8 Best Gold Dress Watches

The gold dress watch might just be the most pure watch you can buy. Classic and elegant, we’d argue that everyone needs that perfect dress watch in their collection. But not every dress watch has to be simple. You can now find dress watches that have complications and still manage to slip under the cuff. So what are our favorite gold dress watches? Here are 8 options that have come through our store.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 6119R

Price: $28,000-$32,000, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 8mm, Lug-to-Lug: 46.9mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Manual Winding, Material: Rose Gold

When you think of dress watches, and gold dress watches in particular, the Patek Philippe Calatrava might be the first watch that comes to mind. The 6119R is about as classic as they come. From the rose gold case with hobnail pattern to the stick indices and subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock, this is the perfect watch to match with a tuxedo. It doesn’t get better than the Calatrava. 

Read our full review of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R here.

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref. 3738

Price: $17,000-$19,000, Case Size: 31mm, Thickness: 6mm, Lug-to-Lug: 35mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Rose Gold

If you are a fan of Patek Philippe but want something a little more bold (but equally as iconic) out of your dress watch, the Golden Ellipse is a great choice. The first thing you will notice about the ellipse is the non-circular, elliptical case (hence the name). This alone sets the Golden Ellipse apart from anything else on the market. On top of that, the rose gold case matched with sunray brown dial bring this watch to the next level. It’s simple and bold at the same time. And that’s why we like it so much. 

Piaget Altiplano 900P Ref. G0A39110

Price: $17,000-$19,000, Case Size: 38mm, Thickness: 3.65mm, Lug-to-Lug: 41.9mm, Lug Width: 19mm, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Rose Gold

While dress watches are typically defined by their simplicity, this is not the case for the Piaget Altiplano 900P Ref. G0A39110. While the watch doesn’t have any complications, it is unbelievable just 3.65mm thick. To make it that thin, the caseback also serves as the baseplate and the dial is skeletonized. But, because it so seamlessly will slip under the cuff, we consider it a dress watch, albeit with a little bit of flourish. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon Ref. Q136252

Price: $14,000-$15,000, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 9mm, Lug-to-Lug: N.A., Lug Width: N.A., Water Resistance: 50M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Rose Gold

If you are going to add a complication to your dress watch, the most traditional one would be the moonphase. We have seen many beautiful dress watches with a moonphase complication, including the Rolex Cellini. And the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin moon is another great example with moonphase. The watch is comfortably sized at 39mm and has a date complication placed in the same sundial as the moonphase. It’s an elegant watch from a brand that does dress watches so well. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Tribute 1931 Ref. Q2782521

Price: $17,000-$19,000, Case Size: 27.5mm, Thickness: 7mm, Lug-to-Lug: 46.6mm, Lug Width: N.A., Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Manual Winding, Material: Rose Gold

We couldn’t do a list of the best gold dress watches without including a Reverso. While the Reverso may have started as sporting watch for polo players, it has become an iconic dress watch in modern times (especially the monoface models). And the Grande Reverso Tribute 1931 is as classic as it gets. Designed to resemble the very first Reverso released in 1931, this watch is just as timeless and classic as it gets. And that’s why we love it so much. There are no extra flourishes, guilloche and embellishment, and sometimes that’s a good thing. The art deco case and simple design stand on its own, making it a must own for Reverso collectors. 

Breguet Classique Ref. 5140BA/12/9W6

Price: $12,000-$14,000, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 10.8mm, Lug-to-Lug: 45.5mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Yellow Gold

If you want a traditional gold dress watch, the Breguet Classique checks all of the boxes. From the guilloche dial to the blue Breguet style hands, this watch is pure class. And the off-centered seconds sundial gives the watch just a bit of funkiness that we really like. Breguet as a brand is known for its dress watches. And you just can’t go wrong with the Classique. `

Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar Ref. 30020

Price: $140,000-$145,000, Case Size: 37mm, Thickness: 9.5mm, Lug-to-Lug: N.A., Lug Width: N.A., Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Manual Winding, Material: Yellow Gold

You rarely see a dress watch with serious complications, but the Vacheron Constantin Ref. 30020 is a worthy exception. The traditional gold case houses not only a perpetual calendar complication, but a minute repeater as well. One might expect this to mean that the watch will be large and unable to be placed under a cuff. But the Ref. 30020 is only 37mm in diameter and 9.5mm thick. Indeed, at the time of its release it was the world’ thinnest minute repeater. The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Ref. 30020 will surely be a conversation starter at any formal gathering. 

Read our full review of the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar here.

Rolex Perpetual 1908 Ref. 52508

Price: $24,000-$26,000, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 9.5mm, Lug-to-Lug: 47mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 50M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Yellow Gold

Rolex surprised everyone at Watches & Wonders in 2023 by discontinuing their iconic dress watch collection, the Cellini. But the brand also replaced the Cellini collection with the new Perpetual 1908. We think of the Perpetual 1908 as an evolution of the Cellini. It is a little bit more modern, but still has some very classic touches. The sword minutes and Breguet-style hour markers are clearly very traditional. And the half fluted bezel and 3, 9 and 12 numeral hour markers add a modern touch. Not to mention, it is one of the few watches Rolex produces with a display caseback. If Rolex is your brand and you need a dress watch, the Perpetual 1908 is a great mixture of vintage and modern. 

Check out our full list of our 16 favorite dress watches.