For a long time, the experts said never mix your precious metals – it was a dinner party faux pas, and, for want of a better word, tacky.
But rules can change. Even in the watch industry, where trends emerge so slowly they make menswear look fickle. If Geneva’s latched onto something, chances are it’s sticking around for a while. Which means that gold-meets-silver is no flash in the crucible.
“Ever since the Rolex Datejust went two-tone, other manufactures have followed suit,” says Emma-Jayne Hamilton, assistant buyer at The Watch Gallery. “And the most popular pieces are pre-dominantly steel, with rose gold as the accent – the contrast is much softer, and as a result, they’re more versatile.”
So that means no more raised eyebrows. Just a multitude of very handsome, very acceptable watches, which offer the best of both worlds.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Mixing gold with silver makes your more precious metal more understated, but some still want to retain an element of grandeur. Which is where the Royal Oak chimes in.
The sizeable diameter is complemented by a chunky bracelet and visible AP branding – perfect for a peacock spin on a subtler trend.
Available at The Watch Gallery, priced £19,100.
Emporio Armani Chronograph
Swiss has prestige but Italians do it better. Emporio Armani’s two-tone iteration adds a chronograph function to a classic boardroom watch, so your watch toes both corporate and sportswear lines. Well, when in Rome.
Available at The Watch Shop, priced £269.
Gucci G-Timeless Two-Tone
And the Mediterranean flex doesn’t end there.
Available at Watchtag, priced £625.
Rolex Daytona
The godfather of two-tone watches is back on the radar, with a new Daytona design. Anything Rolex revisits makes for staggering horological real estate – a dead cert for future residuals.
Available at Watchfinder, priced £10,950.
TAG Heuer Formula 1 Two-Tone
TAG’s Formula 1 model is the equivalent of Hamilton on the podium (with champagne in hand). Not only is it one of brand’s bestselling lines, the two-tone design ensures the navy dial pops even further.
Available at Watchtag, priced £1,500.
Burberry The City
What Swiss brands boast in engineering they often lack in fashion cred. Something that makes the Burberry City a standout – not only is it made at a dedicated Swiss manufacture, it channels the same understated design as Burberry’s runways.
Available at The Watch Gallery, priced £550.
Cartier Santos
Most fine watch brands aren’t household names. Not Cartier. With a history that spans over 200 years, the Santos model combines a trend with the manufacture’s signature elegance – just enough golden glint to pop.
Available at Watchfinder, priced £3,555.
Raymond Weil Freelancer Automatic
Few watches have the finery of a Cartier and the functionality of a Hublot. Consider the Freelancer at the centre of that Venn diagram. Not only does it possess an automatic movement, there’s also a chronograph for every measurement known to man.
Available at The Watch Shop, priced £2,395.
