FULL METAL JACKET

If you think steel’s too stark but gold is a touch Eurotrash, it’s time to double up. As this year’s glut of bombastic, mixed-metal timepieces shows, 1980s two-tone is back on the beat

Mixing metals is back on trend. These elegant two-tone watches will help you double up without looking flashy

Mixed-metal watches are divisive. They’re certainly distinctive but, to some, they are overwhelmingly redolent of the yuppie Thatcher years. What goes around comes around, however, and the 1980s vibe informed much of what was on offer at this year’s watch fairs. Like them or not, conspicuously contrasting metals are back on trend, and resolutely on wrist.

Which is no bad thing. After all, there’s more to twotone watches than making a brash statement. Mixing elements, for example, can be a long-term investment: a bracelet with steel outer links protecting a central line of gold makes it more resistant to knocks and scratches. Rolex, no stranger to innovation, goes the extra mile with its Gmt-master II ( 01 , £10,350) by smelting its own proprietary version of pink gold, “Everose”, containing platinum for long-lasting colour. Everyone’s favourite gym-honed psychopath Patrick Bateman was a fan – among his most prized possessions was a two-tone Rolex Datejust. Homicidal tendencies aside, there’s no denying the man had style.

At the other end of the spectrum, Swatch has been getting in on the two-tone action with its automatic Sistem Tux ( 02 , £160), which sports gold accents on the bezel, crown and strap, giving it a classic elegance – and at a price that won’t give your bank manager an embolism.

If you’re still hesitant about going the whole metallurgical hog, you can test the water with Breitling’s Superocean Héritage II Chronograph 44 ( 03 , £6,140). Its rose-gold accents contrast with the black bezel and dial, giving it a subtle point of difference without shouting too loudly.

Of course, steel and gold are no longer the only materials in town. Hublot riffs on the bimetallic theme with the Big Bang Unico King Gold Ceramic ( 04 , £30,400), adding a black ceramic bezel to its chronograph. As well as looking incomparably slick, ceramic is almost impossible to scratch, bringing reassuring solidity to the precious metallic mix. With more ways to mix it up than ever before, it’s time you started striking the right tone.

“TWO-TONE ISN’T JUST A STATEMENT: IT CAN ALSO BE A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT”