"Here's Why Women Don't Like Watches"
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- It's finally here - my deep dive into the "Why women don't like watches" topic!
I did briefly touch on it in my very first Q&A but I am happy that you wanted to see more :-)
I am fully aware that I make some generalizations here, and there are obviously things or circumstances, that do not apply to every woman, men, watch brand or watch manufacturer.
This is my attempt to provide a broader understanding of how history, marketing, language and communication affects how we grow up, how we 'learn' our gender roles and roles in society and how it ultimately has an impact on what we love and like.
I am also aware that this is a very western/central-euro point of view (as this is my personal background) so I am more than happy to hear from YOUR experience if its different to mine!
In no way do I want to offend or misrepresent something or someone so if there's something you notice, please let me know!
This has been a very tricky topic to cover but I really enjoyed it :-)!
Thank you for watching ❤️
Jenni
When I was a pre-teen I begged my dad to buy me a diver’s watch. He did and I loved it! My Freshman year in high school I heard some girls talking about my “boy’s” watch and I got self conscious and stopped wearing it. It was sold during a garage sale. Big mistake. I wish I had the courage to be true to myself, but that’s what growing up is all about. Now all of my watches are considered “men’s” watches and one year ago, I purchased a vintage Seiko Diver on eBay like my first one. You like what you like. 😊
Congratulations!
i know I'm pretty randomly asking but do anybody know of a good website to watch newly released tv shows online?
👏🏽 👏🏽 yay for you! I’m getting back into watches myself. I like the mens watches but I like them to be dainty. Not even because I have small wrists but I don’t like them to be overly masculine for me. So it’s hard to find a watch that speaks to me. I want a diver and could care less how masculine it is, but it would be spot on if I could find one I liked with a 30mm diameter or less. Thanks for sharing. You give me courage.
Women do like to get f by a guy with a great metal watch, thats for sure. They find it lust inducing.
@@user-ajp-4891 Check out the Citizen Eco-Drive diver ref EP6050-17E? It’s a very nice watch in either blue or black and only about 33.5mm in diameter. I ordered one from Amazon and it cost just under $200. I swapped out the band for a bracelet (16mm) and I think it’s a great casual watch. Plus, it’s powered by the sun or light. 😊
Lady here! My dad bought me my first watch when I was 8, "because timing yourself is a big part of fullfilling your responsabilities". I loved it and made me feel important! It was a casio, black rubber, digital, probably super cheap, but still to this day it is hands down my fav brand, and the look of a chunky rubber watch in acid colors has such a spot in my heart🥰
I'm a lady who has really gotten into watches in the last six months. At least half my collection are 'mens' watches because I don't like diamonds on my watch and I want it to be legible. I have found some ladies watches that I like, but most of them are just so small. There's so much more choice in men's watches in my experience.
Exactly! My mother's watches were always too small and dainty for me. I was always drawn to slightly larger and sportier watches like Casio's Baby G line.
All watches are unisex really... even the iced out ones. John Mayer has his prized Rolex sapphire rainbow Daytona (I think it's also jenni-elle grail watch too?). Ryan Gosling wears a 34mm dayjust, Mohammad Ali, McQueen, Gable wore a tiny Cartier tank. Heck, the first watch that summited Everest was a 34mm Rolex worn by Norgay. That guy was as tough as a men can get.
I wish watch companies would just drop the whole Men/Women thing... can you imagine going to a car dealership in US and being told which cars are for Male/female?
@@paulngo4946 Bvlgari make the Octo Secret Barocko which looks like a women's watch but at 44mm is decidedly masculine in size. I'd wear it proudly.
Many cars are favoured by either men or women, especially in Europe. In tight cities (and tight old European cities are about five times tighter than anything in the States) nearly everyone has small, "girly" cars like the Smart or Fiat 500, but things like the Evoque are seen as the feminine choice over their larger stable mates. Even convertibles of all kinds get called girl's cars.
hey evelyn! what mens watches have you found that you like?
Paul Ngo You make a very good point with the car comparison.
This is more my answer to the question, "Why do men like watches more than women do?" I think it's that if a woman wants a piece of fine jewelry, she has many, many choices, but for men, virtually the only choice is a wristwatch. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, Rolex is a boys.
Bingo
But that is a product of men not wanting to wear jewelry, not scarcity. There are countless accessories and pieces of jewelry that men like but are too insecure to wear
@@thwombat576 your statement doesn't contradict the original comment, it's a culturally specific thing. And yes, stereotypes are also part of culture, whether we like them or not. So, even if you add "the only _acceptable_ choice", subjectively the point stays strong for a customer.
@@thwombat576 what accessories do men like but are too insecure to wear?
I think you missed the point. Your last sentence is an archaic notion.
I feel like one thing that isn't addressed is that for men, watches are basically one of the only pieces of jewellery that men typically wear (or have been marketed to). Women's watches compete with many other accessories.
This may be more obvious for blinged up watches or dress watches, but I think is still true for tool watches. Watches are an accessory that most of us don't need for telling the time and certainly don't need for complications as originally envisioned.
I agree
Makes a lot of sense
I've heard a similar point made about ties and pocket squares. They are some of the only ways men accessorize, particularly business wear.
This is 100% a hugely overlooked point. My watch is the only jewelry I have, it's the only way I can make a 'statement,' if you will. Whereas my wife has a ton of different accessories including bags, earrings, necklaces, etc. She owns more watches than me and literally never wears them.
Watches don't offer real utility anymore. They're pure jewelry for the majority of people. I wear a dive watch for the look, while my friends who actually dive wear dive computers. I mean if watches were utility, then quartz would be worshiped for accuracy, but instead people spend ungodly amount for mechanical watches/complications. It's sophisticated art/jewelry on your wrist.
@@brois841 probably that's the same reason why we, camera geeks, are still enjoy using 50 or 60 years old cameras (which are obviously all mechanical: springs, gears, brass, etc).
And that is enjoying the whole mechanical experience: you twist this dial, then turn that dial, press the shutter, and *bam" you get the image.
Yeah sure some folks will mention that mechanical gears are built to last forever. and yes I believe all of my mechanical film cameras will outlive me (assuming mantained regularly). But *do* I really need that? Of course no. It's just fun for the sake of fun. We men are not always logical :p
It's hell finding good looking watches for smaller wrists 😭
From what I've noticed, many women, and I mean MANY, like the watches men wear but are put off by the size, and feel stuck with all those blingy ones they might not even like. It seems they gravitate towards unisex watches, but still the options are limited. Same goes for us men who prefer smaller sizes. So, if options are limited you either don't take it up as a hobby, or settle for watches that are probably too big for your licking - I guess women are more likely to choose the first while men more likely to choose the latter, well seems to be like that to me at least.
Interesting take!
I do recognize this. My best friend (female) shares my taste for watches. But if we filter our preferences on Chrono24 than I (male) have quite some watches to choose from, but she on the other hand has a very limited choice because of her upper limit of a 34mm diameter.
I agree. the best watch case size for me under 37mm and lug to lug being 42mm and under. i have pushed lug to lug up to 47mm bc of lack of options, but it becomes an oversized look (over 37mm watches begin to look like a saucer on my wrist)... and that's not always the look i want, yknow?
my girlfriend only buys and wears men watches, she has maybe around 10 or more
Very true! I'm a lady that wears "men's watches" and I can only go up to a certain lug-to-lug because I have a 6" wrist. I push the limits pretty good but I do have a cutoff. I've had to pass on some beauties for this reason :(
One part of the history of women's watches that is often overlooked is the one tool watch mainly used by women : the nurse's fob watch.
Early on, these were pocket watches on a short chain kept hanging from a collar or a protective apron by a clasp, and were "upside down" with the 12 o'clock pointing down while the watch was hanging.
Medical watches are a pretty odd and very poorly documented part of horology but it's full of interesting innovations like this, or long seconds-hands reaching both ends of the dial to be able to use a printed pulsometer and an asthmometer within 30 seconds rather than one minute without needing a chronograph complication (quite useful if you're equipping hospital staff on a budget).
The pulsation dial Daytona ❤️
Yeah, we just count number of pulse in 15 seconds and multiply by 4, if we don’t have a pulsometer so any watches will do, don’t need that dial specifically.
Thank you for bringing it up !! That should have been covered - there’s definitely more research to do!
@@MohammedKhaled-ju7gy that’s the thing. Yes we don’t need it. Most of the public know this technique, if you can even call it that. But a very few, we are talking about a watch of maybe 3 variations with maybe 10 pieces of each version.
Now that’s special isn’t it?
@@JenniElle Hi Jenni.
Have you seen Hodinkees Talking watches 2 with John Mayer at the six minute mark.
czcams.com/video/YrXaGFCij1A/video.html
This discusses the Pulsation Dial Daytona plus a few other special ones.
45 episodes altogether. My other favourite is with Jean Claude Biver.
Enjoy. I learnt a lot from these videos
My wife is on her way to overtake me in the watch collecting hobby.... Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Chanel, Blancpain Villeret Perpetual calendar, Chopard, Tag Heuer, she really got infected by my watch virus 😂
Very cool! My wife helps me research and purchase my watches. Omega, Rolex,Breitling, and Tag Hauer but she has only gotten herself a $100 Baby G so far.
My wife is the same. Awesome, isn't it!
@@rjblue42 totally. It's perfect. BUT she is not interested in watching any watch videos. 😂
Never let her go!
@@thesuicidebird7991 definitely not... she is as big an addict as I am!
The brands' attitudes towards women's watches might be part of the problem.
"Shrink it and pink it."
- most Swiss women's watch designers probably
This is the bane of my existence. I wish they would just shrink their existing models.
@@MultiEquations What would be some models that you would just like reduced, and to what size?
Because a huge portion of their female customers (not watch enthusiasts; the casual, watch-buying public) DO want traditionally feminine watches. If you're a female watch enthusiast, awesome, and companies are starting to cater to that minority. But it's important to remember that it is a minority.
I tend to buy men’s watches for that reason and just change the strap. The women’s watches are terrible. The only reason I’m not an enthusiast is I try to avoid expensive habits. I’ve got to stay on the affordable side of Seiko, Orient and Citizen.
Or perhabs "shrink it, pink it, quartz it, bling it"
Hi, Jenni! I'm a therapist, and I used this video to help some of my female clients to understand why they didn't have a hobby. You've helped me to help them!
R u saying they don’t have a hobby because of “corporate sexism”
@@Bradmhj Found the incel.
75% of TV advertising is directed at females you hold 75% of yhe debt . 🤣 they don't have hobbies because of laziness
I'm convinced one of the reasons Swatch did so well is because they did a great job appealing to the female part of the market thanks to their diversity in available colours, designs, with how easy they are to wear casually.
Finally !!!!! A video targetting this issue.
Im a lady and when I started to have interest in watches, i was so frustrated that most of what i get on internet and youtube is about men's watches !!!!!!!! As if we barely exist in the watches world !!! Thank you for ur insight; maybe you can fill this gap :).
Also appreciate if you can release a video on the top 5 timeless watches for ladies. Please.
There's definitely a need for a lot more watch channels featuring the female perspectives. There used to be "Watchgirls A-Z" (if I remember correctly) on Watchbox Studios, but they are not on anymore, after Zoe moved to Hong Kong to work there. Maybe you can find some of their old episodes, although it was pretty much still mens watches they still every so often brought in their take on things from a more female perspective
One reason I think for this might be the fact that a watch is the only piece of jewellery that they can wear to enhance their looks and personality, so the companies put a lot of time and efforts into men's watch whereas women have a lot of jewellery which they can wear to enhance their beauty and personality so the watch market for women is weak as no one really looks at a woman's watch that much as compared to a man's watch
This reply is heavily based on what my mother thinks about women watches
My wife has actually gotten a lot more interested in watches since I got her the Breitling 36mm Super Ocean light blue dial. Somewhat understands and can relate to my obsession lol.
For that price she better did😂
@@marius2971 LoL!
Nice piece
Smaller breathing watches (35mm to 38mm) are surprisingly good and attractive unisex watches)
That was my first one and I just bought a Speedy today. Now if I can find a gmt that isn’t huge!
Interesting, just had a conversation with my wife about this the other day. In her opinion all currently selling woman’s watches are boring and just looks like smaller men’s watches. Modem watches have become too casual. Her interests are in 1920 to 1950 era watches like her two platinum Hamilton that have some diamonds and I think one has some mill work. She is also fond of Edwardian jewelry, so I can see how the interest aligns. One of her watches is currently out for maintenance. She also mentioned it’s sad that there are really no videos covering these adorned watches from Hamilton and bulova. Would love to see something on vintage ladies watches that covers this era and explains the movements used, there accuracy and kind of a buyers guide of what is safe and what to avoid from these eras. From my perspective, it would also be interesting to know if a modern movement retrofits may be possible etc for those ones that only display the correct time of day. 😂
As a woman, and a G.I.A. GG, who has sold and owned many Swiss watches, I congratulate you on this video. You are smart, concise and passionate, everything we women want and understand. Thank you.
Yes I’m a woman with many watches. I like smaller ones though. I own an AP and I stuck it up inside myself and then sold it to a rich man. He had no idea it was deep inside me and paid thousands. it makes me smile when I see him in office wearing it being none the wiser where it’s been. Sorry if thatS TMI
I have collected watches most of my life & always buy men' s watches, never woman's.
As a woman, I have always been obsessed by watches and have one female friend who is . I would love to see more women -centric review's of watches
yes!! I think women just approach watches differently a bit. And I rarely have female friends to nerd over watches with! My mom's like.. mechanical? every watch is a machine right? mechanical it is. -.-
I was actually thinking about this topic for some days now so I was glad to find your video.
I know as a boy, I received several watches, and that could have been the beginning of my love for watches. But I don't know too many girls that received watches when they were young, none really. If the demand changes, and I hope it does, the innovation for female watches will change as well and it will open up that market.
My mother gave me one when I was 8 I still have it lol
My wife and daughter like watches and are spoilt for choice when it comes to dress pieces (Breguet, Cartier, JLC etc etc etc). But, try and find a restrained, well designed, smaller sized (their preference), practical (as in sport proof) watch, not covered in diamonds... almost impossible. Rolex probably still does the best (snore), but Omega's Aqua Terras have been blinged, the smaller SMPs axed and Longines has done away with many of their all-rounders. Other brands offer nothing. Seiko is terrible. Breitling is at least making an effort, but the choice is still very poor.
It's weird. Modern women have huge spending power (look at the handbag/clothing/jewlery/shoe/cosmetics/wellness markets) and they do everything men do - why does the watch industry largely turn its back on 50% of the market? Have women just been abandoned to smart watches? Crazy. One brand will get success eventually and the rest will follow.
I smell a billion dollar opportunity
James, you sort of mentioned part of the problem. To women a watch is just another jewelry accessory and from a practical perspective competes for resources. Whereas with men, the watch is pretty much your only accessory. It's the reason men can justify huge sums to spend on their watch.
My wife's TAG is smaller, practical (sport proof) and not covered in diamonds. In fact, many brands can satisfy this. However at the end watch makers produce what sells. They're in business to make money, after all. Those who vote with their dollars are who determine what watch makers continue to make in the future.
I don't think women are abandoned, I just think the watch is turning into a hobby for some, jewelry for many and lacks utility for most. I know more people with an Apple watch than a real watch.
Great video, Jenni! That was an interesting dive into the history of watch-wearing, marketing, and buying. I absolutely love watches, and wear one every day -- sometimes switching them in the same day, depending on what I'm doing. I think the watch manufacturers are doing their own profits a disservice by not simply offering their popular "men's" watches in additional (smaller, but not *too* small!) case sizes. I love my 40mm Milgauss, but it would be even better as a 38mm, for instance. What an untapped market they are missing out on! Thanks for another excellent video!
It really shouldn't be a leap to see watches sold like fragrances with a Pour Homme & Pour Femme edition of each watch
Loved this thought provoking video. As a man, I wished my wife shared my enthusiasm for watches. Now I may understand a little bit more of her thinking from this video. Major watch brands would do well to hire you as a marketing consultant Jenni to improve their sales with the female market. On the flip side, I have a 165 mm wrist and limited by whats on the market for smaller men's wrists. Often the watch industry will label watches from 36 to 38 mm as a ladies watch. The baby Casio G Shock is a prime example that could be modified for the smaller male wrists by a wider choice of more neutral tones in their designs and to designate them as unisex.
This is such a great video. You’ve open my eyes to a few things. As soon as you said “it’s the marketing” it hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course it is! Many companies in the industry have thought processes that are limited by ossified cultural and gender stereotypes. Not only is it the watch manufacturers, it’s also many in the watch enthusiast community. I see it online all the time, men mocking other men for buying a watch they consider too small, “36mm? You should stop shopping at the ladies counter”. Thanks for making this video, Jenni. It was well worth my time.
A meticulously researched video. I learned a great deal as a result of your hard work and enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks for the video.
Long overdue topic. Congrats on articulating it so well Jenni. I'm a man and I've always been puzzled by the over emphasis of overly decorative style of watches for women and the hyper testosterone examples for men. I look forward to a time when we can experience and enjoy timepieces that are detached from gender stereotypes.
Your observations explain perfectly why my wife, who has dimensionally smaller Tudor and Tissot watches, has appropriated my Omega Seamaster 300 as the watch she wears most often 😉👍.
My partner never liked skinny “female” watches, and thought your video did a great job capturing the essence of the preferred way of marketing to women... well done Jenni!
Great video Jenni! So well researched and presented. While she humors my watch obsession and supports (most of) my purchases, my wife does not like to wear a watch herself. She appreciates their beauty and complexity but finds them uncomfortable to wear. Occasionally, she’ll wear the gold Panthère I inherited from my dad or one of the pieces I bought for her before we got married, but more as jewelry and because she knows I get a kick out of it. Glad to have discovered your channel (through Bark and Jack) last year. You’re really good at what you do!
Longines had quite a few ads featuring female athletes. One I remember was starring Lindsey Vonn, which is kind of ironic because alpine-skiing is that one sport which is all about split seconds but at the same time the athletes certainly won't be able to wear let alone use a watch.
yea. that reminds me of the ad Tiger Woods did once. Golfers might be affected by the weight of watches or even just the feel.
Alpina had the same with Alpina Countess
I can see you've been busy, lots of research on this content. I LIKE IT. although it makes me feel a little sad giving the perspective true history of how females were treated back then and how long its taking for the world to see us humans equal regardless of sex and color. But it's progressive and that's always a good thing. And yes I am super happy to see you becoming the Female role model on this hobby! The Supercar Blondie of the watch world. Keep up the good work Jenni
I just want this accent haha
It's a German accent. But it's comparatively subtle if you consider how Germans usually sound like when speaking English...
I am in love 🥰
@@MaurizioAzzalini it is a German accent. But it sounds like this German speaker was taught the Queen's English in and by proper English folk, as opposed to Americanized english.
@@brighammmer Jenni lived in England for University, thus her high level English and refined speech.
@@bryanharris6228 Well Scotland not England.
You've spoken my mind about women's watches! Great video, Jenni!
Excellent video and wonderfully presented. I think part of it, too, is that we women have been inculcated (if it’s not innate) that we put our family first. Spending a huge sum of money on ourselves is not something many of us women feel comfortable with. (Regard how many Dads will take the best piece of meat at dinner while Moms will want the best for the kids. I am aware this dynamic is, thankfully, changing.) We might wonder how many ballet lessons, school clothes and bicycles could we get for the kids with the price of one Rolex!
Brands like Daniel Wellington and Skagen certainly understand that the traditional luxury watch manufacturers are not doing enough to fill the market demand from female watch buyers. That’s why these 2 brands have been quite successful selling to female buyers.
Love the concluding analysis here: woman do like watches; they just don't like the watches you like (because top brands have crap marketing). My only concern is that you say, "Dear Watch Brands, show me how a watch can make me feel more powerful and not how it can make me feel more sexy." - but sexy *can* be powerful, and stigmatizing sex doesn't solve anything. Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you're tired of isn't sexy versus powerful, but fragile versus powerful... or maybe it's ornamental versus powerful.
Well constructed episode! My takeaway is that marketers, as usual, try to dictate social norms via their advertising campaigns. Nice to see that they are finally catching up with what people's sentiments actually are regarding watch selection.
Just an observation but I’ve generally noticed that women don’t obsess over the details, history, and technology as much as men.
It’s not that women can’t appreciate a nice watch but more so that for most it kind of just ends at “nice watch.” Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think most women are going in-depth into the history of purses, the leather, technology, innovations, etc...
So happy I discovered your channel! I just recently got into watches and found it difficult finding reviews for women/small wrists 😭
Thank you Jenni!! I’ve been researching for months looking for a watch for myself. I have a small wrist but I would love a watch that isn’t dainty, covered in diamonds and a quartz movement (nothing wrong with it, I love diamonds too, there’s just a time and a place for it!). I’m sure other women would love practical watches for everyday use, and if there were more choices they would buy them. There are so many great watches geared toward men, but even a 36/37mm watch is too big for me. I finally decided on two choices - Rolex Datejust 34mm or AP Royal Oak 34mm (not Quartz! Woo!!). Thank you for your content, it’s been very useful and I’m so happy to know other women feel the same way about watches!
Let make it simple, a rolex is about the same price as a cartier bracelet, if I ask my wife what she would prefer a bracelet from cartier or a watch....
Sae applies with shoes, handbags....
Brilliant!
Your adjusted statement “ ............. don’t like what you like.........” to badly paraphrase is an eye opener for me and I think I now understand why every watch I bought for a lady she then changed!!
Thanks Jenni x
My wife became a proper watch person after I got her a Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon with white ceramic bezel. Over the years, she has chosen her Nomos Metro Date Power Reserve and Breitling Transocean. The videos from yourself, Watchfinder and others helped to explain my love of watches as a craft and get her hooked. Now, she even watch spots while watching movies or out and about.
The only reason I'm responding is because you asked for women who watched to let you know what we thought lol you hit it all perfectly! Everything was 100% dead on and I hope we see more options in the future from watch companies. I also couldnt think of a single ad geared towards women so it was nice to see a couple of shots of those and the history aspect was great :) thanks for your awesome videos!
Great video and definitely very thought provoking. Great to hear your perspective. Here is my two cents on the topic:
1. The watch hobby and watch collecting is a very small portion of the population. Most of my friends think I'm absolutely crazy to spend more that $200 on any watch. They just want something that tells times and looks pretty cool. That's why the fashion watches are absolutely so popular with both males and females.
2. The marketing is based towards the overall population of males and females. It's geared towards what men and women think of themselves and what makes them feel sexy and attractive. Men generally think of themselves as rugged and tough and the more rugged and tough they are the sexier and more attractive they are. Hence, their rugged and tough watch should match these qualities.
Women on the other hand generally like to feel feminine and feel that makes them sexy. I disagree to a certain point that the sexy marketing for women's products is geared just towards men. If you look at the marketing for make-up, perfume and clothes for women it looks similar to the watch ads. The marketers are selling a feeling and for the most part, even though women are doing all kinds of jobs that men have traditionally done (and doing it very well) I think they still want to feel feminine and sexy while they are functioning in life.
I have talked about watches with my wife, my daughter and several of my female co-workers in the healthcare service industry and they are generally more attracted to the feminine watches. They still like some of the men's watches but seem more attracted to those made for women. I don't know maybe all the marketing has brainwashed them to be more attracted to those watches.
This is a great topic and thanks for bringing it up. I think the new Rolex OP is definitely a nod to this need of a unisex watch style. It was a genius move by Rolex to make one of their weak selling watches and really increase the demand for them.
Very interested video and perspective. Really enjoyed this - as always, great content. I love hearing more about history and less about movements, specs, that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, I love that stuff too, but it's all the same. Your videos always stand out from the rest of the crowd.
I am a man and I feel that a watch is essential for both men and women. I don't know how women could go outside without a watch because they never know what time it is.
I also think it stems from the fact that there aren’t many ‘influencers’ and ‘watch knowledge’ you tube channels focusing on women’s watches (or how men’s watches can be worn by women) Was looking for a review of a specific rolex, its practically impossible to find a review catered toward a female (day to day use, wrist sizing etc)!! Great content jenni!
Jenni! I very much enjoyed this analytical and research-oriented approach to this topic! It clearly shows your chops as a studied professional in this field! Your content only gets better each day! Kudos!
It is true that most women’s watch advertisements have a sexist leaning. Maybe part of the issue has been the jewelry aspect to these watches. As you pointed out, Elle, it’s like your Rolex DJ with the diamond dial, you said that because of the diamond dial you are less inclined to wear it as your daily driver. Now, women have become a lot more comfortable wearing tool & sport model watches.
I gifted my wife with the same DJ diamond that you have (in slate), and she won’t wear it unless she’s dressing for a special occasion. She goes for her steel sport models every time.
I think that watch companies are failing to recognize this trend by not advertising women wearing their
sport models.
As always, great video!!
“ Show how a watch makes me more powerful and not how it makes me sexy! " - Jenni Elle #MINT
You have one of the best watch channels out there! Keep it up Jenni!
My wife has stolen half my vintage Nivada collection. Most are smaller, so I don't mind. Because I get to look at them and still wear something that fits me better.
Nice academically-written essay/presentation! How I wish my students were able to create something even close to your work.
Jenni, this is simply very very well done, thank you! If it‘s up to me, you can talk hours about this (and other) topic since you show you did your research and you are communicating your hypotheses and conclusions very well.
congratulations, and keep going strong!
Hey Jenni, a very interesting topic.
As a female watch collector for 45+ years and have always found there was stigmas with women wearing larger watches. That was until I got to a point where I now wear what I like.
As my collection has changed, my taste in designs has diversified, I find I just wear what I like, not what the opinion is. I will change my watch depending on the occasion, however my watches have now all gravitated to 38+mm with my newly acquired 42mm Seamaster being the largest watch I own.
You and the other ladies mentioned and more, have opened the door as the catalyst for breaking down watch barriers and stigmas. It comes down to what we like to wear and get the most enjoyment from wearing. The big brands will always gravitate releases to the larger target market. Like in the workplace, diversity and inclusion is now the hottest of topics. This should be no different in watch brands.
I see small changes whereby brands like Omega are no longer adverse to having women wear larger watches in their advertising - and not just the sparkle ones. Collecting is fun and should be treated as such. Women are slowly having a louder voice. I cant wait to see how things continue to change in the coming years. Times change, watch brands need change their design thinking to be more current.
Trish (@watch_girl_life)
Seeing another Jenni Elle video uploaded always makes my weekend. :D
Woman in watches are as rare as in engineering. My mechanical engineering class of 60 has I think 3 or 4 women (idk specifically, cause I never met them because of covid) and I think, these numbers are high for engineering.
1/3 of my civil engineering class were women. Maybe civil engineering is more popular among women. We graduated 2012. Masters degree that is.
I graduated my engineering school in 99 and we had 2 girls in our class. (it's a school type unique to the country i'm from, where you start at age 14 choosing an engineering field like mechanical engineering, IT, informatic... And if you make it, you finish at age 19. It's 40 hours of school per week: 31 hours of theoretical classes and 9 hours practical work. Homework or studying for tests/exams is not included in the 40 hours). In a time where the normal working hours in the country are/were 38.5 hours a week...) And one of the 2 even admitted that she wasn't interested in technology, she chose the school to annoy her dad. Still both made it through the school and are working in engineering still.
At work: out of around 120 engineers in my department, we have 6 female ones at the moment. (One is going into retirement soon)
For my school, my friend and I "broke the "stereotype " for 3 years straight the school didnt have female physics student, but we were just two each for every set till I left (2019) tho it was a very tiny class. I do remember for computer science for the same year, it was just 8 girls out of 60 students
here in the middle east, STEM classes are 50% 50% women and men, I was surprised when I found out that here Engineering is a boys thing
But still, not a lot of women are into watches ):
You know what I'm a girl and I've never owned a women's watch because they suck! Pink and bling has always seemed little-girlish and the dainty, tiny watches for grannies/ soccer moms. I owned children's watches when I was kid- which were marketed as that- for kids with cartoon characters on them. Both boys and girls like Mickey Mouse and Scooby Doo- right? When I went to buy a grown-up watch in my early 20s I needed something durable and functional- stainless steel and completely water-proof- I wrecked an inexpensive Timex exposing it to chemicals at work. Trying to find a women's watch that checked all the boxes proved impossible so I bought a men's and I've never looked back. I currently own half a dozen mechanical watches that are all men's and if anyone has a problem with that they can go pound sand. Right now I'm wearing a black Vostok Amphibia diver on my 5.5" wrist and it works! I find it rather disgusting that functional watches for women that do things (not just sit around home and cook and clean) still don't really exist. It's the 21st century and there are a lot of us that work in manufacturing, medicine, engineering, ect.
Really great analysis, the way you expanded on the historical context enhanced your response from the original Q&A video. You touched on the running accessory market, which I think is actually a interesting example from a watch perspective; a lot of those digital running watches have much more balanced product lineups between genders. It's an illustration of the effect of being function-focused in marketing messaging which supports the direction you're nudging the mechanical watch industry. Keep up the great videos!
In addition to what you researched very well, men tend to wear less other jewelry. So, there is less competition for the watch market. For men it's mostly "which watch" while for women it's often "which necklace, which ring, which handbag". From my observation, women who wear other watches than fashion watches, tend to wear a lesser variety of jewelry and prefer classic, versatile dress or sports watches in small or unisex size, not specifically female designs. There might be a slightly higher preference of gold among women than men.
I think it’s more than that !
Women, in general, just don’t have same appreciation for derby’s in things in life. Such as watches, cars, coins etc. That’s the truth.
Thank you for this profound evaluation - I hope some of my favorite watch manufacturers are paying attention so my wife will be more interested. Besides that, a huge, poorly tapped market!
Thank you for doing these videos. It's great to see these things from an other perspective.
Also good that you're not such a watch-snob. I think that the watch industry should focus more on unisex watches or at least versions for male and female (for example more size and colour variations).
You are so needed in this community! Good stuff.
Hi!
Your research is very, very interesting! In your first section there’s also another factor: men pocket watches were big, women pocket watches (yes they existed) were smaller sized. In your Omega 1910-1920 poster(there’s no reference for size) there ´ s a 1920 Grand Prix (Grand Prix of Haute Horology) which was oriented towards women. With the demand for wristwatches , lots of smaller sized watches were customized to wristwatches(not only by Omega but a whole bunch of other manufacturers). The women sized pocket watches were approximately the size of the now wristwatches. Men having their pocket watches with their spare change and what not would prematurely wear out & ding their cases. Women would be more careful and/or have them as pendants thus assuring an unworn look.
The watch industry is mostly run by men thus not being aware of the need of women clientele. I was pointed this out a few years ago by a girl who wanted a GMT watch at an affordable cost. I was surprised to see the empty sector in this field. Women travel nowadays in various countries with different time-zones also.
Recently: I was talking to a woman which was in the movie industry and my eyes got riveted to her wristwatch. She was wearing a full sized man watch which was a Swiss automatic watch well worthy of her👌, the tide is changing but in a very slow way 😢.
You like many women are pioneers pushing the turtles of the watch industry.👍❤️
as a man with 6.75" inch, i see 2 potential opportunities for watches companies to change their marketing 1-taps into a new market and new customer by appealing better to more women like you've said and 2 to increase the already huge market for men, i personally prefer watch 35-40mm sized and there many more guys like me. the marketing is the biggest problem in the overall picture, i know that if a woman wants to wear a watch regardless, she will do so but not as many options. the watch companies are hurting themselves more than anybody else, they would sell more. some women love the current selection and there is nothing wrong with that but there's a huge chunk simply not being targeted.
Nothing wrong with wearing a watch to make you feel sexy.
Same goes for men.
If we wore them only for practical reasons, you'd only ever see G-Shocks or f-91s, to be honest. Everything else is an accessory for "sexiness".
A women’s attractiveness is often judged by most of society as her appearance, hence why ads shows that aspect. I’d imagine showing women cutting down trees or something is a cool statement, but the appeal won’t persist nor as powerful if repeated and over time.
Similarly a men’s attractiveness is often judged by most of society as his capability. I don’t know how many watches brands are going to sell by showing ads of top shape young men, but whom are otherwise largely unknown for their lack of social accomplishments.
Welp, I feel like you've missed a chapter. The advertising in the 20's was a response to sudden demand for male wristwatches which had floundered until Rudolph Valentino became a huge cultural icon with 1921's 'The Sheik'. Valentino's every move was captured in his short time in the spotlight until his untimely death in 1926. Women wanted him and men wanted to be him. He was an international sensation. He made the wristwatch and bracelets the most in demand items for men. His contribution towards wristwatch popularity cannot be overlooked.
What an excellent piece of well-researched content! Really enjoyed it 🤓
This is a great video and it got me thinking, if the wristwatch never became popular and all we had today were pocket watches, I don't think I'd collect them. And I'm not sure why.
The level of research and insight of this video is beyond anything I've seen on CZcams. Perhaps even comparable to Jack Forster's "In-Depth" articles on Hodinkee.
Always happy to see a new Jenni video!
I like my Casio Baby-G and my husband likes his G-Shock. I have also 15 years old Timex and 2 quartz Seiko. Thats enough.
I think you hit it spot on with the purpose and situations, and the feelings which arise from that in contrast to women. My watch has greeted a colony of sea urchins in Spain, braved the sand dunes in Morocco and ventured through the frosty forests of Scandinavia. Those memories are a part of me. A part of the watch.
Can a watch have a soul?
In ancient Japan they certainly believed that an inanimate object indeed could. It is said, that the very finest samurai swords snatched a part of a weapon smith's soul and if the samurai had led a good life, strictly adhering to the Bushido Code, it would also gain a part from him, essentially becoming sentient.
I really liked your perspective and the way you approached the topic. I am still learning about watches but I prefer the simple style and timeless aesthetics, such as a Reverso.
I’m 58. I remember my mother as always wearing a watch. It was a “tool” watch with clear white dial and second hand because she was a nurse and they used the second hand for heart rate. I do believe that besides dress watches, I the percent of women with “non fashion” watch is about the same as percentage of women who know how to drive a stick shift. I think the affinity for things mechanical is linked here
Well researched, well-presented video. This is something I have often wondered as to why women's watches are presented as an ornament with a lot of 'bling' instead of as a utility. So the issue isn't that women aren't interested; the issue is that manufactures are blind to women's idea of watches, marketers turn a blind eye to women audience, and advertisements cater to men's ideas of women's watches (mostly as expensive gift options).
Always a pleasure to watch your videos, Jenni. Kudos! Keep up great work.
Appreciate this video. I'm AFAB so I've got the small wrists but do not like most of the watches marketed towards those with small wrists (usually "women's watches").
Loved the video. I'm a history buff and this was really interesting.
Fascinating video Jenni. This story may interest you. In Australia a lady who was the head of Australia Post has been embroiled in a scandal because she gave to executives $20000 worth of watches as bonuses. This is a government owned company and the Prime Minister said this was an inappropriate use of funds. She was later cleared of any wrongdoing as it was not approved by the Board. Would a male boss have been treated any differently? I can not see a problem with giving people incentives. Is she targeted because she is not supposed to give watches as opposed to men giving a watch to their partner? I don't know but your video made me think about this scandal.
Awesome video and great research! Seems pretty clear to me that in accordance with this video, women in 2021 are mostly wearing fashion watches with quartz movements (cheaper, looks better, and watches are accessories to many of them anyways. This also matches well with other fashion items they buy from those brands) or smart watches/fitness trackers (Apple watch, Fitbit, Garmin, etc)
That was a very well researched video. Thank you. My wife enjoys watches, but I've been buying her watches for 30 years. She prefers a good, waterproof, tool watch for work. She will occasionally raid my watch box to find a tool watch for wearing to work. I have a Tag Heuer GMT quartz from the 90's that she loves. She wants a watch that is tough, and also looks good.
A very interesting and comprehensive video Jenni. I think it is interesting to note that most of the work done to make a watch at prestigious companies like A Lange & Sonhe and Jaeger LeCoultre is done by women not men.🤔
Some of your observations resonates with some of my experiences and family!
The women on my dad's side of the family were more well off, and took traditional roles. They were gifted as tokens of love and appreciation. My mom's side are more working class and in to sports, and wore a watch to be able to keep track of things. To this day, many of them still wear Seikos, Timex and Swatch because of the marketing: A watch is for anyone, no matter what you did, no matter what gender, no matter where you're from. They also had a nice variety of watches to choose from!
As for me, my wife isn't really a watch person despite being familiar with a lot of brand names. Mostly just Swatch, some G-Shocks, a Movado, and Nomos because those are the ones that appealed to her! They have a lot of styles, sizes, are functional and be jewelry too. I remember her saying, "I wish Nomos would make a Tetra Sport, with quartz, 200m of water resistance and glow in the dark paint. That shit would be amazing". haha
Wow Jenni. This is probably the best, if not one of the beat videos you’ve made! Well researched and articulated, thought provoking and perspective changing. You pretty much talked historical analysis, marketing techniques, buying psychology, gender roles and wage gaps. Wow, just wow! Bravo! Oh cute top btw! 😊
Really good video. You are creating amazing content, very interesting to watch. Congrats 👏👏👏
My wife likes to wear a late 1930s mans watch from H. Samuel, still a familiar name on British high streets. The H stands for Harriet. The watch was sold as a military/sports watch for men and has fixed bars rather than spring bars. A two tone dial and a case size of 30mm, it's very small for a watch designed for rough, tough men. It keeps good time for such an old watch. Its permanent home is now in my wife's jewellery drawers - alongside the bracelet style Omega and Rado - rather than in my watch collection.
Best companies when it comes to options for smaller wrists are Rolex, Tudor, Casio, Oris, Cartier and Marathon. That is just it in my view.
I still have nightmares when I think back to the time I decided to buy my gf a watch for her birthday.... I had to scroll past so much overpriced, over bejeweled stuff just to find a beautiful, simple/understated and reliable piece...
Had the exact same problem. I simply refused to buy her a fashion watch (she wanted a daniel wellington) I ended up choosing a junghans max bill hand wind. The size was perfect for her wrist and it looks great on her. Would like to know what you ended up buying?
I love haute horlogerie watches and am a woman. Have a Breguet tourbillon, two rado and three Jaeger LeCoultre reversos. Unfortunately they are men’s watches. I also have a limited edition Beijing watch &co tourbillon. My childhood dream was to own a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso when I first saw it as a kid. All the best in your collection journey.
Oh I forgot one more - Zenith El Primero - bought it because I like the movement.
I love wacthes, i use mine as a tool with the stop wacth and timers and alarms. My girlfriend says her is jewelry and a a tool. She uses all the functions at work, while working out and helps her organize her day.
You’re my favorite watch vlogger. And I love hearing your perspective.
I've been wearing watches since I was 10-11. Though I usually prefer men's watches, I no longer consider gender when watch shopping. I'm more interested in overall dimensions, specs, and attractiveness.
I love watches 😍 if I don't wear them I feel naked.
I completely identify with that statement!
They are essential.
I feel the same. Left the house without a watch one day a while back and I couldn't stop looking at my wrist. Felt so uncomfortable
@@michaelriera6277 especially if there are phone thiefs nicking peoples phones in your local area
Thank you for this video, it's really interesting. As a female who likes watches I find it frustrating that the options for smaller wrists are so limited. I also prefer the men's watches even though I sometimes like a feminine looking watch for dressy occasions. I think your channel and other female voices out there will lead to change, at least I hope! I appreciate your content aimed at different wrist sizes too, it's helpful to know which brands offer more options.
The holy grail of ladies watches, looks cool but is not too big on smaller wrists. Also, dressy without being blinged up with diamonds, or worse, Svarovski crystals.
Good observations. My wife is a big fan of watches (well, maybe not as much as me). She likes (and owns) Breitling, Omega, Tag, etc. When the new Breitling Chronomat line for women was announced and I showed them to her, which one did she say she liked? The two-tone with diamonds! As you said, it is about looks first and function second. Thanks for a good video. Keep at it!
what i don't think is fully explained is why would advertising a watch as an accessory necessarily make women more disinterested in watches? handbags are marketed in similar ways and women eat that up. Is it perhaps that the "man with a tool" imagery has been so powerful and prominent that women just don't typically see it as a woman's product? I am all for increasing the portrayal of active women, but I don't think that's the reason why the majority of women don't care about watches
Thanks for the video! It's really interesting to see this from a female point of view. Last year, I had the chance to discuss watches with a female friend of mine when she saw me with several different ones whenever we met. Fortunately, it seemed that I was able to help her break that "interest" barrier and she started showing me several watches she wanted to buy. I was a proud friend when she asked me to accompany her to buy her first mechanical watch, which to my pleasant surprise, would be a JLC Reverso! She just started and already left me behind in the dust! Hahahahaa.
My mom and my sister prefer watches that are more delicate, but my take is practical: I need to SEE the time, so I’ve always favored men’s watches or midsize watches. My Nautilus is my smallest watch, but it’s still very visible and readable . I couldn’t go any smaller.
The perfect detailed explanation with *facts* history (and of course your 2 cents :)) in regards of why most women are not interested in the watches that are being communicated to them. Love your content and keep up the great work Jenni!! I was not aware that ladies were the first ones to wear wrist watches......