Breitling is bringing 18K yellow gold back into focus with two new 36mm versions of its Navitimer and Superocean Heritage, combining the precious metal with stainless steel and white details for the festive season.
The brand has had more of a penchant for the warm, arguably less gaudy hue of red gold in recent years, with appearances of yellow gold few and far between. (Both types contain the same percentage of gold, so this is more about the aesthetics than cost-saving, in case it had crossed your mind.)
First up, the Navitimer Automatic 36 pairs a two-tone case and bracelet with a mother-of-pearl dial and diamond indexes.
Its 18K yellow-gold bezel features the model’s signature slide rule, while the watch is powered by the automatic, COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 17, offering around 38 hours of power reserve.
It’s available with either a seven-row two-tone bracelet or a brown alligator leather strap.
The Superocean Heritage Automatic 36 takes a sportier approach, combining a white dial and white ceramic bezel insert with an 18K yellow-gold bezel, gold hands and indexes.
Housed within the 36mm stainless steel case is the Breitling Caliber 10, an automatic COSC-certified movement with around 42 hours of power reserve and a date display.
Water resistant to 200 metres, this one comes with either a white rubber strap or stainless steel mesh bracelet.
“Yellow gold is a metal that carries unmatched cultural value,” says Breitling CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué. “Using gold’s natural colour makes a bold statement.”
Though they’re perfectly poised for the arrival of the festive season, the combination of white, steel and yellow gold tones down any flashiness and makes them really wearable all year round (a Breitling’s for life, not just for Christmas).