Bronze watches are becoming more and more popular that some people even started saying we’re in the “bronze age of watchmaking”. And much of their popularity can be attributed to their uniqueness and ability to develop a patina. Apart from those mentioned, they’re also an affordable entry point to luxury watches.
Read on to find out why we think the bronze watch trend is here to stay.
Reasons to Love Bronze Watches
Despite their growing popularity, bronze watches are an acquired taste. If you’re still on the fence whether you like them or not, here are a few reasons to give them a chance.
1. Bronze watches go well with a lot of colours.
At first glance, some people think that bronze is difficult to combine with the other colours. But nothing is farther from the truth. In fact, bronze watches go with a lot of things. Bronze pairs well with dark blue, light blue, black, and even green!
2. Bronze watches are more personal.
Unlike gold, bronze watches change their colour as they age. This is called patina and one of the reasons enthusiasts like it is because of its uniqueness. Each bronze watch ages differently, depending on the wearer’s habits. Thus, making it very personal to the one using it.
3. Bronze watches are relatively affordable.
A watch that is made with gold will cause a lot of damage to your wallet. The good news is, that is not the case with bronze. Compared to gold, bronze watches are more affordable while still giving you a similar look. In fact, other people have tried ageing their bronze watches to become lighter and more similar to gold.
How to Age your Bronze Watches
As mentioned above, bronze watches develop a patina as they grow older. With that said, it may take some time to achieve the desired look. If you can’t wait to give your watch that vintage treatment, here’s some good news for you. There are ways for you to speed up bronze watches’ ageing process.
1. Fuming
One of the easiest ways to age your bronze watches is by fuming. Indeed, you can do it with common ingredients found in your home.
So to do this method, all you need is any type of vinegar (white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc.). But if you want something more effective, you can use ammonia.
When you have what you need, put the strapless watch in a sealable container and make sure it is raised up off the bottom. Pour your vinegar or ammonia into the container and leave it for a few hours. The idea is to trap the watch in the container with the fumes. This process can take hours before you see any effect on the watch.
2. Liver of Sulfur
If you think fuming takes too long, the Liver of sulfur method is a lot quicker. However, it takes a lot more effort to execute it properly.
To start, you need two small bowls. One should contain water mixed with a small dab of liver of sulfur gel. Meanwhile, the other bowl should have water mixed with a couple of tablespoons of baking soda.
Once you have those ready, submerge your watch into the bowl containing water and sulfur. You have to act fast since the colour of the watch will change rapidly. Once your desired shade is achieved, put it in the other bowl to stabilise the metal.
Best Bronze Watches Available Online
When it comes to bronze watches, your options may not be as vast as gold watches. Despite the limited choices, a lot of those are of high quality. Here is a list of bronze watches that have caught our attention.
1. Rolex GMT Master II Root Beer
Why is it good?
Rolex takes pride in its Pepsi colourway. But if you’re not a fan of red and blue, here’s another option. The Rolex GMT Root Beer offers a very vintage-looking model of the GMT watch. Like its namesake, the colour scheme resembles that of a root beer can. Indeed, place it beside a can of MUG Root Beer and you’ll see the uncanny resemblance.
Being a GMT watch, its 24-hour bezel has two colours and can be rotated. Just like the Pepsi model, half of the bezel indicates night and the other indicates day. For the Root Beer, the black side is designated to show the time in PM while the bronze half features the time in AM.
Apart from the GMT complication, the Root Beer also boasts a reliable movement. It uses the new-generation calibre 3285. This movement was developed and manufactured in-house by the brand and uses a Parachrom hairspring. This makes it highly resistant to shocks and temperature variations. Lastly, it is COSC-certified and has an accuracy rating of -2/+2 seconds per day.
Among the bronze watches in this list, this model is one of the most popular. This watch is ideal for those who love the Rolex GMT Master II but want a more retro-looking variant.
Rolex GMT Master II Root Beer Specs:
- Case: 18k Everose gold
- Dimensions: 40mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Power reserve: 70 hours
- Water resistance: 100m
2. Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze
Why is it good?
As expected, next up on our list of bronze watches is the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze. Tudor is considered as Rolex’s more accessible sibling. But in spite of the lower price tag, it offers the same reliability and accuracy as its sister company.
Under the hood, it uses the calibre MT5601 which is based on the brand’s first in-house movement. It beats at a frequency of 28,800bph and can power the watch for up to 70 hours when fully wound. It is COSC chronometer-certified and features automatic winding via a bidirectional rotor. Overall, it is a very reliable workhorse that will serve you for years.
What’s more interesting about this watch is how its colour changes as it ages. Its case material is a combination of aluminium and bronze. This is to replicate the behaviour of a patina. Like the ageing of leather or jeans, its colour changes as the owner wears it. Thus giving the watch a personal touch because no ageing process is exactly the same.
All things considered, the Tudor Black Bay Bronze is not just a stepping stone to the Rolex Root Beer. Indeed, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze is unique in its own way.
Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze Specs:
- Case: Aluminium-bronze alloy
- Dimensions: 43mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Power reserve: 70 hours
- Water resistance: 200m
3. Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition
Why is it good?
Dive watch brand Oris has a few bronze watches in their lineup. But the first-ever model to make use of that material is the Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition. This was released in honour of Carl Brashear, the U.S. Navy’s first African American master diver and first amputee diver.
This special-edition timepiece is based on the Oris Divers Sixty-Five and is cast in bronze. And Oris chose the material not only for aesthetics. It symbolises the early diving equipment that Brashear used. And like the previous watch, this material ages over time and develops a patina. This means that each watch is bespoke to its wearer.
Furthermore, its deep sea blue dial complements the case really well. Its rose gold-plated hour markers and hands are filled with Super-LumiNova to make it legible in low-light conditions. And to give it a more vintage look, the minute trackers on the bezel are raised.
To complete the look, this watch comes in a brown leather strap that has a pin buckle. Because of this, the watch becomes appropriate to wear in more formal occasions despite being a dive watch.
Oris Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition Specs:
- Case: Bronze
- Dimensions: 42mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Power reserve: 48 hours
- Water resistance: 100m
4. Christopher Ward C60 Trident Bronze
Why is it good?
One of the most famous British bronze watches is the Christopher Ward C60 Trident Bronze. This model is encased in marine-grade bronze that will quench the thirst of lovers of bronze watches. In fact, this model was released for that purpose since the demand is growing.
The dial itself comes in a “marine blue” colour that matches the strap. Moreover, “Old Radium” Super-LumiNova is applied on its hands and hour markers. The effect is very subtle yet significant. If you’d look more closely, it gave the watch a more old-fashioned look.
Performance-wise, this timepiece does not disappoint. It is fitted with the Sellita SW200, which powers almost all of the watches in the Trident collection. Furthermore, it oscillates at 28,800bph and has a total of 26 jewels. By using this Swiss movement, Christopher Ward was able to bring the price of this watch down.
With that said, the C60 Trident Bronze is a good watch to get if you’re looking for a bronze watch that is affordable yet high quality. Apart from its reliability, there is also no denying that its design will catch the attention of many people.
Christopher Ward C60 Trident Bronze Specs:
- Case: Marine-grade bronze
- Dimensions: 43mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Water resistance: 600m
5. Bell & Ross BR01 Skull Bronze
Why is it good?
Among the bronze watches listed in this page, the Bell & Ross BR01 Skull Bronze is the loudest. Apart from the rectangular case, one thing that makes it stand out is the skull-shaped dial. The more interesting part is that the skull has historical significance.
To further explain, the skull and crossbones pay homage to old pirate flags. Along with the black and bronze colour scheme, the symbol highlights the warrior aspects of the watch. Moreover, the dial of the watch glows in the dark. This is due to the luminous black paint that improves both the aesthetic and readability of the watch. And to complete the whole pirate theme, the hands come in the shape of a cutlass and dagger.
When it comes to performance, the BR01 Skull Bronze uses a self-winding movement that is based on the Sellita SW300-1. It can make the watch tick up to 38 hours and has a total of 25 jewels.
Finally, the watch comes with an aged brown leather strap. In my opinion, it perfectly blends with the whole design, giving it a renegade yet classy vibe.
Bell & Ross BR01 Skull Bronze Specs:
- Case: Bronze CuSn8
- Dimensions: 46mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Water resistance: 100m
6. Glycine Airman 44 Bronze GL0167
Why is it good?
The Glycine Airman 44 Bronze GL0167 is one of the most affordable bronze watches on this list. Despite being unpopular, this brand specialises in pilot watches and has a lot of promising models.
An interesting detail about this watch is that it is a pure 24-hour timer. What that means is that instead of sweeping across the dial twice in a day, its hour hand only does it once. To put it another way, instead of 1 up to 12, the hour markers indicate up to 24. So at noon, the hour hand will point down instead of the usual up.
Glycine was able to achieve this with the calibre GL 293. It is a Swiss automatic movement that is based on the Sellita 330-1 movement. It has 25 jewels and beats at a rate of 28,800bph. Apart from that, it has both manual hand-winding and hacking functions. This movement is considered as reliable and cost-effective.
When it comes to aesthetics, the Glycine Airman has a gradient blue dial. From the top, it gives off a darker hue that is almost black. But as it moves down, it gradually becomes lighter. Meanwhile, the bezel is made of bronze with black accents. Finally, to complement the whole look, it comes with a light blue leather strap.
Glycine Airman 44 Bronze GL0167 Specs:
- Case: Bronze
- Dimensions: 44mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Power reserve: 42 hours
- Water resistance: 100m
7. Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Blue Gilt
Why is it good?
A new kid on the block is the Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Blue Gilt. Baltic focuses on vintage-inspired divers, that’s why it’s not surprising that they ventured into bronze watches. And despite being new to the game, they surely caught a lot of watch aficionados’ attention.
The Aquascaphe Bronze uses a CuAL8 bronze as its case, which is a copper-aluminium alloy. Like the other bronze watches, this one also develops a uniform and slow patina. In other words, the polished finish of the case guarantees a stable ageing process depending on the wearer’s habits.
On the dial, it features a navy blue background that complements the bronze case well. Its hour markers come in the form of a round shape with Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. This design cue was fashioned after the trend of dive watches during the ’50s. Apart from that, it comes in a classic size of only 39mm.
Protecting the dial is a double-domed sapphire glass. It is one of the toughest materials on earth and according to the brand, it is virtually impossible to scratch it. Indeed, this watch emulates the aesthetic of vintage watches without compromising modern quality standards.
Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Blue Gilt Specs:
- Case: CuAL8 Bronze
- Dimensions: 39mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Power reserve: 42 hours
- Water resistance: 200m
8. Oris Divers Sixty Five Steel and Bronze
Why is it good?
Oris definitely showed off their expertise in design with the Oris Sixty Five Steel and Bronze. They combined two growing trends — two-tone and bronze watches. With that said, fans started calling it the Oris “Bico”, which is a contraction of “bi-colour”.
If you’re curious about how its patina will develop, Oris claims that it will develop only a light one. This statement was based on their research where they ran tests for several months on the watch.
A glossy blue dial complements the bronze bezel. Meanwhile, it uses the classic round hour markers with a trapezoidal 12 o’clock. Under the dial is the Oris 733 calibre. It is based on the Sellita SW200-1 and has a date function. Additionally, it beats at a frequency of 28,800bph and has 26 jewels.
Oris knows that not everyone is into the two-tone bracelet. If you’re one of the folks who think that it’s too loud, then we have good news for you. Aside from the metal bracelet, the watch also comes with a brown leather strap that goes well with the case.
Oris Divers Sixty Five Steel and Bronze Specs:
- Case: Steel and bronze
- Dimensions: 40mm
- Movement: Automatic
- Power reserve: 38 hours
- Water resistance: 100m
Final Notes
People love bronze watches for various reasons. Perhaps the most common reason is how the watch develops its unique finish depending on the wearer’s habits. Meanwhile, others use it as a cheaper substitute for gold. Finally, some people simply like the colour the way it is without the patina.
No matter what your reason is, there is no doubt that bronze watches are here to stay.
If gold is more of your thing, check out our top gold watches for men!
