Without any other context, you can perhaps ID dozens if not more logos of carmakers, retail chains and consumer goods. But how many watch brands can you recognize based on an abstract symbol alone? And do you know the meaning behind them?
Some watch companies are content with a stylized version of their name spelled out as their primary emblem. Many watchmakers, however, have been around for a century or more and some have special symbols or designs that are quietly pregnant with history and meaning — some of them even have names of their own. You’ll find heraldic emblems from the Middle Ages and common themes such as shields, wings, anchors and more.
Look for a watchmaker’s signature on various components like the dial, crown, case back, rotor and clasp to signify pride in the product, cohesive design and, generally, as an indication of value and care. They might often measure only a couple millimeters, but these symbols are worthy of closer inspection. Here are some that are particularly interesting or significant.
Breguet
Abraham Louis Breguet founded his eponymous brand in 1775 and is one of the most significant and influential watchmakers in history, having invented everything from the tourbillon to the style of watch hands you see represented in the brand’s modern logo — they’re called pomme or Breguet hands.
It’s an elegant style that’s been used by many brands since. As a logo, however, the Breguet hands are a more recent development for the company and were part of a branding refresh after joining the Swatch Group in 1999.
