The mother of pearl dial-face is a unique addition to this already pale and nearly luminous watch.

Written By: Kaelyn Harding

Tired of the gaudy bangle watches that are cropping up in recent fashion trends? The Gucci Women’s YA126504 has decided to return to the classic look of the watch with this installment of the G-Timeless line. Get ready to unfold your money clip, because this throw-back has just as many elegant new twists as it does old favorites.

The women’s YA126504 wears the traditional circular clock dial with pride, making it easy to tell the time. Stainless steel frames a cut of mother of pearl which creates a hypnotic ripple-effect beneath the sapphire-crystal watch cover.  For every hour, a diamond stud takes the place of numbers, giving the entire timepiece a water-like glitter. Keeping with the radiant shine of the steel band and frame, the clock hands are bright silver and move over the waves of the pearl below them smoothly. Where mother of pearl is often a tacky material to craft anything out of due to its overuse in the tourist trade, Gucci has elevated the common material into something truly elegant.

Signature promises of the Gucci line are water-resistant frames and anti-reflective/scratch-resistant covers. The YA126504 sports both. The texture of the wristband solves the problem that many had with G-Line and other watches with large flat surface areas: lots of smudging. A simple run with a cloth should keep this watch grime-free and looking sharp. Additionally, the diamond studs and sapphire-crystal additions to this piece should be a good indication that the G-Timeless series is invested in high-quality materials and high-quality craftsmanship. The $995 price tag is more reasonable when you consider that this watch has the equivalent of an entire wedding-ring’s worth of diamonds in it. Along with mother of pearl, the G-Timeless line has varying colors of dials from black and smokey brown, to plain white and silver.

Unlike many of the other Gucci watches, the YA126504 has a classic bracelet with an elastic-like stretch that can pinch skin and yank sensitive arm hairs. In this case, the hearkening back to the retro-chique look is a painful trade-off compared to the jewelry clasps that consumers have become used to from the Gucci women’s line. Of course many could prefer the conforming cling that the classic band offers, but since watches in most women’s lines have moved away from that style, I think it is clear that the pinching, for most people, isn’t worth the two seconds it might take to adjust the position of your watch on your wrist.

The G-Timeless YA126504 is truly a buy that consumers should consider carefully. If quality and luxury is your aim, then this Gucci may be for you. Just remember the $995 price-tag.