Why the new arm candy’s wrist on your
Flashy watches have always been a status symbol for men. Now women are buying them too – and it’s nothing to do with telling the time
VAnessA RedgRAve recently admitted hers is one of her most treasured possessions. nicole Kidman’s, meanwhile, is so rare there are only a handful in the world.
exclusive designer handbags dangling from the arms of A-listers are no longer catching our eye — they’ve been forgotten in favour of something rather more sparkly, not to mention elitist: a luxury watch. now that almost everyone is walking around with smartphones, and their builtin clocks, watches may not be the everyday essential they once were. But with price- tags stretching to £250,000, straps of gold and alligator skin and diamond-crusted faces, these tickers are more status symbols than timepieces. ‘Watches have become much more of a statement than handbags because of their elitist prices,’ says gabrielle teare, a celebrity personal shopper and stylist based in london. ‘some cost as much as a mortgage but still manage to look less ostentatious than a Hermes or Birkin handbag, despite dwarfing the wrists of the celebrities they’re strapped to.’
no doubt this endorsement is also a way for famous watchmakers such as Chopard and Cartier to reignite interest in watches, reviving a market that has inevitably slowed since the popularity of mobile phones.
For the celebrities, meanwhile, a truly showstopping piece offers them the chance to show off their status — and how much top brands want to dress them — without looking as fussy and overdone as they would dripping in diamonds.
you wouldn’t wear £50,000 of jewellery on a trip to the shops, but you can easily get away with a watch that costs just as much and still look dressed down. it’s a
sure way for celebs to raise their profile, particularly if the brand in question decides to return the favour by publicising the star’s allegiance to its famous name.
For A-listers, models and social media ‘influencers’ — those with millions of followers online — there are lucrative sponsorship and ‘brand ambassador’ deals on offer, too.
This renewed interest has even filtered down to the High Street, where classic, statement timepieces without the A-list price tag are proving popular once more.
On the red carpet, though, you’re a nobody unless your watch hits at least three figures. From bespoke and blocky to dainty and bejewelled, this is the wrist rich list.
AdditionAl reporting Emma Cope.