By Harlan Chapman-Green
Here’s our next Top 5, you must be getting used to these now. For this week we’re going to be looking at sports watches which are made of solid gold, that means the case, bracelet and anything else. Also, the watch should have started out as a sports watch, we’re not bothered whether it started life as a steel sports watch and then a gold one was made, or if it was just golden all the time. Chiefly, though, the watch needs to be good looking and well proportioned. Additionally, any colour of gold for us is fine too, let’s get started!
5. Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial Sedna Gold
I’m pretty sure we’ve seen this before in an article recently… No matter, as this version is the Sedna gold version of the Seamaster Master Co-Axial. That means it gets one of Omega’s top movements, the Master Co-Axial movement is anti-magnetic, anti-shock and also fantastic to look at. The 8401 movement is essentially the same as the 8400 except it has a rose gold bridge and rotor. Interestingly, the case is made of Sedna Gold, Omega’s answer to Rolex Everose, the rose gold on this watch will never fade over time. omegawatches.com
4. Breitling Navitimer 01 Red Gold
The Navitimer is one of Breitling’s longest lasting and most popular watches. I think the main reason for this is the wide array of dials that are offered for the watch. The quintessential classic is the one that’s used on this watch, it’s been around in roughly the same form since the Navitimer first began, the classic black dial with white subdials and rotating bezel is one of the best dials around, I know many collectors who aren’t fond of Breitling that still love the dial, it’s hypnotic! This version uses an in-house automatic caliber and comes with all the flight grade features anyone could possibly need. breitling.com
3. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Yellow Gold
One of two Haute Horlogerie pieces on this list, the Royal Oak watch is the saviour and most successful watch of the expansive Audemars Piguet collection. In the early 1970s, Audemars was having trouble recovering from the shockwave caused by the introduction of cheap and accurate quartz watches by Seiko and other companies. They brought in Gerald Genta to design them an affordable steel sports watch and the rest, as they say, is history. This is the most complicated watch on our list and although delicate it’s a robust piece. Having seen these in the metal, I can guarantee they are amazing to behold. audemarspiguet.com
2. Rolex GMT Master II Yellow Gold
Ah, the solid gold Rolex watch, the most well-known watch that screams “I’ve made it, take that!”. The golden Rolex is a marvelous object of desire, combining the rough and tumble-proof movement found in the steel pieces with the elegance of a golden case. I chose the GMT Master II YG over the more popular Submariner in gold for the simple reason that I like the extra complication the GMT hand brings. Also, let’s be honest here, no one is going to use their solid gold diving watch on an actual dive more than once (out of curiosity and the agreeable need to try it), the GMT function can be used time and time again safely on land. rolex.com
1. Breguet Type XXII Rose Gold
Stunning is one word you could use to describe this watch. Majestic, jaw dropping and awe inspiring are some other good terms to use when faced with the Breguet Type XXII. While not the only golden sports watch made by the company, the XXII takes the crown due to its big size, high-tech movement and fantastic bracelet, trust me, the bracelets on all the Type XX, XXI and XXII models are sleek yet very secure. The chronograph movement inside the watch makes use of three key Breguet innovations. The escape wheel and lever are made of silicone, which makes them more durable and less prone to magnetism than a standard setup. The watch is also automatic with a 40-hour power reserve and most interestingly makes use of Breguet’s 10Hz run speed, making this one of if not the most accurate mechanical movement in the world because the higher operating speed means that there are less infrequencies caused due to smooth torque delivery among other aspects. breguet.com
Got a great idea you want us to present a list on? Leave a comment below in the Disqus thread and we’ll be sure to take it into consideration when we mindmap our next WristReview Top 5!
HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN – CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
A keen bass guitar player, Harlan enjoys all the perks modern watchmaking technologies the industry has to offer. Although you might catch him sampling Omegas or the odd Rolex, Harlan loves all things Haute Horology, with his three favourite brands being Breguet, A.Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin. He hopes to study timekeeping more in depth someday and will never be able to thank his father enough for introducing him to the industry. You can follow him on Instagram Read his articles here
