To state the obvious, women can wear whatever watches they like — be it those marketed as men’s watches, women’s watches, or unisex watches. However, given how male-dominated the watch field is, there will be ample coverage surrounding all the new men's watches debuting at the 2022 Watches and Wonders fair.
Since we like to do things a little differently here at luxxee, we’re highlighting the watches designed explicitly with the female clientele in mind (but, of course, can be worn by anyone!). To be clear, this article does not condone the passé tradition of, "men must wear men’s watches and women must wear ladies’ timepieces," but rather, it serves to shine a spotlight on the new watches made for women that will certainly be overshadowed by other releases.
With that in mind, let’s get to the new 2022 women’s luxury watch novelties released by Rolex, Tudor, and Cartier at W&W Geneva.
Rolex Datejust 31
The Datejust 31 is not a new Rolex model by any means — it has been a mainstay of the brand’s catalog for decades. However, what is fresh for 2022 is a trio of flower motif dials for Rolex’s 31mm Datejust line.
The Datejust 31 dials feature 24 flowers, each studded with a diamond at the center. The Azzurro blue flower dial is paired with the steel and white gold variant, the olive green flower dial with the 18k yellow gold variant, and finally, the silver flower dial with the two-tone steel and Everose gold variant.
Rolex also seemingly took this opportunity to display all the bracelets available in the ever-expansive Datejust collection by fitting the steel/white gold Datejust with a sporty Oyster bracelet, the two-tone steel/Everose gold Datejust with a dressier Jubilee bracelet, and the yellow gold Datejust with the exclusive President bracelet. Plus, the latter two variants also benefit from ultra-lavish gem-set bezels that each sparkle with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds.
All the other specs of these 2022 Rolex Datejust 31 watches remain the same, which is to say 31mm cases that are water-resistant to 100 meters deep and self-winding Caliber 2236 movements with 55 hours of power reserve.
Unbeknownst to most, Rolex quietly discontinued the Pearlmaster jewelry watch collection in 2022. Therefore, these Datejust 31 models are perfect for those looking for a bejeweled Rolex watch with a whimsical flair.
Cartier Tank
One of the glorious things about the Cartier Tank is that its seemingly simple design lends itself to continuous reinterpretations. Cartier is not only well aware of this but celebrates it by giving us new Tank variants all the time. And for 2022, Cartier gave us a batch of new Tank watches to add to our must-have list.
First up, Cartier expanded the entry-level quartz-powered Tank Must collection (that debuted last year) with monochromatic models in sleek black. Available in Large (33.7mm x 25.5mm) or Small (29.5mm x 22mm), these effortless chic black Cartier Tank Must watches feature stainless steel cases, lacquered black dials, and black alligator straps.
What’s more, there’s a similar all-black version that joined the more expensive Tank Louis Cartier collection but with an 18k yellow gold Large case and manual-winding in-house movement. However, that isn’t the only new Tank Louis Cartier for 2022 — there are also two new variants with electrochemical engraved dials. This pair is offered in either 18k yellow gold with red dials and straps or 18k rose gold with anthracite grey dials and straps.
Regardless of movement, color, or materials, the Tank will always be a Cartier classic and we welcome all the fresh iterations that the Maison creates.
Tudor Royal 28
The Royal has been part of the modern Tudor lineup since 2020; yet, these watches sport an unmistakable vintage 1970’s vibe thanks to their angular cases and integrated bracelets.
For 2022, Tudor unveiled two new gem-set variants for women. The two new Tudor Royal watches are available in either full stainless steel or two-tone steel and yellow gold and both models featured a diamond bezel on top of their 28mm cases. Furthermore, the mother-of-pearl dials are also punctuated with eight diamond hour markers.
Like all Royal watches, these gem-set ladies’ variants run on automatic movements (power reserve of approximately 38 hours) and are water-resistant to 100 meters. Tudor’s range of sporty-chic Royal watches offers an affordable way to wear the seventies-inspired luxury sports watch trend that’s currently dominating the landscape.
