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Two tone watches have been slowly gaining traction again. The once power symbol of the ’80s is circling back around with the icons, of course, but this time around many boast new movements, case sizes, and styles altogether. The usually silver and gold watches are almost always a bracelet watch meaning: an all metal rather than a leather or fabric band. The two give a stark but balanced contrast. Using more than one alloy in a watch isn’t new—yes it was popular forty-some years ago, but the style has been in production since the ’30s. Still, similarly to silver jewelry wiggling its way back into the style zeitgeist, two tone watches feel fresh, modern, and right for the times.
Vogue’s Favorite Two-Tone Watches
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At any watch appointment or watch conference in the past twelve months, the two-tone iterations have jumped out at me in a way that an all gold or all silver would usually. (I still hold a candle for those as well, let’s be honest). I haven’t been able to put my finger on why, and if it’s more than just an appreciation for the classics that the heavy-hitters have done for years and honed into so well of late.
Putting my hunch to the test, I test drove the newest of the below list last month: Omega’s 30mm Seamaster Aqua Terra. It’s a smaller version of one they’ve had in their arsenal for years that a friend of mine wears. The brand’s update took years to make—perhaps a surprise for something so classic, but it called for a new movement to match the new size. It was my first time wearing a silver and gold watch (I suppose that’s like saying you’ve never worn brown in watch language, but…for something I’ve been appreciating so much, I hadn’t done more than a quick try in the style). I was struck at how easy it was to wear it. It’s no secret that I wear mostly gold jewelry—although, I have been integrating silver back in here and there—and the balance of the silver with the gold made it immediately more seamless to the eye. I stacked it with my bracelets, I wore it solo, I wore it on a plane, I wore it to the office, and I wore it to a cocktail party. It played for every scenario.
Something fancier might call for something fancier, sure, but it was a great fit for what I needed, no ’80s power suit required this time around. Below, our picks for the best two-tone watches.
