Watch Complications: Beyond Telling Time

Watches can do so much more than simply tell time. From moon phases to perpetual calendars, complications are where horology meets imagination.

What Is a Watch Complication?

In watchmaking, a "complication" is any function beyond basic timekeeping. The more complications, the more complex and valuable the watch becomes.

**Date display**: Most common complication

**GMT/dual time**: Track two time zones

**Power reserve**: Shows remaining stored energy

**Chronograph**: Stopwatch function

**Annual calendar**: Adjusts for month lengths

**Moon phase**: Displays lunar cycle

**Perpetual calendar**: Accounts for leap years

**Minute repeater**: Chimes time on demand

**Tourbillon**: Rotating escapement for accuracy

Every complication tells a story. A perpetual calendar showcases micro-mechanics, while a moon phase adds poetic beauty.

Start simple—a date display or GMT offers daily utility. As appreciation grows, you might find yourself drawn to the hypnotic dance of a tourbillon.

Complications celebrate the ingenuity and artistry that make mechanical watches captivating beyond mere timekeeping.