[QUESTION] Sterile dials vs. custom logos — what do you prefer?
I’ve recently fallen pretty deep into the watch hobby — collecting, learning about movements, and starting to build a few custom watches for fun.
One design question I keep coming back to is whether a custom build is better with a sterile dial or with some kind of small custom logo / wordmark.
I’m not really interested in using logos or marks from established brands. I understand why people do that with certain Seiko mods, but that’s not really the direction I’m drawn to. I’m more interested in building watches that stand on their own as custom designs.
So I’m curious how people here think about dial branding:
Do sterile dials feel clean and intentional to you, or do they feel empty/unfinished?
Does a small custom logo make a watch feel more complete, or does it make it feel like a phony microbrand?
And if you’ve ever bought, built, or considered a hobbyist-made/custom watch, would dial branding make you more or less interested?
I realize this question is a little self-serving since I’m experimenting with builds myself, but I’m genuinely interested in the broader design preference here.
Thanks — would love to hear how people think about it.