Classic Car Watches

The Chevrolet Corvette emblem is an easily recognizable symbol for sports-car lovers. Its two crossing flags – one checkered, one red – are iconic, but the original design was scrapped for an interesting reason. In the early 1950s, Chevrolet interior designer Robert Bartholomew designed the logo to feature one checkered flag and one American flag. However, Chevrolet management discovered that it was illegal to use our nation’s flag on a commercial product. The company had to do a last-minute redesign of the emblem before the Corvette prototype was first introduced to the public in January of 1953.

The result? The American flag was replaced with a red flag featuring the Chevrolet “bowtie” logo and a fleur-de-lis. The fleur-de-lis – a stylized design of a lily – is a symbol of France, honoring the French roots of the company’s name. This redesigned emblem has endured over the years, and can now be found on collectible items, like a Corvette watch or clock. The original emblem featuring the American flag is currently on display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky.