How to Buy a Watch for Your Wife or Girlfriend, According to a Women’s Watch Expert
Size-wise, the current narrative is: Small watches are in! Big watches are out! But rather than leaning completely into what’s hot right now and letting the trend cycle dictate your purchase, ask the practical questions. How big is your wife’s wrist? If it’s super skinny, does she have the swagger to pull off the oversized, borrowed from the boys’ look? Or will she even be comfortable wearing that much heavy metal on her body? If not, she might be into a more bracelet-style, smaller watch.
Often, a woman’s first watch will be of the teeny-tinier persuasion: a Cartier Baignoire, 26-mm Rolex Lady-Datejust, or Movado Museum Bangle. These are more jewelry-forward selections that will glide seamlessly into most women’s existing wardrobes and jewelry collections. I started small because it felt subtler and more versatile. But now that I’m deeper into my own watch-collecting journey, I’m craving a bigger statement. She might not be ready for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” today, but give her time.
8. Budget wisely
Talking about money is never sexy, but we need to talk about it here, as budget is arguably the most definitive factor in narrowing down the watch search. Set a budget and stick with it. A rule of thumb is that if you’re shelling out so much money on a watch that you will eventually resent your partner for, it’s too much. But remember: this is not just a gift, but ideally, a gift for life, so don’t shy away from spending a little more. She’s worth it!
9. Context, context, context
Watch guys are often so zoned in on the watch that they may forget they’re wearing other things. This is not the case with most women. Stripped of its original time-telling utility, a watch is merely an accessory to some. So: consider the bigger picture. Is your significant other super sporty? She might prefer a small dive watch versus something gold and flashy. On the other hand, if she’s fashion-obsessed, maybe she wants something that all her favorite pop stars are wearing (a teeny-tiny Royal Oak, perhaps?). The watch you choose for her should suit her overall aesthetic and passions. Understanding this requires a lot of step one (listening and learning), so hop to it.
10. Understand the material
This might be an obvious one, but check out what jewelry your partner tends to wear. If you find a lot of gold in her jewelry box, get her a gold watch. Silver? Get her a steel watch. If you’re going to, as John Mulaney once said, “mush metals,” make that choice carefully.
