Dials with particular complications often have subdials, as in the case of a chronograph or master calendar. Subdials can be used to indicate day, date, month, segments of elapsed time, moon phase, and more. The outer dial rim is also often utilized for an additional complication scale, like a tachymeter, GMT, or world timer. Skeleton or partial skeleton elaborations feature cut-outs that reveal the movement or parts of the movement beneath the dial.
The hands of a dial depend upon the movement and the complications present. Hour and minute hands can be virtually assured but second, chronograph, GMT, and sub-dial hands will vary. A chronograph hand may replace a second hand, moving the continuous seconds to a sub-dial; but the inverse may also be true. A GMT complication may be represented as a sub-dial or with a GMT hand that indicates to a scale on the outer dial rim. The variations and variety of complications are numerous. Luminous hands are quite popular, as well, and feature one of a selection of compounds to make them glow.
The unifier and the soul of the presentation; the dial offers color, character, composition, and complication, bringing the design together. Choose a watch with a dial that matches your needs and style and let it effortlessly represent your essential, distinctive qualities.
Dial Shapes:
Watches come in a variety of dial shapes to suit your fashion sense and personality: