Cocktail watches

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Small divas with great charisma: cocktail watches are the playful models of the watch world and give their aesthetics top priority. Where functional aspects take a back seat, creativity and glamorous details form a fascinating companion for noble occasions. What distinguishes the cocktail watch and which six models you absolutely have to know, our magazine reveals today.

Disguised as a bracelet: glamorous jewelry with time display

Cocktail watches celebrate their birth on the threshold of the 20th century, when the pocket watch is replaced by the wristwatch, especially in upscale circles. For men, mind you. For civilized women, on the other hand, it was considered unfeminine to check the time in the era of the Empire. If a lady looks at her wrist during a conversation, it is considered a serious faux pas. It was simply considered unnecessary for women to concern themselves at all with time, appointments and dates, because in the social image of the time, the lady was primarily regarded as a “lady of leisure,” an idler without career ambitions.

To change this state of affairs, Tiffany & Co. develops the first cocktail watch: conceived as a subtle way for women to keep track of the time, the early models tend to be characterized by a simple, elegant look and push one particular detail into the background: their tiny dial, which makes the watches look like ornate bracelets at first glance. Quite clever.

In addition, they fulfill the function as status symbols in high society, but this changes after the Second World War: With the rise of mass production, cocktail watches become accessible to the broad masses and know no design limits.

Ladies watches created for glamorous moments

Most cocktail watches for ladies follow a glamorous design, which predestines them for use at fine dinners, elegant meetings and other fine occasions. Roman numerals, diamonds and elaborately designed solid bands are typical traits, but there are no limits to the freedom in terms of materials and styles. Cocktail watches are particularly interesting for ladies with delicate wrists, because cute dimensions are a widespread feature of the mini watch genre. While editions like the Lady Hamilton Vintage Quartz strongly deviate from the mainstream and take a perceived trip back in time to the late 19th century, other models like the Tissot T-Lady Bellissima Small are characterized by more modern watch shapes. Its design is not reminiscent of a bangle, but is immediately recognizable as a wristwatch.

Hamilton American Classic Lady Hamilton Vintage Quartz

The prime example of playful cocktail watches comes from the house of Hamiltons: The American Classic Lady Hamilton Vintage Quartz (Ref. H31271113) sits on the wrist at a cute 15 x 19 millimeters and embodies the traditional cocktail watch DNA to perfection. In addition to the loving decoration of the stainless steel case and the cute dial, which despite minimal dimensions shows all twelve digits in a clearly legible Arabic font, the slim chain bracelet in particular marks a special feature of the model. Exclusive details are not to be missed: The brilliance of the stainless steel is balanced by a noble shimmer of the mother-of-pearl dial, while sapphire crystal ensures scratch-resistant robustness.

Tissot T-Lady Bellissima Small

Those who prefer classic watch lines should stop by Swatch Group sister Tissot and set their sights on the T-Lady Bellissima Small (Ref. T126.010.11.013.00). At 26 millimeters in diameter, it combines traditional beauty with Swiss-made quality and considerable value for money. The look of the quartz model couldn’t be more coherent: a round stainless steel case with matching solid bracelet, for example, creates a distinguished setting for a white dial set with Roman numerals and dauphine hands. Readability? Top notch. Unlike more purist cocktail watches, the Tissot scores with terrific all-rounder qualities: Fine occasions suit the timeless, sapphire crystal-set companion just as much as everyday use.

Chanel Premiere

In the luxury class, the original idea of a cocktail watch could not be represented more authentically than by the Chanel Premiere (Ref. H3254). The design of the slim 20 x 28 millimeter diva is unique: while the octagonal case is inspired by the Place Vendôme in Paris and at the same time recalls the bottle cap of the legendary perfume Chanel N°5, the geometric dial focuses on pure simplicity.

Only two white hands and the prominent brand lettering break through the ocean of blackness, around which a magnificent diamond bezel nestles. An additional eye-catcher is the massive chain bracelet, which gives the Premiere its balancing act between time indicator and exclusive bangle. There’s no doubt about it: the Chanel Premiere collection is one hundred percent in keeping with the glamorous luxury character of the world’s first cocktail watches.

Longines DolceVita Ladies

The Longines DolceVita Ladies (Ref. L5.255.4.87.6) proves that, in addition to playful chains, flowing case and bracelet combinations also lead to impressive cocktail watches: Like a bangle, the Swiss beauty wraps around the female wrist while preserving all the manners of classic elegance. While the time of the 20.8 x 32 millimeter model is displayed on a mother-of-pearl dial with sparkling diamond indices, the solid bracelet scores with its sophisticated mix of satin-finished and polished stainless steel. The flair of days gone by is embodied in the small seconds, which, like every cocktail watch in our feature, is powered by a space-saving quartz movement.

Rado Integral Quarz

Ceramic expert Rado enters the league of cocktail watches in a particularly futuristic way: Like the Longines DolceVita, the Rado Integral Quartz Diamonds (Ref. R20204712) features an integrated case design and marks a milestone in the company’s history. In 1986, the Integral is the first timepiece made from the prominent and extremely robust high-tech ceramic of the manufacturer founded in 1917. However, there can be no talk of tiny dimensions in view of the expansive dimensions of 31 x 41.1 millimeters. The brand’s basic idea of “look and feel” couldn’t be truer, making the sleek, mirror-smooth Integral an exceptional experience on the wrist. And because exclusivity must not fall by the wayside in a genuine cocktail watch, four small diamonds perfect the overall picture.

EBEL Brasilia

Since its founding in 1911, EBEL has stood for feminine elegance like no other watch brand, as evidenced by the Brasilia Lady (Ref. 1216461). Like the Longines DolceVita Ladies, it follows an angular design with a flowing bracelet-case combination, but stands out with the special brilliance of its stainless steel and powerful accents. 23.9 millimeters in diameter play a size above the prototypical Hamilton American Classic Lady Hamilton Vintage Quartz cocktail watch, but cost the Ebel Brasilia not a hint of its classy aesthetic. Above all, its Roman numerals give the quartz watch a touch of the early 20th century, the birth of the cocktail watch.