Day-Date
Day-Date is a complication that shows both the weekday and the date of the month on the dial. The day appears either in a wide arc near 12 or in a window alongside the date, depending on the design. Both indications can usually be quickset independently, which makes resetting the watch after short months quick.
At a glance
- Shows
- Weekday and date of the month
- Common layouts
- Day arc at 12 with date window, or combined day-date window
- Setting
- Date quicksets; day corrected from crown or past midnight
This is a layout for people who want two pieces of information at a glance rather than one: the name of the day and its number. Two discs turn independently, and the movement advances the date around midnight while the day changes either at midnight or gradually over the surrounding hours, depending on the caliber.
How it works
Under the dial sit two separate discs. One carries the seven weekdays, the other the dates of the month from 1 to 31. As the day rolls over, the movement pushes both forward.
- Day disc: printed in two languages on many models, switched from the crown
- Date disc: shows the day of the month and needs manual correction after short months
Recognised layouts and setting
Two styles are common. The Rolex-style design shows the day in a wide arc at 12 and the date in a small window at 3. The other recognised style combines the day and date in a single window, or sets them side by side, as on many affordable Japanese movements. On most modern watches the date quicksets from the crown, and the day is corrected either from the crown or by briefly running the hands past midnight, so you can advance the date complication and correct the day separately. A Day-Date is a different kind of convenience from a GMT watch, which tracks a second time zone. For the wider family see the complications page, and for affordable examples read our guide to the best Japanese watches.
Examples
To see how an affordable day-and-date readout works in daily use, look at models with a single window that combines the day and date at 3 o'clock.
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Comparison
Day-Date and a plain date complication give different amounts of information.
| Option A | Option B | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Day-Date | Date only | Day-Date shows both the weekday and the date; a plain date shows only the day of the month. |
Related terms
Watches that show this
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Day-Date and a date complication?
A Day-Date shows both the weekday and the date of the month, while a plain date complication shows only the day of the month. A Day-Date uses two separate discs, and the extra disc that carries the weekday usually reads at 12 or sits alongside the date.
How do you set a Day-Date display?
On most modern watches the date quicksets from the crown, and the day is corrected either from the crown or by briefly running the hands past midnight, depending on the movement. After months of 30 days or fewer you advance the date by hand.
Why is the Day-Date disc often bilingual?
Many makers print a single day disc in two languages so the same movement can be sold across different markets. By switching the language from the crown you read the day name in your preferred language, while the date number stays the same in every case.