Roman numerals are the letter-based system of numbers inherited from ancient Rome, and in antiques they are best known as the hour markers on clock and watch dials. They also appear in dates on buildings, foundation stones, monuments, title pages and commemorative wares.
On traditional English and French clocks the hours are almost always shown in Roman numerals, often with Arabic numerals for the minutes on the outer track of earlier brass dials. A notable convention is that four o'clock is usually written IIII rather than IV, a long-established practice that is thought to give better visual balance against the VIII opposite. The style of the numerals helps with dating: early brass chapter rings have bold, finely engraved numerals with elaborate half-hour markers, while later painted and enamel dials show lighter, more regular lettering, and some late Victorian and Art Deco clocks abandon Roman numerals altogether. Collectors look for crisp, unrestored numerals, since poorly repainted dials or crudely re-engraved chapter rings reduce value. On architecture and monuments, carved dates in Roman numerals can help confirm the age of a building or fragment.
