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Watch Trends 2025: Classic Steel, Wrap Around, & Delicate Designs
A watch is a good investment, even if the timepiece doesn’t break the bank. The accessory adds elegance to even the most casual ensemble. Here are the best styles for 2025.
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There’s nothing more elegant than a wristwatch. Whether classic in design, bold in color, or eye-catching via texture and details, a good timepiece is a great investment. Watches are an easy way to add chic sophistication to an outfit. A watch pairs gracefully with a little black dress and looks effortlessly cool with jeans and a T-shirt. They aren’t limited to seasons or events. It’s more about picking out a watch that best suits your lifestyle and personal aesthetic.
Watch trends for 2025 are taking us down memory lane, paying homage to where it all began. During Paris Fashion Week, guests were photographed wearing timepieces that featured watch charms, which is the only type of watch design women were allowed to wear in the early 19th century. It is believed that the first women’s watch was created in 1810 for Caroline Murat, the Queen of Naples and sister of Napoleon Bonaparte. At the time, women’s dresses didn’t permit them to carry pocket watches and wrist watches were reserved for men, so designers made bracelets with watches as pendants. Today, brands like Hermès and Fossil are bringing them back.
Keeping with that theme, we’re also seeing an emphasis on delicate and dainty designs. That means small faces and skinny bands. In contrast, however, there are styles that take a bolder, more masculine approach. Models strutting down the Chanel spring/summer 2025 runway, rocked watches that had a larger than life feel, taking up most of the space on the wrist. Similarly, fashion show attendees like Aleali May donned a large timepiece with a thick metal band.
Of course, you don’t have to stick to the classics. Taylor Swift had stirred fashionistas into a frenzy when she donned a watch choker at the 2024 Grammy Awards. The bespoke Lorraine Schwartz choker featured a vintage Concord watch that was attached to a chain of black diamonds. Swift’s statement came after the brand Münn had models wear leather band watches around their necks during the spring/summer 2023 show.
To learn about more trends, and advice on where to shop, keep scrolling.
Wrap
I can’t get enough of the wrap watch trend. It exudes elegance, sophistication, and glamor. It’s like wearing two pieces of jewelry in one: a bracelet and a watch. It aligns with this idea of maximalism because it leans into “more is more” or over accessorizing. It feels celebratory, festive, and unique. It makes me excited about fashion—if you can’t tell. Of course, we have Bulgari to thank as they invented the original wrap watch, a.k.a. the Serpenti, in 1948. Luckily, you don’t have to spend $40,000 to try out the look. Brands like Tory Burch, Michael Kors, and Fossil have unveiled similar styles with more budget friendly price tags.
Bracelet
Trends are always amazing to me because very rarely are they something completely new. In fact, pendant or bracelet watches are where it all began for women. As I mentioned previously, pocket watches and wrist watches were reserved for men, so women adapted the look in the form of bracelets with a watch charm. Today, the look is back as a watch alternative, and it’s a great way to diversify your watch collection. It feels a bit fancier and a bit daintier.
Classic Metallic Steel
A classic metallic steel watch will always be in. The look is timeless, it pairs well with any outfit, and it’s great for every day. You can style a classic metallic steel watch with a workout set, sneakers, and a sweater thrown over your shoulders—but also with a suit and pointed-toe pumps. Wear it on its own or with other accessories like bracelets and bangles.
Choker
Long before Taylor Swift donned a bespoke Lorraine Schwartz choker that featured a vintage Concord watch at the 2024 Grammys, the label Münn had models rock watch chokers on the spring/summer 2023 runway. The style didn’t catch on right away, but I see this as a fun way to reimagine accessories in 2025. Wearing a watch necklace or choker feels playful and different. It’s decorative and intentional. Watch chokers are great for party attire because they feel festive and celebratory—just like costume jewelry is supposed to be.
Leather Band
If your a minimalist or someone who likes to get a lot of use out of a single item, a watch with a leather band is ideal. Leather band watches can be worn daily, dressed down and up. They are comfortable on the skin, offering a worn look and feel over time. There’s something so sophisticated about a dainty leather band with a ball gown or with a knit cardigan, straight-leg jeans and loafers.
Timeless Gold
If you’re new to the watch world, it’s best to start with something timeless like classic metallic steel, a time piece with a leather band, or something gold. You can’t go wrong with these styles as they are classic and versatile. Gold exudes luxury, but also gives off a sophisticated, refined feel. I know we don’t always think of the wrist as sexy, but with a gold watch the eyes are drawn to the area, giving the body part a sultry and delicate vibe.
