What Are The Top 5 Living Legend Watches To Own?

As a leading manufacturer of high-quality rubber watch straps, one thing that we take very seriously at Rubber B is how legacy is a part of a product’s continued success. Several of the brands whose products we make rubber watch bands for are considered “legacy” brands in the horology world, to the point where even people who do not collect watches are still familiar with the brands, such as Rolex or Breitling.

In appreciation of that sense of legacy and history, we have decided to spend some time more closely examining our top five “living legend” watches. These are luxury timepieces that have made an indelible mark on the culture at large, and in many cases, have become the public faces, in a material sense, of the companies which manufacture them.

1. Rolex Submariner

The most popular timepiece offering from the world’s most recognizable watchmakers, it is hard to overstate just how much of an impact the Rolex Submariner had upon the watch world when it was first released in 1954. The ironic thing about the Rolex Submariner is that it was never intended to be a luxury product in the first place – it was simply intended to be a timepiece that could resist the rigors of an active lifestyle, especially for divers. Civilians had never had a watch this durable made available to them before, as diving watches were made primarily for naval divers at the time, and regular people flocked to it in droves upon its release. Almost 50 years later, the Rolex Submariner watch is still iconic, and still as reliable as when it was first released.

2. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

It is not very often that one can say, with a straight face, that a singular product saved an entire company, but in the case of well-regarded Swiss watchmakers Audemars Piguet, that is exactly what happened when it comes to their Royal Oak timepiece. The story of how this happened has been repeated so often in the horology world that it has become something of an “epic poem” among watch collectors.

As the story goes, Audemars Piguet, along with several other Swiss watch manufacturers in the late 1970’s, were struggling to sell their timepieces due to the mass production of cheaper quartz watches from Asia. As a result of this sea change in the marker, Audemars Piguet realized that they would have to come up with an idea that had never been seen before if they were going to stay afloat.

Their solution? Invent the world’s first luxury sports watch made entirely from steel, and thus the Royal Oak was born. The watchmaking world would forever be changed after this watch’s release, and even though it was not financially successful upon its initial release, the Royal Oak now has become one of the most sought after timepieces among watch collectors.

3. Rolex Datejust

It is hard to overstate just how many technical innovations Rolex is responsible for when it comes to the world of horology, and the Rolex Datejust is just one of many examples of their technical innovation and continued commitment to excellence. Originally released in 1945, the Rolex Datejust was the first watch to ever display the date on the dial. It seems commonplace now, but at the time, this has never been done before, and it would forever change the way watches were made afterward.

For many collectors, this watch is the definition of simplicity and elegance, and its enduring popularity is well documented, among both real people and fictional characters alike. From former President Dwight D. Eisenhower to Tony Soprano, the Rolex Datejust’s enduring popularity speaks to how truly well-crafted this timepiece is.

4. Breitling Navitimer

Initially released in the early 1950’s. the Breitling Navitimer is on this list because it impacted an entire industry for several generations – in this care, aviation. The Breitling Navitimer is a notable timepiece because it was specially designed for pilots to be able to do calculations with it whilst flying, which was not something that had been previously seen before the release of this watch.  This was due to the combination of its extremely precise chronograph and its slide-rule bezel.

Due to in-flight navigation systems, pilots rely far less on these kinds of calculations today, but they are still asked to know how to perform them in the event of a computer failure. When you take a moment to think about it, that’s pretty impressive for an item that, in theory, is just supposed to “tell the time.”

5. IWC Portuguese

Like several of the other timepieces on this list, the IWC Portuguese also has an interesting story behind it. In the 1930’s, a group of Portuguese sailors asked a Swiss watchmaking company if they could make them wristwatches that were as reliable as stationary clocks, which they could not update while they were at sea. The watchmakers agreed, and one of the world’s most popular and reliable watches ended up being borne of this request.

Looking for a Reliable Custom Rubber Watch Band For Your Timepiece? Contact Rubber B Today

Rubber B has a wide variety of custom rubber watch bands to choose from, and we carry straps for timepieces made by several of the world’s most recognizable watch manufacturers, from Rolex to Breitling. We update our inventory quite frequently, so to see our complete catalog of products, visit our website today for a full overview of our products.

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