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Among the hundreds of different wristwatch models that renowned watch manufactures have brought to market over the years, there are a few legendary watches whose names carry a very special ring for connoisseurs. Whether it's the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms or the Omega Speedmaster, these are usually models that made watchmaking history in one way or another and have therefore remained in production with only minor modifications, or have been reintroduced to the lineup after a hiatus. This article presents some of them.
The Rolex Oyster: Water Resistance Becomes a Selling Point
The name says it all. The precious inner workings of these wristwatches with a screw-down crown, developed by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in the 1920s, were meant to be as safe inside their purpose-built waterproof case as a pearl inside the hard, tightly sealed shell of an oyster. The Rolex Oyster owed its truly spectacular market success to the fact that Wilsdorf sent swimmer Mercedes Gleitze off with one of his watches when she set out to swim the English Channel in October 1927.
Adverse weather conditions caused the attempt to fail just short of the finish, but the watch Gleitze had worn during her 15 hours in the cold, stormy sea was in no way affected and ran just as reliably as before. Wilsdorf promptly made this the centerpiece of a massive advertising campaign that played a decisive role in propelling Rolex and its legendary watches into the global top tier of watchmakers. The real breakthrough came with the automatic winding system, first introduced four years later. Since then, the Rolex Oyster has carried the word "Perpetual" in its name, and it still holds a permanent place in the brand's lineup today.
It is currently offered in various versions that differ in, for example, case size, dial color, and other details.
For many watch connoisseurs, Rolex Oyster Perpetual is something of a seal of quality, standing for exceptionally reliable women's and men's watches that are as elegant as they are robust.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms: The Immortal Dive Watch Icon
Another illustrious name that cannot go unmentioned when it comes to legendary watches is the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. The name, which may sound a little odd to German ears at first, already hints at its intended purpose: "fifty fathoms" corresponds to a water depth of 91.50 meters in the metric system. The watch Blancpain developed for the French Navy in the 1950s was designed to withstand the stresses encountered at that depth.
The Fifty Fathoms is widely regarded as the first modern dive watch, featuring a highly legible unidirectional rotating bezel of the kind that is standard on all dive watches today.
The great success of the Fifty Fathoms not only led other manufacturers to launch their own dive watch collections, but also prompted Blancpain to release a good 20 different models over the next three decades. Some were made in runs of just a few hundred pieces, while others were produced by the thousands.
Not only the French Navy but also the naval forces of many other countries were quickly convinced of the qualities of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and ordered the dive watch for their own units.
The watch also quickly became very popular with civilians and recreational divers, and that has not changed to this day. The manufacturer celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms in 2003 with a special limited edition.
Breitling Navitimer: The Legendary Pilot's Watch with Cult Status
The Breitling Navitimer was unveiled to the public as early as 1952 and, thanks to its unique concept, quickly achieved cult status.
It remains part of Breitling's lineup today and is now available in numerous versions that differ not only in size, dial color, and strap and case materials, but in some cases also feature additional complications such as a second time zone display.
The standout feature of the legendary Breitling Navitimer is without doubt its slide rule function, which was intended to let pilots perform important calculations in flight simply and conveniently.
These included calculating speeds, distances, and fuel consumption. Although computers handle these tasks today, the fascination with this horological gem remains undiminished among aviation-minded watch lovers and fans of sporty chronographs.
Incidentally, Breitling had already used the logarithmic scale for performing calculations with great success on the Chronomat ten years earlier. With the Breitling Navitimer at the latest, it became a true Breitling trademark that can still be found on many models today.
Chopard Happy Diamonds and Omega Speedmaster: Legendary Watches of the Sixties and Seventies
Two well-known watch models that are somewhat younger but undoubtedly also belong in the category of legendary watches are the Chopard Happy Diamonds and the Omega Speedmaster. The Chopard Happy Diamonds collection won the Golden Rose in Baden-Baden in 1976 and continues to delight stylish women around the world.
Although the design has been modified several times over the years to reflect changing tastes, the diamonds dancing merrily across the dial have remained the unmistakable hallmark of the Chopard Happy Diamonds series, right through to its modern watches and jewelry.
While this collection was created specifically for women, the Omega Speedmaster appeals primarily to men.
Its finest hour came on July 21, 1969, when, during Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's successful Moon landing, it became the first wristwatch ever worn by a human on the Moon. Since that day, the legendary Moonwatch has not only been used on various other NASA space missions but has also won a large following among civilian watch enthusiasts.
As a chronograph that is both sporty and elegant, it can be worn on many occasions, and the wide range of versions also contributes a good deal to its market success. Despite minor modifications to details, it has always kept its unmistakable "face" right up to the current collection.
