ONE of the most iconic watch brands of today must surely be Franck Muller. Once introduced to a typical Franck Muller, you will always remember the shape of its case and the stretched Arabic numerals, notably the 1, 5, 7 and 11.

"Franck Muller is a trendsetting brand and the use of this Arabic-style lettering is their signature design," says Sincere Watch's chief operating officer Ong Ban.

With annual production capacity of around 50,000 timepieces per annum, the Franck Muller brand is among the top few in the higher-end segment of Swiss-made watches. Not bad for a young iconic brand that was founded in 1990. But did you know that the stretched Arabic numeral design was inspired by watches from the Art Deco era?

Such designs for stretched numerals, especially on an elongated and curved case, were created during the 1920s and 1930s. Sitting in the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva is a tonneau-shaped piece called the Chronometro Gondolo with the familiar stretched-numeral design made popular by Franck Muller. But the brand did not exist in 1928, the year this particular Patek Philippe Chronometro Gondolo was made.

The Franck Muller example clearly demonstrates how an old design can be reinvigorated and successfully brought back to life. The stretched Arabic numerals is now synonymous with Franck Muller because it somehow struck the right chord with watch buyers the world over.

Cartier, which has an even longer and more colourful history, remains a success story because of how its current designs contain elements of the past. You would, for example, associate Cartier with classic Roman numerals on the dials of its watches. Then there is the Cartier Tank watch, the design of which was inspired by military tanks used by allied forces during the First World War.

Observe the Tank watch made in 1920 and the latest Cartier Tank watch Noctambule from the Collection Priv�e Cartier Paris. Notice how the shape of the watchcases are similar in form and how cabochons on the crowns are used in the past and the present. Check out the Roman numerals as well.

Bulgari remains a luxurious brand and its DNA is unmistakable,given the signature brand name on the bezel of its watches. It is understood that the Bulgari Bulgari collection was once known as Bulgari Roma in the early days. As compared to the Bulgari Bulgari of 1975, how much has changed in terms of case design and Arabic numerals (notably the "6" and "12" hour numerals) since?

Speaking of familiar numerals or fonts, Panerai is a classic brand well-known and enjoyed by collectors for its "3", "6", "9" and "12" Arabic numeral fonts. It is also distinguished by its large diameter cases and the green luminescence emanating from its dials.

The Luminor Panerai produced in the 1950s remains much sought after, especially those Panerai Luminors made for the Egyptian Navy Commandos in 1956. In 2005, a Panerai Luminor Marina Militare model was created and the look of the dial remains faithful to its past. Even the Luminor 1950 8 Days GMT unveiled this year retains the spirit of the brand.

Rather than look to past designs, German watch brand A. Lange & S�hne has gone against the grain and made a totally new watch in honour of its founder's eldest son instead. Richard Lange (1845 to 1932), son of Ferdinand Adolph Lange (1815 to 1875), is said to have relentlessly pursued high precision timekeeping measurement. He dedicated his watchmaking career to scientific research with regard to horology and is credited for developing the metal alloy used in hairsprings. The Richard Lange wristwatch is a fitting tribute to the man who contributed greatly to the world of watchmaking.

There is no future without a past. How well you invest in your time today will ultimately shape your future.