What is the most iconic Watch design ever?

It may sound controversial at first, but when you think about it there isn’t really another watch that can be recognized by the majority of people from across the room like the Apple Watch.

Like it or not, but the design is just iconic. There is a lack of pretentiousness in it that is missing in most other options.

You can see it on the wrists of CEOs with suits, on sportsmen of any kind, on school kids with shabby clothes. It democratized the wearing of a watch like no other watch has done before.

And it managed to do this without any branding on the case.

I myself wouldn’t wanna wear one, but that’s OK

53 votes ·
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Movado Museum

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Rolex Datejust or submariner

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There not a watch, they are wearable tech. End of discussion

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As sad as this is, you‘re probably right

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watchguystu

There not a watch, they are wearable tech. End of discussion

Years ago the same was said about digital watches.

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mannyb65

Rolex Datejust or submariner

Most people wouldn’t recognize a Rolex if you removed the logo.

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foghorn

Years ago the same was said about digital watches.

There are just a small computer that also tells the time.

I’m not saying there not good at what they do but there as much a wristwatch as an iPhone is a pocket watch

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No other watch looks so bad when paired with nice clothes.

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Chronomaster

Most people wouldn’t recognize a Rolex if you removed the logo.

So it is very recognizable that in Mexico there was a gang of robbers called the Rolex gang and it was only Watch Brands that they robbed.

DateJust. Ask a child to draw you a watch and they'll draw a DateJust. They might not know the name, they might not know the brand, but everyone can recognize it; a generic DateJust is the default for most people.

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Chronomaster

Most people wouldn’t recognize a Rolex if you removed the logo.

Also In my office they didn't recognize an Omega or a Tag Heuer, but when I wore my Rolex GMT for the first time, The first thing someone who didn't know anything about watches asked me was "is that Rolex real?"

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morningwatchmilwaukee

DateJust. Ask a child to draw you a watch and they'll draw a DateJust. They might not know the name, they might not know the brand, but everyone can recognize it; a generic DateJust is the default for most people.

Honestly no, before I got into watches I wouldn’t have recognised a Datejust or even a Sub. And a lot of people I know are the same.

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morningwatchmilwaukee

DateJust. Ask a child to draw you a watch and they'll draw a DateJust. They might not know the name, they might not know the brand, but everyone can recognize it; a generic DateJust is the default for most people.

That's how I think about this "iconic" thing too--ask a non watch person to draw a watch and see what they draw. Personally I'd guess that it's not an apple watch for most people, though I could be wrong, and I could definitely see that changing with the younger generations.

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Cartier Tank.

Over 105 years in production - and counting.

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Omega design language:

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Apple design language:

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The prosecution rests 😂

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I cannot tell the difference between an apple watch and any other "smart" watch. But my eyes are bad and I'm fairly ignorant

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Every round watch after 1932 borrows from this. Every rectangular watch borrows from the Cartier Tank. What exactly has Apple influenced?

Most iconic? Not even close.

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Invicta Gladiator 37344

Easily one of the most iconic watch designs of our generation. Understated in its execution and testament to haute horology. Nothing says “I am ready to enter the coliseum and vanquish my foes” quite like the 37344. Best part is if it stops working it can also serve as a boat anchor - lots of flexibility here. Apple move over.

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So Seiko Ruputer - 1998 - Square Portable Computer?

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruputer

I wouldn’t call a square computer screen ICONIC, but that word lost its meaning in the mid 2000s

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Aurelian
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Every round watch after 1932 borrows from this. Every rectangular watch borrows from the Cartier Tank. What exactly has Apple influenced?

Most iconic? Not even close.

Same argument as with Rolex:

Remove the logo and not even 1 percent of the people here on WatchCrunch would be able to tell you that this a Patek.

Different Story with the Tank though. Most people here would recognize the Cartier. But outside of the watch or jewelry bubble?

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Chronomaster

Same argument as with Rolex:

Remove the logo and not even 1 percent of the people here on WatchCrunch would be able to tell you that this a Patek.

Different Story with the Tank though. Most people here would recognize the Cartier. But outside of the watch or jewelry bubble?

Just because you would not recognize it does not mean that 99% here would not. This is a watch forum. If this is the type of watch forum where 99% would not recognize one of the most influential and important watch designs of all time, then perhaps I am on the wrong forum. Your lack of knowledge is not a substitute for the knowledge of the users here.

Look, I get it. You have an opinion and facts or opinions aren't going to change your mind. "I am right and if you think about it, I am still right" is not much of an argument. The IPod was thought to be "iconic" too. It was a fad. The technology changed. In twenty years you may be proven right. I will bet against your proposition. You know what is not a fad?

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I would have been better served to just pass this one by.

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I call recency and popularity bias. Also, for most of the world it's a still a luxury item that most people can't afford.

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The snobbery in this room reeks.

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Apple Watch fall to the wearable tech category.