Date displays – what types are there?
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Date displays – what types are there?
A date display is one of the most basic and popular functions of watches, allowing you to quickly check the date without having to reach for your phone or look at a calendar. What is a date display and how does it work? What are the different types of date complications? Be sure to read this mini-guide!
Date display – a basic function of watches
A date display is the second most frequently used function on a watch after the time indication. A quick glance at the dial is all it takes to know the day of the month and sometimes the day of the week. Its uncomplicated design makes it the most common watch complication available.
The first watch with date complication emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, and in the 1950s it saw its greatest development. At first, timepieces only showed an hour. As the watchmaking industry evolved, watches started to offer more advanced functions such as date complications. They came in the most diverse forms, e.g. different-sized date windows, double discs and analogue indications as part of an intricate multifunctional calendar.
How does a date display work?
The operation of the date display depends on the type of watch movement. Above all, its functioning can’t affect the timekeeping of the watch. For this reason, the construction of the date display cannot be too complicated. Of course, everything depends on the degree of date complication. The operation of the date display is based on the energy generated by the battery of the quartz movement or the mainspring in the case of a mechanical watch. No matter the watch, the goal is always the same – this additional function can't make the watch run faster or slower.
Types of date displays
As many watch brands as many ideas for the visualisation and representation of the date display. Whatever this function may look like, it remains one of the more practical complications of the movements used by manufacturers. What types of watches with a date display are there?
Date
A date complication displays the date on the watch and is the simplest watch complication that exists. Surely you have seen it more than once. The brands are keen to use it precisely because of its efficiency, uncomplicated design and ease of installation. A date complication does not interfere with the timekeeping. Its energy is derived from the watch movement. This makes the date complication one of the most popular and simple types of watch calendars. The current date is displayed as a number from 1 to 31 on a single rotating disc located under the dial. The date is usually displayed through a window which is typically located at 3 or 6 o'clock. Another complication is a day date complication – it shows both the date and the day of the week.
The windows are often small and the numbers can be difficult to read. That’s why lots of manufacturers use various solutions to improve readability. One of these is a magnified date display, also known as ‘Cyclop lens’. This invention was introduced in 1853, and its precursor was the Rolex Datejust watch. The trend has found its admirers all over the world. Now, it’s used by many watch brands worldwide.
Big Date
The next on our list is a big date display (also often called “large date”, or “grande date”). It’s a bit larger than a normal date display, thus providing excellent legibility. The big date was introduced by A. Lange & Sohne in 1994. It is one of the most sophisticated date complications. Its mechanism of operation is very simple, but it differs a bit from the basic date complication. The big date uses two rotating discs rather than one to display the date. Windows on the dial show each disc, the first showing a number between 0 and 3, and the second showing a number between 0 and 9. Large windows and numerals are more visible and legible from other viewing angles.
Pointer Date
The date can also be displayed around the edge of the dial with a fourth hand that points to the correct date number. This analogue date complication is called a “pointer date”. There are many types of pointer date complications. Watches with a pointer date usually have an additional outer scale with the date and a fourth pointer hand that revolves once per day to indicate the appropriate number. The movement with pointer date has been an Oris speciality for more than 70 years. Another brand that uses this type of complication is Epos.
The second type of pointer date is the date displayed on a sub-dial. The date is read with a hand located on the small sub-dial. This date complication can be seen in many Frederique Constant timepieces. It’s often used in watches with lots of advanced complications, e.g. a moon phase indicator, a perpetual calendar, or a triple calendar.
Retrograde Date
Our list wouldn’t be complete without a retrograde date. It’s one of the most sophisticated and interesting date complications. Watches featuring a retrograde date have their hands moving across a scale which at the end of their cycle, jump back immediately to their starting position to begin running again. The word “retrograde” literally means a return to the starting point. Technically, a retrograde orbit is an orbit with an inclination of more than 90° (mostly between 270 and 90 degrees). Retrograde hands as such, typically jump back to their starting position after a specific period of time. In the case of a retrograde date, it occurs once a month.
This complication requires a high degree of watchmaking craftsmanship and expertise. One of the companies that use this type of date display is Seiko. The retrograde display can be used for other indications than the date. It can also be used for indicating minutes, seconds, day of the week, etc. Some manufacturers decide to use this type of complication to boost the prestige and make their products more attractive and unique.
Date display – a wide range of watch brands
Are you the kind of person who loves variety in terms of design and functions? Do you prefer traditional date displays or distinctive watches with a spectacular retrograde date complication? Visit our website and discover a wide range of watches with a date display. Don’t wait and find the watch that best suits you!
