To date or not to date? What do you prefer?
Rolex here it’s but a mere example, the real question is… Do you prefer your watches with date complication or without?
I never thought about it until I saw a video a while back from IDGuy, he was explaining that date complications can totally ruin the simmetry of a watch or break the design… It made me think A LOT. And now I evaluate that every time I see a watch with date. At the very minimum, I want it to have the date wheel match the color of the dial. But I get annoyed at a design with a bad executed date complication.
On the other hand, I read a comment from @smitty1283 saying he uses the date even more frequently than time itself, which is a fair use scenario. Now, that begs the question.
What do you think? Is it mandatory for you to have the date in your watch? Do you prefer not to? You don’t even care about? Am I crazy for asking?
Let’s discuss about it…
Newbie to the passion and hobbie, just curious about learning and see where this goes.
I want a date on any watch that I wear with any regularity. On a manually wound gold vintage dress watch I don't need it but on a daily watch absolutely.
Give me No Date, or give me death!
Symmetry isn't the end all be all of design, to me at least. There definitely are poorly executed dates, but all my watches have dates and probably always will. Not a fan of cyclopses though. My most worn watch has a date at 4:30, and it's never bothered me in the hundreds of times I've checked the date with it.
Depends what your life style is:
No Date is more subtle. -My preference
The Date is louder.
In todays world the date is not as important as prior to the cell. I wouldn’t miss it.
I use the date function all the time. I'll always choose date
Date
Don’t care either way! A lot depends on the watch. some look great with a date and some look out of place.
I want a date on any watch that I wear with any regularity. On a manually wound gold vintage dress watch I don't need it but on a daily watch absolutely.
I have a 1962 watch with a date. I wind it every day just so that I don’t have to manually set the date. It is a pain… a big pain. So you’re on the function over form train. Cool.
Give me No Date, or give me death!
I’m totally in for the passion you defend your point with! Heck yeah!
Date
Date
Well, depends. Sub? No Date 100%.
How a model was introduced, date/ no date remains as such.
The a date depends on how it feels.
I love the symmetry of the no date but need a date nowadays.
Date.
But what about dates without a cyclop?
I usually opt for no date... but I am a bit of a symetry nut... so when there is a date... I prefer it at the 6. The bubble just draws attention to it being at 3....
But what about the date without a cyclops?
Still usually prefer Explorer or Daytona that doesn't have a date.
Any watch you’d make an exception for?
Oh sure, there are lots. My JLC MUT moonphase has a date. I also don't mind a date on a Navitimer or a GMT. But for the Sub, given the choice, I'm going no date every day of the week 🙂 Also, any Cartier Tank with a date is just wrong.
The no date just works. It's balanced. It's easy to wear and set. Just lovely.
Do you feel the same way about date windows on other watches that aren’t Rolex?
Date windows are not the problem. I just don’t like cyclopses. I know that there are made to see the date better but I just don’t like it. It is even worse whit watches where the cyclops doesn’t work properly. I have rolexes with cyclopses so i have some experience with them
That’s fair… I keep saying I like cyclops, however, I’ve never personally had a watch with one. I only like it from a design perspective.
I think it's a style choice for people, similar to dial color, or like how people either like or dislike date complications. I'd be curious to try a watch with one just to see if it would change my mind on it.
I usually opt for no date... but I am a bit of a symetry nut... so when there is a date... I prefer it at the 6. The bubble just draws attention to it being at 3....
I agree…. 6 is the best place for a date window. One other thing that is super important to me nowadays is that the date wheel is color matched to the dial…
Still usually prefer Explorer or Daytona that doesn't have a date.
Great, thanks for the answer!
Oh sure, there are lots. My JLC MUT moonphase has a date. I also don't mind a date on a Navitimer or a GMT. But for the Sub, given the choice, I'm going no date every day of the week 🙂 Also, any Cartier Tank with a date is just wrong.
That is soooo true… I’ve never though about Cartier, but you’re so so right with that…
The no date just works. It's balanced. It's easy to wear and set. Just lovely.
The more watches you have, the more important this is…. Setting up watches with dates can become a hassle.
Date windows are not the problem. I just don’t like cyclopses. I know that there are made to see the date better but I just don’t like it. It is even worse whit watches where the cyclops doesn’t work properly. I have rolexes with cyclopses so i have some experience with them
Oook, got it! Yeah, I understand that.
I think it's a style choice for people, similar to dial color, or like how people either like or dislike date complications. I'd be curious to try a watch with one just to see if it would change my mind on it.
Ain’t that the best way to go about watch collecting? Try it on, feel the watch. So many watches I loved on press photos but then when I got the chance to try them, they just don’t work for me… Seiko SSK line is a perfect example of this.
Ain’t that the best way to go about watch collecting? Try it on, feel the watch. So many watches I loved on press photos but then when I got the chance to try them, they just don’t work for me… Seiko SSK line is a perfect example of this.
That is the best way. I don't often to get to do that process. I live in a rural area, so it can be a chore to drive for over and hour or two to get to a place where they will have the watches I want to try.
That is the best way. I don't often to get to do that process. I live in a rural area, so it can be a chore to drive for over and hour or two to get to a place where they will have the watches I want to try.
Well that sucks… where I live we only have some boutiques, but the majority I can’t find…. Just Seiko, Casio, Tag Heuer, Bulova… the rest is hard to find, although at least we have some people selling preowned.
If I’m in a rush no date for sure.