Buying guide for Best women’s watches
There’s no denying the practical purpose that a watch serves, but for many women, it’s also a key fashion accessory.
That’s why finding that perfect combination of form and function is so important when you’re shopping for a new watch.
But with so many women’s watches on the market, wading through the options can be tough. You have to choose between different materials, styles, and other features, so if you’re not sure what you’re looking for, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
Women’s watch styles
Women’s watches are made in three three styles: sport watches, dress/fashion watches, and casual watches.
Women’s sport watches
These watches typically have a rugged design and appearance and are equipped with extra features, such as a stopwatch or GPS.
Expert Tip
If your personal style is more casual, a sports watch may be a good option for daily wear.
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Women’s dress watches
Also known as fashion watches, women’s dress watches usually have a fine leather band or a bracelet-style band. They may be embellished with gemstones for an even fancier look.
Women’s casual watches
Casual watches often have a larger face and a band made of leather or rubber. They’re ideal for everyday wear.
Expert Tip
A sport watch is ideal if you’re an athlete or enjoy hiking and swimming.
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Women’s watch types
There are two main types of women’s watches: analog and digital.
Analog watches feature a small clock face with hour and minute hands. Some analog watches also include a second hand. The clock face may contain traditional numbers or Roman numerals.
Digital watches display the time electronically in hours and minutes. Some styles may display the seconds, too. A digital watch may include a stopwatch, alarm function, and/or GPS.
Digital watches tend to have a more casual or sporty appearance. Analog watches, though slightly trickier to set, exude a polished, sophisticated look that’s suitable for formal occasions.
Women’s watch bands
Some women’s watches feature a strap band that wraps around the wrist and buckles like a belt. Other have a bracelet band that is looser than a strap and makes use of a bracelet-style closure.
While bracelet-style watch bands typically only work for formal or dress watches, strap bands can be found on both casual and formal women’s watches, depending on the material.
Expert Tip
It’s a good idea to have multiple watches, so you have a style for every occasion. You might have a simple leather band style for everyday wear and a gold bracelet-style watch that is embellished with rhinestones for formal occasions.
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Women’s watch materials
Women’s watch bands and cases are typically made of rubber, plastic, fabric, metal, or leather.
Rubber and plastic bands and cases are typically found on casual and sport watches.
Fabric, metal, and leather bands are often found on casual and formal watches.
The casings for casual and formal watches are typically made of metal.
When it comes to metal bands and cases, you’ll find products with gold, silver, platinum, rose gold, and stainless steel finishes. Many people find it helpful to match their watch band material to the type of jewelry they normally wear.
FAQ
Q. What is a watch case?
A. A watch’s case is the part of the watch that contains the inner workings of the timepiece, including the dial and battery.
Women’s watch cases usually come in one of three shapes: round, square, or rectangular. Round cases are the most common for casual and formal watches, but rectangular cases can have a stylish retro appearance. Square cases are typically only found on sport watches.
"Keep your watch in a good condition by storing it in a jewelry box or watch box when you’re not wearing it. "
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Q. Are metal bracelet-style bands adjustable?
A. Unlike strap-style bands that feature multiple holes to secure the watch, a metal bracelet band usually isn’t adjustable. It’s better to get a metal watch that’s too big for you than too small, because you can take a watch that’s too big to a jeweler and have some of the links removed.
Q. What should I look for if I want a versatile women’s watch?
A. If you want a watch that will coordinate with nearly every outfit in your closet, consider a women’s watch that comes with interchangeable watch bands. You can find watches that come with several leather, fabric, rubber, or plastic bands in various colors and patterns, and you can use this collection to change up your look as necessary.
