Different Watch Indices

 

Telling the time is the number one function of a watch.  But luxury watches do so much more than this.  They tell the world that you’ve made it, that you have style, taste, and value the better things in life.  They make you feel confident, and tell you if you’re running late for a meeting. 

 

When choosing your luxury watch, you might find yourself focusing on the shape, the type of bracelet, the colour of the dial, the overall beauty of how it looks on the wrist.  But don’t forget to check out the digits on the dial and make sure that you find them easy on the eye - and easy to read the time with.  

 

Apart from all the obvious choices of brand, reference, year, condition, strap or bracelet, etc,  it’s a main consideration when choosing a watch that you get the indices you prefer and find most easy to read.  

 

A lot of scientific studies have been done on how we read numbers, with one study showing a tiny portion of the brain - less than a quarter of an inch -  that recognizes the numbers we were first taught.  A wider-spread area of the brian fires up if unusual numbers are presented, such as numbers written as words such as one, two, three, etc.  So how fast we can tell the time comfortably is a real consideration and not just dependant on how the number representatives look on the watch face.  

 

If we tell the time by baton rather than numbers, we are reading the time by pattern and distance between indices, rather than by numbers.  Some people are better at doing that than others. 

 

There is an unusual German made watch called the Qlocktwo W39 that actually spells out the time in words.  You read it by pressing a button to light up the words to seel the current time. 

 

Along with all of the available types of number representations, you might find that 3, 6, 9 and 12 are represented by numbers while the in-between hours are represented by different shapes.  Let’s take a look at the most common types of indices. 

Western Arabic numbers 

 

Most recognisable to westerners, normal numbers 1, 2, 3, are actually Arabic numbers and the ones we use in school for maths.  Some people love these bold, easy to read “normal” numbers for reading the time very quickly.  Surely the fastest and easiest to read. 

 

On some watches, you might see an Arabic 12 with either a circle or rectangular baton for each of the other numbers. 

 

Eastern Arabic numbers 

 

These are the numerals that match the written Arabic language.  Elegant and exotic, they are also known as Indo-Arabic and Arabic-Hindu.  The numbers representing 9, 10 and 11 are very similar to Western Arabic numbers.  But the Eastern 6 looks very like a western 7.  The DayDate comes with the day in Arabic text and the date, obviously, in Eastern Arabic numerals. 

 

Breguet numbers 

Image courtesy of www.breguet.com

 

These are the same as western Arabic numbers but have an Italic slant to them.  Created by the famous watch-maker and designer Abraham Breguet.  He was the first to create a self-winding pocket watch in 1780 and was the first to make a wrist watch in 1810 - the No. 2639 which he made especially for Caroline Bonaparte, Queen of Naples.  The numerals are recognisable for their appearance on many historical clocks and watch fobs.  

 

The Rolex Prince 9K reference 1490, made in the 1930’s has Breguet numbers.  It was sold at auction for under $4,000 in 2019.  However, generally, you’re unlikely to find a Rolex with Breguet numbers.  

 

Philippe Patek uses Breguet numbers on quite a lot of their models, including the Chronograph 130 and the Calatrava 96 which has raised Breguet numerals. 

 

Roman Numerals 

 

Roman numerals were used extensively in the Roman Empire and can be seen today on many older buildings.  They are not used for mathematics, but used instead to date things - you will see them at the end of almost every movie you watch.  They are used in sports, most notably for the Olympics, and used for copyright notices on publications.   They are still used in music to represent harmonic progressions, and of course, they can be found on many clock and watch faces. 

 

It could be argued that they are more difficult to read than western Arabic numbers.  There’s a certain amount of calculation we tend to do in our brains when we look at Roman numerals, unless we’re very used to using them in our daily lives.  If you’ve ever tried working out the date of a movie or TV programme from the Roman date at the end of the credits, you’ll know what I mean, although these numbers represent the year, so are far more complex.

 

The new for 2022 Rolex DayDate 40 in 950 platinum, including a platinum fluted bezel, uses Roman numerals on its ice-blue dial and is a stunning example of Roman numerals adding beauty to a watch.  It’s worth noting here that the date on this reference is available in 26 different languages. The day aperture replaces the 11 and 12 spaces, and the 3 (or III in Roman numerals) is replaced by the date aperture.  

 

Circle, dot and diamond indices

 

Circles, dots or diamonds - various forms of circles, can be found as numeral representatives on watches.  Some of these can be square shaped dots.   Often combined with batons, triangles or traditional numbers, these types of indices add variety and a sense of surprise or playfulness to some watches. 

 

Rolex reference 16014 is a pink-faced 36mm watch with each number represented with a beautiful diamond.  There is a circle of smaller diamonds running around the watch face.  However, the 12 is represented by the Rolex crown and the 3 is replaced with the date aperture.  It’s so pretty that you probably wouldn’t care what the time was. 

 

Baton Indices 

 

Baton indices are extremely popular, especially on the sports steel models, but they can vary in size.

 

The Cellini Moonphase watch has batons that are “broken” into two sections, with a “seconds dial” in between the two parts of each baton.  On the outer edge of the watch face is a dated calendar which syncs with the moonphase aperture. 

 

It’s easy to find many Rolex watches with normal baton numerals.  The Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona has short batons with even shorter ones at the 3 and 9 positions.  These shorter ones are so short that they could really be categorised as dots.  The 12 is represented with the Rolex crown. 

 

A Submariner has a mix of batons at 3, 6, 9, and dots everywhere else, except for a triangle representing the number 12. 

 

Stick indices

 

Sticks are just narrow versions of batons.  They usually look more delicate and dressier than the bold batons you find on the sports models.  For this reason, you’ll find them more on elegant dress watches such as the Philippe Patek Annual Calendar Chronograph 5905P. 

Dagger - or Dauphine - Indices 

 

Dagger indices, also known as Dauphine, are quite similar to batons, but taper off into a point creating a “dagger” shape.  They can point towards the middle of the watch face, or towards the outer edge of the watch.  You’re likely to see these on a Philippe Patek watch.  

 

The Dauphine shape can also be applied to the hour and minute hands of a watch, and you’ll find some of these on certain vintage Rolex watches, such as the model 1209 from the 1950’s or the Datejust 1603 from the 1960’s. 

 

Diamond indices 

 

When it comes to diamond numbers, there are several different choices.  A diamond could represent just the 12, the 12, 3, 6 and 9, or all of them.  But you’ll often find the 12 represented by the Rolex crown. 

 

For instance, Rolex reference 16014 is a pink faced 36mm watch with each number represented by a beautiful diamond with a circle of smaller diamonds running around the watch face.  However, the 12 is represented by the Rolex crown and the 3 is replaced with the date aperture.  It’s so pretty that you probably wouldn’t care if it was difficult to tell the time. 

Conclusion 

When you’re considering which style of watch you want next, don’t forget to think about the indices carefully.  When you try watches on, check how easy it is to tell the time as well as looking at the style and beauty of the watch.  

 

While there is quite a big selection of indices, you may well have a preferred type and want to stick to it.  Or you may be feeling adventurous and try something new!  If you’re good at telling the time no matter what the indices look like, you might be ready for a watch no indices, such as the H. Moser and Cie reference 1200-1208 which has none, but a glittering ring of diamonds running around the bezel.  When you’re ready to buy, the best place to find your watch is Chrono Hunter.  

 

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