Whether you consider them primarily as jewelry pieces or timepieces, rainbow watches have been adding some serious color to the luxury watch landscape lately. Here are the most beautiful rainbow watches to chase right now as the trend has been championed by the big major brands including Rolex, Chopard, and Hublot, which over the past few years have released timepieces with a florid gradient of precious or semiprecious stones on the bezel and even on the bracelet.
ROLEX COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA RAINBOW IN EVEROSE GOLD
Rolex SA helped pioneer the rainbow bezel trend on mechanical timepieces. With three versions of a rainbow Daytona watch in different types of gold, the company has racked up a waiting list for each since introducing them in 2012. In 2018, my favorite version in Everose gold was introduced at Baselworld.
Not only does the bezel present 36 baguette-cut sapphires, but the dial also sports 11 rainbow-colored sapphires as indexes. The 40mm timepiece gets an exclamation point by way of a midcase encrusted with 56 brilliant-cut diamonds.
Price upon request.
AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK FROSTED GOLD DOUBLE BALANCE OPENWORKED RAINBOW
Presented in 2019 at SIHH, the 18-karat frosted-gold piece features 32 baguette-cut sapphires running in color sequence around the bezel. That’s 2.24 carats of precious stones on the 37mm skeletonized wristwatch.
Price upon request.
FRANCK MULLER RAINBOW INVISIBLE SETTING TOURBILLON
This stunning watch has 230 baguette diamonds and 61 baguette-coloured sapphires set in white gold. It incorporates 122 baguette-cut diamonds at 7.99 carats and 21 baguette-cut coloured sapphires at 2.48 carats into the dial alone, as well as another 108 7.27 carat baguette-cut diamonds and 40 baguette-cut 8.44 carat coloured sapphires into the case.
The exposed Tourbillon mechanism is surrounded by another round of colored sapphires. It contrasts against the glistening clear design of the diamond dial with touches of gold and silver-toned hardware detailing the mechanics. The complex horological movement is designed to improve accuracy and commonly features on some of the world’s most expensive watches.
Price upon request.
JACOB & CO BRILLIANT FULL BAGUETTE RAINBOW
Set in 18K white gold, the watch is invisibly set with 226 baguette multi-coloured sapphires at around 16.38 ct., the crown is set with 12 baguette multi-coloured sapphires and one rose cut sapphire at around 0.14 ct.. Limited to 18 individually numbered pieces.
Price upon request.
HUBLOT BIG BANG ONE CLICK RAINBOW KING GOLD
Almost all of these rainbow watches showcase the same clockwise color gradient: Red is at 12 o’clock, and the colors run around to violet at 11. Hublot SA’s 39-millimeter Big Bang variation runs counterclockwise. But truly, is there any one way to make a rainbow?
473 brilliant-cut gem stones in pop colors, this joyful watch also welcomes the colors of the rainbow onto its iconic strap, a fusion of natural rubber and alligator leather. Thanks to its patented «One Click» interchangeable strap, the 39mm Big Bang Rainbow can even match its color to that of your It-Bag with a snap of the fingers.
CHF 78.000
BREITLING LIMITED RAINBOW SUPEROCEAN HERITAGE ’57
Originally dating back to 1957, the SuperOcean was a laid-back and fun dive watch.
Decades later, the new SuperOcean Heritage ‘57, launched last week by Breitling in a limited edition of 250, embodies every bit of that Bohemian presence yet updates the watch with modern specs and some special rainbow colors. Sitting at 42mm on the wrist, it features a ceramic bezel ring, Breitling’s COSC-certified Caliber 10 movement (42 hours power reserve), and 100 meters of water resistance. The most reasonable in price of all those watches.
CHF 4550.00
CHOPARD IMPERIALE JOAILLERIE RAINBOW
Flaunting 581 sapphires totaling 47.98 carats, it took more than 1,000 hours of work solely to get the gem-setting portion of this high-jewelry rose gold watch right. And it’s not just the 40mm case, bezel, and dial of the automatic Chopard Imperiale Joaillerie Rainbow that shines bright with a kaleidoscope of sapphires — the bracelet is a veritable work of art too, featuring links set with different hued gems to get the rich gradient effect.
The watch is powered by Chopard’s 01.03-C calibre mechanical self-winding movement, and features an excellent 60-hour power reserve.
Price upon request.
PARMIGIANI FLEURIER TONDA 1950 FLYING TOURBILLON DOUBLE RAINBOW
Parmigiani Fleurier SA, a smaller company known for elegance and complications, presents its new radiant tourbillon that illuminates a shower of diamonds, revealing a double rainbow over a scintillating aventurine night sky.
This haute horlogerie timepiece, driven by the in-house ultra-thin PF517 movement, features a double gradient of extraordinary colors and represents a fine example of Parmigiani Fleurier’s skill in marrying the arts of watchmaking and jewelry.
DIOR GEM DIOR SECRET WATCH
The dial on this outstanding piece, designed by Victoria de Castellane, hides behind a movable, jewelled facade and is an explosion of colour. The yellow-gold bracelet is set with a variety of shapes and sizes of tsavorite, spinel, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, diamonds and tanzanite.
Price upon request.
Isn’t one watch more beautiful than the other… let me know which one is your favorite! I am definitely going for the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Rainbow in Everose Gold.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of the Brands, Collages: © Sandra Bauknecht
