Today, we’re launching the first of a three-part series on bronze watches by contributing writer Justin Mastine-Frost. This weekly column will address the various aspects of owning and caring for a bronze watch that extends beyond the obvious passion for patina. Topics covered will include the pros and cons of aging the material naturally versus with chemicals and what you need to successfully clean the metal. First up" A look at why bronze has risen to such immense popularity over the past decade and what you should look for when you’re thinking about purchasing your first bronze watch.
There?s no arguing that there has been an unrivaled boom of bronze in recent years ? ushering in what one could only call a new ?Bronze Age? in watchmaking. In part fueled by a growing love of unique and individualized timepieces, and in part by the enthusiast community on Instagram, bronze has rapidly become the new ?it? metal ? especially in the more approachable end of the luxury watch industry. The metal?s transformative properties run contrary to anything else in the market, having the ability to age over time, and depending on the alloy composition, the end result can vary significantly from one watch model to the next. While some will want to maintain that crisp bright bronze color as factory-fresh as possible, others are quick to find ways to force the aging process, giving their bronze watches the appearance of having spent years on the ocean floor. Much as we?ve ...