It used to be that women were short-changed when it came to mechanical timepieces but watchmakers are waking up to their interest in the cogs and wheels under the dial that were once thought to hold only the interest of men. This year's array of women's watches contain sophisticated mechanics, extensions to classic lines and beautiful pieces of watch jewellery.

Patek Philippe has long recognised women's desire for mechanical timepieces and has even been known to add new movements to women's watches before they appeared in men's collections.

The watchmaker first produced minute repeater timepieces for women more than 100 years ago, and this year it launches the Reference 7000 Ladies First Minute Repeater, which combines one of the most complicated movements with elegant finesse.

The self-winding calibre R 27 PS is one of the thinnest movements - measuring a mere 5.05mm - housing a two-gong striking mechanism.

The complicated 342-part movement is housed in a simple officer's-style case with cream and rose-gold hues.

According to Fausto Salvi, the chief executive of Perrelet, women are seduced by high quality and refined materials such as precious stones and satin straps, which the watchmaker has responded to by adapting its flagship, masculine Turbine model by adding diamonds to dials.

The Turbine XS model is a collection with twin faces that, "Radiate a blend of urban charm and a delightfully escapist feel," Salvi says.

Stainless steel or DLC-coated stainless steel cases surround white or black mother-of-pearl dials with diamonds set on each 'spoke'.

Both versions are fitted with Perrelet's exclusive automatic P-181 Double Rotor movement providing 28,800 beats per hour and 40 hours' power reserve.

The watchmaker also adds to its First Class Lady series with 64 diamonds on the bezel around a white or black mother-of-pearl dial.

Jules Audemars is the classic family of watches by Audemars Piguet and the watchmaker adds a new model to the line with the Jules Audemars Small Seconds.

The company's own hand-wound Audemars Piguet Calibre 3090 beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour inside a pink or white gold case with a silver dial. A sapphire case back displays a movement bevelled and polished down to the last screw.

Chopard is undergoing a process of vertical integration and chooses to debut its first movement developed and made in the Fleurier Ebauches workshop owned by the company in a women's watch.

The Imperiale Full Set combines haute joaillerie and mechanical sophistication. The watch is fitted with the Chopard 01.03-C movement, which beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and accommodates a 60-hour power reserve.

The new movement is cloaked in a 40mm white or rose gold case regally set with baguette and brilliant-cut diamonds. Dials are also set with diamonds and only interrupted by dagger-shaped hour and minute hands.

Chopard adds other variations to the Imperiale line, including a two-tone model and another with a 28mm case.

The Formula 1 Lady Steel and Ceramic Chronograph by Tag Heuer contains all the sporty spirit of its Formula 1 men's range, including a special ceramic material developed for the watchmaker.

The 41mm case, black dial with running seconds and a chronograph minute counter as well as the Tag Heuer Formula 1 lettering on the dial keep the spirit of the collection. Zenith unveils a new moon phase to its Heritage line and also combines technical performance with female-friendly aesthetics. The Heritage Ultra Thin Lady Moonphase is fitted with Zenith's ultra-thin Elite movement with the moonphase function appearing at the six o'clock position and a small seconds subdial at 9 o'clock.

The watch comes with four dials in mother-of-pearl, guilloche silver-toned, chocolate or glacier blue, as well as a version with a fully set diamond dial.

The watchmaker also launches a new El Primero 36,000 VPH 38mm Lady, with a superior balance that oscillates 10 times a second, or 36,000 vibrations per hour. The automatic chronograph pairs a tachometric scale with hues that include chocolate and chestnut, steel, glacier blue or mother-of-pearl. Some versions include a diamond-studded bezel or hour markers set with a diamond.

Omega's new Ladymatic range draws influences from the original 1950s Ladymatic collection but gets a modern technological and aesthetic makeover. The watch is powered by the Omega's Co-Axial calibre 8520/8521, containing the co-axial escapement that greatly impacted the making of mechanical watches when it launched 12 years ago. German watchmaker Chronoswiss named its classic range of watches Kairos, a collection that "leaves nothing to chance".

An automatic movement with a ball-borne rotor and sterling silver engine unifies this family of watches, as well as a round case with a decorated bezel. New additions to the family include the Kairos Lady Automatic with a 30mm case in gold or a gold/steel combination.

Rolex extends its classic Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust collection by adding sparkle. The new models have yellow or white Rolesor (the watchmaker's own gold and stainless steel mix) cases with gold crystals on the dial.

Girard-Perregaux extends its Cat's Eye collection by adding a small seconds function. The watch is powered by the watchmaker's tried-and-tested GP3300 movement with an engraved, pink gold oscillating weight. The movement is visible under a sapphire caseback. Tudor's Clair de Rose is all about the aesthetics and notions of romance. Moonlit nights and cloudy skies provided the inspiration, which is reinterpreted on mother-of-pearl dial and carried through to the satin strap.

The self-winding watch comes with a steel or steel and pink gold case in three sizes (26mm, 30mm or 34mm) and sky, white, jade or Tahiti pearl dials.

Brands mentioned in this article: TAG Heuer, Girard-Perregaux, Perrelet, Chopard & Chronoswiss.