Top 10 Bronze Watches in 2021
Is this the bronze age of watchmaking? More and more watchmakers are designing watches with bronze cases. Let’s examine the Top 10 Best Bronze watches
Are Bronze watches any good? Seriously though, is there even a reason why more and more people are choosing to buy them? What is with the new trend where so many luxury watchmakers are creating watches with bronze cases? We see famous watches getting a new unique bronzed look such as the Panerai Luminor Submersible and the Oris Carl Brashear.
On the one hand, many consumers think of it as a more cost-effective alternative to the more expensive 18kt rose gold. You can get a less expensive material that looks rosier than traditional yellow gold, but not quite as pink or red as rose gold or red gold. On the other hand, and this is possibly the more fascinating reason why more and more people are choosing bronze, and more watchmakers are using it in the construction of their watches. Patina. This happens when the watch begins to age.
How do bronze watches age? Patina is the oxidation of the bronze material. Essentially, the patina is how bronze “rusts” Other metals such as copper and silver oxidize in a different way often making the metal look less attractive. Bronze, on the other hand, has a very colorful chemical reaction when it oxidizes often making it even more attractive. Each watch over time develops its own unique and often colorful patina making it a true one-of-a-kind timepiece. See examples in the image below of how patina can appear.
Why are some bronze metals more yellow than others? Also, why are some bronze metals redder than others? It is because of the amount of copper used in the alloys. The bronze alloys that use more copper are redder, and the bronze alloy that uses less copper is more yellow. Certain brands such as Tudor use an alloy that has a shade of bronze that looks more brassy and yellow. Other brands like Longines, TAG Heuer, and Oris, use more copper and therefore have a more-rosy look.
Does Bronze scratch easily? The alloy UNI 5275 that is used in watchmaking is actually more scratch-resistant than stainless steel. Furthermore, the patina discussed above is not a "taint" but rather a layer that is produced naturally and protects the watch from corrosion whereas a steel watch can corrode until it's useless. Because of the physical properties of this unique metal, any natural wear can be polished out easier than on steel. Let's take a look at 10 of the best bronze watches available today.
Top 10 Best Bronze Watches in 2021
1) Oris Big Crown Pointer Date 40mm
Ref # 01 754 7741 3167-07 5 20 58BR
One of the best-selling Special Edition Oris watches is the 80th-anniversary edition in the Big Crown Pointer Date collection. It has a beautiful, polished bronze case with a classy, coined edge and a steel case back.
This model features a rich green dial with cathedral-style hands filled with luminous material. Luminous hour markers and numerals grace the face. The dial flange has a railroad-style seconds track in addition to finely printed date numerals at the very extreme edge of the dial. The date is indicated by a bronze-colored, red-tipped hand. The dial is protected by a scratch-resistant, sapphire crystal.
This special edition bronze Oris watch is powered by the Oris self-winding caliber 754 which uses an SW200-1 base. The 754 has the signature red automatic winding rotor, beats at 28,800 VPH, and has a power reserve of approximately 38 hours.
For more details and for special discounted pricing on this collection click here
2) Tag Heuer Autavia Calibre 5 Chronometer 42mm
Ref # wbe5191.fc8276
TAG Heuer gave this design a brushed bronze case that also has a brushed bronze two-directional rotating bezel with a brown ceramic insert. The Autavia collection in general had a nice vintage look that every is into these days, but more so, with a bronze case, it oozes with vintage vibes. In addition to the trend of the bronze case, they incorporated a gradient dial that transitions between two colors from a light bronze shade of brown to a dark brown.
A railroad-style seconds track is printed around the dial flange. A date window is located at the 6 o’clock position. Applied index hour markers are combined with bold applied numerals both filled with luminous material. The bronze sword-shaped hour hand, pencil-shaped minute hand, and arrow-shaped seconds hand are all filled with luminous material allowing for excellent visibility in low light conditions.
This watch features a solid steel case back with a special engraved Autavia decoration. Comes on a brown calfskin leather strap that fastens with a tang buckle. The strap system was designed to be easily changed without the use of tools. This watch is powered by a COSC certified automatic movement; the TAG Heuer Calibre 5 is a Chronometer that beats at 28,800 VPH and has a +/- 38-hour power reserve. The Autavia collection has another bronze watch with a bronze case and a smokey green gradient dial.
For more details and for special discounted pricing on this collection click here
3) Longines Legend Diver Automatic
Ref # L3.774.1.50.2
This bronze diver watch has a lovely and trendy gradient dial that fades radially from green in the center to a darker color on the outer limits of the face of the watch. Index hour markers, numerals, and hands are filled with luminous material. It has two crowns on the right side of the bronze case and a black internal bezel that rotates in two directions. This bezel has a luminous triangle at the start position and is operated using the crown located at the 2 o’clock position.
Index hour markers, numerals, and rose gold or bronze-toned hands are filled with luminous material. While the main case on the watch is made of bronze, the case back is made of solid lightweight titanium. It comes on a brown leather strap and an additional green fabric NATO strap.
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4) Bell & Ross BR-V2-94
Ref # BRV294-BC-BR/SCA BellyTanker Bronze
This limited-edition watch features a lovely case made of bronze with a brushed finish. The black dial has bronze-colored sub-dials, index hour markers, split seconds track, and hands. The face also features a date window between the 4 and 5 o’clock positions. Large Arabic-style numerals are used for the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock positions.
The case has a black anodized aluminum bezel with a tachymeter scale. The winding crown and pair of chronograph pushers on the right side of the case have a polished finish. The watch features a transparent case back that allows you to see the BR-CAL 301 chronograph movement in action. This watch is limited to only 999 pieces worldwide and comes on a soft calfskin leather strap that is fastened with a deployant clasp (folding buckle).
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5) Zenith Pilot Type 20
Ref # 29.2430.679/21.C753 Extra Special
This model features a brushed bronze case styled with an aged patina color. It features a black matte dial and has large luminous numerals and a fine printed second’s track with orange printed Arabic style numerals at every 5-minute increment. Bronze-colored cathedral-style hands filled with SuperLuminova luminous material.
The watch is powered by a Zenith 679 automatic movement that beats at 4Hz and contains 27 jewels with a power reserve of approximately 55 hours. The Pilot Type 20 collection has several watches that feature brass cases and the model we feature here comes on a brown nubuck leather strap that is fastened with a pin buckle.
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6) Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph
Ref # 29.2430.4069/21.c800 Extra Special
Another Extra special watch from Zenith’s Pilot Type 20 collection. The black dial has some matching brass-colored cathedral-style hands and large Arabic-style numerals all filled with SuperLuminova luminous material. This model has a trendy vintage look with its round bronze case and its signature oversized winding crown. On the right side of the case on the above and below the crow are two brass chronograph pushers that have a coined edge for added grip and a smooth start and stop action for operating the stopwatch feature in the 35-jewel chronograph movement.
This watch’s heartbeat emanates from the famous Zenith El Primero chronograph that beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour making it a 4Hz watch. Built with 254 components this automatic movement holds it power for approximately 50 hours when fully wound. At the time of writing this article, the Pilot Type 20 Chronograph collection contains 3 different models with brass cases. The model featured here has a green oily nubuck strap with a soft rubber lining with a pin buckle.
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7) Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Torpilleur 44mm
Ref # 1187-320LE/63
This watch is a limited edition with only 300 pieces in the world. It has a dark blue dial with a matching calfskin leather strap. A small running second’s sub-register is at the 6 o’clock position, Arabic-style numerals, and a fine printed minutes and seconds track. The lovely bronze case features a fixed bezel ring featuring a coined edge.
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8) IWC Big Pilot’s Watch
Ref # iw501005 Heritage
This bronze watch draws its inspiration from the design of the iconic IWC Big Pilot’s Watch powered by the Calibre 52 T.S.C. and has a matte bronze case and a solid stainless-steel case back. Its black dial has a slightly recessed power reserve sub-dial at the 3 o’clock position that displays the power remaining in the watch’s impressive 7-day power reserve in its automatic movement. The watch has luminous numerals, and index hour markers, and hand. It has a large winding crown and comes on a brown leather strap with light-colored stitching and bronze rivets with a matching bronze pin buckle.
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9) IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Special Edition
Ref # iw379503 Expedition Charles Darwin
This watch is a special edition IWC Aquatimer with very limited production and is dedicated to Charles Darwin and commemorates his famous expedition to the Galapagos Islands. This limited-edition bronze watch features IWC’s Safedive system and comes on a pitch-colored rubber strap.
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10) Tudor Black Bay Bronze 43mm
Ref # m79250bm-0004
This 43mm Black Bay watch from Tudor has a beautiful bronze case with a fine brushed finish. It features a brown aluminum bezel ring that rotates in a single direction with a diving scale and a luminous dot at the start position. Its brown dial features applied luminous numerals and dot hour markers with matching bronze luminous hands. It comes on a green and bronze-colored fabric NATO strap. This is one of the more affordable luxury bronze dive watches available.
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