Comments:
Best
Thomas
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 preference might want a No Date option.
If you had a choice, what would you prefer?
Is there a reason when you “need” a Date?
All opinions are welcome!! -John
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 preference 80% no date 20% or something like that
Cazalea
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.
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
There definitely exist good, tasteful solutions even with a date indication 😉
Best
Thomas
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
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.
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 indication tastefully integrated in the dial or does it ruin the whole design?
Has it been well thought out and lovingly designed with taste and passion?
Especially when it belongs to a basic concept like that of watches with big date windows, perpetual calendars etc., that is extremely important to me.
Best
Thomas
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 indication tastefully integrated in the dial or does it ruin the whole design?
Has it been well thought out and lovingly designed with taste and passion?
Especially when it belongs to a basic concept like that of watches with big date windows, perpetual calendars etc., that is extremely important to me.
Best
Thomas
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 date pieces. I just can’t follow the logic of the original premise, for the reasons you’ve just put forth and for those I’ve already offered.
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 date "breaking" the enamel....thankfully, we have some stunning enamel dials by Patek with the exact same reference 5177! ;-)))
Think for instance of the gorgeous 5177 in enamel by Breguet, whose charm is at least in part spoiled by the date "breaking" the enamel....thankfully, we have some stunning enamel dials by Patek with the exact same reference 5177! ;-)))Keep in mind though that you're asking an audience of enthusiasts of good horology here, also known as "Purists".... since it's arguably a very practical complication, I wouldn't be surprised if the random person outside of this forum would rather be able to see the date on their watches....also suggested by the large production of these models. Mike's assessment of 4 : 1 in favor of the date seems highly plausible! ;-)
Cheers.
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.”
I saw just now the reply below from MTR, where the Breguet 5177 is compared to the nearly identical 5175...even on subjects as largely subjective as aesthetics, I think the 5175 is *objective* proof that no date should have EVER been on a 5177! ;-)))