Display Case Back: how much does this factor into your love for a watch?

It definitely helps but it’s not a deal maker/breaker for me   

I really appreciate a display caseback when the movement is attractive enough to be displayed. I had opted for the 3861 sapphire sandwich based on the display caseback, since it's a fairly nice looking movement. 

Negatively for me. Steel is more comfortable than glass, and tougher too. I basically never look at the back of any watch* and the only thing that really moves is the balance spring. That holds one's attention for all of ten seconds or so. Besides, with a bracelet you can't really see much without dismantling it anyway.

I've only got one, a Seiko 5, and I basically forget the back is glass.

*Well, wrist watch. The key wound pocket watch requires looking at the back to wind.

It has zero impact on my purchase choices. In fact I have twice opted for steel over glass for reasons of durability.

Indifferent bordering on negative when it cause the watch to be thicker.

I have one watch with a clear case back. It’s kind of cool for a minute, but as others have said, you can’t see it while wearing and after the novel wears off it’s only downside. makes zero impact to my buying decision. If a watch I like had one, cool, if it doesn’t, cool . The dial, comfort while wearing and looks on the wrist is so much more important 

It was a huge factor when I got into a hobby, to the point that I wouldn't consider buying a mechanical without an open case back.

Now, it's a pleasant surprise. I don't mind closed backs especially if they're undecorated.

How about you? Does a display case back factor into your watch choices?

It has and it will, but it's not a deal breaker either way. 

My most recent open caseback...

My favorite open case back...

I agree, also steel casebacks tend to make the watch thinner, which I also prefer.

Honestly I would rather have a steel caseback as the watch would be thinner than with glass.  I could see though that if I had a really beautiful movement inside the appeal of glass and maybe I would want that if the movement was really stunning. 

Not really but I have a couple of pieces with a display back,and occasionally I look at the movement doing its thing and imagine a little man lent over a bench putting all this together and making magic happen. Mind you one of mine is a seiko 5 so maybe I should think of a robot,but hey its nice to imagine and to see one in action...magic. But truth be told its never really factored in my choices.

I'm a fairly new enthusiast so it may change in the future but I definitely enjoy having a display caseback and prefer it over watches without, but they are not the majority factor in why I would get a specific watch.  I wear a garmin or casio for fitness/outdoor activities, so I see everything else as functional jewelry for the most part and having that display back adds a bit more of a hidden "sparkle" for me.

For me, nice display casebacks are still a treat, even after many years of collecting.  My favorite is still my JLC Master Geographic with the rose gold rotor.

I still geek out over this one.

But for the most part, I think they're somewhat superfluous.  A 4R35 movement is frankly not that good looking (even though the turning gears and balance wheel are still super cool).

Alway nice to see the movement of any watch via an openwork window.

I thought for sure that a display case back would make me more inclined to buy a watch, especially after my first mechanical was a Seiko 5 with an exhibition case and I found it fascinating at the time. But since then, I find it doesn't affect my choices whatsoever. Of the 11 watches in my collection, only four have a see through case back and even though my most expensive watch does have one (my Omega AT) and the movement is certainly well finished, I find that I almost never look at it. 

None of my three most recent purchases has a display back (Seiko Tuna, G-Shock and Citizen Promaster Orca). The two watches I'm hunting right now, one has a see through case back (Omega Seamaster 300m) and one doesn't (Grand Seiko SBGE 255). I am equally lustful of both.

I like display case backs. Even when the movement isn't decorated, I just enjoy seeing the machinery in there. Maybe it's partly nostalgia for the 80s and 90s when clear plastic devices that let you see the inner workings were totally rad. 

I find myself checking out the movements often (even in lowly Seiko 5s), and I also like the way glass sticks to the wrist and stays put sometimes better than steel backs.

I love it

Really don't care as I don't wear a watch face down so I don't see it. 

Seems pointless to me, but each to there own and if others like it then that's ok we are all different 

I have a mix, I do like certain some display backs, though the comments about thickness are true. I do not notice any other difference in comfort though; the case shape, weight, balance, and strap/bracelet determine that for me. 

It’s huge, but I have gotten used to the plain steel backs now. 

This is a family feud between my wife and I,  She like a solid back preferably with an Omega Seamonster or such engraved into it.  I on the other hand love to see the movement and the craftsmanship.  There is nothing like a carved rotor (see Rav's Zenith, Edge's JLC or the Ulysse Nardin) Watching the speed of the single directional train wheel of a spring drive or the uni-directional balance wheel on other movements.  It is also wonderful to see the levers pushing a column wheel on a chronograph.  

Non-factor for me, at the moment. But then again, the watches I have use Sellita or ETA movements, which don't really add to my enjoyment of them. If I was in the position to acquire a Lange or a Journe piece, then I would consider it a must.

I can stare at that movment all day

I think for the first watch you want a display case back, but as you become a seasons collector the charm fades.

Not a huge factor for me, personally. Just a design aspect at the end of the day that doesn't effect accuracy or wearing experience of the watch.

Funny that all my watches are with display case backs except one. Unsurprisingly, the one watch is also the one I wish had a display back.

Not to say that because a movement is expensive or nicely finished, that it NEEDS to be displayed, or a movement that's on the affordable end needs to be covered. E.g. Rolexes, Seagull's ST19. There are instances where are some movements that's finished so nicely, I'd be a shame to cover it up. In fact, I considered getting a steelback Nomos over a display back to save a few bucks... until I saw the movement and had to reconsider. 

Im personally new-ish to the hobby so the first few I wanted to have display case backs but now I find myself not that concerned about them until I purchase a more expensive piece. Thats a beautiful Stowa btw. 

If paid big bucks for a watch with a highly finished mechanism then I would want a display back just to see where some of the money went and to some extent marvel at what can be done with such small pieces of tricky to machine metal.

On a Seiko SNK809 with a 7S26 movement inside? Hmmm, not so much. I would prefer the reduction in the maybe half or one millimetre in thickness a steel back might offer, which makes me wonder if there is a steel back compatible with the SNK which does just that.

I’m a total sucker an open case back. 

None - I can‘t see it, it’s on my wrist, and I don’t wear my watch dial down.