In the world of horology, a truly iconic watch is never just a product of a designer’s inspiration—it is the result of time, culture, technology, and emotional resonance working in harmony. As renowned independent watch designer Eric Giroud once put it: “You can’t design an iconic watch. It’s not possible.”
Giroud, whose portfolio includes timepieces for Vacheron Constantin, Harry Winston, Tissot, MB&F, and Romain Jerome, explains that “icon” status can never be imposed by a designer or even by a brand alone. Instead, it is bestowed over time by history, collectors, and the market itself.
This may sound counterintuitive in an industry where every brand, especially emerging ones, dreams of launching its own legend. Yet reality is sobering: only a select few timepieces truly stand the test of time, and they do so not just through striking aesthetics, but by becoming cultural symbols and mechanical milestones.
Just as literature has Shakespeare and Dostoevsky, or classical music has Beethoven and Mozart, the watch world has its own canon. The Omega Speedmaster, Rolex Submariner, Cartier Tank, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and Patek Philippe Calatrava—these names have become foundational, not only to collectors but to the cultural imagination at large.
What sets these watches apart is their disruption of industry norms when first released. Gerald Genta’s Royal Oak elevated stainless steel and industrial design to the realm of luxury. Chauvot’s Reverso was a mechanical solution for polo players worried about dial damage. Swatch transformed quartz technology and plastic into a pop-cultural revolution.
Ironically, many of these watches failed commercially at launch. MB&F founder Max Büsser often reminds us that most groundbreaking timepieces were misunderstood or ignored in their early days. It was only decades later that they earned their hallowed status. Disruption, it turns out, is often a long game.
According to Giroud, the first requirement for a timepiece to become iconic is time itself. It must endure—not for years, but for generations. Take Patek Philippe’s Golden Ellipse, which has maintained its visual DNA since 1968. Or the Cartier Santos, a piece that German horological scholar Gisbert Brunner calls the ultimate icon: “It pioneered the concept of the purpose-built wristwatch and, remarkably, remains visually unchanged since 1907.”
The second factor is consumer recognition. A watch may be daring in design, but it becomes iconic only when people respond to it emotionally and culturally. In the age of social media, this dynamic is amplified. When collectors, celebrities, and influencers repeatedly showcase a model on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, it signals to brands that the market wants more—and that appreciation reinforces demand.
Zenith creative director Sébastien Gobert puts it succinctly: “A brand can try to be disruptive with design, but whether that disruption becomes iconic is entirely up to the public.” This explains why many brands play it safe, afraid of releasing avant-garde designs that might flop and vanish into obscurity.
Examples from the U.S. market illustrate how icons are forged slowly. The Rolex Submariner, once a utilitarian diver’s tool that sold for less than a TV, gradually became a banker’s badge of discipline and success. Today, in cities like Los Angeles and Miami, certain Submariner models fetch massive premiums on the resale market.
Similarly, the Patek Philippe Nautilus—designed by Genta in 1976—was initially underappreciated. Yet thanks to repeated features in men’s style magazines and endorsements from celebrities like Drake and Brad Pitt, the Nautilus became one of the most coveted watches in the world, especially in secondary markets across the U.S.
In Switzerland’s luxury watch hierarchy, Patek Philippe sits at the very top. Its technical complexity and artisanal finishing are legendary, but what makes the brand truly peerless is its commitment to scarcity and heritage. For example, the Ref. 1518, the world’s first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, sold at auction for over $11 million—even though it’s made of stainless steel and lacks any gemstones. Why? Because it embodies the very history of haute horlogerie.
German brand A. Lange & Söhne, the jewel of Saxony, is also gaining favor in the U.S., particularly among Silicon Valley executives and New York financiers. Models like the Datograph Up/Down and Lange 1 Moon Phase are praised for their mechanical symmetry, impeccable finishing, and subtle elegance. These watches whisper wealth—they don’t shout it.
Vacheron Constantin, another grande maison, has also become a staple among discreet elites. The Patrimony series is a favorite among lawyers, bankers, and actors who prefer understatement over ostentation. At private parties in Beverly Hills or social circles in Manhattan, wearing a Vacheron says more about taste than net worth.
Beyond the heritage giants, independent watchmakers are also making waves with collectors who see them as high-potential “startups” in the luxury asset world. In Palo Alto and Chicago, it’s not uncommon for tech founders to collect timepieces from Greubel Forsey, Urwerk, or De Bethune—brands that challenge the way we think about time, mechanics, and aesthetics.
Greubel Forsey’s multi-axis tourbillons are feats of kinetic art. Urwerk’s sci-fi-inspired satellite displays offer a new take on legibility. De Bethune’s floating moon phase is pure visual poetry. These brands are not just making watches; they’re sculpting time.
Luxury sports watches, once niche, are now mainstream in America’s high-income enclaves. While the Royal Oak and Nautilus still dominate, newer players like Hublot’s Big Bang Unico, Chopard’s Alpine Eagle, and Girard-Perregaux’s Laureato are gaining traction among Gen Z millionaires. In Miami’s nightlife or Las Vegas VIP lounges, these bolder designs appeal to a different kind of luxury consumer—one who values visibility and innovation.
The women’s segment is also undergoing a renaissance. For years, luxury watchmaking treated female buyers as an afterthought. But now, brands are creating timepieces that offer more than just sparkle. Cartier’s Ballon Bleu, Chanel’s Code Coco, and Hermès’s Slim d’Hermès have become go-to choices for women who appreciate both form and function. Many are even treating watches as investment-grade accessories, alongside jewelry and designer handbags.
That leads to a major shift: watches are no longer just about style. They’re about capital preservation. In an era of inflation and rising interest rates, luxury watches have emerged as tangible, wearable assets. In New York or San Francisco private wealth circles, “watches as alternative investments” is a hot topic—and rightly so. Few assets combine personal utility with market liquidity quite like a Rolex Daytona or Patek Philippe World Time.
In the end, an iconic watch is never just a watch. It is a story, a signal, and a legacy.
It doesn’t just measure time—it defines it.