Have you ever actually wondered on how to use a chronograph? And what about how to tell the time with a minute repeater? … And finally, how does the Perpetual Calendar work and how can it be read?
These are questions that may seem obvious but they are not and for many newbies it is not easy to expose themselves or find material that explains them easily
Don’t worry though! In this article we will explain in the simplest possible way how all the most important complications in watchmaking work.
Keep in mind that the aim of this guide is not to give a detailed explanation but to provide you with the basics for each function. We will add useful links with which you can learn more about every complication you are interested to!
But first, let’s take a step back and let me answer a very important question.
What is a complication?
The functions that each watch can have are at the basis of the path of every watch enthusiast, yet the functioning of these is not always carefully and adequately explained.
In watchmaking, the term complication indicates all the applications and technical solutions whose purpose is to implement additional functions beyond the traditional indication of hours, minutes and seconds.
Once upon a time, before digital watches, iPhones and Apple Watches, these complications were of fundamental importance as they were the only way for people to be able to keep track of time.
However, nowadays despite still perfectly fulfilling the tasks for which they were designed, they are, more than anything else, a wonderful reference to Art and Tradition.
The attitude of the maisons to include several complications in a single caliber wants to underline the savoir-faire and the extreme ability of each of them.
After this necessary introduction, we are ready to start explaining everything you need to know about the functions of your watches!
Simple calendar or date
This is probably the simplest and the most widespread complication.
Even though it is technically speaking a complication, considering its popularity and simplicity we will consider it just a function.
Usually positioned at 3 o’clock, it progressively indicates the day of the month by means of a rotating disk, placed behind the dial, and the presence of a small window on the dial that reveals the exact day.
Every 24 hours the disc rotates so as to suitably change the day shown in the window.
Here you can read our articles to go deeper on the subject: “The very first complication: the date” and “Is the date the most annoying complication?”
Grand date
The Great Date is the indication of a classic date, however, represented on two windows, so as to be larger for a better reading. In this case, generally, there will be two rotating discs and on each of the two there will be marked one of the two digits that make up the date.
Retrograde day of the month
We are still talking about a simple calendar, i.e. indication of the day of the month only. The date is shown by means of a retrograde hand, that is a hand which, once it reaches the last day of the month, goes back to the first, moving on an arc where the 31 days are represented.
Day-date
The Day-date function displays the day of the week in addition to the day of the month. The representation can take place with the full name (as in the Rolex Day-date) with the abbreviated name, or through a sub-dial. The latter presents the seven days of the week and a special hand indicating the correct day.
Without any doubt, we urge you to study the history of the Rolex Day-Date, the most famous and recognized watch having this complication.
Jumping hours
Immediately recognizable by the lack of the hour hand, the jumping hour complication allows you to view the time through a window on the dial. A rotating disc positioned above the movement clicks once every 60 minutes indicating the correct time.
If you want to learn more on this complication, this is the article for you.
Retrograde minutes
The retrograde minute complication, like the others, consists in the representation of the minutes through a dedicated sphere. The hand completes an arc of circumference for 60 minutes and once it reaches the end of its stroke it returns to minute 0.
Power reserve
A very useful complication on a timepiece is the power reserve. It indicates the residual operating autonomy of the movement.
It is usually shown in hours or days remaining from the time the watch reaches maximum charge. The power reserve is clearly represented on the dial and with a dedicated hand useful for indicating the charge level.
GMT
The GMT function, Greenwich Mean Time, is useful for indicating a second time zone on the dial.
A second hour sphere is usually used, typically in the shape of an arrow and of a different color than the 12-hour sphere.
Furthermore, the GMT hand makes a single revolution within 24 hours, unlike the standard time which completes one revolution in 12 hours. This means that the rotation speed of the GMT is equal to half that of the hour sphere. The GMT time is read through the bezel where the 24 hours are indicated.
Worldtimer
The World Hours complication allows you to instantly view the local time via the hands in the center as well as the time zones of the 24 major cities in the world. This technicality is made possible by the presence of a rotating disk on which the 24 cities are shown, which differ from each other by the time zone of one hour. There is also a second disc showing the 24 hours of the day and also the day / night indication. Local time and time zones are adjusted by means of dedicated crowns which, with a single click, make the rotating discs and hands slide at the same time.
For this incredibly fascinating function we suggest you read “The World Time Complication Explained” and “The First Patek Philippe World Timers“.
Moonphases
Moon phases are one of the most popular complications in the field of watchmaking by collectors, mainly for an aesthetic factor. Indeed, the charm of a well-made representation of the lunar surface is undeniable.
Usually the moon phase is represented by a crescent window present at 6 o’clock.
The phases of the moon are used to describe the appearance that the Moon shows reflected on the Earth during its motion. It changes face due to the different orientation with respect to the Sun. The lunar phases are repeated every 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds, synodic month, in which the Moon assumes 4 positions defined main phases and 4 defined intermediate phases.
Complete calendar
The complete calendar complication allows you to view the date, month, day of the week and week number of the year on the dial. It has automatic adjustment for the months with a duration of 31 days; for others with shorter duration, it needs manual correction.
Generally we have day of the week and month indicated through windows at 12 o’clock, while the indication of the day of the month occurs through a special sphere that indicates the day on the monthly calendar arranged in a circular manner at the edges of the dial or inside.
Annual calendar
The annual calendar complication provides an indication of the day of the week, day of the month, month and often the phases of the moon.
This complication presents the automatic adjustment of all months with 30 and 31 days. In February, however, it needs manual correction both during leap years and not.
To synchronize all the indications, usually provided via 3 compax, different buttons on the middle case are used in addition to the winding crown.
Perpetual calendar
The perpetual calendar complication provides indications such as day of the month, day of the week, month and moon phase. It is able to automatically adjust the different length of the months of the year including February, both during normal and leap years.
This complication is made possible by the mechanical memory of the movement based on 1461 days; equal to 4 years or the duration of a leap cycle. All the functions present are therefore connected to the special leap year wheel that rotates in four years.
For three years it selects a wheel configuration that will assign the duration of 28 days to February and then will skip the date to March 1st. When the wheel reaches the leap year, the 29th day will be added to the month of February.
Yes, we were almost moved as we wrote this part. The Perpetual Calendar is an incredible complication.
Patek Philippe 1518 Patek Philippe 5140G Audemars Piguet RD#2
Check out this article, if you want to learn more on the perpetual calendar!
Chronograph
Perhaps the most famous and most requested Complication by collectors. It allows you to measure time intervals starting from a moment 0.
The measurement of the chronograph seconds usually takes place via a central hand. The timepiece then has two or three compax (sub-dials) in which the small seconds of the movement, the chronograph minutes and the chronograph hours are displayed.
The chronograph function is started and stopped by a button positioned on the middle case at 2 o’clock, the reset is done by a second button at 4 o’clock.The 60 seconds sub-dial does not depend on the chronograph function, the compax divided in thirtieths shows minutes and completes the tour every 30 minutes, the last sub-dial shows hours and it is divided into 12 hours.
In addition to the traditional chronograph there are other variants of this complication:
- Flyback chronograph: allows you to start and restart the timer immediately by pressing the reset button once
- Rattrapante chronograph: allows you to measure intermediate periods of time by means of a second hand of the chronograph seconds. When the chronograph is started the two hands move simultaneously, when the button is pressed the additional hand stops while the main one continues to run. Once the time has been noted, by pressing the button again, the two hands start running again simultaneously. It is useful for measuring events that have the same beginning but different duration.
- Monopusher: it is regulated, as the name suggests, by a single button for all functions: start, stop and reset.
My dear friends at IWS, when talking about chronographs there are two musts we suggest you to study: the 1518 by Patek Philippe and vintage Rolex Daytonas.
Tourbillon
The tourbillon consists of a rotating cage containing all the components of the regulating mechanism: balance wheel, wheel, escapement and anchor. It was initially invented by Breguet to compensate for time imperfections caused by the bad balance of the balance wheel. To date, the tourbillon has become a complication of the highest watchmaking and a terrain of challenge among the great manufacturers to demonstrate the technical skills and savoir-faire of each of them.
The history of this complication is extremely interesting, click here if you want to check it out!
Minute repeater
The minute repeater consists of a mechanical complication, present in timepieces, capable of emitting sounds useful for indicating hours, quarters and minutes. By activating this function via the appropriate button, the watch will emit three different types of sounds to differentiate the hours, quarters and minutes.
Gentlemen, we are talking about the mother of all complications, a separate full article is the least to pay tribute.
Equation of time
The timepieces with an equation of time complication feature two hands indicating the time on the dial. One of them indicates the average solar time (conventional time lasting 24h) while the second indicates the real solar time, which varies according to the irregular orbit of the Earth. Through the Equation of Time function it is possible to note the difference between the two times in the various days of the year.
Author: Lorenzo Manenti
