Why, you ask? Well, two major reasons. First, poorly designed and positioned date windows can wreck the entire aesthetic of an otherwise completely fine watch face beyond repair, such as by cutting into numerals/ sub-dials, or by sabotaging the symmetry of the dial. Secondly, consumer researches have it that the biggest reason for the existence of a date function in modern watches, are that average consumers still do demand it for its practicality. And voila! Loathing date windows became the simplest way of declaring one as being more than just an "average consumer", but rather a real, discerning watch lover who takes pride in appreciating the "non-practicality" of mechanical watches. In short, it's en vogue to denounce date windows categorically.
Having said that, good date window designs do exist, with some of them being downright brilliant and beautiful. In such instances, not only do they not come across as a source of annoyance, they make the watches. In this episode of Analysis, we examine some of the best watch window designs and ponder upon what make them so great. But first, a little history lesson.