Women and watch obsession? Until now, the two have never gone together. Men would cheerfully spend thousands on the latest Swiss watch with space-age technology and spinning bezels, whereas women preferred to obsess over sky-high stilettos. If they did save up for a Cartier, you can bet they wouldn’t be buying another any time soon. Now, though, watches for women have become cool, with international fashion brands such as Chanel, Boucheron and Ferragamo producing new collections and teaming up with classical watchmakers such as Audemars Piguet and Girrard-Perregaux to give them credibility.

Pretty colours and a bit of sparkle are no longer enough for these female consumers. Okay, so women aren’t that into the nerdy mechanical details, but they do want quality, vintage and serious style. Such is the demand that traditional watch brands, including Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier and Patek Philippe, now dedicate a huge proportion of their budgets to designing for women.

Lone Madsen, a classical composer and musician, is typical of the new enthusiasts. “Watches are, in many ways, equivalent to what I do – they are classic, elegant and timeless,” she says. “I have quite a few: most masculine with a feminine twist, such as my white-gold Rolex Daytona with a mother-of-pearl face. I am currently scouting the auctions for a cocktail watch, preferably 1920s or 1930s art deco, but I will take my time to find the right one, as they are expensive.”

Fruzsina Keehn, a jewellery designer who splits her time between Manhattan, London and Gstaad, is another watch-lover. “I buy a watch for its name, heritage, weight and aesthetic, rather than the mechanics,” she says. Madsen agrees: “I am much more of an aesthete and less of a nerd about the workings of the watch.”

Women also buy differently to men. “My purchases are never spontaneous,” Keehn says. “They are always well researched, specific and planned.” Men tend to be more impulsive, even when parting with serious money. “My boyfriend is far more frivolous than I am,” Madsen says. “Many of the watches he has bought me have been impulse buys.” Lucky girl.

The message is clear: the time has come to luxuriate in the pleasure of a quality watch. Here is our pick of the latest man-size, jewellery, cocktail, high-fashion and accessory watches to suit all budgets.

Gaia Geddes is executive fashion and jewellery editor at Harper's Bazaar

FASHION LINES

Used to being trendsetters, fashion brands are now becoming heavyweight players in the horological world. Collaborations with established watch houses give them gravitas and credibility.

OVERSIZED

There is something about big watches that makes them so very attractive to women. They are strong, reliable and powerful – if you can’t find a man like that to put your arm around, then get a timepiece that does all of the above and tells the time, too. Inspired by men’s models, these ranges have been restyled for women to give a better fit, so they’re easier to wear while still making an oversized statement. The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in 18-carat Everose (£15,750) is the ultimate in masculine exclusivity – powerful, elegant and shiny. Marco Mavilla’s Toywatch Strong (£239, from Arnold Sucis; 020 7287 5431) is a lightweight tough nut that is perfect for everyday wear, and the Chaumet Class One with a black rubber strap ( £21,050) is a gorgeous balance of rocks, gold and rubber.

HIGH JEWELLERY

Definitely a piece of jewellery first, these watches come in many guises – bangle, cuff, bracelet, even pendant. The CK Hypnotic bangle (£170) is fluid and unobtrusive. Piaget’s Double Jeu has moving gold grains in an hourglass setting (£330,000, from Marcus; 020 7290 6500). De Grisogono has a pendant that tells the time (£26,900 020 7499 2225) - perfect for drawing attention to cleavage - and the Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra, in black agate and gold (£5,500), is as pretty and delicate as the jewellery that inspired it.

COCKTAIL

The original women’s timepiece was a slender, delicate cocktail watch that gave subtle bling and effortless elegance. A black satin or croc strap is de rigueur, but go wild with stones. Diamonds remain a girl’s best friend, but rubies and emeralds are close behind. Cartier is the classic cocktail watchmaker: Noeud ( £27,050), its knot-style piece, is so intricate, you will never want to take it off. Tiffany & Co has a talking-point cocktail watch with crab detail (Platinum Diamond Crab, £8,075), and Elegance by Longines (£5,510; 0845 272 6500) will work by day as well as by night. Dress it down with a T-shirt, jeans and bangles.

AND FINALLY...

For those who enjoy the lighter things in life, watches are the ultimate fashion accessory. If you can’t get your hands on an original Hermès Kelly bag, your Juicy tracksuit has seen better days and your classic Lacoste T-shirt has faded beyond recognition, fear not – you can still flash the brand and tell the time. Juicy Couture has created the Pixie (£365), a fun charm bangle that’s the perfect antidote to any serious watch, and ideal for summer evenings. The Lacoste Pop Time (£135) is bold and fun - who says sporty can’t be subtle? And you can satisfy your Hermès craving with this fun Harnias pocket watch (from £755).

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