{ Fashion watches}

designs on the face.One thing all Ecko watches have

in common is their size and stature- big and bulky. These are watchesthat are worn to be seen and eventhe women's range features largepieces: "Younger women like men'sstyling in ladies sizes:' Dunn says."Ecko offers take-down styles fromthe men's range in mid-size cases."

Rose gold is certainly one of themust-have metals in watch fashion,either solely, or in a two-tone design.Indeed, the trend toward jewellervelements in timepieces is alsoprevalent in new collections fromSkagen watches.

"For women, precious jewellery is themain inspiration for timepiece designsthis season:' says Nils Rasmussen,director of Skagen's Australian distributorJarass. "Intricate, elegant bracelets, sophisticatedand textured case shaping, and petite cases allfeature in the collection."

Skagen is also experimenting with glow-in-the-dark detailing for men and pastel straps forwomen. Rasmussen predicts these will becomestrong trends in the coming season.

Also channeling the rainbow is newcomer tothe watch market - pandora. Yes, the popularcharm and jewellery brand is now also trying itshand at watches - unveiling its collection at therecent JAA Australian Jewellery Fair, Brisbane.

Available from September, the collection hasbeen designed to reflect Pandora's jewelleryrange and for this reason, the company believesthe watches will enjoy a loyal following.

"We're predicting that lovers of Pandora willnaturally want to own a Pandora watch:' sayspublicity officer Eve Hanks. "we have designedthe watches to reflect our existing jewellery withcolours, metal and precious stones. And wehave allowed for the expression of individualityby creating changeable straps and bezels."

Hanks says the watch collection will appealto all consumers - with sporty, chunky stylesalongside delicate, feminine pieces.

A pandora logo-stamped bezel, decoratedwith white diamonds, is one option; it alsocomes with an alternative, edgier choice -adorned with a row of small black diamonds.Wearers can also change the strap for a differentcolour and look. All are Swiss-made.

"Such watches have been available for sometime, but it's rare to find models where quality iskey and they look good:' Hanks comments.

Also focused on quality glam is Skagen -

20 Jeweller / April 2010

creating coloured glass watches for men andwomen for its new range: "Coloured glass andthe continued subtle use of Swarovski crystal,carbon fibre and titanium combinations is a hottrend:' Rasmussen says.

Skagen is also going into the white with itsnew-season timepieces: "The application ofwhite to different sections of thewatch - ceramic white, enamelwhite, printed white on theunderside of chocolate andblack glass will be a key colourcombination," Rasmussen says.

Phil Edwards, managing directorof Duraflex Group Australia (DGA)and head of the Seksy andThomas Sabo watch brands,also adds ceramic to the listof what to look for in thisyear's watches. "CeramiCremains the 'hotl materialfor watches and colouredceramic will be the nextstep:' Edwards says.

The high-tech, glossymaterial is an alternativeto more traditional metalsand leather, but can alsobe combined with thesematerials, and gemstones.

Peter petzold, managingdirector of Define Watches,which supplies Sinn, somis.Benzinger, Muehle Glashuette,Rainer Brand and JoergSchauer labels, says thematerials used for cases, dials

and bands will soon become more of a focal point.with increased use of lightweight titanium, mattepolished steels, precious metals, mother of pearland ennobled surfaces (including skeletonising,guilloching and engraving).

"The use of special case materials and dialtreatments is taking over from the pure colourexperimentation that we have seen before," Petzoldsays. "These finishes are becoming popular inEurope and the trend will hit our shores soon."

On the flip-side, Edwards is betting on brightcandy shades in watches this season, and - at theother end of the spectrum - the resurgence ofbrown: "Turquoise, orange and fuchsia will be theleading colours for watches, since the customer willbe able to combine these colours with most of thelatest ready-to-wear fashion," he says, adding, notto forget the colour brown for fall/winter, driven bythe car industry. All the latest car advertisements InEurope have been showing in brown - from BMWto Porsche. Brown is the new white for car industryadvertising and will have strong influences onthe watches." Classic British designer Burberry- a brand best known for its beige checks - isalso delving into darker brown, as well as brightcolour, with its latest fashion watch collection.

Its range, distributed in Australia by Fossil,includes a good-enough-to-eat ladies' watch inmagenta, turquoise or chocolate-brown Perspex.It also has a striking, ice-white and glossy-blackcollection, complete with rubberised band formen. The inspiration for the collection comes fromsurberry's jewellery collection.

Define Watches' new models are opting forunderstated colour. "Neutral tones are still favouredby most. as they provice the highest degree offlexibility," Petzold says, adding that this need for

e fashion collections, but sleek is infor watches in 2010, with timepiecesstripped of the usual 'bells and whistles'complications to produce awafer-thin look." The NewYork Times reported duringthe Salon International dela Haute Horology.

Piaget recentlymanufactured theworld's thinnestautomatic movementat 2.35 millimetres.

Skagen hasresponded to thetrend, creatinga collection ofwatches withpetite cases forwomen,andoversized ultra-