Jeweller - March 2024

HUGO BOSS
TAG HEUER
T
he past year was action-packed for the
international watch industry, defined by
surprising acquisitions and collaborations and
the release and embrace of innovative new designs.
For retailers, industry analysts, and consumers, it’s only
natural that anticipation for what lies ahead would be high
after such an exciting year.
Just as you might stay up late to reach the end of a gripping
novel or a finish must-watch television series, everyone has
one question on their mind – what’s next?
The increasing popularity of ‘smaller’ watches was one of
the most significant talking points of 2023, as consumers
and designers alike favoured comfort over statement.
In January, GQ published a report compiling data from 230
manufacturers to determine if watches are ‘getting smaller’.
Author Cam Wolf found that while the average timepiece
has not become notably smaller, larger watches are being
phased out.
“The fact that the overall average remained stagnant tells
me the pieces we hold up as examples of shrinkage are
really just new ends of a widening range,” Wolf writes.
“Maybe it’s not necessarily that all watches are downsizing,
but that there’s now a greater variety of available sizes.”
It’s been said that the sign of a truly comfortable watch is
that it ‘disappears’ on your wrist – it’s easy to forget it’s even
being worn.
Large watches also have to deal with empty space too. When
a timepiece is unnecessarily large, excessive negative space
can make the design feel empty.
Australian editor of Time and Tide, Jamie Weiss, says that he
expects smaller pieces to continue increasing in popularity
with local consumers.
“After years of larger case sizes being the dominant
trend, I think we’re really starting to see smaller
watches come into vogue - or rather, we’re seeing
smaller watches finally becoming more popular among
Aussies,” he tells Jeweller.
“Big watches have not been truly fashionable at the top
of the industry for quite a while, but Aussies - particularly
Aussie men - love a big watch and have been a bit behind
WATCH TRENDS
Market
Forecast
Cam Wolf
GQ
“Maybe it’s not necessarily that
all watches are downsizing,
but that there’s now a greater
variety of available sizes.”
Jamie Weiss
Time and Tide
“Big watches have not been truly
fashionable at the top of the
industry for quite a while, but
Aussies - particularly Aussie men
- love a big watch and have been
a bit behind the curve.”
CHOPARD
the curve.”
Weiss attributed this shift in taste to the decreasing
relevance of gender in design, as manufacturers
increasingly attempt to create products that appeal to
both men and women.
“We’ll continue to see watch cases shrink down to more
vintage proportions in 2024," he continues.
"I also think there’s definitely an increased interest in
vintage watches, especially among Gen Z, so we’re likely
to see more retro re-releases like the Piaget Polo 79 that
was just unveiled."
When asked about his favourite release of the past year,
Weiss drew attention to the Chopard Alpine Eagle, otherwise
known as the Sunburnt Red.
The piece was hailed as a breakthrough in watch design
and collaboration, with a conservative Swiss luxury
watchmaker partnering with an Indigenous artist.
“It’s cool to see a somewhat conservative Swiss luxury
watchmaker back a young Indigenous artist – a hardcore
punk musician and tattoo artist to boot – and give him an
enormous amount of creative control,” he explains.
“They’ve shown respect for Indigenous art and respect for
the Australian watch market/community through this collab:
it’s a turning point for watches in Australia.”
Add a splash of colour
The importance of size was a common trend among the
watch industry analysts contacted by Jeweller for this story.
Indeed, smaller timepieces are more of a celebration of
watchmaking.
Namely, the craftsmanship required to create an intricate
clockwork far exceeds that of a large, cumbersome, but
eye-catching design.
Frank Geelen of Monochrome Watches says that he expects
practicality and size to be a keen focus for designers.
“I’m expecting to see smaller, slightly more
compact watches – back to 38-39mm for noncomplicated
watches, and 41-42mm as a maximum
for chronographs and complications,” he explains.
“We’ll see fewer complications for the sake of
48 | March 2024