Why the Scorn for a Date Function?

High Hope · Jun 18, 2020

I'm wondering why some watch enthusiasts so dislike the date function. I often hear "that's nice vintage diver; what a shame about the date."

I don't really understand. IIRC all of my watches but one have a date, some have a day/date. I bought a Speedy Professional because I wanted the iconic Speedy Hesalite, not an automatic, not a special edition, not a sandwich, etc. I am very happy with this watch, but nonetheless not a day goes by where I don't miss having the date function.

Is it aesthetics? Maybe there is dissatisfaction with the asymmetry of the window, or the additional complexity or maintenance, I don't know. So, I would love to hear why the date function can be so polarizing.

Barking mad · Jun 18, 2020

You can have a Speedy with date and all the attributes you wanted. Here you go😀

High Hope · Jun 18, 2020

Barking mad
You can have a Speedy with date and all the attributes you wanted. Here you go😀

Thanks, I like it and only wish Ed was floating in space with it and Buzz was wearing it on the Moon. But they weren't, and theirs is the iconic 3-sub-register Speedy I wanted.😉

gbesq · Jun 18, 2020

I think that it depends on the watch. My daily wearer is an SMPc and it has a date window which I do rely on frequently. That being said, ONLY the Speedmaster Pro is a Speedmaster Pro, particularly the hesalite version. I can't imagine mine with a date window and I wouldn't want it that way. It's arguably one of the two most iconic watches ever produced and you don't mess with perfection. I also don't care for date windows on dress watches as I think that the aesthetic is the simpler the better. I have two vintage Constellations, neither has a date window, and I like them that way.

Foo2rama · Jun 18, 2020

Some people think it’s messes up the symmetry of a dial.

I think the bigger issue is if you cycle watches and you have to set a watch before you put it on, date watches take a lot longer. 1st figure out which 12 hour period. Then set the date, which is not always via the crown, or if not a quickset can be time consuming to set.

where as no date watches take you just set the time and go.

kip595 · Jun 18, 2020

It's personal preference IMO, but I too fall into the category of primarily preferring no date (especially Rolex; the cyclops window drives me nuts as it does some other people). That said, many of my watches do have a date and in those cases I've just decided that I like the watch regardless.

Regarding divers, I think it comes down even more strongly to aesthetics, and in a way practicality - since nobody really spends days under water, why have a date feature when you can use the space for more prominent/more legible markings? So I can see how some conflate no date on a dive watch as being more of a true tool/work watch.

But, as always, it's personal to you and your preference and use, so buy what you personally like. 😀

*Edit: @Foo2rama makes a great point for those of us who wear a rotation of various mechanical watches, as well.

High Hope · Jun 18, 2020

Foo2rama
Some people think it’s messes up the symmetry of a dial.

I think the bigger issue is if you cycle watches and you have to set a watch before you put it on, date watches take a lot longer. 1st figure out which 12 hour period. Then set the date, which is not always via the crown, or if not a quickset can be time consuming to set.

where as no date watches take you just set the time and go.

@Foo2rama, yes, it can be a PITA to change dates frequently. I cycle through several watches on a somewhat regular basis and it is time consuming. The way I look at it, I've selected a watch to wear and the 2-4 minutes it takes to correct the date is time spent further appreciating the watch that I've selected for that particular day. Others I've stopped wearing altogether. But the one watch that has become my go-to is my Speedy. Despite the lack of a date I'd not want a Speedy any other way. Looking at it right now, @gbesq, I agree, a Speedy is so nice, so satisfying, that any modification to it would be unfortunate.

Donn Chambers · Jun 18, 2020

For me, it is all about the aesthetics - IMO, all dials look better sans date window. I can tolerate a date at the 3 o’clock or 6 o’clock position as long as it is on the edge of the dial. Please don’t get me started on small movements in big cases where the date sits somewhere halfway between the middle and edge, or when it is forced into a slot between the 4 and 5 (the one thing that ruins the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms for me).

Martin_J_N · Jun 18, 2020

Barking mad
You can have a Speedy with date and all the attributes you wanted. Here you go😀

Nice speedy, can I ask which one this is as it not one i have seen before.

Thanks.

High Hope · Jun 18, 2020

Nice watch, @Donn Chambers!

SpeedyPhill · Jun 18, 2020

Indeed, it's all in the eyes of the beholder, prefering a clean symmetrical dial...
Remember when in 1952-53 Jean-Jacques Fiechter (Blancpain) and René-Paul Jeanneret (Rolex) designed a black dial diving toolwatch, it was intended & made for enthusiastic SCUBA-divers... so no need for a date function.
The date was later added in SubMariner & Sea-Dweller diving watches as professional saturation divers stayed weeks-on-end onboard commercial DSV - Dive Support Vessels working in pressurized diving bells and residing in the confinement of saturation chamber.
.

abrod520 · Jun 18, 2020

Dates are a pain to have to re-set if you've gone on vacation or whatever, but I also personally don't like the way that they break up a dial. Some watches do fine with the date, but most designs just end up putting it somewhere where it stands out too much.

Dan S · Jun 18, 2020

I agree ... aesthetics and convenience.

ConElPueblo · Jun 18, 2020

Foo2rama
Some people think it’s messes up the symmetry of a dial.

I think the bigger issue is if you cycle watches and you have to set a watch before you put it on, date watches take a lot longer. 1st figure out which 12 hour period. Then set the date, which is not always via the crown, or if not a quickset can be time consuming to set.

where as no date watches take you just set the time and go.

On a dressy watch only worn on special occasions, a non-quickset date is a pain. Add to the mix a crown which is ridiculously difficult to operate and you have pure, undiluted Hell.

I present to you the cal. 561 Omega Constellation 168.004.

No, the crown doesn't come further out 🤦

Evitzee · Jun 18, 2020

Too many current date watches use movements that were originally designed for smaller cases and when put in the current preferred size of >40mm it screws up the aesthetics. The date window is too far in from the dial's edge. The same often happens with subsidiary seconds dials...the dial rides too high and ruins the aesthetics. Properly done a date window will not upset the aesthetics of the dial.

Foo2rama · Jun 18, 2020

ConElPueblo
On a dressy watch only worn on special occasions, a non-quickset date is a pain. Add to the mix a crown which is ridiculously difficult to operate and you have pure, undiluted Hell.

I present to you the cal. 561 Omega Constellation 168.004.

No, the crown doesn't come further out 🤦

My Ex had a pre quickset Rolex day date... Every time she wanted to wear it, it took forever to set. I cannot imagine doing that with a hidden crown. Although that is one sweet piece.

Barking mad · Jun 18, 2020

Martin_J_N
Nice speedy, can I ask which one this is as it not one i have seen before.

Thanks.

It is a 3689.30.31 White Gold Speemaster Moon Phase from 1999. Small volume to commemorate 30 years of the moon landing.

rkman11 · Jun 18, 2020

ConElPueblo
On a dressy watch only worn on special occasions, a non-quickset date is a pain. Add to the mix a crown which is ridiculously difficult to operate and you have pure, undiluted Hell.

I present to you the cal. 561 Omega Constellation 168.004.

No, the crown doesn't come further out 🤦

Though I agree and have fully come around to no date for most of my collection, that Constellation sure is pretty!

STANDY · Jun 18, 2020

See how clean a no date looks

llvhhui · Jun 18, 2020

I agree with the symmetry and convenience factor. However I still prefer a watch with a date window as long as it's tastefully done. It's really just personal preference.

Why the Scorn for a Date Function?

High Hope

Barking mad

High Hope

gbesq

Foo2rama

kip595

High Hope

Donn Chambers

Martin_J_N

High Hope

SpeedyPhill

abrod520

Dan S

ConElPueblo

Evitzee

Foo2rama

Barking mad

rkman11

STANDY

llvhhui

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