Writing on the dial... when, if ever, is it okay?

Gents,
I was enjoying pics of a tourbillon today, when the whole spectacle was ruined by A BUNCH OF WRITING ALL OVER THE DIAL.
I am of the school that even the word 'automatic' is pushing it. But it occasionally balances a dial nicely, this one word. I'm guessing back in the day, to 'announce' the function of the movement was necessary... to know what you were getting into. Then, as the years went on, the word CHRONOGRAPH started popping up all over the place on dials... Somehow, this crosses the line for me (although there are exceptions). I just do not understand the need to explain what a watch is, when you can see what it is (an automatic you can not see, at a glance.) Finally, these tourbillons with writing in a circle on the outline of the entire dial, explaining 'dead seconds this and that, etc etc, etc.' is completely baffling to me. Why would I ever want this unnecessary description? As a collector, it's not needed--nor can it possible impress the layman, who has no idea what a dead seconds is anyway! I find all this writing to be a genuine dealbreaker for me. I like purity. Simplicity. Modernity. But not necessarily un-complicated watches. I love chronographs. I love perpetuals. Especially with the moon at 12, like IWC. I love moonphases, especially Lange... so this is not 'against' complications... well, anyway...
If I could I would erase these descriptions--all of them! I do not write '5 Fingers' on my hand! This message has been edited by Mostel on 2009-12-06 17:38:19

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Completely Agree, Mostel

By: BDLJ : December 6th, 2009-17:48

KIll off "Reserve de Marche", "Tourbillon" often placed around the exposed cage - what else would it be? The only acceptable ones are "Chronometre" and even then I only like it on vintage pieces. Depth rating is OK (when it's not some stupid depth and act...

I also agree

By: dedestexhes : December 6th, 2009-23:21

Often, it just distracts from the overall picture and it doesn't give any valuable info as the owner probably knows what he wears . Sometimes, like you pointed out, it is nice to balance a dial. As we have seen with some pieces (Ochs & Junior), no wri...

I also have a fairly narrow view

By: JDowning : December 7th, 2009-02:42

If the watch has a solid case back I can see the argument for having "Automatic" on the dial as a reasonable person may not know it is automatic, especially if buying the watch a couple of decades after it was produced. I have a harder time accepting: - C...

Agree, but not on 100%

By: AlexKutkovoy : December 7th, 2009-10:20

A agree for "simple simplicity"... That is really good working method for desining a watch. And I really appereciate it. But sometimes "overlettering" have sense. "Overlettering" is very destructive for dial design when designer is losing taste and put le...

Rolex--no way to explain why--is an exception

By: Mostel : December 7th, 2009-18:16

I can't tell you why it does not bother me on Rolexes... but it doesn't. IN fact, as I've said 1000 times, my favorite casual watch is my Sub LV. Maybe because this sort of writing is 'very Rolex'?

Complete De-Badging

By: gweilgi : December 7th, 2009-16:53

is my ideal. All the writing on the dial not only distracts from the design or even reduces legibility, in many cases it seems to me a sign of insecurity: we're not 100% sure that people recognise our product, so we had better spelll it out for them. IMHO...

Insecurity--indeed!

By: Mostel : December 7th, 2009-18:19

I have to agree!!! But I once mentioned this about a specific brand and got FLAMED in a big, big way. No one wants to think their favorite watchmaker is insecure and needs to write 'Muscles' on his biceps! (I totally, utterly agree with you!!!) But again,...

Ah...but there r anomaly

By: lien : December 8th, 2009-22:19

Normally, i totally agree with uall on this as i too prefer discreet Armani style over flamboyant Versace. However, a little while ago i have fallen in love with perhaps the mother of all sin and did struggled... pic curtsy of Kong then i was secured enou...

An example of de-badging.....

By: MTF : December 7th, 2009-18:56

What do you think of the de-badging? Right: Original St Gallen Disinfectable Rescue Left: De-badged PuristSPro All-Black Rescue (PPro ABR) Also changed yellow to green safety zone, all-red luminous seconds hand, stealth black SuperLuminova PPro logo at 6 ...

I definitely prefer the one on the left.

By: Mostel : December 7th, 2009-22:31

Now can it be this easy with.... "Insert Over-badged Brand" here???

I have nothing against a light Writing, like the Brand, for example.

By: amanico : December 7th, 2009-23:11

If it is not too visble, and if it is not located in a stupid place. As we speak about Writings, what about a sterile one? No marking at all, nor on the dial, nor on the case back... Best, Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-12-07 23:1...

Is that a (forgive my ignorance) Rolex?

By: Mostel : December 8th, 2009-08:33

Funny, Rolex would look naked without the writing. Thanks Nicolas!

No, Mostel..This is a Benrus Type I so called Sterile because of

By: amanico : December 8th, 2009-08:38

The total lack of writings... A very special watch, used by the Navy Seals in the 70ies. Best, Nicolas

Well, I prefer a light writing on the dial....

By: E.J. : December 8th, 2009-00:48

I don´t understand the "books" writted in the dials, as happen in Rolex, for example. In Rolex I prefer the No Cosc models because the writings on the dials are no so "heavy". In general, I don´t like the extremely writted dials. Less is more, I think... ...

Love that watch!

By: Mostel : December 8th, 2009-08:34

For the reasons mentioned and just about every other reason!

I also thought about the Cali, Emilio. Nice example!

By: amanico : December 8th, 2009-08:36

This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-12-08 08:38:40

i do agree too

By: aldossari_faisal : December 8th, 2009-11:18

i do agree with you about how writing sometimes on the dial creats a whole lot of mess, a non balanced look, on the other hand its true, a word or two on a dial wont pull someone trigger to gain knowldge in watchmking world, though it would for some but n...

I happen to like

By: aaronm : December 8th, 2009-17:50

Breguet's use of the watch number on the dial, a nice little retro quirk. I don't mind a small "product line" nameplate, like the "ingenieur" at 6'oclock on the IWC or the "Delphis" on the Chronoswiss, nor a small indication, like the "Return a vol" on th...

I'm definitely not against the NAME of the watch on the dial

By: Mostel : December 8th, 2009-18:43

good point! I love the Ingenieur logo on the dial--I remember one old review of the original Inge--and it said that the name Ingenieur on the dial gave the watch its 'joie de vivre' and I could not agree more. I am 'mixed' on putting a number on the dial-...

A time and a place...

By: andrewG : December 9th, 2009-03:20

...my own preference is dial as plain as possible. I like large areas of simple colour, broken up by centre seconds, or the motion of hands. However this can lead to very formal ridge designs. How to add variety? The purist way is probably with a complica...