Powerful Women and Their Watches

Even though the watch space is slowly but surely peeling the “boys club” distinction away, the influence of women on all the different aspects of horology is still underestimated and even dismissed. We must remember that one of Rolex's first ambassadors, for example, was a woman – swimmer Mercedes Gleitze, who conquered the British Channel. Now, we are fortunate to see more women take leadership roles in the watch world, like Ilaria Resta at Audemars Piguet or Jaeger-LeCoultre's Catherine Rénier. 

Hence, it comes as no surprise that the women we’ve come to associate with empowerment and the relentless shattering of boundaries have accumulated impressive collections of watches. 

Rather than celebrating women only on March 8th, it's now customary to do so across the entire month of March. But, we at Wristcheck believe that uplifting women, their stories, and colossal accomplishments, shouldn’t be something kept exclusively for one month, but rather an endeavor worth partaking in throughout the year.

So here’s a look at some of the most inspiring women and their eclectic watch collections.

Serena Williams

One of the greatest tennis players of all time, philanthropist and activist Serena Williams is somebody who broke more glass ceilings than one can count. So, it’s only natural that a landmark watchmaker like Audemars Piguet recruited this conqueror of courts as its ambassador. Lest we forget, Williams is also revered for her impeccable style, and her AP collection mirrors that beautifully. She owns at least three Royal Oaks: the 50th Anniversary edition with a light blue dial, an extra thin Jumbo with a smoked yellow gold dial, and a limited-edition Black panther flying tourbillon in a sandblasted titanium case.

Michelle Yeoh

A woman who needs no introduction – veritable screen siren, martial artist, and Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh has been the ambassador for Richard Mille for years now, and, every time she dazzles the red carpet, her wrist bears the unequivocally illustrious tonneau dial. Who could forget when the actress wore the maison’s stunning RM 19-02 “Tourbillon Fleur” cast in rubies and diamonds, with a flying tourbillon encased in a magnolia sculpture to the Los Angeles premiere of Crazy Rich Asians? Or the RM 07-01 “Intergalactic”, which sparkled like the Milky Way with diamonds for stars and Carbon TPT for the infinite darkness of the cosmos, which Yeoh donned at the 2023 SAG Awards. And, lest we forget that time the star made history at the 2023 Oscars with a diamond-set RM 07-02. 

Anna Wintour

A mother to end all mothers, the longest-running editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, Anna Wintour has become a pop-culture staple for the Millennials and Gen Zs alike. Are we surprised that the style dictator (in the best sense of the term) is herself a watch aficionado? Certainly not. The woman is rather fond of Cartier, particularly the Tank Louis Cartier in yellow gold, which she sometimes wears to CHANEL fashion shows and on the various red carpets. Another one in her collection is the notoriously rare Cartier Colisée in yellow gold. The legendary journalist also has a soft spot for Ralph Lauren, it seems – or at least she had at some point before the 2021 Met Gala when she wore the brand’s Stirrup watch with a red crocodile strap. 

Michelle Obama

The impact and popularity of Michelle Obama during her time as the First Lady of the United States rivals that of Jackie Kennedy. And, as any member of the political elite, she knows how to exude power through fashion and accessories. When it comes to watches, Obama, much like her predecessor from the Kennedy Onasis clan, is partial to a Cartier Tank. We all remember Jackie Kennedy’s beloved 18k gold Tank with a lizard leather strap? Well, the model Obama often wore to the state dinners and such is Tank Française – executed in stainless steel and equipped with a metal bracelet. One thing we’ve all come to love about Michelle Obama (apart from her charity work, of course) is her brilliant yet ever-so-strategic use of color. She’s particularly fond of purple, so you won’t be surprised to find ToyWatch Neon Plasteramic in her watch collection. 

Kim Kardashian

Although there are constantly polarizing opinions of varying intensity surrounding Kim Kardashian, her influence on pop culture, fashion, and luxury is only lost on those who deliberately refuse to see it. The reality star turned business mogul turned * checks notes * venture capitalist possesses one of the most unique collecting tastes when it comes to watches. Many remember, of course, the G-shock x Bape DW-6900 bestrewn with diamonds by none other than Jacob & Co, that she bought from Pharrell. Some might also recall the Dalí-esque Cartier Crash Kardashian often wore in the past. And, just like many of us, the star is a fan of Audemars Piguet, as one of the highlights of her collection is the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked in Rose Gold. 

Queen Elizabeth II

The late British monarch’s compendium of rare watches would surely make the vault of any auction house pale in comparison. Elizabeth II – a true beacon of style and elegance for decades – had such rarities in her collection like the Patek Philippe ref. 4975/1G with a pearl bracelet and Jaeger-LeCoultre diamond-set Calibre 101 (good luck getting your hands on that one, Sotheby’s). But much like many European royals, her late majesty had an affinity for Cartier – she often wore the sought-after Tank Cintrée Dual Time watch.

BlackPink

There’s no arguing that the members of THE girl group of our generation, BLACKPINK, are not only talented performers but also some of the most influential it-girls. Lest we forget, all of them are ambassadors of the most legendary maisons de couture: Jennie – CHANEL, Jisoo – Dior, Lisa – Celine (and now also the princess of LVMH by way of her relationship with Frédéric Arnault), and Rosé – Saint Laurent. When it comes to watches, the leader of the group, Jennie, prefers CHANEL Boy-Friend watch in Beige Gold, for example. Lisa, being Bvlgari’s ambassador, is often spotted wearing Serpenti Seduttori in yellow gold. As a Cartier ambassador, Jisoo sometimes ventures out with one of maison’s timepieces, like the iconic Panthère de Cartier. Last but not least, Rosé seems to possess a more extravagant taste in watches, given how she often wears Patek Philippe Twenty-4 with a stunning diamond-studded bezel. 

Margot Robbie

Three-time Academy Award nominee and, most importantly, Barbie herself – Australian actress Margot Robbie – has been the face of some of the most viral fashion moments this past year. And, it’s only natural that her ingenious yet ever-so-graceful approach to fashion translates into her taste in timepieces. Up until very recently, Robbie was Chanel’s ambassador and, as expected, quite often wore signature models from the maison, like the coveted Première Édition Originale with its emerald-shaped dial, which, in many ways, resembles the Chanel Number 5 perfume bottle. The star is also partial to Richard Mille, or at least she was in 2020 on Graham Norton when she wore RM07-01 in rose gold with an open link bracelet. 

Victoria Beckham

You can’t expect Posh Spice to be anything other than – well – posh. Patek Philippe and Rolex are among the pop-star-turned-fashion-mogul’s favorites. As expected, Beckham prefers models that are both sophisticated and classic. For instance, she owns two Patek Nautilus: in rose gold with a gem-set bezel and yellow gold with a simple black dial. As for her Rolexes, Beckham often wears her Daytona in Everose gold and Day-Date 36 in White Gold with Cherry dial.

Cardi B

Rap sensation Cardi B is not a woman of subtlety – and that’s precisely the reason to love her. Her headline-making performances are on par with her headline-making fashions (must we mention that she was among the celebrities who revived the public interest in French couture maison Mugler?). But we also think her collection of watches deserves a pedestal of its own. As any self-respecting Grammy-award-winning hip hop artist, she owns an iced-out timepiece – Patek Philippe Nautilus Chronograph, no less. She also has a taste for Audemars Piguet (don’t we all?), judging from her exquisite Royal Oak in Frosted Gold Double Balance Wheel Openworked.