Gold watch
Mechanical watches in gold are very special indeed. As timepieces, jewelry, and an investment, they increase in value over time and are often passed down from generation to generation. How exactly is the value of a gold watch determined? How should gold watches be worn, and how should they be cared for? Which gold watches are available from NOMOS Glashütte? You can learn much more about this topic here.
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Material
What is the difference between a gold watch and a gold-plated watch?
Gold watches have cases made of solid gold. Gold-plated watches have stainless steel or brass cases—which are coated with a very thin layer of gold, the thickness of which can expressed in microns (10 microns are equal to a 0.01-millimeter thick layer of gold).
The gold content of the cases of gold watches by NOMOS Glashütte is 75 percent (18 kt). The authenticity of the material is indicated by a stamp and a hallmark. The remaining elements of the yellow gold alloy are silver and small quantities of copper. Gold watches for men and women make a beautiful gift and a popular investment. They are available in various sizes and come in a range of case shapes, from classic round cases to the tonneau case.
Where does the gold come from?
Gold is a rare precious metal found in the Earth's crust: The average gold content in the Earth's crust is very small at only 0.004 g/t. The largest gold deposits are found in Australia, Russia, South Africa, the USA, Indonesia, Brazil, Canada and China. Owing to its beautiful color and excellent processing properties, gold is a popular material for watch cases and jewelry. NOMOS Glashütte sources its gold from suppliers that meet the standards of the Responsible Jewelry Council and the LBMA (London Billion Market Association). All suppliers sign the NOMOS Supplier Code of Conduct, which forms the basis for honest, ethical and cooperative collaboration.
What are yellow gold, white gold and rose gold?
To allow pure gold to dazzle in jewelry and watch cases, it is alloyed with other substances such as copper, palladium and silver, as gold with a purity of 99.9 percent would be too soft to process. There are various type of gold whose colors depends on the composition of the alloy. The higher the pure gold content, the more “golden” its hue. The pure gold content is indicated in karats (abbreviated to kt).
These types of gold are commonly used for watch cases:
- Yellow gold: Yellow gold is an alloy in which silver and smaller amounts of copper are added to the pure gold, depending on the desired degree of hardness.
- White gold: By adding silver, nickel, platinum or palladium, the gold alloy assumes a radiant, almost white hue. White gold is a popular precious metal for jewelry and watches, as it has an understated and modern appearance.
- Rose gold: A higher copper content in comparison to a yellow gold alloy gives this gold its stunning hue, which can range from delicate rose to a more vibrant red.
Value
How do you determine the value of a gold watch?
Weight
Gold watch cases are noticably heavier than those made from stainless steel. This is because, in comparison to other metals, gold is significantly more dense. The particularly robust 316L alloy of stainless steel, for example, has a specific mass of 7.9 grams per cubic centimeter, while pure gold has a density of 19.32 grams per cubic centimeter. A watch case with an 18 kt pure gold content has a density of 15 grams per cubic centimeter.
Hallmark and stamp
The requirements for specifying the precious metal content in gold products vary from country to country. Not only in the case of historical watches will you often find a hallmark—the German Stamp Act of 1848 sought to standardize the myriad markings and designations of gold content. At NOMOS Glashütte, all gold cases are hallmarked with the head of a St. Bernhard dog (the official stamp of Switzerland), the gold content and the watchmaker’s mark; the official testing and stamping is conducted in Switzerland.
Karatage
The number of karats (kt) indicates the fineness, and thus the quality of watches and jewelry made of gold and silver. The gold content of an alloy in karats corresponds to the weight percentage in 1/24 parts. The purity of processed gold is also given in 1/1000 parts as an alternative to karats. Thus, 750 gold corresponds to a fine gold content of 750/1000 = 75 percent or 18 karats.
Gold market price
It is not only the purity of the gold alloy and the elaborately adorned proprietary caliber, assembled by hand by watchmakers, that indicate the value of a gold watch; ultimately, the gold market price is also decisive. The price of gold depends on global mining volumes, the price of oil, and the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar. Especially in times of crisis, gold jewelry and gold watches are popular investments.
What does “kt” mean?
In most countries, the karatage, abbreviated to “kt”, provides a reliable indication of the purity and thus the quality of watches and jewelry made from gold and silver. The karatage of a gold alloy indicates what proportion of its total mass consists of pure gold. The gold content of an alloy in karats is equal to the proportion by weight in 1/24 parts. 24-karat gold contains 24/24 parts gold, but it is unsuitable for processing into jewelry and watch cases. In Germany, where NOMOS Glashütte is based, the following gold alloys are common:
- 18 karat, 750 gold = 75 percent fine gold and 25 percent silver/copper
- 14 karat, 585 gold = 58.5 percent fine gold and 41.5 percent silver/copper
- 9 karat, 375 gold = 37.5 percent fine gold and 62.5 percent silver/copper/zinc/zinc
- 8 karat, 333 gold = 33.3 percent fine gold and 66.7 percent silver/copper/palladium/platinum/nickel
Is a gold watch a good investment?
Gold watches have both a material and immaterial value. They are popular investments, as valuable assets, due to the commodity price of the precious metal gold increasing over the years, especially in times of crisis. The price of gold depends on global extraction volumes, the price of oil and the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar. Gold watches are also of great symbolic value. They symbolize skilled craftsmanship and timeless luxury. Mechanical watches with yellow gold cases, or cases made from white or rose gold, often remain in the family and are passed down from generation to generation.
Questions of style
Are gold watches also suitable for men?
Yes, absolutely. While the first golden wristwatches at the end of the 19th century looked like pieces of jewelry and were made exclusively for women, watchmakers today produce these valuable timepieces with great dedication and skilled craftsmanship for men as well. They are available in a range of sizes, with hand-wound or automatic movements. In addition to yellow gold, brilliant white gold or the more understated rose gold are popular alloys for men’s watches. More robust models work well with athletic outfits, while gold watches with smaller, slimmer cases are popular with evening wear, business suits or smart-casual leisure outfits.
How should a gold watch be worn?
There are no limits to your creativity when choosing an outfit to go with your gold watch. If you prefer to keep things classic, you can wear your gold watch with an elegant suit or tuxedo. However, a gold watch goes just as well with trendy jackets and dresses or a casual sweater. We have compiled a few more suggestions and tips for you:
The precious metal gold is softer than platinum and stainless steel and thus slightly more susceptible to scratches. When wearing a watch made from yellow, rose or white gold, you should take care that it does not rub against other pieces of jewelry such as bracelets or bangles.
Your gold watch should fit your wrist well and shouldn’t be too big or small. This is where choosing the right case diameter comes into play. At NOMOS Glashütte, you will find gold watches with small diameters of just 33 millimeters, such as Ludwig gold 33 and Metro rose gold 33. Metro rose gold neomatik 39 and Lambda 39 velvet black have a medium case diameter of 39 millimeters, and the large models, Lambda white gold and Lambda deep blue, have a diameter of 42 millimeters.
How do you take care of a gold watch?
Like all mechanical watches, gold watches should occasionally be polished with a soft cloth to remove dust and fingerprints. They are best kept in a dry place away from magnetic fields and protected from cosmetics and perfume when worn. The use of cleaning products and brushes is strongly discouraged. If you have any stubborn stains on your gold watch, please consult your local retailer for advice.
The most popular gold watches for men and women from NOMOS Glashütte
The collection from NOMOS Glashütte includes gold watches for men and women in a range of sizes. The elegant hand-wound NOMOS model Ludwig gold 33 has a case of 18-karat yellow gold and a small case diameter of 33 millimeters. The prize-winning automatic model Metro rose gold neomatik 39 also has a pure gold content of 75 percent (18 karat).
The NOMOS Atelier watches, the Lambda and Lux models, have cases made from 18-karat rose or white gold. These watches are veritable watchmaking masterpieces. Their hand-wound calibers, DUW 1001 and DUW 2002, are made exclusively for these models, in the NOMOS Atelier by hand. The elaborate sunburst polishing creates beautiful light reflections on the rhodium-plated three-quarter plate, ruby-red bearings are enclosed by gold chatons and the edges of the movement surfaces are beveled and polished by hand. The twin mainspring barrel can store energy for an 84-hour power reserve, and the hand-engraved balance cock reads “mit Liebe in Glashütte gefertigt” (“made with love in Glashütte”).
A brief history of gold watches
The first evidence of gold mining and refining comes from burial sites discovered in Mesopotamia from 4600 B.C.E. It is believed that gold was refined in Egypt from 500 B.C.E. onward. The first pocket watches with cylindrical cases were produced in the early 16th century, first in Nuremberg, Germany, and soon after in other cities and countries. By the beginning of the 17th century, the oval shape had become prevalent, and by the 18th century, watches with round cases made of silver and gold had become established, with the silver cases often being fire-gilded and then polished to a brilliant finish. The golden tone of the rare precious metal expressed the value of these unique pieces, which very few people could afford.
In 1810, Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples at that time, commissioned watchmaker Louis Breguet to produce a “watch with repeating movement on a bracelet”—the world’s first wristwatch had a flat, oval case of gold, and a strap made of hair intertwined with gold threads. At this time, men wore their watches on a chain in the pants or waistcoat pocket, while ornate golden wristwatches were made exclusively for women. Following World War I, wristwatches were mass produced and became affordable for more people. With the discovery of quartz as a means of powering wristwatches, they finally became an indispensable wrist accessory from the mid-1970s—with stainless steel as the case material of choice. Now as then, gold watches represent timeless luxury and the finest watchmaking skills. And now gold has also long established itself as a popular precious metal for elegant men’s wristwatches.
