# Watch for my wife



## dkv (Aug 15, 2011)

Who: my mid-30s somewhat brand-sensitive bride
Why: celebrating her success (went back to work after seven years with kids, took over a small law firm)
What: Quartz (battery, solar ok, I would love spring drive). "I see you checking your watch, I don't want to babysit mine." I've had my Omega in for service three times in 3 years, she gets her battery changed every 5.
Round.
White face.
Wants to be able to change the strap/bracelet.
Baton hour indices.
Preferably no date.
No subdials.
Sapphire crystal.

This Chris Ward is quartz and hits most of the points. I'm not sure it's "luxury enough"/brand-name to fit the occasion. If it were encrusted with diamonds she would probably like it.







I really like the design of this Nomos; has a subdial and is automatic. I put it up as an example of clean design.








Spring drive. I would love her to have this watch; I think she would like more bling and it's probably too big for her wrist. 








Just to muddle the picture, this prompted an "oooh, that's pretty."








And she even likes this Hamilton:








I don't feel that I have a good feel for what is available in women's watches, luxury quartz, or how big a woman's watch can be. Please help me out.


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## mrsgarkenzie (Oct 2, 2013)

What's your price range?


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## dkv (Aug 15, 2011)

mrsgarkenzie said:


> What's your price range?


Great question. 
$250-2500.


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## mrsgarkenzie (Oct 2, 2013)

Thanks  May I ask, what's the occasion?

If I were you, I'd look at bulova: http://www.bulova.com/en_ca/#!/collection/crystal/details/96L128

This one is $250


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## mrsgarkenzie (Oct 2, 2013)

$995

http://www.bulova.com/en_ca/#!/collection/diamond/details/96R181


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## mrsgarkenzie (Oct 2, 2013)

Michael Kors, $195 (no sapphire crystal) http://www.michaelkors.com/darci-silver-tone-stainless-steel-watch/_/R-US_MK3190?color=0040


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## mrsgarkenzie (Oct 2, 2013)

Movado museum watch, $1200


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## mrsgarkenzie (Oct 2, 2013)

If you can look in-store, check out Gucci and Citizen. They might also have styles that could work. Good luck!! Let us know what you choose. Pics or it didn't happen


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## tony20009 (Sep 25, 2013)

Your wife is in luck because manyl high-end makers offer small diameter watches, targeted at female consumers with quartz movements. Generally high end ladies watches will have gems on them, mostly to keep the price "high end" seeing as one is really paying for the case, the design and the stones, no the movement. Often enogh, even having gemstones on them, the quartz versions price in at about half of what a non-gem encrusted, "full size" mechanical would in the same line.

You mentioned that your wife is somewhat "brand sensitive", so I presume you've already considered all the "usual suspects" for ladies' high end/status brand watches and determined you don't care for them. If you haven't, you should. I don't know each of their model line-ups well enough to attest to their having something that'll meet all your requirements, but they might.


Cartier
Hermes
Bulgari
Chanel
Dior
Omega -- they have several quartz watches for ladies in their DeVille collection and a couple in the Constellation collection, although like the Royal Oak, strap changing isn't going to be an option. You'll have to decide what you think of the hands. They seem to me to be sort of swords and sort of batons.

I don't know how critical the bracelet/strap change requirement is, but have you considered the Audemars Piguet quartz line of watches? (Audemars Piguet Watch Browser: Collection - Royal Oak) There are eleven models to choose from.

















Some other suggestions:

Piaget: This is a brand that's long had appeal to women. Probably because they are just gorgeous watches. Perhaps because Cartier acquired Piaget years ago and used Piaget for movements. Piaget in turn got outstanding aesthetic collaboration from Cartier.

Piaget Dancer









Piaget Altiplano



















Chopard - This is one of the high end brands that most folks I know will look to first for a ladies' watch for less than $15K if they aren't going to get a Rolex. They have ton of them in quartz and sized for ladies. I think women are attracted to the elegant font of Chopard's name on the dial?










Congrats to your wife for whatever she's accomplished that has earned her such a nice "reward."

All the best.


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## mrsgarkenzie (Oct 2, 2013)

I loooove the Piaget models that Tony posted!


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## dkv (Aug 15, 2011)

Thanks for all the suggestions, mrsgarkenzie and tony20009.
I'll have to explore how important brand is to her. I know she knows rolex, omega, tag. I'm not sure about the others.
She took over a law firm after being out of the game for 7 years; she went from stay-at-home mom to solo practitioner. I think she deserves a nice treat if she runs a profit.


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## tony20009 (Sep 25, 2013)

dkv said:


> Thanks for all the suggestions, mrsgarkenzie and tony20009.
> I'll have to explore how important brand is to her. I know she knows rolex, omega, tag. I'm not sure about the others.
> She took over a law firm after being out of the game for 7 years; she went from stay-at-home mom to solo practitioner. I think she deserves a nice treat if she runs a profit.


NP...glad to help.

FWIW, I didn't mention Rolex because as far as I know, they don't any longer offer a quartz watch. If she's willing to mechanical, I'd still suggest the same brands, but as the mechanical are already pricey, the high end makers will often enough offer them without the gemstones.

One other thing to consider is that many women seem to enjoy wearing "standard" size watches. If your wife is among them, there's not much you don't have to choose from. The thing is that high end makers generally don't offer man-sized watches with quartz movements. I don't have the first idea of why, particularly on watches that don't have seconds hands.

All the best and much success to your wife.


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## KCZ (Feb 25, 2012)

A couple more questions...

By "brand-sensitive," do you mean she's attracted to designer names like Gucci, Coach, and Burberry, or that she recognizes watch brands like Omega, Tissot, and Hamilton? 

And what is her desire for bling? That Omega you posted is pretty blingy. If she'd like diamond hour markers instead of batons, that opens up the Tag Carrera (probably a recognized brand for her) as well as some choices by Longines and Baume & Mercier, within your price range. Tony posted some nice watches, but they're not close to your budget.


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## RickF. (Sep 8, 2014)

Citizen Eco-drives are great watches and they have nice ones for ladies.









Three diamonds float along the case and complement a soft white/blue mother-of-pearl dial that is adorned with 7 diamonds. Also featuring a spherical sapphire crystal, and sweeping dial motif, the stainless steel case and bracelet are feminine in design.

Citizen Eco-Drive Sunrise EM0320-59D L Collection


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## mrsgarkenzie (Oct 2, 2013)

RickF. said:


> Citizen Eco-drives are great watches and they have nice ones for ladies.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow very pretty! Elegant!


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## tony20009 (Sep 25, 2013)

KCZ said:


> A couple more questions...
> 
> By "brand-sensitive," do you mean she's attracted to designer names like Gucci, Coach, and Burberry, or that she recognizes watch brands like Omega, Tissot, and Hamilton?
> 
> And what is her desire for bling? That Omega you posted is pretty blingy. If she'd like diamond hour markers instead of batons, that opens up the Tag Carrera (probably a recognized brand for her) as well as some choices by Longines and Baume & Mercier, within your price range. Tony posted some nice watches, but they're not close to your budget.


By "brand sensitive," I mean that your wife is aware of the symbolism associated with various brand names and that symbolism is important to her in some regard. In what regard, I have no idea, but when someone tells me that they are "brand sensitive," I take it that they would prefer a nice watch that has a well known brand on the dial over an equally nice watch having a not nearly so well known brand on the dial.

All the best.

Oops....
Sorry...I saw your ID and I recalled that the OP had a "acronym-like" ID, and I thought you were the OP asking me what I meant by "brand sensitive." I had it in my head that that was the OP's term, not mine. I double checked and then I realized you aren't the OP. I've written what I did, so I'm posting it anyway. Apologies.


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## KCZ (Feb 25, 2012)

LOL, no apologies necessary. I am wondering what the OP's wife's "brand-sensitivity" is though, because that makes a huge difference as to what kind of a watch she wants.


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## dkv (Aug 15, 2011)

tony20009 said:


> when someone tells me that they are "brand sensitive," I take it that they would prefer a nice watch that has a well known brand on the dial over an equally nice watch having a not nearly so well known brand on the dial.


You got it. 
All things being equal, she'd rather it read "rolex" on the dial than "timex."
She's not a watch person so she won't recognize anything but big brands like rolex, omega, tag. 
Tag might be the way to go, at the intersection of quartz, brand, and bling.


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## KCZ (Feb 25, 2012)

I think you're going to have to prioritize a bit, because you can do quartz, brand, and bling, like this CARRERA Ladies CARRERA LadyDiamond Dial32MM White Mother-of-Pearl with 12 Top Wesselton diamonds Polished steel bracelet | TAG Heuer

But you're not going to get no date and interchangeable straps. No date probably means a smaller watch with no bling and still no interchangeable straps. The strap thing is hard, but I doubt she's going to want to change the straps herself, so you should nudge her away from that idea anyway. LOL.


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## dkv (Aug 15, 2011)

KCZ said:


> I think you're going to have to prioritize a bit, because you can do quartz, brand, and bling, like this CARRERA Ladies CARRERA LadyDiamond Dial32MM White Mother-of-Pearl with 12 Top Wesselton diamonds Polished steel bracelet | TAG Heuer
> 
> But you're not going to get no date and interchangeable straps. No date probably means a smaller watch with no bling and still no interchangeable straps. The strap thing is hard, but I doubt she's going to want to change the straps herself, so you should nudge her away from that idea anyway. LOL.


That's a good one. 
I think we'll go with date and strap rather than no date. 
It is understood that I will be the one changing straps. Not a big deal.
But I might have to fix her date every other month.


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## KCZ (Feb 25, 2012)

This isn't a brand I'd normally suggest, but I bet it's recognizable to her. Have you thought about Michele? You could get quartz, a white face, round case, sapphire crystal, baton indices, no subdials, a little bling, within your price range, and they have a bazillion interchangeable straps. It would have a small date, and it might be too big for her wrist. MICHELE&reg Watches - CSX Elegance Diamond, Diamond Dial White Alligator Watch


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