No material comes close to being as scratch-resistant yet lightweight, polished yet modern. Explains why it continues to anchor sporty industrial bracelet styles, and up the edgy glamour of anything beyond that category.

From left: Serpenti Spiga high-tech ceramic with 18K pink gold and diamonds, Bulgari. Aquaracer Lady 300M Quartz ceramic with 18K rose gold, Tag Heuer. Rado True Thinline high-tech ceramic, Rado

See: More ceramic watches that are big on detail

For oval dials – popular as a daytime option in the ’50s and ’60s, now elevated to cocktail-appropriate in 2016 with slim straps, a smattering of diamonds, and vintage elegance thoroughly intact.

Left: Hypnose 18K white gold watch with diamonds on alligator skin strap, Cartier. Right: Tiffany Oval Cocktail 18K rose gold watch with diamonds on satin strap, Tiffany & Co.

We mean that literally as much as figuratively, with the boldest names in the business splashing out in the fun, can’t-miss-me hue – think gemstones, exotic skin straps and even indexes.

Left: Vanguard Lady 18K rose gold watch with diamonds on alligator and rubber skin strap, Franck Muller. RIght: Big Bang One Click Pop Art King Gold Rose 18K King gold watch with pink sapphires on alligator skin and rubber strap, Hublot

See: Anti-towkay gold watches to own

While fashion embraces a romantic return to retro, the watch world takes things up a notch by rehashing archival designs and making them better. Take Chopard’s latest Happy Diamonds that celebrates its 40th anniversary this year: The moving diamond count has been tripled to 15, while the ones surrounding the bezel are now set in prongs (read: more surface exposure) to up the sparkle factor.

Happy Diamonds 18K white gold with diamonds on satin strap, Chopard

See: Diamond watches from Chopard, Chanel & more that come with some serious bling

Horology moved on to this movement way before fashion did, and the next crop of simple yet handsomely elegant gentlemen’s dress watches make it even more desirable. Cartier’s Drive de Cartier sports a cool 40mm steel cushion-shaped case, subtle engraving inspired by vintage radiator grills, those distinctive Roman indexes, and a timelessly modern black alligator skin strap. This is what you call a watch with chutzpah.

See: Why the Cle de Cartier is a game-changing watch

Sleek yet dainty rectangular cases no more than 25mm wide make for the new discreet chic, especially when it comes to steel and leather pairings.

From left: Reverso One Duetto Moon stainless steel on alligator skin strap, Jaeger-LeCoultre. Reflet Small Bleu de Jodhpur steel on alligator skin strap, Boucheron. Premiere Rock steel on leather and steel chain bracelet, Chanel Fine Jewellery

Photography (Watch) Vee Chin Photography (Ink) Jasper Yu Art Direction Kim Wong

An adapted version first appeared in Female’s August 2016 issue.

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