Watches are being worn as jewelry, and not only on the wrist. At the 2026 MTV VMAs, Tyla wore an 18K gold Chopard watch from the L'Heure du Diamant collection, set with diamonds and fitted with a turquoise dial and strap, around her ankle. It joins watch chokers and pendant watches in a trend that treats a timepiece as an ornament first. The everyday version is simpler and more wearable: the jewelry watch, a diamond or gold watch made to be worn like a bracelet.
The Ankle Watch, the Watch Choker and the Pocket Watch Pendant
Tyla is not the first to move a watch off the wrist. Rihanna wore a Jacob & Co. diamond watch on her ankle at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, and wore one of the brand's diamond-set tourbillons as a choker in Paris. Tyla herself wore a Jacob & Co. watch choker at the 2024 MTV EMAs, and Taylor Swift wore a Lorraine Schwartz watch choker to the 2024 Grammys. On the Spring/Summer 2027 runways, Coach and Ralph Lauren both showed watches and watch-like pendants hanging from cords.
The idea is older than it looks. One jewelry historian points to the cocktail party in Breakfast at Tiffany's, where a guest checks the time on a woman's ankle. And for most of the twentieth century, the great jewelry houses made watches that were really bracelets with a small dial, worn for evening rather than timekeeping.
Why the Wristwatch Started as Jewelry
It is easy to forget that the wristwatch itself began as a piece of jewelry. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, men carried pocket watches, and watches worn on the wrist were mostly made for women, as jeweled bracelets with a small dial. It took the practical demands of the early twentieth century, when officers and pilots needed the time without reaching into a pocket, for the wristwatch to become standard for men. The great jewelry houses never stopped making the other kind. Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari and Chopard all built watches where the dial was almost an afterthought, set into gold, diamonds and colored stones. Today’s trend is really a return to where the wristwatch started.
What Makes a Watch a Jewelry Watch
A jewelry watch is designed around its case and bracelet rather than its movement. Look for:
- A bracelet that does the work: gold mesh, coiled gold, or a line of diamonds, so the watch reads as a bracelet first.
- Gem-set cases and bezels: diamonds around the dial, or colored stones such as emeralds and sapphires.
- Decorative dials: mother-of-pearl, hardstone, mirror or enamel dials, chosen for color rather than legibility.
- Secret watches: a cover that hides the dial completely, so the piece looks like a bracelet until it is opened.
The estate market is one of the best places to find them, because many were made in small numbers and are no longer produced. A Chopard platinum Art Deco-style watch with diamonds and emeralds shows the jewelry-first approach, and a Chopard Classique Femme in white gold with diamonds and a secret compartment shows how playful the category can be. Bulgari's Tubogas, a coil of gold made without solder, is the purest example of a watch that is really a bracelet, as in this two-tone BB Tubogas watch.
How to Wear a Jewelry Watch Every Day
- Stack it like a bracelet. A slim gold or diamond watch sits naturally between a bangle and a tennis bracelet. Keep the metals consistent, or mix them on purpose.
- Give it its own wrist. A bold diamond watch, like a Jacob & Co. Five Time Zone with a diamond bezel, looks best alone, with jewelry on the other wrist.
- Match the scale to the outfit. A small dial on a fine bracelet suits evening and tailoring; a larger gold case suits denim and knits.
- If you try the ankle: use a strap or bracelet that can be closed securely and sized properly, keep it for evenings, and take it off before walking far. A watch on the ankle takes knocks a wrist never does.
Buying a Pre-Owned Jewelry Watch
Check that every stone is present and tight, that the bracelet or strap closes securely, and that the crown and movement work. Small ladies' movements need servicing like any other watch, so ask about service history. Many small jewelry watches use quartz movements, which are simple to keep running with a battery change; mechanical ones need a full service every several years. Ask which kind a watch has, and whether its strap or bracelet is original, before you buy. Each watch we list is examined before it goes on sale. Browse Chopard watches, Bulgari watches, Cartier watches, Van Cleef & Arpels watches and new Jacob & Co. watches. Watches ship free and insured and can be exchanged within 7 days.
Frequently asked
What watch did Tyla wear on her ankle at the 2026 VMAs?
An 18K gold Chopard watch from the L'Heure du Diamant collection, set with diamonds and fitted with a turquoise dial and a turquoise strap, worn as an anklet.
What is a jewelry watch?
A watch designed primarily as a piece of jewelry, with a decorative bracelet, gem-set case or bezel, or decorative dial. Some are secret watches, where a cover hides the dial so the piece looks like a bracelet.
Can I wear a watch as a bracelet in a stack?
Yes. A slim gold or diamond watch works well between bangles and tennis bracelets. Keep metals consistent or mix them deliberately, and give a bold watch its own wrist.