Watch spread: yellow gold timepieces

Birthday special

Before marking its 280th anniversary in 2018, Jaquet Droz had never produced its signature Grande Seconde watch in yellow gold. The self-winding Grande Seconde Tribute matches a 43mm case with an ivory Grand Feu enamel dial. The face provides a warm, clean canvas for the two subdials, arranged in a figure eight, that define the Grande Seconde.

Elegant essential

A classic in the Vacheron Constantin collection, the Patrimony Self-Winding watch in yellow gold is inspired by designs dating back to the 1950s. Measuring 40mm across, with a thickness of just 8.55mm, this model's elegant simplicity has it looking at home at formal events or in everyday settings.

Lunar glow

Textures abound on this Omega Tresor quartz timepiece housed in a 36mm Moonshine gold case. Introduced by the brand in 2019, the proprietary gold alloy is paler than traditional yellow gold. Aside from the case, Moonshine gold is also used on the dial and the bracelet, which are both further dressed up with an embossed silk-like pattern.

Gold standard

A 20-piece limited edition made by Audemars Piguet for South-east Asia and Australia, this iteration of the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar features a 41mm yellow gold case along with several matching elements. While the hands, applied hour markers and bracelet are made from solid yellow gold, the dial is yellow gold-toned and engraved with the brand’s Grande Tapisserie pattern.

Retro revival

An old-school, gentlemanly vibe has been sweeping through horology in recent years, and this Montblanc Heritage Automatic embodies that style. Here, a 40mm yellow gold case meets a lacquered dial in British racing green – a modern-retro combination that is perfectly punched up with applied gold-plated dot markers and numerals.

Cool clash

While the combination might not seem groundbreaking today, Hublot’s original Classic Fusion from 1980 marked the first time in fine watchmaking that a precious metal was combined with a rubber strap. Recently, the brand celebrated the model’s 40th anniversary with a trio of new Classic Fusion models, including this 45mm self-winding yellow gold variant with a polished lacquered dial.

Tonal twist

Usually equipped with a white dial, Blancpain’s latest Villeret watch stands out with a striking sunburst green face – a first for the collection. The self-winding Villeret Extraplate Boutique Edition is housed in a yellow gold case measuring 40mm in diameter and just 8.7mm in thickness. Other distinctively elegant details include applied Roman numerals and cut-out leaf-shaped hands.