2024 is shaping up to be a rather exciting year for titanium watches, with brands big and small debuting offerings in the lightweight material. Rolex rang in November with a bang by releasing their first-ever all-titanium watch – the Deepsea Challenge – and drawing even more attention to the popular metal finish. While titanium watches are certainly nothing new, it does appear as though they’re becoming increasingly popular. Let’s look at some of the best titanium luxury watches on the market.
Titanium vs. Stainless Steel
Choosing the right material is almost as important as picking the right watch for your wrist. It affects not only the price of the watch but the overall experience of wearing it. That rings particularly true in the argument of titanium versus steel. Stainless steel is more durable and not as prone to scratches as titanium. Scratches on titanium watches are also much more noticeable than on steel because titanium is coated in a layer of oxide formed by the reaction of titanium to oxygen. Scratches penetrate this layer and, as a result, are much more noticeable. However, it is relatively easy to buff out those scratches if you need to. Stainless steel, on the other hand, is the heavier of the two metals and can significantly affect comfort when choosing between the two if weight is an important factor for you. Titanium isn’t as cold against the wrist as steel, bringing us back to overall comfort. Aesthetically, stainless steel is shinier than titanium, which appears more matte or satin. Titanium is also more expensive to produce than steel, which often commands a higher premium on the market.
Read more about the new Rolex Titanium Deepsea Challenge Watch
Rolex Deepsea Challenge ref. 126067
Rolex finally joined the titanium bandwagon with their most impressive dive watch yet, the Deepsea Challenge. At 50mm in diameter, it’s also the largest commercially produced model in the Rolex lineup, so titanium was the smart choice for Rolex here. It features Rolex’s branded RLX grade 5 titanium, celebrated for its weightlessness and corrosion resistance. It isn’t the first instance of titanium in the Rolex catalog, as the brand also uses the material on the case back of the Deepsea collection. However, ref. 126067 is the first time Rolex has released a watch produced entirely in titanium. The watch is an homage to the experimental Rolex worn by James Cameron as he ventured 10,908 meters/35,787 feet to the Challenger Deep – the deepest point in the Mariana Trench. However, his watch was 904L-grade stainless steel and was 30% heavier than the titanium Deepsea Challenge. It may not be a convenient watch to own with its polarizing dimensions. Still, it’s an exciting first for Rolex nonetheless that we can only imagine will pave the way for future titanium Rolex watches.
Tudor Pelgaos ref. 25500TN
When the Tudor Pelagos came to market in 2012, it was the only model in the brand’s catalog to feature almost an entirely titanium finish, except for the case back, which is stainless steel. Compared to its cousin, the Rolex Submariner, the Pelagos was a rather exciting release at the time that boasted a lighter and more dynamic titanium finish and offered greater water resistance up to 500 meters and a larger 42mm case. Reference 2550TN hails from the first generation, complete with the same ETA caliber 2824 movement, black matte ceramic bezel, and matching black dial.
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M ref. 210.90.42.20.01.001
Titanium takes on a warmer tone on this 007 Omega Seamaster developed for the James Bond film No Time To Die. Reference 210.90.42.20.01.001 features grade 2 titanium and an unmistakable vintage-inspired aesthetic. It features a “tropical” dial and bezel and matching creamy hour markers and 60-minute graduations on the dial. This watch is a departure from the typical stainless steel Omegas we’ve seen strapped to Bond’s wrist. That’s because it’s been reported that Daniel Craig, the actor portraying Bond in No Time To Die, requested titanium for its lighter weight – a practical decision for the daring British Secret Service agent.
Panerai Luminor ref. PAM00074
In addition to featuring a desirable titanium finish, the Panerai Luminor PAM00074 also sports the caliber OP IV movement produced by Zenith. The famous “El Primero,” as it is known in many watch collecting circles, was modified by Panerai to include their own winding weight. It is only one of 4 modern Panerai watches to use the famous movement during the early 2000s. The titanium/steel hybrid finish pairs a satin titanium cushion-shaped case with a stainless steel Tachymeter bezel. It also features tonal chronograph registers to match the rest of the dial and mostly Arabic numeral hour markers instead of the usual baton/Arabic configuration we usually see from Panerai. Overall, this titanium Panerai Luminor deserves a spot on our list for its delightfully unusual design set.
Oris ProDiver GMT ref. 01 748 7748 7154-07 4 26 74TEB
The titanium Oris ProDiver is another large titanium watch, measuring 49mm in diameter. It’s an impressive watch, there’s no doubt about that. Still, it doesn’t weigh down the wrist with a combination of titanium and rubber. Features include a unidirectional diver’s bezel in rubber and ceramic, water resistance up to 1,000 meters, Superluminova, automatic movement with dual timekeeping capabilities, and a date mechanism. The clever wave dial motif mirrors the watch’s purpose as a reliable underwater dive watch that also happens to look exceptional on land.
Breitling for Bentley GT3 ref. V273655S/BE14
The next titanium watch on our list embraces more of a motorsport aesthetic with a sleek black titanium finish, black carbon fiber dial, and black rubber bracelet. It’s an exclusive Breitling for Bentley GT3 Limited Edition watch produced in quantities of just 500 watches that feature bright green accents on the dial to match the GT3 logo. The chronograph features the Breitling caliber 27 self-winding movement, start and stop pushers above and below the crown, and a Tachymeter scale. Titanium takes color well, and this Breitling is an excellent example of that in black.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 25721TI.OO.1000TI.03
Last but certainly not least, we have a very striking example of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in titanium. Reference 25721TI.OO.1000TI.03 came to market a few years after the first Royal Oak Offshore in the 1990s and is often mistaken for the inaugural model because of the similarity between titanium and steel. Audemars Piguet produced the titanium model for only a few short years, during which six dial variations hit the market in combinations of grey, blue, black, and white. One of the rarest is the silver Grade Tapisserie dial, which is decorated with blue-trimmed chronograph registers to match the Tachymeter bezel, crown, and side pushers.
