Swiss Watch Icons: Moser Tribute Quiz

Key Points from the Discussion

• The Moser 'Frankenstein' watch includes obvious elements, but other iconic choices could have been made, such as the Royal Oak's hobnail dial, IWC Big Pilot's crown, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms' sapphire bezel, or classic Omega Seamaster hands.
• Some elements in the Moser watch, like the Panerai sandwich dial and crown guard, have Italian origins, while Breguet hands may have French origins, raising questions about their 'Swiss icon' status.
• Proposed iconic elements include: Blancpain's unidirectional Fifty Fathoms diving bezel, Breitling's slide rule bezel, Franck Muller's colorful crazy hour numerals, Jaeger-LeCoultre's reversible Reverso case, Omega's Hippocampus case back, Ulysse Nardin's marine chronometer dial, Vacheron Constantin's tear drop/horn lugs, and Zenith's El Primero movement.
• JLC might have been excluded from the Moser tribute because they consistently create new watches rather than constantly re-interpreting old designs.
• Additional suggestions for iconic elements include: Blancpain's moonphase/wavy date arm, Breitling's Chronomat bezel, Franck Muller's large numerals, JLC's simplistic but classic design, Omega's sturdy case, Piaget's thin case, Ulysse Nardin's anchor motif, Vacheron Constantin's slim hands/minimalist design, and Zenith's sweeping seconds hand.
• For Omega, twisted lugs are a strong identifier, often bringing Speedmasters to mind. For Breitling, complex chronograph dials are iconic, making their simpler designs less immediately recognizable.
• While Piaget's slimness is its most important DNA element, the gadroons from the Piaget Polos (pre-S models) are considered its most visible and typical design element.