The date is second only to the actual time as the most useful feature of a watch. It's commonplace and often taken for granted, but in 1945 Rolex was hailed as a genius. It would forever change the look of watches.

Find out more about Rolex and its influence on date windows as we know them today. Also, learn about the Cyclops feature that was introduced by Rolex.

The Richard Mille Replica, and the Date WindowThe Richard Mille Replica has a long history.www.puretimes.net The Datejust was introduced in 1945 to commemorate Rolex 40th anniversary and also set a new milestone in the watchmaking industry. It was the very first self-winding timepiece to have a date that automatically changes at midnight.

Date functions were already present in many watches before the Datejust was introduced. The date was displayed on a calendar dial at the outer edge of the watch. A separate hand or pointer indicated the date. Rolex set the standard in terms of how the date should be displayed on a wristwatch.

Richard Mille Replica circa 1952 (photo: Christies). With the Datejust, the only date that is displayed on the dial is the current one, which is shown through a disc with 31 markings. The disc jumps to midnight. The date is displayed on a 3 o'clock square aperture, as most people wear their watches on their left arm. This makes it easier to see the date from underneath their sleeves.Cartier Replica Watches This format is simple and practical. It has been used almost universally and continues to be used today.

The Cyclops Lens is a Rolex hallmarkIn 1953, Rolex added an enhancement to the window for the date, which they called the Cyclops. The Cyclops Lens, named after the Greek one-eyed Giant of Greek Mythology, is located outside the crystal of the watch, above the date aperture. This magnifies the date. According to legend, it was designed for Hans Wilsdorf founder's wife who had difficulty reading the date.