Watch designers have found a new use for mother-of-pearl. It's being used to create iridescent watch faces that seem to glow all the time. "The new faces have been dyed to match colorful straps in satin, patent leather and alligator skin," say In Style jewelry writers Marion Fasel and Penney Proddow. "That makes them a smart monochromatic mate for bright cashmere sweaters and jeans – or an elegant counterpoint to autumn's creamy whites and taupes."

Featured in October's In Style are: a stainless-steel case and mother-of-pearl face with diamonds by Chaumet, a white gold bezel with diamonds on an alligator band by Corum, a stainless-steel case with diamonds and a mother-of-pearl face on a patent leather strap by Michele Watches, a mother-of-pearl Speedmaster watch with diamonds from Omega and a mother-of-pearl watch with diamonds on a crocodile strap by H. Stern.

- by Julia M. Duncan