First movements shrank, then watches swelled

[Der Amf]

Here's the new CW Trident 42mm, with a Sellita SW200



Here's the new CW Trident 42mm with in house chronometer



Clearly the manufacturers of this watch think it looks better with the date window adjoining the minute markers.

When I look at Stowas I often think it's a shame to see their six o'clock date window hovering a few mm above the edge of the dial.



For example, think how much more neat the date window looks on the Nomos Orion Datum



My question is: how much effort would it be for Sellita to produce an SW205 and SW210 with wider diameters date wheels? Would it require wholesale rearrangement of the movement's geography? Or just a greater width to sit the wheel on?

[Martin]

My question is: how much effort would it be for Sellita to produce an SW205 and SW210 with wider diameters date wheels? Would it require wholesale rearrangement of the movement's geography? Or just a greater width to sit the wheel on?

This is exactly what SeaGull did with the ST6. The used a smaller (ladies) movement and put it on a larger baseplate. This configuration could accommodate a larger datewheel, Together with an oversized rotor it doesn't look too bad. Here's and example from one of mine:



-edit- some pics from the tjseagull site that demonstrate it better:

[Der Amf]

I'm fearing that someone who knows the 2824 geography will say, ah yes nice idea, but....

[Steppy]

I don't know a huge amount of technical aspects but I do believe that some brands have at least some scope to move the date window at least to somewhere more suitable, possibly not to the edge of the dial but at least make the effort.

I really don't like what Stowa have done with that Antea, just eliminating a numeral just spoils the whole look to me.

For example heres the Sinn 556i and Sinn 556A



I prefer the 556i here because of its aesthetics, but I do really like what the 556A has done with the placement and the fact that the date is still vertical and not wonky, and no numerals were lost in the process!!!

Here the Tudor Pelagos has built a white date window next to the 3:00 lume marker to be the exact same size as the 9:00 lume marker, in an effort to maintain some sort of dial balance and symmetry.



Or they could design the watch around the date window instead of it being an afterthought.



I don't think movement modification is required (although it would be nice - cheers Nomos) just better design.

[Lexvil]

Just get to be my age and you won't be able to see the date, so I don't care where it is (I also don't care what the date is most of the time)

[Martin]

Just get to be my age and you won't be able to see the date, so I don't care where it is (I also don't care what the date is most of the time)

I actually never set the date on any of my watches. One of the reasons I prefer dateless watches

[FuzzyB]

What I find frustrating is that ETA released a line of movements specifically for the growing watches: the Valgranges line. They are 16.5 lignes vs. The 13.5 lignes size of the 2824.

I only have 1 watch with a Valgranges movement and the date is placed "correctly" for such a large watch. I believe this one is 44mm.

[Steppy]

Never really see/hear about the Valgranges line of movements, I know pretty much nothing about them. Apart from a few Longines pieces what are they put in?

[FuzzyB]

Never really see/hear about the Valgranges line of movements, I know pretty much nothing about them. Apart from a few Longines pieces what are they put in?

They don't show up often. The only other one I have tried on in person is the RGM model 400.

[Der Amf]

Googling around I see a lot of references to 44mm watches using the Valgranges. Would it be possible to squeeze a 37.12mm movement into a 42mm watch? Would one want to? Looking at your Wempe at a guide, I guess it would have to be an All Dial kind of watch having that movement and a 42mm case