Alchemy unwound: the watch and jewellery brands putting their own spin on precious metals

It was Coco Chanel who said that beige ’never goes out of fashion’. And just to prove the point, the French maison emphasised the timeless nature of its appeal by incorporating this nude tone into its latest collection of J12 watches. Of course, what Mademoiselle Chanel never said was that beige is ’interesting’, because even she couldn’t get away with that level of marketing flimflam. But, as with anything, it’s how you apply it that really counts and Chanel is not Chanel for nothing. Hence, there is intrigue at play. Rather than just colour the watch strap or paint the dial, Chanel has developed its own precious alloy: beige gold.
By playing the alchemist, Chanel reminds us that there is a whole spectrum of golds to choose from beyond ubiquitous white, yellow and rose varieties we are so used to. It is normal to mix gold with other alloys - its soft, malleable nature means it needs other elements to add toughness and form. But adding varied amounts of these - copper, silver, palladium - results in a spectrum of colours, from grey to green. Dauphin even went all the way to navy blue for the house’s debut collection.
H Stern regularly uses its own gold type: Noble Gold - a sort of blush-pink gold, which it has used in its ongoing Rock Season collection to gorgeously casual effect; while the German watch house, A Lange & Söhne, has made watches using their own honey gold, a wheat-like colour. The jeweller Dina Kamal is also a fan of gold that has not had too much yellow added. ’I find raw gold one of the most beautiful colours, especially when it is brushed or textured,’ she says.
Displaying her considered approach to materials, Kamal explains: ’This subtle gold is the raw colour of 18 carat gold. The subdued tone emerges when pure 24 carat gold is turned into 18 carat gold - a mix of 75 percent pure gold and 25 percent other alloys. If the mix of alloys does not include copper, beige gold is the result. It is the whitest 18 carat gold can be. I have a sublime fascination for it, as I feel it is more raw and pure.’
The Florentine-born jeweller Carolina Bucci has always created pieces using spun gold threads, in the tradition of medieval costume and robes. Her new collection of ’crafted but casual’ precious jewels - muted grey, beige and nude metallic thread bracelets, brushed-gold pendants, rings with subtly tonal precious gemstones - though tinged with tradition, adds an easy-luxe feel to fine jewels.
And, that is the point, really. While not everyone will go to the trouble of creating a new alloy, by tampering with traditional compounds, watch and jewellery houses are reminding us that gold does not always need to look precious to be so.
It is the subtlety of the tone that makes this precious blend so covetable
H Stern's Noble Gold is used in its ongoing Rock Season collection to gorgeously casual effect
Taking on a wheat-like colour, A Lange & Söhne's honey gold makes a subdued appearance on this understated Lange 1 watch
Jeweller Dina Kamal is a fan of gold that has not had too much yellow added to it
Kamal explains: 'This subtle gold is the raw colour of 18 carat gold. The subdued tone emerges when pure 24 carat gold is turned into 18 carat gold - a mix of 75 percent pure gold and 25 percent other alloys. If the mix of alloys does not include copper, beige gold is the result'
Carolina Bucci's new collection of 'crafted but casual' precious jewels, though tinged with tradition, adds an easy-luxe feel to fine jewellery
Her collection of muted grey, beige and nude metallic thread bracelets, brushed-gold pendants and rings with subtly tonal precious gemstones remind us that gold does not always need to look precious to be so
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Caragh McKay is a contributing editor at Wallpaper* and was watches & jewellery director at the magazine between 2011 and 2019. Caragh’s current remit is cross-cultural and her recent stories include the curious tale of how Muhammad Ali met his poetic match in Robert Burns and how a Martin Scorsese Martin film revived a forgotten Osage art.
-
The ultimate beach accessory? The Fiat Topolino Vilebrequin is a true meeting of minds
Fiat has teamed up with swimwear specialists Vilebrequin to create a Collector’s Edition of the pint-sized Topolino EV that pays homage to the glamour of Riviera life
-
Multi-functional furniture, integrated planting and a felt landscape shape this new office
Zeller & Moye’s new HQ space for a German IT company has been designed to accommodate every kind of office working situation, from introverted cubicles through to flexible open-plan spaces
-
Step inside a Hollywood Hills home where European design meets Californian ease
LA studio Broad Project takes us inside its cinematic renovation of a 1960s Spanish Revival home in the Hollywood Hills
-
It’s time for the return of the show-stopping table clock
A host of brands, from Piaget to Van Cleef & Arpels, are revisiting the table clock in spectacular style
-
All eyes on Greek jewellery brand Lito as it launches bold new amulets to mark its 25 years
Striking amulets, seductive stones and secret messages characterise Lito's striking new anniversary collection, an extension of its ‘Tu es Partout’ series
-
The best layering necklaces for an elevated yet casual look
How to mix, match and stack jewellery for the ultimate high-energy, low-effort style
-
What happens when a Chanel watch becomes a sound machine?
Meet the Chanel Première Sound – an adaptable necklace with a watch and removable earphones
-
Chanel shows its sporting colours with a bold high jewellery collection
Chanel's high jewellery collection is inspired by its founder’s athletic aesthetic
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windows
Four British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
-
Late summer jewels: what to wear at Golden Hour
Late summer signals a jewellery style-shift. These independent designers have got it covered
-
Chaumet, Cartier and Chanel up their high jewellery watch game for 2024
In 2024's high jewellery watch designs, performance tech and centuries-old techniques combine to brilliant effect