The term ‘Office Ladies’ comes from Japan and is used to describe young Japanese female office workers. These young professionals, or pink collar workers as they are often called, are generally unmarried, live with their parents, and quit work once they find the ‘salary man’ (Japanese term for the male office worker) of their dreams.
The office lady phenomenon has changed radically over the years as more and more Japanese women pursue higher education and glowing careers, and the term is now being used worldwide to describe this demographic segment of young women who, after having left education, suddenly have money to spend.
In the low to middle range of the watch market, manufacturers are concentrating on this niche with designs and marketing strategies geared towards young working women. One of the leaders in this field is Tissot, who has been following the trends of young people’s spending habits and in particular those of young women. This autumn sees the launch of Tissot’s new women’s range, which has brand new models and exciting variations on existing timepieces.
Tissot visited Europa Star’s Geneva office to share some of the latest products designed especially for women. With prices that are for the most part under the US$1,000 mark, glamour for Tissot doesn’t have to have a five or six digit price tag - Tissot’s price range starts at around US$150, which is perfect for the office ladies who are looking to upgrade the watch that has served them through college and also allows them to purchase different watches for different occasions.
Tissot’s marketing strategy cleverly targets young women across the spectrum. From their sponsorship of London Fashion Week to their ambassador and Indy Racing League driver, Danica Patrick, Tissot is certainly catering to the young female market. They are not alone, however, more and more companies are paying particular attention to this segment as women are more likely to accessorize with watches than their male counterparts.




Tissot


Tissot
Tissot’s women’s collections cater to everything a young woman could desire. Its Lady Chrono Diamonds Collection, in deep red or white, is perfect for day or evening wear. Its T-Race Lady, worn by Danica Patrick, is sporty and chic, while its Classic Prince Gold, a re-launch of a timepiece that dates from 1916, and the Retro Gold with its automatic movement are elegance itself. And there’s more - Tissot will shortly introduce even more watches dedicated to women which you will be able to discover on www.europastar.com.




Ritmo Mvndo, Balmain and Aquanautic


Ritmo Mvndo
The Beverley Hills luxury watch manufacturer Ritmo Mvndo is not only popular with young women, but famous women too - Halle Berry, Heather Locklear, Naomi Campbell, Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera are all big fans of the brand. The brand took off when it offered a watch with a lavender dial to Elizabeth Taylor for her birthday. Since then Ritmo Mvndo has developed its vibrantly coloured collections, with almost every dial colour possible. With prices starting at US$400 for their Rock Star model, your clients don’t need to be rock stars to afford one either.

Balmain
As the official sponsor of Miss Switzerland, Balmain has created a Miss Suisse collection in several variations. The collection includes ladies’ chronographs, which are available with or without diamonds. The winner of this year’s Miss Switzerland, Christa Rigozzi, will wear the Miss Suisse Chrono Lady during her 12 month reign. This polished steel timepiece has an elegantly curved case, a cabochon stone set in the crown and an arabesque decoration on the dial, all of which are distinctive motifs of Balmain’s.

Aquanautic
Aquanautic’s women’s collection, like its men’s collection, is inspired by water. The elegant steel designs incorporate a system of interchangeable straps and bezels so each client can chose her own combination. The timepieces are set with the highest quality VVS diamonds using round or princess cuts (For more information on diamond rating see Keith W. Strandberg’s article ‘Diamonds are a watch retailer's best friend...if you know what you are selling’ in this issue).





Alfex and Geiger


Alfex
The new Tribal collection by Alfex is a combination of jewellery and timepieces. Designed by Julia Hou for women, the Tribal watch has, what Julia calls, “rays of sunlight” that can be worn in two ways, with the rays facing up the wrist or down the arm. In addition to the watch, the Tribal collection includes a matching necklace and earrings.

Geiger
Geiger’s GE6000 collection with its dual dials shows the hours on the top dial and the minutes on the bottom dial. The timepiece is also available as a dual time with ‘Home’ on top and ‘World’ on the bottom. This stainless steel collection is equipped with a Swiss Ronda calibre 751 movement and comes in pink and white or black and white.




Locman, Elini and Glam Rock


Locman
The watch brand Locman, based on the island of Elba in Italy, proposes its Otto collection for today’s young women. The collection is available in three sizes, but the Mini Otto collection is the most feminine with subtly coloured dials of mother-of-pearl and/or varnished ceramic. What is more, the Mini Otto collection is only available with gem settings. Otto, the Italian word for the number eight, symbolises infinity and is well known for being a lucky number in Asia.

Elini
Elini’s South Beach collection was named after this exciting part of Miami. A comfortably light polycarbonate material has been used to make the case and the bracelet, while satin straps are also available for a more evening look. This watch is set with diamonds (0.60 carat) around the bezel. As a finishing touch, a solitary diamond can be found set into the caseback.

Glam Rock
The new Miami Beach collection of watches from Glam Rock gets its inspiration from the waterfront city lifestyle. Applied indexes, mother-of-pearl dials, colour coordinated crowns and hands, roman numerals and unusual graphic designs all emphasize the appeal of the Glam Rock timepieces. Some versions are enriched with diamonds, while other models are sportier with silicon straps and turning bezels. The symbol of the crown is part of the philosophy of the brand, embossed on the case back, on the buckle and on the dial with a heart over the top.




Saint Honoré, Cacharel and Marc Jacobs


Saint Honoré
This Orsay Carrée Médium timepiece by Saint Honoré captures the eye with a spiral of different sized numbers and a turning monogram at 6 o’clock. The reflections from the mother-of-pearl dial and the scattering of diamonds enhance this chic piece which comes in stainless steel or a gold plated case. There are 36 diamonds, 28 on the bezel and 8 on the dial (0.27 carats in total). There is also a choice of three movements: chronograph, automatic or quartz.

Cacharel
Sweetness and femininity are part of the identity and charm of Cacharel. Their Frozen watch collection captures both with its white, ‘frosted’ theme. There are two versions, a rectangular watch and a leather band with a watch charm. Embellished with colourful stripes, this collection highlights the romantic values of the brand and its appeal to the younger woman.

Marc Jacobs
The youthful styles of the new Marc by Marc Jacobs collection of women’s watches showcase unique colour coordinated dials and straps. One of the lines includes baubles that double as necklaces or handbag attachments in the shapes of apples, pears, stars and balls. The designer’s signature aesthetic and youthful offhand charm shines through in this collection which launched this autumn.

The office ladies niche is more popular than ever with an incredible choice for today’s young women. From sporty to glamorous, classic to cool, there is something for every young professional to spend her money on during her lunch hour.


Source: Europa Star October-November 2006 Magazine Issue