TRENDS: This summer’s hottest timepiece is the bangle watch

As temperatures rev up ahead of summer, and sleeves rolled up and arms bared, there’s one style of watch in particular that’s ticking all the right boxes. 

Bangle watches are back in the zeitgeist, tapping into everyone’s current obsession with vintage-inspired design codes. This includes the 1970s in particular, when brands like Gucci, Cartier, and Bulgari popularised jewellery-inspired watches, and they were worn by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor. It was just after streamlined quartz movements became widespread, too, meaning watch designers could experiment with smaller case sizes.

Bangle watches were popular at Geneva Watch Week back in April, with several brands showcasing timepieces on structured bracelets. Whether you call them a bangle or a cuff, they’re all sleek and streamlined — and perfect for stacking this summer. 

Of course, Cartier revived the bangle trend when it relaunched its Baignoire watch in 2023. It revisited the design for 2026 at Watches and Wonders, reimagining it to include its Clou de Paris motif, another Cartier signature, in solid 18ct gold or gold and diamonds. 

Also launched in Geneva in April was the Piaget Polo 79 Sodalite, which featured the 79’s integrated bracelet design with a beautiful sodalite stone dial. In white gold, its lines are clean, minimal, and refreshing — like a cold glass of water on a hot summer’s day. 

Frederique Constant, too, showcased a bangle watch in Geneva. For 2026 it brought back the Classics Manchette from its archive, where it originally appeared in 2002. The chunky cuff watch is powered by a quartz movement, and comes in seven variations, some of which feature hardstone dials, including turquoise and malachite. 

Also exhibiting in Geneva was Gucci, which brought back two well-loved watch lines: the Horsebit and the Bamboo. The latter reflects the house’s favoured material for bag handles, with four variants — the coolest of which (and the one that will undoubtedly be its bestseller) is made from actual bamboo. Meanwhile, the Horsebit builds upon the maison’s iconic motif, turning it into a sleek timepiece with sculptural steel bracelet. 

Finally, also building on its equestrian past is Ralph Lauren, which has just launched the Stirrup bangle watch, in stainless steel with Roman numeral hour markers. 

So with that said, it’s time to don your kaftan, fire up your Studio 54 playlist, and slip on a bangle watch. The Seventies summer is here to stay.