Known for its trendsetting designs and styles, Versace remains the epitome of the luxury fashion industry. The founder Gianni Versace put the brand on the world map of luxury fashion by appealing to the rock and roll generation, Hollywood celebrities, and intriguing glamour. 50 years of experience in the industry gives the brand an edge for its fearless fashion with a contemporary essence. The brand has over 200 boutique stories and 1500 wholesalers worldwide, making the products available across 35 countries.
Versace entered into the world of horology only after the passing of the founder. In this article, we will learn more about Versace’s brand history and connection with watchmaking, we’ll also cover the brand’s watch collections and review some specific watches.
Table of Contents
Versace Brand History
Donatella Versace, Gianni’s younger sister, took over the reins of the brand Versace after his tragic death in 1997. Her vision to run a successful business and remain a household name drives Versace to stay on top of the industry. The brand’s logo is the face of a Greek mythological figure, Medusa. The founder believed that people fell in love with Medusa when they looked into her eyes and envisioned her brand to have the same effect when people wore her fashion.
In 2004, Versace’s watch-making division went through a major change. Timex Group bought Versace SA. Ever since this acquisition, Timex has remained at the center of manufacturing luxury watches on behalf of Versace. For Timex, this was an interesting acquisition since it was their entry into the designer watch industry using Swiss movements and competing with high-end brands in a price range that were above Timex, with many Versace watches selling in the $1,000 range.
For Versace, this acquisition meant that they could manufacture and produce quality watches and increase distribution channels.
Although Donatella is no longer the head of the brand, she runs the show as the creative director.
In 2018, Michael Kors bought Versace. So the Versace brand is owned by Michael Kors (under Capri Holding Ltd.) but the Versace watch brand is still listed under Timex.
Michael Kors watches are made by the Fossil Group and Versace is made by the Timex Group. Confused yet? You might be surprised how many different watch brands are owned by larger groups. Like much of the fashion industry, watch brands have been acquired by large conglomerates.
Versace Watches, A Fashion Watch For All Occasions
Taking to its signature style, Versace watches, too, represent a tone for exquisiteness. The iconic Medusa finds herself at the center of every dial in most former editions. However, the newer timepieces bear the Medusa face at 12 o’clock with the name Versace embossed below.
Versace has a vast collection of watches, for men and women, in unique styles and different features. In 1998, the parent company launched Versace SA as an independent company to manufacture and distribute fashion watches globally. Based in Geneva, Versace watches come with the Swiss seal of perfection and quality assurance. Perfectly harmonizing Italian style with Swiss guarantee puts Versace watches amongst the elite in the industry. Be it a simple, timeless design or a modern chronograph with complex movements, Versace has something for everyone. Check out our list of Versace watch collections below.
Versace Watch Collections
The brand’s official website currently has about 29 different types of watches for women and 10 for men. This list will cover some of the best collections based on design, features, and usability.
Men’s Collection
Divided into three main collections, the ten watches under the men’s collection have a distinctive Versace soul running at the crux of its design aesthetics.
Greca Chrono Watches
Priced a little over a thousand grand, the Greca Chrono collection looks bold and sporty. Available in three variants, all dual tones – gold + black, white + gold, and black + blue, the Greca Chrono collection offers an affirmation to Versace’s fashion statement.
The Greca Chrono collection comes with advanced Indiglo technology that emits light in absolute darkness upon pressing the crown. The Tachymeter displayed on the outer bezel, along with a dual chronograph, enables recording different time and speed readings, adding to the practicality of the watch.
On the face of the watch, you can see the Medusa face at 12 o’clock, a date window at 4 o’clock, and a sub-dial for reading secondary time. Moreover, the watches come equipped with SM921 Swiss quartz movement. A variation of the Greca Chrono is the Greca Logo, without the chronograph and tachymeter that is available only in full black with gold rims.
V-Chrono Watch Collection
The V-Chrono watches come in four iterations – full gold with a white dial, silver bracelet with a deep blue dial, dual-tone silver and gold bracelet with a black dial, and a classic white dial with a gold case and black bracelet. The outer bezel proudly showcases Versace’s embossed words and the Medusa face at 12 o’clock.
Encased in a 44 mm case, these timepieces come with a chronometer and a secondary sub-dial. The date window at 4 o’clock remains, much like the Greca Chrono collection, and this collection is designed with a Swiss quartz Chrono movement. Simple yet sophisticated, the V-Chrono Collection is a visual treat every time you look at it.
If you are looking for older Versace watches, you can find them on Amazon here.
Women’s Collection
Spread across about eight collections, the Versace women’s watch collection displays vibrant design, striking colors, and ornate features.
Meander Collection
The Meander collection comes in six styles – rose gold bracelet with an off white dial, silver bracelet with blue and gold dial, black strap bracelet with black and gold dial, gold bracelet with an off white dial, red strap with red and gold dial, and white strap with rose gold and white dial.
Inspired by the Greca elegance, the Meander collection celebrates Versace’s heritage and legacy. Encased in a 37 mm diameter, the face of the watch displays the Medusa face at 12 o’clock, and the words Versace embossed on the surface of the dial. The minute markings and hour hands come in gold with a simple, clean look. Build with a Ronda 762, Swiss quartz two hands movement, these watches have water-resistance of 100 feet.
Palazzo Empire Greca Collection
The Palazzo Empire Greca collection is Versace’s most prized watch for women, rich in build quality and exquisite in style. The Medusa face embellished on the dial’s glass with the Versace logo at 12 o’clock on the face of the dial gives this collection a never-seen-before aesthetic. The dials possess a matte finish, adding to its enriched fashion statement.
Engineered with a quartz movement, the timepieces come encased in a 37 mm round dial. The Palazzo Empire Greca collection is a testament to Versace’s iconic details and valiant fashion sense. Purely an embodiment of a fashion watch, the Palazzo Empire Greca collection stands true to its name. Pair any fashion clothes with the Palazzo Empire Greca watches, and you will not be disappointed. The Greca Logo collection, much like the men’s counterpart, offers a similar design but a feminine touch.
Other watch collections worth looking at are Palazzo Empire Barocco, Tribute, and Virtus Mini Duo.
Versace Brand Reputation
As a high-end fashion brand, Versace garners a huge following of loyal patrons. As we see celebrities flaunt their Versace, either in movies or on a red carpet, the brand gets closer to attracting more people into its verse. This same unfiltered reputation follows through with the Versace watches as well. Even though Versace is not a mainstream watchmaker, their fashion watches live up to the name.
Great reliability, extraordinary aesthetics, and top-of-the-line materials ensure the watches’ longevity. Most of all, Versace watches are versatile and dynamic, even with the change in time and change in fashion appeals, the watches beautifully adapt and suit all generations. Post the acquisition, fans feared that Versace watches would begin to replicate Michael Kors’s. However, the brand’s permission to never compromise its fashion authenticity keeps its individuality as a watch brand alive.
Is Versace A Good Watch Brand?
Versace is primarily known for designer clothes, not watchmaking. Similar to other designer brands like Emporio Armani watches or Gucci watches, shoppers appreciate the aesthetics and style of these watches. The brand recognition, logo and designer’s name are much of what drives the price of these watches.
If you are a fan of designer clothes and appreciate the Versace brand then it’s a decent fashion watch brand. But, it’s important to note, that in part you are paying for the image, not the watchmaking. Since you could find other very respected Swiss watch brands that have iconic watches starting in the same range as Versace. As many watch aficionados will point out, you could buy an entry-level Tag Heuer or Longines for the price of a Versace watch.
If you are looking for a watch with specific watch complications, like a tool watch, Versace is not for you. However, Versace watches are a good choice for those who love stylish, bold watches from a world-renowned designer brand.
The Medusa logo is one of the main attractive features these watches are widely sought after. If you can spare a thousand grand on a fashion item, then yes, Versace gives you multiple options. They cannot double up as daily wear watches or outdoor activities, and these qualities make them a perfect gift option for your loved ones on birthdays or anniversaries.
However, we always recommend our audience consider all aspects like budget, type, features, and useability before investing in a watch. Don’t let just one criterion drive your decision in investing a huge amount since many affordable luxury watches for the same price as Versace can offer other benefits.
Where To Buy Versace Watches?
You can buy Versace watches directly from the official website. Though Versace does not ship to all countries, you can check for a Boutique or a store near you here.
The official Versace website displays their current edition of watches.
If you are looking for a previous model or cannot source it from Versace’s website, large online retailers like Amazon would be your best bet.
Read below to check for fake watches while buying from unauthorized sellers.
Where Are Versace Made?
Geneva, Switzerland, is the hometown of Versace watches. Designed, manufactured, and assembled in Switzerland, Versace watches comply with Swiss certification.
Given the popularity of Versace watches, they are often sold by unauthorized dealers and fake watch producers. We recommend checking the back of the watch for the Swiss-made tag and buying from authorized and reputable dealers.
Versace Warranty
The brand follows the same warranty policy for all its products. You can find the details of the warranty on the official website. According to this, faulty products or have manufacturing defects within 24 months from the date of purchase can be easily replaced.
Every product will include a pre-printed return form and return label, and by filling this up, you qualify for returning defective products. However, you must submit the form and send back the product within two months of detecting the default, failing which the warranty is null and void. You can easily contact Versace’s customer support from their website, based on your location, for any further assistance.
