Date vs. No Date

[rph08]

Honestly, having the date on my watch now isn't nearly as important as I used to think it was. In fact, my Sea-Dweller is currently my only Rolex with the date. I've gotten used to just quickly picking up a watch, winding, setting the time, and DONE.

[dplawiuk]

Pelagos and Deep Sea are nice clean date options if you like the date but not the cyclops.


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[Bigsykedaddy]

Originally Posted by rph08

Honestly, having the date on my watch now isn't nearly as important as I used to think it was. In fact, my Sea-Dweller is currently my only Rolex with the date. I've gotten used to just quickly picking up a watch, winding, setting the time, and DONE.

Yeah I agree, when I first got into nice watches I really thought I needed a date. Now that I have multiple Rolexes I find myself wearing my Sub (sans date) more than my LVc

[ShneaSIG]

I like the clean look of no date watches.

But, all my watches have dates. It's too ingrained in me to check my watch for the date. I probably look for the date as much or more than I look to check the time. It's a must-have feature for me.

[timemeister]

Sea-dweller is a good choice if you want the date without the cyclops.

[danbrew]

I like my coffee like I like my women.

On the date issue, though, Rolex generally pulls off the date well. I have several Rolex watches, and all but one have the date. I bought a no date sub a few months ago. Why? Because I'm 52 and it's getting harder to see the date, cyclops or not. The watch has really grown on me, I like it a lot. Ironic, as I can make a good case for a watch with fewer complexities because of my vision. Yet I lust after a Skydweller. Explain that. Lol.

[MCO1]

I wouldn't avoid a date as my GMT 2 has one. The rest of my collection are sans date. Since I don't use a winder I find it extra fuss to set the date on the GMT. Most days I wear my GMT w/out the date set correctly. Conveniently the Daytona C I am waiting on is sans date as well. I don't avoid date watches on purpose but I seem to be drawn to those w/out. It is very much a personal choice.

[Duke84]

I like to have a date on my watch, but the Submariner sans date is a clean, crisp classic. My SeaDweller is a nice compromise--date, but no cyclops.

[SA1]

I like the no date, you can just move the bezel to simulate the date at a glance. It's a cleaner looking dial and cheaper if the price matters.

[Hotrod297]

I never thought much of the NO-DATE for years, until I got it on my wrist (6 digit ref). It's now my favorite in my stable.

Simplicity, symmetry, and balance! There is never a bad angle with this watch.

If you want the date, but without the cyclops, go for the SD. 16600 or 116600. These are outstanding also!

[rolexnub]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

I have plenty of both and while having the date on a watch is convenient, it's not something that I miss when I'm wearing a watch without the date.

If you've always worn a watch with the date and you go with a dateless watch, then you will find yourself unconsciously checking your watch for the date which can be annoying.

However, if you go with a dateless watch, you will in time learn to look elsewhere for the date or simply train yourself to remember the date after having checked it once.

Well said

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by rolexnub

Well said

Thank you.

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[vman]

Depends on the watch. Rolex cannot do dates on sports models. Neither can AP nor Patek nor most of the watch makers. Sorry, but the white disk with a date stamped on it does not freaking cut it on a watch that costs more than a few hundred bucks. It screams laziness while ruining the aesthetics of most dials.

What's the alternative?

A nice date hand is an upgrade:





A date wheel with both of the digits in the same plane is an art:



So give me the options above or no date at all. Peace :-)

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by vman

Depends on the watch. Rolex cannot do dates on sports models. Neither can AP nor Patek nor most of the watch makers. Sorry, but the white disk with a date stamped on it does not freaking cut it on a watch that costs more than a few hundred bucks. It screams laziness while ruining the aesthetics of most dials.

What's the alternative?

A nice date hand is an upgrade:


So give me the options above or no date at all. Peace :-)

Rolex was the first watch company in the world to offer a watch with the date shown through an aperture in the dial.

All your examples are the way dates were done, if they were done at all, before Rolex introduced the Datejust in 1946, I believe it was.

So, I don't think laziness is the issue at all and I certainly don't think that a date aperture affects the aesthetics of a watch nearly as much as a bunch of extra numerals and hands on the dial.

The date aperture is the forward-thinking method. All the other methods are retro.

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[vman]

^
Ok :-) I would still prefer a neat dual-digit complication in the same plane to the date seen on simple white wheels, but to each his own.

[chrisb57]

I prefer a non date for aesthetics.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by vman

^
Ok :-) I would still prefer a neat dual-digit complication in the same plane to the date seen on simple white wheels, but to each his own.

I agree.

There is a certain charm to the watches you cited.

Retro is cool.

[SpyShops718]

My pops use to say the more stuff there is, the more things to break.

[jdpny]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott View Post
I have plenty of both and while having the date on a watch is convenient, it's not something that I miss when I'm wearing a watch without the date.

If you've always worn a watch with the date and you go with a dateless watch, then you will find yourself unconsciously checking your watch for the date which can be annoying.

However, if you go with a dateless watch, you will in time learn to look elsewhere for the date or simply train yourself to remember the date after having checked it once.

I find that the date is everywhere to be found, and once you know the date your brain has the ability to add "1" each day.

[1William]

I like both style watches. The date does not make or break a watch for me as long as the date is executed well and does not overcome the look of the watch. As a function I could care less. I know the date. As I knew it yesterday and will know it tomorrow without a watch or cell phone. As far as needing it multiple times a day on a watch, I don't get it. Just think about it.

[Volvopolo84]

Hello all this my first post. I have to have a date on my watch it's one of the trademarks of rolex. And to all the post that says you don't need a date on your watch just whip out your cell phone, what's the point of owning a timepiece if your going to refer to your cellular device?

[raulpsanch12]

Originally Posted by Dominik

The question is whether you need a date or not. I need it.
I look at it every day! In doubt, I would always choose the watch with date.
It's your decision!

Agreed. It comes in handy when all you need to do is look at your watch for time AND date. For me, it has always been convenient.

[WEST HAM ROLEX]

My main wear is my GMT LN,,,
But when it comes to a Sub,,,how ever much I love both pieces,,
No Date is my favourite

[samson66]

Would never even consider a watch without a date function

Do I think the watch would look "cleaner" without the cyclops - sure!

HOWEVER, I like to be able to actually SEE the date at a glance so for me the cyclops is a necessary evil. Don't like having to squint to read the date.

[16610v]

Both are great

[Hawaii2017]

This is just me here! If the watch model is to busy then no DATE, if the watch is simple enough to have room for a DATE w/o being to cluttered then so be it.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by 1rolexowner

I have mixed feelings about dates on watches. It certainly is handy to have one place to look and I do find in some instances I don't want to be bothered by looking at my phone or some other source. However, I read many posts here where members of the forum have trouble with the date mech....shicking wheel, troubles setting it, etc. Many of them seem to require a trip to the watchmaker.
Also, I think the timepiece has a cleaner look without the cyclops.
So, opinions please?

Some like them some don't.

[torifile]

No date for me.

I like my analog watches for glanceable information. I can quickly sneak a glance at my watch and see what time it is. I can even just glance and "look" later in my mind's eye. I can't do that with any date wheel. It's the same reason I don't like digital watches. Positional information is non-existent with digital watches so you actually have to look to see. Even with my Apple Watch, I use the analog face for this reason.

Does that make sense to anyone but me?

[aes7.5x55]

I have been accustomed to having the date on my daily watch for the last 5-6 years. A couple weeks ago, I got my first without the date. So far the number of times I've looked for the date have been well outnumbered by the amount of times I've looked and been pleased by the simple dial and symmetry.

[Pacheco]

I thought it didn't matter but not having the date on my Daytona is annoying sometimes. I always look for the date when I'm wearing it at work then end up pulling out my phone like a dummy.