Every woman deserves to have a good watch on her wrist. And while the modern trend continues toward features-laden smartwatches like the FitBit or Apple Watch, the fact is that nothing beats the classic contours and elegant look of a good lady’s luxury watch.
Of course, the issue with luxury watches—whether for men or women—is that they can often be prohibitively expensive, pricing out many women who’d otherwise love to own one.
Thankfully, there are plenty of women’s luxury watches that won’t break the bank, with many priced under $2000. Don’t let the price fool you because many of them are utterly stunning, as you’re about to find out!
”If the name of this watch seems a little unusual, that’s because it was never actually intended to be available outside of its home market of Japan.”
Over the course of this article, we plan to take a look at the five best luxury watches for women under $2000. With one of these on your wrist, you can look classy and sophisticated without having to take out a second mortgage.
Now, are you ready?
Timex Marlin is One of the Best Affordable Women’s Watches
The Timex Marlin is the epitome of understated class. It’s also extremely affordable as luxury watches go, and while technically a unisex watch, it looks as if it’s very much been designed with ladies in mind.
When the watch was first introduced, it quickly flew off the shelves; watches this stylish and affordable don’t come around every day. Due to high demand, it rapidly sold out, leading to Timex producing many, many more Marlins as quickly as possible.
They also realized that they should produce a variation that catered specifically to women (as opposed to the initial unisex model). This resulted in the release of a rose-gold variant with an embossed white leather strap – perfect for women.
What’s more, the watch comes in at the astonishingly low price of $199. At prices like these, can you afford not to be wearing one?
Seiko Cocktail Time
If the name of this Seiko watch seems a little unusual, that’s because it was never actually intended to be available outside of its home market of Japan.
However, the watch became hugely successful and soon became widely available on the so-called ‘gray market’. Seiko saw which way the wind was blowing and capitalized upon the watch’s success, re-releasing it internationally.
The Cocktail Time has a sleek, minimalist case that isn’t exactly flashy but doesn’t detract from the superb champagne-colored dial either. It’s 40.55mm in diameter – small enough that it doesn’t overwhelm more slender wrists.
The case back is transparent, allowing you to see the movement hard at work under the case. Although seeing the movement is not to everybody’s taste, it’s only noticeable when the watch is off, so most people won’t be able to see it anyway.
The Cocktail Time is a steal – it’s available at around $850.
Junghans Max Bill Manual Wind is One of the Best Women’s Watches
German watchmaker Junghans has long been known for their extensive line of watches and clocks – in particular, the clocks produced by the famed Swiss designer Max Bill, for whom this line of wristwatches is named.
Bill was famous for his minimalist approach to design, and this was reflected in the pared-down essentialism of the Manual Wind. The watch wastes no time on superfluous complications, instead representing a watch at its purest – a case, a dial, a strap, and the minutes and hours ticking away.
Some might find the manual winding aspect of this watch tiresome, and this definitely isn’t a watch for those people. While manual winding is a little old-fashioned these days, that’s exactly why it appeals to some people, and the Manual Wind has found no small number of fans.
A new Junghans Max Bill will set you back around $800 – not bad for such a classy vintage-style watch!
Hamilton Intra-Matic Champagne
Fewer watches can match the Hamilton Intra-Matic Champagne for simple, understated elegance. It’s minimalist like the Junghans Manual Wind but in a very different way.
It forgoes a second hand and keeps it simple with just the minute and hour hands. These off-white hands sit against a very striking champagne-colored dial, making for a simple but devastatingly beautiful wristwatch.
The case and lug design make for a slim watch with a small profile that sits well against even the most slender wrists and also takes a large number of different straps.
It’s got a domed sapphire crystal that’s scratch-resistant, and under the hood is the fantastic movement that keeps everything ticking. If you’re looking for something understated yet manages to ooze opulence, the Hamilton Intra-Matic Champagne is the watch for you.
NOMOS Glasshütte Orion 38
Continuing the trend of simple yet beautiful watches is the NOMOS Glasshütte Orion 38, a slim and minimalistic wristwatch that would look great on any lady’s wrist.
The silver dial is subtle and muted, with light bouncing off it to render it almost off-white. This does indeed confuse many buyers and collectors, who think the Orion 38 has a white dial, but rest assured—it’s actually silver.
To retain the watch’s slim profile, a manual-wind movement rather than an automatic one was necessary. This is no great ordeal, of course—anyone enthusiastic about their watch can take a couple of minutes to wind it in the evening—and it enables that slender build that makes the watch such a great pick for women.
The Orion 38 is a versatile watch and can be worn for any occasion, but it must be noted that it is a dress watch, first and foremost. Its manual wind, limited power and delicate case do not make the Orion a great choice for, say, hiking or jogging.
The Orion 38 is very reasonably priced at around $2200 new – though it can, of course, be bought pre-owned for much less.
Women’s Luxury Watches Don’t Have to Break the Bank
Though there are, inevitably, a great many more women’s watches on the market, these are the classiest and most reasonably priced women’s luxury watches you’re likely to find.
From slim-line minimalist works of art to more ostentatious and glamorous models, there’s bound to be something on the above list of women’s budget luxury watches to satisfy everybody. It’s just a matter of picking the right luxury watch out!
