Wooster
82
Indeed
... but it happens more and more often to have 'tool' watches with a display back 
another tragic result of the eternal fight between sense and sensibility 
if the movement is well finished then yes, but there seem to be....
a lot of display backs just for the sake of it when the finish isnt particularly good. to be honest i dont think i own many watches without display backs(vintage pieces excepted). i do like the idea of Omega putting display backs on speedmasters even maki...
I always prefer display back
even if the movement is a basic movement and unfinished. Of course my preference would be to have a beautifully finished movement to look at, but either way, I don't discriminate against good or ugly looking movements Cheers, Anthony
I tended to prefer display backs pretty much across the board . . .
. . . until recently; I've come around to preferring solid backs for most standard production movements, as the view into an unexceptional movement strikes me as akin to a negligee on an unattractive woman . . . yes, it heightens the interest, but to what...
Minority report
No doubt whatsoever - in what matters display back choices, I'm in a clear minority To defend my case, Art's term is highly welcome - my Gestalt of a watch, as a highly subjective archetype of 'what a watch should look like', does not include the display ...
Maybe minority, but not alone.
I like watches with solid backs, both because in the case of sporty watches it doesn't make sense for them to be weakened by display backs and because most movements benefit aesthetically from being covered up. Also, a display back adds thickness, which i...
Solid
I am with you there. On a dress watch with an interesting movement...perhaps. On a supposed "tool" (oh how that name is annoying) it is a joke. Speedmasters with display backs? A "Moonwatch"?? A Panerai (or any other big tough 'dive' watch) with a display...
Yes if...
the caliber is interesting, with great finishings and if it's not too small for the case. Fr.Xavier
Really depends ...
If the movement is nicely finished, it may be nice to have a display back ... but it prob'ly wouldn't work for certain watches, e.g. anti-magnetic ones like IWC Ingy, etc.
