Roman numeral four on clocks

Anyone who has ever looked closely at watch dials and in particular at the indices of wristwatches may have noticed the following fact: not all watches have Arabic numerals. Many dials are decorated with Roman numerals. But why are numerals in Roman script still used on timepieces today? And what is the special feature of the Roman numeral four on watches? These are just two of the exciting questions about the Roman spelling of timepieces that we will find answers to in this article.

Meaning and Use of Roman Numerals

Roman numerals are a way of writing numbers that originated in ancient times. A numerator is represented by "I", 5 is written as "V" and "X" stands for 10. There are also symbols for 50 ("L"), 100 ("C"), 500 ("D") and 1,000 ("M") as well as for 5,000 and 10,000.

These digits can be combined to form any number imaginable. The counting method is subtraction and addition. The number 9, for example, is written as "IX", with the line before the 10 subtracted. The 11 is written accordingly with a line in position after the 10 - i.e. "XI" - so that the line is added to the 10.

Today, Arabic numerals have become the norm, which is why we rarely see Roman numerals in everyday life. When we do see them, they are usually found on old buildings, monuments, statues or on the face of a clock.

The fascination of Roman numerals on watches

The larger the watch collection, the more likely it is that at least one - if not several - of the watches will have Roman numerals. It is actually not that unusual for watchmakers to choose the Roman notation for the indices on the dial. This may seem absurd to the layman at first, as not everyone is able to read the Roman notation without any problems right away. In terms of readability for everyone, Arabic numerals seem to be the much better choice.

And yet the great popularity of timepieces with Roman indices suggests that this variant also has its right to exist. We can only speculate as to what the fascination with this form of writing is. The purely visual aspect certainly has a big influence, because the Roman numerals make the dial of a wristwatch immediately appear very high-quality and give it a historical, historic touch.

The Origin of Roman Numerals in Watchmaking

Some of the oldest clock faces with Roman numerals were probably tower clocks. Such an early tower clock was therefore classically equipped with Roman numerals, which was subsequently adopted for pocket watches, wall clocks and wrist watches.

The Roman Four: IV or IIII?

The Roman numeral four is a particularly common topic in connection with the indices on timepieces. In watch-lover circles, the correct spelling of the Roman numeral four is still hotly debated today - a topic that never seems to lose its explosiveness.

The various representations of the Four on clocks

If you know a little about the Roman numerals, you will immediately know how to write four: "IV". However, this notation is not used on all watch faces. Often you will find four lines instead, i.e. "IIII", which can be quite surprising. When asked whether watch faces more often show "IV" or "IIII" instead of four, there is a fairly clear answer: In the vast majority of cases, watch manufacturers opt for the four lines. Nevertheless, there are of course also a few wristwatches where you can see an "IV" on the dial.

Why some clocks use "IIII" instead of "IV"

The origin of the four-line writing system can be found in the development of the Roman numbering system. This goes back to counting on the fingers of the hand or counting notches on clay or wax tablets. The number of lines was counted - whether in the form of notches or finger by finger - and initially no auxiliary numbers such as "V", "X" or "C" were used. These were only added over time and, above all, simplified calculation, which quickly became quite confusing using lines alone. The phenomenon of the four lines on the wristwatch can therefore be explained in principle by the history of Roman numerals. The other reasons for preferring "IIII" to "IV" will be discussed in more detail later in this article.

Well-known watch brands with Roman numerals

If you are specifically looking for a watch with numbers in Roman numerals, it usually doesn't take long to find one. Provided you look at the right manufacturers. An astonishing number of watch brands in the medium and high-price segment have several models with "IIII" or "IV" in their range, so interested parties have a wide selection to choose from.

Would you like a few examples? Let's start with a classic "IIII watch": the Chopard Geneve. The men's watch, which stands out thanks to its minimalist design, features four lines on the dial, with the Roman numerals perfectly underlining the pure elegance of the classic watch.

At this point we would also like to mention a watch with four lines from Rolex , which brings us straight to the Rolex Datejust. In this filigree watch icon, the four "I"s - just like the other digits - fit extremely harmoniously into the overall picture and thus contribute to an all-round more than successful look.

Last but not least, the Montblanc Star Steel is a watch with a Roman numeral four. The chronograph with its straight-lined yet elegant dial also uses the four-stroke notation and is certainly one of the models that most watch collectors would like to call their own.

The Art of Roman Numerals on Clock Faces

When asked about the "IIII" on the dial, many watchmakers offer an explanation that revolves around a certain key word: symmetry. By writing the number with four lines, a kind of optical balance is created on the dial, especially with regard to the "VIII" which is opposite the four on the other side. In comparison, a "IV watch" - following this view - would always appear somewhat disharmonious due to the characters alone. One reason for using the four lines is therefore purely aesthetic.

The Meaning of Roman Numerals in Culture

There are several other theories that attempt to explain why "IIII" is so often preferred to "IV" on clock faces. One of these is the Jupiter theory, which is based on a peculiarity of written language in ancient times. At that time, the letter "I" could also be read as "J", while a "V" could stand for a "U". "IV" could therefore be read as "JU", which can be interpreted as an abbreviation for Jupiter. In this context, this does not refer to the planet, but to a high god from Roman mythology. At a time when the legends surrounding the deities were far more than just stories for many people, it would probably have seemed condescending and inappropriate to write "JU" in a row with other, completely ordinary numbers on a clock face.

Another explanation focuses on King Louis XIV. The so-called "Sun King" is said to have recognized the number four in the "IIII" notation as a much better version and ordered all clockmakers in his domain to write the number in dashes.

These two theories, which relate to cultural aspects, have been circulating for a long time and can neither be definitively confirmed nor completely refuted. Ultimately, everyone has to form their own opinion and decide for themselves which version of the story surrounding the design of the dial they consider most likely.

Practical Aspects of Roman Fours

Apart from Jupiter, the Sun King and co., there are some very logical reasons for using the line lettering. Firstly, there is the risk of confusion posed by the "IV". After all, the "VI" also belongs on the dial, which only differs from the "IV" in the position of the line, which is why there are fears that the watch will be difficult and unclear to read.

There is also the aspect of economy: in the past, the indices - just like the hands, for example - had to be laboriously cast by hand. For this, molds were used. If you decided to use the number four as "IIII", you could conveniently use a mold with twenty lines and four recesses for "V" and "X" and simply use these four times - and you had a complete set of characters. If a watchmaker wanted to write "IV" instead, this procedure no longer worked, which made the production of the indices of this variant much more complicated and thus somewhat less popular.

Conclusion

If you were hoping for a clear answer in this article as to whether "IV" or "IIII" should be considered the correct choice of character, we are sorry to disappoint you. Because: There is no single correct spelling. Even if "IV" is much more common nowadays outside the world of watches, "IIII" cannot be described as wrong per se. In fact, there are some quite understandable reasons for using the dash variant, especially when labeling a watch. So it remains to be said: Both are possible! Which spelling a watchmaker chooses is probably largely a matter of taste.