Bronze watches really burst onto the watchmaking scene a few years ago and have become a highly collectable and desirable thing to own.

Capable of ageing gracefully and developing a green tinge and a full-of-character patina over time - bronze watches, whether the diving type, the pilot type or the chronograph type - have become a mainstay in many prestigious watch brands’ catalogues. Many bronze watches signify their manufacturer’s naval-themed history, harkening back to maritime paraphernalia crafted from the same material, such as helmets, bells or sextants. Others use bronze for military-inspired wristwatches that pack in a load of cutting-edge technology and innovative functions, fusing the old with the new in a rather unusual and eye-catching way. If you’re looking to buy a bronze watch, we’ve rounded up a few of the best bronze watches to own right now, including masterpieces from aviation instrument experts, Bell & Ross, sports watch manufacturer, TAG Heuer, and master of affordable luxury pilot’s watches – Oris. Let’s get started…

There are some incredibly unique features to enjoy about the 80th-anniversary edition of the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date watch. Not only is the Pointer Date version a popular collectable due to its unusual way to track the passing days of each month, but the pilots watch is even more full of charm and character thanks to its bronze case surrounding a rich green dial. The bronze pilot’s watch is practical enough to track the hours during the night thanks to Super-LumiNova Arabic numerals and cathedral-shaped hands. It also boasts an eye-catch coin-edged bezel and a red arrow-tipped pointer hand. If you’re looking for a bronze watch with plenty of vintage-inspired charm, the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date 80th anniversary edition watch is powered by a reliable automatic movement, comes fitted on a stunning brown leather strap and promises to keep perfect time whilst away from the wrist, thanks to a useful 38-hour power reserve.

Firstly, if you’re considering the TAG Heuer Autavia bronze watch, know that you’re getting value-for-money. The Swiss brand has dedicated years and years to creating affordable wristwatches packed with high-quality materials and innovative functions. Inspired by vintage pilots watches of the past, the TAG Heuer Autavia model offers a striking 42mm bronze case and a useful unidirectional rotating bezel adorned with a deep brown insert for measuring elapsed time effectively. One of the key features of the bronze TAG Heuer Autavia watch is its rich glowing luminous-coated Arabic numeral hour track and accompanying sword-shaped hands, all set against a stunning gradient chocolate brown dial that blends into a dense, dark shade around the minute track. The bronze pilot’s watch also features a brown leather strap and an easy-to-reference date feature at 6 o’clock.

The Longines Legend Diver Automatic watch is another example where we see a stunning green dial mixed with a charming bronze bezel, but this time in the form of a diver’s watch. The legend Diver watch collection from Longines is bursting to the brim with retro-inspired timepieces that boil things back down to basics. A well-balanced dial owes to superb legibility whilst underwater, plus with bronze as the material of the case, the Longines Legend Diver watch remains resistant to the corrosive effects of natural elements such as saltwater for much longer. Perfect for recreational divers, this bronze diver’s watch from Longines promises a 42mm case size, a 300-meter water resistance, a sapphire crystal glass top for ultimate dial protection, a screw-down crown, and a caseback crafted from titanium to prevent skin discolouration. The watch also features an internal rotating diving flange to ensure the remaining dive time can be effectively measured without the risk of accidentally extending dive time.

Limited to just 99 pieces worldwide the BellTanker Bronze watch by Bell and Ross boasts a tonneau-shaped case thanks to its sloping lugs that lead to a smooth black leather band to match the richness of the model’s black dial. The Bell & Ross VR V2 94 is crafted entirely from bronze and features a black anodised aluminium bezel with a tachymeter scale, luminous-treated hands and hour markers, and a date aperture at 4:30 alongside the sporty chronograph sub-dials at 3 and 9 o’clock. The BR-CAL.301 is a self-winding movement that is put on display through the back of this 200-meter water-resistant case equipped with a sapphire crystal glass front. You can measure elapsed timings with this technical-looking bronze chronograph watch using the tachymeter scale and the central chronograph hand to measure speed based on distance or distance based on time travelled. The 30-minute sub-counter at 9 o’clock is balanced by the small seconds counter at 3 o’clock, and can be activated by the stylish bronze push-pieces at 2 and 4 o’clock on the case.

There are only 300 pieces of the bronze Marine Chronometer Torpilleur watch in the entire world. Ulysse Nardin is well-known for its marine chronometers developed for navies and shipping companies during the 19th century. They were some of the very first to be used for navigational and timekeeping purposes across the oceans. The 44mm model, which builds upon the success of the company’s heritage, is crafted from bonze and boasts a COSC-certified status, as well as a stunning midnight blue dial. Spade hour and minute hands exude an air of elegance across the rich blue backdrop, which makes for a softer complexion compared to the ubiquitous black dials often seen paired with bronze watches. This limited edition Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Torpilleur watch proclaims a display clear of ambiguity and clutter. A small second sub-dial resides at 6 o’clock, framing the C.W lettering, which stands for “chronometer watch”. This bronze watch is brimming with chic military character and makes for a dashingly handsome timepiece to wear as a daily wristwatch throughout the week.

The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Heritage was developed a few years ago but still makes for a striking timepiece to wear today. Its archetypal pilot’s watch look is exemplified by cutting-edge technology lying at its centre. A soft-iron inner case protects the delicate parts of the internally-fitted 52110 Calibre from damage against magnetic fields, plus it also features a glass secured against displacement by a drop in air pressure. The 257-piece movement is capable of providing 168 hours of power reserve, which can be monitored on the dial of this bronze pilot’s watch. A black dial features bronze-coloured Arabic numerals to match the 60-meter water-resistant bronze case with a steel caseback. The watch’s power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock is accompanied by bronze and blue-coloured central hands and a date window at 6 o’clock.

Crafted from an aluminium-bronze alloy, the Tudor Black Bay Bronze watch is a broad 43mm watch equipped with a satin-finished and anodized aluminium unidirectional rotating bezel with a matte brown disc insert. The model pays homage to historic ships and features a domed sapphire glass front to fit over the domed dial which Tudor first began developing for its first dive watches during the 1960s. This bronze Tudor watch boasts the instantly recognisable and highly-collectable “snowflake hands” seen in those watches first developed for the French National Navy. A 200-meter water-resistant bronze case is paired with cream lume plots around a dark brown dial, together with Arabic numerals at 3, 6 and 9 ‘clock. The collectable bronze watch is also finished on a classic diver's fabric strap in khaki and beige contrast stitching for an added touch of retro detailing.

Powered by one of Hamilton's exclusive hand-wound movements and fitted on a striking NATO-style strap in a soft brown colour, this bronze watch belonging to the brand’s Khaki Field Mechanical collection bridges the gap between a vintage-looking military wristwatch and a modern tool watch for wearing every single day of the week. Its black dial features a legible white Arabic numeral hour track surrounding an inner 24-hour track and a visible minute scale around the periphery of the dial. The H-50 movement capable of an 80-hour power reserve propels a set of luminous hands around the dial at night, granting legible timekeeping even in the darkest hours of the evening. Finer finishes, like the bronze-coloured triangular markers at each hour point and a classic bronze pin buckle securing the watch to the wrist, all combine to create a very traditional-looking military-inspired bronze watch despite modern horological mastery beating at its centre.

Although the bronze age is considered one of the earliest phases of human development, the material’s use and beauty in luxury watches are only just becoming recognised. We’ll likely see many more bronze watches emerge on the market over the next few years. Not only does the alloy protect the watch from damage the more you wear it, thanks to its unique patina, but its aged look creates the perfect touch of character for watches designed with a distinct military, naval of diving spirit. 

For more watch-guides helping you to find your next or first watch take a look at our buying guides selection where we cover from brand specific guides to helping you decide which Cartier watch you should buy if you want them to hold value or for those who love sports we have the dive watches guides.