The Allure and Confusion of the Bronze Age
Let’s get something straight: this is not a review of the Signum Watches Cero (with heat-treated meteorite dial), although that is the watch I have used as the backdrop for this piece. I love my Cero, especially its wild and colorful dial. The views in this article are about the use of bronze itself and are not a reflection on the quality of the watch. That said, it’s inevitable I’ll touch on the Signum Cero throughout, and you should know it’s a tremendous value for the money among microbrand watches.
The recent bronze watch craze has captured the imagination of many watch lovers, and turned off just as many. There’s a dichotomy at play here, between the initial luster of the material and its eventual (relatively rapid) patination. It’s a polarizing choice compared to more traditional metals like stainless steel or gold, and even makes rose gold look conservative by comparison.
Bronze watches aren’t actually all that new of a concept, but they’ve certainly entered the zeitgeist in the last couple of years. Prominent offerings have emerged from Oris, Longines, and Tudor, as well as many, many microbrands including Signum. Before I talk about the aesthetics, which is what it all comes down to, let’s examine the facts.
Let’s consider bronze (typically CuSN8) against the most common 316L stainless steel. Bronze is heavier and softer, making it more prone to picking up scratches or dents. Both drawbacks when compared against steel, at least from a traditionalist’s standpoint. Finally, bronze contains copper which, in addition to giving its signature warm color, oxidizes, which leads to corrosion and patina. In rare instances it can also irritate the skin of the wearer.
As for the aesthetics, bronze is most certainly in a class by itself. I mentioned the traditional view earlier: what I meant by that is the idea that a watch, as an ostensibly expensive, fancy, possibly heirloom accessory, should be kept in a condition as close to new as possible. It should be treated like a museum piece, in a hermetically sealed chamber where it will remain untouched for all time. Okay, maybe that’s an extreme take on it, but you get the idea. Bronze has a beautiful red-gold luster that approaches rose gold, but is a bit less pink, at least when it is new. The development of patina on the bronze can create unique patterns including streaks, whorls (including fingerprints), and blotches as it is worn and used and exposed to different environmental stimuli. The end result is a unique-looking piece as it ages, developing a character all its own, and subtle differences that will set it apart from any other watch including the same reference number.
Over time, the luster of the bronze will disappear under the coat of patina, giving it a richer, earthy-brown and even green appearance. Over the past year and change my Signum has developed to a rich, earthy brown with blurred streaks on the sides of the case, with just hints of green peeking through. There are a few splotches here and there, but the original luster still shines through here and there, especially on the chamfered edges, which catch the light beautifully. The coin edge bezel has likewise dulled to brown and black. If you’re curious what more time or other environmental effects, such as saltwater exposure, can do to a bronze watch case, a quick internet search will show you some pretty extreme examples.
When new, a bronze watch exudes a brilliant, brown-gold glow, and nothing else quite matches it. The challenge is that for many buyers, that initial attraction may fade once the patina develops. Patina is a fickle thing, often touted in the descriptions of vintage watches that have some stories to tell through their dings and scratches. It is equally denigrated when manufactured, as in watches with “faux” lume hour markers and hands, yellowed to mimic aged lume. Perhaps that’s why bronze is such a divisive material. Its softness leads to more scratches and dings, and the patination process feels like a shortcut to vintage.
In the end, I’m not sure where I fall. I love my Signum Cero, but that has more to do with the simple, compact design and the fact that the bronze really just lets that insane heat-treated meteorite dial shine through with all its purples and blues and golds. I like bronze, but I don’t think I love it, and that’s probably why my bronze pieces get comparatively little time on my wrist. For anyone curious about bronze I would advise that they get some hands-on time with an aged one in the wild before committing to a purchase. It’s not something to be undertaken lightly, but there is a lot to appreciate if you’re willing to take the plunge.
