The Evolution of Bangle Watches: A Growth Catalyst for Luxury Brands
The fusion of fine watchmaking and high jewelry has emerged as a dynamic growth sector in the luxury market, captivating younger, style-conscious consumers. This trend is exemplified by heritage brands like Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, and Chanel, which are investing in gem-set designs and bangle formats that blur the lines between accessory and asset. This strategic shift reflects a recalibration in a maturing luxury market.
Vacheron Constantin's Grand Lady Kalla, unveiled during its 270th-anniversary celebrations, showcases this evolution. The latest iteration, featuring sapphire, ruby, and emerald variations, follows the all-diamond debut in 2024. Each piece seamlessly combines high jewelry artistry with technical precision, offering interchangeable components that transform from timepiece to bracelet or necklace.
The popularity of bangle watches has surged in the past five years, initially driven by jewelry brands. In 2019, Van Cleef & Arpels introduced the Perlée Toi & Moi watches, open bangles adorned with colorful hardstones. The latest versions feature two hemispherical stones, such as rose quartz and jasper, revealing the time by sliding one stone aside. This collection showcases the brand's dual expertise in jewelry and horology, as well as its signature 'secret watches'.
Dior's Gem Dior watch, unveiled in 2021, further exemplifies this trend. Its irregular, jagged links, reminiscent of fabric swatches and gemstone facets, blur the line between ornament and timepiece. Chaumet's Joséphine Aigrette, a pear-shaped watch inspired by the company's best-selling jewelry line honoring Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's first wife, also made its mark. Boucheron's Montres d'Exception collection, featuring models set on rigid bangles, further showcases this fusion.
Rémi Jomard, director of product and innovation at Piaget, argues that the debate over whether a bangle watch is a jewel or a timepiece is irrelevant. He quotes Yves Piaget, stating, 'A watch is first and foremost a piece of jewelry.'
The trend gained significant momentum in 2023 with Cartier's reintroduction of the Baignoire watch, dating back to 1912, on a rigid gold bracelet at the Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva. Marie-Laure Cérède, Cartier's director of watchmaking and jewelry design, emphasizes the brand's creative approach, stating, 'Our response wasn't to change or adorn the watch but to wear it differently. We wanted to transcribe this watch into the future.' The launch sparked a frenzy, with most stock allocated before the Baignoire mini bangle's release in June.
Kelly Best, head of UK watch buying for Watches of Switzerland, attributes the success of Cartier's Baignoire to its ability to embody key trends. These include smaller case sizes, the timeless appeal of precious metals like yellow gold, and sleek bangles that layer well with other bracelets. Donatella Zappieri, a jewelry business development consultant and university lecturer, agrees, believing that Cartier's Baignoire has created a new product category, setting a blueprint for others to follow.
This autumn, two notable hybrids emerged: Aeterna by Bvlgari and Chanel's Première Galon, both reinterpretations of popular house classics. Jonathan Birnbaum, Bvlgari's managing director for watches, traces Aeterna's origins to the brand's Viper jewelry collection, an abstract evolution of its iconic Serpenti motif at a more accessible price point. Arnaud Chastaingt, director of Chanel's Watchmaking Creation Studio, draws inspiration for the new Première from the brand's iconic couture code, the braid, used by Gabrielle [Coco] Chanel to trim suits and structure silhouettes.
The debate over whether these hybrids are more jewelry or timepieces remains open, with experts like Chastaingt acknowledging the dual nature of these creations.
