# How many complications does your watch have? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 25, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059 "2022-12-25T00:09:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EastUmpqua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eastumpqua/32/6025_2.png) [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/1 "2022-12-25T00:09:59Z")
My Tissot automatic has one - the date. This Vacheron Constantin has 57. This is elegant technology at its best: > **[Hands-On: The Vacheron Constantin 57260, The Most Complicated Watch In The...](https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/live-photos-of-vacheron-57260)** > > You have to see it to believe it. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/2 "2022-12-25T00:22:58Z")
Are those complications really useful? Frankly, that watch is more grotesque than elegant, plus it’s too large to be remotely practical as a watch. I have seen some very attractive multi-function watches on YouTube, however. For myself, both of my watches have chronographs (stopwatch complications) built in, but I rarely use them. [Side note] here’s a plug for solar powered watches. Not only do you get the extremely accurate time of quarts movements, but they go and go without you worrying about them (no winding, no shaking, no changing of batteries). Possibly very occasional cleaning might be useful, that might depend on what you do while you’re wearing them. Both of mine are Citizen Eco Drives, but Casio also makes some, and Garmin makes some smart watches with this feature. [/Side note] ---
**Author:** ![EastUmpqua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eastumpqua/32/6025_2.png) [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/3 "2022-12-25T00:40:51Z")
“Seiko, who manufacturers Seiko Solar watches, recommends that you replace the battery every 10 years in order to ensure best performance”. That’s the point and appeal of an automatic watch. You never have to replace anything and the energy for the watch comes from your movement, not a lithium-ion battery. I agree that 57 complications are as excessive as they are elegant. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/4 "2022-12-25T00:44:19Z")
If I carry a watch, it’s a pocket watch. It tells the time. No complications. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/5 "2022-12-25T00:50:29Z")
It should not be _ugly,_ of course, but an (over-)complicated watch is often a demonstration of the latest technology, not necessarily intended that you wear something that heavy and expensive on your wrist or in your pocket. You would probably keep it in a safe or something most of the time.The Vacheron Constintin 57260, [![](https://media.truefacet.com/guide/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Vacheron-Constantin-Ref.-57260.jpg) ](https://media.truefacet.com/guide/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Vacheron-Constantin-Ref.-57260.jpg) for instance, was apparently custom-built for a collector who thought it would be cool to build. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/6 "2022-12-25T00:52:53Z")
Normally, I have my smartphone in my pocket and that suffices for a “pocket watch”. But when I’m in a movie theater or on a plane flight (one that doesn’t allow me to have my phone on, which is actually getting rare), I carry a very simple quartz watch. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/7 "2022-12-25T01:46:18Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > [Side note] here’s a plug for solar powered watches. I have a solor powered watch from the 1980s “bought” in a Green Stamp store. I don’t wear it, but when I come across it in the drawer, the display still powers up. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/8 "2022-12-25T02:06:00Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > You would probably keep it in a safe or something most of the time. That caused me to wonder what I could possibly own, so costly that I would need to keep it in a safe. Nothing comes to mind yet. The most expensive, easily portable thing that I own is some dental work. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/9 "2022-12-25T05:44:04Z")
My watch has no complications. It is, however, 24-hour analogue. Svalbard Noir AA22: > **[Buy 24 hour vintage wrist watch Svalbard Noir AA22](https://svalbard.watch/pages/Svalbard_Noir_AA22.html)** > > 24-hour watch Svalbard Noir AA22. Retail price US$249. Free worldwide shipping. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/10 "2022-12-25T07:15:05Z")
I do wear a watch regularly, and it has no complications at all. Big hand, little hand, second hand, numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/11 "2022-12-25T07:40:32Z")
My watch is a $10 digital watch I got from Walmart - which, out here in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy, we still think are a pretty neat idea. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/12 "2022-12-25T12:04:08Z")
I have a zero complications analog dress watch. $80 from Fossil at the outlet mall. Of course it’s a battery-powered quartz crystal movement, not a silly wind-up thing from Ye Olde Darke Ages. My normal (=work) watch is a black plastic Casio digital. $20 at Amazon. Dual time zone, stopwatch, _and_ alarm. Plus beep on the hour. Woot! Never use any of that stuff other than the dual time zone and that only very rarely. But it does have an internal display light which is actually useful, unlike analog or mechanical (shudder) watches which don’t. Of course my pocket watch is a supercomputer with jillions of complications. With more infernal complications installed every week or so. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/13 "2022-12-25T13:58:25Z")
Just time and date. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/14 "2022-12-25T16:52:27Z")
> [@EastUmpqua](#): > > “Seiko, who manufacturers Seiko Solar watches, recommends that you replace the battery every 10 years in order to ensure best performance”. I would call that typical CYA belt-and-suspenders manufacturer speak – “in order to ensure best performance” is pretty much empty of practical use or meaning. I’m glad you enjoy your automatic watch as much as I enjoy my light-powered ones. ---
**Author:** ![EastUmpqua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eastumpqua/32/6025_2.png) [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/15 "2022-12-25T20:27:43Z")
No doubt Vacheron Constintin developed skills from building this watch that will be applied to their less-complicated collections. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/16 "2022-12-25T21:28:56Z")
One thing I can’t tell from looking at that watch is what time it is. Kind of a drawback, IMO. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/17 "2022-12-25T21:35:34Z")
You can however know to within a couple orders of magnitude how rich the owner showing it to you is. Which is, after all, the whole point of the thing. ---
**Author:** ![EastUmpqua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eastumpqua/32/6025_2.png) [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/18 "2022-12-25T21:54:29Z")
I looked up [Citizen Eco-Drive](https://www.citizenwatch.com/us/en/technology-eco-drive.html) technology. It’s impressive and looks like it will last as long as my mechanical. This too is elegant technology. ---
**Author:** ![EastUmpqua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eastumpqua/32/6025_2.png) [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/19 "2022-12-25T21:56:08Z")
What makes you think telling time is it’s purpose? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059/20 "2022-12-25T22:18:59Z")
My 1974 Seiko Bell-Matic has the day and the date. After setting the date (by going round and round), you need to rock back and forth from about 22:00 to about 01:00 to set the day. And you have to go through the whole week. Since the alarm setting changes in the process, it needs to be reset too. My Rolex GMT Master II has the date, and a 24-hour hand. Changing the date is a snap with its hour-hand setting (as opposed to going round and round with the minute hand). I leave the 24-hour hand on GMT. My 1978 non-date Rolex Submariner tells the time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-complications-does-your-watch-have/977059.md?page=2)