Good-value gold watches

Text: Filip Ericsson

Gold, this attractive precious metal whose unique shimmer puts a whole world in a trance, has constituted a favourite material for watches ever since the pocket watch came into being five hundred years ago. The fascination continues to this day and Eqotime lists seven wristwatches in gold that are actually relatively attainable even for the ordinary man.  

“A fetish for gold is deeply embedded in the human psyche” the British economist John Kay once wrote. 
The lively, eye-catching lustre of the precious metal of precious metals has ever since at least 5000 before Christ symbolised success, wealth and royalty. Its unique properties such as weight, purity and inimitable shine have given a stability of value that has never been able to be questioned. Hence its importance when the monetary system was invented in present-day Turkey around 650 before Christ.  

Ever since people began wearing watches in the 1500s they have functioned as an expression of success and status. That gold right from the start constituted their preferred case material thus seems natural. 

When the pocket watch began to be mass-produced during the 1800s and thereby became available to ordinary people too, steel for natural reasons remained the most common metal. The watch as jewellery and status marker did however continue to characterise the market and then it was still gold that applied. And so it is to this day. 

There is yellow gold, red gold, rose gold and white gold. Most gold watches are 18 carat but there are also less pure versions at 14 and 9 carat. 18 carat yellow gold means 75 per cent pure gold, 17 per cent copper and 8 per cent silver, while the other kinds of gold have a somewhat different composition. 

Watches of better brands have as everyone knows become noticeably more expensive in recent years and they do not of course get cheaper if they are made in gold. There are however some – excuse me – nuggets of gold out there that are affordable, or at least decently priced. 

Eqotime lists seven wristwatches of different kinds, some new and some pre-owned, which however share one attribute: they all have cases in 18 carat gold. They also have leather straps since a gold bracelet would undeniably eliminate that thing about a decent price… 

Baume & Mercier Clifton (pre-owned) 

Swiss Baume & Mercier, with roots all the way back to 1830, has a rich history of prominent chronographs as well as advanced complications such as for example the tourbillon. Later, during the 1940s and 50s, they remained better known for dress watches and jewellery watches for ladies. It was here that the model series Hampton, Classima and Clifton were born, model names that are still used today. 

The fine brand Piaget owned the brand between 1964 and 1988 when the luxury conglomerate Vendôme Group took over. Today it is called Richemont Group and has a row of prestigious watch manufacturers under its umbrella, such as A. Lange & Söhne, Cartier, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget and Vacheron Constantin. 

Since then Baume & Mercier has constituted an entry brand among the company's luxury brands, and plays roughly the same role as Longines does for the Swatch Group; luxurious horology for the masses. Unlike Longines, Baume is however not particularly well known here in Sweden. It has been a somewhat obscure brand with us.  

That does not make it any less interesting however. Baume & Mercier has over the years had, and has, several interesting wristwatches in the repertoire, and the watch in focus for today, the Clifton, is one of them. 

The model was resurrected in 2013 and took strong inspiration from the 50s watch with the same name. That thereby means an elegant men's watch with harmonious, round lines and a classically beautiful dial. The model came with several different complications and in different sizes, but today we of course focus on the gold version. 

The case is executed in rose gold and measures 39mm in diameter and 9.4mm in thickness, dimensions that for many, including the undersigned, are completely ideal for this type of watch. The water resistance is to 50 metres which indicates that even a gold Clifton is meant to be worn also where splashes of water occur. 

The movement consists of a Swiss Sellita Caliber SW300-1, a clone of the so esteemed ETA 2892-A2, this exact, reliable and thin automatic movement which has driven so many luxury watches over the years. It came out incidentally in 1996 while the first version, the 2892, came as early as 1975.  

Since the relaunched Clifton came out as recently as 2013 these are thus completely modern watches, water resistant and with sapphire crystal. The prices are not exactly low but still appear very tempting, particularly as a new one today goes for 100 000 kronor. Fine examples can namely be had from about 35 000 kronor. 

At the time of writing there is for example one example at Uret Vintage for 39 195 kronor. It appears to be in excellent condition and is delivered with papers and box. Show me the one who does not get tempted! 

The person who chooses a Baume & Mercier does not get the same status or inhouse-movement as a Jaeger-LeCoultre or Omega, but is all the same offered a beautiful quality watch in gold to wear for life.  

Ebel 1911 (pre-owned) 

Swiss Ebel is in several ways a legendary brand but today more or less forgotten. The company was founded in 1911 and the focus lay towards elegant quality watches, with particular focus on jewellery watches for ladies. 

Still, the 1980s must be seen as the brand's heyday when they had a magnificent success with the quartz-driven luxury sports watch Sport Classic. It came out in 1977 in the middle of the quartz crisis that was so devastating for the Swiss watch industry, when the Japanese battery watches practically took over the watch market. 

Ebel however managed to exploit the situation and came to experience an upswing never seen before. The quartz crisis coincided with the new segment “luxury sports watch” which was created by Audemars Piguet in 1972 with its Royal Oak. Ebel, which picked up on both of these market developments, thereafter introduced a new series of wristwatches perfectly shaped for the new times.  

Out of the terribly expensive steel watches from Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, an undergrowth of more affordable luxury sports watches grew forth: the on-trend, luxurious quartz watch with sporty undertones, as if made to slip in under cufflinked shirt sleeves in the skyscrapers of New York.  

Omega Constellation Manhattan, Chopard St. Moritz, Cartier Santos – the list can be made quite long. But Ebel was before them all. 

The Ebel Sport Classic was distinctively designed, battery-driven and thin as an aspen leaf. With gold and steel/gold executions (besides steel) a fashionable combination was created which went hand in hand with the champagne-galloping stock market sharks of the 80s.  

Ebel frenetically sponsored various sports events and athletes and an Ebel was worn by every other sports star; the golfer Greg Norman, the tennis players Boris Becker, Andrei Agassi and Stefan Edberg, the Formula 1 drivers Alain Prost and Niki Lauda. Ebel was on a roll.  

A development of the successful Sport Classic happened in 1986 when the more premium-oriented “1911” came out to celebrate the brand's 75th anniversary. It got a development of the case shape from the Sport Classic with its five screws surrounding the bezel, but gave a somewhat “fatter”, sportier impression. But it was still in typical Ebel fashion refreshingly thin and graceful.  

The 1911 was more “upmarket” than the Sport Classic which was made clear through the mechanical movements. Several different movements drove the 1911 over the years and it was really fine constructions that were used. The noble movement maker Frederic Piguet (which has supplied movements to among others Patek Philippe) with its ultra-thin Caliber 9.51, Girard Perregaux Caliber 3100 and Lemania 8810 drove the 1911 watches. 

Several different case sizes have been offered over the years; ladies' models under 30mm and unisex/men's models in everything from 34mm to 42mm.   

Most famous is the 1911 Chronograph which firstly holds Zenith's famous El Primero movement and was worn by Don Johnson's character in Miami Vice, something that gave both the brand and the model a real image boost during the 80s. 

Since 2003 Ebel is owned by the American Movado group and the brand has in recent years made some form of comeback. In 2017 a new version of the dormant Sport Classic came and in 2022 the 1911 got its return after a number of years' absence. The prices are roughly like Longines.  

Production still takes place in Switzerland but is outsourced, unclear to whom. The brand's core value leans towards ladies' watches and elegance and they seem to want to be some sort of budget Cartier. 

Older 1911s in gold do not grow on trees but there are some out on the market for the person who surfs a bit. For about 35 000 kronor it is possible to find really fine examples, but then that applies to the simpler models with three hands and leather strap. The slightly iconic chronograph is of course more expensive (from about 50 000 kronor) as are watches with a gold bracelet. The quartz-driven ladies' models are instead noticeably cheaper and can be had for under 20 000 kronor, even in gold. 

Longines Dolcevita (new) 

Longines' elegant, rectangular art deco watch has long been an obvious feature on the market for this venerable type of dress watch. Introduced in 1997 as a modern heir to the rectangular wristwatches that characterised the brand's production from the 1920s and a few decades onwards, the Dolcevita remained a great success that holds on even today. 

The name refers to a glamorous Italian way of living and Longines thus wishes to bestow this dreamy philosophy of life on the masses. Because the Dolcevita is hardly a particularly expensive watch – luxury for the masses is after all the very core of Longines' brand and through that they play a central role in the parent company Swatch Group's wide brand portfolio.  

The Dolcevita exists in a good number of versions, ladies' and men's, quartz and mechanical movements, steel and gold. With a case in gold they are however hardly watches for the masses any more. At the same time Longines sells some of the least expensive gold watches on the market today: and the Dolcevita is the very most affordable one in the brand's gold palette. 

The smaller ladies' watch measures 27×17.7mm while the bigger one is 32×20.5mm. List price for the smaller one is 53 000 kronor while the bigger one ends up at 60 300 kronor. A bigger version that measures 37mm in height is with its 78 000 kronor perhaps too expensive to belong on this list. 

For men who wish for a gold Longines of larger format with a somewhat more humane price there is however a remedy: the Longines Elegant Collection. 

Longines Elegant Collection (new) 

For the person who wishes for a mechanical movement in their gold watch Longines sells the Elegant Collection, which unlike the Dolcevita has a classically round case. These are pure dress watches with discreet, conservative design.  

“Elegant” in gold execution is offered as a ladies' model with a 27mm case or a men's model at 37mm. Both are executed in rose gold and both have mechanical, automatic movements. The Longines Caliber L592 in the smaller one and L888 in the bigger one. Both are based on different ETA movements and can be judged as precise as well as bulletproof in reliability and lifespan.  

The watches are delivered with leather straps and the prices are 60 300 kronor for the smaller version and 67 100 kronor respectively for the bigger one. Discreetly and tirelessly these gold watches are expected to serve their owners, probably for life! 

Omega De Ville Prestige (pre-owned) 

Perhaps the very best value gold watches in this list come from Omega. The brand hardly needs any presentation; its watches offer history, prestige and horological refinement that requires no explanation.  

Omega's classic dress watch has since 1967 consisted of the De Ville, a model that is still in production. The De Ville programme is extensive with several subcategories and since 1994 the entry model and at the same time the most classically shaped version has been the De Ville Prestige. It is that one that gets the honour today.  

The De Ville Prestige has been offered in countless versions, in many sizes from 22mm to 42mm, with quartz movements, automatic movements, steel, steel/gold and gold cases, with different complications, leather straps or steel/gold bracelets. In short there is a Prestige for everyone.  

The most common men's sizes are 34.7mm, 36.8mm and 39.5mm. If they are not driven by a quartz movement, in the older versions sits the Omega Caliber 1109 or 1120, and the Caliber 2500 from around the turn of the millennium. All are chronometer certified and based on the ETA 2892-A2, widely known for its toughness and precision. The Caliber 2500 moreover holds Omega's patented Co-Axial construction which reduces the friction in the movement to the benefit of lifespan and precision.  

The price level is attractive; from about 25 000 kronor good examples can be had. Then the prices of course rise with condition, model year and complications.  

Tissot Goldrun (new) 

Swiss Tissot is one of the entry brands within the Swatch group and has a longer and more glorious history than the low prices suggest. The company was founded as early as 1853 and quickly became a pioneer in several areas.  

Tissot was for example the first to mass-produce pocket watches, as well as the first with a pocket watch with two time zones, in 1853. In 1929 the brand was also the first out with a wristwatch with antimagnetic properties. Later in history they were the earliest to produce a watch in plastic (1971), in stone (1985) and in wood (1988)! 

In 1929 they merged with Omega and in 1983 the company was swallowed by the conglomerate that in 1998 remained the Swatch Group.  

Tissot was official timekeeper at sports events as early as during the 1930s and has continued so right up to today. They have measured time in all kinds of sports where Formula 1 must be the most prestigious. 

Tissot's watches are aggressively priced and even when they have aimed at more luxurious wristwatches those too have appeared unusually good value. Note the luxury sports watch in the budget class, the PRX, which with a state-of-the-art automatic movement can be had for a modest 9000 kronor, despite its fine build quality. They also sell perhaps the market's cheapest chronometer in the form of the Heritage 1938 for just over 10 000 kronor. Undeniably refreshing offers, both of them! 

Even when it comes to gold watches unusually good value for money is offered. Tissot's gold pieces are sold under the name Goldrun and exist in two versions: “Hesalite” with a case of 33.7mm as well as “Sapphire” with a 38mm case. Both are refinedly leaf-thin. 

Ladies'/unisex and men's then, but as the surnames suggest the smaller watch has old-fashioned hesalite crystal while the bigger one sports sapphire. Case shape and dials are extremely toned down, classic and harmonious. Nothing that raises the pulse, rather they express a total timelessness. 

Inside sit Swiss quartz movements that are likely to give hyper-exact running for a lifetime or two. The prices are 26 000 kronor for the smaller watch and 30 000 kronor for the bigger one. A buying opportunity for the person who wants to celebrate something big with a new gold watch, for themselves or as a gift to someone close! 

Zenith Elite (pre-owned) 

Zenith is one of those distinguished brands that always goes under the radar, but which in fact embodies good class and horological finesse.  

The brand was born in 1856 in the watch Mecca Le Locle in Switzerland and early made a name for itself by developing and making everything in house, including complications such as chronographs and alarm watches. A famous customer was incidentally Mahatma Gandhi who wore an alarm pocket watch of Zenith's make.  

As a maker of pilot's watches they were also among the first. In 1909 the French pilot Louis Blériot namely wore a Zenith when as the first human being in history he crossed the English Channel in a flying machine. After that they have produced pilot's watches as well as flight instruments for military use. 

The dress watch Elite was launched in 1994 in connection with them releasing a completely new automatic movement with the same name, which was intended to constitute Zenith's return as a maker of their own movements. They had a lot to live up to since they had after all impressed the world with the world's first chronograph movement with automatic winding in 1969, in the form of the El Primero.  

The Elite movement was intended as a mass-produced base movement whose construction was directed at durability and reliability. It moreover had a particularly thin profile in order to belong in thin dress watches as well as to make room for various complications on top.  

Zenith Caliber 670, 680 and 661 were the result, exact and reliable units that won a prize for best movement in Basel in 1994, and which came to be made for several decades.  

The thin, elegant dress watch that first got the honour of housing the Elite movement was reserved, traditionally shaped, with a small seconds hand at “nine o'clock” as the only standout design element. 

With its toned down but harmonious lines in combination with its excellent movement the model has however stayed on in Zenith's otherwise so sport-oriented palette right up to today. In hindsight like this the Elite appears as a veritable bargain for those who are after a discreet quality watch to wear both for everyday and for parties. I think I see a bit of Jaeger-LeCoultre Master over the dish, but at a considerably lower price.  

The Elite was offered in a multitude of versions, with cases of 31, 36, 37 and 40mm, date or dateless, large or small seconds hand as well as the possibility to choose among functions such as power reserve indicator, moon phase and world time. A hand-wound Ultra Thin version also turned up in due course. 

Versions in gold were also offered and they appear today almost even better value than their steel siblings. The prices for well-kept watches start around 30 000 kronor.