No-gender watches: when unique style is right on time

The no-gender trend is definitely one of the standout movements in recent years. Women’s wardrobes are drawing inspiration from men’s classics, while men’s collections are seeing more and more jewellery creations that assert their masculine side.

The watchmaking sector has always been a pioneer in the movement and didn’t need to wait for Generation Z before creating bold unisex timepieces. We look at the watchmaking houses at the forefront of no-gender designs.

Apose and Fob: designs without borders

It wasn’t until the First World War that some master watchmakers began creating separate collections for men and women. For women, they designed quartz watches adorned with diamonds; for men, their focus was on the complexity of the movement and technical innovations. Watch shapes no longer segment their wearers by gender because a watch takes on the person’s identity, with no distinctions in colour or shape.

Apose demonstrates this perfectly with its nº3-100 collection. Neither round nor square, the unique line of this 100% French watch, with its Maison Longchamp leather strap and Pequignet automatic movement, perfectly combines precise angles with soft curves. Available in champagne pink or blue steel, this unisex watch expresses Apose’s desire to appeal to men and women alike.

The same goes for Maison Fob Paris with its Experiment collection. The brand has created a modular watch known as the R100. It has a leather cuff with an integrated metal ring boasting an eye-catching geometric form. The R40 pocket watch can be attached to and detached from this ring. The R40 can be worn on a chain, in the pocket or around the neck, serving as a powerful connection between watchmaking and fashion, past and future.

Briston: the neo-vintage unisex watch

You may be forgiven for thinking that no-gender watches would sound the death knell for vintage timepieces. Not so. The return of the 39-40 mm diameter watch has actually boosted the trend. For lovers of retro style, it is the size of the model and not the type that makes a timepiece really stand out, and it is important to make sure there is a size for every wrist.

That’s Briston’s approach. The watchmaking brand presents its Clubmaster Classic, which masterfully illustrates the idea. Timeless and retro, its “arched square” shape takes inspiration straight from the Roaring Twenties. The vintage style of the Clubmaster Classic watch is showcased further with the use of tortoiseshell-style cellulose acetate for its case. Also known as a “cushion” line, this decorative feature gives it a unique and expertly crafted look in a watch segment where the circular shape comes as standard. This is an elegant and chic watch that fits all wrists.

Clearly, the twenty-first century brings the past – and the future – right up to date. Style is not about gender, it’s about freedom. The new watchmaking generation has heard that message loud and clear, and presents bold timepiece designs that erase the boundaries of genre and elegantly reveal the unique identity of the wearer.

In its aim to accelerate the development of French watchmaking, jewellery and tableware, Francéclat studies and understands markets, drives creativity, stimulates innovation and brings the right people together to boost their international reach.