Do you know the image of an elderly couple wearing the same jacket or riding exactly the same bike? It might come across as a bit tacky but that’s not necessarily what we’re after here in this article. In this article we explore the world of watch models that both have a men’s and women’s model so you can share the passion and stories connected to the watch with each other. It can be a symbol of your love and a testament to so many stories that you have experienced together. Let’s find out what your options are of you want to seal your love by buying the same watch for Valentine’s day.
Looking at the different options out there
In general men and women look for different things when picking out a watch. That’s why it’s not always easy to find a watch that you both as a couple like and would like to wear. But there are quite a few options out there that suit both a man and a woman at the same time. Now when looking for matching watches there are two good options; find a men’s and women’s model of the same watch or go for a man’s watch that is also suited for a woman to wear. There aren’t really women’s watches that men also wear so those are basically your two options.
The difference between men’s and women’s watches
Overall there are some differences between men’s and women’s watches that are good to point out. First the size is different. Obviously, that is due to the fact that women’s wrists are smaller than men’s, so the size of women’s watches is significantly smaller. Some people also state that the size difference has to do with the fact that men used to carry big pocket watches and women used pendant watches before we were introduced to wrist watches. So culturally, women were used to smaller watches anyway.
A second difference is the movements that are used in men’s and women’s watches. A lot of the women’s watches are powered by quartz movements whereas their male counterparts feature mechanical movements. The reason for this is that it’s a lot more difficult to create small mechanical movements and besides that women are often times less interested in the technical side of watches and simply care a less about the movement. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t enough beautiful women’s watches that feature amazing movements. A lot of the bigger brands like Rolex, Omega, Cartier and Breitling create some amazing women’s watches with beautiful mechanical movements.
When we stick to the difference in technical interests between men and women, men’s watches often feature a technical complication whereas women’s watches often don’t. Women’s watches are often made more special and luxurious by using diamonds on the dial to make a watch truly look like a piece of jewelry and therefore fits the other jewelry a woman is wearing.
A last thing that is good to point out is that there is also the unisex solution. Ever since the 1970s the overall size of men’s watches had increased quite significantly due to the introduction of sports watches. The last 20 years the size has increased even more and seeing a men’s watch that measure 45mm is not uncommon. As a result, the last ten to fifteen years women have been wearing bigger watches as well. This has resulted in a lot of women deliberately choosing a men’s watch to wear. This change has resulted in probably the most fitting solution for Valentine’s Day as a couple and that is that you could buy the same watch in the same size and no one would look weird when seeing them. So I would always go for that solution as you could also wear each other’s watch if you wanted to.
What brands cater to both men and women
Looking at different brands that have both the same men’s and women’s watch available, there are a lot of brands to choose from. A lot of the big brands have a wide selection of women’s watches and what they tend to do is make a smaller version of their most suited iconic men’s model. If you want to get a taste, check out the extensive collections of big brands like Patek Philippe, Cartier, Rolex and Omega and you will find that they have both a men’s and women’s model of the same watch. Let’s take a look at some of the most iconic models that have both a ladie’s and men’s watch.
Our Top-3 models for both men and women
As mentioned there are many great models to choose from when looking for the perfect pair of watches. It is certainly not limited to this list but we have compiled a Top-3 of the most iconic models.
Rolex Datejust
The Rolex Datejust is one of the most iconic watches out there and it comes in several different configurations for both men and women. There is the regular Datejust in 36mm and 41mm for men and for ladies there are the 31mm and 34mm Datejust models and there is the Lady-Datejust in 28mm. Plenty to choose from in size and the Datejust also comes in an abundance of dial variations either with or without diamonds and you can choose to buy it in steel, steel & good, yellow gold, pink gold, white gold and platinum. My personal favorite is to buy a regular 36mm Datejust for the both of you. The size fits both men and women and by buying the same size you can wear each other’s Datejust if you would want to mix things up.
Omega Constellation Manhattan
The Omega Constellation Manhattan started out as a men’s watch with a little over 33mm size. By today’s standard that is a women’s watch but back then it was introduced as a men’s watch. I own one of the first-generation Constellation Manhattans and I can tell you that even to this day the old generation Constellation Manhattan is still very suited to fit both a men’s and women’s wrist. Omega just announced the latest generation Constellation Manhattan for men and although the design has changed over time, the Constellation Manhattan has become an icon in the Omega collection that is made in several different sizes for both men and women. Choose from a variety of 39mm, 36mm, 29mm, 28mm and 25mm. As with the Datejust, the 36mm version gives you the change.
Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is one of the biggest icons in the watch world. Introduced in 1931 the watch is a representation of the Art Deco movement and features the iconic mechanism where you can flip the case of the watch to protect the crystal from breaking. The mechanism was developed in the 1930s as a way to protect watches during polo matches but over the decades it has become the trademark for the Reverso that people know it for next to its amazing style. The Reverso also comes in a wide variety of sizes, materials and configurations. There are the small, medium and large models and the One model especially for women. But it’s not all black and white within the Reverso line-up. Go pick the version you like most and maybe you could also swap watches once in a while with your loved one.
In the end it’s all about finding a watch that you and your other half love and will wear a lot. It can be the confirmation of your love and the start to many new great adventures. It’s the great thing about watches, they represent so much more than just a timepiece that will tell you time. It becomes a representation of your time together.
Read more
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