8 disco-ready gold watches that perfectly encapsulate this year’s retro 70s trend
The addition of a statement watch instantly elevates any outfit, and right now glittering gold is the hue du jour, whether it’s Rolex’s diamond-encrusted Oyster Perpetual DateJust 31 or Bulgari’s sensual Serpenti Tubogas wrapped around your wrist. Harnessing a hedonistic 70s Studio 54 vibe, these retro-inspired timepieces offer just the right amount of gilded glamour and will look as chic on the beach in Mykonos as they will at a day out for the polo. Here’s our pick of the latest crop of dazzling gold watches.Â
Omega
Mini Trésor 26mm
£19,550
Proving that good things really do come in small packages, Omega’s new Mini Trésor collection takes its renowned Trésor design (an icon since 1949) and shrinks it, creating a capsule collection of 26mm models with novel bracelets and finishes. We especially love the two all-gold iterations, which are crafted in the brand’s own 18ct alloy, ‘Moonshine Gold’, and are finished with asymmetric rows of diamonds set across the bezel and lugs.
Rolex
Oyster Perpetual DateJust 31
From £33,250
Having its own exclusive foundry since the early 2000s has enabled Rolex to cast its timepieces in its own yellow, white and pink gold alloys to ensure their purity, as well as their durability. Its Oyster Perpetual DateJust 31 in 18ct yellow gold blends the house’s classic styling with modern flourishes, such as a white diamond bezel and an olive-green dial with a floral motif, set with 24 further diamonds.
Patek Philippe
Twenty-4 Automatic
Price on request
With a shimmering silvery dial textured like fine shantung silk and a bezel set with 160 white diamonds, Patek Philippe’s effortlessly elegant Twenty-4 epitomises the look of a couture day-to-night timepiece. Its smart 324SC self-winding movement and 30m water resistance prove that it is also a watch that was built to last a lifetime.Â
Bulgari
Serpenti Tubogas
£28,000
Although Bulgari’s flexible tubogas watch bracelets debuted in the 1940s, they rose to fashionable heights in the 1970s and 80s, coiled around the likes of Grace Jones and Andy Warhol. Today, the sinuous charms of the Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas are no less alluring – wrapping one around your wrist is still the fastest way to channel some heady Studio 54-esque chic.
Cartier
Panthère de Cartier
£18,800
Named for both the big cat and for Cartier’s former creative director, Jeanne Toussaint (who worked at the maison until 1970 and adopted the panther as her ensign), the Panthère has remained one of Cartier’s quintessential dress watches for many decades. This year, it gets a style update with a choice of four new colourful dials, including a burnished gold with a polished sapphire cabochon in the crown.Â
Hermès
Hermès Kelly
From £32,250
Taking its distinctive shape from the padlock on the Kelly bag, devised by Robert Dumas in the 1930s, Hermès’ new Kelly watch is a playful spin on a legendary design. The clean lines of its engraved rose gold bracelet (also available in a fully diamond-paved version) are offset by the mobile padlock watch with its delicate mother-of-pearl dial. This can be detached and worn on a leather cord, allowing its wearer to tap into this season’s trend for necklace watches, too.Â
Hublot
Big Bang Integral Yellow Gold
Price on request
Hublot has released six of its iconic watch models (including its Big Bang Integral, Classic Fusion Chronograph and Spirit of Big Bang) entirely made in yellow gold. Souped-up with rubber straps, matte black skeleton dials and bezels punctuated with six signature screws, these timepieces elevate Hublot’s sporty aesthetic to super-luxe heights.Â
Vacheron Constantin
Historiques 222
Price on request
One of the most anticipated launches at this year’s Watches and Wonders fair was Vacheron Constantin’s reissued 222 watch in 18-carat yellow gold. The timepiece is a gleaming homage to the original 222, which was created in 1977 to mark the 222nd anniversary of the storied Swiss maison. The retro styling of the original has been updated with contemporary innovation, including an enhanced calibre and a sleeker bracelet, ensuring the all-new 222 will remain iconic for many decades to come.Â
