Casual watch lovers or those looking to buy a pre-owned watch for the first time tend to get intimidated by complication watches, even though they admittedly love their unique look. Even with their high visual appeal our customers often shy away from buying complication watches out of fear that they won’t be able to set and operate them. In this article, our experts are going to tackle the myth that complication watches are difficult to operate and introduce you to some of the most popular and useful complications.

What is a Complication?

In case you are not familiar with the term as used in the watchmaking industry, a complication is any additional function of a watch apart from the default timekeeping function. These functions are made to make the wearer’s life easier, whether its function is something as simple as displaying the date or more advanced like showing the time in a different time zone. If a single watch has more than one complication, its design and creation are much more difficult, as the watchmaker needs to incorporate all the additional moving parts into the single movement. This makes these watches extremely attractive to mechanical watch enthusiasts and makes them more valuable than regular timekeeping watches. The recent advancements in smartwatch technology may have replaced all these complications with a single computer chip, but are not as nearly as impressive as the complication watches of old. These watches are a work of art in terms of design and engineering. There are many different complications, and listed below are some you are most likely to encounter when shopping for a pre-owned watch.

Date Complication

The simplest complication a watch could have is the date complication, and its function is pretty self-explanatory. These complications can show the date in various different forms: just the date, the date and the month or the date and the day of the week. The date can be displayed in an aperture in the dial or by using a special date hand to point to a date embedded around the outer edge of the dial.

Day or Night Complication

Another complication with a pretty obvious function is the day and night complication. Several watchmaker brands like Patek Phillippe or Cartier feature this complication on their watches. One particularly impressive day or night complication is featured on Vacheron Constantin’s Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time watch, using a rotating sapphire disk that’s shaded on one side to indicate the nighttime in certain time zones.

Chronograph Complication

This complication allows the wearer to measure time intervals independently from the standard timekeeping function. In other words, they come with a built-in stopwatch. These complications guarantee incredible accuracy and can record time from 1/100 of a second to twelve hours. There are several different types of chronographs. The standard chronograph is operated by one or two buttons with start, stop and reset functions. Flyback chronographs are a bit more complicated, allowing a rapid restart function which is irreplaceable in situations that require immediate accuracy. Finally, a rattrapante chronograph allows the user to measure several different events at the same time.

Time Zone Complication

These complications are often used in aviation due to the fact that pilots tend to cross into different time zones during their flight. Therefore, these complications allow them to easily track the current time no matter which time zone they are in. Some watches feature a dual time zone display, with the option to display the time in two different time zones simultaneously. They are usually set to indicate the local time and the time of the place the wearer is currently in. Another, more sophisticated variant of this mechanism is the complication found in worldtimer watches. These watches display 24 or more cities in different time zones. Adjusting the rotating bezel will adjust the hour hand to display the time in the desired time zone.

Power Reserve Complication

Long before “low battery” notifications triggered panic attacks in smartphone users, some watches were made with a power reserve complication. These complications had the same task of keeping track of the power supply. Apart from the fact that these watches can have an incredibly vast power reserve compared to modern gadgets, this function is different in that it is powered by a mechanical complication. For mechanical watches, the “power supply” refers to the tension of the mainspring, which causes the movement to run as it unwinds. Depending on the manufacturer, the power reserve function can be displayed in different forms and different locations on the dial. Sometimes the power reserve is visible not on the dial, but the back of the watch instead.

Find the Perfect Complication Watch for You

There’s no need to avoid owning a desirable complication watch just because you fear having to set and maintain all the complications! Although not as intuitive as an iPhone or as simple to operate as a touchscreen, with some assistance, you can learn how to use all the dials, crowns, and settings. If you are looking to buy a pre-owned complication watch in San Diego, the friendly staff at our luxurious San Diego Avenue store will teach you how the complications on your watch work. With the guidance of your friends at Leo Hamel’s, you can master these complications and have the pleasure of owning one of these technical masterpieces.