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Luxury Watches: Gender Divide in Design
2 Oct
Summary
- Brands debate gender-neutral vs. specific women's watch designs.
- Gen Z and female buyers present significant growth opportunities.
- Smartwatch adoption by women nearly doubled since 2020.
The luxury watch industry is at a crossroads regarding its approach to female consumers, a segment identified as a major growth opportunity. While some brands, like Blancpain with its Lady B revival, are creating watches specifically for women, emphasizing mechanical ambition and style, others are moving towards gender-neutral designs. This latter approach is influenced by a trend towards smaller watches among men and the perception of unisex as a solution.
Industry observers question the homogenizing effect of unisex marketing, arguing it risks erasing distinct female preferences. Compounding this, traditional watchmakers face increasing competition from smartwatches; in 2024, only 22 percent of women exclusively wore traditional watches, a significant drop from 2020. This shift poses a challenge for an industry historically catering to a male clientele.
Despite this, some brands report success with smaller-sized models marketed as unisex, with an increased female buyer proportion. However, there's a strong commercial case for women-specific designs, which often achieve higher margins. The debate extends to retail practices, with varied approaches to gendered categories online and in-store.
Even leading watch awards are re-evaluating categories, moving away from distinct 'women's watch' prizes. This shift aims to focus on the watch itself, reflecting evolving client views and appealing to younger generations. However, concerns remain that abandoning specific categories could inadvertently lead to a default preference for men's designs, potentially alienating female buyers.
