The Ultimate Guide to the Best Watch Brands

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Did you know the first wristwatches were actually worn by women, thanks to Countess Koscowicz of Hungary? In 1868, she commissioned Patek Philippe to create a piece of jewelry that doubled as a watch, marking a female-forward trend for timepieces that were simultaneously ornamental and functional. Among the men who caught on—ditching their pocket watches for wristwatches in the 1900s—was Louis Cartier, who designed the Cartier Santos-Dumont in 1904 for a pilot friend, before offering them to the public in 1911.

Today, a woman’s watch is still a symbol of opulence, like a designer handbag and fine jewelry. Whether it’s the allure of a gleaming gold Cartier Tank, the elegance of a leather Hermès Cape Cod, or the sophistication of a coiled Bulgari Serpenti, these timepieces are meticulously crafted investments, destined to become a cherished heirlooms. Of course, luxury watches are a serious investment. Intricate bracelet links, mechanical quartz movements, and luminous precious metal cases are just a few of the hallmarks of these pieces. And while wristwatches are one of the few accessories perhaps more revered in the menswear market, women’s offerings are equally as elite.

As they are likely among the most costly accessories or luxury gifts you’ll ever invest in, watches require thorough research and consideration, whether you’re seeking an everyday companion or a special-occasion stunner. Scroll ahead to discover a list of our top 10 best watch brands for women—unquestionably, one or several of these will make you tick.

Cartier

Even if you’re unfamiliar with the watch world, you’re likely familiar with Cartier’s most famous watch, the Cartier Tank. Designed in 1917, it rose to icon status throughout the course of the 20th century, gracing the wrists of superstars like Duke Ellington, Gary Cooper, Jackie Kennedy, Andy Warhol, Princess Diana … the list goes on. Its smallish size and varying iterations have rendered this watch gender-neutral since day one, which can be said for many of Cartier’s pieces. The maison’s creative, pioneering spirit is the reason Cartier remains as relevant as ever today. (In fact, Cartier just surpassed Omega as the second-largest Swiss watch brand behind Rolex, according to Morgan Stanley’s 2022 Swiss watches report.)

My very first luxury watch was a Cartier, a small steel Tank Française that cost a mere $3,400 (a quaint price tag compared to its competitors’ offerings), and I wholeheartedly recommend the brand to any woman looking to start or expand her collection. Or, if you’re an aspiring It girl, may we recommend a gold Panthère?

Specs:

• Quartz movement

• Yellow gold 750/1000 case and bracelet

• Yellow gold 750/1000 octagonal crown set with a sapphire cabochon

• Silver dial, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, sapphire crystal

• Case dimensions: 25 mm x 19 mm, thickness: 6 mm

• Water-resistant up to 3 bar (approximately 30 meters/100 feet)

Audemars Piguet

Conceived in 1875 by watchmakers Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in the leeetle Swiss town of Le Brassus, Audemars Piguet remains family-owned today. It’s an “indie,” yes, but it’s a powerhouse, ranking in the Big Four of watch manufacturers alongside fellow privately owned companies Rolex, Richard Mille, and Patek Philippe.

AP’s most iconic model is its Royal Oak, designed in the early ’70s by the renowned Gérald Genta (or “GG,” affectionately), with the ladies’ version, by female designer Jacqueline Dimier, following in 1976. The Royal Oak was kind of a flop at the start (why would anyone buy such an expensive steel sports watch?), but over time, it achieved legend status with varying iterations listed, notably, without gender labels—a signal to the consumer that the Royal Oak and the rest of AP’s watches are for everyone. I’m especially fond of the frosted gold models, created in collaboration with jewelry designer Carolina Bucci using a “Florentine finish.” Ugh, the glamour. And if you can’t afford a Royal Oak, I recommend also checking out vintage APs on the secondary market, focusing on funky designs from the ’70s and ’80s for a more avant-garde look.

Specs:

• 18k white gold

• Self-winding

• Blue Tapisserie dial

• Hammered 18k white gold case and bracelet with AP folding clasp

• Glare-proofed sapphire crystal and caseback

• White gold–applied hour markers

• Case dimensions: 34 mm diameter, thickness: 8.8 mm

• Water-resistant up to 50 meters

Hermès

When buying a luxury watch, one of the questions you must ask yourself is whether you want a timepiece or a “fashion watch.” More on that later, but first, let’s talk about Hermès and how it has successfully transcended the “fashion watch” label, emerging as a serious competitor in the watchmaking world. The brand’s steady horological creations turned even the snobbiest watch enthusiasts’ heads, and in 2021, its sales broke into the top 20 group of Swiss watchmakers for the first time.

The selection for women and men alike is classy, well designed, and—bonus!—its strapped offerings are made with that buttery Hermès leather. The preppy, oft double-wrapped Cape Cod watch has achieved star status among names like Madonna, Stella Tennant, Gwyneth Paltrow, and even Punk’d-era Ashton Kutcher. Then there’s my personal favorite, the Kelly Watch, whose dangling lock renders it so impractical that it feels like magic.

Specs:

• Steel case

• Quartz movement

• Opaline silvered dial

• Anti-glare sapphire crystal

• Opaline silvered dial

• Swiss-made hour and minute functions

• Long interchangeable double tour Barenia calfskin strap

• Small size: 31 mm

• Large size: 37 mm

• Case width: 23 mm

• Water-resistant up to 3 bar (approximately 30 meters/100 feet)

Piaget

Some may associate the name Piaget with haute jewelry and ball gowns, but this Swiss brand constantly pushes the limits of existing know-how in luxury timepieces. Piaget’s defining era came in the ’60s, when, building upon high-end horological creations, the brand focused on creativity and style, releasing the world’s first dials made of hard stone. Think deep blue lapis hues, dreamy green jadeite—it was love at first sight for the fashion-obsessed elite, like Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, and Sophia Loren. Additionally, Piaget’s friendship with Salvador Dalí resulted in a limited-edition collection of watches and jewelry with coins from the Dalí mint, catapulting the brand into high-art-world status.

My favorite piece came about in 1979: the Polo, designed for serious polo players and jet-setters alike. I’m truly obsessed with the (vintage) version of this watch, with its integrated bracelet and subtle dial. Today, Piaget continues to create genre-bending (and gender-bending) designs, luxurious and jewelry-forward.

Specs:

• White gold

• Case in rhodium finish 18k white gold set with 42 brilliant-cut diamonds (approximately 4.74 carats)

• White mother-of-pearl dial set with 25 brilliant-cut diamonds (approximately 0.08 carats)

• Alligator strap with a rhodium-finished gold buckle set with 15 brilliant-cut diamonds (approximately 0.06 carats)

• Sapphire crystal caseback

• 501P1 automatic mechanical movement

• Self-winding

• Two diamond-set elongated lugs

• Alternating diamond-set indexes and white gold Roman numerals

• Case dimensions: 32 mm diameter, thickness: 10 mm

• Waterproof up to 3 bar (approximately 30 meters/100 feet)

Rolex

Ah, Rolex: a brand that needs no introduction. It’s the household name in haute horology; you may not know jack about watches, but you’ve heard the name Rolex! And you may even be familiar with its top-selling model, the Datejust, which is a favorite of Hodinkee adviser Cara Barrett: “To me, it is the perfect watch,” she declares. “If anyone ever asks me what watch they should buy, I suggest the Datejust 99 percent of the time. It’s clean, classic, can be dressed up, dressed down, and it will last for-literally-ever.”

This is all a testament to Rolex’s history, best-in-class manufacturing, and its established-beyond-reproach reputation. So, yes, the Datejust. As Barrett mentions, it’s a tried-and-true starter watch (or, if you’re like me, it’s a great second watch). I own a vintage, two-tone 26 mm Datejust with a champagne dial, the same one Carmela wears on The Sopranos. Then there are bigger, sportier models like the Rolex GMT or the Submariner, worn by stars like Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston. Rolex’s watches vary in size and complication, but despite how they’re labeled on the Rolex website, they’ve all been culturally solidified as gender-neutral. Honestly, there’s nothing sexier than a lady wearing a “men’s” Rolex.

Specs:

• Oystersteel and white gold case (31 mm diameter)

• Fluted bezel

• Silver-set dial with diamonds

• Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal case

• Cyclops lens over the date

• Perpetual, mechanical, self-winding movement

• Center hour, minute, and seconds hands

• Instantaneous date with rapid setting

• Stop-seconds for precise time setting

• Jubilee, five-piece bracelet link

• Concealed folding Crownclasp

• Waterproof up to 100 meters

Seiko

The world of luxury watches can be extremely snobby, and oftentimes, a watch isn’t regarded with respect unless it’s made in Switzerland. But then there’s Seiko, a Japanese brand founded in 1881 that has since achieved household-name status. Due to its accessible price point, many watch wearers start with Seikos, continuing to wear them even as their collection elevates. Why? Because Seiko watches are reliable, stylish, and practical.

You can also thank Seiko for the introduction of the quartz movement to the mainstream in the ’60s. A quartz-powered watch (versus one that relies on an intricate, expensive mechanical movement) may be frowned upon by the hardcore watch heads, but in fact, many luxury watches are quartz-powered. The Cartier I’m wearing right now is equipped with a quartz movement (and if it were equipped with an automatic movement, I wouldn’t have been able to afford it). I also happen to own a vintage ladies’ Seiko diver watch (my “baby diver,” affectionately). She runs on an automatic movement! So … get you a watch brand that can do both. Pro tip: Scour eBay for a vintage Seiko; there are some wildly creative designs from the ’70s and ’80s that are more relevant today than ever.

Specs:

• Stainless steel case

• Curved Hardlex crystal

• Three-fold clasp with push-button release

• ±15 seconds per month precision

• Case dimensions: 28.7 mm diameter, thickness: 7.6 mm, lug-to-lug: 35 mm

• Water-resistant up to 5 bar (approximately 50 meters/160 feet)

Gucci

Okay, back to “fashion watches,” which tend to come at lower price points and provide more seasonal, trend-forward options.

These designs, by nature, have a shorter lifespan, compared to more classic, luxury timepieces. But ask yourself: Why are you buying a watch? Because you love the way it looks? Because you want to wear it every day? Because you want to be able to tell the time? If you’ve answered yes to the above questions, a fashion watch will do the trick—and brands like Gucci have the license to play around and create exciting pieces for any level of enthusiast.

Take the Gucci Grip Watch, for example. Its streamlined design and concealed dial makes for a visually stimulating and highly wearable piece. There’s also the Grip Sapphire, with the Grip design rendered in colorful shades of sapphire—which, admittedly, appeals to my inner child with its slight resemblance to the jelly shoes of the ’90s. Check it out, and you’ll see what I mean.

Specs:

• 32 mm steel case, black onyx stone dial with bees, steel bracelet

• Sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating

• 5 ATM (160 feet/50 meters)

• Quartz movement

• Wrist size from 5.3" to 7.3"

• Swiss-made

Bulgari

Rooted in Roman heritage and validated by Swiss watchmaking expertise, Bulgari stands out among the luxury sector. Originally a jeweler, the brand expanded to offer what is today a globally renowned experience in both jewelry and watchmaking.

Bulgari watches are distinct and decidedly unusual, with offerings like the Serpenti, which is fantastical and iconic without feeling over-designed. The Serpenti alone, in fact, is what landed Bulgari on this list. Available in single, double, triple, and, occasionally, penta (!!!) wrapped designs, this slinky, snake-inspired timepiece is one of the few watches that would feel at home on the wrist of someone wearing anything from a ball gown to jeans and a T-shirt. It’s a statement, for sure, but if you’re going to say something, you might as well say it with a Serpenti.

Specs:

• 5 mm 18k yellow gold curved case set with diamonds

• 18k yellow gold crown set with a cabochon-cut pink rubellite

• Silver opaline dial with guilloché soleil treatment and hand-applied indexes

• Double spiral 18k yellow gold bracelet

• Quartz movement, hour, and minute functions

• Waterproof up to 30 meters

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Founded in 1833, Jaeger-LeCoultre (pronounced “zjay-zjay ley-coolt”) has been acknowledged since the 19th century as the “Grande Maison” of the Vallée de Joux (one of Switzerland's cradles of high-end watchmaking). With more than 200 patents and more than 1,000 different calibers developed and crafted in-house, it is one of the most important, innovative players in watchmaking history.

One of the brand’s most famous clients is Queen Elizabeth II, who wore a teeny-tiny, diamond-set Caliber 101 to her coronation in 1953. To the naked eye, this jewelry-forward piece passed as a bracelet, with the watch placed ever so subtly, allowing for discrete time checking (considered uncouth for women at the time).

Jaeger-LeCoultre boasts icons like the Reverso, the Duoplan, and the Atmos—not to mention that the maison has supplied movements to some of Switzerland’s most prestigious brands, such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet. The Reverso remains one of my all-time favorite timepieces, named for the fact that its case can be flipped over—an ingenious design move that allowed for polo players in the 1930s to protect the glass of their watches during matches. At Watches and Wonders one year, I was lucky enough to try on the new Rendez-Vous watch, romantically depicting a moving shooting star on the dial at unpredictable intervals. True watchmaking magic!

Specs:

• 18k pink gold case 750/1000

• Silvered gray dial with vertical satin-brushed and guilloché and black transferred numerals

• Black interchangeable alligator leather strap

• Standard strand length at 12 hours: 75mm, length at 6 hours: 120mm

• Pin buckle in pink gold 750/1000 (18 carats)

• Buckle width: 14mm

• Manual winding

• Components: 93

• Vibrations per hour: 21600

• Jewels: 18

• Barrel: 1

• Power reserve: 38 hours

• Case dimensions (L x W): 35.78 mm long x 21 mm wide, thickness: 2.9 mm, lug width: 15 mm

• Water-resistant up to 3 bar (approximately 30 meters/100 feet)

Breda

Breda is a small, independent watch brand based not in Switzerland but Dallas. With a strong and consistent team leading the brand’s design, Breda has developed methods, materials, and supplier partnerships that have allowed it to create truly elevated products that don’t reflect a traditional retail markup.

Despite my fancy collection, I wear my Breda Play watch frequently, and Emily Ratajkowski has been spotted in SoHo walking her dog while wearing the Specularite. Breda designs are playful, timeless, and stylish, with prices ranging from $110 to $210. If you don’t own a watch and you’re unsure of where to start, I highly recommend Breda, just to get a feel for wearing a watch on your wrist. It is an acquired taste, so best to start somewhere! If that “somewhere” is Breda, you’re in good hands.

Specs:

• 18k gold-plated case

• Jewelry clasp closure

• Mother-of-pearl is a product of nature; there will be variance in texture on each dial.

• 18k gold-plated band

• 10 mm band

• Japanese-made Seiko quartz movement

• Case dimensions: 18 mm diameter

• 3 ATM splash-resistant

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