The horological brothers at Grönefeld, already pushed to keep pace with demand, seem intent on a repeat performance in the women’s segment. Their first ladies’ model, the Tanfana 1944, features materials that have never previously appeared on a Grönefeld watch, including aventurine. Piaget drew inspiration from its design heritage and introduced the Sixtie, distinguished by a trapezoidal case shape, in bracelet and sautoir versions. Charriol unveiled its Mariner range while Hermès debuted the Maillon Libre collection as confirmation of its creative approach to watchmaking. In the brand’s words, “this enigmatic and singular wristwatch appeals with its complex structure, diamonds or terracotta tourmalines and undulating forms, while the discreet, almost imperceptible display of time, incorporated into the bracelet design, adds a playful and surprising touch.” This narrative is equally that of Van Cleef & Arpels, whose contemporary interpretations of the Cadenas watch, imagined in 1935, grace the wrist with the utmost discretion.

Gem-setting is one of the métiers d’art: crafts which at one time appeared on the brink of extinction but have found new avenues in watchmaking. Some brands in particular, Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe among them, preserve these skills and for the past several years have presented models whose craftsmanship and artistry never cease to amaze. Celebrating its 270th anniversary this year, Vacheron Constantin came to Watches and Wonders Geneva with the Les Cabinotiers Hommage à la Tour de l’Ile collection. This tribute to the brand’s historic location features models embellished with Grand Feu enamel miniature painting, figurative guilloché or bas-relief engraving on a base barely a millimetre thick. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s commitment to its “Métiers Rares” is beautifully illustrated by the Reverso One Precious Colours and Reverso One Precious Flowers , as well as the four Reverso Tribute Enamel Shahnameh: a celebration of Persian miniature painting. As for Van Cleef & Arpels, its Bal des Amoureux Automate reprises the romantic theme of the Parisian house’s famed Pont des Amoureux, which it also unveiled in various shades of grisaille enamel.

Alongside the jewellery watches and métiers d’art models on show in Geneva, a different style of ladies’ watch confirms that women have a much broader outlook when choosing their timepiece. As case sizes shrink and in the wake of the vintage wave, watchmakers are looking beyond gender divides to instead focus on shared values such as an appreciation of mechanisms, concern for sustainability and the desire for creativity. Is a sports watch only for men? With its 38mm diameter, TAG Heuer’s Formula 1 Solargraph emphatically disproved that idea. Featuring a novel material, light-powered movement, original colourways and a dive-watch vibe, this new release is unmistakably designed to appeal to every wrist size. Elsewhere, the Bell & Ross BR-05 in a 36mm size or the Chopard Alpine Eagle which “drops” to a 33mm diameter demonstrate the same conviction that a design is no longer masculine by nature but instead a standard-bearer for originality and precision. On that note, the Spring Drive U.F.A. models by Grand Seiko, imagined as a deep connection with nature, achieve near-perfect precision. For the woman who is always on time.