Numerals: Yay or nay?

It depends on the watch. Some watches look great with numbers  and some don't.  I agree with you that positioning is what makes or breaks it. The subset discussion is Arabic versus Roman numerals.  This mostly a Rolex thing. I haven't seen a whole lot of Roman numerals on dials for a while.  Maybe I'm not paying attention 

Size matters. big numbers are as bad as too many. They should only be for quick reference as everyone knows the time on them without the actual numbers

I don’t mind sparse numbering but am definitely a fan of markers rather than numerals. But… it depends on the design, the typeface and my gut reaction to that. For instance, I’m in love with this right now and I’m feeling weird about it. lol

I find it novel that I can tell the time on a watch, I want it as complicated as possible and with a manual to decipher the runes.

I have to agree with @TimeJunkie and @Watchme1 that it depends on the watch. I can't imagine this watch with numbers outside of the date window; it would destroy the aesthetic.

Numbers would clutter this dial.

But I can't imagine this dial,

or this dial,

without numbers. For some dials, I don't think it would matter, like this one.

I am not sure I think it would matter if there were just indices or the current arabics.

For some, I think the combination works, like this one,

and this one.

p.s. for the subset discussion referenced by @TimeJunkie, I only have a couple of watches with Roman numerals that I think look good.

Yes but also no.

I prefer numerals (full set if possible), usually makes it easier to read. But after purchasing the Mako I realized an all-indices diver probably works better as you're more interested in the minutes. Similarly for dress watches the slightly more difficult nature of telling the time works!

I agree with Droptuned83.

I prefer 3, 6, 9 dials and I hate it when the date window eliminates the 3.  

I recently returned a watch because I didn’t like the look of Arabic numerals on the dial. They were also imprinted on rather than placed which is my preference. I didn’t think I’d mind the numerals but I actually did.

For me it really changes watch to watch 

Context matters

I have a sinn 556i and love the look. the 556a looks awful to me

Same watch, but the arabics ruin the look for me.

On the contrary I have speedmaster 3513.82 and love what the arabics add to the look of the watch

Numbers can be as sexy as the curves on a woman's body. Breguet hands don't hurt either.

I like arabic numerals. Especially the styles from the 30s and 40s. That said, i have more watches without numbers than with. I recently decided my next watch is going to have numbers on the dial because of it.... 👍