scorpio of the watch world, if that helps your case. I love this Tubogas version from the ‘90s. It’s flashy and fabulous, but somehow looks just as great with jeans and a t-shirt as it does with a party dress?! This is an extravagant grad gift, but I had to include it for the extravagant baddie out there with summer plans involving coastal Italy and super generous parents.

STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT TO ASK FOR? DM ME! <3 LET’S GET YOU SOMETHING YOU LOVE!

*I make a small commission on all of the above products via “ShopMy”, which I just got approved for. But every watch is a true recommendation – even if I weren’t making a little bit of $ off it, I’d have recommended it! #transparency

Parting note: Why Gen Z might be interested in getting a watch over any other gift for graduation? Its grounding longevity, per writer Zaynab Issa. Read my interview with her here.

The show had re-routed from Beverly Hills to New York’s Tiffany & Co. Landmark building, out of respect to those suffering from the Los Angeles fires. And in a commendable feat of swift logistical reconfiguring, the show smoothly went on with presentations from TAG Heuer, Zenith, Hublot, Tiffany, L’Epée, Daniel Roth, Louis Vuitton, Gérald Genta and Bulgari – complete with a schmoozy dinner at the millennial-y members-only club, Casa Cruz, where I rubbed elbows with Jean and Frédéric Arnault and practically every executive from the represented brands.

Here’s what you need to know from the week.

BULGARI IS BETTING BIG ON SMALL MECHANICAL WATCHES FOR WOMEN

Coinciding with the Year of the Snake, Bulgari is leaning into the ssssssymbol they’re ssssssynonymous with – the Ssssssserpenti. In addition to being the Italian maison’s most famous watch, the Serpenti is also one of the most impactful ladies watches of all time, popularized by glamorous women from Elizabeth Taylor to Zendaya. And this year, Bulgari is upping the ante by equipping these iconic watches with mechanical movements.

The meeting with Bulgari was, by far, my most important moment of LVMH Watch Week.

On a luxurious couch inside their 57th street flagship, Bulgari unveiled the “Lady Solotempo” BVS100 automatic movement, premiering in their stripped down Serpenti Seduttori models, alongside a rose gold Tubogas (the very snake-like Serpenti you’re likely more familiar with). With this in-house made movement, the watches have retained their graceful, teeny tiny size, albeit with more technical chops. These watches are more expensive, but the point is that Bulgari created a small movement made for smaller watches, intentionally designed for the modern female watch collector.

That’s one small slither for the Serpenti and one giant leap for womankind, in what is planned to be a greater strategic initiative for all of the watch brands in the LVMH portfolio.

Bulgari will keep producing this movement in-house for the next couple of years (and keep their more famous, proprietary movements, like 2022’s Piccolissimo, to themselves), but the plan is to eventually hand over the Lady Solotempo to Zenith, another LVMH watch brand renowned for its historic movement production.

In the hands of Zenith, the teeny tiny Bulgari movement will be re-engineered for higher volume use in ladies watches within the group. It’s an ambitious decision to prioritize their female consumer, when it feels that many other brands have forgotten about mechanical ladies watches altogether.

“We truly believe in the potential for ladies watches in the future,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, also noting their heritage of producing mechanical ladies watches since the early 1900s. “It’s in our DNA. Now, we have full-bodied watches again with Swiss craftsmanship inside and out” – the internal mechanics accentuating the aesthetic design of the case, the dial and the bracelet.

“It’s more authentic,” continued Monsieur Babin, “And authenticity today, in troubled times, is, more than ever, essential to success.”

This is not just dreamy CEO talk. To authentically cater to women in this industry is smart business! According to Deloitte x Watch Femme’s spotlight on the female market within their 2024 Swiss Watch Industry Insights report, “women are increasingly purchasing watches for themselves, marking a shift in market dynamics,” but they remain “underrepresented and insufficiently targeted by the industry, meaning there is untapped potential for growth.” Mamma mia.

*OPTIONAL, CONTINUED READING* If you’re confused about what exactly a watch movement is and why this is so very important to me, here’s some context:

Bulgari introduced the Serpenti in 1948, sexy and sinuous and ahead of its time. The bracelet part of the watch is crafted using the ingenious, painstaking “Tubogas” technique, in which interlocking strips of metal (like 18K gold) wrap around a wooden core, making for a continuous curving fit once the core is removed. The effect is that of a snake wrapping around one’s wrist, hence “Serpenti.” Its imaginative, jewelry-forward design indefinitely pushed the boundaries of what a woman’s watch could be.

That inaugural Serpenti had a little watch fitted into the snake’s “head” at the top of the bracelet, powered by a tiny mechanical movement – because this was the 1940s, when all watches were mechanical. The cheaper, more efficient quartz battery, which threatened the sheer existence of mechanical watchmaking, hadn’t been invented yet. (Thanks to a number of bold, persistent watchmakers, mechanical timekeeping survived what’s known as the “quartz crisis” in the ‘70s/’80s, and we still have the luxury to enjoy little intricate movements in our timepieces despite the fact that the technology is, on paper, outdated.)

True watch enthusiasts laud mechanical movements because they are the culmination of centuries of technique, engineering and craftsmanship. For some (stereotypically, male watch collectors), it’s cool to think that inside your watch is a tiny machine with gears and balance wheels and springs keeping your watch ticking and, in the case of automatic watches, working in tandem with your body’s kinetic energy. A mechanical movement is romantic, whereas a battery is decidedly not.

Most brands, however, have chosen to insert quartz batteries into their ladies offerings, forgoing mechanical movements altogether. The reasoning is that – and I’m paraphrasing what I’ve heard from watchmakers and consumers alike – women don’t care about mechanical movements. In fact, they’re tiresome. When a lady puts on a watch – say, her Cartier Panthère, which runs on a quartz battery – it’s akin to putting on a bracelet. She doesn’t have to wind it to make it work. She doesn’t have to wear it everyday. It runs on a battery, so it will consistently keep time with no effort and low maintenance. A quartz watch is also cheaper, because popping in a battery requires far less resources than crafting a movement does.

As the rise of the Smartphone rendered the practical necessity for wearing a watch obsolete, brands found little incentive to continue on creating mechanical timepieces that women, in general, didn’t want or need.

And here we are today: most modern ladies watches are quartz.

As I’ve gotten more into the watch world, I’ve learned to gently look down upon quartz movements. My first luxury watch was quartz, and I still love it, but in my heart, I know it’s inferior to my mechanical watches. So, when I see a watch brand proudly unveiling their fancy new ladies release, the fine print reading “quartz powered” makes my heart sink. Brands will credit this decision to the lack of demand, but also to the fact that making a watch movement small enough to fit a smaller sized ladies watch is a more technically laborious feat.

But Bulgari is willing to put in the work, and for this reason, their big announcement around their teeny tiny movement eclipsed all the other releases from the week, while complementing LVMH’s greater effort toward watchmaking...

AGAINST THE ODDS, LVMH IS MAKING WATCHES FOR WATCHMAKING’S SAKE

Although the luxury industry at-large continues to “suffer” post-pandemic due to declining sales in China and broader macroeconomic headwinds, LVMH is weathering the storm, recently reporting a 1% uptick in organic growth despite an overall downturn. “Selective Retailing”, which includes Sephora, was the company’s top-performing division, whereas sales in the watches and jewelry category have slightly declined.

Nevertheless, LVMH is adamantly prioritizing growth for their watch and jewelry maisons, best exemplified by the jaw-dropping Tiffany & Co. Landmark Building renovation and what’s going on under the “La Fabrique du Temps” umbrella. Directed by the genuinely enthusiastic watch lover (and son of Bernard Arnault, the patriarch of the LVMH empire), Jean Arnault, La Fabrique du Temps is making watches for watchmaking’s sake.

La Fabrique du Temps (translation: Time Factory) was founded in 2007 by master watchmakers (and total cuties) Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, specializing in complex movements for luxury timepieces. In 2011, LVMH acquired this group of designers, engineers and craftsmen to bulk up Louis Vuitton’s horological offerings, produced in their own state-of-the-art watch manufacture, which opened in 2014 outside of Geneva.

Within LVMH, La Fabrique du Temps also comprises Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth, two eponymous brands originally founded by two of the watch world’s most impactful visionaries (Gérald Genta is famous for, among other achievements, designing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and Daniel Roth is a more “IYKYK” pioneer of independent watchmaking).

La Fabrique du Temps is no Sephora. It’s a mere sliver of the greater LVMH business, and it has therefore emerged as one of the more experimental platforms for creativity within the group.

This bold initiative was embodied last week in some insane horological accomplishments, like the Gérald Genta “Gentissima Oursin”, adorned with 137 gold pinned fire opals that elicited the most “oooohs and aaaaahs” out of all the reporters. Then, there are the creations erupting from LV’s Tambour watch line, which has become the go-to canvas for the maison. Both the Tambour Taiko Spin Time collection and the Tambour Convergence sent the watch nerds' heads spinning for various reasons that I shan’t get into because I’m still wrapping my head around the technicality of it all. Just know that this is haute horlogerie at its finest, and it's inspiring to see legends like Navas and Barbasini doing their thing with the full-on support of this monster luxury group.

Although a big part of me yearns for a world in which Louis Vuitton offers more creative, affordably priced options like 1988’s Monterrey, I get what’s going on here. Business is business. According to William Massena, “These days, it’s easier to sell a $100,000 watch than a $1,000 watch.” So, I’ll continue regarding each new release as I would an unattainable work of art.

TIFFANY & CO. IS ONE TO “WATCH”

When it comes to American luxury, few names come close to Tiffany & Co. It’s Audrey Hepburn and a croissant. It’s Trey MacDougal and Charlotte York picking out an engagement ring. It’s a New York institution! (Btw, did you know that the founder Charles Lewis Tiffany invented the phrase “New York Minute” ??)

LVMH acquired the brand in 2021 – waking the ‘sleeping beauty’, in the words of Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH – with the massive, showy renovation of their iconic multi-level boutique on 57th (would Holly Golightly even recognize herself in its windows?) and the appointment of Jay-Z and Beyoncé as their flashy, global ambassadors. But quietly rumbling under the surface is an effort – in close step with the overall LVMH initiative – to ramp up its horological offering.

What Tiffany already has going for it is deep, historical ties to the watch world. Of course, we all know Tiffany for its diamonds and jewelry, but the storied New York brand was the first to retail Patek Philippe watches in the United States starting in 1851, which 2021’s 170th anniversary limited-edition Tiffany-stamped Nautilus paid homage to (with much fanfare – the 1st edition of that piece sold for $6.5MM at auction). The impressive Geneva-based manufacturing facility Tiffany opened in the 1840s was actually sold to Patek Philippe a few decades later, further cementing the union between the New York retailer and the greatest watchmaker in the world.

This is not a history lesson, and I’m glossing over many of Tiffany’s proprietary horological achievements, milestones and releases only for the sake of brevity. Just believe that Tiffany & Co. is in the prime position to revisit and revitalize its notable heritage as a watchmaker, which they’ve already started doing under the direction of industry veteran Nicolas Beau, who was appointed vice president of Tiffany Horlogerie in 2021.

When I met with Monsieur Beau in Geneva at last year’s Watches & Wonders, he spoke to me of his ambitions to reignite Tiffany’s watch program, which were tangibly on display at last week’s LVMH Watch Week. All of the new(ish) releases were merchandised alongside the brand’s rather impressive archival pieces (I was obsessed with the pendant watch commissioned to commemorate the opening of the New York City subway system, incorporating a literal sprinkling of dirt from the train’s groundbreaking in 1900).

But onto the new new: There were the pieces inspired by the legendary Tiffany designer Jean Schlumberger’s “Bird on the Rock” design, including a flying tourbillon (watch speak for VERY FANCY COMPLICATION) priced at just over $300K. Putting the HAUTE in haute horlogerie.

Then, there was my personal favorite – the Carat 128 Aquamarine High Jewelry watch, whose case shape is a nod to one of the most famous jewels in the world – the Tiffany diamond – which happened to also be in attendance for us to gawk at (!!!). Of this high jewelry watch, featuring a snow-set dial and five-strand bracelet graced with 913 diamonds (nearly 30 karats!) I kept asking, “Who’s going to wear this to the Met Gala?!” They didn’t know yet, but I’ll be watching.

Now, as much as I loved these magnificent pieces, I was most intrigued by their lower-end (but not lesser) offerings, like the $4200 HardWear watch, which debuted in 2023 as the horological complement to the brand’s popular HardWear jewelry line. This, to me, represents a great opportunity for Tiffany to seize, claiming wrist real estate of the girlies looking for a cute, everyday watch that matches their jewelry and doesn’t cost 6 figures.

It’s unlikely that this is going to be the focus – if you’ve learned anything in this newsletter, it’s that LVMH is going BIG, which is supposedly better for business. But I can’t help but fawn over a watch that I, personally, can afford. We’re all in desperate need of a viable alternative to the chic, relatively affordable category monopolized by Cartier.

There’s another exciting Tiffany watch release on the horizon, but it’s under strict embargo until the spring. It’s not $5K, but it’s built for everyday wear on behalf of women, but also someone like Dwyane Wade, who reframed how an elegant dress watch can be worn when he sported Tiffany’s 28mm Eternity watch last fall…

Let’s all WATCH THIS SPACE, and ciao for now!

• Unusual, smaller vintage watches are still very much in, riding off the momentum of the “guys wearing girls watches” made mainstream by pop stars like Tyler, the Creator and Bad Bunny.

• The vibes (and prices) are high in the watch industry. The market may be correcting from its record peak in 2021, but everyone’s doing just fine… And you prob aren’t gonna find a deal on anything remotely popular on the internet.

• Riding the watch wave, lots of civilians were at the show looking for a first watch (unafraid of haggling, to many dealers’ dismay).

• Watches and jewelry have almost completely taken over the “antique” of the show.

This was my first time attending OMBAS. For others… they’ve lost count. OMBAS is an institution for people dealing in the watches and jewelry industry. Third generation estate jewelry dealer Laurie Geller was selling alongside her father, who was there for his 40th time this year.

Speaking with the veteran attendees, it became clear that the show should re-brand from the Antique show to the Watches & Jewelry show (alas, OMBWJS does not have the same ring). There were antiques present, but these have been overtaken by the latter – the show’s make up is roughly 75% watches and jewelry vendors. You can still find a great chair, but people show up en masse for the timepieces and the bling.

A source who works with OMBAS explained that this has a few simple, practical reasons. In the past 10-12 years, the antiques-exclusive vendors haven’t had as much success convincing their children to join the business, as those in the very “family business” culture of the watches/jewelry space have. Apprenticeship sustains these industries that rely on old, no longer produced things. But also… It’s just logistically harder and more costly to ship a large table to Miami than it is to ship a necklace or a Patek.

Of course, the soaring popularity of watches at the show is also due in part to the fact that the watch world at-large exploded post-pandemic – especially on the secondary market, as new watches from coveted brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet are impossible to get at retail (aka the primary market). It’s the Hermès Birkin model. People turned away from a Rolex authorized dealer have no choice but to redirect to the grey market (non-authorized watch dealers) or, say, auction houses, luxury consignment platforms, etc.

It’s down in Miami during OMBAS that you can find many of the more established, trusted grey market and vintage watch dealers. And so… there you have it. Less supply, more demand… More people flock to the Sunshine State in January to find their dream Rollie. I’m simplifying things.

This year, "there was an energy within the vintage watch community at OMBAS that was unlike anything I have seen in quite some time,” says Gannon Brousseau, the EVP of Emerald, which is the publicly traded parent company that owns OMBAS. “In addition to the incredible selection of timepieces being showcased by the most esteemed dealers in the world, there was a prevailing sense of joy and camaraderie among dealers and collectors,” he gushes.

Of course, at the helm of it all, Mr Brousseau has to gush, but he’s right! The atmosphere amongst the dealers – all of whom compete with each other – was very chummy, very college reunion-y. It’s like all of the watch world, typically dispersed around the world or the internet, meets up for the week and gets to size each other up, shake hands, go to dinner, gossip, etc…

A lot of the good energy also stemmed from the enthusiasm around more unusual vintage pieces, which are just by default more fun to chatter over than the typical steel sports watches.

​​”The most exciting aspect of this year’s OMBAS for us was the genuine interest in vintage watches, especially smaller size watches,” says Tania Edwards, Patek Philippe expert (and former employee) and co-founder of Collectability, a specialized retailer that offers an education in Patek Philippe.

“At last, both men and women are looking for and wearing smaller sized watches,” she continues, thrilled to see a real life execution of the trends that all of watch media has been covering (i.e. small watches are in, men love ladies watches). “I even saw three different men wearing vintage ladies Cartier Baignoire Allongée watches — which looked great!”

For the most part, men tapped into this niche aren’t just looking for steel sports watches anymore. They want something with a lil spice. And it’s not just men.

“We saw a noticeable increase in the number of women buying watches for themselves,” Edwards says. “Women were interested in both men’s and ladies’ vintage watches, and many were looking for gold bracelet watches, a trend we have not really seen before.”

Yes. Jewelry-forward watches are IN IN IN. It’s fun to wear a watch like a bracelet. And it’s easier for most newcomers to wrap their heads around, hence the insane popularity of the Cartier Baignoire and the Piaget Polo, two models both maisons have officially revived due to their high demand on the vintage market.

Also yellow gold – a shockingly underutilized metal on the primary market (most brands release new watches in rose gold… gasp!) – is hot, not just from a trend standpoint but sheer value. At the peak of the show, gold was priced around $2700 per ounce, which is very high.

“The Piaget Polo was the most handled watch at my counter,” says Laurie Geller, who focuses mostly on estate jewelry. “The price of gold has gone up, so, of course. has the price of this watch, which is made of very heavy 18K gold.”

Geller bought herself a Polo in 2017, when it was still undervalued and underrated. But ever since A$AP Rocky was spotted wearing a tiny vintage reference in Soho, everyone wants one (and Piaget even re-released their own automatic version for a whopping $75K). Depending on condition and reference, you can buy a vintage Polo around $10-20K, which is less than $75K but WAY higher than what it would have gone for even two years ago.

On the buying side, there weren’t many deals to be had, most starkly standing out for watches like the Polo, which, until very recently had been diamonds in the rough.

“It didn’t really matter if I had a dealer badge or was an end user buyer,” says professional watch dealer Zoe Abelson, founder of GRAAL. “The booths were giving the same pricing… And prices were high in the show.”

However, Abelson was satisfied with the sheer variety on display. “There was a really great selection of ladies cocktail watches that you normally don’t see on online resellers (or Instagram). Especially pieces with [Jaeger-LeCoultre] Calibre 101 movements, which is what I was personally hunting for.”

Professional watch and antiques dealer Alan Bedwell aka Foundwell aka my friend who I sell watches with had an amazing 18K vintage Cartier bracelet watch fitted with a teeny tiny JLC movement that got more attention that it would have last year.

“The secondary watch market, overall, is showing strength,” says Bedwell. “Certain categories remain weak, like Rolex sport watches (and modern watches in general).” A far cry from when sport watches were king! “Interest in vintage dress watches is picking up, with particular strength around Cartier and Patek Philippe.”

Tania Edwards is happy about the latter. “The best part of the show was to see an eye-opening new awareness in vintage Patek Philippe,” she says. “Rather than a small circle of dedicated collectors and buyers, we saw a whole new audience of people looking for their first vintage watch. Young, old, male or female — word has got out, at last, that vintage Patek Philippe watches offer real value.”

My personal favorite, the Patek Philippe Ellipse, is finally getting its due. For better or worse. Now, I don’t think I can afford one. But the general sentiment is that people know, now more than ever, what they’re looking for.

“This was my 5th or 6th OMBAS, but my first time selling watches in a booth,” says pro watch dealer and king of WatchTok Mike Nouveau. “Most of my customers were looking for something very specific that they knew I had, with almost no spontaneous buys from people walking by.”

And there was LOTS of haggling. With online resources like Chrono24, a gigantic buyer/seller watch marketplace on the secondary market, people will go back and forth with dealers like it’s a bazaar, trying to get the best price by pointing to similar listings on the internet. Here, dealers feel a lot of frustration. The prices are set as is, with very little wiggle room. One of the big misconceptions about watch selling is that the margins, despite the fancy names, are actually quite low, with dealers working over time.

“It’s completely exhausting working a booth, but the time flies by incredibly quickly,” continues Nouveau, who, like his colleagues, clocked in five full 8+ hour days at the booth, taking bites of bagels in between wheeling and dealing with clients. But… “I found a lot of great watches, and probably would’ve found even more if I wasn’t focused on selling.”

At the end of the week, the vibe was tired but still wired. The energy and the prices were high. And even at peak exhaustion, says Alan Bedwell: “it’s a great time to be barely alive in the watch industry.”

PATEK PHILIPPE RELEASES ITS FIRST NEW WATCH IN 25 YEARS

ICYMI, the launch of the “Cubitus” watch line was arguably the biggest news to hit the watch world in 2024.

Patek Philippe is the epitome of fine Swiss watchmaking, and up until this fall, they hadn’t released any new watch design since 1999’s “Twenty~4” ladies watch. We were all waiting with bated breath to see what Patek would unveil, the surprise slightly dampened by Fortune magazine running a print advertisement of the watch before the official reveal (which may have flown under the radar, were it not for the social media “creators” who picked up on the leak and disseminated it via their own channels).

Regardless of how the news broke, the Cubitus caused a stir. With such lofty expectations – drawn out over 25 years – and such high esteem reserved for Patek Philippe, one can only assume that any release could have been skewed as a letdown (the internet loves to hate!), but people were particularly riled up over the Cubitus.

Design wise, many liken it to a juuuust slightly-tweaked version of the brand’s famous Nautilus model, which debuted in 1976 at the hands of Gèrald Genta, the storied watch designer responsible also for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Despite the mechanical wonders tucked inside the case, the cosmetic similarities to the pre existing Nautilus were enough to upset people. But a quick glance at Patek Philippe’s track record in the past 50-ish years shows that new releases consistently play off their predecessors – just compare the Nautilus to 1997’s Aquanaut – building up enough desirability and longevity to drown out any pre-Reddit criticism it generated upon launch.

We have to zoom out, consider the big picture, and take it all with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, the Cubitus x Nautilus connection is confusing. After all, Patek President Thierry Stern has worked (successfully or not) to have the brand not be defined by their historical Nautilus, going as far as to discontinue the ever-popular steel 5711 reference in 2021. And yet, here we have the Cubitus, widely received as merely the square Nautilus.

The people are also miffed at the price. The high-end calendar version of this watch is $88,378 and comes in platinum – fine! But the steel, time-only version (pictured above) clocks in at $41,243, which feels just a little too much even factoring in inflation, supply/demand, the upgrades differentiating it from the steel Nautilus (which retailed for around $34K before it was discontinued).

But this watch is not for “the people.” As Mr. Stern allegedly said during an interview with the Zürich-based magazine Bilanz: “The haters are mostly people who have never had a Patek and never will.” This is a quote taken out of context and has been bandied about the internet as clickbait, but the truth is that the Cubitus will sell out (to a select few lucky enough to get allocation) and generate years-long waiting lists, regardless of what the peanut gallery has to say.

Do I aspire to own a Cubitus? No. It’s sooooooo manly. But I will never give up my dream of “taking care of a Patek Philippe for the next generation”, and that is the power of the brand.

PS – If you’d like ‘An Education in Patek Philippe’, read my interview with Tania Edwards, who has amassed over 30 years of experience in the watch industry – much of which was spent working for Patek, where she spearheaded their game-changing ‘You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation ’ campaign.

PPS – I’m just gonna leave this here…

HAS THE WATCH INDUSTRY FINALLY REACHED PEAK “COLLAB”?

Since my 2019 introduction to the watch industry, I’ve been fiercely observing how brands tackle the "collab" landscape that the fashion world has all but beat into the ground, garnering headlines like Make the Collabs Stop (The Atlantic, Aug 2023). In watches, though, the idea of the "collab" still felt fresh and actually welcome – but are we at the tipping point?

The 2022 Swatch collab with Omega (the “Moonswatch”) generated a new slew of watch enthusiasts in a way that recent watch collabs haven't, providing a coveted product without the prohibitive price point. This, to me, is the idealized outcome of a collaboration. On the other end of the spectrum was 2021’s Patek Philippe 5711 Nautilus, released with a limited edition Tiffany & Co. blue dial, selling for a (somewhat contested) $6.5MM via Phillips – prohibitive, to be sure, but effective in stirring up a global media frenzy and shedding light on that year’s boom period for the luxury watch market.

Collaborations are not new in the watch world – Bulova and Dior worked together over 50 years ago on a wide range of timepieces, bringing haute-couture to the everyday woman, complete with an iconic, tongue-in-cheek ad campaign with slogans like “The Poor Girl’s Rich Watch.” Timex started working with Disney in 1930, which early-on morphed into a massive licensing deal. Fast forward to today, Timex is working with Margiela, while other brands are building off of entertainment IP (Audemars Piguet x Marvel or Oris x the Muppets), as well as talent (Hublot x Novak Djokovic or Bulgari x BLACKPINK's Lisa) without much criticism.

But two collab releases this year tell me we may be nearing (or past) peak “collab” in the watch world.

TAG Heuer’s spring 2024 reissue of their cult-favorite original Formula 1 watch in collaboration with KITH begged the question: Why, after years of anticipation, and about as much hype as any watch could hope for, had TAG Heuer not just re released it without the co-branding? I’ve unpacked this, but I still feel that the watch would have been stronger without KITH getting involved.

And this November, Audemars Piguet, known for being one of the more progressive Swiss watch brands, dropped a limited edition of 250 Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon watches in collaboration with the artist known as KAWS. Priced at 200,000CHF (about $217K), the watch has been painstakingly fitted with a miniaturized version of the “Companion” toy that helped catapult KAWS to worldwide fame, via placement in Drake’s cheesy Toronto mansion to the streets of Taiwan, where the artist debuted the 118 foot, traveling “KAWS:HOLIDAY” sculpture. To celebrate the new watch release, KAWS:HOLIDAY found its temporary home on a rooftop in the tiny village of Le Brassus, where Audemars Piguet is headquartered.

In the words of a watch-world colleague, “What in the Uniqlo?!” Since his independent career started taking off in the ‘90s, KAWS has been ingeniously merging art and commerce to the point of ubiquity, entering official collaborations with (yes, Uniqlo), as well as NIKE, MTV, Dior, Pharrell, MoMa, the North Face…

I couldn’t help but wonder: Why would Audemars Piguet, not only one of the hottest watch brands in the world, feel the need to collaborate with an artist like this? If you’ve already got built-in cool and desirability – backed by almost 150 years of heritage – what is the point of diluting the brand and collaborating at all?

Armed with context, though, I quickly quelled my surprise and mild disappointment. Looking at AP’s recent collabs, the KAWS watch fits perfectly in the universe created by the visionary – and often polarizing – leadership of François-Henry Bennahmias, who exited last winter after 30 years.

Since FHB rose to the role of CEO in 2012, Audemars Piguet has been on the cutting edge of the cultural sphere relative to its competitors, best exemplified by their savvy clientele and official (heavily critiqued) collaboration with Jay-Z in 2005, when this sort of partnership was unheard of in the stuffy watch industry.

Last year’s perpetual calendar Royal Oak created with Travis Scott was 2023’s answer to the Jay-Z collab, equally argued over and praised, but no one can deny Scott’s widespread influence. Per a Pandemic-era Tweet by my internet friend @zeexbow: “Travis Scott stamps could save the USPS”. BTW, I went to the launch event for the Cactus Jack watch last December… In a very Kendall Roy move, FHB did a literal “mic drop” next to Travis Scott, signaling his AP exit in a room full of hype beasts.

Even though Bennahmias has been replaced – by watch outsider Ilaria Resta, a former beauty executive – his projects keep trickling through, like this KAWS situation, which stands reasonably in line with the strategy he’s cultivated: Be the most culturally relevant watch company and work with the most culturally relevant – whether you like them or not – mainstream brands. Just look at the Black Panther and Spiderman collabs… It doesn’t get much more big-brand than Marvel. This doesn’t translate to “cool”, but it’s just the way the world is moving now, for better or for worse.

I just hope for more creativity in the “collab” sector of the watch industry. This week’s BOF article asks “Why Are Sneaker Collaborations So Boring?”, boiling the answer down to the formulaic approach of tapping a designer to tweak a retro silhouette, which analysts say is “beginning to fall flat as consumers seek fresh original designs.” Let’s learn from this cautionary tale. I still value a good partnership’s way to impactfully reach non-endemic audiences. But! It's a slippery slope. As we've seen with fashion, one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out. Auf wiedersehen!

TINY WATCHES AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE!

If you survey what watches people are wearing today, it may be hard to believe that I felt the need to defend small watches in 2021. But look how far we’ve come! Cartier ambassador Paul Mescal does not step foot onto a red carpet without a comically small watch, a styling note taken directly out of Tyler, the Creator’s book, who in turn most likely sought inspiration from men in the 1950s, when timepieces nearing 36mm were considered massive.

All trends are cyclical, and the old way of wearing watches is back in favor – not just for the girls and the slender wristed Timmy Chalamets of the world, but for professional NBA players like (now retired) Dwyane Wade, stepping out in this teeny tiny Tiffany & Co. cocktail watch. The NBA’s affinity for teeny tinies has gotten to be such a thing, that Washington Wizards’s forward Kyle Kuzma broadcast to his IG story: “If you’re over 6’4”, put the Cartier watches down (Crash is fine) it’s time lol.”

And it’s not just the watch wearers making this a thing – the brands are responding to the trend with tangible product releases. In the past 2 years, Cartier has been doubling down on the teeny tinies, launching the mini Baignoire in 2023 and the mini Tank Louis the following year at the annual Watches & Wonders trade show in Geneva. Then there’s Audemars Piguet re-releasing the TTRO (teeny tiny Royal Oak) this spring, which has since claimed wrist real estate on everyone from Gwyneth Paltrow to Simone Biles to Badgalriri. Last year, Longines released their mini Dolce Vita. Richard Mille has been consistently releasing a slew of watches pour les femmes (also worn by NBA players) under the lauded direction of Cécile Guenat. Breitling just released their 28mm Chronomat… It’s. A. Thing.

I know a lot of watch people are fatigued of the “size” conversation, but, ultimately, the millimeter count is besides the point. What the teeny tiny trend has done is open the hobby of watch collecting up to a wider array of people – fashion girlies, gays, guys, theys – basically anyone who wasn’t necessarily feeling the steel sports watch trend that his dominated the arena for the past, like, two decades (I still want a steel Daytona though. 41mm).

When I saw the tiniest of Cartier Santos (Santi?) on Paul Mescal’s wrist, I was like, oh god, I’m being trolled. And maybe this means the “cool” factor of a tiny watch has all but faded. But I still think it’s cool :’) And the watch industry moves at a famously glacial pace, where cool isn’t necessarily the objective (as we’ve seen with AP’s KAWS release above). So, in the meantime, we can only anticipate more proportionally sized-down releases, get more watches on more people and ride the wave.

THE WATCH MARKET IS SOFT, BUT WE’RE STILL GOING HARD

The media loves scary headlines like “No End In Sight For Swiss Watch Industry Downturn” (Forbes)...

Yes, for the past two years, the luxury watch market has dipped (especially in relation to the absurd pandemic-induced boom of 2021), and continues to dip. The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry reports steady decline in watch exports, most dramatically to China and Hong Kong. But “Is the Luxury Watch Market Turning a Corner?” asks the Business of Fashion in an article for which I was interviewed.

Generally speaking, if you’re not Rolex, Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet, demand lags behind supply. But export numbers are still up in places like the US, Japan and the UAE. And the cultural obsession seems only to be growing. Just look at the NBA tunnel and any red carpet event. Anecdotally, I constantly get wrist shots from friends expanding their collection or texts claiming they’re “ready to buy their first big girl watch.” (It’s certainly a buyers market, so if this is you, go for it – but don’t get your hopes up that you’ll ever be able to buy a brand new Rolex at retail).

The brands, although cutting down on exports and, in some cases, furloughing employees, are bullish on their retail strategies, investing in Certified Pre-Owned programs and brick-and-mortar boutiques (just look at Tourneau Bucherer, with their supersized Las Vegas boutique, story for Dimepiece by ). Some, like the once relatively affordable value-prop brand Grand Seiko, are also raising the prices on their products because, according to William Massena, “These days, it’s easier to sell a $100,000 watch than a $1,000 watch.” This makes me sad. I don’t want to see the watch industry go in the direction of fashion, with soaring prices for handbags and other “soft” luxury goods. TAG Heuer – can you please just release a sub-$1000 F1 watch and see how it goes?

As I said in the BoF article, there’s something about a watch that feels more permanent than other luxury items, so I’m staying optimistic that the watch market – like any market – will soon bounce back.

THE FUTURE IS FEMALE!!!

I started Dimepiece in 2020 to help fill a space that I felt was very underrepresented in the watch world. It’s gotten better, but I’m still with her, etc.

According to Deloitte x Watch Femme’s spotlight on the female market within their 2024 Swiss Watch Industry Insights report, “women are increasingly purchasing watches for themselves, marking a shift in market dynamics,” but they remain “underrepresented and insufficiently targeted by the industry, meaning there is untapped potential for growth.”

The brands that have strategically leaned into their femme-forward strategy and product offering, like Cartier, are reaping the benefits (according to this year’s Morgan Stanley x LuxeConsult report, Cartier surpassed Omega as the 2nd biggest watch brand for 2 years in a row, trailing only behind Rolex). But Cartier has the jeweler’s edge and has successfully positioned themselves in the hearts and minds (and necks and wrists and fingers) of the female consumer since the beginning.

According to the Deloitte report, 85% of female respondents said the watch industry doesn’t offer or market enough products they actually want to wear. Brands like Hermès are tackling this head on, as exemplified by their new Cut watch, a sporty automatic timepiece designed specifically for women (extra points for originality: it’s not just a re-release!).

Hermès is smart, prioritizing women in their overall strategy to elevate their horological offering. According to Carina Ertl, the acting CMO of Tourneau Bucherer USA, “There are more women entering the economy than ever – more women graduating college, entering executive positions, grasping financial opportunities … So, more women are buying themselves watches.” It would only benefit the watch brands to pay more attention to this upwardly mobile group

If anything, the fact that there’s such a white space in the ladies market is exciting. THERE’S SO MUCH POTENTIAL. We have barely scratched the surface, so… hire me to consult for your brand! <3

Graphics by Darian Newman.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN THIS YEAR. MORE NEWSLETTERS IN 2025, I PROMISE! HAPPY HOLIDAZE.

That’s all I got for an intro, so let’s get right to it. 

THE INDUSTRY GUYS SPILL THE WATCH TEA!

A few weeks ago, my dear friend and writer Louis Cheslaw met up with Konrad Kay and Mickey Down, the creators of HBO’s Industry. They shared pints at Mickey’s go-to pub in Camden to unpack all their watch baggage for Dimepiece, revealing insider info like: if your TV show is new and unknown, the big brands won’t lend watches to your costume department. So, you gotta settle for replicas or lesser timepieces – much to the detriment of a show taking place in the finance world, which is notoriously obsessed with the status-signaling capacity of a high-end watch. For example, in season one, fan fav and mid-level Pierpoint trader Rishi (played by Sagar Radia) wore “something horrendous on his arm”; but as the show (and Rishi) became more established, he finally got his due by season three and was styled in a Rolex… WITHIN LIMITS, THAT IS. 

“We always wanted Rishi to have a Rolex Submariner, and if you watch episode four very closely, there are some great hero shots where you can see that watch, and it really adds a lot of production value,” says Konrad Kay, in the Dimepiece interview. “But anytime he's watching pornography or doing cocaine, if you're very eagle-eyed, you’ll notice it just evaporates from his wrist,” he continues, expanding upon the built-in restraints and liabilities of featuring big-name watches in compromising scenes. “It was actually quite a big thing for the costume department to make sure that they were never fucking that up, because it becomes quite an expensive mistake to have to digitally remove the watch.”

“So Rolex was happy for Rishi to wear a Sub, but not while gambling or taking drugs?” asks Louis Cheslaw.

“Exactly,” says Mickey Down, with a sly look in his eye. “Because no one who has ever worn a Rolex has done any of that.” 

To read the full interview, visit Dimepiece <3 photos by Marcus Patrick Brown. 

BUY BUY! SELL SELL! DIMEPIECE DROPS NEW WATCHES WITH FOUNDWELL!

Some of you may know that I sell a carefully curated collection of vintage watches with my friend Alan Bedwell, aka Foundwell, who’s been dealing antiques and watches for 20+ years (he ran the Ralph Lauren watch program for a decade and currently provides watches to Todd Snyder, Dover Street Market – avec moi – and other retailers). He sources the watches and authenticates them with his expert eye. We partnered together in 2021 because he wanted to sell more under-valued, obscure, often labeled “ladies” watches… Like a gorgeous Cartier Baignoire, which, if you can believe it, was not obsessed over then as it is now. So the two of us coming together was a match made in watch heaven! He has the goods, I have the audience.

Some exciting news is that, via our Dover Street Market partnership, we just sold a 3rd watch to one of my all-time fav celeb watch collectors, Bad Bunny, who really kicked off the “dudes wearing ladies watches” trend when he appeared courtside at a Laker’s game wearing an obscure vintage gem-set Patek from the ‘90s. Earlier this year, he bought a vintage TTRO (a teeny tiny Royal Oak, for those unfamiliar with the Dimepiece jargon), then went onto buy a “Domino’s Pizza” Rolex Air-King, and as of last week, bought a stunning, sapphire and diamond-set Cartier Ellipse (pictured above). While I’m name dropping, we also sold 5 watches to Charli XCX, which she gave as gifts to her hardworking team that helped make “brat” a household name. 

Between these two, our inventory is not as robust as we’d planned it to be, but we have some remaining watches that deserve good homes, like a Tiffany Stamped TTTTDJ (teeny tiny two-tone Datejust) and a beautiful Vacheron Constantin dress watch. Check them out HERE and hit me if you have any questions. 

ARE COCKTAIL WATCHES BACK?!

Let’s conclude with a little trend reporting… Celeb watch spotting has been giving, thanks to the red carpets of TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival) and the Emmys – and what I’m seeing is a lot of old-Hollywood glam cocktail watches designed for mixing and mingling at, well, cocktail parties, circa 1950-1970s. It feels like these watches have been sitting in the shadows, until quite recently…

At the Emmys, there was the diamond studded Vacheron Constantin Heure Discréte watch worn by Elizabeth Debicki, as she collected her best supporting actress award for her portrayal of Princess Diana in Netflix's The Crown. Then there was Quinta Brunson (the genius behind Abbott Elementary) stunting in a white gold, diamond Tiffany & Co. Blue Book Botanica watch from 2002. Great Emmys watch-spotting recap via Wristcheck here. Up north in Toronto, Kaia Gerber recreated her mother Cindy Crawford’s ‘90s look to a tee – including a throwback Hervé Léger bandage dress and her mom’s own vintage, diamond and sapphire-set Omega cocktail watch (both are brand ambassadors). Let the record state that red carpet watches are either loaned by the brands (some pay to play) or a part of a larger ambassador deal, but the styling still speaks for itself in terms of what’s en vogue at the moment. 

Meanwhile, in the non-celeb sphere, people have been driving the trend on planet earth! My friend and Style News Editor at Town & Country, Isiah Magsino, showed up to the Tibi runway show wearing a vintage ladies Waltham dress watch he picked up at a vintage shop in Las Vegas. And backstage at the Todd Snyder show, I spoke with model and artist Gordon Winarick about his vintage, dressy Hamilton watch on a bracelet that belonged to his grandfather. What’s cool is that both of these guys have great personal style, effectively reimagining pieces like this and proving that they can feel more casual and everyday – not just reserved for classy old ladies or movie stars in ball gowns and tuxedos. I’ve also gotten exciting DMs from Dimepiece followers sharing their own cocktail watch stories… Someone named Samantha Erin sent me photos of her gorgeous 1950s Longines that she inherited from her family. “The fact that it was my great-grandmother’s and fits my wrist perfectly makes me feel like I’m carrying her with me always! I feel like I am wearing history.” 

I LOVE stories like this, when old-timey watches (equipped with diamonds and safety chains and, often, long-dead movements that need servicing) are brought out of the safe and into the wild. So next time you’re at the consignment shop and you see a watch like this (most likely undervalued and overlooked)... or you remember that one family piece collecting dust at your parent’s house… consider the possibilities and break it out! 

CIAO FOR NOW!

To be fair, I do have a newsletter sign-up section on my website, which you must have found if you’re reading this now. And if you’re like, what is Dimepiece? Allow me to reintroduce myself ~ 

I’m Brynn Wallner, the founder of Dimepiece, a femme-forward resource for anyone who might be into watches, from “First Dimers” to seasoned collectors. I am grateful to announce that Vogue Business just featured me last week on their “100 Innovators” list for having an outsized impact on the watch industry. 

Dimepiece is an Instagram and a website featuring interviews, essays and videos alongside vintage watches available for sale in partnership with Foundwell, a professional watch dealer (we additionally have a curated collection at Dover Street Market in NYC and LA). I also write about watches for outlets like the Financial Times and GQ. 

This newsletter will: tap you into what’s going on in the watch world, highlight what real people are wearing, make you a smarter watch consumer… and occasionally try to sell you one.

Now let’s talk about what’s come across my desk over the past few weeks. 

BELLA HADID JOINS CHOPARD AS THEIR NEW GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR

The Swiss luxury watch and jewelry house is banking on the “Bella-Effect.” Before the Chopard brand deal, Hadid’s go-to wrist candy was Cartier’s slinky, sexy Panthère, leading me to declare it the “It-Girl Watch” in Harper’s BAZAAR (2021). But can Bella’s “authenticity” sway aspiring it-girls to invest in Chopard watches?! According to Morgan Stanley’s 2023 Swiss watch report, Chopard sits in spot #20 of the industry’s most dominant watch brands (ranking as 6th largest jewelry brand globally), while Cartier, with their influential clientele, sits pretty at #2. Not to put the two against each other, but I can only imagine all watch-jewelry-hybrid brands are like, “how can we get to Cartier’s level?” – and I’ll be “watching” to see if Bella Hadid can get the girlies rocking the maison’s whimsical Happy Sport pieces. I myself have been eyeing a vintage version and feel that if Chopard can apply their jewelry expertise to create more everyday, FLIRTY!!!, relatively affordable watches like this, they can present a viable alternative to those suffering from Cartier fatigue (I’ll love it forever, but it’s EVERYWHERE). 

Read more about Bella’s partnership with Chopard via Milena Lazazzera’s article in Vogue Business, which I coincidentally just got a free membership to by making their 100 Innovators list. They also shared a 10% discount code if you want to sign up: apply “SAVE10” at check-out <3 haha, I swear this isn’t spon-con. 

CHANEL HAS “WIRED IT GIRLS” ON THE MOODBOARD

This is relatively old news, but in late August, Chanel released the PREMIÈRE SOUND, a long necklace featuring a watch and... wired headphones. The press release led with Gabrielle Chanel’s quote "I want to be part of what is to come", spelling out the role that fashion houses play within the grand scheme of the watch industry. Brands like Hermès and Chanel have been upping their horological game but are still rooted in fashion, which by default moves at a quicker pace than that of the Swiss watch industry. And so, they can bob and weave more seamlessly with the trends and push the industry forward style-wise. Case in point: the wired headphone watch, which is no doubt inspired by the groundswell of girls opting for wires over AirPods, chronicled by @wireditgirls on Instagram. The watch, modeled by Chanel ambassador Lily-Rose Depp, hit boutiques on September 2nd and is priced at $14,700 USD.

THE BEST WATCH TO FLEX IN THE ART WORLD IS A SWATCH

If you’re mixing and mingling with heavy hitters in the art world, but can’t keep up with their watch game, wear a Swatch. I learned this last week at the after-party for Hilary Pecis’s opening (on view at the David Kordansky Gallery in Chelsea until October 12). Art advisor and Nota Bene co-host Benjamin Godsill explained that his daily Rolex wasn’t cutting it in a sea of rare Pateks, and ever since he started wearing this $80 Swatch he bought at the Zurich airport (“Everyone needs a treat after closing deals in Basel.”), he’s been getting more compliments than ever.

Oh, it’s also New York Fashion Week here, and the watch spotting has been good. Amy Smilovic, the Founder and Creative Director of Tibi, wore her signature Breitling as she presented her Spring 2025 collection (last year, the models wore watches on the actual runway in partnership with Breitling). Writer Emily Farra wore her grandfather’s two-tone Audemars Piguet Royal Oak to the star-studded J. Crew dinner at the New York Public Library, recreating high society’s iconic haunt of yore, La Côte Basque (the whole night felt like a rich person’s wedding). And Sofia Coppola wore the gold Cartier Baignoire on a bangle to her brother Roman’s Zegna dinner on the Upper East Side (she was very nice, but I was too shy to ask for a picture).

THE US OPEN BANS INFLUENCERS FROM ATTENDING NEXT SEASON

“We’re sick of their obnoxious court side photos dominating our Instagram feeds,” says a press representative from the International Tennis Federation. “These people rude and disruptive to the sport.” Read the whole article via The New York Times.

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Ciao for now! xo