Watches 101: What Is a Complication?

In the watch world, complications are prized features that elevate the functionality of a watch beyond just telling time. From simple date complications to incredibly diverse and intricate lines like the Patek Philippe Grand Complications collection, there are many different degrees of complexity that you can find in the horological sphere.

To help you decide which functions and models you are going to prioritize in your watch collection, we are here to dive into the ins and outs of watch complications. We will walk through the basics of what a complication means before checking out seven different complications that are dominating the watch world today. Which one strikes your fancy?

To put it simply, a complication in a watch refers to any function that the watch performs other than telling time. For example, you might see watches that have dual time zone functionality, watches with a moon phase display, or even watches with a perpetual calendar. These are all examples of complications.

The most basic complication you will see? Technically, the second hand is a type of horological complication, because it goes beyond displaying the basic information of the hours and minutes. The term complication comes from the mechanical complexity that is added to watches in order to perform more advanced functions. Typically, there are more springs, gears, or other components involved in creating effective and useful complications.

Such advanced functionality is part of what makes highly complicated watches so desirable. They also normally come with a higher price tag, as it takes more parts and more innovative engineering and design strategies to bring these pieces to fruition. Some of the world’s most expensive watches have numerous complications that together create an incredible symphony of artistry, creativity, and functionality.

Today, there are many different complications available on the market. As you shop for luxury watches, consider some of today’s most-loved complications that will elevate your watch far beyond being a simple timekeeping device.

Also called the “GMT” complication, which stands for Greenwich Mean Time, the dual time zone complication is a staple of travel-worthy watches. This complication was initially introduced for pilots, and it allows the wearer of the watch to view two time zones simultaneously on the face of their timepiece. Of course, neither time zone must be Greenwich Mean Time. There are also plenty of other uses for the GMT function, too. For example, consider someone who works at their company’s New York office but collaborates with a team in Korea. They can set their home time to Manhattan and set their away time to Seoul.

The Rolex GMT-Master II line is the quintessential dual time zone watch, although other brands also have offerings in this category. The outer bezel of the watch has a two-tone color profile that easily indicates if it is day or night in your away time zone. As you can see, this watch has a fourth, colored hand tipped with an arrow. That hand shows the time in the alternate location.

The two classic date complications show the day of the month and the day of the week, typically in small windows. Showing only the day of the month is much more common, but some watches do showcase both, such as the Rolex Day-Date collection. Oftentimes, you will see the date window appear at the 3 o’clock position, although some timepieces diverge from this norm.

These complications are relatively simple, and they typically need adjustment five times each year. At the end of any month with fewer than 31 days, you will need to wind the watch ahead back to “1” for the start of the new month (that amounts to the end of February, April, June, September, and November).

An annual calendar complication improves on the simple date complications described previously. Watches with an annual calendar complication typically have displays showing the date, the day of the week, and the month of the year. They only need to be adjusted once a year, at the end of February, in order to account for the shorter month as well as leap years.

For example, consider the Patek Philippe Complications collection, which is home to a number of different annual calendar watches. On the face of the timepiece shown above, you will find windows showing the day of the week (10 o’clock), the day of the month (12 o’clock), and the month itself (2 o’clock). Many watches from this collection, like this one, have additional elements of glitz and glamour. On this gorgeous timepiece, you will see a sparkling diamond bezel that perfectly offsets the dramatic black face and exquisite green alligator strap.

Speaking of calendar complications, perpetual calendar watches up the ante even further. They elevate the capabilities of the annual calendar watch, eliminating the need for yearly adjustments. In fact, the perpetual calendar event accounts for leap years, meaning it will not need to be adjusted for decades to come. Patek Philippe was the first watchmaker to patent this complication and use it for wrist watches, but in the century or so since, many other craftsmen for high-end horological houses have invented their own perpetual calendar creations.

The perfect example? The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch shown above, which offers a perpetual calendar as well as many other high-end complications from the renowned Swiss brand. This black ceramic masterpiece has a series of intricate dials to show the day of the week, day of the month, and month of the year. Additionally, you will find a moon phase display at the 6 o’clock position (more on this momentarily), which is a coveted and little-seen compilation in today’s luxury watch world. We firmly believe that every elite watch collection should boast at least one perpetual calendar watch.

We love the mystical, beautiful, and ethereal look of a moon phase complication on the face of your favorite watch. Though it might seem impractical, a moon phase display shows you the current phase of the moon as it passes through its cycles of waxing and waning. Although modern life does not have much cause for staying on top of the moon’s movement, this prestigious complication speaks to the history and tradition of the horological world and is much loved by many watch connoisseurs.

Patek Philippe is one of the few heritage brands that continues to create moon phase display watches. For instance, you will find a moon phase aperture at the bottom of this sleek 18K rose gold Patek Philippe Nautilus. We already love the earthen tones and brushed finish of this masterful timepiece, and the moon phase display is just the cherry on top

Chronograph watches offer one of the most usable and versatile complications on the market. Essentially, these watches have a built-in stopwatch function with separate pushers to stop/start the timer and to reset the timer. Chronograph watches were initially created for use in racing and motorsports, but they have since spread to be an important consumer item for anyone who loves watch-world history and precision.

The Richard Mille RM 11-03 watch above is the perfect example of how chronograph watches have entered the modern age. On the right side of the watch, you can see that the top bottom is used to start and stop the timer and the bottom button is used to reset it. The skeletonized dial and large Arabic numeral hour markers add to the overall sporty look here.

You might have heard the word tourbillon, but do you really know what this complex mechanism does? Watches with a tourbillon complication are prized for their precision and complexity, which is achieved through mechanical intricacies meant to balance out the effects of gravity on a watch’s timekeeping ability. Though modern mechanical watches do not need tourbillons to be functional and accurate, they are still seen as a marker of prestige and class. They are also fascinating to watch in action, and many watchmakers choose to reveal their tourbillons through skeletonized full or partial dials, as seen on this Audemars Piguet watch above.

Here at Avi & Co., we can help you find the most complicated (or simple) watches of your dreams. We have worked to build an elite collection of renowned timepieces from brands like Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Rolex. We also have our very own lines of Avi & Co. watches and an in-house collection of exquisite fine diamond jewelry.

Ready to change your watch collection for the better? Make an appointment today at one of our three luxe locations. Find us in New York City, Aspen, or Miami.