Fashion watches are having a moment from Demnas Balenciaga choker to Fendis Mary Jane pump

With luxury brands getting more serious about watches – think the horological wizardry at the likes of Chanel, Hermès and Gucci – it can be easy to forget the fun of a “fashion watch”.

Yes, it might not have an in-house movement but a fashion watch can still be a great piece of design. This is as relevant to the charming Miu Miu crystal and pearl watches from a few years ago as it is to the sculptural creations of Issey Miyake. The latter brand regularly collaborates with creatives and the Seiko watch brand to create interesting designs.

Fashion watches, which focus more on form than function, may be trending, but brands have long been playing with the idea of what a watch is really for. This includes Giuseppe Zanotti’s collaboration with Christian Cowan on a capsule of towering stilettos with watches as straps, and Demna’s haute couture debut for Balenciaga, where a watch choker was a key accessory.

At the Fendi autumn 2022 menswear show too there were Mary Jane shoes with watches on the strap. As Silvia Fendi told Vogue: “Everybody uses their mobiles to see the time – the watch has become more a decorative piece today.”

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One brand to lean into the decorative side of watchmaking is Timex. Recent collabs have included with fashion designer Todd Snyder, all-American brand Brooks Brothers and Cynthia Rowley. In August, Timex announced its fifth collaboration with jewellery designer Jacquie Aiche, with the pieces quickly selling out.

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The latest timepiece, the Sunrise, has an alluring mother of pearl dial that captures the ombre colours of the sun. For Aiche its beauty is that checking it each day is a little reminder to make the most of your – well – time.

“The sunrise symbolises the enchantment that comes with every day. It reminds us to live each day with purpose and a sense of optimism toward the future,” she says.

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