A woman’s touch — watchmaking’s future depends on it

Let’s be honest, watchmaking hasn’t exactly built its reputation on diversity. 

When you picture a master watchmaker, I’m pretty sure you don’t picture a woman. But here’s the thing — if the industry wants to thrive over the next few decades, not just survive, it needs women. Not as a token gesture. Not as a panel topic once a year. But as a strategic priority.

And I’m not talking about ‘more women’ in a vague sense. I’m talking about women with engineering brains, creative vision, commercial instinct, and the patience to solve problems. 

From the tiny gears hidden beneath a dial to the big strategic calls made in boardrooms, women are already proving they’re not just part of the workforce — they’re part of the answer.

If you’ve ever worked in retail marketing like I have, you know strategy isn’t just about making something look pretty. It’s about understanding people. Anticipating what they’ll want before they articulate it. Building products and teams that genuinely resonate. When I look at watchmaking through that lens, one thing becomes clear: the industry’s biggest risk isn’t demand. It’s talent.

As older master watchmakers retire, there simply aren’t enough highly trained recruits to replace them, as my colleague Daniel Malins explored just last month. Modern watchmaking isn’t just about steady hands and good eyesight anymore, it demands engineering capability, science knowledge, digital fluency, and the ability to innovate while respecting centuries of tradition.

That’s not a narrow skill set. That’s a hybrid one.

Increasingly, women — especially those coming through STEM pathways — are uniquely positioned to fill that gap. The advantage women bring to engineering and technical roles isn’t just technical competence, it’s perspective. Time and again, I’ve seen how women bridge the gap between product and person. They think about how something works but also how it feels, who it’s for, and how it fits into a life. In watchmaking, that dual lens is powerful. It means designing timepieces that are mechanically exceptional and culturally relevant. It means understanding that sizing, complications, aesthetics, and wearability aren’t niche considerations, they’re strategic ones.

Female buyers are playing an increasingly influential role in watch purchasing and design trends, making it logical that inclusive design starts at the drawing board. 

According to industry census data from the Convention Patronale de l’Industrie Horlogère Suisse, women represent roughly 43% of the Swiss watch industry workforce, yet hold only about one-fifth of executive roles. At a time when diverse thinking and hybrid expertise are critical, that gap isn’t just unfair — it feels inefficient.

Women shaping watchmaking isn’t a new phenomenon. It’s just a story that hasn’t been told loudly enough. In the mid 20th century, Betty Fiechter led Blancpain through significant strategic decisions and mergers, helping steer the brand during pivotal moments in its history. 

Today, leaders like Caroline Scheufele at Chopard and Ilaria Resta at Audemars Piguet show how artistic direction, brand storytelling, and digital innovation can reshape a heritage maison for a modern audience.

It’s not only happening at executive level. Anita Porchet, one of the most respected enamellers in the world, creates extraordinary dials for Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin — preserving centuries-old decorative techniques while pushing artistic boundaries. 

On the technical side, engineers like Anne-Gaëlle Quinet, head of complications at Audemars Piguet, are working on some of the most sophisticated mechanical movements in contemporary watchmaking. That’s not just symbolic participation, it’s real technical expertise shaping the industry.

With International Women’s Day around the corner, it’s tempting for industries to focus on panels. Campaigns, and hashtags. But in watchmaking, this conversation needs to go deeper. If watchmaking wants to solve its talent shortage and stay culturally relevant in a rapidly changing luxury landscape, embracing diverse, technically skilled, and visionary women isn’t optional.