The two can be mutually exclusive in their use and yet be tied together. We have some very talented artists here and I know it can be done (I'm just too lazy to help!).

No, the gear as a graphic for the UX and the checkmark as an icon can be unified, relationship-wise, trust it. Use of color, or geometry, it's do-able.

We can own this, at least as concept goes, and it's top drawer as far as I'm concerned. It can be a re-statement of the skeuomorphic that Apple and other designers are walking away from

Whatever the trend is, you buck it, and thus become either ahead of or behind the current trend!

-g