Replica watches made from a combination of metals have long divided opinions as well as colors. The mix of gold and steel is more susceptible to fashion trends than those that only use one or the other. The first two-tone fake watches can be traced back to the 1930s when Rolex patented their Rolesor process. These original examples come with steel case and outer bracelet links, but the bezel, crown, and center links were made of yellow gold. The manufacturer was hesitant to put their new color scheme on the first a few models, before turning it loose on the Date just a few years into its run and creating perhaps the most quintessentially Rolex visual of them all.
However, the heyday for two-tone watches was actually the 80s – a decade of wanton excess and dubious tastes. As epitomized by American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman and his Rolesor Datejust, two-tone watches suddenly got an unpleasing reputation that has taken a long time to change. But the trend is coming full circle, and two-tone fake watches are starting to gain the attention of the young generation. While it has become very much pivotal in Rolex’s lineup today, it has inspired homages from just about every watchmaker across the industry.
It seems only fair to start with the first two-tone replica watch, and Rolex offers many two-tone watches now. The opulence of gold and the utility of steel make the fake watch perfect for luxurious tool watch collection, such as the Daytona and the Submariner, and it has lately made a welcome addition to their latest models, the Sky-Dweller. Tempering all that precious metal with a splash of stainless has made Rolex’s flagship traveler’s watch more popular among fans and collectors. However, it is a model that has a long history of mixing its colors that we’ve picked for our list.
The GMT-Master II has become a legend since its debut about 60 years ago, and the modern range contains two two-tone models, both of which carry strong nostalgia feelings. A steel and yellow gold example with an all-black bezel insert has been a fixture in the lineup for many years in one form or another, and the latest Cerachrom bezel version entered the catalog in the mid-2000s. However, even that piece lost out in the nostalgia stakes last year, when the ref. 126711CHNR was released- a wonderful throwback to the Root Beer models of the 60s and 70s that even managed to steal some of 2018’s Pepsi-dominated headlines.
Nicknamed as the “Tiger Eye” or the “Clint Eastwood” (after the star was seen wearing one in many of his famous roles), the original Root Beer Rolesor GMTs came with a brown dial and solid brown bezel before Rolex made a few changes by adding a bi-color bezel insert with a golden lower half to match the crown and center links. This new edition on the two-tone theme swaps the original’s yellow gold elements for Rolex’s proprietary Everose pink gold for an altogether sleeker and more versatile look.