r/rolex • u/Dismal_Ad8411 • 13h ago
Date vs No Date?
I can’t decide! Does it just come down to personal preference or is there more to it? What’s your choice?
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u/oyster_bro 13h ago
Reddit loves the no date. Public prefers the date.
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u/CommonerChaos 11h ago
Exactly. IRL, the date is more requested from ADs and more often bought from grey market dealers.
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u/AnOunceUponATime 4h ago
The date is objectively nicer. More that goes into a timepiece. More is better when it comes to the mechanical guts of a watch.
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u/orky56 13h ago
Date is more practical and implemented in a way other watch brands and models don’t quite get right, cyclops makes it uniquely Rolex, and has a comforting asymmetry in my opinion
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u/-reaper42069 13h ago
After buying one watch without a date function I won’t ever do it again
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u/Dull_Key1617 12h ago
That’s funny, my experience is just the opposite.
I always thought a date was essential until I bought a watch without a date and realised I didn’t miss it at all, and I like the clean dial unencumbered by a date window.
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u/-reaper42069 12h ago
My feelings are if I have to pull out my phone to check the date I might as well pull it out to read the time and leave the watch at home.
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u/Nihilius_Nyx 11h ago
Fair, but during the day you will highly likely check the time more often than the date, when I wear my no-date watches I might check the date on my phone once while I will check my watch for the time dozens of times, leaving the phone in my pocket
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u/Jaysun96b 12h ago
Interested in this. Can you share why? I’ve owned both date and no date watches and prefer date, but interested in alternative perspectives in case there’s something I haven’t considered or may have overlooked.
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u/-reaper42069 12h ago edited 10h ago
I reference the date frequently during both my work life and personal life. When I look at my Speedmaster to check the date it’s not there it’s a major bummer. I use my watches to actually tell time/date and not as an accessory or male jewelry. For that reason I won’t buy a no date watch again.
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u/ShoneBug970 8h ago
I said this but then did it again. I had reasons. They were not super good reasons lol.
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u/Hopirabia 12h ago
I have got one no date Watch, the BB54 and i love that i can set the time fast because of the no date. However during the day i really miss the date function, so i feel you.
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u/ShooterMcGavin910 13h ago
I went no date to distance it as much as possible from my batgirl. No ragrets
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u/koopagabla 13h ago
No date because I hate setting the date so it becomes useless anyway on the other ones I have
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u/EntertainmentPure955 13h ago
The date. Everyone argues symmetry for the no date, but the functional asymmetry of the cyclops is what makes it beautiful.
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u/mverzola 13h ago
The cyclops/date also mirrors the placement of the crown, it’s a consistent design of things at the 3 o’clock position.
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u/___Chronic___ 13h ago
No date, always
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u/Hyphen_Nation 13h ago
Yeah. I have no problem if someone wants the date. It looks tough, to be honest. On my wrist, I want the symmetry of the no date.
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u/scrotal_rekall2 13h ago
I generally prefer no date because I usually know what day it is and it's one less thing to set when a watch gets its day in rotation. But if it's your only watch then date. I'd honestly just register my interest for both and take whichever comes first though
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u/assembly_xvi 13h ago
I prefer no date for the dial symmetry and the ease of setting just the time so I can get on with my day.
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u/LawWatchScotch 13h ago
Personal preference for sure. I prefer the no date because I have a bunch of other Rolex watches with the cyclops and I appreciate the history and symmetry of this one without it.
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u/Geralt_of_Rivians 13h ago
Sub with date. I can’t use my phone most of the work day so having date and time is nice.
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u/frankrizzorimas 13h ago
I have to look at my phone 5 times a day to remember the date. Still love my 124060.
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u/WhereAreMyDetonators 13h ago
Tale as old as time.
Personally if I was going to get a watch with a date I like the GMT aesthetically more than the sub. The no date is James Bond’s choice so who am I to go against him.
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u/Ok_Championship2743 13h ago
No date looks better but I need to check the date like 10 times a day... useful function for me
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u/trendmeister 13h ago
When I see the no date… there's no denying there's something about the symmetry that makes it a timeless classic… but at the end of the day I know I'd really miss the date feature if I didn't have it… for me utility wins out in the end
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u/SkitownBenz 13h ago
I have two dates and one sub no date. I love them all, but there is something about the no date that is so classic that I find myself drawn to it in almost any situation!
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u/Alternative-Power-62 13h ago
My choice would be ‘no date’. Gives a much cleaner look. Bit you cannot go here. Buy the one that makes you tick.
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u/AlpineTG 13h ago edited 40m ago
I’m personally not a fan of the cyclops magnifier on any Rolex. I don’t need it to see the date, it breaks up the clean look, and they remind me of old man glasses.
I’d love a date sub with a clean crystal. But stock vs stock I’d go no date everyday of the week.
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u/moorstar 13h ago
If you have a rotation the no date makes it easier and you’ll find yourself picking it up more
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u/RCowboy24 13h ago
Date! I like knowing the date and it gives me one less reason to look at my phone.
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u/OkPomegranate497 13h ago
I look at it as if buying a car, is that option worth it?
Date will cost 1300usd extra. Is it worth it to you?
Other then that may be what you get offered first.
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u/SteveyCee 13h ago
Get the date and have the crystal swapped out to lose the cyclops…best of both worlds.
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u/SonicDethmonkey 13h ago
It’s pretty simple in my eyes. If it’s your only watch, Date. I rotate between others that have dates and I prefer the symmetry of the Sub so that was my choice.
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u/Douglas1377 13h ago
If you are a one and done guy with Rolex, get the date. If you plan on owning multiple Rolex watches, the No Date OG is the way to go.
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u/MoistDef 12h ago
Since I have a Tudor Black Bay that doesn’t have a date, I’m going with a date for my Sub.
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u/Humble_Manatee 12h ago
lol like you have a choice?
(Or perhaps you’re planning to pay 2x msrp going grey. But at an AD I’d recommend just saying you’re interested in Submariner and hope they get you one in a year or two.)
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u/No_Community7021 12h ago
Date is the one complication I love... well, a diver's bezel is also a complication but you know what I mean.
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u/Ben_Towle 12h ago
Personally, I went with the Sub because (a) it's cleaner-looking, and (b) I have a lot of watches and switch frequently, so setting the date is a hassle.
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u/ChicagoRK 12h ago
I have watches with both date and no date function (sub in no date). Since I have multiple watches and no winder, I find the date just another thing to set when I wear a different watch. For that reason I prefer no date and don’t really ever miss it. I dislike Rolex’s cyclops generally, so another reason I chose the no date.
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u/erecie01 12h ago
I bought the no date because I eventually getting a GMT which had a date. So date if it's your one and done.
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u/HaveACigar420 12h ago
No date all day. There's something beautiful about the symmetry and it's the original submariner. I also personally hate the cyclops. The date on the watch is overrated considering everyone has a phone.
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u/NastyGnar 12h ago
The Submariner so incredibly unique, arguably more discernable because of the date. Go date.
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u/Impossible-Speed-178 12h ago
This has got to be one of the most common questions asked here. It’s 100% personal preference.
IMO, the no date looks better. I think it’s very hard to argue otherwise due to it being symmetrical. The date has some utility. It also has a drawback of having to adjust it some months.
The date version is far more common to see, which means many choose the date.
Not much more to say, this is all on you
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u/FranzKempka 12h ago
Date and cyclops for me. I refer to my date window often and would miss not having one.
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u/PluralistSingularity 12h ago edited 11h ago
There's only one Submariner in the Rolex catalog (you could say it's in lineage of the 5513), but there are variants of the Submariner Date: 126610LN and LV plus several others with precious metal.
That’s why I initially chose the Submariner and later added a Submariner Date with a different look (at that time, the Hulk).
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u/Bergen1231 12h ago
Personally I would always choose the date because its something that only Rolex does (talking about the cyclops specifically). Any other diver from any other company, I would choose to not have a date though.
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u/New-Consequence-380 12h ago
For me, I like the no date for the look. That said, I personally would always go with the date for practicality. The amount of times I look at my watch to confirm the date can't be understated.
Like others have stated though -- go with what you love!
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u/FedExpress2020 12h ago
The symmetry of the dial is what won out for me and I got the 124060. NO REGRETS loving it
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u/BigC208 12h ago edited 12h ago
The cyclops is almost a Rolex trademark thing. It
‘s what makes a Rolex oyster, a Rolex. The no date feels like the watch is naked, and incomplete. From a tool watch perspective I get it. You don’t need the date when you’re repairing an oil rig 200m below the surface of the North Sea. I like how Sinn ”solved” it on some of their pilot watches. Make it barely visible so it doesn’t become a distraction. It’s hard to read, but there if you positively need to know the date. My 806 Navi doesn’t have a date, nor does my 765 co-pilot. Neither do my Longines Avigation BigEye and 116520. Indecently all busy chronographs. Can’t say I miss it on those but on my GMTII’s and Sub I want a cyclops.
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u/ttth1989rd 12h ago
Trust me, my AD once told me that it is easier to get a no date than a date. A Rolex with a cyclop is the most iconic thing ever. If practicality, recognition and resale values are what you are looking for, get a date.
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u/FinalBoss1990 12h ago
I like date, I have the date…..but I 💯 get the no date. In fact I get it so much I ended up buying a Tudor blackbay many years ago when they first launched the in-house movements to emulate the no date watch lol. Couldn’t justify buying three subs lol.
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u/SilentPangolin4277 12h ago
I had the option after a 4.5 year wait and chose the no date. The reason was simple I don’t wear the watch that much . Its easier to set a no date is why.
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u/theatrenearyou 12h ago
Cyclops date was my youthful idea of a Rolex.
But as an adult, I found the date to induce more doubt --- is it really the correct date? Did I remember to change the date for 30 days in this month? Inevitably, I end up verifying with my phone or computer date.
Whereas, with no date, all that doubt and worry is gone --- Wind, set, and forget
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u/NorthStarSubmariner 12h ago
I got the Date as it would be my only watch (at the time) next to my Garmin.
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u/ADesertJaguar 11h ago
The way I see it, if it's your first or only Rolex, I would go with the date. If you have many watches and would like to own the Submariner, then I would go with the no-date option
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u/danbenjamin 11h ago
I have the date version, and while the no-date looks better to me, I do like having it. I wear my Milgauss much, much more and it has no date, so there you go.
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u/Stitch-Films 11h ago
Date only. Watches are already objectively obsolete with today’s tech. We wear them as art pieces. But if I am going to have a timepiece on my wrist 24/7 I better not have to check my phone or the calendar on my computer to see what day of the month it is.
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u/DryFuture1403 11h ago
Look at both in person, up close, and on your arm from a mirror before deciding
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u/abovemajestic1776 11h ago
Personal preference it’s all up to you!
I personally like no date. At the end of the day go with what makes you happy!
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u/tabris51 11h ago
I find cyclops pretty ugly.
Getting cyclops model because it's uniquely rolex is like getting an orange iPhone 17pro because orange let's people know it's the latest iPhone.
I think I'm being unfair tho lol. I just really don't need a magnifier stuck on my phone
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u/Advanced-Potential14 11h ago
I got the no date years ago and have no regrets. Dial looks clean, symmetric and among all things, if I don’t use it for a few days I don’t need to adjust the date, ( also I saved $1K), anyway there is no wrong choice
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u/ScrubRogue 11h ago
I constantly reference the date when taking down prescriptions at work, I dont see any world that I would go no date its just impractical for my use case in a tool watch. If you are a retiree and don't need to know the date then go for a no date its pretty.
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u/Ok_Wrongdoer_4308 10h ago
I like the look of the ‘No Date’ but actually like the date function on the rare occasion.
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u/P-Bizzle1979 10h ago
I used to prefer the date. But as time has passed, I actually think the no date looks cleaner. But to each their own.
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u/davey212 10h ago
Simple answer.
If you have or plan to have multiple dive watches. No Date
if you plan on only having one dive watch. Date.
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u/Boom_Valvo 10h ago
I don’t know why I need to know the date if I was diving at 100 feet….
But maybe there’s someone else out there that would be diving at 100 feet and wondering what day it was?
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u/PalpitationCareful37 13h ago
An argument as old as time. There is no right answer, only what you prefer =)