Everybody Loves Rainbows

Watches that use a spectrum of colored gemstones to create a rainbow effect have become a modest trend in recent years. Most brands use sapphires to create this effect, often in addition with amethysts, tsavorites and other colored gemstones. With sapphires, most people immediately think of the blue colored stones, yet this type of gemstone comes in nearly the complete color spectrum. Rubies, for example, got in the past a name of their own, before they could be identified as a variety of the mineral corundum, just like all the other sapphires. Because this type of stone is available in so many different hues, they play an important role in many watches to create the perfect rainbow effect.

Jacob & Co Astronomia Tourbillon Baguette Rainbow Sapphires
At Jacob & Co, they use a seamless setting of colored baguette-cut gemstones as a backdrop for the Astronomia. The result is spectacular. As there are several rows of gems, Jacob & Co can even let the colors change at different rates. This amplifies the rainbow-effect and adds another level of excitement to the watch. That this is possible is quite a feat as its complications are already quite spectacular by itself.

Rolex Daytona Rainbow
When one of the most popular sports watches in the world gets a rainbow-treatment, you know that the result is spectacular. For the Daytona did Rolex, set the bezel with colored gemstones, and matched the hour markers to them. The fact that this is so captivating is in part also because of the luxurious look of the Everose gold that Rolex used for the case as well as the bracelet. By setting the lugs and the crown protector with brilliant-cut, colorless diamonds did Rolex outline the distinct shape of the case. Although you have to forgo the tachymeter scale on the bezel, the dial remains fully functional, making this Daytona as beautiful as it is useful.

Rolex Day-Date Rainbow
The Daytona is not the only watch that Rolex offers in a ‘Rainbow’-edition as also the Day-Date gets this colorful treatment. Here the approach is more subtle. That is when you don’t take into account the pave-setting of brilliant-cut colorless diamonds that can be found on the dial, bezel and middle links of the bracelet. They do help to make the rainbow-effect standout. This is quite an accomplishment by Rolex, as they have only ten baguette-cut hour markers to create it. Using the perfect colored stones is what made the difference, in which Rolex cleverly utilized the day-window at twelve o’clock to separate the blue sapphire from the ruby.

Hublot Big Bang Unico Rainbow King Gold
Rolex is not the only one who favors the combination of rose gold with colored gemstones. For the Big Bang Unico Rainbow did Hublot opt for the propitiatory King Gold. That is where the comparison ends because instead of diamonds did Hublot use a mixture of baguette and brilliant-cut colored gemstones to create the rainbow effect. On the dial, they are utilized not only on the hour markers but also on the Arabic numerals and to highlight the subdials. Hublot even went as far as giving the alligator strap a rainbow-treatment. While this might all seem a bit much, it results in a fun piece which is crafted with such passion and care that it serves as a benchmark for this type of watch.

Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow King Gold
This year Hublot also introduced the Big Bang One Clock Rainbow King Gold. Interesting about this watch is that the dial has a pave setting of colored diamonds in a symmetrical setting. It is surrounded by a set bezel, while the rest of the case features a snow-setting. This adds a pleasant contrast to the watch and makes the rainbow-effect even stronger. The alligator strap got the same treatment as that of its larger sibling, with the one click-mechanism allowing its owner to change it to something a little bit more subtle in just moments, whenever desired.