The Offical Dubai Watch Week Ranking of Complications

As a society, we have an innate love for ranking things based on how good ( or is that goated?) something is. For a long time, we were happy with the conventional alphabetic grading system of where A is the best, and everything else follows along in order. Then, the internet and its love of video games came along and changed everything up with the invention of the' S' tier — a level above A, the best of the best. Theories vary as to what the' S' stands for, with many noting that an S grade is possible in Japan, but for this non-definitive tier list of watch complications, we're going to say that' S' stands for superlative.

Note: This ranking does represent the views of Dubai Watch Week, which loves all horological complications.

D-Tier

No hate, but we're sharing the bottom rung of our tier list with two complications. The regatta timer and the equation of time. In case you're not aware, a regatta timer is a specialised countdown timer used for the start of yacht races, and the equation of time describes the difference between apparent solar time and mean solar time. Don't get us wrong, both are cool, but they're so incredibly niche that they have absolutely zero practical application on the wrist in 2024.

C-Tier

Calendar complications are, by and large, pretty cool, and very useful (no spoilers but we'll be having a few more on this list). The annual calendar however — isn't it. An annual calendar needs adjusting only once a year, at the end of February, making it more complicated than a triple calendar and not as sophisticated as a perpetual. It's this in-between status that makes it rank so poorly. Just commit either way.

B-Tier

Coming in hot at B-tier is the world timer. Fundamentally, the ability to tell the time anywhere in the world at a glance is incredibly useful. But it comes in at B because of the few important caveats. First of all, we live in the age of smartphones. Lifting your wrist is easier, but you could argue that saying, "Hey Siri, what time is it in Singapore' is easier still. Next up, you can never quite trust it, thanks to daylight savings time and the like. Finally, and most importantly, the world time complication takes up a lot of dial real estate and can be challenging to read on the fly. Now, it makes for a cool-looking watch, but its limited utility and legibility hold it back from true perfection.

A-Tier

Ok, now we've well and truly hit the big leagues. Complications that offer a combination of cool tricks, credibility and flat-out utility. First up, we've got a pair of calendar complications, starting with the perpetual calendar. This classic complication is the natural extension of a watches mission to track time accurately — all the way out to leap years. Sure, it's only one day every four years when you get to see this complications big party trick, but it's worth it. On the other end of the calendar spectrum is the humble date display. It's not overly complex, and it's often maligned by people who don't like what it does for dial design, but for sheer everyday utility, it's hard to beat a date.

Finally, another powerhouse of practicality: The GMT or dual time. While a world time offered too much, a GMT is just enough. Whether you're travelling or regularly doing business on the other side of the world, it's hard to argue about the functionality of a good GMT. More than the actual practicality is the possibility of a GMT. That second-time zone is a constant reminder of the possibility of travel and adventure. And that's hard to beat.

S-Tier

Coming in at the top spot is the GOAT of complications, the chronograph. This complication really has it all; from horological pedigree and historical significance to everyday functionality and the all-important tactility, you can't go past the chronograph. From timing the rocket burns on Apollo 13 to the amount of time dinner has been in the oven, the chronograph can do it all. But don't just take our word for it. If we take the date window out of the equation, the chronograph is also the commercially most successful complication, and we all know numbers don't lie.