Trends transforming the watch industry in 2024

In the luxury watch world, brands often downplay trends to emphasise the timelessness of their products. However, wristwatches do mirror broader fashion and lifestyle trends. 

In April at Watches and Wonders Geneve, A. Lange & Söhne showcased new models featuring vibrant pink and purple dials whilst other brands offered precious metals and unique shapes.

The new releases indicate a shift away from the steel sport watches popular during the pandemic, moving towards styles with more individual ones with notably higher price tags.

Here we check out some of the emerging trends of the year.

Unique gold and precious metals

Interest rates may be fluctuating and inflation high, but consumers know what they want. There is currently an increased interest in precious metals but particularly in gold.

There’s a continued shift away from steel sports watches, which have proved incredibly popular in the last few years for their functionality, it now would appear that gold is becoming more in demand.

Cartier confirmed that its Panthere collection saw a strong demand for the gold models, rather than the steel.

We can also expect to see popularity for alloys. Audemars Piguet has launched its ‘Sand Gold’ this year – somewhere in between pink and yellow gold.

Pink and purple dials 

For many seasons, green and blue dials have been increasingly popular but brighter more feminine hues are definitely creeping in.

The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Pink that was introduced after Watches and Wonders is more of a lavender dial offering than a bubble gum pink – and the brand says it’s a novelty.

While Tudor appreciates the pink is ‘not for everyone’, the Black Bay is a very popular watch. This beauty has a 41mm 316L stainless-steel case with polished and satin-brushed finishes and matching winding crown, boasting the caliber MT5813 with chronograph function.

There’s also the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 in a candy pink dial new for 2024 and Audemar Piguet’s selfwinding Royal Oak in pink gold and pink dial (34).

Slim tourbillons

The fascination with tourbillons isn’t going away any time soon, and if anything, the chance to make them slimmer and slimmer goes on.

Only this year, Roger Dubuis created four new tourbillon models, including the sleek Excalibur Titanium Monotourbillon, whilst A. Lange & Söhne served up a Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” which combines flyback chronograph with minute counter and perpetual calendar. Unusually, the tourbillon is visible through the sapphire caseback, not the dial.

And of course, there’s the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th anniversary offering which is only 2mm thick. It has a flying tourbillon embedded in its main plate and now Bulgari has unveiled the Octo Finissimo Ultra Cosc, the slimmest mechanical watch ever designed with a thickness of 1.7mm, setting a new world record. Only 20 pieces are being released.

Gender fluidity

With watches becoming less categorised by gender, as females are beginning to request larger watch dials and vice versa, there is a distinct surge towards unique case shapes. We love the Cartier, Mechanical Legends Crash Skeleton watch.

The Cartier Crash has made a significant impact in the collector community over the past year, particularly among collectors in Italy and France, who are channeling their enthusiasm into jewellery watches, stone dials, and distinctive case designs. 

As society embraces greater inclusivity and gender fluidity, the watch industry is keeping pace with genderless designs. These timepieces are created to appeal to everyone, offering versatile styles that transcend traditional categories.

Genderless watches typically feature clean lines, neutral colours, and adaptable sizes, making them suitable for a variety of wrist sizes and personal styles. 

Looking for a new watch this year?

If you’re after a new watch in time for Summer, our Luxe Watches experts can help. With an array of beautiful watches available at our Epping showroom, feel free to come and browse our collections. If you’re after something a little unusual, we may be able to source this for you with our buying teams away from the UK.