Reply With QuoteAlways room for both. I have a lot of both, and each is just right the way it is.
So I have one watch in my collection without a date window, namely my Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. I have to admit that when wearing it I do miss the date window. I had forgotten how often I go to check the date!
So who loves or hates watches with date windows? I think my feet are definitely in the "love" camp! Not that I hate watches without :-)
Always room for both. I have a lot of both, and each is just right the way it is.
It's just a matter of time...
Depends which watch, some look ok, others look strange, especially when the date window is in an unusual place.
It depends on the watch, a date wouldnt look right on a Speedy Pro but looks ok on other watches and are very useful.
I quite like the date at the 6 oclock position, nicely balances the dial.
Personally like to have a date window, and I check often. It isn’t a major consideration strangely when buying a watch, and I always end up checking my no date watches for the date which is a bit annoying. I think on most watches, the date is not intrusive, but may ruin others like the Daytona which has a relatively small dial which is already quite busy with the three subdials
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Agree with thisOriginally Posted by JeremyO
I have a mix of date and non date watches, split about 50:50 for my most worn. Happy with a date window at 3, 4.5 or 6. Also fine with the date complication as a sub dial, but don’t like the use of a date pointer, as I think it gets muddled with the other hands.
Do miss a date window when I wear the prs-18 at work. Like others say depends on the watch
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For a regular wearer, I'd definitely prefer a date window. For dressy/special occasion watches, definitely no date to save time setting, or get a quartz!
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I think for daily duties a date window is a must!
Date window if it’s done nicely. Has to be at the 3 or 6 o clock and if the date window is colour coded to the dial then all the much better!!
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I generally prefer non-date and will always take that option if there is choice, but date isn't a real deal breaker.
Depends a bit on watch and position of the window too. If it's a reissue if a military watch for instance which never had a date originally then I hate when one gets added in for the rerelease.
Another vote here for a date window. Feels weird to me not having it.
I didn’t realise how much I used a date window until I got a watch that didn’t have one. I’m definitely a fan.
Since getting a winder the whole hassle of letting the watch stop then re-setting the date has gone away too.
Love. Always miss the date window when I’m wearing a watch that hasn’t got one.
Cant see them without my reading glasses so find them an irritation
I also don't like the way that they spoil the symmetry of the dial
Day date is even better for me. Date only is ok. No date does not work for me. Very few days a year I can wear a no date.
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Depends on how they manage to place it on the dial. Think the Pelagos (ETA) solved that brilliantly by integrating it into an hour marker. Sometimes I feel watches are better with date function left out.
dont mind a date on my hummers but i do on my mechanicals.i dont wear the same watch for more than a day,so every time i pick one up to wear it i have to reset the date as well as the time.those without a date tend to get worn more often.daft i know but thats how it is with me.
Agree. I'm 50-50 with and without -- so, it's always watches with dates (and moons) which sit on the winders, and, if in a hurry it's the non-date which gets worn.
Depends on the watch, but generally l prefer a date - l certainly miss a date function if its not there - l sold a no date sub, despite loving its dial symmetry, simply because l missed a date window. Now l own a SD4k.
A date magnifier somewhat spoils a date window for me - though l find myself becoming more tolerant lately.
At the end of the day a watch I an instrument to measure the passage of time - be it in minutes, hours, seconds, days, months - even the waxing and waning of the moon.
To "hate" any of these complications is to not fully appreciate the art of watchmaking.
As long as it's horizontal, usually don't mind one.
I sign in and out of buildings a lot for work and seem to have developed a habit of checking my watch for both the date and time when doing it so I really miss the date window if it's not there.
Watches with magnified date windows really put me off though.
Until recently I would have firmly been in the camp of "A watch must have the date" believing that I would never get used to not wearing one without the date.
So, I was really surprised how quickly I got used to it.
To answer the OP's question, I can take it or leave it
Nicely described
For a simple watch, I much prefer to do without. Much more elegant and calming for me.
I used to prefer with date but now find I would always get a no date if available
I generally prefer no date but will go with a date at 3 o'clock - what I don't like is a non quickset date. Both the two watches I won't part with for sentimental reasons are from the 70's and neither has a quickset date!
I massively prefer no date watches, and given a choice I will go without. I prefer them to be non-intrusive like the Sinn U1 for example.
Prefer a date window, especially for work, though do have more than one no date watches. Ideally at 6 but 3 is okay, but not slanted at 4.30. I have a date pointer watch as well and don't mind the extra hand - no window but still get the date. Also, I now get why a cyclops is useful as you get older.
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I have a foot in both camps with my Tudor North Flag and my Rolex Submariner.
That said I would be happy if the Tudor didn't have one but prefer the Submariner without.
It's a funny old game.
scooter
I do prefer to have a date as I use it often. However, there are a few watches I prefer without date (such as a Submariner). I also plan to get a Rolex Perpetual rather than a Date Just. Don’t know how much I’ll miss the date though.
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Exactly I agree
also what if you haven’t re set the date at the end of a short month [i would always check again].
Generally I prefer watches with no date, the symmetry of the dial is always better and that improves the aesthetics of the watch, Having date at 6 addresses this to some extent but this is a relatively rare option. Day-date windows look even more cumbersome.
All rules have exceptions, some of my favourite vintage watches have dates or day-dates and that mixes the collection up nicely, but my preference will always be for non-date.
Here's one I bought a few months ago; having searched for a few years I'm delighted with this, and being a non-date model puts thhe icing on the cake......it also makes it easier to service and it's one less potential problem to worry about on an old watch.
I like no date but if it has one then at the 3 or 6 position.
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Love them with cyclops as My eyesight is crap
I was all about the date but now prefer no date on chrongraphs. Dive watches I could take or leave it.
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Used to prefer no day or date as it gave a cleaner look, the date wasn't that important and I generally knew what day of the week it was. Working offshore or abroad and the date became very important, as did knowing what day of the week it was. I expect in due course I'll discover that knowing what month it is has become important; either that or I'll be beyond caring.
The thing that annoys me about date windows is that since a watch is generally a round sort of thing why would you want to put a square hole in the dial? it's worse with the day as it only needs two digits, Mo instead on Mon etc, and putting a rectangular hole next to a round hole really doesn't look good. Also not too keen on running them along the 3 o-clock line as important things should be along the 10 o-clock to 4 o-clock line - that's the line your eyes follow when taking in any image. Top tip for anyone that does power points is to use the 10 o-clock to 4 o-clock line as people subconsciously take that in first.
Funny enough, I think the square window looks a lot better than a round one
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My watches all have a date on it and I find it handy. It can be a pain to set if your changing frequently. Also think watches look dressier without any complications on the dial
I'm inclined to agree with this. As far as the cyclops is concerned, I really like it. I have two Fortis watches (Cosmonauts) with a day-date. Personally, as far as the day is concerned, I can take it or leave it.
With respect to the position of the date window, I prefer 3 o'clock to 4 o'clock. I don't have any watches with a date window at 6 O'clock, but having see the Blancpain 50 fathoms big date (I think that's the right name), I really like the look of it. Likewise with the Omegas I've seen with the date at 6 o'clock.
I’d only consider a date window elsewhere from 3 O’clock if it had multiple complications
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A square, or rather rectangular, date window makes a lot of sense in the case of most watches - it emulates, to some degree, the baton that would be there if a date was not present.
A perfect example of this is on the rolex "sports" models, where white indices indicate the hours and minutes.
The date window at 3 o'clock is a white rectangle - like the 9 o'clock indices - and goes a great way towards restoring dial symmetry.
This is why lm always a little surprised that people have issues with white date windows on black watch faces - in terms of aesthetics and practicality, they make total sense to me.
Indeed. Hate. Hate hate hate.
It can be quite limiting, as clearly I'd like a watch without a date window. Some manufacturers seem to insist on them. Seiko?
I have some watches with a date window, but it can't be relied on - I rarely bother to change it at the appropriate time. A perpetual calendar would help, of course.
The date generally only changes once every 24 hours, so I can usually keep track of it, even with my feeble faculties.
And another thing, I really don't need the date while I'm underwater. I do, however, need a watch that is as clear and uncluttered as possible.
Ah, rant over. That feels better.
Yep, got no problem with a white date window background on a dark face watch. Don’t know why some folk get knickers in a twist over it. Each to their own though.
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Useful, especially when surmounted by a cyclops...
Prefer no date window. Window tends to break flow of the dial and is annoying to set each time you go back to a watch after a break.
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Understated date is just perfect, day is okay but it's not really needed as most know what day it is when they get out of bed - dont they?
Best date window I have is on the 2254 black on black with thin white font, its there but not taking away the symmetry of the dial, another one I like is the MM300 white on black but small and lovely font.
Another I really like but don’t own (hopefully one day) is the 16600 Seadweller, it’s just spot on and in my opinion the Sub date would look far better without the cyclops.
Last edited by murkeywaters; 19th August 2018 at 08:10.
Depends on the watch for me but mainly prefer having date not day, and as low key as possible which usually means 3 o'clock.
Some watches work a lot better without imo - subs, LLD to name a couple.
Quite agree with this. Also, I see no need for a date on a diver's watch (if it is used for exactly that)
I like knowing the date. So love. Also love day date if done well such as Damasko DA series
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