Timekeeping Icons

The History of the Casio G-Shock

The Casio G-Shock is revered by many as “the toughest watch on the planet.” But it's much more than that.

By Ed Estlow
This Is the Root of All Badass Seiko Dive Watches
The Seiko 6105 is an unlikely legend, but one that's earned its repu…
By Jon Gaffney
How the Seiko 5 Became the Ultimate Starter Watch
The classic Seiko 5 series spawned innovation, scads of affordable w…
By Ed Estlow
This Watch Was the First Global Positioning System
The precision of this timekeeping breakthrough enabled the age of Eu…
By Ed Estlow
How the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Made History

It's more than a mere watchmaking icon.

By Adam Craniotes
Dec 22, 2020
How Did the Rolex Daytona Go From Flop to Icon?

The Daytona is one of Rolex’s most popular models, but there was a time when Rolex dealers could hardly give them away.

By David Shapiro
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Oct 6, 2020
The IWC Portugieser Has a Unique History Dating Back to the 1930s

Recently updated, the collection has origins in a special order placed in Portugal.

By Adam Craniotes
Sep 16, 2020
The Valjoux 7750 Chronograph Is a Timekeeping Icon
1970 was a year of great ups and downs for the mechanical chronograph. The vaunted Omega Speedmaster helped bring the crippled Apollo 1…
By Jason Heaton
Sep 8, 2020
This Chronograph is Still One of the Best of Its Kind After 50 Years
Debate over the first automatic chronograph made is heated. But the Zenith El Primero is arguably still the best automatic chronograph …
By Shane Griffin
Mar 7, 2019
The Super Compressor is a Dive Watch Icon

This is the story of a how special watch case design came to define an entire genre of dive watch in the 1960s.

By Jason Heaton
Sep 4, 2013
Timekeeping Icon: Rolex Sea Dweller
As men were pioneering ways to explore and live in outer space in the 1960s, another groundbreaking initiative was taking place closer …
By David Shapiro
Aug 27, 2013
Icon: Breitling Navitimer
When he was asked about the prominent bit of bling (or “B’ling”) on his wrist, a former test pilot for the U.S. Air Force replied, “I n…
By Ed Estlow
Jul 2, 2013
This Art Deco Dress Watch Has a Surprising Trick Up Its Sleeve

Very possibly the original sports watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso has become a dress watch icon. Here's its history.

By Ed Estlow
Jun 11, 2013
Automotive Horology: A Compendium of 10 Iconic Cars & Watches
Wheels and gears, second hands and tach needles, power trains and power reserves. Men have always been fascinated by time, speed, accur…
By Jason Heaton
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Apr 16, 2013
Timekeeping Icon: Heuer Carrera
The Heuer Carrera can be summed up in one word: legible. When Jack Heuer, the great-grandson of Heuer’s founder, decided to introduce a…
By David Shapiro
Mar 6, 2013
Why the Omega Speedmaster Is an Enduring Icon

How a humble chronograph from the 1950s became one of the most important timepieces of the 20th century.

By Jason Heaton
Apr 18, 2012
Timekeeping Icon | Volume 4: Tudor Submariner
Everybody and his grandmother knows who Rolex is. They’ve done such a wonderful job marketing their brand that even folks who couldn’t…
By Adam Craniotes
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Jan 31, 2012
Timekeeping Icon | Volume 3: 1967 DOXA SUB 300T Sharkhunter
In the 1960s, scuba diving’s popularity was booming, thanks almost entirely to one man: Jacques-Yves Cousteau. It was Cousteau who, alo…
By Jason Heaton