A very successful example to me was the Grande Reverso 101 Art Deco - the tiny 101 movement is clearly meant to be the "real" diamond in this watch showcased beautifully and centrally. In addition, I thought it was a witty statement on the changes of taste, from excellence being in the ability to create miniature and ultra-flat movements to todays large cases (and maybe not so large movements inside). I also love the Grande Reverso Sun Moon's movement having an imaginary star sign created from its pivot jewels and screws, subtly echoing the theme of the watch from the movement side. GO puts the spotlight on a key defining mechanical feature, their double swan neck regulator, in their PanoInverse.
Some haute horlogerie pieces foreground their machinehood, the MBF pieces even carry it in their name as someone noted. The Grisogno Meccanico (sp.?) makes a giant mechanical effort to recreate a digital watch and I think flips a finger to the death threat to the Swiss mechanical watch industry this way. Christophe Claret's Dual Tow.
I loved what you wrote about astronomical watches quoting other ancient machines like astrolabes. Much of the appeal for me is indeed that the ancient machine both are echoing is the heavens itself that for millenia was understood using concepts and mathematics that map immediately on watchmaking such as (epi)cycles.
There are other machine watches can quote. For example I admired the Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti which takes it's design, as I understand it, from the Bugatti motor.
And finally, the Resonance! I am sure you are right that I did not quite put my finger on what the appeal really is. I do not think it is symmetry as such though. It has to do with resonance being such a fundamental principle of nature that is relevant for many of my daytime activities both in a scientific/engineering sense and my job proper but also is analogous to - in fact I think symbolizes is better - the best interpersonal things we can experience. The Resonance expresses this in the dial - the movement layout - the principle of it's working - and that principle is not frivolous, but directly linked to watchmaking excellence because it stabilizes the rate. And even better, although it is laid out there for all to see, if I understand the discussion on this board, it remains mysterious in exactly how it works, if it does work, in this watch. I was at a store in Lisbon this week, a new Journe AD, and they showed me one. I was riveted. Still am.
Best
Andreas