What's your favourite obscure yet useful watch complication?
We all know the chronograph and GMT complications, but what are some of your favourite, more obscure yet equally useful complications you would like to see more of?
Maybe it's the alarm complication. Wake up to the mechanical chirp of the Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox or Vulcain Cricket.
Or the parking timer complication that can count down from up to one or even two hours, like the LIP MinuStop, Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox Park or the Vulcain MinStop.
Maybe you love sailing and a regatta timer is more your speed, like the Yema Yachtingraf or Lemania Elvstrom.
Or a completely different complication we should all know about.
Let me know what your favourite is and why more manufacturers should make watches with that complication.
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a pointer date
Definitely something you don't expect on a mechanical watch. Very impressive, body heat doesn't effect it and it can accurately measure temperatures between -35°C and 45°C. A very useful complication I didn't know about.
I have never heard a mechanical alarm watch, but I think it would be amazing.
It never consciously dawned on me that mechanical countdown timers on a watch were a real thing. I know the digital ones are handy so the idea of literally dialing in a detonation, er parking meter timer has great appeal.
It never consciously dawned on me that mechanical countdown timers on a watch were a real thing. I know the digital ones are handy so the idea of literally dialing in a detonation, er parking meter timer has great appeal.
Using that instead of the typical dive time bezel would make timing eggs and espresso shots that much more enjoyable. It’s a shame we don’t see the complication anymore like we did in the 60s.
A fairly niche complication but a very impressive one. Another one in the same vein is the altimeter, Oris made a model with it around 2014 I believe.
Does that Vulcain MinStop watch with the parking meter complication feature an alarm (similar to the Vulcain Cricket), or is strictly a visual countdown timer? Either way, it's pretty cool. Chronographs are my favorite complication, but I'd love to have one that also featured a count down timer like that, especially if it had an audible alert when the countdown time had been reached.
Does that Vulcain MinStop watch with the parking meter complication feature an alarm (similar to the Vulcain Cricket), or is strictly a visual countdown timer? Either way, it's pretty cool. Chronographs are my favorite complication, but I'd love to have one that also featured a count down timer like that, especially if it had an audible alert when the countdown time had been reached.
The Memovox Park does but the Vulcain Minstop and other similar Minustops are a lot simpler and unfortunately do not chirp when the time runs out.
The Memovox Park does but the Vulcain Minstop and other similar Minustops are a lot simpler and unfortunately do not chirp when the time runs out.
Thanks for the reply - I'm going to have to look further into these. I prefer the look of the Vulcain Minstop, but like the idea of an audible notification as well. If I can find one in great condition for a reasonable price, I may pick one up to go along with my vintage Benrus WristAlarm.
My formula 1 alarm ❤
It’s a nice complication, and I’ve only seen Ball deploy it.
I have never heard a mechanical alarm watch, but I think it would be amazing.
They aren’t that common these days (mechanical alarms), but I have a weird love of some of the wacky Alexander Shorokhoff watches and one of those (glocker) has an alarm that sounds like a frog slowly dying haha.
I’d never had an interest in power reserve as a complication. My last watch purchase had one, and I’ve come to really like it. I’ve heard of watches that have a PR on the movement, seen through a display case back. THAT is the obscure complication I’m now extremely interested in. I’ve never seen this, and if anyone here has this I’d love to see any pictures that you’d like to share.
Am pm sub dial or military time on an automatic is actually pretty useful when setting time and or date. Kind of pointless on a quartz piece though.
I recently found out about a tide watch. For those living by the coast it must be more useful than (for example) a moonphase. Mechanical variants are into 4-figures but there are a few inexpensive quartz. This one combines temperature, compass and tide with indiglo if you fancy a spot of night-swimming.
The Seiko metronome complication is pretty sweet
Mars time. GMT is for the plebs.
Moonphase - wonderfully useless
Perpetual Calendar - to go with the moonphase in the VC Overseas that I will never own
Slightly lower price point, but equally unobtainable!
my favourite obscure complication is an odd one because it’s kinda useless… it’s the deadbeat seconds on a mechanical watch. basically you end up with a ticking seconds hand instead of a sweeping seconds hand. it’s such an idiosyncratic complication because you come to expect sweeping seconds hands on a mechanical watch, but here we have watchmakers actually making it tick instead! what an odd flex.
i know JLC made one. and Rolex too. but i don’t actually know of that many others.
Lange has the Richard Lange jumping seconds, which is beautiful with it's overlapping circles. I agree a quiet flex, which is perfect for watch nerds.
There's a more accessible one is from habring² as well.
Not sure this fits into "complication" territory, but I was intrigued by the mechanical smart watch from Sequent.
It measures your heart rate, steps, blood oxygen, and other things but it's powered by an automatic movement! Obviously won't be as powerful as an apple watch, but quite cool or possibly useless? I never really considered it, but their NASA version looks dope.
Slightly lower price point, but equally unobtainable!
If I'm going to dream, I'm going to dream in gold.
I really love this, too. My want glands were secreting for a Ball with a thermometer for a minute. How can that be made where it isn’t influenced by body temperature?
my favourite obscure complication is an odd one because it’s kinda useless… it’s the deadbeat seconds on a mechanical watch. basically you end up with a ticking seconds hand instead of a sweeping seconds hand. it’s such an idiosyncratic complication because you come to expect sweeping seconds hands on a mechanical watch, but here we have watchmakers actually making it tick instead! what an odd flex.
i know JLC made one. and Rolex too. but i don’t actually know of that many others.
Habring make a dead beats second. Great back story and well priced brand
I didn't know there was a parking meter complication.. 🙄
Don't have one but I have a weird fascination with jump hours. There's a somewhat rare late 90s Omega DeVille jump hour that I keep thinking about. Of course, I also love the VC Saltarello that kind of looks like a scale.
Corum Marees mechanical tides!
Wow, never heard of the parking meter countdown timer. Definitely my favourite unique complication.
I have a power reserve on the back of my Oris 473. I love it. I wish I had one on everything. I think half the reason why I want a Grand Seiko spring drive is for the power meter. Lol .
I love a power reserve meter on watch. Is this 120 hours??? That’s quite a bit.
I love a power reserve meter on watch. Is this 120 hours??? That’s quite a bit.
Yes, it's a 5 day reserve. It takes a little while to wind. Lol
Fan of whimsical or impractical complications like the moonphase or pointer date (way harder to read than a date window)