Forget Bracelets, Watch Layering Is the Chicest Trend for Summer 2024

Watch layering is set to become the ultimate fashion trick for summer 2024. We are used to stacking bracelets, but watches are following suit this year. The watch layering, or watch stacking, trend is gaining a legion of admirers over on TikTok, racking up millions of views from creators from all around the world who rocking two and even three watches on their wrists as a fashion statement.

This “double watch” trend might be making a comeback right now, but it's definitely not a new practice. Princess Diana was already a fan of watch stacking in the '80s. Attending a polo match in Windsor just a few days before marrying Prince Charles in July 1981, Lady Di was already spotted layering two Patek Philippe watches.

For her watch layering, Princess Diana combined the smaller Calatrava style in yellow gold, a piece that was a gift from her fiancé for his 20th birthday that same year, with a larger Disco Volante that belonged to Prince Charles. (The watch owes its nickname to the shape of its distinctive case, inspired by a flying saucer.) In the early years of their marriage, Lady Di frequently wore her watch next to his as a statement.

Because fashion is cyclical, 43 years later, the trend Princess Diana pioneered is making a comeback with the “It” girls layering up their watches as the ultimate way to elevate a simple summer outfit.

Manufacturers are constantly pushing the boundaries of watchmaking, making them more and more jewelry-esque with time. Nowadays, watches are straying away from their practical function and, more often than not, worn just for aesthetics. We have been witness of this metamorphosis for years, with celebs turning watches into chokers, necklaces, and, in the case of Rihanna, even anklets. A step in-between, we now find layered watches — not fully transforming the piece but reinventing the way it's worn.

Kylie Jenner gives watch layering her stamp of approval

The ultimate proof that watch layering is on the rise is Kylie Jenner embracing the trend while on vacation in Mallorca, Spain. During her time on the island, Jenner wore an immaculate Jacquemus look that she rounded off with two watches on her wrist. Jenner opted for two iconic timepieces: a Panthère in gold by Cartier, the most sought-after watch at the moment, and a Baignoire in gold Baignoire, also a fashion favorite.

Previously, it was Nicola Peltz Beckham who gave the trend her stamp of approval. On vacation with her friend Selena Gomez, the actress shared a snapshot on Instagram in which she wore not one but two Cartier Panthère watches on her wrist.

Nicola Peltz Beckham makes the double watch trend her own

You don't have to buy watches from Patek Philippe or Cartier to partake in this trend. Given the styles favored for watch layering seem to be dainty and small like those favored in the ‘80s and ’90s, thrifting and second-hand shopping will likely grant you better results. Before you even set out on your quest to find the perfect watch, if you had a fashionable mom or grandma, a small scour through their closets wouldn't hurt. If not, we have selected some picks for you.

This story first appeared in Vogue France. It has been translated and adapted by Sara Delgado.