Best Two-Tone Watches of 2013

A two-tone watch does not mean just any two tones. It means a white metal (usually steel), mixed with gold, either rose or yellow. Two-tone was originally introduced as a way of making watches, which were once all gold, more accessible, by mixing in steel. The look was prevalent in the early ’90s, as was quartz, before watches began their return toward mechanical movements and their ascent to luxury status. Today, the look is vintage and stylish, and far more interesting than the two-tone watches of the past. The white tone is still achieved with steel, but is also being done with titanium – so two-tone is no longer necessarily done as a cost-effective option. The gold tone, traditionally yellow, is now commonly rose gold. The advantage of a two-tone look is that it is more casual than an all gold watch and dressier than all-steel.

Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Grande Date in steel & gold with a silver sunray dial and a steel and gold bracelet.

Calibre de Cartier, with small seconds and date, automatic caliber 1904, in rose gold and steel, with Côtes de Genève on the bridges and oscillating weight.

Patek Philippe Nautilus in stainless steel and rose gold, with automatic caliber CH 28-520 C. It is a chronograph with minute and hour monocounter at 6 o’clock.

Rolex GMT Master II, in 904L steel and yellow Rolesor (Rolex’s patented gold alloy. With a rotatable 24-hour bezel and separate 24-hour hand, it can track three time zones.

Breitling Chronomat 44, in steel and 18k rose gold, with a metallica brown dial, and an automatic chronograph movement.