Gold Wristwatches

For many collectors, the gold standard in vintage wristwatches is, well, a vintage gold wristwatch. Whether it’s yellow or white, 14 karat or 18, gold adds instant luster to a wristwatch, elevating one’s Rolex, Seiko, or Hamilton from mere timepiece to treasured keepsake. Indeed, even as people have weaned themselves from wristwatches due to the proliferation of electronic devices fitted with built-in clocks, vintage gold wristwatches continue to hold their appeal. The first wristwatches to use gold were ladies wristwatches, which shouldn’t be too surprising since ladies wristwatches happen to be the first watches designed to be worn on arm like a bracelet rather than hidden away in a purse or pocket. While Patek Philippe is credited with devising this stylish timepiece for women in 1868, manufacturers and designers from Jaeger LeCoultre and Vacheron & Constantin to Tiffany & Co. and Cartier produced beautiful gold wristwatches for women. Given their double duty as pieces of fine jewelry, the cases of these vintage wristwatches were often studded with diamonds and pearls, and paired with matching gold bands. Which is not so say that men of means didn’t get in on the fun. Swiss watch firm Audemars Piguet was known for its geometric cases of 18 karat gold, while Bulova and Gruen cases, lugs, and crowns were generally made of less expensive yellow, pink, or gold-filled materials. Some Hamilton “Ventura” models from the 1950s featured 14 karat gold cases, as did the bezels on some Rolex “Oyster Perpetual” models.