I saw this post on an omega Facebook page. The writer said I could post it here . Some great pics of the lady in question too.

A fun fact for Sunday: French actress and singer, born in Egypt, Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, known under the artistic pseudonym Dalida. The Great Diva of French song, who won the Egyptian Beauty Contest in 1954 and began a career of over thirty years in 1956, selling over 170 million albums and singles worldwide. The great lover of fashion, beloved by the greatest fashion houses of the time, often wore on her wrist an OMEGA watch from the Moonwatch collection, ref 105.003. Who does not know even this great hit of hers:

 

Speedmaster's look as good on a woman as a man, usually better.
The 1st and last photos might have been for a record cover - shown here with the Speedy on her wrist-

 

Yes, I was surprised by how the leather strap tones down the watch to the extent that it does.

 

Her music is still a big deal here in France. There's a 2016 movie about her. Can't see a speedy in the trailer though!

 

Fascinating! Is this the original "woman with a tool watch" we are seeing here? I am not counting Amelia Earhart and others who wore one with practical purposes in mind here...

In many ways women like her are the original watch enthusiasts when comparing with the type of collector/enthusiast we see today - much more than those who had a special relationship with their watches due to the nature of their work/passions such as the astronauts, Jacque Cousteau et al, someone picking a specific watch as a fashion statement or just for the hell of it have motives similar to the collector of today

 

Could be. She was born before Nina Rindt but I don't know who started wearing a chronograph earlier. Also, presumably Nina Rindt wore her UG for track car timing purposes as well as because she just chose to (she was pictured with stopwatch in hand while wearing the UG) so there was a toolwatch side.

What I see in the photos you've posted is Dalida wears a "masculine" style (shirt with sleeves rolled up, chinos, wide belt), and a "feminine" style, and the Speedy works perfectly with either. As you say, the strap might be what makes makes the difference because a stainless steel bracelet would stand out more.

 

Here's a translation from this website explaining the datejust the actress wears on the biopic

https://www.montres-de-luxe.com/Dalida-Sveva-Alviti-porte-une-Rolex-Datejust-36-mm_a12877.html

"In Lisa Azuelos' film Dalida (2017), Sveva Alvito wears a 36mm Rolex Datejust in steel, on her right wrist.

The watch only appears in a few scenes, stealthily. Note, however, that it is highly unlikely that Dalida wore a steel watch of this size. In fact, in the 70s and 80s, no woman wore "big watches", moreover on many period photos, we can see the singer wearing Rolex Lady datejust in gold, which corresponds much better to trends of those years."

 

Kinda hot but also has a masculine cast to her features. I thought for a moment she was a pioneer transgender actress.

As for women wearing a man's watch, there aren't as many ladies watches that are suitable for really athletic or outdoors pursuits.
Plenty of women are into hiking, kayaking, deep sea scuba, sailing, etc.
In the film industry timing can be important and the larger dial of a man's watch makes reading the time easier, especially for a leading lady with a raging hangover.
I figure some women prefer a compact man sized watch for the same reason some men go for the largest dia watches, 45mm on up, over the older 34-38mm mens styles.

 

I can absolutely see that...

An odd fact: four men she knew well in her life all committed suicide.

 

Very avant garde for a female to wear a large watch back then, it was only about 15-years ago the trend started to creep in fully, primarily with Rolex Datejusts from my personal observations with lady friends. It was funny to see in my friend circle, as the woman who first wore a men's Rolex is a bit of a fashionista so I watched her other friends follow her lead, dumping their women's watches for various men's pieces. I think Wanna Buy a Watch in LA helped perpetuate this trend when they started offering their colorful pastel redialed Rolex watches with matching straps. They were on billboards all over the city at the time. Clever move.

One other example I remember well was around the same time, I was looking for the first edition IWC Petite Prince chrono at a watch shop in Beverly Hills, and while I was browsing the cases, a young girl, high school aged for sure, came in and asked if her Daytona had arrived. Excitedly, the shop owner retrieved the watch and it was a really beautiful rose gold model (I don't know Rolex too well so that's all I got), which she tossed on her wrist and left, leaving the box and papers behind. I sometimes wonder how long that watch got worn and if it's in the bottom of a drawer full of rare and unusual baubles today, collecting scratches like an unloved Invicta.

 

Claude François (1939-1978) and Dalida (1933-1987)... both Egyptian roots and composed great French songs

 

Does that mean that she was to die for

 

I believe she was Italian. But from Egypt.

 

Sounds more like she was impossible to be in a relationship with.

 

Born in Egypt to Italian parents.