The Differences Between Men’s and Women’s Watches

Pronouns are changing, as are perceptions on gender identity, but there is a clear division between men’s and women’s styles when it comes to watches. This is not to intentionally upset anyone, part of it is related to the physical dimensions of wrists, and part of it is convenience. 

Not only that, gender traits are a good way of designing watches to suit a wide range of people. Men’s watches tend to be bigger and weightier than women’s, while women’s watches are lighter and more practical. Nowadays, genderswap or unisex watches are more popular than ever before. 

The Key Differences Between Men’s and Women’s Watches

The Look and Feel

Men tend to have thicker wrists than women and a bulkier aesthetic overall; this is reflected in the look and feel of watches. Watches for men are made with larger faces and heavier wrist bands; they are more weighty and have limited colors such as gold, silver, or two-tone. 

Woman’s watches are slimmer and lighter. A woman’s watch tends to have a smaller face and thinner wristband. Even if there is no difference in the watch’s overall design, the woman’s version is usually more compact and available in a wider range of colors like pink and crimson. 

Overall Size

Men’s watches tend to be larger and weightier overall since this suits a masculine aesthetic and wrist size. While women might be more inclined to choose a smaller, lighter watch, there is a downside to smaller watches – it’s not possible to fit as many features into a lady’s watch. 

The Citizen Skyhawk watch is a perfect example. This popular watch does not have a women’s version because it could not accommodate the same level of features. Many big brands followed this practice but soon reverted back to woman’s sizes when sales began to drop.   

Citizen SkyHawk AT

Weight

The weight of a watch is proportionate to the overall size and the internal mechanisms and features. Since men’s watches tend to have larger faces and straps, they are heavier overall. However, these large watches don’t always suit women who prefer a lighter timepiece. 

That said, some women do prefer a larger, heavier watch as it suits their style and aesthetic. Conversely, some men prefer to wear a woman’s watch because it’s lighter and more suitable for their everyday activities. Heavier watches might have more features, but not always.  In practicality it is more common for a women to wear a man’s watch, then a man to wear a women’s watch.

The Strap

There is a notable difference in the straps of watches for men and women. On average, men’s wrists are wider than women’s and have a bigger circumference overall. In addition, men have larger wristbones that affect the way watch straps sit on the wrist, affecting its design. 

There is no significant difference in the materials or the design of watch straps. Watch straps for men are usually made from metal linking chains or leather; the women’s version of the same watch tends to have the same strap, although the size, shape, and linkage will probably differ. 

Features

Men’s watches are larger and allow for more features! It’s quite common for men’s watches to include GPS capability, solar charging, and more. Not only are these features more possible on larger watches, but they are more desirable for the men’s watch market.

Features include: 

• Automatic movement
• Sapphire crystal 
• Chronometer rating 
• GPS 
• Solar charging 
• Metal straps 
• Precious gemstones
• Reflective coating 
• High water resistance

Men’s watches tend to have more techy features to reflect masculine qualities. These are things such as physical strength, ambition, and problem-solving. On the other hand, women’s watches tend to be designed around feminine traits like style, pragmatism, and personalization. 

Face Size

The face size on a woman’s watch is much smaller than on a men’s watch. When you compare two watches from the same brand, you will notice the face size on the women’s watch is around half the size. Again, this reflects the need for a smaller, lighter watch for smaller wrists. 

Although men’s and women’s watches are differentiated by gender, it is quite common for women to wear men’s watches and vice versa. It all depends on the size of watch you require and the style of watch you like. For example, a woman’s watch is more practical and smaller. 

Unisex Watches are An Alternative Option

Aside from Men’s and women’s watches, there are also watches manufactured to be unisex. That means they are designed to be appropriate for any gender. These watches can be a nice style alternative to a watch made for a man or a women.

Men’s and Womens Watch Differences – Conclusion

When it comes to watches, there are clear differences between men’s and women’s timepieces. Men’s watches are larger, weightier, and have more features, while woman’s watches are lighter with smaller faces and more colors to choose from. Although watches are categorized in gender terms, it’s common for a woman to wear a man’s watch or a man to wear a woman’s watch.