Bulova 24-Hour Automatic Watch Discussions | Drop

Free Standard Shipping in the US on orders over $99

Showing 1 of 57 conversations about:

Bulova 24-Hour Automatic Watch

FULL DISCUSSION

JJHJ

Apr 24, 2016

Why is the 4 "IIII" instead of "IV"?

Apr 24, 2016

MrJamesDuffy

Apr 24, 2016

JJHJIt's called a watchmaker's four and has been around for a long time. I hated it until I read this: http://www.ablogtowatch.com/ask-watch-experts/why-do-watch-dials-with-roman-numerals-use-iiii-rather-than-iv/

Apr 24, 2016

ChristopherJ

1189

Apr 28, 2016

JJHJIn addition to @MrJamesDuffy's link, I'll add a few more details. Some people think that the IIII balances out the VII across the dial. Also, the IV and VI in close proximity can be a bit confusing. Here's the watchmaker's four on another watch that we have coming up. :)

Apr 28, 2016

JJHJ

Apr 29, 2016

MrJamesDuffyIt doesn't look terrible, but I don't buy the "balancing argument". Just look at the I and XI or the II and the X...

Apr 29, 2016

Vote

MrJamesDuffy

Apr 29, 2016

JJHJFor me, the balance is more with the VIII and XII. I've seen dial layouts with the "proper" Roman numeral IV to indicate the four and that entire right side just looks wimpy, for lack of a better term. Again, I had a problem with IIII at first but my bias has reversed and now IV just looks unsettling on a watch or clock face.

Apr 29, 2016