The Most Iconic Watch?

If there is "the original round wristwatch", like, say, Patek Philippe Calatrava (or maybe it is the Calatrava), it's that. Because the simple round wrist watch is the archetypal watch.

If not, I'd say the Submariner. Rolex did so well with placing it everywhere in marketing for the last seventy years, people will know it, even if not by name.

The Cartier Tank was introduced in 1917. With a production run of 107 years & counting, I'd say it's the most iconic on the list.

If I had to choose a Rolex, it would be the Datejust, introduced in 1945.

For 99% of the earth's population it's probably more something like a Casio F-91W, a Timex or a Seiko 5.

As icons of conspicuous consumption, you're probably right with those 👍

Gotta be the Speedy, no competition.

Voted for the sub based off it is the watch that non watch friends know about. The rest are iconic but not to the general public as a whole.

I think the AP is iconic to watch us enthusiasts, but the other 3 are well recognized by all. I would swap the AP for the Casio Calculator 53W.

I think the correct answer is “Rolex”

To me for something to be iconic, it has to be recognizable by average (non-watch) people purely by design. Everyone knows Rolex and recognizes them by design, they look at Sub or an OP and go “that’s a Rolex”. They don’t even know what the model name is but they know it’s a Rolex.

Whereas peope know Omega by name and not by design. In the post moon swatch era, maybe it’s a bit different but still…I don’t think the average person is able to look at a speed master and immediately recognize it as an omega without context.

The only other watch that I think comes close to Rolex in terms of icon status is the Tank. I think 30 years ago, it occupied a similar spot as a Rolex but as dress watches and fell in popularity and sports watches began to rise, the recognizability of the Tank has diminished.

As much as I love the Speedy ( own one too ) and don't care much about Rolex in general I must say Submariner is universally more iconic. We always need to consider average person not in our small collecting circle and with that in mind Rolex Submariner is way above anything else.

Not even close- The Rolex Submariner.

Maybe not on a watch specific forum, but if you include the 99.9% of the population that aren't watch enthusiasts the Sub is by far the most iconic.

Totally agree! All of these models are iconic for a small group. The Casio F91W is part of the collection of the design department of MoMa and many other museums. For me it's the Cartier Crash, but I'm aware that it's only iconic for a very select group of nerds and fashionistas.

I'd say its the most iconic for enthusiasts. For normal people it's the submariner imo

It's hard to put yourself inside the mind of someone outside the hobby because we've built up so much baggage from within, but if I were to guess, I'd say a Rolex two-tone datejust is probably the most platonic version of an iconic watch, perhaps followed next by the Tank(?)

If limited to just the POV of folks within the hobby, I think it goes sub first, then all of the other listed survey options are great as well. If >4 options are available, it could probably be expanded to include and Explorer 1, Pepsi GMT, Daytona, and Nautalis.

One of the comments already said it. The Calatrava is the most iconic watch of all time.

From the four mentioned I‘d say it’s the Sub.

I would switch out the Tank for the Santos.

But all 4 (5) are iconic.

Since I have to choose, it’s the Sub. Most recognizable by general public. The Moonwatch is a close second.

Interesting…if you count my ROO (which I don’t because it doesn’t have the steel integrated bracelet which makes the RO an icon), I have one of each of the 4/5. Maybe my collection is complete and I should start selling the rest. 😂

As much as I love all watches mentioned, I would have to say the most iconic watch of them all is the Rolex Submariner. It’s become a cultural icon known by everyone worldwide. It’s become the standard dive watch architype. The dive watch to which all dive watches are measured against.