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All articles featuring the most powerful and influential watches of all time.&nbsp;

Iconic

Audemars Piguet’s latest tribute to the Royal Oak is a fascinating tome on the making of the icon over the last five decades – peppered with juicy, behind-the-scenes details and lots of anecdotes
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Did you know that the first prototype of the Royal Oak was made in white gold and not steel? Or the fact that before the inception of the Royal Oak in 1971, AP had not really made a series-produced watch? Also, the Royal Oak was originally code-named ‘Safari’ and it was an Italian distributor, who later christened it as ‘Royal Oak’–a homage to the warships of the Royal Navy.

Full of juicy details like these, the Royal Oak: From Iconoclast To Icon, chronicles the journey of Audemars Piguet’s most successful watch with the help of 400 amazing illustrations and delightful anecdotes from the bigwigs who contributed to the making of this icon over the last five decades.&nbsp;

Published by Assouline and written by acting editor-in-chief of Wallpaper magazine, Bill Prince, the nearly 300-page encyclopedic tome deep dives into the cultural context through the decades in which the Royal Oak expressed its highly nuanced modernity without ever compromising on the time-honored traditions of the Valle de Joux. It’s fascinating how Prince has framed the 50-year-long journey of the Royal Oak within the larger social context along with various milestones in the fields of art, architecture, design and fashion from 1972 to now.

While it’s tough to capture all the highlights from this incredible book in a short review, here are some of our favorite excerpts and anecdotes from Royal Oak: From Iconoclast To Icon.

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<h3>The Making Of The World’s First &nbsp;‘Luxury Lifestyle Watch’&nbsp;</h3>

Largely defined by discos, shiny suits and gold chains, the 1970s marked several socio-political movements on the world map – the Watergate scandal, women empowerment, gay rights and more. A byproduct of this dynamic era, the Royal Oak reflected the taste of the times, rightly explained by the then CEO, Georges Golay as “a model both sporty and stylish in spirit, suitable for evening wear and for the daily activities of today’s man of taste.” Artfully androgynous, it was worn by the best of both sexes.

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<img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5dda645d-0d24-4c38-826b-e4a75d0298c0" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/187/AP Book_060.jpg" width="1568" />

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Interestingly, it was a third party–the Société Suisse pour l'Industrie Horlogère – that encouraged Audemars Piguet to think about producing an “unprecedented steel watch”.

“The distant rumble of quartz technology was becoming something more akin to a roar – particularly after the Japanese watchmaker Seiko released the world's first quartz-powered wristwatch, the Astron, in 1969. Closer to home, Audemars Piguet's independence was proving to be a burden as well as an asset; as production numbers continued to rise, Golay knew that if it were to remain in the game, the company would need wider distribution.”

“Careful to protect the Manufacture's interests, Golay spent a year negotiating a deal with SSIH that retained Audemars Piguet's independence whilst gaining access to the group's network of agents – several of whom, Georges Golay would soon discover, had their own views on what the new joiner could bring to the horological party.”&nbsp;

“Thus, on April 10, 1970, the eve of the fair's opening day, a trio of agents representing SSIH's distributors in, respectively, Italy (Carlo de Marchi), Switzerland (Charles Bauty), and France (Charles Dorot) gathered for what would turn out to be an auspicious meeting with Georges Golay, for whom the 'three musketeers,' as they were known, had a question: could Audemars Piguet produce an 'unprecedented steel watch'?–Royal Oak: From Iconoclast To Icon

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<img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8942789d-a423-4df8-b2b6-eb1529c57e53" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/187/AP Book_057.jpg" width="1568" />

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Golay took up the challenge and tasked Genta to come up with a “steel sports watch” that had never been done before. Believe it or not, the Royal Oak, turned out to be the largest order placed for a single design in the company's ninety-six-year history. Until 1971, AP had made around 6000 watches for 237 different &nbsp;models but not a series-produced watch. Golay had shown a white gold prototype to two clients from Italy and Switzerland and they agreed to buy 400 pieces. As Bill Prince points out in the book, the Royal Oak was not perceived as “being solely a steel watch” but the whole idea of attempting ‘a luxury lifestyle watch’ in a relatively humble case material worked wonders for the brand.

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<h3>From One Extraordinary Movement To Another&nbsp;</h3>

Besides its audacious case design, the Royal Oak has always stood out for its powerful movement. Over the years, this watch has exemplified Audemars Piguet’s mission to improve the ergonomics and performance of its timepieces, especially with the use of ultra thin movements. In 1964, the then chairman of Audemars Piguet, Jacques-Louis Audemars, sent a letter to LeCoultre &amp; Cie. saying, "For the past three or four years we have been keeping our customers waiting, and they are finding it increasingly hard to understand why specialists in ultra-thin high-luxury watches are still offering self-winding watches that are amongst the thickest on the market!" This led LeCoultre to invent an efficient ultra-thin movement equipped with a full-size rotor and ruby rollers running along a circular rail at the periphery of the caliber.&nbsp;

“Launched in 1967, the Caliber 2120, measuring just 2.45 mm high, would serve as the world's thinnest self-winding movement featuring a central rotor for decades to come (as well as equip Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe's watches as 1120 and 28-255, respectively). More importantly, its power and strength offered up a beguiling number of possible further functions to be added – beginning in 1970, with the addition of a date window in the new Caliber 2121, just 0.6 mm deeper than the base movement and thus the world's thinnest of its kind.”

“In 1972, the Caliber 2121 served as the lodestar in a model hitherto unimagined within the scope of traditional watchmaking, one that would create self-expression in new forms its own niche in the emerging luxury market whilst helping the company withstand shocks shortly to beset the Swiss watch industry: the Royal Oak.”–Royal Oak: From Iconoclast To Icon

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<img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="27480bd5-fc4f-4421-bd8f-eb2a6ad4e29b" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/187/AP Book_069.jpg" width="1568" />

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Besides restating the importance of ultra thin movements in the history of Audemars Piguet, the arrival of Caliber 7121 this year, marked a special milestone in the “Royal Oak’s journey&nbsp;from iconoclast to icon”. Specifically made for the Ref. 16202, this powerful and extra-thin caliber seamlessly fits into the “Jumbo” case and is &nbsp;just slightly larger than the Cal. 2121, coming in at 29.6mm in diameter with a thickness of 3.2mm. And oh, it now comes with the much-needed quick-set date feature as well!

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<h3>Creative And Cultural Enterprises</h3>

By the late 1990s, the Royal Oak was contributing 45 percent of the sales at Audemars Piguet. Georges Henri Meylan, the former CEO, had once said “we are always trying to design a replacement, but it’s not easy.” The Royal Oak had started “to look immortal”. However, the real momentum in the brand’s growth came through in the first decade of the new millennium – marked by brand new collaborations with sports stars like Rubens Barrichello and Rory McIlory. François-Henry Bennahmias, the current CEO of Audemars Piguet played a crucial role in making the Royal Oak a global name within celebrity circles.

“Chosen by young, high net-worth individuals for its ability to project a subtle yet powerful era of success, the Royal Oak was part of a new phenomenon : a demographic christened ‘bobos’ (a conflation of bourgeois and bohemian by David Brooks in 2000.”

A professional golfer, who had worked in the fashion industry before joining AP in 1994, Bennahmias put AP on the world map with a celebrity auction “Time to Give” hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Muhammad Ali. The auction featured 34 signed watches worn by Robin Williams, Giorgio Armani, Sharon Stone, Billy Crystal and Sophia Loren. “After that event we started to build a new kind of credibility—street cred,” he says.&nbsp;

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Chronicling testimonies from the likes of Kevin Hart, Bjarke Ingels, Elle Macpherson, Serena Williams and Ning Zetao, the book demonstrates just how successful Bennahmias’s initiative has been, especially over the past decade. “The Royal Oak Offshore enabled us to explore new territories including Hip Hop and establish amazing relationships with personalities through dedicated limited editions,” he says.

François-Henry Bennahmias first met Jay-Z in 2001, when the artist visited his office in New York with the idea to collaborate on a watch. The young hip-hop mogul already owned around fourteen watches. The pair spent time together, the man from Audemars Piguet hanging out in the studio with Jay-Z and his partners in Roc-A-Fella Records, Damon Dash and Kareem 'Biggs' Burke. Bennahmias, a music fanatic who'd grown up in Paris, one of the most musically diverse cities in the world, could see that 'hip-hop was exactly like jazz in the 1920s' with the same potential to reach a global audience. So he took the idea back to Le Brassus, where, in 2005, he received the green light from the Audemars Piguet Board of Directors to produce a Royal Oak Offshore Jay-Z 10th Anniversary limited edition of 100 pieces to recognize the artist's first decade in the music industry. Featuring a diamond-set numeral at ten o'clock and sold in a presentation set that included a 40-gigabyte iPod containing the artist's full discography, the series – fifty in steel, twenty in platinum, and thirty in pink gold – swiftly sold out.&nbsp;– Royal Oak: From Iconoclast To Icon

With its fascinating cultural references and deep insight into the timeless appeal of the Royal Oak, this book is a must-read for anyone who’s a fan of art, design, history and of course, the Royal Oak.

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<img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a52c237-e5d7-4e8b-ab43-c976906e7a29" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/187/AP Book_070.jpg" width="1568" />

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All images taken&nbsp;by Perkin Yu for Wristcheck.&nbsp;
<quillbot-extension-portal></quillbot-extension-portal>

Royal Oak: From Iconoclast To Icon

For 65 years, the Speedmaster has been ceaselessly favoured by watch collectors at-large – on the ground, in pop culture, and amongst the stars. We revisit a few decisive moments in its history to find out why
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In the universe of ultra-iconic watches, more than a few have leaned into the allure of refinement and scarcity over the decades. If designs along the lines of <a href="https://wristcheck.com/discover/editor's-pick/a-trio-of-patek-philippe-nautiluses-tiffany-signed">Patek Philippe’s emblematic Nautilus</a> or the various permutations of the Royal Oak are pieces that enthusiasts conceive of as watchmaking’s ‘holy grail’, then it’s only fair to cast the Speedmaster as horological culture’s immovable foundation.&nbsp;

Over the past six-and-a-half decades, this beloved tool watch has become one of the most decisively recognizable chronographs of the 20th century – the apotheosis of a functional design, rich historical heritage and accessibility at a wide array of different price points. It’s a watch that, in both vintage and contemporary guises, offers deep collecting opportunities: ranging from headline-making record breakers to consecutive, seemingly identical references – catnip to those who do indeed sweat the small stuff.

Point being, as a general rule, the Speedy template has something for everyone. That quality of unrivaled universality can best be exemplified by looking at three distinct eras within the Speedmaster legacy: an ongoing narrative that Omega remains committed to through development of new heritage-inspired models and support of global Speedmaster-collecting communities.

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<h3>Terrestrial Beginnings&nbsp;</h3>

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<img alt="Ref. CK2915" data-caption="Omega unveiled the Ref. CK2915, the first generation of what would eventually become the space-faring Speedmaster in 1957 Photo: Horoguides" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="42e6c0b9-9c19-46bd-ba94-5b92a6577691" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/Edit%2520Omega%2520Speedmaster%2520%25281%2529.png" width="1568" />
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The Speedy’s popular mythos crystallized around its now-legendary association with American space exploration, however what is less well-known is that it initially began life as a racer’s watch. In 1957 – five and six years before the release of the <a href="https://wristcheck.com/discover/icons/the-(tag)-heuer-autavia">Autavia</a> and Daytona respectively – Omega unveiled the Ref. CK2915 – the first generation of what would eventually become the space-faring Speedmaster. In a fashion not dissimilar to how Omega advertises the standard-issue Speedmaster today, the original marketing for the CK2915 emphasized its computational bona fides: billed as the smart watch of its age, the first Speedies combined stopwatch functionality with multiple time-telling displays and a tachymeter – incorporated, in this case, as a notched design directly into the watch’s steel bezel. Importantly, these earliest incarnations of the Speedmaster lineage featured an hour hand in a distinctive arrow-headed shape – hence the ‘Broad Arrow’ nickname amongst collectors.&nbsp;

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<img alt="omega" data-caption="The Speedmaster '57 released this year is much like the CK 2998-inspired &quot;First Omega In Space&quot; but packed with the contemporary flair of the Master Chronometer manual-wind caliber 9906&amp;nbsp;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1774670a-c588-4f0c-87d0-1b05d8837e24" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/WCL_0176.jpg" width="1568" />
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The longevity of the CK2915’s overarching design is such that even in 2022, it’s impossible to ignore the parallels between it and the modern Speedmaster Professional (give or take a bezel insert and few added lines of text on the dial). It’s also the subject of much fond nostalgia at Omega: where modern watchmakers have used the ‘Broad Arrow’ as a basis for the updated version of the Speedmaster ‘57 released in March of this year. The fact that that watch – a two-register, 38.5mm chronograph – looks every bit as good in the emergent era of Web 3.0 is a testament to the strength of the original Speedy’s design. Clearly, there was only a little room for improvement: most of which, unsurprisingly, is mechanical. The latest ‘57 Speedy incorporates a modern chronograph movement with Omega’s own chronometer certification (METAS). A host of technological improvements imbue it with superior accuracy and magnetic resistance to its spiritual forebear, but to Speedmaster ascetics, make for an underwhelming substitute to the period-correct Calibre 321. Described by Wei Koh, founder of The Rake and Revolution magazines, as “the single most storied movement” in mechanical watchmaking, the 321 was the engine of choice for Speedy references produced until 1968. Made in collaboration with Lemania, it has achieved near-mythological status among those who prize vertical clutch chronographs (so much so, that Omega even decided to resurrect the design in 2019). “The Calibre 321 is the Holy Grail of movements,” says Koh. “Simultaneously beautiful to behold and proven to be the most reliable and durable movement of its kind.”&nbsp;

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<img alt="calibre 321" data-caption="The Calibre 321 has achieved near-mythological status among those who prize vertical clutch chronographs, so much so, that Omega even decided to resurrect the design in 2019" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="88200b9e-7fe1-42e0-9117-5198275be013" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/Edit%2520Omega%2520Speedmaster%2520%25282%2529.png" width="1568" />
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Of course, Omega’s range of modern Broad Arrow-inspired references (the first ‘remake’ arrived in 2015) does not – and indeed, probably shouldn’t – enjoy the same halo of collectability as the original CK2915. Specifically, the: a declaration that can be explained by its brief production window (1957-1959) and consequently, the rarity of certain aesthetic attributes within wider Speedmaster collecting culture. Enthusiasts put a lot of stock in the distinctive hour hand, steel tachymetre and Calibre 321 but in 2021, a CK2915-1 that set the world record for ‘most expensive OMEGA wristwatch sold at auction’ managed this feat thanks to the inclusion of yet another (somewhat novel) element – a tropical dial.&nbsp;

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<img alt="omega speedy" data-caption="An old Omega ad for the ‘first generation’ Ref. CK2915-1, widely considered as the most desirable Speedy ever created" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2196cd53-cd58-4b3a-a1ea-6963a29052d6" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/CK%25202915%2520advertisement%2520circa%25201957_Omega%2520Watches_0.jpg" width="1568" />
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<h3>&nbsp;On Earth, As in Heaven</h3>

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The Speedy’s genesis occurred in an era considered by many to be a renaissance for motorsport-inspired watchmaking, but it wasn’t until it was folded into NASA lore that the ‘Speedmaster’ moniker began to achieve widespread international recognition. Most of the celestially inspired tales – told by both collectors and Omega marketing executives – emphasize the watch’s role in the Apollo missions. The reality is that the Speedy has had a long and varied life in space – one which actually predates the advent of the Moon Landing.&nbsp;

In 1962, astronaut Wally Schirra (one of seven candidates originally chosen to spearhead Project Mercury) orbited Earth for a duration of over 9 hours, accompanied by his own personal example of the Speedy – the Ref. CK2998. Unlike the CK2915, Schirra’s preferred reference was produced for a longer period in more varied configurations. Its lasting contribution to the modern Speedy’s visual identity was the introduction of the aluminium bezel: a detail that is tempered by distinctly vintage elements such as straight lugs and the ‘Alpha’ style hands. Habitually, the ‘Moonwatch’ gets all the credit for being one of the earliest Swiss-made timepieces in space, but if success is measured in accordance with the axiom of ‘first in, best dressed’ then the CK2998 should be as collectible to historically-minded individuals, if not more so.&nbsp;

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<img alt="omega speedy" data-caption="Astronaut Wally Schirra wearing an Speedmaster CK2998, visible on the inside of his wrist circa 1962" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e7fb33b8-939f-45a2-9b2b-626175a60df7" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/Schirra%2520wearing%2520an%2520Speedmaster%2520CK2998%252C%2520clearly%2520visible%2520here%2520on%2520the%2520inside%2520of%2520his%2520wrist.jpeg" width="1568" />
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The formative impact of those early Project Mercury missions eventually convinced NASA of the need to sanction an official wristwatch for spaceflight personnel. In 1965 – following a grueling battery of tests that included shock, below-zero temperatures and cycling in near-vacuum – the Speedy emerged as the agency’s preferred instrument, with Omega beating out Breitling, Longines and (most importantly) erstwhile rival Rolex for the contract to supply NASA’s burgeoning astronaut corps.The specific reference that was tested, the Ref. 105.003, introduced another of the modern Speedy’s now-characteristic elements – baton hands. Discontinued in 1966, it paved the way for the transitional Ref. 105.012 – better known to Speedy enthusiasts (and for that matter, almost the entire planet) as the original ‘Moonwatch’.

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<img alt="omega speedy" data-caption="Immortalized on the wrists of Neil Armstrong, the Ref.105.012 is often touted as the most important Speedy within watch culture" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fae035c4-2ddc-40f4-ae91-a56717a357f6" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/ST105.012%2520Buzz%2520Aldrin_NASA_0.jpg" width="1568" />
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Notwithstanding the original ‘Broad Arrow’ reference, the 105.012 is often touted as the most important Speedy within watch culture. When seasoned Omega collectors utter the term “Moonwatch”, odds are that it’s this particular watch they’re talking about. Immortalized on the wrists of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin as both stepped across the lunar surface in 1969, the 105.012 can be conceived of as a bookend between the earlier terrestrially-influenced Speedy and the ‘first watch on the Moon’ design that dwarfed it. Previous references had introduced changes of a piecemeal nature, but the arrival of the ‘Moonwatch’ brought with it multiple new design codes – almost all of which we now think of as uncontroversial. The case was reengineered to fit a 42mm diameter; the crown and chronograph push pieces were given added protection; while the lugs were redesigned in the lyre-style – another feature that’s arguably as typical of the Speedy’s look as stick hands or the black inserted bezel.

The 105.012’s proximity to the Apollo 11 mission meant that (at least in popular circles) it overshadowed the Ref. 145.022 – another important, yet near-identical looking Speedmaster variation. Made prior to and simultaneously with the ‘Moonwatch’, the 145.022 differentiated itself largely on a technical basis: fitted with the newer, more industrially scalable Calibre 861 chronograph. “It’s a reference that still has quite a bit to offer,” says Robert-Jan Broer, founder of Fratello and noted Speedmaster collector. According to Broer, in the vast schema of vintage Speedy collecting the 145.022 can still be had for a relatively “affordable” price. “There are a few variations,” he says, “making it an interesting piece for a collector”. “You can go after a pre-Moon landing [or] Post-Moon model, and if so, choose from a couple of different casebacks that Omega used to indicate that this is the watch that went to the Moon.”

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<h3>The Speedy Today: A Watch for Heroes, Real and Imagined</h3>

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Even when pitted against a list of the usual iconic chronographs, the Speedy remains a gold standard in aspects of choice and variation. Over the years, the design’s rich heritage has proven to be a reliable launchpad for Omega, who have used it to craft numerous (some might even say “excessive”) special editions, tackling cultural phenomena outside the realm of the Apollo missions. Granted, any exhaustive list of the various modern/neo-vintage riffs on the Speedy – even from just the last 20 years alone – would be massive, so for illustrative purposes we’ve chosen to steer clear of chatter about ‘Moonswatches’, Silver Snoopies or Project Alaska in favor of two broader areas.

The obvious place to commence our discussion is less a reference than an entire geography – Japan. The country has long enjoyed a profound relationship with Omega; benefiting from some extremely covetable one-offs made for its domestic market. Take, for instance, the Ref. 3750.40 – a JDM model released in 2004, inspired by vintage ‘racing dial’ Speedies of the late 1960s. Like the pre-Moon design that inspired it, the ‘Japan Racing’ (as it’s informally called) combines a grey dial; bold orange chronograph hands; and a checkerboard pattern for the rehaut – making it a great means of channelling the vintage Speedmaster aesthetic, whilst exploiting the performance of a modern movement.&nbsp;

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<img alt="pre-moon" data-caption="Produced for a short period in the late 1960's, Omega’s Speedmaster (Pre-Moon) Ref. 145.022-69 is the very last pre-moon Speedmaster reference" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8d94dd6-5e14-45ee-b629-ef23b7e7ca55" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/Omega%2520Speedmaster_078_0.jpg" width="1568" />
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As with most consumer goods, Japanese culture also played a role in shaping the Speedy’s desirability abroad – something that was evident in the reception to the re-release of the ‘Ultraman’. The original examples from 1968 (of which Omega confirms the existence of no more than 50 examples) were, for a long time, a deep-cut collector’s item: in practice, regular Ref. 145.012 Speedies distinguished by the inclusion of an orange chronograph hand and, more importantly, their prominence in the hit TV series Return of Ultraman. The ‘Ultraman’ derived its moniker from the show, making a number of cameo appearances throughout its 1-year runtime. That authentic connection to a formative era in tokusatsu (‘special effects’) and kaiju (‘strange beast’) filmmaking, combined with a mysterious origin – even by today’s standards – made the ‘Ultraman’ a compelling phenomenon in the era of online watch communities; and so, in a now-familiar twist, Omega remade the watch – unveiling it (in 2018) in conjunction with the fans behind #SpeedyTuesday.

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<img alt="omega speedmaster ultraman" data-caption="Featured in the 1970s TV series 'The Return of Ultraman', the Ref. 145.012 with its bright orange seconds hand was especially made for the Japanese market in 1968" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="001b23d7-8cb4-49dd-a7c3-d7be30102b8e" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/Edit%2520Omega%2520Speedmaster.png" width="1568" />
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Partnerships with cultural institutions being what they are at Omega (ergo, an institution) it’s surprising that more hasn’t been made of the ‘Olympic’ editions that the brand has produced over the years. To collectors of a certain age, Omega shall be virtually synonymous with the Games: it has been appointed ‘Official Timekeeper’ on 29 separate occasions – a relationship that can be traced back to the 1932 Summer Olympics, when the IOC received 30 of the brand’s rattrapante chronographs. Over the decades, the various professional collections have served as templates for commemorative Olympic-themed watches; with the Speedy being a particularly recurrent favorite, owing to its history as a precision stopwatch. These Olympic Speedies may be broadly separated into those referencing a specific Olympiad or those that pay homage to the Games as a cultural institution. In 2004, some seven decades after it was first invited to time the Summer Olympics, Omega released the ‘Los Angeles 1932’: a Speedy that recalled the historic, white enamel dials of the brand’s first official stopwatches.

Topical novelty aside, these Olympic editions are often a great way to embrace design codes that are associated with rarer, hotly contested references. By way of illustration: to celebrate the most recent edition of the Summer Olympics (Tokyo 2020), Omega released a total of five special edition Speedies – each symbolizing a different colored Olympic ring. While the ‘Red’ and ‘Green’ models were inspired by the modern incongruously decadent Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial, the ‘Blue Ring’ shares a number of aesthetic similarities to the 2005 ‘Gemini IV’. Aside from three obvious cosmetic differences – see if you can spot them – the ‘Blue Ring’ Speedy offers enthusiasts some of the big spacewalk-y energy of the Gemini limited edition – the latter now possessing a street value (conservatively) of around US$12,000. This phenomenon itself spotlights why, within the pantheon of iconic chronograph sports watches, the Speedy remains unique: despite its starward heritage, it works perfectly for those whose feet remain planted firmly on the ground.

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<img alt="omega speedy" data-caption="Omega Speedmaster Tokyo 2020 edition in blue" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7c76b274-4d1e-4305-9332-0e1000640e24" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/133/IMG_3699.jpg" width="1568" />
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ICON: The Omega Speedmaster

An Icon’s Incredible Journey: The Royal Oak at 50

In this instalment of our fundamentals-focused series, we take a protractor to circles, squares and even those hybrid geometries which have inspired the shape of watches across the years
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Chances are – but don’t quote me on this – that if you were to ask 100 randomly selected passersby to paint you a picture of a wristwatch, at least 50 would begin with something in the ballpark of a circle. It’s a motif that has been folded indelibly into the iconography of watchmaking for quite some time, and with good reason. Consider, if you will, any number of the quintessential building blocks in a mechanical wristwatch: gear train, mainspring, chaton, rotor. For over a century, the vast majority of those parts were circular and concentric; so it seemed only logical that the external shell housing them should adopt a similarly complementary curvature. Not for nothing, in the days prior to computer-aided manufacturing, it was also a helluva lot easier to produce roundly shaped cases that were resistant to water, dust, and other environmental perils.

The round watch’s preeminence speaks to industry-wide adherence for that most classic pearl of wisdom – “form follows function”. And yet, on a number of occasions, brands (and the watchmakers who shape their destinies) have repeatedly wandered off the enclosed curve: a clunky metaphor for all the interesting, non-circular shapes watch cases have been twisted into over the last century. Between the myriad, individually collectible riffs on the Cartier Tank to the notoriously ergonomic tonneau of Richard Mille, you’re about to discover firsthand that watches really do come in all shapes and sizes.&nbsp;

<h3> 
'Round the World</h3>

A logical place to begin our discussion about iconic watchmaking shapes, round watches account for the vast majority of what you’ll see in the wild, at boutiques, and when you attend your local get-together. Very much a self-explanatory kinda category, it’s no surprise that this shape accounts for many of the most ubiquitous watch designs of all time. In no particular order: multiple ‘professional’ series of Rolex sports watches (i.e. Explorers and the GMT-II), Patek Philippe’s enduring ‘Calatrava’ collection, and even outwardly avant-garde creations such as the <a href="https://wristcheck.com/buy/debethune/db28xp-starry-sky-w00179hofdb000">De Bethune DB28</a>.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Rolex GMT Master II ref. 126710BLNR &quot;Batgirl&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="545e280d-c76c-4251-87b9-a4fa2865826d" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/DSCF0782_0.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar ref.&amp;nbsp;5159R-001" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8660d7d1-d84e-41f6-b937-ca6c89db2940" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/DSCF7665%2520%25281%2529%25202.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The De Bethune DB28 &quot;Kind Of Blue&quot; Tourbillon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33bce366-379c-430d-89af-e1b0217ea52d" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/KEV_3002.jpg" width="1568" />
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In addition, the symmetry and ordered visual sensibility of round cases make them an ideal foundation for complicated watchmaking. Because the total amount of usable surface area is maximised in a shape without any corners, you’ll often see watches with information-dense displays (think chronographs, perpetual calendars or a hybrid of the two) that utilise round cases.

<h3> 
Tanks and Other Rectangles</h3>

Almost certainly the second most populous category of watchmaking shape, rectangular timepieces (and their many brand-specific derivations) have played a key role in the progression of watch designs since the early 1900s. By far less common than their roundly shaped brethren, the creation of these watches frequently ran concomitant with breakthroughs in technology and the rise of international artistic movements like the Avant-Garde.

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Cartier Tank Cintrée&amp;nbsp;&lt;em&gt;(Image source: Revolution)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="638a73b3-cee0-42f4-9269-133dca443d46" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/Rectangular_Cintree%2520reissue%2520flatlay.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The&amp;nbsp;Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface in pink gold &lt;em&gt;(Image source: Jason Reekie for Time+Tide)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="27b24945-54e9-4c02-8fa3-ab7e3c0a9ec7" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/JLC-Reverso-Tribute-Duoface-4-845x550%25402x.jpg" width="1568" />
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Unsurprisingly, the rectangular design which has exerted the most influence over watch culture continuously is the Cartier Tank – the original incarnation of which was released in 1917, amidst the turbulent geopolitical landscape of WWI. Inspired by the then-revolutionary shape of hulking Renault tanks being deployed by the Allied Powers across Europe, Louis Cartier conceived a rectangular case shape that would eventually become the basis for some of the brand’s most covetable designs: including the Americaine, Cintrée, and Normale. Cartier notwithstanding, other honourable mentions include Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso and a number of Patek Philippe references (e.g. the Ref. 5124G) from the ‘Gondolo’ collection.&nbsp;

<h3> 
Hip to be Square</h3>

Another defining style of shape for watchmakers during the mid-20th century, almost every brand with an avowed knack for time-only dress watches – Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget – has, at some point, had a crack at square cases. Although the tradition of square casemaking is closely associated with thin time-only watches in precious metal, brands specialising in sporting activities would go on to experiment with this shape at various phases during the 1970s.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The TAG Heuer Monaco&lt;em&gt;&amp;nbsp;(Image source: Phillips)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c32fcf59-6e7c-41fa-af60-dcada6b15541" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/Square%2520watches_Heuer%2520Monaco.jpg" width="1568" />
 
In order to distinguish itself from the vast glut of brands producing round-cased chronographs, in 1969 Heuer debuted the Monaco – a self-winding racer’s watch that would be immortalised just two years later in the Steve McQueen sports drama Le Mans. Although the Monaco’s original calibre 11 movement has been the subject of much adulation (and rightfully so), its brutish square case – crafted for Heuer by celebrated casemaker Ervin Piquerez – eventually became its most recognisable feature, signalling a deviation away from the previous generation of dressier, more diminutively sized chronographs. &nbsp;

<h3> 
"Grab a Cushion"</h3>

Widely characterised as being square with ‘rounded off corners’, cushion-shaped watches are yet another oddity of the 20th century: combining the symmetry and legibility of the traditional round case with the sharp, angular lines of a four-sided polygon. Over the years, a variety of brands like Omega and Grand Seiko have opted to dress the cushion case up; although, its greatest ambassador is still (invariably) the original Panerai Radiomir.

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Panerai Radiomir ref. PAM 00021&amp;nbsp;&lt;em&gt;(Image source: Phillips)&lt;/em&gt;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7c8b5c4-8e8a-44f6-9229-cb745b525dde" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/download%2520%25281%2529.png" width="1568" />
 
Commissioned by the Royal Italian Navy and delivered to the force’s divers in 1936, the first Radiomir – named for the luminous material that adorned its dial – was a beast of a diving watch, intended primarily for underwater military use. The cushion case, composed of multiple, individually sealed parts, demonstrated superior water resistance and remains, till this day, a big part of Panerai’s characteristic ‘action hero’ aesthetic. Although frequently conflated with the tonneau (see the paragraph below), cushion cases are a separate, if somewhat similar category of shape. &nbsp;

<h3> 
A ‘Tonneau’ Fun</h3>

Translated literally from the French for ‘barrel’, the tonneau is easily one of watchmaking’s most emblematic case shapes. Put simply, it includes any wristwatch that has a broadly rectangular profile, with the distinguishing characteristic being convex sides, often with the addition of rounded corners. In contrast to jewellery and industrial design – where the geometric form language of squares and rectangles is well-known – the tonneau is uniquely tied up in horological design, having given us some of the enduring icons of the 20th century.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Left to right: The&amp;nbsp;Richard Mille RM 67-02 'High Jump' and the RM 67-01" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9191f87e-9592-4f19-9568-f669849fa7db" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/DSCF4235_3x2%2520%25281%2529.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Richard Mille RM029 &quot;Yellow Flash&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="19922e4d-f67a-434d-9269-c1f01006c538" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/RM029-01.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Urwerk 100V IRON" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="97396ca4-18fc-4a07-bbbe-5c168d1877ad" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/UR100V%2520IRON-01.jpg" width="1568" />
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Needless to say, here at Wristcheck we’re big fans of the tonneau and the way in which this idiosyncratic shape adapts itself to the peculiarities of different aesthetic styles. In the guise of technical watches like the Richard Mille <a href="https://wristcheck.com/discover/editor's-pick/the-richard-mille-rm-67-01-and-rm-67-02-'high-jump'">RM 67-01</a>, the shape appears lean and industrial; yet it’s also an extremely effective foundation for watch designs emphasising the shape and finish of the bezel. By far the most influential of these is the <a href="https://wristcheck.com/discover/watch-drop/the-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-"jumbo"-extra-thin-ref.-15202pt">Royal Oak</a>, released by Audemars Piguet in 1972. Even today, the signature feature of this archetypal luxury sports watch remains its octagonal bezel: a handsome combination of satin-brushed and mirror-polished finishes, studded (in an ode to antique diving helmets) with 8 exposed screws. This aspect of the Royal Oak’s design language has proven so impactful, in no small part, because of the surrounding tonneau shape. The case is an excellent framing device for the sharp, geometric edges of the bezel; and merges seamlessly into the bracelet without the visual interruption we’d associate with separately attached lugs.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Jumbo' Extra Thin ref. 15202BC" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d29da7c-fd7d-4b01-a518-2df1b275af0c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/593A0049.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked in Black Ceramic&amp;nbsp;ref. 26585CE" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bffac0ed-8c9b-403b-ab78-e05d149376be" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/593A0239.jpg" width="1568" />
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<h3>Asymmetry and the Avant-Garde</h3>

Unsurprisingly, over the decades there have been a robust number of watch designs which don’t fit neatly into either a geometric or circular space. Something of a two-part category, the first asymmetrical watches may be traced back to at least the mid-20th century, with silhouettes like the Cartier Crash continuing to exert profound influence on collectors today who have a penchant for design that is intriguing and iconoclastic (if LUMBERJACK is to be believed, <a href="https://sub.rescapement.com/p/cartier-so-light-thought-i-floated">Tyler the Creator is a fan</a>).&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Cartier Crash Skeleton in pink gold" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dc2003c3-1d5f-4504-97ab-657d20b3bdb1" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/DSCF8910.jpg" width="1568" />
 
In the realm of ‘avant-garde’ watchmaking, there are precious few collectives as routinely mad-cap (nor as consistently successful) as MB&amp;F. Most pertinently, the brand’s ‘<a href="https://www.mbandf.com/en/machines">Horological Machine</a>’ collection explores the notion of what is possible when one infuses complicated watchmaking with the whimsy of childhood. Mind you, these designs aren’t necessarily asymmetric, but they’re also the farthest thing from ‘conventional’: showing off shapes that are inspired by boyhood obsessions ranging from 70s-era supercars (the HM5) to early turbojet engines (the HM9).

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The MB&amp;amp;F&amp;nbsp;HM9-SV RG in Blue &lt;em&gt;(Image source: MB&amp;amp;F)&lt;/em&gt;​​​​​​" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="49fd6336-f027-4137-9bc5-c0419e0b7d50" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/MBandF_HM9_SV_RG_Blue_Front_preview.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The MB&amp;amp;F HM5 CarbonMacrolon&amp;nbsp;&lt;em&gt;(Image source: MB&amp;amp;F)&lt;/em&gt;​​​​​​" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0ce3d07f-9a74-497c-8e49-377bde7fab8c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/64/HM5-Carbon-Macrolon-Front_preview.jpg" width="1568" />
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