Do you care about dial legibility?

[alphadweller]

Poor legibility at a glance due to a busy dial is a big minus to me. I sold two chronos mostly for that reason. Not ideal legibility due to lack of contrast is fine to me.

[jmassey215]

Still think this is the most symmetrical and iconic Rolex in the lineup. Easy to read and no cyclops in the way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Solo118]

I have owned many Daytonas since 2006, so most would say I am wearing a watch that is not legible. My eyes over the years just look at the hour/minute hands immediately so I would say it is totally fine!

[S.Explorer]

Yes apart from the DateJust or Day-Date where I like to have diamond hour markers for added bling.

[Mrhenish]

Originally Posted by PenDelicate

Are there perhaps two parts of this question?

There's legibility as in: can you read the time? At all. And for me: yes, I don't want a watch from which I cannot read the time at all.

But then there's legibility as a continuum and, "Do you gravitate towards only the most legible watches?" And for me that's a no. I went from a modern Sub to a 23-year-old Daytona, which is clearly a down-grande in legibility. Can I read the time on the Daytona? Yes. Is it as legible as the Sub? No. But that's not as important to me as wearing a Daytona.

Very well said and I completely agree. This is much more clear than my muddled attempt at it earlier so thank you and I agree on the Daytona.

[Beto737]

I like to tell time at a glance. I use my divers to time events or count down events like meetings or transportation times while traveling. Also, if time is of the essence, they need to be able to jump in the shower with me if need be!

My watches are useful tools to me. They need to be brawlers and be able to stand up to the hassles of travel and a little mistreatment.

[Devildog]

It depends.

My BB58 is extremely legible.



My 116509 is actually pretty good for reading the time, even with it’s highly reflective crystal.




But chronograph legibility is generally hopeless (unless in perfect light)



But I bought it because I love the watch. If I want an accurate automatic chronograph I’m buying a Zenith Defy El Primero 21 1/100th of a second, not a watch with 1/5th of a second graduations that beats 8 times a second…

My old 116515 with the chocolate dial was pretty, but practically useless as a device for telling the time. All RG hands on a chocolate dial was almost “what’s the point”

Not my pic but pretty accurate

[GONZO2LR]

Originally Posted by dba

Yes it does matter. That's one of the reasons I don't care for the Daytona. That and it not having a date function .

i agree too....

[Cwillis0001]

I do like being able to use my watch to tell time, so yes, legibility is important to me. It's one of the reasons I've always kind of gravitated towards divers.

[Meyrin]

A watch for me is for telling the time at a glance, and that´s one of the reasons I love my old 14060 Submariner. Even though the tritium lume is dead now the high contrast between the black dial, white markers and hands makes for good legibility, even in low-light. Even without wearing my reading glasses! So yes, I do care about legibility, a lot. That´s why I´d never buy a watch with a busy face, like a chronograph with tiny little sub dials...

[sevykor]

The older I get, the more important. Panerai is the ultimate in that category.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mdwsta4]

Originally Posted by boywithakoi

To me, dial legibility is a make or break factor. On the other hand, I have friends that don't even bother to set the time / date on their watch. To each their own!

I’m blown away at the number of people I come across in my line of work that wear extremely expensive watches that the time isn’t set correctly or they’re not even wound. They just wear them as jewelry

[HogwldFLTR]

As long as I can tell the time I'm happy!!!

[DoctorsOrders]

Definitely, first and foremost it's a watch. If I can't tell time on it then it's not serving its purpose.

[Pamfan]

Love this thread. I dumped a beautifully crafted Zenith carbon fiber Skelton because I couldn’t read the darn thing!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Whiteflashe90]

Originally Posted by sevykor

The older I get, the more important. Panerai is the ultimate in that category.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, if you have readers :(

[GGGMT]

Originally Posted by Kevin of Larchmont

Dial legibility is critical, especially as I get older. I need glasses for everything within arm’s reach and if I can’t read the time without my glasses then there’s no point in owning it.

This. Readability at a glance and at night and skiing and in the water and working and hiking etc is everything. Thus this:




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Nads786

Which watches do you feel have the best legibility for someone who is near sighted? I'm beginning to have trouble reading close distances.

Not 100% sure, but the Tudor Heritage Ranger may have the largest dial, and longest hands, that Rolex or Tudor has ever made. Case is 41 but the bezel is pretty slim.

[shedlock2000]

Legibility has become third on my list (next to durability and traveller’s gmt function).

I recently re-acquired a 116710 and it is a bit disappointing due to the lack of AR coating after a while with my Omega. The lack of AR coating and the sub-optimal lume makes it quite challenging to read at a glance, while the 2234.50 is much easier to read.

I did check out a 226570 white dial recently, and it was a significant improvement on the 116710, but lacked the third time zone functionality I need.








The 2022 root beer gmt is, I believe, fitted with the new AR crystal and it is a significant improvement on the 2014 116701.




The 116710 will be up for sale when it returns from RSC and I’ll source a 226570, I think — despite the lack of rotating bezel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pamfan]

Totally believe legibility matters. I sold a Zenith I thought was so cool as I could read the dial!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rolex1982]

Yes it matters to me. I know the Meteorite Dail has a reputation of not being the most legible but personally I can always see the time. And I love that meteorite. After two years I am still in the honeymoon phase.

[jlevitt9]

It’s a Watch, its number one purpose is to display the time effectively. If you can’t read it, there’s no point 🤣

Hence why I can’t get excited about the panda Daytona

[GoldenSub]

I love my daytona (126519). Mine is on oysterflex so I tend to wear it more as an everyday watch unlike some of my other precious metal watches. Having said that my eyes are not the best anyway and I can’t say I use the sub dials everyday I use it mostly for the basic time function. Saying that not having 100% clear legibility is a deal breaker in buying this watch would be extremely hypocritical of me because when I bought my Ferrari I didn’t ask how many miles it gets to a gallon even though that’s its primary function. Does one buy a Rolex Daytona or any high end watch to simply just tell the time? I know I didn’t. I bought a piece of Art Work

[John Doyle]

Nowadays most people wear a mechanical watch to show off / belong to a social group. Legibility doesn't matter much, just look at RMs - unreadable but oh so popular.
Personally it matters to me up to a certain extent.

[Watch-Geek]

Did someone say legibility....uncluttered dial...
20231224_111241.jpg

Sent from my SM-A415F using Tapatalk

[colonelpurple]

Originally Posted by rolex75216

I tend to gravitate towards the dials that are easier to read; however, some of the watches I like it is difficult to tell the time. Does dial legibility even matter if you really like a particular piece? I'm thinking it is something you can get used to.

it is very important, and led me to reject some rolex's I was offered, even one rare dial edition

[Andad]

For about 70 years have been checking the time on watches.

Some dials may take a split second more.

Should have gone to SpecSavers.

[KatGirl]

Is this a real question? How could you not care about being able to readily read the time? One of the reasons I added 2 Datejusts, is so I can actually read the date, with my aging eyes, utilizing the iconic Rolex cyclops. Legibility is very important, in choosing a watch.

Kat


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Rolexken]

Very important to me, I always choose a dark face and light hands.

[winst]

I find the Tudor Snowflake hands to be the most legible of any watches I’ve had including numerous Rolex Professional models. The BB Pro is particularly good due to the Matt dial, composite hands & indices. I think if I wanted super legibility the Exp II Polar would trump it but it looks a bit too big on my wrist.