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The 18 Best Rainbow Watches Fit For The Horological Trendsetter

UPDATED FEBRUARY 2024

Everything good in life comes with a little sparkle. Be it Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour or that flash sports car fresh from the Porsche showroom…everything worthwhile comes with a hint of shine and vibrancy.

In the horological world, this is the exact same situation. However, these sparkly, colourful go-getters can sometimes be a little pricey. After all, you are paying for something that may just change your wardrobe (and collection) forever!

From Rolex’s first venture into rainbow watches with their 2012 Cosmograph Daytona, or the highly intricate Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked Rainbow watches, Chrono Hunter has a lot in store to show you ravenous horophiles. Sitting comfortably?

Sure we could wax lyrical all night about refraction and light but in the multiverse world of horology, the use of kaleidoscopic colours as a design element is the pure essence of a true rainbow watch.

Take The Jacob & Co. Mystery Tourbillon Rainbow which is valued at more than £1 million. This has dazzled enthusiasts with its 400-plus components, 68 jewels and 192 diamonds. This equates to 12.08 ct with not one, but two enchanting rubies on the tourbillon.

Can you almost touch it?

So, without further deliberation, join us for a look at the 14 best rainbow watches that will have you reaching for that horological pot of gold!

Zenith Defy 21 Chroma II - White

It’s best we wipe the timekeeping slate clean and get the latest rainbow edition in front of your peepers.

Source - Brand’s Site

Zenith released two variations of the Chroma II as recently as August 2023. Available in either black or white ceramic, we particularly enjoy the white edition as it offers even more shine to the already lit up Zenith Chroma II.

Coming in at 44mm, the timepiece is rather large, but fear not, this is rather different to a Panerai Luminor. We must remember that the model is fitted with a high powered movement (which we’ll discuss later!) and is part of the very sporty Defy Chroma II sub collection.

Ceramic is an excellent choice as it is a lightweight and very durable material, this model is exceptional for the everyday wearer who intends to wear this when he’s firing out spreadsheets, liasing with the CEO or putting in the hard miles on the treadmill.

The luxury timepiece has a beautiful barrel style case and circular bezel, adding a dressy dimension to the timepiece. Fitted with two rectangular pushers on either side of a serrated edge crown, the matte finish on the case is more than suitable as a backdrop for the myriad of colours.

An array of colour is of course duly noted throughout. Take for example the small rubber ring around the crown in a navy blue hue. Of course, the best show of colour is present on the dial's face which is protected by a sapphire crystal.

The dial's face is in typical Zenith fashion and entirely skeletonised, meaning the movement is the focal point.

Featuring a white minute track and sub counter, the hour markers go from a light blue at 12 o’clock to a red hue at 6 o’clock, with an orange sheen based at 10 o’clock. The movement itself features a few colour features such as turquoise on the rotor and a part near six o’clock that has a pink infusion.

The model is powered by the El Primero 9004 automatic calibre. Made up of two escapements and barrels, the time escapement runs at 5Hz, while the chronograph escapement runs at an incredibly fast 50Hz.

Capable of offering 1/100th of a second accuracy of the chronograph functions, the sub counters relate to a 30-minute counter, 60-minute counter and a small seconds function.

Fitted with an integrated, white cordura strap with yellow, blue, black and red stitching, the watches would look sharp with something equally colourful such as a yellow turtleneck jumper, or your proudest turquoise blue suit shirt.

With a limited edition run of 500, you can buy a Zenith Chroma II white at retail for £13,800 at the time of writing.

Rolex Daytona Rainbow - 116595RBOW

If you happen to have inherited a large fortune from a wealthy Aunt or happen to know DJ Khaled (a said rainbow owner), you may find your wrist so lit up with gems that they may use it to land aircraft on the runway! Please enter the illustrious and highly sought after Rolex Daytona Rainbow.

Source - Christie’s

Released at Baselworld 2018, The Rolex Daytona Rainbow boasts a strong collection of precious metals with astounding gems. You keen colour lovers may know that the line originally started in 2012 and was snapped up by horophiles and enthusiasts alike.

The Daytona 116595RBOW is an interesting take on the epic Daytona. You know the one, the model that skyrocketed after being worn on the wrist of Paul Newman. His one sold for a cool $17.8 million at auction.

It is famed for its sporty heritage, including being inspired by the Daytona racetrack since the 1950s. Its classic chronograph structure and energetic racing spirit meant that this was a watch born for the track.

However, the use of gems and luxury precious metals goes to show their prowess over the horological universe, including the ability to meld extravagance with sport. In this model, the piece features 36 baguette cut diamonds on the bezel.

Constructed in such a way that means the watches slip effortlessly next to each other, they are colour graduated from a red hue at 12 o’clock to turquoise located at 6 o’clock.

The dial is not only protected by a sapphire crystal but is bolstered with 11 baguette cut sapphires that make up the hour markers. These look immense against the black dial face, not to mention each colour corresponds with the stone on the bezel. Talk about a match made in heaven!

The model is crafted at 40mm of the luxury Everose material, their proprietary alloy. The sub counters are similarly crafted from another proprietary material, gold crystals, and given a hammered aesthetic to promote their immense legibility.

Don’t fall off your chair just yet. Snatch a glance at the lugs and the crown guards and you will see 56 brilliant cut diamonds. The combination of the classic Oyster case with the gems may seem contradictory, but in fact boasts the security of the timepiece, even with all the finery.

Water resistant to 100 metres due to the Triplock crown, you’ll be glad to know that the timepiece isn’t a brittle shard of glass. Rather, it’s a jewelled up tank!

Powered by the Calibre 4130, these wondrous watches are supported with a vertical clutch to ensure precision and a Parachrom hairspring to protect against magnetism. Offering 72 hours of power reserve and a Superlative Chronometer certification of -2/+2 per day so you’ll look the part in all seasons.

Adorned with an Everose bracelet, we reckon you’d look very sharp with this timepiece under a black suit shirt or with a navy cashmere jumper. You can no longer buy a Rolex Daytona Rainbow at retail as it’s been discontinued.

However, if you are as lucky as a four leaf clover, you can buy it on the secondary market for an incredible £450,000 at the time of writing.

H.Moser Streamliner Tourbillon Rainbow

The Streamliner collection by H.Moser & Cie has been a horological playground of creativity since its initial release in 2020.

Source - Brand’s Site

Developed from the traditional integrated bracelet of the luxury sports watch, these beauties have since become high tech renditions of the past.

Crafted with a polished, stainless steel case at 40mm, the luxury model is quite slim at 12.1mm and its integrated bracelet means the timepiece competently slips under shirt cuffs without extra excess from the lugs.

Protected by a sapphire crystal, we weren’t particularly shocked when this luxury model featured the now-iconic fumé face. Yet we were delighted with the sublime sunburst pattern to compliment it.

Boasting applied hour markers with tapered hour and minute hands, they are crafted from Globolight, a revolutionary material that’s not only made out of the revered ceramic, but features enough lume to light the entire Las Vegas strip.

Featuring a skeletonised one-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, we can see inside the gorgeous technicalities of the complication. Put on your spectacles for this one, as you may have missed the brand’s logo below 12 o’clock.

Crafted out of a wondrous transparent lacquer, H.Moser & Cie pride themselves on absolute minimalism which many enthusiasts go for. We do love a bit of invisible chic but this takes the biscuit!

The effect comes in the form of the bezel. Made up of 60 baguette-cut diamonds that follow a multi-coloured graduation, the tones and hues are perfect for the moody H.Moser Streamliner Tourbillon.

Powered by the in-house Calibre HMC 804, it features an automatic, bi-directional pawl winding system. Complemented with a tourbillon regulator with a double hairspring, accuracy and longevity is prioritised. Running at a steady 21,100VpH, the timepiece has a weekend-proof power reserve of three days.

Fitted with a steel integrated bracelet, keep things easy with a dark green jumper or a simple black tee for casual days around the house. One of our most popular underrated brands within the sector, you can buy a H.Moser Streamliner Tourbillon at retail for around £98,000 at the time of writing.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Music Edition 43mm

Audemars Piguet has combined the world of horology and music into one stunning timepiece with enough gems to choke a King. And we ain't kiddin' around.

Source - Brand’s Site

Crafted out of white gold, the watches come in at 43mm which isn’t small, but is acceptable for a piece that’s so beautiful. Plus, it makes it up for the diameter with an accessible 14.4mm which isn’t too tall given its case size.

Featuring a blue aventurine Tapisserie face that's secured with a sapphire crystal, the watches deviate from their non jewelled faces as the use of an aventurine adds a little glimpse of sparkle. The dial is fitted with an equaliser.

Okay, not literally, it is made up of ten different coloured jewels, such as peridots and rubies that are shaped to look like the pushers and max levels of an actual equaliser.

Who needs Daft Punk when you can “Get Lucky” with pretty cool gems to show off around the pool on long summer days!

That’s not all either. The bezel is made up of harmony cut gemstones that are cut and designed in such a way to reflect as much light as possible. Who wouldn’t want their timepiece to boast as much light as possible?

Furthermore, this cut style means the jewels slip in together without looking tacky. The “AP” brand reference below 12 o’clock is crafted out of the precious metal and matches the applied hour markers that are lifted onto the flange.

Powered by the Calibre 4309, the watches offer 28,800VpH and a fantastic 70 hour power reserve. Sized at a rather small 4.9mm, the calibre contains 32 jewels and makes up 32mm of the 43mm casing.

Adorned atop a blue, interchangeable rubber strap, lest we forget that this is a sporty Royal Oak. As for the style stakes, we recommend you wear this with a tan sports jacket if you dare bring it outside.

If you keep it only for special occasions like a big meeting with The CEO, pair it with a black suit to let the jewels beam out. It really depends on how adventurous you are!

You can buy an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Music Edition at retail when you plan an appointment only.

Hublot Big Bang Unico King Gold Rainbow

Hublot has built up quite a reputation when it comes to utilising precious metals, gems and jewels. The Bling Meister's bar none, they have been renowned for their space age stuff including SAXEM and even recycled coffee grounds.

Time for a cup of Joe we think to check out our findings on the Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso collab here.

Source - Brand’s Site

The Hublot Big Bang collection was originally released in 2005 which prided itself on being oversized. It was immediately a great success. The luxury collection has since developed into the highly ostentatious timepiece we have today.

Crafted at 42mm, the model is built upon a fantastic 18K King Gold casing. As Hublot’s patented material,it continues on with their great legacy. As the first major brand to use rubber in their watches, the timepiece is made with the utmost refinement in mind for the most dapper of trendsetters.

Style over substance? We’ll take both please with a pinch of Haute Horlogerie for good measure.

It is given a very warm shade due to its combination of classic 5N 18K gold and platinum. This means when polished and satin finished, it releases a luxury glow. Nonetheless, you won’t be able to see any of this due to the diamond infusement. There’s no lab grown stuff here, time peeps.

The case is made up of 170 coloured gemstones that go from the darker sheens of pinks at 2 o’clock to purple shines at 5 o’clock, over to lighter green jewels at 7 o’clock and yellow gems situated at 11 o’clock.

The bezel undergoes a satin-finish with polished aesthetic and features 48 baguette cut coloured gemstones. These particular gems match up with the stones on the case, creating a seamless display of colour.

Offering 100 metres of water resistance, this is a sports timepiece through and through. The crystal is made out of sapphire and is given anti-reflective treatment to promote phenomenal legibility.

The dial, locked in with a sapphire crystal, is completely skeletonised, boasting large coloured Arabic numerals that follow the colour scheme of the brilliant case and bezel.

The grey calibre isn’t given any kind of colour, allowing the hour markers to be distinguishable.

Powered by the HUB1280 UNICO calibre, the Big Bang Unico Rainbow is upgraded with a column wheel and powers the very effective chronograph flyback functions. With a power reserve of 72 hours, you could take this off for a weekend in Cologne and return to London with it still ticking away!

Fitted with either a black rubber strap or a multicoloured Alligator leather strap, you have the option to live your flamboyant life with the coloured strap or look a tad more refined with a black rubber strap against a black suit.

You can buy a Hublot Big Bang Unico King Gold Rainbow at retail when you inquire about a price.

Richard Mille RM 68-01 Cyril Kongo

This might very well be the King Kongo of rainbow watches. And boy, this one is as epic as the Skull Island resident.

Richard Mille are the fresh faced watchmakers that have cut their timekeeping teeth as one of the best luxury brands since their inception in 2001. So, if we were to say that they ventured into the realms of artistic genius, we wouldn't expect you to be too surprised!

Source - Brand’s Site

Richard Mille broke new horological ground when they employed the use of graffiti artist, Cyril Kongo whose real name is Cyril Phan. Never before has art been displayed on the watches bridges and base plates like this.

And we first and second this remarkable achievement that’s more impressive than Manchester City’s 2023 treble winning team

Cyril Kongo scores both on and off the pitch for being a legendary representative of the graffiti art scene globally. With an incredible presence in the French art scene, he had to practise for a year in terms of adapting his technique to feature on such a small canvas.

He had to hit a perfect balance to ensure the paint didn't affect the watches calibre due to its added weight.

The case is crafted out of black Carbon TPT, a material adopted by Richard Mille that is both incredibly light and very durable. In fact, it's the material commonly associated with the Formula 1 industry due to its amazing properties.

The back of the Richard Mille RM68-01 closely resembles a splash of paint on a wall across the calibre, made up of many colours including yellows, blues and hot reds. Note the reference of the model painted like an insignia onto the top left of the sapphire crystal and Cyril Kongo’s signature in the bottom left.

Crafted in a classic tonneau shape that the brand is so renowned for, the timepiece is secured with 12 visible titanium screws throughout and features a very prominent crown on the right side.

The watch is an explosion of colour and a strong indictment of the fusion of 21st Century art and the definition of high-end, avant-garde watchmaking. And we are mighty impressed!

Fitted onto a black fabric strap, this watch would look perfect with a navy suit shirt or a grey, double breasted jacket. Capped at 30 pieces, this is considered one of the most sought after Richard Mille watches on the planet

You can no longer buy a Richard Mille RM 68-01 at retail due to it being sold out. It sells on the secondary market though for around £2 million at the time of writing.

TAG Heuer Carrera Polychrome Tourbillon Chronograph

The TAG Heuer Carrera Polychrome Tourbillon Chronograph is a welcome addition of intense colour to the typically rugged Carrera collection.

Source - Brand’s Site

The Carrera collection was released in 1963 as an ode to the rapidly growing automotive industry. Influenced by the Carrera Panamericana race in Mexico, the Carrera line had since expanded into one of their key collections.

Following on from the steely allure of the standard models, The TAG Heuer Carrera Polychrome Tourbillon Chronograph adds an added spice of colour across the entirety of the piece.

Crafted with a blackened grade 5 titanium case and a fixed carbon bezel, the piece competently fulfils its duty as lightweight watch fit for racing.

Featuring a tachymetric scale, we really cannot hammer home enough how racing inspired this piece is! At 45mm, this isn’t a watch you can slip out from under shirt cuffs. This is especially the case as the scratch resistant sapphire crystal is domed, allowing for a respectable water resistance of 100 metres.

The face is partially skeletonised, boasting the intricacies of the tourbillon at 6 o’clock. Ensuring precision and optimal performance, this is the ultimate addition to any collection. For the rest of the face, the colour is displayed via PVD treatment.

Choosing an opaline finish, the blue hues across the two sub counters at 6 and 9 o’clock, as well as the darker shadings at 12 and 6 o’clock have a vertical brushed aesthetic, pertaining to the speedy nature and energetic heritage. This one for us definitely flotats like a butterfly and stings like a bee…with added magic.

Flip the timepiece over to show the colour scheme from the hot oranges at the bottom to the aqua blues in the middle and the bronzed sheen at the top. This mirrors the front, showcasing the seamless design of the piece.

The hour markers are short and sweet, applied to promote visibility and dosed up with lume enhancing the legibility of the timepiece. The hands are baton shaped and are

3 ⁄ 4 full of Super-Luminova. Powered by the HEUER02T calibre, this chronograph tourbillon boasts a fantastic 65 hour power reserve and 28,800VpH. We feel this COSC certified calibre is perfect for last minute weekend getaways.

Fitted with either a rubber or an alligator strap in a black hue, the watches have a grade 2 titanium folding clasp to ensure maximum security. This piece would look sublime with a tan sports jacket for the big game, or a t-shirt and jeans for more informal occasions.

Capped at 150 pieces, you can buy a TAG Heuer Carrera Polychrome Tourbillon Chronograph at retail for £21,000 at the time of writing.

Breitling Superocean Heritage 57 Limited II

The Breitling Superocean Heritage 57 Limited II gets its inspiration from the illustrious Superocean heritage.

Source - Brand’s Site

Continuing on the great legacy of the 1957 Breitling Superocean collection, the luxury timepiece aims to maintain the slicked back living of the Sixties in the form of keeping a few key design elements of the past timepiece.

Mind you, it still lives deep in the horological shadow of the Speedmaster which was launched in the same year. We doth our timekeeping cap one more time to Buzz Aldrin.

The Breitling Superocean Heritage 57 Limited II features a concave bidirectional ceramic bezel and oversized markers in the dial, as per the design classification of the Breitling Superocean.

The watch is crafted at 42mm with a very slim thickness of 9.9mm. Since this is a watch made for the dive aficionado, the caseback is screwed in and has two gaskets in the crown to ensure 100 metres of water resistance.

The gorgeous cambered sapphire crystal is exceptionally scratch resistant and glareproofed on both sides to ensure instant legibility in all conditions. The blue bidirectional bezel refrains from using numerals, instead opting for thin lines to distinguish the markers.

Featuring coloured hour markers, the colour starts from a beautiful, light orange, yellow and green along the top half of the dial to a moody blue, red and purple along the bottom. Made up of tapered batons and prominent dots, there’s no missing the epic polychromatic scheme!

Designed against the navy blue background dial, they very clearly stand out.

The luxury watch is powered by the Breitling 10 calibre. The self-winding mechanical movement has a modest 42 hour power reserve and a 28,800VpH frequency beat. COSC certified? Oh yes…Absolutely!

Fixed atop a steel, mesh bracelet or a brown calfskin leather strap, you can look the part of a sixties sleaze in a brown suede jacket or a floral, navy blue shirt.

Capped at 1000 pieces exuding limited edition, you can buy a Breitling Superocean Heritage 57 Limited II at retail for £4,500 at the time of writing.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold Double Balance Wheel Openworked

The Royal Oak collection started off as the first ever luxury sports watch in the 70s. Now, while the Gerald Genta inspired design remains as constant as Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, the watches have been dolled up with gems and a fresh case.

No more steel!

Source - Brand’s Site

Identical in case diameter as the Royal Oak Turquoise Dial, the watch is a very modern 37mm of white gold. Given an exceptionally thin 10mm width, this piece may have its roots in sports history, but we reckon this could be pulled off as a snappy dress watch.

As Madness sang once, the case goes one step beyond with its white precious metal charm. It is lightly hammered in order to attain a “frosted” finish, kinda like one of our best men’s watches of 2023, the Zenith Defy Extreme Glacier.

It is as if the watches have spent the night out in a British winter. This extends to the integrated bracelet which similarly has the powdered white frosted effect as the case.

The bezel is upgraded to include a great array of 32 colour shaded baguette cut sapphires that stem from a red hue at 12 o’clock, green in the bottom right at 5 o’clock, purple in the bottom left at 7 o’clock and pink in the top left at 11 o’clock.

Structured in the classical octagonal shape, they even manage to keep the ever stylish visible screws between each of the precious gems.

The dial is rhodium toned and open worked, allowing the pink gold applied hour markers to clearly differentiate from the silver sheen. Fitted with Royal Oak hands with a luminescent coating, the lume is showcased as small rectangles along the blocky hour markers.

Powered by the Calibre 3132 this model is entirely visible through the dial, while the watch itself enjoys 38 jewels and is a self-winding mechanism. Offering a 45 hour power reserve, the watch runs at a frequency of 21,600VpH and comes in at a miniature 4.4mm thickness.

Fitted with the frosted integrated bracelet, we think you would look best in a wash, denim jacket for informal events, or sharp pinstripe suit shirt for important swanky events.

You can buy an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold Double Balance Wheel Openworked at retail upon requesting a price at the time of writing.

Omega Seamaster Diver 300m James Bond 60th Anniversary

Launched in 2022, this luxury watch was released to celebrate the long standing film series, James Bond.

You may already know that Omega and James Bond have a relationship stemming back to 1995 on the wrist of Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye.

Source - Brand’s Site

It’s been a few years since the relationship started, inspiring an incredible celebratory piece, The Omega Seamaster Diver 300m James Bond 60th Anniversary. As it’s for such a great occasion, Omega have gone all out with the stunning Omega Seamaster in a colourful hue.

The luxury watch is fairly large at 42mm and is crafted out of Canopus Gold. What is this material? I hear you ask? Hang on a tick and we’ll explain. Canopus is Omega’s proprietary alloy that utilises 18K white gold with platinum, rhodium and palladium.

The resulting shine is therefore completely unique to the material, especially since Omega opt for a brushed aesthetic along the top.

The dial's face is made entirely from a naturally sourced silicon material. Given a hammered style design, it closely resembles the past meteorite dials you may have noticed on the now discontinued Rolex Datejust.

Believe it or not, its crumpled design is actually an ode to the sandy beach Mr Bond walked across when camped in the Caribbean. Well, we do love a reference at Chrono Hunter HQ!

The hour markers combine dots and batons, coating in Super-Luminova and ensure the visibility of the dial's face. The hands are similarly tipped with lume to ensure top notch legibility. The luxury gemstones make an appearance on the top.

Boasting both green and yellow treated diamonds, the green diamonds make up the top segment while the amber gems make up the bottom. Time for a Malibu and Coke? We think so!

Flip the watch over and gaze at the Bond silhouette within the spinning gun barrel, just like in the movies. Protected by a sapphire crystal, the spinning effect is linked in with the lollipop seconds hand. The watch is powered by the Omega 8807 movement.

As a self-winding calibre, the Seamaster James Bond offers 55 hours of power reserve and a modest frequency of 3.5 Hz.

Protected from magnetism due to the silicon balance spring reaching 15,000 gauss , the calibre is a Certified Master Chronometer.

Fitted with a Canopus gold mesh bracelet with a foldover clasp buckle, this watch looks sharp when worn with navy suit like Mr Bond, or a beige jumper and jeans for the dressed down days in the office.

Oh and one more thing…the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M has the Royal seal of approval as this is Prince William’s horological choice, given as a gift by the late Princess Diana.

You can buy an Omega Seamaster Diver 300m James Bond 60th Anniversary at retail for £145,300 at the time of writing.

Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow King Gold

The Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow King Gold, very much like the brand themselves, does away with convention, instead opting for a colour scheme so broad that even Prince would be kicking himself!

Source - Brand’s Site

The model is crafted out of King Gold, their proprietary material that combines the classiness of gold with a healthy dose of other high value materials, including platinum!

Given a warmer sheen than its traditional partners, the timepiece undergoes satin and polishing finishing to hammer home the beauty of the piece.

I know. Where are the jewels you may be wondering? Well, you don’t have to look too close to reveal the vast array of 118 coloured jewels, including rubies, pink sapphires, amethysts and gorgeous Tsavorites.

Fitted with an equally beautiful bezel, it’s adorned with 48 baguette cut jewels that house, blue topazes and orange and blue sapphires, all of which are secured in with the classic 6 H-shaped titanium screws.

Capable of supporting 100 metres of water resistance, the timepiece is protected by a crystal, while the face is fitted with 307 coloured jewels, pertaining to, blue topazes, yellow and pink sapphires.

You would be remiss if you thought this model would be impossible to read. In fact, Hublot have opted for a honeycomb style grid over the face to further boost the highly legible, gilt Arabic numerals which are coated in Super-Luminova.

The timepiece is powered by the Hub1710 self winding calibre. Delivering a weekend-proof 50 hour power reserve, the calibre bounds along at 28,800VpH. Who knew that luxury could also run like a high powered train!

You keen Timelords have the option to wear a black rubber strap or a multicoloured alligator leather strap. Fitted with an 18K King Gold clasp, look sharp with a pitch black suit, or get dressed down with a powder pink suit shirt.

You can buy a Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow King Gold at retail for £73,500 at the time of writing.

Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow”

The Patek Philippe name carries more weight than a mining cart. That doesn't mean that the brand has to be pretentious and austere, however, as shown through the gorgeous Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow”.

And by the way, the Argentine World Cup winner rocked this ladies piece during his Inter Miami presentation. That’s right, ladies watches on men’s wrists are as on trend in 2023 as yellow gold.

Source - Brand’s Site

This timepiece comes in at an accessible 39.9mm diameter and a very slender height of 10.37mm. It is built out of rose gold and polished to boast its luxurious gleam. If you snap out of the hypnotising front, flip it over and expose the equally stunning exhibition back.

The model is fitted with an equally attractive mother-of-pearl face. Fitted with an engraved Aquanaut pattern that closely resembles a globe, we are sure your eyes were instantly caught by the hour markers.

While the Arabic numerals are crafted out of the beautiful rose gold, we particularly enjoy the multi-shaded sapphire hour markers.

The colours, reaching from red at 11 o’clock to blues at 5 o’clock, closely match the jewels on the top. That's right! Similarly fitted with baguette diamonds that go from yellow at 1 o’clock to purple at 7 o’clock, we’d like to share a few mesmerising stats with you:

The bezel is fitted with 40 diamonds and 40 sapphires
The hour markers are fitted with 12 multi-shaded sapphires
The clasp is given 10 diamonds

The total comes to an extraordinary 52 baguette cut, multi-shaded sapphires and 50 more baguette-cut diamonds. Running the jewellers maths, that comes to 5.03 carats. That’s more than enough for a quality wedding ring!

The timepiece is powered by the Calibre 28-520. As a self-winding calibre, the model powers a flyback chronograph, a 60 minute counter at 6 o’clock and a central chronograph hand. The calibre has a slim thickness of 5.3mm.

Considering this pumps out a 50 hour power reserve and a 28,800VpH, we can only expect greatness with a model that's supported by the patented Gyromax balance and Spiromax balance spring.

Worn with a visually appealing red, composite strap, we think you’d look top notch if you chose to wear this with a red sports jacket, or for a more formal look, a camel overcoat and black suit trousers.

You can buy a Patek Phillipe Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” at retail for £171,420 at the time of writing.

Hublot MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Carbon Rainbow

We’ve seen a lot of sleek pieces out on display today. How about a piece that’s so monstrous in its size, yet so beautiful in its sleek design that horophiles have been swooning over it since 2022?

Source - Brand’s Site

Released in celebration of the Hublot Loves Art in Miami event, the MP-09 comes in at a huge 46mm. Don’t freak out just yet. There’s a method behind the madness! It is crafted out of 3D carbon. What this means is that it’s not the standard method of using carbon that they employ.

They opted to use a braiding style for the case that is made up of many thin sheets of carbon and bars of colourful composite in order to achieve the colourful aesthetic throughout the piece.

This isn’t an easy task. In fact, it relied on Hublot creating hundreds of colourful inserts to give the allure that the tones naturally fade into one another.

It’s one of the most skeletonised watches we’ve ever seen. Fitted with a similarly 3D crafted, bezel that wraps around the model, the crystal is uniquely shaped in order to fit the bizarre open shaping of the piece, making the face hyper-exposed.

It sits comfortably between the curvature of the model and features a host of technical masteries. The face is off-centre, residing at the top of the timepiece.

Featuring small hour and minute hands, plus hour markers which are thinly lined with each colour on the piece, there is a date and day function that runs underneath.

The model shows the beautiful HUB9009.H1.RA. Boasting the skeleton calibre that runs the Bi-axis Tourbillon, the first axis offers one full rotation every minute, while the second one runs every 30 seconds.

This dual rotation is visible through the exhibition back, as noted by the tourbillon at 6 o’clock.

Offering an astonishing 5 day power reserve, Hublot have done it again with an incredible level of power and astonishing aesthetics that’s a real head turner in any board room or cocktail bar.

Fitted with a colourful alligator strap, these watches are best worn with a cloud blue suit shirt or white chinos and black polo top.

You can buy a Hublot MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis at retail for around £190,000 at the time of writing.

Rolex Yacht-Master 116695SATS

Sit down, Elvis Presley. This is the “Tutti Frutti” we want!

Source - Sotheby’s

Released at Baselworld in 2017, this variation of Rolex Yacht-Master 40 is set with an imperious display of jewels on the bezel that may stun you into submission.

The timepiece comes in at 40mm and is sized in a fantastic Everose casing. As if the jewels weren’t beautiful enough, Rolex bolstered the model with their own patented material. However, the real excess comes in the form of the bezel.

It is crafted with 38 sapphires, ranging from deep blues to hot pinks, 8 tsavorites which are made of green jewels and just the one diamond which is situated at 12 o’clock and crafted in a triangular shape as opposed to the squared shaping of the others.

The stones are not just thrown in for good measure. In typical Rolex fashion, the stones are sorted by hand and placed using the brand's most proficient machines. The timepiece itself is built with an Oysterflex strap that was introduced in 2015.

While it doesn't have the eloquence of a metal bracelet or the subtle charm of a leather band, it does fit the sporty Yacht-Master rather well if we do say so. We know what you are thinking… doesn't the collection pride itself on its fantastic bi-directional functionality?

It was used as a countdown function for budding ship enthusiasts. However, the subsequent jewel infusion has scuppered any chance of you catching a glimpse at the markers. However, the model is still capable of reaching 100 metres of water resistance.

The glossy black face is given a great chromalight display allowing max legibility at all times. The crystal is cleverly fitted with anti-reflective coatings on both sides, similarly promoting first rate visibility. With classic dot and baton indices, the hands feature the iconic Mercedes circle on the hour hand.

Powered by the calibre 3135 this Yacht-Master has 48 hours of power reserve and enjoys a Superlative Chronometer. We suggest wearing this with your bright red socks and a bold pink shirt.

Something a tad more conservative? Opt for a black turtleneck and brown brogues.

You can no longer buy a Rolex Yacht-Master 116695SATS at retail as it’s been discontinued. However, it sells on the secondary market for around £120,000 at the time of writing.

Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games L3.781.4.59.6

Throwback time!

Way back in 2022 (yes, the sinister times of COVID-19 and the onset of the war in Ukraine), Longines decided to cheer us all up with a gorgeous play on the Longines Hydroconquest line with the XXII Commonwealth Games L3.781.4.59.6.

Source - Watchcharts

As the Official Partner and Timekeeper of the 2022 Commonwealth Games (not quite the Olympics but good enough!), Longines and the games have been in partnership since 1962 with the Perth Games in Australia. Sized at 41mm, these radiant rainbow watches are crafted out of steel with a solid caseback which features emblems like “BIRMINGHAM 2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES”.

Combining a solid caseback with screw-down crown, there is a very hardy 300 metre water resistance. After all, this is a dive watch with a black polished ceramic insert and a 60-minute diving scale.

But why has it made it onto our best rainbow watches list? For starters, the diving scale features a colourful spectrum running from turquoise at 12 to yellow at 6 o’clock, representing the exact tones of the Commonwealth Games.

Look at the minute track too in order to see the magnificent hues that corresponds to the bezel.

The dial is given a sunray black shade and features the classic design codes of the Longines Hydroconquest. This includes oversized Arabic numerals residing at 12, 6 and 9 o’clock, alongside a date aperture at 3 o’clock, while interjecting dot hour markers are filled with lume.

Luckily for us horophiles, these rainbow watches are not only durable and fabulous to look at, but they run at a pretty steady beat. The Calibre L888.5 beats at a steady 3.5Hz and provides a great 72 hour power reserve.

Enough time for you to pound the ski slopes of St.Moritz and be back in the boardroom by 9am, Monday morning.

Secured onto a steel strap with diving extension capability, we can see you flaunting your flex alongside a simple black T-shirt, or James Bond style black suit. We’ll take this best rainbow watch shaken and stirred please.

Capped at 2,022 pieces (we wonder why…), you can no longer buy a Longines Hydroconquest XXII Commonwealth Games at retail as it’s been discontinued.

It does sell on the secondary market for upwards of £1,200 as of February 2024.

Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Felipe Pantone Edition

Zenith have taken inspiration from legendary street artist, Felipe Pantone. Known for his brilliance involving graffiti and vibrant colours, this isn’t your average nasty tinsel lingering under the Christmas tree. This is pure art, Timelords!

Source - Zenith

Measuring 44mm, these timepieces are crafted out of black ceramic. On the tops of each of the lugs, you can see the “F” “P” “#” and “1”. This relates to the Felipe Pantone El Primero title and shows Zenith’s artistic way of showcasing their creative abilities.

The bezel is given a grid style aesthetic which stands out from the brushed lugs, and draws the eyes into the vibrant dial. There are vibrant features throughout these radiant rainbow watches, including the bridges, hour markers and the sub-dial at 3 o’clock.

The colourful design is curated via PVD and silicon particles that's combined to produce the effervescent sheen.

The hands are equally colourful, plus they both have Ziggy Stardust style jagged design like lightning bolts. This isn’t your typical bolt from the blue. We recommend you flip the case over to view the glorious exhibition caseback, showing a fabulous oscillating rotor in the same rainbow style sheen.

The legendary El Primero 9004 calibre allows for a high beat frequency of 5Hz and a decent 50 hour power reserve. With the chronograph functions, these are not your average workhorses.

These are high-speed machines with a 360,000VpH beat or 1/100th of a second rate.

Chronometer certified, these bold rainbow watches are available on either a black rubber strap or an equally exciting rainbow shaded strap. We can see you wearing this with a burgundy polo shirt or lime green suit shirt if you are feeling the sharp colours.

Capped at 100 pieces, you can buy a Zenith Defy 21 El Primero 21 Felipe Pantone Edition at retail for £16,000 as of February 2024.

Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Multimeter

You wouldn’t expect Bell & Ross to offer up one of the best rainbow watches for any discerning gent. Yet here we are. An infused play via their BR 03-94 lineup, this classic aviation timepiece in the iconic squared design has a very useful function in the form of a Multimeter. Source - Bell & Ross

Sized at 42mm, the Bell & Ross BR 03-94, these multimeter watches have a thickness of 12.80mm which is quite bulky a la Panerai. But you would want this beauty stripped and very much ready to go.

Crafted out of matt black ceramic, these highly durable timepieces are given a utility style design like it could sit comfortably within a plane's dashboard.

What say you Navitimer?

The dial is equally black, but the colour comes in the centre of the dial via the brilliant multimeter function. As you can imagine, the “Multi” aspect implies there are a lot of features embedded within.

The Multimeter’s ultimate purpose is to measure short times and it combines a range of information that a standard chronograph would give.

While it may not be a fresh watch from 2023 or this year, the 3 tachymetre scales, a pulsometer and an asthmometer segment make for a very useful minute track that’s a high contrast white on the flange of the dial.

While it’s not skeletonised, this rainbow watch is more practical than luxurious.

We can appreciate if that is a little overwhelming due to the spectrum of orange and green shades. But they accommodate that by featuring small boxes from 6 to 12 o’clock, explaining what colour relates to which function.

The BR-CAL.301 movement is quite reliable as it powers a range of functions, including the hours and minutes, chronograph functionality and a range of quite useful functions if you plan on taking flight such as a pulsometer and asthmometer.

Ticking along at around 28,800VpH it bolstered with a 42 hour power reserve and a secure movement.

Secured with a black rubber strap, the watches are secured with a steel pin and would look great astride a navy suit when waltzing down the red carpet, or under a tan leather pilot jacket.

Capped at 500 pieces, you can buy a Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Multimeter at retail for £5,200 as of February 2024.

Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 South Sea

The Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 South Sea is a very elegant part of the Chronomat collection.

The Chronomat blends both “chronograph” and “automatic” terms to earn the combined title.

Source - Breitling

The classic Chronomat style is made up of iconic rider tabs that followed the original Frecce Tricolori Jet Team variant back in the 1980s, and has a smooth case promoting the slick design of what we would say are some of the best rainbow watches from this range.

This edition does follow some of the design codes, but does away with the inherently sporty feel of the original Chronomat line. It is sized at 36mm of steel and has a thickness of around 10mm.

This is incredibly diminutive which is perfect for the horophile looking for a durable watch to slip beneath a shirt cuff.

Speaking of small watches, John Mayer has a penchant for such timepieces as seen with his Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar 3970EJ. Measuring 37mm, you too could be ripping chords with a wearable stunner on your wrist!

The dial is given a lacquered blue sheen which has a sunray sheen, allowing maximum legibility throughout Given golden baton hour markers with a strip of Super-Luminova through their centre and diamond set squares above each marker, this really is one to show off your innate horological knowledge in and out of the office.

The classic Chronomat bezel usually features rider tabs, but this bezel is instead filled with cocktail-hued rainbow filled gems, running from red at 1 o’clock to yellow at 9 o’clock.

Water resistant to 100 metres, the watches combine pure luxury with capable strength.

Powered by the Breitling 10, this self-winding mechanical movement yields a positive 28,800VpH beat alongside a 42 hour power reserve.

Connected onto a blue alligator leather strap, we feel these watches are perfect for black suits at movie premieres, or dressed down with a simple white tee.

You can buy a Breitling Chronomat Automatic 36 South Sea at retail for £7,650 as of February 2024.

Conclusion

Any more rainbows and we may have to find a bejewelled leprechaun sprouting diamonds and sapphires from his suit! We’ve offered you devoted timelords just a taster on the spectrum of the best rainbow watches.

From the luxury TAG Heuer Polychrome to the artistic genius of The Richard Mille RM 68-01, we’d be lying if we said we could choose a favourite monochromatic watch.

Different styles have been exploding all over recently but the trend has remained steadfast within the community. There’s a reason why this colourful trend has set the horological world on fire.

Whether it’s rainbow jewels, PVD shading or movement colouring, each brand is vying for watchmaking glory to ensure they too make it on to the best rainbow watches gravy train. Gone are the days of morbid greys and depressing blacks.

Let’s tempt you with a luxury light show on your wrist to rival the Dubai Fountains!

Now, where should a discerning gentleman go if he wants to step into the light and dazzle his boss, colleague, girlfriend, wife or cherished one?

Can't wait to buy a Rolex Daytona Rainbow? Want to get your hands on the best rainbow watches and greatest luxury brands around? Save time and chat with Chrono Hunter here. Check out our phenomenal reviews on Trustpilot and find out why we are the best place to buy a watch or sell a watch.

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