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Watchmakers the world over headed to Baselworld, the industry’s most important event, to showcase the latest in design and innovation, revealing emerging trends in the watch market. This year, rose gold is one of the metals that really stands out. While it’s not the most widely used material in the industry, it’s increasingly being seen in both men’s and women’s models.
White gold, ceramic and — above all — stainless steel are still the most widely-used materials among the big watchmakers. However, rose gold stood out at this year’s Baselworld trade fair as an upcoming metal that’s proving popular in recent designs. This refined, dusky pink-tinged metal brings a touch of elegance and a modern feel to timepieces for both men and women.
Most of the watchmakers bringing rose gold to the event showcased watches with cases finished in the material. However, some labels instead focused on discreet touches, used rose gold solely for the crown or the strap, for example.
In women’s watches, Casio’s ‘SHB-100’ — a connected watch from the firm’s Time Ring series — boasts a new rose gold ion plating for a refined finish, while Longines is presenting a 2016 ‘DolceVita’ model in steel and 18-karat rose gold on the crown and strap.
Chopard is thinking pink too, with its exceptional ‘L.U.C XP 35mm Esprit de Fleurier Peony,’ a limited-edition timepiece with just eight models produced.
This pretty, feminine watch puts a peony on the dial and movement, and sees the case, crown, movement and strap buckle finished in 18-karat rose gold.
Dior does things a little differently, adding a subtle touch of rose gold to its new ‘D de Dior Satine’, which gets a Milanese mesh strap mixing steel with yellow gold and rose gold.
Rose gold is on the up in the men’s market too, as watchmakers put their skill and creativity into designs that use sophisticated touches of the metal. Girard-Perregaux, for example, uses 18-karat rose gold for the case and strap buckle of its “1966 Squelette,” while Michel Herbelin contrasts the PVD anthracite gray coating of the steel case with a PVD rose gold bezel in the ‘Newport Yacht Club automatic chronograph’. Frédérique Constant, on the other hand, offers the ‘Slimline Auto Heart Beat’ watch with a stainless steel case or a polished rose gold plated case.
Swiss watchmaker Mido uses a PVD polished rose gold coating on the stainless steel case and strap buckle of the ‘Baroncelli Heritage’.
