Date or no date? If date, at what position?

I still like a date on a dress watch at 6 o’clock, otherwise no date.

If the watch is going to be a dress/sport (versatile) style watch then the date should be at 6.

Or if it is going to be purely a classic dress watch, no date.

A date window has no business being on a proper dress watch.

A and D are the most aesthetically pleasing to me. Symetry and balance of the dial.

At 6 date looks classic 😁 I also like 4:30 as well

For me it is either A or D.

If the design of the dial and hands is interesting and creative enough you can go A but no ghost position please. Otherwise I prefer D.

In case you decide to use a date window, you may want to consider painting the dates alternatively, like for 14th the number to be black or in dial color on white background, and the 15th to have the same colors but inverted. And, to avoid having 31th and 1st in the same color, the 1st to be painted differently than the rest, like black number on gold background.

In this specific instance, I'd vote no-date, but I feel like this is a decision that should have been made earlier in the process. There's no universal answer to if or where a date window belongs on a dial or what color the wheel and printing should be—great design happens when the functions and features are determined at the beginning so all of the following aesthetic decisions can be made holistically. Usually when people complain about date windows, what they're really complaining about is a watch that looks off because the date widow looks dropped in as an afterthought (i.e. Longines' habit of punching out date windows wherever Swatch's parts-bin demands, even if it means chopping a numeral in half) violating an otherwise harmonious design.

If there is no other complication to balance out the date window, I’d leave it out.

But this is fine too:

Or:

Thank you DrianX for this suggestion! If we go with date, my personal view is that the background, font and color should always be matched to fit the overall aestethics of the watch you make. Thanks again! Truly apprechiate it!

Even though I am asking for opinions for this specific watch, the question is quite general anyway. Should a dress watch carry a date or not? So it is like you are suggesting, a question of function and feature. But at the same time I want to know where you would put it if you would want one.

This design doesn’t say “dress watch” to me. If it looked like a dress watch, I’d say no date. But to me, it looks like a casual sports watch so I voted date at 6:00.

Understandable. It is a build in progress. I aim to make it look more and more like a dress watch. Thank you for clearifyeing your opinion on that no date belongs to a dress watch 👍 I agree with you on that a casual sport watch should have a date

Date at 6 o’clock please

Dress watches without a date are too damn rare. No date!

I think that the date placement is one thing but it needs to be well integrated. Visually pleasing. Sharp. The Font choice is also important. I like to have a date no matter the type of watch. If it's well made it can elevate a watch dial. With that type of dial I think at 6 is the best but it could look just right anywhere else!

Personally, I always prefer a date function, but on a dress watch it's that much more critical that it's elegantly integrated with the overall design of the watch, as opposed to sports and tool watches that can be a bit bolder and less precious about introducing asymmetry and emphasizing each function.

Specific to the illustrations you posted, I'd go without the date because the size and shape of the date window as you've presented it is out of balance with the other indices. If the date were at 6 o'clock, I'd suggest the marker at 12 be reshaped to balance things out visually. If it were at 4:30, the date window could have its top and bottom edges along radial lines similar to how Zenith shapes theirs on the old El Primeros so the angles of the window are complimentary to the angles of the indices.

...and apologies for the heady answers, but I'm a designer by trade so I can't help myself!

Didnt some famous Architect say ”Form follows function” 🤩 No offence taken at all. Thanks for engaging and being transparent with your thoughts. Please Follow this build and let me know in the end if a designer would Approve the final result 😇

I don’t understand the “violent” reaction some have to the presence of a date window. I like a date window, prefer 3 O’clock but any will do, except at the 12. I also like a cyclops but not a deal breaker.

i like the idea of having a date window at the 12 o'clock position. case in point: longines conquest heritage.

One of my industrial design professors was debating the "form follows function" philosophy in class and challenged us by asking, "Is form not a function"?

We all sulked home and rethought our worldviews :)

I definitely prefer the date at 3 o'clock, the traditionally most common placement. I have no idea why "symmetrical" 6 o'clock is popular right now, but that's what fads are like I guess.

Depends how dressy imo. No date is easiest/dressiest

A date window can ruin a dial for me but pulled off right it can elevate the entire watch

Having it at 6 adds a sporty vibe

At 3 is more casual

Personally hate it at 4:30 unless the dial is already kinda busy aka not a dress watch

And color matched to either the dial or the indicies

Date at 6 or not at all for a dress watch

Voted for "Date at 6", but the date question cannot be deconnected from the watch type. A dressier piece (think https://www.omegawatches.com/fr-fr/watch-omega-seamaster-1948-co-axial-master-chronometer-38-mm-51193382099002) definitely looks better without a date

But having a date window on my The Citizen Chronomaster Perpetual Calendar is a joy. It's OK at 3, but would be better, Formex Essence style, at 6

Oh my god! Too deep man! 😄 You know , my economist professor once said; "Money is not everything, its 99%"

Absolutely agree on this. The watch type sets the stage for whatever you need when wearing the watch. But the beauti of things in watches is that function often also add to the aestethics or not. 😄 I think this is the reason why people seem to be very engageing in this poll. Form or function? ;D

Date at 6 is picking up.. will it past before the finish line?

I have watch with the date at 3, 4 and 6. I don't think it really matters as long as you like the watch.

No date! Pointless complication for anyone who has a functional memory. If it has to have one, then 4.30 with colour matched so it can be ignored, or 6 but not 3 o'clock. Hate it with a passion 🤮

In my own view you dont need a date on a dress watch. You are probably wearing the dress watch on a social event to which you allready know the date, otherwise you wouldnt use the dress watch 🙂 So personally I understand you.