If my Slack status shows I’m offline while I’m supposed to be working, it’s likely because I’m sitting next to my manager (and Who What Wear’s fashion director), Michaela Bushkin, yapping about fashion finds. There’s never a day when I come into the office without complimenting her on a new bag I haven’t seen, asking her where she got her loafers, or making her send me a link to the earrings she’s sporting. On a recent day at work, she flashed a new watch, and of course, I immediately asked about it. The pro, she explained, is that it’s incredibly cute. The con? The watch batteries were dead and couldn’t be charged (a problem we’ve all dealt with).
Fast-forward a couple of weeks to Michaela coming into the office with a new watch, this time from Citizen—an attainable-luxury watch brand with batteries you never need to worry about replacing. Yep, you heard that right. Turns out these watches are sustainably powered by light. Literally any light—the sun, the lights in your house, your car’s headlights, you name it. Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology converts light into renewable energy, so you can run your watch 24/7 without needing to charge it.
Not only do these watches have groundbreaking sustainability features, but they’re plain chic. They’re perfect for every occasion—a morning full of meetings, date nights, travel days, weekend plans, and everything in between. And with the holidays coming up, Citizen watches are the perfect gift for any luxury lover on your list. Keep scrolling to see how Michaela is wearing her favorites this season.
For date nights, Michaela turns to the Bianca watch. The design, which is inspired by the feminine motifs in Art Deco style, is stunning. It’s a gold-toned, stainless steel watch with a mother-of-pearl dial. “This gold tone watch is perfect for dressing up a look for an evening out on the town—whether the occasion is a wedding, a holiday party, or in this case, a date night,” she explained. “It adds a little extra glam for those moments when you’re not trying to be subtle.” The rest of her outfit followed suit—her leopard miniskirt, knee-high boots, and big, chunky gold ring brought out more bold elements. “My favorite aspect of this particular watch is the vintage vibe of the square frame.”
“On the weekends, I’m all about dressing for comfort while still looking put together, because you never know where the day may take you,” Michaela explained. And it was easy for her to feel put together with her Ceci watch on. With its silver and rose gold–toned stainless steel case and rich brown display, it’s pure elegance. “Here I wore my most comfortable pair of denim, a cozy cashmere sweater, flats I could walk miles in, and my Citizen watch with an ultrasoft leather strap. The details on this watch give it a luxe feel, so I can really take it from day to night as needed.” We both couldn’t get over how perfectly the brown leather watch strap matched her brown leather bag.
Though Michaela and I don’t go into the office all the time, when we do, we like to dress up. So I wasn’t surprised to see her wearing the Arcly watch, the newest addition to Citizen’s women’s collection. The rose-gold metal is stunning, plus the watch has a touch of diamonds that just make it that much more extra (in the best way). “On this day, I wanted to feel really elevated,” Michaela told me. “I went for a blazer, accessories, black kitten heels, and my rose-gold watch. The bracelet strap of the watch combined with the less common metal color is all just very chic and polished. Plus, I’ve discovered that wearing a watch to the office means I won’t be late for any meetings.”
There’s nothing I love more than something versatile, so when Michaela wore the same Arcly watch as above with a different strap, I was more than intrigued. “In case I wasn’t obsessed enough with the rose-gold watch above, it comes with a second strap option, making it a two-for-one watch,” she said. The silver-colored apple leather makes it feel more casual, so Michaela chose it for a travel day that called for a comfortable outfit. “I leaned into the comfortability with an oversize sweater, silky pants, and sneakers. This watch is perfect to pack for upcoming holiday travels because it allows you to have two options to style with all of your different outfits.” I’m sold.