Innovative Luxury: Timely Designer Watch Trends for 2024

This much is true: a timeless, luxury watch will never go out of style, and this year designers have pulled out all the stops to bring discerning timepiece wearers the very finest in brand new designs, plus cleverly updated creations from times past. Classics have been rejuvenated; fresh innovations are bringing styles perfectly up to date. Watch this space – here are eight luxury watch trends for 2024.

1. Go disco!

Designers have long been inspired by the dazzling style of the 60s and 70s, and this year they have turned their attention to 70’s disco and the shimmering era of Studio 54. Heady glamour has been channelled into wristwatches with frosted gold dials and glitzy disco straps that will both shine brightly on the dancefloor and dazzle at the desk. Look out for stunning watches of this trend from Patek Philippe and Piaget.

2. Monochrome majesty

Black and white is always chic, but a Chanel capsule collection, Couture O’clock has supercharged this classic juxtaposition, by pulling inspiration from the mannequins and sewing tools used in Coco Chanel’s original studio and adorning its watches with adorable touches like thimbles, pins, spools & thread and sewing patterns. One design is a stunning monochrome watch with double wraparound strap inspired by Coco’s humble tape measure at her Rue Cambon ateliers.

Chopard also showcases white diamonds against an all-black background in its new Happy Sport watch, creating a horological equivalent of the ‘little black dress’.

3. Small is beautiful

For both men and women, the trend of downsized dials and slimline straps continues in pursuit of Quiet Luxury, after many years of supersized watches. Cartier’s stunning Panthère watches now come in size S, a nod to Hublot’s signature Classic Fusion timepiece, which, at 29mm in diameter, is the smallest they have created. Tudor also leans in towards smaller sizes with its iconic Clair de Rose stainless steel watch, available now in 26mm, 30mm, and 34mm.

4. Think pink… and green!

Coloured dials are still the designer choice for 2024, with both pink and green at the top of the colour wheel. With the pinks, designers are going the whole spectrum from pale rosey to hot bubble-gum – see Gucci and Tag Heuer – and Alpiner have created the Alpiner Extremer Quartz Watch with a blush pink dial reminiscent of the Alps in the morning light.

Going green, brands from Hamilton to Blancpain, to Moser to TAG Heuer, are all showcasing green dials from shades of pale moss to dark forest green.

5. Titanium…

…is lightweight, resilient and currently super coveted. The metal is seeing a revival and a resurgence; it’s on the radar of the most fashion conscious and has been adopted by designers like Cartier (the Baignoire has been given a cool titanium makeover), Omega and Jaeger-LeCoultre.

6. Jewellery watches

These are not going anywhere but around the wrists of the most fashionable and glamorous! From cocktail pieces, to bangles in plain gold or wraparounds in paved diamond, to jewelled-studded Bulgari and Cartier – plus elegant pendant timepieces to be worn around the neck – these timekeepers are perfect for the evening and wonderful for all those who like to shine. See also Piaget, Dior and Hermes.

7. 70’s chunky kitsch

Retro styles and cool kids return, with original Piagets and Patek Philippes coming back to the fore, and new incarnations of 70’s watches bigger and clunkier than ever. Wide and gloriously square-dialled, street style or sporty; a case in point, fashion house Saint Laurent, under designer Anthony Vaccarello, has collaborated with Girard-Perregaux to create a new version of its groovy and iconic Casquette LED watch, of which only 8,000 were made between 1976 and 1978. This time around? A desirable 100. Also, Gucci has brought back another 70’s classic in the sleek, slimline and unforgettable, Interlocking G.

8. Sexy integrated sports watches.

These can be waterproof, functional, operational and streamlined – or all of the above – and designers like Louis Vuitton with its new Tambour and Piaget with the Polo 79 have updated them for business and pleasure in 2024. A steel sports watch with an ‘integrated’ bracelet, too, such as the IWC Ingenieur 40, or Chopards’s Alpine Eagle has an all-round appeal. And who doesn’t want to be both sexy and sporty?

As each year ticks by, designers continue to turn their hands to both fresh and innovative watch designs or creatively revamping icons from the past, and 2024 is yet another timeless year, with some dazzling and deluxe pieces on offer. This year’s luxury watch trends certainly showcase a perfect blend of timeless elegance and modern innovation, the classic and the contemporary.

As always, it’s timely to have your luxury watches valued every two to three years to make sure your insurance cover is accurate and tailored to your collection. Let our experts at Ascend Executive assist in making sure your entire portfolio is protected by contacting us today on 01245 449060 or email info@ascendbroking.co.uk.