Bulova 24-Hour Automatic Watch Discussions | Drop

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Bulova 24-Hour Automatic Watch

Showing 1 of 57 conversations about:

Bulova 24-Hour Automatic Watch

JJHJ

Apr 24, 2016

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

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/

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. :)

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...

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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.