What’s everyone’s opinion on power reserve indicators?

I’m a fan if power reserve indicators. This might be helped by the fact that I like a busy dial that shows quite a lot, but I find them quite useful. I know that one of the issues Grand Seiko enthusiasts had with some of the older models was that it had a power reserve and I was just wondering if that’s because those Grand Seikos were very dressy and people felt it spoiled the minimalist look or are power reserves actually unpopular.
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I think a power reserve is cool if it looks nice on the watch. So for Orient Star watches, for example, it's such a huge part of the brand identity that it can't be taken away. But for a watch that would look just fine without one, I'd go without it. There's no utility for me in it as I tend to reset my watches to exact time at the start of the day and I give it a few winds while I'm at it.

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A power reserve indicator is a complication I would to check off my list ☺️. It’s kind of cool to know how much reserve is left in the tank. Especially when you see the gauge power up while it’s being wound.

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Practically speaking very helpful. Perhaps putting them on the back like Grand Seiko does on some of their watches. 

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sportello

I think a power reserve is cool if it looks nice on the watch. So for Orient Star watches, for example, it's such a huge part of the brand identity that it can't be taken away. But for a watch that would look just fine without one, I'd go without it. There's no utility for me in it as I tend to reset my watches to exact time at the start of the day and I give it a few winds while I'm at it.

Fair enough. I can see that if you reset your watches every day then a power reserve indicator might not be that useful. Like the Orient Star indicator smile. 👍

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C. It's nice to have, but I usually don't mind if it's not there.

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CJHDC91

A power reserve indicator is a complication I would to check off my list ☺️. It’s kind of cool to know how much reserve is left in the tank. Especially when you see the gauge power up while it’s being wound.

100%. My ECA (shown in the picture) is a watch that never goes on a winder because of this. 

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michaelwatches

Practically speaking very helpful. Perhaps putting them on the back like Grand Seiko does on some of their watches. 

That’s a good compromise I haven’t seen a power reserve indicator on the back yet. I’ll have to check it out. 

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If done right - I'm onboard. Here is an example. The ALS 1815 Up/Down is probably the perfect design with an PR-indicator on the dial. 

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loevhagen

If done right - I'm onboard. Here is an example. The ALS 1815 Up/Down is probably the perfect design with an PR-indicator on the dial. 

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That’s some great design thinking with making the watch look like a chronograph. ALS aren’t my cup of tea but you can’t deny the intelligence of their designs. 

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I think it can add to the design. With the older GS watches I feel they spoke to showing the Spring Drive worked well when it was new to most people. Part of their story. Now less needed and part of the design or not, depending on the watch. Same with others, some early Citizen EcoDrives had one, for similar reasons. Others like some Orients, ALS and other German brands its part of their design ethic. So I like it if it’s part of the story or design. 

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I subscribe to what the guys also wrote here, if well considered I’m in, and on some watches having it visible on the movement side could be  great.

Your ECA is a great example of power reserves done right. I love the brand and what he does. Their latest release, the Poseidon, is a watch I truly love to get.

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The functionality is appreciated the design implementation less so on mechanical watches.

Digitals are different obviously. The power reserve indicator is there only to remind me that I'd better put the watch in a sunny spot sometime in the next week.

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Not for me. Not useful (at least as I’ve seen it done so far). Less is more. If it must be present, please put it on the back along with the prettiest possible presentation of the movement.

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Da_Dutch_Collection

I subscribe to what the guys also wrote here, if well considered I’m in, and on some watches having it visible on the movement side could be  great.

Your ECA is a great example of power reserves done right. I love the brand and what he does. Their latest release, the Poseidon, is a watch I truly love to get.

Agree completely and I also really like the Poseidon. It’s just a little too close to my Calypso for me to get it. 

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Catskinner

The functionality is appreciated the design implementation less so on mechanical watches.

Digitals are different obviously. The power reserve indicator is there only to remind me that I'd better put the watch in a sunny spot sometime in the next week.

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I hear that. Unfortunately here in Sweden the winter makes finding a sunny spot a bit difficult. I’m going to have to invest in a uv light. 

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I love the PR on my Northflag. IMO it balances well with the date window on the other end. I also don't mind the PR on my GS which is on the same plane as the dial unlike later models which are recessed.

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rodeenski

I love the PR on my Northflag. IMO it balances well with the date window on the other end. I also don't mind the PR on my GS which is on the same plane as the dial unlike later models which are recessed.

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They both look great. 👍

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Matt84

They both look great. 👍

Thank you sir. I guess PR's really just depend on their execution and how it affects aesthetics of the dial. 😉

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I love power meters on the back of the watch not on the front.

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Love the idea, but the execution of most is severely lacking. 

Almost always, they look like the marketing team told design "We need a power reserve indicator on the watch; don't care where. Just make it happen."

And then they marketed the abominations right past final approval. 

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I'm not original in hating ugly ones, loving the clever and well thought out ones.

I'm surprised to see that people seem to have the exact opposite view of their use to my understanding. IME, if you're uncertain how wound a hand-winder is, you take it off and wind it. Now it's fully wound. Done. I overwound my first hand-wound watch because I lacked routine, got sick of it dying, and tried to crank it with every bit of winding it would take (instead of stopping at first resistance like a sensible person). I'll have to watch that video above, as I currently think that overwinding is only possible via hamfisted abuse.

With a piece of crap like my Seiko 5, an automatic that can't be hand wound, who the hell knows if it's on it's last breath or fully wound? It's Schroedinger's cat without a power reserve indicator. It's scary, like when I had a motorcyle with no fuel gauge or light, and a broken odometer. But at least then you could pop the gas cap and take a look. I lack the skill to visually assess the state of spring winding beyond whether it is stopped or not.

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I like complication, seconds, small seconds, chrono moon phase and so on.  I have seen some lust worthy dials and some dogs breakfasts. I think Grand Seiko struggle with this one. the are partial dial masters, they go to all the trouble of making a texture or colour that we all like then they slap it in a weird location. There are innovation 2as of doing this however it seems beyond them so their answer to to put it in the rear which works. Then again I don’t seem to mind this where they have 5 complications on show.

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Depends on how it's integrated into a particular design. If well, it's welcome. If not, then not.

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Markell

I like complication, seconds, small seconds, chrono moon phase and so on.  I have seen some lust worthy dials and some dogs breakfasts. I think Grand Seiko struggle with this one. the are partial dial masters, they go to all the trouble of making a texture or colour that we all like then they slap it in a weird location. There are innovation 2as of doing this however it seems beyond them so their answer to to put it in the rear which works. Then again I don’t seem to mind this where they have 5 complications on show.

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I really like that one. But as I said I’m a sucker for a busy dial and like you I like my complications. 

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I think it was said earlier but I’ll charge anyway. I want at least one watch with this complication but don’t need it on everything. 

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I think is a cool feature there been a few times in the past when I put on a watch on a unexpected moment the battery died out. I have a lot now which I don't mind I always have back up thank God for solar/eco drive watches very unique. Its alway good to know easy to tell.

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Only have them on my Grand Seikos and I love them simply because I find them incredibly useful. Never thought of them in terms of aesthetics, they dont bother me. The busiest GS dial I own is that of my SBGE253, and the pw fits just right.

What the Seiko corporation has done (havent seen it on GS yet) is the pw indicator on the caseback, but you've gotta go Credor for that. So tasteful.

But again, my watch rotation is such that it doesn't really warrant watch winders, yet I love keeping track of what's left so i dont have to reset date, GMT, etc.

The only box on my watch checklist is on-the-fly adjustments for bracelets, but if i had to (nit)pick a second it would be it. 

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Maybe it’s because I rotate watches often and none of my watches have the modern super long power reserves (i.e. over 60 hours) whenever I put a mechanical watch on, I’ll set the time and wind it a bunch just in case. I mean, it doesn’t take that long—what’s the hassle? 

I still think the PR indicator is cool, but practically, I’m winding them every time I put a watch on so that the information is mostly irrelevant. 

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ezpzCA

Maybe it’s because I rotate watches often and none of my watches have the modern super long power reserves (i.e. over 60 hours) whenever I put a mechanical watch on, I’ll set the time and wind it a bunch just in case. I mean, it doesn’t take that long—what’s the hassle? 

I still think the PR indicator is cool, but practically, I’m winding them every time I put a watch on so that the information is mostly irrelevant. 

I think I’m mostly in line with you is it essential no. Is it fun and do I like it? Yes. 

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Put it on the back of the movement like with the new Grand Seikos, such as the Omiwatari.