Is the pink watch trend here to stay? Chanel, Gucci, Audemars Piguet, Piaget, Panerai and Jaeger-LeCoultre bring new models in the wake of Barbiecore

Nov 9 , 2024

Pink watches aplenty as Barbiecore keeps rolling with models from all the big watch players. Photos: Handout

Ryan Gosling rocked a pink Tag Heuer Carrera Date, Idris Elba and Stormzy got with the trend too, and Tudor and Carl F. Bucherer were 2 more brands to join the pink parade

Pink watches have been popping up in the horological conversation for some time, but only recently has it felt like brands are truly walking the walk. A spate of recent launches has propelled the colourful trend into the mainstream with dials, straps and bezels in everything from bright magenta to a soft blush, through shades of blossom, salmon and coral.

Last year’s “Barbiecore” trend, which dominated social media in the wake of the blockbuster movie, established pink as a staple hue for just about everything. In the case of watches, that went for the wrists of not just female wearers, but those of men too – as demonstrated by Ryan Gosling’s excellent accessorising throughout the film and press launches, such as with his Tag Heuer Carrera Date with a hot pink dial.

Ryan Gosling at the Barbie premiere in July 2023, wearing a Tag Heuer Carrera Date

Fellow actor Idris Elba has proved himself a fan of the pink watch too, integrating a pink-dialled version of Gucci’s 25H – a sleek, thin and great-value sports watch – into his ’fits. Grime star Stormzy also favours a grail timepiece in a soft rosy hue, most notably Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Jumbo Extra Thin, complete with a pink gold-toned Petite Tapisserie dial.

With such buzz centred on the return of the pink watch, there’s been a clutch of new shapes, sizes and finishes hitting the market and taking the trend well into 2024 and beyond.

Carl F. Bucherer has reworked its emblematic Manero line with the Tourbillon Double Peripheral in a delectable candy hue, complete with an intricate laser-cut dial with a 3D guilloche pattern in a shimmering dégradé effect, framed by 40 baguette-cut amethysts on the bezel and 11 baguette-cut diamonds at the hour position.

“The pink variant of the Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral epitomises Carl F. Bucherer’s exploration of colour and contemporary style, and showcases the brand’s dedication to blending exquisite design with luxurious craftsmanship,” says Samir Merdanovic, CTO of Carl F. Bucherer’s manufacture CFB. The model, he notes, “combines vibrant, high-saturation aesthetics with a patented floating tourbillon and a peripherally mounted automatic winding system, reflecting 21st century values of bold expression and sophistication. The intricate dial is adorned with baguette-cut diamonds as indexes and hand-selected, colour-matching amethysts on the bezel.”

He sums it up by calling the timepiece a “masterpiece that truly highlights CFB’s commitment to innovation and timeless elegance”.

When it comes to switching up house signatures in shocking pink, Swiss maker Piaget has taken a similarly bejewelled approach with its newest Aura high jewellery watch.