D-TIME1
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Great topic! And very polarizing..
So when I first started wearing a nicer watch it had a date window and I became use to having it... my first "real" watch or mechanical/automatic watch was a Breitling Superocean Chrono that had both the day and date that I really liked at the time as I was in College and then my first real job so having the day and date was actually useful to me!
But now my collection has 3 no dates and 4 with dates...
So to answer your question I like both it just depends on the watch itself... I love the No date look of the Explorer 1 and Speedmaster Moonwatch but at the same time really like large dates from Glashutte Original and Lange... and also dont mind having the date on watches like my Planet Ocean or Aqua Terra...but cant stand dates at 4:30...
But lately my taste has been drawn to 3 hand no date watches....
So as I said very polarizing even within myself!
-D-
More posts:
Date or No Date?
Not an industry insider, but I wonder what the percentages are for buyers willing to buy a watch with a Date versus No Date. Not to paint with a broad brush, but new buyers might prefer a Date and those with more experience and have distilled their prefer...
No Date
A Date function annoys me because I have so many watches I have to set them everytime I wear them. So I have to look up the date to set it. It's ok with a perpetual because that's the complication focused on day, date, month, year, etc. My guess is date p...
Thank you for your perspective. With Seiko, I wonder if they have analyzed their customer base and determined their appropriate product mix.
Most of my Seiko watches have a date, but I like the cleanliness of No Date GS models. It makes me wonder why watch companies don’t offer 10-20 percent of a model without a Date to cover the fringe enthusiasts.
Understood. A Lange 1 without a Date would be weird.
But would a No Date Nautilus or Royal Oak be desirable? -John
Consider these three VC Overseas
I enjoy all three pieces despite the various date situations. ...
Probably a reality in a parallel universe where Genta held his ground better.!
A little photo tweaking can make a big difference. True? Imagine AP doing this with only 5-10% of their watches to meet the desires of a “purist” persuasion. -John
I still wonder, why they
don’t just try it once? I assume that some people from AP are visiting this site from time to time. You started a great discussion here, John. I appreciate it very much.
A “purist” considers the totality of a piece…
and acquires a watch, or not. Your original premise seems completely off the mark imho. Only new collectors like dates and seasoned purists don’t? Not following you, sorry 🙂
I assume you responded to John? ☺️
Answering to your comment “A ‚purist‘ considers the totality of a piece…”: of course! I, for example, am definitely not opposed to a date display in general. Many of my watches show a date. But it is essential for me how it is implemented. Is this date in...
Completely agree with you 🤝
Yes I was replying to John both to his assertion that a no date AP jumbo would be for the”purists” and to his original premise of the thread, which was new collectors would go for pieces with a date and those purists with “distilled “ tastes would want no...
Excellent response John, I learned something new
And you did after all qualify your premise by saying “not to paint with a broad brush”
Well, I am not sure about the DNA…
They made also designs with different date indication or without date. Imagine the Tourbillon-design of the last photo without Tourbillon and … voilà! ...
On this forum there's a pretty broad preference, I believe, for no-date....This is also my general taste, but only aesthetically motivated and rarely too strong --- I'm hardly bothered by the date on an "everyday" watch....unless it's at 4:30! ;-))
However, I love Rare Handcraft and artistic dials, and on those the date is a *huge* No for me! In fact, I'd even take off the hands if I could! Think for instance of the gorgeous 5177 in enamel by Breguet, whose charm is at least in part spoiled by the d...
Yes, I know I am asking a group with rendered ideas.
The example of the Breuer makes me wonder about their decision process. Only to be a fly on the wall in a product development meeting. “No, no, no! We need to break the continuity of the clean enamel dial with a clumsy Date portal.”
Interesting reply, Fab!
I … almost … agree with everything. Regarding the 4:30 position for me also in this case it depends how the date window is integrated. For example my BP FF where I can accept it: Compared with the Bathyscaphe where I have the problem that the date window ...
1
I agree with everything FabR says. Definitely prefer no date, but won’t rule out a watch with a date if executed well - unless at 4:30, which is a bridge too far for me.
If only one watch, a date. If several, definitely no dates need to be in there.
As a physician, though I’ve mostly gone to electronic medical record’s, I do still prefer the functionality of having a date on my wrist when signing paper orders and prescriptions. Aesthetically, no date is always more pleasing I have both types for that...
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Love any big date. Because I can read them . Hate most small dates, but not all . In general watches are make to keep time only. IMHO
Clear as a bell. A function with demonstrable purpose.
Plus an appreciation of what is not required. A proper selection of a tool for the task.
Very interesting topic, John!
For me it depends. I have to admit that I prefer clear puristic designs more and more. I am not opposed to a date display in principle, but it is important to me that the date indication is tastefully integrated into the dial. A positive example for me he...
Thanks a lot, Fabrizio!
It’s a pity and I absolutely don’t understand why the Ginza is not produced regularly. I would buy it at once without hesitation.
Ahhh. The Breguet is a perfect example when simplicity is superior.
When you see these two examples, why would a company decide the No Date would be a minority? That Moser is killer!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words, John!
My AD told me that many of his customers wouldn’t buy a watch without date and asking for pure dials for aesthetic reasons at the expense of function is a “minority program”. “80-90%” of his customers opt for a date version. It is not a small AD. It’s Buc...
Wow, a simple question but it has multiple aspects to consider. Some watch designs incorporate a date quite well vs some others that are asthetically excellent but the way a date was added
ruins all the goodness and beauty of that dial. But I agree with your asessment. Maybe the larger your collection gets the less often you find the "with date" option to be the more desirable option. Reasons for this?... you have a lot of watches and its j...
If your Monday thru Friday routine requires a date function, then so be it as long as a No Date is worn on a weekend.
I enjoy my “affordable” Seiko watches with Date. I also enjoy my Panerai without Date. However, I wish my Date windows and hour markers where better balanced. I am not a fan of watch winders. I think of them like idling your car so it is ready the next da...
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I would have to say my Journe perpetual or my Journe octa sport. Both dates are very legible.
My preference is generally no date,
unless the date is contributing value to the design, but most basic date @ 3:00, or date @ 6:00, watches aren't crossing that threshold.
Always, always prefer date (when available)
I use the date complication and opt for it whenever possible. I am not a big fan of most traditional, time-only watches (except for certain vintage pieces). That being said, the date should be unobtrusive, and I love it when the date disc background is th...
Good examples! The Lume on the side of the Date Window gives the watch more balance.
The Date window for the ALS1 is the design element at the vertex of the triangle and can't be removed. The Chopard would be interesting to see in a No Date option with a small diamond marker at 6. Thank you!
Here I am, one of the unwashed masses!
I cannot go without a date and in fact it’s more of a hassle not to have it. My favourite sports watch (FF) has the date at 4:30 which was a wonderful design decision in my opinion. If a watch doesn’t have a date, it will have to be very extraordinary for...
You are far from being one of the "unwashed". I would gather you have thought your preferences completely though and should be unapologetic about what makes you happy.
I have both Date and No Date. Some of my Date watches would look better if their design and date window execution was tighter. Makes me wonder what they were thinking while it was still on paper.
Thanks gentlemen
I really do wish I could enjoy no date watches. Perhaps my mentality will change so then my watch world will open up!
Generally speaking, no date for me
But there are exceptions as mentioned above. If we consider the ubiquitous box date at three then I will usually consider it unnecessary, but it is not a deal breaker. Other configurations like pointer date or big date are more acceptable but having to se...
Date Function!
I love to know what the date is. My favorite watch with a simple date function is my Rolex GMT from 1986. Very, very practical.
aesthetically speaking I prefer no date, but I take both
with date at times it comes helpful.
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Journe octa perpetual Or, Journe octa sport. Had them both, dates on both are very legible Double window dates. Thanks for asking.
OK... so, getting back to your question, what watch of mine has a date that I like (excluding annuals and perpetuals). I have a GO Senator Navigator Pano Date that I like a lot. It's a very
legible big date that deletes no indices or numerals although it might be too prominent. What I like even better is my Nomos 200m piece with a large single disc date at the bottom of the dial that is so stealthy that on the 6th it appears to have no date ...
No date for me. Most of the time, it is not well integrated in the dial ( makes a hole which kills the beauty of the dial ), and well, you have to set it. But there are some exceptions....
When the date is well thought or the base of a watch ( DAToGRAPH ).
It’s simple.
People on this forum don’t like date windows. The rest of the population doesn’t care. 😄
Interesting subject. Simple question but hard to answer.
Generally I prefer no date from an aesthetic point. Unless it's the Lange 1. No date also make it easier to switch between watches. What complicates it for me is that when at work I often find myself checking my watch for the date - in wich case it actual...
For me it doesn’t matter
That said, i have a no date watch on my wrist now. All my watches with date, i have only one that i keep on the right day and date, the other one have an automatic date system which keep itself on the right date. It doesn’t matter, albeit i prefer no date...
I do it all the time.
I don’t bother to set the date on almost all my watches. The exception are my perpetual calendars, there I couldn’t stand an incorrect date as showing the right date no matter what is the purpose of a PC.
Magic
I like the magic. Explain, my watches seems to set the date self. I see my Seamaster say 14th, so without any crown touch. Last Saturday i noticed my Longines Conquest put itself to the day i purchased the watch. The sales lady noticed it was one year ago...
Very interesting question.
I am more inclined with the no date option. Just seems a more concise timepiece without it, and do find the date window synonymous to subtitles. Rather focus on the watch dial. Either I want a watch with a complication (annual calendar or higher; or if th...
A date for me if it is my only and daily watch. I am too lazy to take my cellphone out of my pocket to check the date
But for multiple watches, i prefer no date. No need to set the date every time i have to wear them. And no date watches always look better in terms of maintain the balance look.
No date for me
A real preference for no date which I feel usually ‘unbalances’ the dial, for me anyway. That includes brands putting it at the periphery and using a hand, a subsidiary dial, putting it between batons or numerals. The only watch with a date that I like is...
I prefer 3 hands no date
As I rarely take the time to set the date But I am a little challenges if the watch doesn’t have a second hand… is it running? Best Hans
Generally no date, subject to the following qualifications:
1) A Rolex Sub, because it has been ingrained on my brain as what a sporty watch should be, only looks “right” to me with a date and cyclops. It has never looked unbalanced, which other watches doing the same always do, and I’ve never once thought of buyi...
I've changed my mind on this consideration since the advent of the iphone.
I can find the date anywhere (which can also be said about the time), but I need the date far less in a given day than the time. My watch, with a quick glance, gives me the easiest access to the time and without a data tracker strapped to my wrist relayin...
Heck, you have to count to 11:59.
11-hour chimes plus 3-quarter hour chimes plus 9-minute chimes. The worst Date chime would be the 29th. Wasn’t there a recent post of a Brequet that had 39 days displayed?
Great topic! And very polarizing..
So when I first started wearing a nicer watch it had a date window and I became use to having it... my first "real" watch or mechanical/automatic watch was a Breitling Superocean Chrono that had both the day and date that I really liked at the time as I w...
Thank you for sharing your watch journey. I too have both Date and No Date in my collection.
My manual winders have No Date, but my Autos have a Date. Some of the Date executions are good and others would have been perfect had they spent a little more time on the design table. None-the-less, I still enjoy those watches! Again, thanks for your con...
I'm tempted to say 'no date' because of the cleaner look, but reality is I find a date function very useful in real life.
And in some cases the date function is an important aspect of the overall design. ...
In general, no date for me.
I don't object to a date function, if I wear one watch most (or all) of the time, and if the date background colour is the same as the dial colour. But, I wear several watches in rotation, and thus the date is never correct when I wear the watch.
