65385d2671

Watch GlossarySub-dial

A sub-dial is an auxiliary dial that indicate time-related functions such as dual or triple time zone, day-date aperture, power reserve, and more

The Watch Guide February 2, 2024

Listen

May We Recommend

Spotlight Let It Glow, Let It Glow, Let It Glow: The Glowing Case Of The BR X5 Green Lum By Bell & Ross Review Lasered Kaleidoscope: Presenting The Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 Laser Review Set In Stone: Introducing The Jacob & Co Palatial Classic Collection’s Stone Dials Review Retro, Winning Charm: Raymond Weil's Millesime—A Tribute To Understated Elegance Spotlight From Paris to New York, Louis Moinet Around The World In Eight Days Adventure Unfolds

What Is A Sub-Dial On A Watch?

A sub-dial is a miniature or auxiliary dial located on the watch dial, reserved for functions beyond the primary timekeeping hours and minutes that the central hands provide. Also called counters or registers, these are found in mechanical and special watches like calendars, chronographs, and GMT watches. Sub-dials are always present on chronograph watches. They improve the overall reading of elapsed time by breaking down the seconds, minutes, and hours separately.

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph tricompax 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph sub-dials counters registers — The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph tri-compax watch features sub-dials comprising the running seconds at three o’clock, and 30-minute and 12-hour counters at nine and six o’clock, plus a date aperture between four and five o’clock

Girard-Perragaux Laureato Chronograph Shop The Collection

Types Of Sub-dials

Chronograph sub-dials (Hours, minutes and/or seconds)

The keeping of chronograph hours, minutes, and running seconds, are indicated on separate sub-dials in chronograph watches as a bi-compax and tri-compax setup. Sub-dials improve the overall reading of elapsed time by breaking down the minutes, and hours separately. While the chronograph counters are most commonly 30-minute and 12-hour counters, a third sub-dia on sub-dial on a chornograph watch dial displays the running seconds of the primary timekeeping of the watch.

Speake-Marin Dual Time Mint Retrograde Calendar hour sub-dial counter register — The Speake-Marin Dual Time Mint And Lime versions feature a small seconds sub-dial encircled by a 31-day retrograde calendar between one and two o’clock

Speake-Marin Dual Time Lime & Mint Shop The Collection

Date and/or day sub-dials, for calendar watches

In the absence of a date window certain date watches have an analogue date display, where there’s often a sub-dial with a hand that goes from the 1st to the 31st of the month. In perpetual calendar watches, particularly, there might be similar sub-dials for analogue displays of the day, month and even leap years.

Bovet Récital 27 Shop The Collection

Power reserve indicator

Usually located as a fan-shaped insert that displays the amount of stored energy left in the mainspring before the watch stops running and needs winding. The power reserve display can also be in a standard cirular sub-dial.