Watches others love…that cause you to scratch your head

You’re right: Genta designs, not the man himself.

I feel mixed on these: I agree, most look ugly and over-the-top. But there is something cool about seeing how all those little parts work together, without having to flip the watch over (exhibition back). Also, I do appreciate the hand-work involved. Not sure I would buy one, though…

Also why I like to see a well decorated movement through a display back.

The speedy 125 and the later case shapes are definitely watches that I disliked at first but have been growing on me. They communicate something like: "I'm not here to be pretty. I'm here to do a job on time and on spec." - which is an attitude that I identify with personally on account of my looks.

Before responding, I went and took a peek at many skeleton examples and the ambient sentiment here on the thread is accurate, I think: they are busy, distracting, and gaudy.

The only redeeming quality I can find is my appreciation for the handiwork involved. Otherwise, yes, a pass…

One thing to keep in mind is what you don’t like today, you may like tomorrow. When I joined OF, I was here for Constellations and Constellations only. I thought the Speedmaster was hideous. I hated orange anything. Now I have two Speedmasters and a lovely orange Planet Ocean.

I don’t think I’ll ever like skeleton watches though as they fail the functionality test.

Next up for your consideration: the Tourbillon. A centerpiece trumpeting an exciting horological innovation, or a unaesthetic intrusion into what could be a desirable watch?

For whatever reason, the C-case is the first Constellation that really sang to me when I showed up here and got exposed to more than just pie pans. After seeing a few examples I just had to have one and quickly made it happen. It also helps they tend to be a bit more affordable. Although with a service and an added bracelet I’m pretty deep into mine. I find that I am drawn to all C-case watches. Love the case shape and comfortable on the wrist. I’m definitely part of the cult.

Skeleton watches were oh so popular in the 1990s.

It is hard to contemplate how little watches were regarded then. Sure you had the collectors. Most of whom had been around a while and had everything.
No one at Apple or any related High tech company I worked with had any interest in watches. Altough such things were given out at trade shows and sales incentives. (I think that was more 1980s though.)

Skeleton to me make me think of the worst of the 1990s. Tourbillons are academically interesting. I think the old guys liked them as it was something new and unusual. Henry Freid wanted me to make a computer model of such. When he passed on there was not much incentive.

I got into pipe organ stuff and used the CAD programs to scan and make models of those items. I did make some models of the Jaquet-Droz automaton. It takes quite a bit of time to enter the data. I also got off onto a wild tangent with computer vision and photogrameritry. Recovering depth models from stereo pairs (multiple views) is basically a form of AI. Machine vision has been a research subject for 40 or 50 years. The only diffrence now, is one has terribytes to play with, so the brute force methods seem to produce interesting results.

The younger guys closer to my age were more interested in their investment portfolios and retirement accounts. They tended to want something no one else could have. There was also a lot of parroting of dogma. I personally never understood why railroad grade pocket watches were valuable, and Turnips run of the mill, only suitable for skeleton art projects. The over indulgence of the love of rolex leaves me cold and unfeeling.

One could see similar attitudes between Micro$oft and Apple. People were betting on the latter to fail. M$ to me was like the fast food of computers. I tended to prefer Burger King and Wendy's to Mc Donalds. (Did a blind market study taste test once and they all taste pretty much the same.) On the other hand if someone says they do not like the taste of such, they are probably lying. They are designed to taste good in an average sort of way.

Tastes do change. I did not like my C cased Connie for years. Keeping it more in case an opportunity for trade came along. Which never did It is gold capped and gold is not my color. Now I have warmed up to it and find it's merits to be much more entertaining.

Now a plastic watch with toy gears on the other hand ...

I don’t know… seems pretty understated to me



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