Dateless complications

ghce · Nov 23, 2022

Most of the watches in my collection have a date complication being mostly late 50's to late 70's with a smattering of all ages either side and as such most followed the trend of have either a date or day date ( thankfully dont have to many of those).
Recently I purchased a Daytona with out a date complication and which because its new to me I have worn an awful lot and the one thing I have noticed is the not inconsiderable amount times I have needed to know the date and have had to either pick up my smart phone or refer to a wall clock or some such with a date display.

Whilst this is not a biggie what surprised me was that I had never noticed the reliance I had placed on the humble dress watch with a date and the complete unconscious referral to it.

Dan S · Nov 23, 2022

The date complication is useful but I have to admit that I don’t particularly like the way they typically look, with the possible exception of the rare date at 12 or 6. Also, I rotate watches daily and I can never be bothered to set a watch to the correct date … which reduces the practical utility. 😁

Aroxx · Nov 23, 2022

I really like the date on a watch for the reason you mentioned. I also have a personal OCD type thing where I just can't write the date down on any piece of paper without first confirming the date which I prefer to do with a quick glance at my watch and not have to pull out the phone. No date watches definitely have a better symmetry and some date executions do "ruin" a watch. Maybe I should have considered something like the Speedy '57 but I only had eyes for the OG Moonwatch. Guess I'll just have to tough it out. 😁

Scarecrow Boat · Nov 23, 2022

My preference is no date for the symmetry and clean look but I do enjoy a date complication on occasion. I like an old roulette black/red wheel and I have a vintage diver that has a playful blue/red wheel that I enjoy. I also like the occasional date at 12 like below 👍

Larry S · Nov 23, 2022

Two more elegant ways to consider the date.

lindo · Nov 23, 2022

This is the most uncomplicated date watch dial I have seen - Movado 14ct gold with 2552C manual movement, from the 60s. I love its style.

ghce · Nov 23, 2022

One of mine that I really like even though it's a modern is this Seagull movement watch, everything there and easy to read at a glance.

But of course you only get 10 or 12 years out of the year complication 🙁

Aroxx · Nov 23, 2022

Larry S
Two more elegant ways to consider the date.

I love the date in the sub-dial like on that UG. The JLC is very nicely executed as well. Beautiful watches. The problem on my Minerva is the date hand is blued the same as the hour/minute hands and they all look about the same at a glance. Makes it hard to tell the time quickly.

Larry S · Nov 24, 2022

Aroxx
I love the date in the sub-dial like on that UG. The JLC is very nicely executed as well. Beautiful watches. The problem on my Minerva is the date hand is blued the same as the hour/minute hands and they all look about the same at a glance. Makes it hard to tell the time quickly.

Such a handsome beast though.

Eve · Nov 24, 2022

Same with me 👍
Every time i am buying groceries i would chack my watch, how much time i s left till the fish or milk expires. In fact i probably more often check my wrist for checking the date, than for checking the time.
The only time i really read the time is during the night when kids wake me up.
So my daily drivers mostly tend to have a lume AND Date complications.

But i do love to rotate them with dateless complications too, especially when those are manual wind 😎

ghce · Nov 24, 2022

Aroxx
I love the date in the sub-dial like on that UG. The JLC is very nicely executed as well. Beautiful watches. The problem on my Minerva is the date hand is blued the same as the hour/minute hands and they all look about the same at a glance. Makes it hard to tell the time quickly.

Love that one, I always feel cheated by watches with a wide Bezel as everything is just that much smaller in the dial space but edge to edge ( like a modern edge to edge curved smart phone screen ) makes every thing look so much larger.
Its one of the reasons I am always so hesitant on dive watches as you effectively end up with a dial that could easily fit in a 30mm dial case, I really feel cheated!
Most oversize or jumbo or vintage watches tend to have a much smaller bezel on the case and even though many of them are only 38mm or so they wear like a 40 or 42mm watch, heaven!
I have one or 2 watches where the second hand seems to disappear off into the very edge of the lens and its an intriguing and interesting effect and often as not the minute hands actually cover the minutes dial markers too rather than leaving you guess like many styles do, not that short minute and hour hands cant be attractive but they are less practical for a quick glance to ascertain the time

STANDY · Nov 25, 2022

Don’t think I own a chronograph with a date…(few other Speedmasters)

And have many non date watches
https://omegaforums.net/threads/found-it-fun-without-a-date-or-a-brand.38423/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/found-it-fun-without-a-date-or-a-brand.38423/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/found-it-fun-without-a-date-or-a-brand.38423/
But I do have just as many with dates

Spruce · Nov 25, 2022

I like my pointer date but have to confess that I’d owned it for over a year (bought on eBay) before I discovered it has a quick date change function

kaplan · Nov 25, 2022

ghce
One of mine that I really like even though it's a modern is this Seagull movement watch, everything there and easy to read at a glance.

But of course you only get 10 or 12 years out of the year complication 🙁

You can buy a new year disk for 0.5$ in 7 years, or just sand, coat and crayon

On topic, years ago I was fascinated by skeleton watches, almost bought a Tourby skeleton when Art Deco ETA movements weren't extinct, Chinese have incredible movements too, cheap Tourbillon's, almost bought this in 2019:

Very rare that they do anything without worthless made up brands though, best to leave watches brandless I believe

Pvt-Public · Nov 29, 2022

kaplan
You can buy a new year disk for 0.5$ in 7 years, or just sand, coat and crayon

Crayon? No way, do it like the pros, use a Sharpie ! 😝

Dateless complications

ghce

Dan S

Aroxx

Scarecrow Boat

Larry S

lindo

ghce

Aroxx

Larry S

Eve

ghce

STANDY

Spruce

kaplan

Pvt-Public

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