The new faces of gold
Daniel PintoGold is back, baby! That's right, a true gold rush is what we're experiencing in 2021 within the watchmaking world. A material that years ago ceded its reign to cold stainless steel is slowly returning to enchant collectors and moving away from the bourgeois or tasteless image of the past.
We find it both brilliant and contradictory to see diving watches, pilot watches, and other sports watches made from this precious metal, giving off a relaxed and cool vibe, but at the same time creating a presence on the wrist and a statement that only solid gold can achieve.
Of course, not all gold is created equal. With the rebirth of gold as a fashionable material for sports watches, brands are seeking to differentiate themselves with different blends and finishes, bringing 21st-century technology to achieve truly incredible results. Here we show you some of the different faces of gold in the world of watchmaking.
Hublot and its immortal gold
With its “Art of Fusion” motto in mind, Hublot brought its Magic Gold to market, a blend so special it promises to never scratch, something never before seen in this soft material. How do they do it? They mix 24K gold with 3% molten liquid gold and then inject boron carbide, one of the materials used to make ceramics, to provide that extra resistance. The result is a gold so hard that it's only possible to scratch it with a diamond. The resulting color is an industrial yellow, almost dull, ideal for a tool watch like the Big Bang .
Chopard and its responsible gold
Since 2013, Chopard has been a pioneer in promoting the responsible extraction of gold. First in 2010 with its partnership with the RJC ( Responsible Jewellery Council ) for the responsible extraction of gemstones, and now with the South American ARM ( Affiliate of Responsible Mining ) to work only with "gold acquired from responsible sources, verified as meeting international best practices in environmental and social standards."
The brand collaborates with small producers and communities, providing training, social support, and environmental conservation programs in the region. Since 2018, all of the brand's gold watches have been made with responsibly mined gold, making Chopard a true pioneer in the industry, combining this social awareness with spectacular design.
Audemars Piguet and its millionaire frost
The minds behind the iconic Royal Oak surprise us every year with new interpretations of their classic sports watch with an integrated bracelet. Since 2016, Carolina Bucci , an acclaimed 4th-generation Florentine jeweler, has been responsible for bringing her frosted gold technique to the most special editions of this model. The technique involves using a diamond tip to carve thousands of tiny pores into the gold case, something that might seem like sacrilege at first, but transforms into awe and admiration when we see the final result. The watch acquires a finish as if it had just been taken out of a freezer, delivering an elegant but not ostentatious shine.
Additionally, it has the added benefit of being highly resistant to bumps and scratches, providing an extra measure of functionality to this sporty car.
Omega's new product
As every year, Omega brings a new innovation to the table. This time it's its Bronze Gold , a patented alloy that combines the best of both materials in a single watch. The color has a warm tone, more inviting than Moonshine Gold but paler than the brand's Sedna Gold . Its great advantage is that it maintains a look very similar to an alloy with a high percentage of gold, but by only containing 37.5%, it keeps the cost low and the price down. Furthermore, by incorporating silver and palladium, it helps avoid some of the typical effects of bronze cases, such as oxidation, discoloration, and skin allergies.
In the new Seamaster 300, this new material is showcased alongside a bronze dial and a brown ceramic bezel, completing a very high-end “chocolate” look.
We can't wait to see this new material in a version of the Moonwatch !
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