Rolex - all gold or two tone. Help me!

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bagaddict17

bagaddict17

Member
Nov 26, 2018
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#1
Hello all :smile:

I would love if you could kindly share your thoughts on my latest predicament.

I don’t currently wear a watch on a regular basis. I have two which I inherited from my grandmother, but none of them are (currently) quite my style, for sentimental reasons I also don’t want to wear any on a daily basis and both are white gold / steel (Which I don’t feel match with my jewellery)

I’m looking to buy a rolex for everyday wear and I’m trying to decide whether to go for an all gold or a two tone (probably a date just 31 with jubilee bracelet, fluted bezel and no diamonds). All of my jewellery is gold.

In theory, my heart is absolutely set on the all gold. However I have three reservations.

The first is my engagement ring and wedding band are both all gold with yellow diamonds. I love not having my left hand two busy at the moment because my yellow diamond engagement ring really is the absolute star of the show. I love that nothing detracts from her. I worry that the all gold watch would almost out flash my rings, which I do not want and makes me think a two tone would be better?

The second is is an all gold watch just too flashy for everyday? i Love gold so much but am undecided.

The third of course is the price. I will get whichever one I love the most, but I also am conscious that the oystersteel / gold is about 1/3 of the price, so it would be nice to put the difference to other purchases If there is not that much in it pro/con wise between the two.

I’m trying to get my head in the right space before I go into the boutique and go crazy :lol: but it may be I won’t know until I try! Let me know what you think!
 
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#3
if you will wear the gold Rolex everyday, I think it’s absolutely worth it to get gold. It’s a sporty watch. It could be worn every day. Try it on with your everyday jewelry. But don’t get the two tone just to be practical. It has to make your heart sing. You will know when you try them. Or when you leave the boutique without one of them :biggrin: pls keep us posted on your decision making! I am also not a small watch person (except for a miniscule antique girard perrigeaux WG watch from my GM), but another way to make the YG Rolex less blingy is to go down in scale. I did own a 28 gold Rolex which was flattering and feminine, but not me, (from a family member) so I passed it back. (My family recycles jewelry among GM, Mother, three aunts and cousins). But a smaller YG Rolex might be the way to go. Edit: like @yoshikitty below, it seemed too asian auntie old school, that was part of the reason why I passed it along).

Like @Swanky above, I’m not a fan of two tone watches and always thought I’d get a gold watch eventually (i swung for years between rolex and Cartier). DH and I were in Bulgari and I tried on the all gold and two tone serpenti (of course very different than the Rolex, but also statement watches in their own right) and DH and my SA really didn’t like the all gold watch on me. Granted, i do wear my avatar cuff daily, so a gold watch is a lot of bling. But, I ended up with a gold bracelet and decided to put off the watch quest for a while. (edit: for decades, I avoided all YG, RG bc I thought it was too 1980s and old school, but last year, DH and my jeweler said it was more flattering and youthful on my skintone, go figure. Now, I’m all YG or RG :D

@bagaddict17, I love your pics of size 31, but I personally found champagne dial heard to read (but I have bad eyes). I think you will know if you can try on in person
 
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#5
Hello there!
Since all of your jewellery is gold, I understand why you don't want to wear white gold /steel on a daily basis.
I am the total opposite of you, I don't wear any gold, I only have white gold, platinum, steel jewellery and watches :smile:

If I were you, I would choose a two tone, I don't think a gold watch is flashy. But a gold Rolex could look old fashion in my opinion. (I automatically think about all those older Asian uncles and aunties wear gold Rolex, it's definitely not a good view IMO. A two tones will have a more casual look. But you should really try both on in the boutique, you don't need to buy it on the spot. Try it out, make some pictures and sleep on it for a week before deciding which one to get.

Please let us know what you will get at the end. :smile:
 
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#6
Swanky said:
Can you share pics of the ones you’re considering?

In general, I’m not a fan of two tone bracelets.
Click to expand...

Of course! Thank you for your thoughts.

From what’s available on the website, these are the watches I was considering. I must confess I’m not a watch connoisseur and this is very much my first serious venture into the watch world so I’m not sure if there will be other styles in the boutique which may also be an option (though a couple of years ago I did try on a few datejust sizes and absolutely preferred

Rolex Datejust 31 watch: 18 ct yellow gold - m278278-0020

Discover the Datejust 31 watch in 18 ct yellow gold on the Official Rolex Website. Model:m278278-0020
www.rolex.com www.rolex.com

Rolex Datejust 31 watch: Oystersteel and yellow gold - m278273-0002

Discover the Datejust 31 watch in Oystersteel and yellow gold on the Official Rolex Website. Model:m278273-0002
www.rolex.com www.rolex.com

I would also possibly consider a MOP of champagne dial, but not sure if this would be too much with the gold.
 
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#7
@Swanky, @880, @yoshikitty thank you all for your thoughts which i appreciate greatly!

I totally get where you are coming from on the Asian auntie point. Although I live in the UK (and always have) my grandfather and his family all hail from KL and some of my great aunts/uncles have some questionable watch choices :lol:

I also have never really been a fan of two tone watches but I only really started to think about them when I thought about an all gold dulling down my engagement ring. I suppose a way of making a two tone “more gold” would be to also wear a gold bracelet on my watch hand,though I’m not sure that helps with my concern about it being too busy!

The Rolex store near DH and I is very small and very poorly stocked. We are heading to London for a few days in a couple of weeks so I’m going to make an appointment and investigate what might be best and DH is thankfully very honest so I’m hoping he will also guide me.

@880 as you suggest I will wear my everyday jewellery. Although I love getting glammed up when I visit London (where I live is somewhat country!) I will resist the temptation to ensure I can take a view as to what will look best with my everyday look!
 
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#8
I had the same questions as you, OP. I never liked the classic two toned Rolex look for all of my life.

Last year I had an itch for an all-gold watch, but I wasn’t ready to pay the all gold price ... and I worried about it being too showy to wear everyday.

Then one day, I started seeing two toned Rolexes everywhere. Or maybe I finally paid attention to them. They looked so elegant and casual on many different people that I started to grow an appreciation for the two toned look.

Now I have the two toned Rolex and I find it effortlessly casual and beautiful with every outfit. I plan on getting the all rose gold Rolex in the next few years. The good thing about buying the two-toned first is that I and my hubby got the sticker shock out of the way. He is totally on board with the all-gold watch now. It’s taken years of practice to get him used to these prices;)

Also, I am right handed but I wear my watch on my right wrist so it doesn’t take attention away from my e-ring and lil Cartier stack :lol: so that’s an option for you also.
 
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#9
You can definitely wear an all gold watch every day, and personally I think it would compliment your ring as opposed to compete with it.
Personally I prefer a champagne dial with any gold bezel, regardless if you go all gold or two tone, gives it a more modern homogeneous look IMO, but that’s just me.
If all your jewelry is gold, the gold watch is a given to me, if the budget allows. That’s a big point to consider.
Also the two tone is hardier if you tend to knock into things.
But, all that being said, try them on and see what makes your heart flutter!
 
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#10
@bisousx thank you for your thoughts! It seems we had the exact same predicament so I am so grateful for your views!

You make such a good point about the sticker shock :lol: DH worries I’m going to look like a rapper with the all gold haha so maybe the two tone will ease him into it (not that I really care too much:lol: if I want to rock it and he thinks I look like a gangsta, well he’s the one with no taste haha!). However, I also think it might help me with the sticker shock and help the transition from me wearing no watch to wearing an all gold everyday. So starting with a two tone may be a good option!
 
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#11
Thank you @lolakitten! Thankfully budget is not an issue, the monetary dilemma comes more from me having always been happy to spend my hard earned £$ on other classic pieces of jewellery (earrings, bracelets, necklaces etc) but having never been into watches so I don’t want to make the mistake on my first big watch purchase.

I think my heart agrees with absolutely everything you have said r.e gold and I think this is the way I am likely to go. However I will go and try on both with different dial combinations and hopefully find the perfect piece!
 
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#12
880 said:
I love your pics of size 31, but I personally found champagne dial heard to read (but I have bad eyes). I think you will know if you can try on in person
Click to expand...

This made me laugh because I didn’t even think about this but when I read your post it resonated with me because my great grandfather had a watch with a deep blue face and he always would ask others for the time! I didn’t think about this but this is a very good point for longevity. Particularly when I’m older and I might not be bothered to use an iPhone anymore as a backup for the time :lol:
 
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