Fantastic horology question on Mystery Hour.
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Ian
Writer, watch enthusiast and occasional artist. Time is all we have, so we better make it fun.
United Kingdom
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Last active: 1 year ago
Dial symmetry?
Dial symmetry?
This far that is the only credible answer.
I have always assumed it was for symmetry as well; 4 I numbers, 4 V numbers, and 4 X numbers.
p.s. love James O'Brien on LBC. I watch on YouTube.
Will we get the answer?
Because IV looks like N which stands for nine?
Years ago Cartier said that it was dial symmetry. Cartier has been copied and imitated for a hundred years. Most use of Roman numerals is because people associate them with class, status, age, or quality. Being more like Cartier is rarely a bad thing.
I doubt that there truly is an answer. The fact of the matter is that "IIII" and "IV" were used interchangeably by the Romans. There never was rhyme or reason to it. Big Ben uses a "IV". Many other clocks of the pre-wristwatch era use the "IIII".
True dial symmetry is impossible with Roman numerals. A "XI" will never balance a "I". The numbering is always going to list to the left.
I always thought that on a watch/clock dial, where the numerals are displayed at certain angles, you want to avoid IV and VI appearing close to one another, because if you mix up the rotation in your head, one looks like the other.
Dial symmetry has been the general consensus in previous discussions over the years.