Two-Tone Watches Guide: Rolesor and Beyond

A two-tone watch pairs a steel case and bracelet with solid gold on the parts you notice: the bezel, the crown and the centre links of the bracelet. Rolex calls the combination Rolesor, a name it registered in 1933 and has used across the Datejust, Submariner, GMT-Master II, Sea-Dweller, Yacht-Master, Sky-Dweller and Daytona, in yellow gold, in its own Everose pink gold, and, on the Datejust alone, as white Rolesor with a white gold bezel on an otherwise steel watch. Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe make the same combination on the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, and it has come back into fashion after two decades in which steel ruled. This guide explains what Rolesor is and is not, the three Rolex combinations, which references come in two-tone at each brand, how the watches wear, what they cost against steel and full gold on dated asks, and what to check before buying one. Bizak & Co. sources two-tone watches to order; the two-tone watches collection lists the configurations we can seek.

Last reviewed on September 25, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.

What is a two-tone watch, and what does Rolesor mean?

Two-tone is the generic term; Rolesor is Rolex's trademark for it, formed from Rolex and the French word for gold. On a Rolesor watch the case middle, case back and outer bracelet links are Oystersteel and the bezel, winding crown and centre links are 18 ct gold, solid rather than plated or capped, which is why the gold on a Rolesor bracelet wears to a soft satin rather than wearing through. The combination gives the warmth of gold at a fraction of the weight and price of a full gold watch, and it is more robust in daily wear because the parts that take knocks, the case sides and the outer links, are steel. Older two-tone Rolexes from the 1970s and 1980s sometimes used gold-capped or gold-shell parts on the Datejust and Oyster Perpetual, and vintage buyers should know the difference, because a capped bezel that has worn through shows steel at the edges and is not repairable. The current Rolesor models are listed on the Rolex Datejust and Rolex Submariner collection pages.

Yellow, Everose or white Rolesor?

The choice is mostly about contrast. Yellow Rolesor is the two-tone that everyone recognises and the one that pairs with a black, blue or champagne dial; Everose Rolesor is subtler and suits slate, chocolate and white dials; white Rolesor is for buyers who want the fluted bezel without any visible gold. On the secondary market yellow Rolesor has the widest demand, Everose has risen with the Root Beer GMT, and white Rolesor Datejusts trade close to their steel equivalents.

Which Rolex models come in two-tone?

Discontinued two-tone references matter to buyers too: the Submariner 16613 of 1988 to 2009 and the 116613 of 2009 to 2020, the GMT-Master II 16713 and 116713, and generations of Datejust 16233 and 116233. The 126613LB guide and the 16613 guide cover the current and original Bluesy, and the Root Beer guide covers the Everose GMT.

Two-tone beyond Rolex: Royal Oak, Nautilus and others

Audemars Piguet has made the Royal Oak in steel and pink gold since the 1980s, and the current Selfwinding 41 mm 15510SR and the Chronograph 26240SR follow the 15400SR and 15500SR; on a Royal Oak the gold appears on the bezel, the crown, the screws and the bracelet centre links, and the combination suits the design's alternating brushed and polished surfaces. The Audemars Piguet collection page lists the current SR references. Patek Philippe's Nautilus has been offered in steel and rose gold on the 5980/1AR chronograph and, until its discontinuation, the 5711/1AR time-and-date, and on the ladies' 7118/1AR; the Nautilus collection page shows what is current. Outside the four brands this guide covers, Cartier's Santos and Omega's Seamaster and Constellation have long two-tone histories, which is worth knowing because they set the buyer's expectations of price. Richard Mille does not make a two-tone watch in the Rolesor sense; its material contrasts are carbon and titanium against gold, which is a different proposition.

How does a two-tone watch wear?

Heavier than steel and lighter than gold. A two-tone Submariner or Datejust weighs a little more than its steel twin because gold is denser than steel, but far less than a full gold watch, and the difference on the wrist is felt in the centre links rather than the case. Gold is softer than steel, so the bezel edge, the crown and the centre links pick up hairlines faster than the steel parts and develop a soft satin within a year of daily wear; that is normal, and a Rolex Service Centre refinishes both metals at service. Solid gold centre links do not wear through, but they do wear thinner over decades, which is why the bracelets of 1980s and 1990s two-tone watches can show stretch earlier than steel ones. Under a cuff a two-tone watch reads as dressier than steel and less loud than gold, which is the reason the Datejust in yellow Rolesor has been the default business watch for fifty years.

How much do two-tone watches cost?

• Retail. Rolex prices a Rolesor watch between its steel and its full gold versions, closer to steel than to gold; in 2026 the two-tone Submariner 126613 and the two-tone Datejust 41 have both listed in the mid-teens of thousands of US dollars at authorised dealers, with the current figures on the Rolex product pages. Two-tone models are generally easier to obtain at retail than the steel sports references, because demand concentrates on steel.
• Bizak catalogue asks. On September 25, 2026 our sourced catalogue listed the Submariner 126613LB from US$16,368 pre-owned to US$19,602 brand new, and pre-owned Datejust 41 126333 examples from US$15,043 to US$19,360 depending on dial and bracelet, all sourced to order; on 12 September 2026 three pre-owned two-tone 16613 examples were listed from US$9,299 to US$11,903.
• The gold in the price. A two-tone watch carries a few tens of grams of 18 ct gold, so its price moves a little with the gold price but far less than a full gold watch; the secondary premium or discount to retail is set by demand for the reference, not by the metal.

Those figures describe what we saw and will move. Ask for a dated quote for the exact reference, dial and bracelet; our Rolex price guide explains how to compare quotes.

Two-tone, steel or full gold: which to buy?

Steel is the liquid choice: it holds a premium on the allocated sports references and is the easiest to sell. Full gold is the statement and the most expensive, and it holds value on the Day-Date and the gold Daytona but trades at a wider spread on most other models. Two-tone sits between the two on price and, for years, sat below both on desirability, which is why a pre-owned two-tone Submariner or GMT has been the value route into a Rolex sports watch; that gap has closed since about 2022 as buyers returned to gold. The practical answer is that a two-tone watch is the one to buy if you want gold on the wrist every day without the weight, the price or the attention of a full gold watch, and if you are buying to wear rather than to trade. The Datejust 41 126331 guide covers the Everose Rolesor Datejust in detail.

Do two-tone watches hold value?

Modern two-tone Rolexes have held value roughly in line with retail over the last few years, below the premiums of the steel sports models and above most full gold references; the two-tone Submariner and Root Beer GMT have traded at or a little above retail on the secondary market in 2025 and 2026, and two-tone Datejusts a little below. Discontinued two-tone references, the 16613, 16713 and 16233 families, have appreciated slowly from a low base and remain among the cheapest routes into a gold-and-steel Rolex with a mechanical movement. A full set, an unpolished case and unstretched bracelet with solid gold centre links are what hold the value; a stretched bracelet on a two-tone watch is expensive to replace because the centre links are gold.

Buying a two-tone watch: what to check

• Solid gold, not capped. On any Rolesor watch from the late 1980s onward the bezel, crown and centre links are solid 18 ct; on some earlier models they were gold-capped. Look at the edges of the bezel and the underside of the centre links for steel showing through.
• Bracelet stretch. Hold the watch by the clasp; a bracelet that sags into a curve is stretched. Gold centre links wear faster than steel, and replacing them is costly.
• Bezel and crown wear. Hairlines are normal; deep gouges in the gold bezel are permanent short of a bezel replacement. On Cerachrom-bezel models check the ceramic for chips at the edge.
• Even colour. Everose does not fade; a pink gold bezel that has gone pale next to the centre links is a replacement or a different alloy. Yellow gold parts should match each other in tone.
• Papers and serial. Card serial and rehaut engraving should match; on discontinued references, papers move the price more than on current ones.
• Case condition. Sharp lug chamfers and straight brushing on the steel; polishing shows faster on the gold parts, so a bright, rounded bezel on a 1990s watch has been refinished.
• Price against the band. A full-set two-tone example offered well under the market is the single most reliable warning sign.

Our authentication process describes what we inspect before dispatch.

Quick answers

What does Rolesor mean?

Rolesor is Rolex's trademark, registered in 1933, for a watch combining Oystersteel with solid 18 ct gold on the bezel, crown and bracelet centre links. Yellow Rolesor uses yellow gold, Everose Rolesor uses Rolex's pink gold alloy, and white Rolesor has a white gold bezel on an otherwise steel watch.

Is a two-tone Rolex solid gold or plated?

Solid. Every current Rolesor watch uses solid 18 ct gold parts, which wear to a satin finish but never wear through. Some 1970s and 1980s Datejust and Oyster Perpetual models used gold-capped parts, which can show steel at the edges when worn.

Which Rolex models come in two-tone?

The Datejust 36 and 41, Submariner 126613, GMT-Master II 126711CHNR Root Beer, Sea-Dweller 126603, Yacht-Master 126621, Sky-Dweller and Cosmograph Daytona 126503, plus discontinued references such as the Submariner 16613 and 116613.

How much is a two-tone Rolex Submariner?

Rolex's 2026 list price for the 126613 has sat in the mid-teens of thousands of US dollars. Bizak's sourced catalogue listed the 126613LB from US$16,368 pre-owned to US$19,602 brand new on September 25, 2026, sourced to order.

Do two-tone watches hold their value?

Modern two-tone Rolexes have traded roughly around retail in 2025 and 2026, below the steel sports premiums and above most full gold models; discontinued two-tone references have appreciated slowly from a low base. Full set, unpolished case and an unstretched bracelet are what hold the value.

Request a two-tone watch sourcing quote

Tell us the model, the gold colour, dial and bracelet, preferred year range, condition and whether the warranty card is required, plus your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, card and final price before you commit. Catalogue entries: Submariner 126613LB, pre-owned Submariner 126613LB, pre-owned Datejust 41 126333; browse the two-tone watches collection, the Datejust collection, the yellow gold watches collection, or sell or trade your two-tone watch.

Related reading: Submariner 126613LB Bluesy guide · Submariner 16613 guide · GMT-Master II Root Beer guide · Datejust 41 126331 guide.