Why is the Roman numeral 4 usually written "wrong" on dials?
Around 90% of all watch manufacturers use the spelling IIII instead of the correct IV for models with Roman numerals on the dial. In this blog post, we would like to explain in more detail why this is the case, where this tradition comes from and why it is still used today.
The four theories
There are various theories as to how the spelling IIII came about. The most important are the following:
1. the Jupiter theory
At the time of Roman antiquity, the characters IV could also be read as JU. JU in turn was the abbreviation for the Roman deity Jupiter. If this abbreviation had been placed on a dial together with ordinary numbers, it would have been regarded as blasphemy.
2 The Sun King's preference
According to this theory, the personal preferences of the Sun King LOUIS XIV are responsible for the spelling IIII. He preferred IIII and encouraged the watchmakers in his sphere of influence to use this spelling.
3 Symmetry and optical balance
If you look at a dial, the eight is directly opposite the four. This consists of four individual digits, namely VIII. With the actually correct spelling IV, the different number of digits creates an optical imbalance. For aesthetic reasons, it was therefore decided to use IIII.
4. economic aspects
This theory is concerned with the molds which the Go
The four theories
There are various theories as to how the spelling IIII came about. The most important are the following:
1. the Jupiter theory
At the time of Roman antiquity, the characters IV could also be read as JU. JU in turn was the abbreviation for the Roman deity Jupiter. If this abbreviation had been placed on a dial together with ordinary numbers, it would have been regarded as blasphemy.
2 The Sun King's preference
According to this theory, the personal preferences of the Sun King LOUIS XIV are responsible for the spelling IIII. He preferred IIII and encouraged the watchmakers in his sphere of influence to use this spelling.
3 Symmetry and optical balance
If you look at a dial, the eight is directly opposite the four. This consists of four individual digits, namely VIII. With the actually correct spelling IV, the different number of digits creates an optical imbalance. For aesthetic reasons, it was therefore decided to use IIII.
4. economic aspects
This theory is concerned with the molds which the Go
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