Rainbow Watches UK The Complete Guide
Some watches tell the time.
Some watches tell you something about the person wearing them.
The Tomell London Rainbow Edition does both. But it's the second one people remember.
This is the complete guide to rainbow watches what they are, how they're made, what separates a well-executed one from a cheap imitation, and the full Rainbow collection from Tomell London.
What is a rainbow watch?
A rainbow watch features a bezel the ring surrounding the dial set with stones in multiple colours arranged in a spectrum sequence. The effect is a continuous band of colour around the dial that catches light from every angle and refracts it differently depending on where you look.
At the high end of watchmaking, rainbow bezels are set with sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. Rolex's Rainbow Daytona the most well-known example uses genuine precious gemstones set in platinum or gold and retails at over £100,000. The secondary market price is considerably higher.
The principle at every price point is the same: multiple stones, multiple colours, one continuous band of structured colour around the dial. The execution the stone quality, the setting precision, the base material is where the difference lies.
The Rolex Rainbow Daytona problem
The Rolex Rainbow Daytona is the watch that put rainbow bezels on the map. It was introduced in 2012, reached cultural visibility around 2018 when celebrities and collectors started photographing it, and by 2020 had become one of the most sought-after watches in the world.
There are two problems with it.
First: the price. A Rainbow Daytona in gold with the full stone bezel retails at over £100,000. On the secondary market where most buyers have to look, given the waiting lists at authorised dealers prices range from £150,000 to £250,000 depending on specification and condition.
Second: the availability. Even if the price were accessible, getting one isn't. Authorised Rolex dealers don't sell Rainbow Daytonas off the shelf. You build a relationship with a dealer over years. You buy other pieces first. You wait. And then you might be offered one.
The rainbow bezel concept is one of the most visually compelling in contemporary watchmaking. The watch that made it famous is inaccessible to almost everyone who wants one.
That's the gap Tomell London was designed to occupy.
The Tomell London Rainbow Edition the full collection
Four watches. One concept. Different enough that each one has its own identity.
Rainbow Edition Silver £425 SHOP NOW
The clean version. A silver frosted stardust dial in a silver case, finished with a 54-stone rainbow bezel set with individually placed square-cut multi-coloured stones. The silver base lets the bezel carry the colour without competing with it. The frosted dial catches light differently from any angle. The result is a watch that reads as understated until the light hits it and then it isn't.
Rainbow Edition Black £425 SHOP NOW
The contrast version. A deep frosted black dial in a dark case, finished with the same 54-stone rainbow bezel. The contrast between the dark base and the coloured stones is what makes this version different from the others the rainbow sits against darkness rather than complementing a lighter tone. More dramatic. More deliberate. The version for those who want the colour to hit first.
Rainbow Edition Rose Gold £425 SHOP NOW
The warm version. Rose gold-toned case and bracelet, frosted stardust dial, 54-stone rainbow bezel. The warm tone of the rose gold pulls out the red and orange tones in the bezel spectrum. Wears differently from the silver and black versions more complete, more cohesive as an overall piece. The version that pairs most naturally with other jewellery.
Rainbow Limited Edition £475 SHOP NOW
Fifty pieces. No restock. No second production run.
The Limited Edition takes the Rainbow concept further in every direction. A frosted gold case rather than silver or black. A deep blue stardust dial that shifts colour with movement. The same 54-stone rainbow bezel as the core range but here, the combination of the gold case, the blue stardust dial, and the rainbow stones creates something the core range doesn't quite reach.
This watch was always going to be made once. That decision was made before the first piece was produced. Limited to 50 pieces worldwide, with no plans for any equivalent production. At the time of writing, some pieces remain. At some point they won't. The nature of a genuine limited edition is that you either understand the moment or you don't.
What makes the Tomell Rainbow different from cheap alternatives
Rainbow bezel watches exist at every price point. Some are £20 on marketplaces. Some are £200 from brands with no verifiable origin. Here's what to look for and why it matters.
Stone setting. Cheap rainbow watches use adhesive-set stones or low-quality paste stones that fall out within months of normal wear. The Tomell Rainbow Edition uses individually set stones in a proper bezel setting the same principle as fine jewellery, scaled to a watch bezel. The stones stay because they're properly secured, not glued.
Stone quality. The colour sequence in a well-executed rainbow bezel isn't random. Each stone is selected for colour consistency and placed in a specific position to create a continuous spectrum. Cheap versions use whatever stones are available in roughly the right colours. The result is a muddy, inconsistent band rather than a clean spectrum.
Base material. The case and bracelet behind a rainbow bezel determines how the whole piece wears over time. Grade 316L stainless steel holds its finish under daily wear. Lower grades develop surface rust, discolour against skin, and degrade the stone settings as the metal shifts. Every Tomell Rainbow is built on 316L steel.
The dial. The dial matters as much as the bezel. A flat, printed dial under a rainbow bezel looks cheap because the contrast is wrong the bezel has depth and texture; the dial underneath it doesn't. Tomell's frosted stardust dial gives the dial the same visual complexity as the bezel. They work together rather than one undermining the other.
Who wears a rainbow watch
Not the person who needs to be told it's bold.
The people who buy Tomell Rainbow watches already know what they want to wear. They've seen enough safe watches. They've been told enough times that a watch should be simple and timeless and understated. They're not interested.
A rainbow watch on a wrist is a decision. It says something. It says: I chose this. Specifically. On purpose.
That's not for everyone. It is, specifically, for those who know the difference between a watch that belongs to you and a watch you just happen to own.
Rainbow watch care
The 54 stones in the Rainbow bezel are set in a fixed metal bezel they don't move and they don't flex. Normal daily wear doesn't stress the settings.
Avoid hard impacts on the bezel specifically. Stone settings can loosen under sharp shock not under normal wear, but under the kind of impact that would mark any watch. Keep the bezel clean with a soft dry cloth. The frosted dial is protected behind sapphire crystal and doesn't need special care. 3ATM water resistance applies across all Rainbow pieces splashes fine, submersion not recommended.
Shop the full Rainbow collection →
Tomell London is an independent British watch brand founded in 2021. The Rainbow Edition is designed in London and built with 54 individually set stones, frosted stardust dials, sapphire crystal glass, and Grade 316L stainless steel. Free UK shipping. 4.9 stars from 124 verified reviews. Prestige Award 2024/25.