When the trees and the fields turn green, and flowers begin to carpet our gardens and meadows, it’s hard to resist the urge to reflect that springtime feeling and lightening mood with what we wear. Colourful clothing takes over from the muted greys of winter, and watches are no exception. As we ease into the year, green is making its presence felt on several watch dials. After our selection of men’s green watches, here are six for women. They may mirror the men’s models but, as Paul O’Neil pointed out, the trend is stronger in women’s watches. Women also tend to appreciate variety more than men. But it’s so difficult to choose!
Hermès Arceau Casaque
Wearing an Arceau Casaque in lustrous green has got to be good for you. Particularly since its affordable price point of 3,300 Swiss francs is not too guilt-inducing. For this sum, you can treat yourself to a legendary French luxury brand with a solid 40-year heritage, a recognised icon of Swiss Made watchmaking, in an original asymmetrical case design in the shape of a stirrup, created by Henri d’Origny in 1978. The stylised champlevé horse sits unobtrusively in the centre of the lacquered dial with its transferred chevron motifs. The Swiss Made quartz movement drives the hour and minute hands around the 36 mm diameter face.
Bulgari Serpenti
The snake first infiltrated the Italian jeweller’s watch range in the 1960s and has remained a fixture ever since. In 2018 it changed its skin to keep up with the times, and now sports interchangeable double- or quadruple-wrap metallic leather straps, or a rose gold bracelet. The double-wrap karung leather strap fitted to the 27 mm 18K rose gold case of our green model is a classic option, and the deep green shade is familiar from other Serpenti models. The sunray guilloché lacquered dial offers a foil to the elongated baton markers and Roman numerals. The B033 quartz movement drives the hour and minute functions of this ultra-feminine watch, priced at €7,600.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chrono Automatic
The Royal Oak, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has never been shy of bright colours. Back in 1997, the lemon yellow model was a pioneer. The acid green of the 2018 automatic chronograph in steel, in the ideal ladies’ size of 37 mm, brings a contemporary freshness, boosted by the rubber strap. The additional blue strap, which matches the counters and chapter ring, gives the wearer two watches in one, for the single price of 28,600 Swiss francs. Its manufacture calibre 2385 has a 40-hour power reserve. The “Lady Tapisserie” motif on the dial, and the bezel set with 32 brilliant-cut diamonds, bring a feminine touch to the chronograph function.
Van Cleef & Arpels Sweet Alhambra
The Alhambra collection’s four-leafed clover has been bringing luck to women since the famous pendant was created in 1968. Since then, the charm has multiplied its effect on rings, earrings, bracelets and watches. The clover leaf of the fluid Sweet Alhambra watch, embellished with distinctive gold beads, fits into a circle 22.7 mm in diameter, and this year features a naturally striped malachite dial in tones of green. The yellow gold wristwatch features eight further leaves – four in malachite, two in carved gold and two set with round diamonds. It is powered by a quartz movement that supplies hours and minutes, and is produced in a 50-piece limited series.
Piaget Altiplano Malachite Marquetry Tourbillon
It may feature the same stone, but this Altiplano tourbillon from Piaget’s métiers d’art collection is a completely different watch. Worked in marquetry by master crafstman Hervé Obligi, the raw malachite is first shaved into thin sheets, which are then polished, cut and finally assembled and glued onto the red gold ground to create the desired interplay of shapes and colours. This makes each of the eight 41-mm Altiplano Malachite Marquetry Tourbillon watches unique. They are driven by the hand-wound ultra-thin 670P tourbillon movement. The flying tourbillon is located off-centre, as is the hour and minute dial, discreetly superimposed on the hypnotic marquetry.
Cartier Révélation d’une Panthère
Equally hypnotic is the sand-timer concept that creates an ephemeral image of a panther on this rose gold innovation revealed at the SIHH. As the wrist moves, minute golden balls fill in the graphical design against the dark green lacquered dial, whose tones are echoed in the matching alligator strap. The contrasting diamond-set bezel between the two further emphasises the lustrous green. The manually-wound 430 MC calibre that drives the watch provides a power reserve of 43 hours. This panther watch, in a limited series of 100, could be on your wrist for 90,000 euros.
