The Most Iconic Luxury Watches Ever Made

A few wristwatches transcended timekeeping to become design legends — worn on the moon, dived to the ocean floor, and chased on years-long waiting lists. Here are the watches that shaped modern watchmaking and still define the collector’s wishlist.

Rolex Submariner

Launched in the early 1950s, the Submariner set the template for the modern dive watch: rotating bezel, luminous markers, robust water resistance. It’s arguably the most recognizable luxury watch in the world and a benchmark every diver is measured against.

Omega Speedmaster ("Moonwatch")

The Speedmaster earned immortality as the watch worn during NASA’s Apollo missions — the first watch on the Moon. Still hand-wound in its classic form, it’s a chronograph with genuine space-flight history on its wrist.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Designed by Gérald Genta and released in 1972, the Royal Oak shocked the industry: a luxury sports watch in steel, with an octagonal bezel and exposed screws, priced like gold. It created an entire category and remains fiercely sought after.

The same designer, Gérald Genta, drew both the Royal Oak and the Patek Nautilus — two watches that redefined what "luxury" could look like in steel.

Patek Philippe Nautilus

Patek’s Nautilus (1976), with its porthole-inspired case, became one of the most coveted watches of the modern era — its waiting lists and resale prices the stuff of legend. Patek’s "you never actually own it, you look after it for the next generation" ethos says it all.

Cartier Tank & Santos

Cartier proved icons aren’t only round or sporty. The Santos (1904) was among the first purpose-built wristwatches, and the rectangular Tank became a 20th-century style staple worn by everyone from artists to royalty.

What makes a watch iconic (and collectible)

The legends combine a landmark design, a real story (space, diving, a famous wearer), top-tier movements, and scarcity. For value, condition, originality (untouched dial and parts), and a complete "full set" of box and papers matter enormously.

Definitive diver

Rolex Submariner

Space history

Omega Speedmaster

Luxury steel sports

AP Royal Oak, Patek Nautilus

Value drivers

Condition, originality, full set

The takeaway

The most iconic luxury watches earned their status through bold design and real history, and the best have become serious collectibles. Whether you’re admiring or buying, knowing the legends — and what drives their value — turns a watch from a purchase into an informed choice.