New report is designed to amplify powerful female voices in the watch industry & draw analyses from the platform’s significant 25% female usership
Karlsruhe, Germany (March 8, 2024): Today, the world’s largest online marketplace for luxury watches, Chrono24, releases a new Insight Report featuring an in-depth look at the female market, timed with the global recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8th. Following an upward trend in recent years, Chrono24 now reports that more than 25% of its active users identify as female, with this growth signaling a positive shift within industry norms. Chrono24’s new Insight Report not only reflects of-the-moment consumer behavior trends from women watch enthusiasts; it also amplifies the voices of key female leaders within the watch community.
“Our dedication to the women in our community is a core part of Chrono24’s mission. We are focused on advancing our platform to better serve and represent women, as we continue to lead with innovative and progressive practices,” comments Chrono24 CMO,Vicky Hallbauer.
As female engagement within the marketplace continues to be championed and expanded, Chrono24 is particularly well-suited to analyze data-backed trends based on its reach of 9 million global users per month. With more than 560,000 watches from over 35,000 professional retailers and private sellers, Chrono24 has successfully facilitated over a million watch transactions since its inception in 2003. Current findings follow:
Brands Favored by Women
A deep dive into Chrono24’s data trove draws some notable comparisons between brands’ market shares among female buyers versus their market shares among male buyers. In this ranking of brand strength based on ability to attract female customers, Chanel takes the number one spot, followed by Chopard, Cartier and Bulgari. The preference for Cartier watches among women is strikingly higher, with its market share being more than triple that among male consumers. And within the consummate behemoth of Rolex, Chrono24’s foremost leader platform-wide and not specific to gender: for women, almost one in three watches purchased is a Rolex and more than half of the money spent is spent on a Rolex.
The Unisex Conversion Continues
Over the past five years, there has been a noticeable increase in the popularity of larger watches (40mm and above) among Chrono24’s female customers, indicating a shift towards styles traditionally dominated by men. This trend towards larger watches among women is reciprocated on the other side, with men increasingly favoring smaller case sizes. This embrace of gender-neutral fashion statements by celebrities are contributing to the blurring of lines between traditionally gender-specific styles, reflecting a broader move towards gender inclusivity in fashion. This trend is illustrated by the fact that 32% of female purchases on Chrono24 were for a 40mm watch, or larger, representing a significant 67% increase among women towards buying watches with case diameters 40mm and up.
More than a Movement
While quartz movements power half of the women’s watches in our inventory, a closer examination reveals a marked preference for automatic movements among female purchasers. This discrepancy raises questions about the alignment of product offerings with female consumer preferences or whether practical considerations, such as case size, influence this trend. Classic women’s watches, often powered by Quartz, will always maintain their relevance, especially within the mainstream, but it is essential to reassess product offerings to ensure they resonate with contemporary tastes and needs. As an illustration, Chrono24 reports that 68% of Cartier watches purchased by women are equipped with quartz movements. Additionally, women are nearly twice as likely to opt for watches powered by quartz movements on Chrono24. Yet, compared to other countries, women in the United States exhibit a markedly higher tendency to purchase watches with automatic movements.
Aesthetic Trends
The latter half of the 20th century saw stainless steel emerge as the dominant material in luxury watch manufacturing. However, Chrono24’s data indicates that women are over twice as likely to select watches encased in or embellished with precious metals compared to men. Furthermore, women display a greater openness to exploring non-traditional, angular case shapes, suggesting a more adventurous approach to watch aesthetics.
Chrono24 has been the global online marketplace for luxury watches since 2003. It is the #1 address for luxury watches for commercial watch dealers, private sellers and watch enthusiasts across 120 countries, supported by 22 languages. Users within the Chrono24 community track the value trajectories of their 3.7 million+ owned timepieces over time- regardless of whether they were purchased through Chrono24. The total value of all Watch Collections tracked within Chrono24 is more than $49.7 billion – which makes up almost 7% of the estimated $748 billion value of all the watches in the world.
About Chrono24 GmbH:
“Chrono24 – The World’s Watch Market” is the world’s leading online marketplace for luxury watches. The largest global offering of new, used and vintage watches combines Chrono24 with an extensive service portfolio, allowing buyers and sellers to complete their transactions in a trusted environment. Chrono24 was founded in 2003 and has offices in Karlsruhe, Berlin, New York, Miami, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
IG: @chrono24