What do people look at first when they look at a watch? Do you look at the details first, as I do?
Anyone who plays with watches a lot knows that there are many details on a watch. For example, the seemingly insignificant crown (the small handle that sets the time) has many tricks, such as being set with diamonds and gemstones. The reason for this is that the crown has evolved over the last hundred years and each watchmaker has made its own identity.
Apart from the crown, clearly recognisable parts such as the dial and hands can also help us to quickly see what brand it is.
So today I have prepared a quiz for you. These are also the models that I think are the most recognisable and that many people go to buy replica watches for.

Let’s see how many you can guess below~

1

When you see the blue spinel wrapped in a bow guard, you will know it is the Cartier Blue Balloon, which is also the reason for the name Blue Balloon. It was inspired by the homemade blue hot air balloon flown by the Montegofields brothers in 1783, the first human flying machine, so this watch also has a symbolic meaning of bravery and innovation.

2

The crown with the pendant is also quite recognisable, and it is easy to see that the pendant is a cartoon image of a Chanel lady, in fact it is from the Chanel J12, which we are all familiar with, and is available in a limited edition of 555 pieces this year.

3

The crown is usually at 3 o’clock, but the Breguet Queen of Naples, with its oval dial and crown at 5 o’clock, has made numerous girls remember her, and at first glance it also resembles the “Q” in Queen, giving it a noble and special feel.

4

You may not know Panerai, but you must have seen this naive and heavy-looking “bridge” crown, which was specially designed for the Italian Navy, and which presses against the crown when the crown is closed to increase water resistance and protect it at the same time. A while ago, a fan’s bridge was broken but the crown was unharmed. Panerai’s style is tough and the dials are large and highly recognisable.

5

Richard Mille’s “tonneau” dial is now recognized as the most recognizable dial, but the tonneau was first introduced by Famulan, and became a hit with its iconic tonneau look and highly complicated movement, before falling off the map. It was so popular that many brands now offer ‘tonneau’ watches, such as Vacheron Constantin and Longines.

6

OMEGA’s Constellation is actually the same as Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak and Patek Philippe’s Nautilus, both by the hand of Zonta. Originally designed to hold the crystal in place, the four small “claws” on the dial have now become the hallmark of the Constellation collection, making it instantly recognisable from a distance.

7

Even if you don’t know anything about watches, I’m sure you’ll know that this is a Rolex Daytona when you see the ‘panda eye’. It started life as a chronograph for racing cars, with three small dials that counted the minutes, seconds and hours. Since its debut, it has become a collector’s and young person’s favourite, and has become a myth in the world of value preservation and appreciation.

8

If you don’t look closely, you might think it’s from Audemars Piguet? In fact, Hublot’s screws are quite distinctive, with the H-shaped screws echoing the “H” in the brand’s logo. In fact, as a high-end watch, the use of the brand’s special screws is actually a way to protect the watch, at least from being opened by unprofessional technicians during repairs, and to distinguish it from others.

9

The “Breguet hand”, designed by Breguet in 1783 with an off-centre moon at the end of the quarter, has evolved over the last 200 years to become a Breguet trademark and looks very elegant. In recent years, brands such as Cartier, Longines and Patek Philippe have also indirectly used Breguet hands by adjusting their length and thickness to show their affection for them.

10

Often said to be the most distinctive and unreadable watch, Famulan’s Crazy Hour features coloured lettering plus irregular sequencing, and a reading that automatically jumps to the position of the correct number on the other side every 60 minutes. PS: There is now a jewellery collection based on this number, each priced at 28,000.

11

Rolex’s “dog tooth ring” can be considered synonymous with the family, Rolex’s official term is “triangular pitted bezel”, it is said that Rolex was originally designed to press the diameter of the watch to waterproof and, although not set with diamonds, but also has the effect of sparkling. A similarly pockmarked dial design is also used in this year’s new watches.

12

Roger Dubuis’ skeletonised and pentagonal dial is one of their most distinctive features, and this dial is not only very design-oriented but also highly recognisable. The hands are also very distinctive, resembling a “spatula”.
All in all, there is a lot to be said for the top of a watch, and all of these seemingly insignificant things have actually been designed with a lot of thought, either to enhance recognition or to visualise the spirit and meaning of the brand. For watch lovers, these are all expressions of sentiment.