Two-tone describes a watch that combines two metals of different colours, most often steel with coloured gold. The term refers to the watch’s colouring. On price, two-tone watches sit between all-steel and all-gold versions.
How is a two-tone watch made?
A common layout puts gold on three parts: the bracelet’s inner links, the bezel and the crown. Everything else on the watch is left in steel. This is one way to make a two-tone watch, not the only one. Strictly, the label is not limited to steel and gold. It can also cover many other pairings of metals.
Is the gold solid or plated?
It depends on the maker. Many high-end Swiss brands use solid 18-karat gold for the gold parts of their two-tone watches. Nothing obliges a brand to do so. Makers are free to get the same two-tone look with gold plating rather than solid gold.
What is Rolesor?
Rolesor is Rolex’s own name for gold and steel used together on one watch. The rest of the industry usually calls this two-tone. The name joins Rolex with or, the French word for gold, and Rolex patented it in 1933. The amount of gold varies. In white Rolesor, only the bezel is white gold and the rest of the watch is stainless steel. Yellow Rolesor and rose Rolesor also put gold on the crown and the middle bracelet links.
Where it comes from
Brands made two-tone versions of existing models before 1978. That year Cartier redesigned its Santos. It was planned in two metals from its first design, rather than adapted later.
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