Is there any worthwhile discussion to be had on vintage Omegas (or any other quality vintage watch) having a date feature? I've always avoided them.

Are watches with date features more desirable from a collecting standpoint or are should the date feature be considered as potentially troublesome, having more parts to go awry.

Do forum members consider the date feature an attractive and useful addition or a disruption to an otherwise nicely styled dial design.

What are your favorite Omega models having dates? Photos would be greatly appreciated.

 

An interesting topic. I've always tried to avoid dials with dates because they usually upset the "harmonious" aesthetic balance of the dial. Of course this isn't as much of an issue with dates at 6 or under the 12. When I'm looking at an image of a watch dial I often put my finger over the date to see whether I prefer the dial without, and inevitably I do. I also think that the colours chosen for the date wheel are often inappropriate and embolden the date unnecessarily.e.g. white date wheel on black dial. Dates usually require the dial to be 'punctured' as well, and I prefer a single level dial, preferring no subdials at all.
That said, I do have 2 watches with dates or subdials, and if everything else was attractive, I'd choose a date feature watch. Some of the modern watches have very elegant dates and subdials. Then again, the bugbear for me is that you need to keep resetting the buggers if you don't wear them daily or use an auto winding machine.

 

I quite like date window, in fact, day and date window.

These two are not mine, but I have them both in my collection, just don't have any really nice pictures readily available.





Props to original photographers!

 

I prefer the symmetry of a no date dial, which isn't to say I don't have some with dates, just like the cleaner look of a no date dial.

Several members here have Seamaster date @ 6s to die for.

 

I believe my taste has shifted to a preference for non-date dials, but for now I have no plans to ditch my watches with a day/date feature.

 

i used to like models with date features. turning point for me came when i purchased a 5513 sub. been hooked ever since. something about the cleanliness of the dial.

 

I am also one who strongly prefers a watch without date, because of the way they disrupt symmetry and beauty, but also because I'm a bit O-C, and feel I must always set the date before wearing (which is a PITA!). And watch-winders are a PITA, too!

 

I prefer date. Symmetry is great, but I use the date function everyday in the office. Won't stop me from getting a 105.012 though!

 

I think I value symmetry as well. I wouldn't necessarily shy away from a watch purchase with date at 3. I would run away from a watch with date and day at 3!

 

I prefer a date, it is a very useful complication to me. I realize I can always pull out my phone for the date, but then I can do that for the time as well. I do understand the symmetry argument though.

 

Well, it depends on the design of the specific model. For example the moonwatch is without date and I love it.

 

Depends entirely on the watch in question. I don't really have a preference overall.

Cheers, Al

 

Are watches with date features noticeably more prone to have mechanical trouble than models without dates? If they are, then what about such a movement presents a problem.

Perhaps this question should be considered in the context of the vintage watch purchase. Is there anything one should try to evaluate about a date feature when acquiring a vintage model?

There's only a single watch in the menagerie here with a day/date function, a Seiko quartz with day/date feature that was a gift from my wife. I'm sentimentally attached to it and do like it's black dial however the feature is a nuisance on short months, even with the quick change feature. Would seem that a mechanical watch would be even more of a nuisance unless it was worn daily.

 

I'm with @Archer on this one, depends on the watch, the size etc.etc.

 

Exactly, it depends a lot on the watch.
Sometimes the date is there just to be somewhere and it broke the entire look of the dial.

 

I wish to rise up another issue that I have with the date when the window it doesn't fit at all in terms of design: the shape, the back color, position, etc.
Strange thing, on the vintage watches I have never had this problem at all.

 

Any added complexity also adds more risk of failure, but in practical terms it's really a non issue. For example the number of watches I get in for service just because the date isn't working are very low...in fact I can't recall having one that came in just because of the date, at least not in the last year.

As Ash pointed out, having a quick set date is a real advantage, and I know on my own 1680 if the date is too far off, I will just let the watch sit until it's close enough to wind through to get it right (if I have a date on a watch, I want it set to the correct date). Even semi-quick set is better than none at all. On these watches you can move the hands from say 8 or 9 PM to just after midnight, and the date will advance one. Then go back to 8 and then back past midnight, and it advances again. Not all watches will do this though depending on the design of the date.

If it does have a quick set date, you need to make sure you don't use that function at the wrong time (when the date change is already engaged). This "restricted time" varies between movements, but is usually in the 9 PM to 3 AM range. If you want to be safe, set the hands to 6:30 and you should be fine to use the quick set. If you do use it at the wrong time, depending on the type f date change it is, this might cause damage to the date wheel or other part of the mechanism.

Cheers, Al

PS - oddly enough if you were to do a poll on day-date watches, my answer would be emphatically "no thanks." I have made the odd exception in the past, but generally I am not a fan of day-date watches.

 

Much prefer dates on all my watches.