What's an absolute deal-breaker for you? The one thing that keeps you from buying a model you otherwise love?

Mercedes hands

Folded link bracelets

Absolute deal breakers for me

The only true deal breaker for me is size or complete lack of adjustability. If it's too big, or can't be made to fit, then I just can't wear it. Of course I have other preferences, but just about anything else can be worked with under the right circumstances.

I can make them so anything over $200.00 is a deal breaker.

Less than 100m of water resistance, and untill my kids are out of the break everything they can phase anything over 1000€ is out for me.

Probably integrated bracelets. I do keep a few watches on bracelets. But my general preference for quick change straps to have multiple options on a watch. Also, odd size lug widths. Obvious ploy to try to get customers to buy replacement straps through the brand, always overpriced.

Another vote for integrated straps/bracelets.

If I can't swap them out with reckless abandon the watch is dead to me.

Also overlapping subdials/scales that partially obscure other subdials/scales. I invite whoever came up with that idea,lo, so many decades ago,or his descendants, to pound sand.

And don't even get me started on pins and collars.

Pins and collar systems aren't a deal breaker but they sure as hell piss me off. Still remember my first encounter with them, Seiko Monster orange dial. Unparalleled cursing fit for over an hour.

Faux rivets on Tudor black bay bracelets.

That's it!

And yet another vote for integrated bracelets.

Nothing, fashion-wise, should ever have been allowed to escape from the 1970’s. 😊

Mercedes hands

Snowflake hands

Bracelets (integrated or not)

Chronographs or superfluous subdials (the dials always look too crowded for me)

Too big (>42) or too small (<38)

Gold and steel cases

Massive bezels on dive watches

Maybe sunburst dials, not totally sure about this one

Oh and also skeleton dials, not a massive fan either.

I've reached a point where I have the watches I need/want, so now I can be very picky.

My deal breakers in no particular order:

Non-sapphire crystals

No date/Poorly integrated date(has to match the aesthetic of the watch)

>42mm

>13mm thick

Roman numerals

Integrated bracelets

Seiko NH3X/Miyota 8000 series movements

Mercedes hands

Patterned/textured dials(looking at you Seiko/GS)

I'm sure there are a few more, but these are the ones at the forefront of my mind.

Size for me.

Price 😂

Personally (wrist just under 6’ in)

Case diameter >42mm

Case thickness >13mm

No sapphire crystal

Don’t mind quartz without the automatic movement, but wouldn’t spend over $150 for one.

I like Seiko’s as well, but can’t justify spending over $200 without a sapphire crystal

• PVD/dlc coating or whatever coating used to darken SS

• Even worse; SS crown/pushers made black on ceramic case watches

• pricey quartz movements

Dealbreaker for me is if it’s bigger than 40mm in diameter (with exception, G-Shock is still ok). I have a 6.5” wrist so larger than 40mm looks bad. I can’t grow my wrist (sadly) so that’s a dealbreaker!

Unreadable dials are starting to get on my nerves. I can deal with just about everything else. I want to be able to look at my watch and instantly see what time it is. I have a skeletonized watch that was given to me and I keep it because it was from my daughter. Aesthetically I like the idea but practically, I can't use it, I just have a hard time reading the time.

Low bar water resistants

Cyclops/candy bar magnifier

No lume.

Lug to lug exceeding 49 mm, ideal diameter sweet spot 36-40 but I'll go up to 44mm. Not counting chunky Casio's of course.

Price over a few hundred starts to get silly for a guy like me.

It's gotta be a dad watch in some way as well 😜.

AM / PM indicator.

watch thickness, 12mm seems to be my limit

lug to lug too long

case size 40mm - 36mm is my range

I prefer bracelet however I have made a few exceptions

I don't know much about movements but some are too noisy

I really don't like boxed crystal just adds unnecessary height

not a huge fan of high polished cases

For me it’s the too much literature on the dial like who needs to know “26 Jewels,” “Sapphire,” “Diashock” and etc. Why not put that on the caseback? Also watches that are too large 43mm and up for daily use unless they have an actual purpose like large pilot’s watches or a big diver.

What keeps me from buying a watch? Usually price, but my primary deal breakers are no hacking and a power indicator.

Too big case size!

90 click bezel 💩

Oh, why would anyone even think that is ok?! 60 or 120. Even 30 would be preferable to 90. Maybe 240 should be the new normal?

The biggest deal breaker for me is a 10 O'clock crown. I wear watches below the wrist bone and the angle of those crowns dig thru the skin on my wrist-knuckle.

My go to size is 39mm so I don’t want to go far from that if it’s 41mm or more than I just keep looking.

Roman numerals

Bad lume