Watches that look better in photos than in person?
Jun 5, 2020 12:25:13 GMT -8
SeikoSoMatic, l10n3l, and 1 more like this
Post by huangcjz on Jun 5, 2020 12:25:13 GMT -8
Which watches do you think look better in photographs than they do in person? Here are the ones for me:
MAWK 010 (6218-8970) - in theory I should love the twisted lugs, from photos, but in person, the case lines just seem too ill-defined and not sharp enough to me, especially from the side, but also from the front:
61GAW 010 (6146-8000) - it might have the quintessential execution of the Grand Seiko Style variant of the Grammar of Design, but the in-filled and faceted lugs just look too bulky to me:
51MW 010 (5106-7000) - the partially in-filled lugs make the case look too flat to me, and perhaps a bit neither fish nor fowl, though the lugs look from photographs like they should slope down more steeply than they actually appear to do in person:
38QRW-010 (3863-7000/1) - it has what appears should be a classic Grammar of Design case, but the case lugs just look too thin and slope down too steeply (which might be even more apparent from a side view than from a front view), perhaps due to being too short - perhaps due to the case being too thick? This makes the dial dominate rather than the case, whereas in my opinion, the case should dominate the impression of the design of a Grammar of Design watch. These later-design hands are unusual-looking, but perhaps a bit too short and stubby:
LBX110 (5216-7080) - again, what should be a classic Grammar of Design case, but something about it just doesn't do it for me in person - it just falls short of what my expectations were before receiving it, and looks plainer in person. Perhaps just a victim of my high expectations:
GSS (5722-9990) - from the front, the lugs just look a bit too bulky, and the case-lines are just not quite sharp/well-defined enough, on this very early, pre-Grand Seiko Style, Grammar of Design case:
56LMW 25石 040 (5606-7000) - Another what should be classic Grammar of Design case, but the faceted case just doesn't do it for me like I thought it would. Sometimes I think it looks nice, though:
83BA 27石 130 (8346-8000) - the case just looks a bit flat and simple to me, and not as interesting as I thought it would be, with the unusual lug design:
TDN010/LM36 23石 040 (5740C-8000) - it's nice, but just a bit conservative in design/not terribly interesting:
56LMW 25石 010 (5606-7010) - the case is just a bit un-interesting:
5626-7121 - again, well-executed, but not the most interesting case design. The vertical-striped dial is not my favourite - it's alright, and actually probably better in person for my taste than I thought before-hand, so this is borderline:
5206-6100 - a bit Marmite, perhaps depending on the mood I'm in, borderline:
83BA 27石 120 (8346-8030) - it's nice, and this is a fairly marginal and relative difference compared to my expectations before receiving it, but I surprisingly like the original execution of the design with a thicker case more. Perhaps a thicker case gives more material for the Grammar of Design to work with in creating and shaping its form. This later dial and hand design, although executed well, and better in a practical sense due to the central black lines enhancing legibility under more lighting conditions, just seems a bit too fussy and perhaps a bit over-complicated compared to the simpler original to me. The same goes for the thinner lugs, and the extra sharpness of the angles of the case:
(Admittedly, these are not the best photographs, since I am not the best at taking photos.)
And a non-Japanese watch for me is the NOMOS Orion - in theory, its minimalist style should be to just my taste, but it just looks too plain to me in person.
MAWK 010 (6218-8970) - in theory I should love the twisted lugs, from photos, but in person, the case lines just seem too ill-defined and not sharp enough to me, especially from the side, but also from the front:
61GAW 010 (6146-8000) - it might have the quintessential execution of the Grand Seiko Style variant of the Grammar of Design, but the in-filled and faceted lugs just look too bulky to me:
51MW 010 (5106-7000) - the partially in-filled lugs make the case look too flat to me, and perhaps a bit neither fish nor fowl, though the lugs look from photographs like they should slope down more steeply than they actually appear to do in person:
38QRW-010 (3863-7000/1) - it has what appears should be a classic Grammar of Design case, but the case lugs just look too thin and slope down too steeply (which might be even more apparent from a side view than from a front view), perhaps due to being too short - perhaps due to the case being too thick? This makes the dial dominate rather than the case, whereas in my opinion, the case should dominate the impression of the design of a Grammar of Design watch. These later-design hands are unusual-looking, but perhaps a bit too short and stubby:
LBX110 (5216-7080) - again, what should be a classic Grammar of Design case, but something about it just doesn't do it for me in person - it just falls short of what my expectations were before receiving it, and looks plainer in person. Perhaps just a victim of my high expectations:
GSS (5722-9990) - from the front, the lugs just look a bit too bulky, and the case-lines are just not quite sharp/well-defined enough, on this very early, pre-Grand Seiko Style, Grammar of Design case:
56LMW 25石 040 (5606-7000) - Another what should be classic Grammar of Design case, but the faceted case just doesn't do it for me like I thought it would. Sometimes I think it looks nice, though:
83BA 27石 130 (8346-8000) - the case just looks a bit flat and simple to me, and not as interesting as I thought it would be, with the unusual lug design:
TDN010/LM36 23石 040 (5740C-8000) - it's nice, but just a bit conservative in design/not terribly interesting:
56LMW 25石 010 (5606-7010) - the case is just a bit un-interesting:
5626-7121 - again, well-executed, but not the most interesting case design. The vertical-striped dial is not my favourite - it's alright, and actually probably better in person for my taste than I thought before-hand, so this is borderline:
5206-6100 - a bit Marmite, perhaps depending on the mood I'm in, borderline:
83BA 27石 120 (8346-8030) - it's nice, and this is a fairly marginal and relative difference compared to my expectations before receiving it, but I surprisingly like the original execution of the design with a thicker case more. Perhaps a thicker case gives more material for the Grammar of Design to work with in creating and shaping its form. This later dial and hand design, although executed well, and better in a practical sense due to the central black lines enhancing legibility under more lighting conditions, just seems a bit too fussy and perhaps a bit over-complicated compared to the simpler original to me. The same goes for the thinner lugs, and the extra sharpness of the angles of the case:
(Admittedly, these are not the best photographs, since I am not the best at taking photos.)
And a non-Japanese watch for me is the NOMOS Orion - in theory, its minimalist style should be to just my taste, but it just looks too plain to me in person.
