Bronze as a material in watchmaking is here to stay, that's for certain. What started as a trendy material about a decade ago has now become commonplace. Each year, we see new adaptations of this corrosion-resistant material, and brands are experimenting with bronze across the board. However, only recently has the industry tackled the phenomenon of patina. To combat patina formation, brands have begun to implement special alloys that prevent heavy buildup and limit tarnishing over time. This has progressed to the point where we now even see entirely bronze watches, making it all the more worthwhile to focus on bronze in today's buying guide.
TUDOR BLACK BAY BRONZE
It's not often we see fully bronze watches, but the recently introduced Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze is a true winner. Made from a special aluminum-bronze alloy, they possess all the characteristic features of the material without the heavy patina. The alloy used by Tudor accumulates minimal patina over a long period. Nevertheless, wearing it gives it a unique shade depending on how often the owner wears it.
The introduction of a fully bronze bracelet combined with a bronze case is not the only novelty of these watches. They also feature a new smoky dial and bezel color in line with the latest trends. Finally, there's the much-desired folding clasp with a micro-adjustment system (called T-Fit by Tudor). Some may argue that Tudor relies too heavily on its older sibling Rolex, but can you blame them?
Quick Facts - 39 mm matte bronze case - matte bronze bracelet and folding clasp with micro-adjustment - gradient matte brown dial with matching bezel insert - in-house caliber MT5400 - silicon balance spring - COSC certified - 70-hour power reserve - €4,250
For more information, please visit Tudorwatch.com
HAMILTON KHAKI FIELD MECHANICAL BRONZE
Hamilton is known for producing very good, historically inspired watches at an affordable price. The Khaki Field Mechanical collection, priced significantly below €1,000, is no exception. Naturally, this fun, almost steampunk bronze edition follows the same principles.
The 38 mm case does not go beyond vintage sizes that many like. However, the watch is equipped with a modern hand-wound movement, the Hamilton H-50 caliber (base ETA 2801). This caliber operates at 21,600 vph and has an 80-hour power reserve. It is part of Hamilton's permanent collection.
Quick Facts - 38 mm CuSn8 bronze case - titanium case back - black matte dial with 12-hour and 24-hour markings - Hamilton H-50 hand-wound caliber - base movement ETA 2801 - brown calf leather NATO strap - 80-hour power reserve - €745
For more information, please visit Hamiltonwatch.com.
MAURICE LACROIX VENTURER BRONZE ANTHRACITE
The Aikon collection, which Maurice Lacroix introduced just a few years ago, has become a bestseller for the brand. By now, the collection has expanded with time and date models, chronographs, GMT watches, and of course, dive watches. Earlier this year, we saw the new Aikon Venturer model, a diver's watch from the Aikon series, with a bronze case and an anthracite sunburst dial.
At 43 mm in diameter and 12 mm in height, these watches are not small. But that's not an issue, as the combination of the anthracite dial, dark rubber or leather strap, and bronze case deserves the size to back up its wrist presence. And above all, these are true diving watches with a water resistance of 300 meters.
Quick Facts - 43 mm diameter x 12 mm height - bronze case - bronze unidirectional bezel with ceramic insert - titanium case back - anthracite sunburst dial - automatic caliber ML115, base Sellita SW200-1 - black rubber or anthracite leather strap with quick-release system - limited edition of 500 pieces - €2,450
For more information, please visit MauriceLacroix.com
IWC BIG PILOT'S WATCH BIG DATE SPITFIRE EDITION “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”
This is the largest model on this list - in terms of size, wrist presence, and price. The IWC Big Pilot's Watch Big Date Spitfire Edition “Mission Accomplished” is a limited edition watch dedicated to “The Longest Flight”. On August 5, 2019, pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones flew a fully restored silver Spitfire (with a polished aluminum body) a total of nearly 43,000 kilometers around the globe.
To commemorate the end of this monumental adventure - let's say, Mission Accomplished - IWC created these special watches. They feature a 46.2 mm wide bronze case with the signature diamond-shaped crown and a matte green dial. As the name suggests, the watch has a big date display. And, of course, the Big Pilot's Watch is known for its high legibility. The watches are priced at €16,600 and are limited to just 500 pieces.
Quick Facts - 46.2 mm diameter x 15.2 mm height - matte bronze case and crown - titanium case back with sapphire crystal - IWC caliber 69235 - in-house manual movement - hours, minutes, small seconds, big date, power reserve (on case back) - limited edition of 500 pieces - €16,600
For more information, please visit IWC.com
LONGINES LEGEND DIVER BRONZE NO-DATE
The Legend Diver watches from Longines need no introduction. These iconic compressor-style watches have been part of the collection since 2006 when they were launched as an accurate recreation of the original 1960s dive watches. In recent years, the watches have updated their look with new gradient dials in various colors and, of course, a bronze case.
Regarding the Legend Diver model, there is always a debate among fans between date and no-date versions, but in favor of purists, this model lacks a date indication. The watches are presented in a vibrant matte bronze case with a gradient dark green dial. This gives the Legend Diver model a completely different appeal and, simply put, looks stunning.
Quick Facts - 42 mm diameter x 13.5 mm height - matte bronze case with titanium case back - gradient dark green dial - compressor-style case with internal rotating bezel - Longines caliber L888.5, base automatic movement ETA A31.L11 - brown leather and green NATO strap included - 2,800 Swiss francs
For more information, please visit Longines.com.