Horological Meandering

I set out a couple of years back with the (with hindsight extremely) unrealistic ambition to putting a collection together that includes all somewhat affordable iconic watches of the 20th century. Again, this is obvioulsy naiv and alone the fact that some of them are not affordable (for me at least: PP perpetual calendars, etc.) makes this unrealistic. Still, it's a lot of fun at least to pursue those that are affordable and accessible (findable). Often I wonder then what really the ranking in terms of 'iconic' is. What are really THE TOP 10 ICONS of all time? No right answer of course, subjective, but even my list probably varies day by day when thinking about it.

Here my today's list: (Criteria: wristwatch, 20th century. Also I would as another criteria exclude some niche watches, that probably are iconic, but simply too rare or specialist to qualify, such as JLC Geophysic, Zenith 135, etc. I would consider these more as 'grail watches'). Ranking is somewhat indicative of my view within the top 10, but not strictly.

1. Rolex Submariner/Seadweller (take liberty to group them given quite similar): the diver watch, besides: James Bond link and myth etc.

2. Omega Speedmaster: THE chronograph - besides: watch on the moon

3. Patek Calatrava (565, 570 etc.): The ultimate 3-hand, time only watch?

4. Cartier Santos: the first real man's wrist-watch?

5. JLC Reverso: the ultimate art-deco accessoire (not only watch) in the world

6. Longines Lindbergh: first wrist-watch to combine the navigational aspect of maritime chronometers (origin of precision watch/clock-making) into a wristwatch

7. Swatch: first plastic watch, changed paradigms: watch as fashion accessoire, quartz, etc.

8. IWC Ingenieur 666: for me the ultimate anti-magnetic watch (there is the PP Amagnetic and Rolex Milgauss, but 666 produced in higher numbers, the other more niche/grail)

9. AP Royal Oak: breaking paradigms, the first steel luxury watch - 10x price of Rolex Submariner at the time. Changing rules of the game. Paved way for Nautilus, VC 222, etc, Hublot, etc.

10. Heuer Carrera or Monte Carlo: can't decide

runner ups:

11. Zenith El Primero?

12. Rolex Daytona

13. Rolex Explorer?

13. Omega Constellation?

14. IWC Portuguese?

15. ....

 

your views? I know there are so many, but what are really the top 10 if one has to decide?

thanks

RDL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, your list is hard to dispute and easy to agree with as it is well thought out.

I may also add:

IWC Ocean 2000- first real titanium watch.  This may be replaced by the Omega PloProf- true professional diver.

Seiko Astron Quartz- yeah I know, but you didnt say it had to be mechanical and this watch certainly was iconic and the impact was huge.

Hamilton Piping rock -or Ventura

Breitling  Navitimer

Universal Aerocompax

Breguet XX

Cartier pasha

Rolex Daytona

Heuer Lemans Mcqueen

Just some thoughts

Agree, especially with
Breitling Navitimer
Seiko Quartz
HEUER Steve McQueen Monte Carlo (had it on 10.)

IWC Porsche Titan is a little too niche IMO to make it. For me a criteria of iconic is that non-watch geeks or collectors also recognise the watch. I doubt they do with a IWC Porsche Titanium. Same for some of the others. That is the distinction between iconic and important niche watches (such as JLC Geophysic etc) known to few collectors.

absolutely.

i would have a hard time taking any list of iconic 20th century watches seriously if it didn't contain an example of the world's first electric watch in one of the most fantastically demonstrative examples of mid-20th century space-age design.

The Hamilton electrics, primarily the Ventura for the incredible aesthetics, cannot be left out. This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2012-12-07 18:51:14

this isn't really a place where devotees of US made horologia gather.

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Thanks for this great thread, RDL.

I find the whole idea of iconic watches and how we come to them very interesting. There are several core watches that seem to appear on most peoples lists. But sometimes how you define "icon" and whether you limit yourself to specific groups like major manufactures, modern watches, currently in production in some form or independents makes a difference. And is an iconic watch one that represents the brand, or the watch category or both? Is it an individual watch or (more commonly) the long evolution that has made it so? And what has actually made it an icon, the watch itself or a link to some event, like the Speedmaster and the Apollo program? Or can we even separate out these things? Perhaps icon status happens when you make the right watch at the right time for the right customer. But even that doesn't always work; many iconic watches were slow to be accepted and become popular.

So I would love to see all of you define in a word or two what makes your nominated watches iconic. Is it the design, longevity, company, marketing, event, history, movement, etc. Or perhaps a combination?

I am making breakfast this morning wearing a Speedy on one wrist and a Sub on the other and feeling very iconic!

Warm regards,

Andrew

... since it is the most famous and influential multi-functional wristwatch series, and massively influenced the market and the history of timepieces.

Regards,
Marcus

... still cool, as many young teenagers still want one.

With all the electronic time telling available on mobile devices it is a win just to get them to want to wear a wrist watch!

Thanks for the suggestion, Marcus.

Andrew

Again, agree re the G-Shock!

Andrew, you are asking very good questions: I had not thought that deeply about 'iconic', it's more like something 'you know iconic when you see it' without being able to explain why. But an Omega Speedmaster, Rolex Submariner, AP Royal Oak etc. ...I don't think anybody would disagree and not define them as 'iconic'. The more I think about it, the more I believe 'iconic' with respect to watches is something that "defines or re-defines the genre", and more often than not watches that led to paradigm shifts in design or other characteristics (AP RO=being able to sell a steel watch at 10x the price of next competitor, Swatch=plastic, turning watch into accessoire, Seiko Accutron=first mass quartz, Rolex Submariner=timeless deisgn surviving virtually unchanged 60 years, Cartier Santos=according to legend first wristwatch for aviator Santos, etc. etc.). So, for me, iconic means that the watch in a certain way either revolutionised the industry, or - if not revolutionising obvioulsy - over time proved so timeless and as standing out that it became an icon through passage of time and verdict of million of buyers.

anyway, a fascinating topic, and all the nominations show it difficult it is to agree even on a list of 10. Now, imagine we had to define the top3 or top5 icons of the 20th century?

I personally like the iconic criteria as one for collecting - because it means there is a certain significance about every watch in the collection....

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nt

the Cartier Santos definitely need to be mentioned.

An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn "image") is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches.

More broadly the term is used in a wide number of contexts for an image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it either concretely or by analogy.

Icon is also used, particularly in modern culture, in the general sense of symbol — i.e. a name, face, picture, edifice (watch!) or even a person readily recognized as having some well-known significance or embodying certain qualities.

A thing, an image or depiction, that represents something else of greater significance through literal or figurative meaning, usually associated with religious, cultural, political, or economic standing.

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Personally, I think a Rolex (Datejust, Submariner or Daytona) is THE iconic high-end watch for the general public.


Whereas, this is an "iconic icon" when using icon to mean "visible image of the invisible God"

Referring to Bond. James Bond. Perhaps pre-Omega?

Cazalea

it is quite obvious why Rolex is best seller

Otherwise, it's perfect!

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