9 of the best bronze watches for those who like a pinch of patina

Jamie Weiss

I remember a few years back when everywhere you looked, bronze-cased watches were all the rage. Collectors went nuts for the rustic look, some of them accelerating the aging process through various methods of forcing patina, including, I kid you not, using hard-boiled eggs or mayo. Personally, I prefer a watch’s aging to occur naturally through everyday exposure to the elements, resulting in a muted appearance, rather than the Krusty Krab treatment of an exaggerated green patina. The hype has since died down, but bronze now occupies a special niche for watch fans who love the antique look of a well-weathered tool. So, in this now-mature market space, here’s a look at some of the best bronze watches on the market.

Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Brown

The Baltic Aquascaphe Bronze Brown is pure mid-century perfection: familiar without ever seeming blatantly derivative. Clearly, Baltic has the vintage look on lock and has since the original steel Aquascaphe was released a few years back. It was a hit back then, and the brand has released funky new riffs on that timeless design ever since. This iteration features a black and gilt sapphire bezel insert, with a more subtle contrasting look than the previously released black and blue-dialled version’s all-bronze bezel. The retro notes continue with the gorgeous brown gradient no-date dial that features subtly aged lume. Combined with the easy-wearing 39mm case, reliable Miyota 9039 movement, 200 metres of water resistance, a domed sapphire crystal, and the tropic-look rubber strap, there’s no debating that Baltic has nailed the brief once again. Best of all, it’s a smart value play, too. Price: US$644, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Christopher Ward C65 Dune Aeolian Automatic Bronze

We’re used to seeing wave dials on dive watches, but on this dusky bronze Christopher Ward C65 Dune Aeolian (which is technically a field watch), we’ve got ourselves a desert dune dial. Inspired by the Dune du Pilat, Europe’s biggest sand dune located on the Atlantic coast of Bordeaux, France, this Anglo-Swiss timepiece’s beautifully textured dial offers big Indiana Jones vibes. It’s got impressive specs, too – including a COSC-certified Sellita SW200, a 150-metre water-resistance rating, aged lume, and a brown gradient dial – all housed in a 38mm bronze case. Price: US$1,165

Longines Legend Diver Bronze

Longines’ Legend Diver has a design that seems as if it sprang forth fully formed from the creator’s pencil. It’s the modern doppelganger of the steel Longines ref. 7042 diver, released at the dawn of recreational diving in the early ‘60s. From the proportions of its compressor case to the ultra-legible dial and handset and the innovative inner timing bezel, it proves that a functional tool can also be unapologetically beautiful. The green-to-black gradient dial harmonizes beautifully with the bronze case, retaining the original’s size, a big-for-the-60s yet tool watch-correct 42mm. The height of 12.7mm is especially impressive for a watch with a domed sapphire crystal and 300 metres of water resistance. Beating away behind the scenes is the Caliber L888, an ETA-based movement with an impressive 72-hour power reserve. A vintage-style brown leather strap completes the time capsule look. Price: US$3,125

Oris Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy

Bronze watches are already a bit out there, but if you want a bronze watch that’s truly unique, look no further than the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy collection. Most bronze watches feature rather old-school aesthetics, but these confectionary-inspired Orises feature a pleasing juxtaposition: a retro-inspired dive watch in a retro material combined with modern and playful dial colours. Available in sky blue, wild green or lipstick pink, its 38mm case suits a wide variety of wrists, and it’s available either on a three-link full bronze bracelet, a tan leather strap or on dial colour-matching perlon straps. Price: US$3,200 (on bracelet)

Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date Bronze

Montblanc’s 1858 Iced Sea is a watch that deserves more attention than it gets. From a technical perspective, it’s a capable and robust sports watch, boasting an ISO 6425 rating with a 41mm stainless case that’s water resistant to 300 metres, a unidirectional diving bezel, a solid screwed caseback and a signed screw-down crown. However, its best feature is its frozen dial, which has a texture that resembles glacial ice achieved through an obscure technique called gratté-boisé, whereby the dial is hand-abraded with wood to produce complex motifs. This bronze model contrasts that icy texture with the warmth of bronze: unlike other Iced Sea models, this bronze example has an anodized aluminium bezel insert rather than a ceramic one, which heightens its vintage vibes. Price: US$3,965

Norqain Freedom 60 Chrono Bronze

How about a bronze chronograph? This handsome bronze panda-dialled chrono from Swiss independent brand Norqain might suit you. Its bronze case, at least before it begins to develop a bit of patinated character, almost appears like yellow gold. It’s entirely satin-brushed on its front side, with accents of polish found on the pushers, bevels of the lugs, and case flanks. It might look retro with its old-school design cues and boxed sapphire crystal but 100m of water resistance and a comfy perlon strap give it modern practicality. Inside the watch, visible beneath the bronze PVD-coated steel exhibition caseback, is the chronograph calibre NN18, which is their modified take on the well-known ETA 7753 calibre. Price: A$4,190, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Tudor Black Bay 58 Bronze

Rolex have never made a bronze watch, but their cool younger sibling Tudor’s Black Bay 58 Bronze is a retro-tastic jewel. It retains all the qualities that made the original BB58 such a smash, including the 39mm case and historic Sub look, but adds a few touches that set it apart from the rest of the lineup. Chief among them is a full bronze bracelet, an uncommon feature that only adds to the throwback vibe, especially as it begins to patina. Then there’s the brown gradient dial and aluminium bezel insert that play perfectly with the bronze details throughout. There are some welcome concessions to modernity, however, in the form of the MT5400 COSC-certified movement and fantastic T-fit clasp, making this vintage-look timepiece well-suited for modern life. Price: US$5,025

IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire Bronze

Not all bronze watches are divers, and IWC’s Spitfire brings the unique material to a classic flieger-style pilot’s watch. This style is such a versatile one, with its clean case lines and uncluttered dial, that it’s a cinch to pair with a wide variety of looks, making it a great gift. The warm bronze of the 39mm case is an ideal match with the verdant green dial, and the bright white Arabic dial markers and broad sword-style hands make everything super legible. The movement is the Baumatic-based Calibre 32111, which boasts a whopping five-day power reserve. The warmth of the case and dial combo get an ideal complement in the contrast-stitched brown calf strap, which features the IWC EasX-CHANGE system for no-fuss strap swaps. Price: US$5,400

Panerai Submersible Bronzo Blu Abisso

Now this is a properly brutish bronze diver. Panerai’s boss-level 300 metre Submersible Bronzo Blu Abisso refuses to be ignored, but unlike the original 47mm Submersible that requires a linebacker’s wrist to pull off, this version comes in a much more manageable 42mm. Don’t you worry, though, there’s still a whole lotta bronze at play here, from the burly squared cushion case to the trademark Panerai crown guard, and a broad bezel whose raised studded details give it a vintage diving helmet vibe. The bronze-coloured dial hardware really jumps out from the deep blue dial, lending a handsome nautical look. A substantial matching blue suede leather strap gets bold contrast stitching, and of course, that burly signature bronze buckle. Price: US$18,600