Funny you should mention the Hamilton - I am planning on getting one for one of my children so will have a good look at the reflection you mention.

This is the only shot I have that shows the difference (in preparation for an SOTC post I'm going to do), but you can clearly see that the Hamilton is the weakest link (followed closely by the GShock, although that's partially due to a pesky screen protector that I have since removed). Note that the two "dots" you can see reflected in the Hamilton dial are two lights on the ceiling. They are off since there was enough ambient sunlight for the photo. But that's literally the ONLY dial that shows them.

Don't get me wrong....I ADORE that Hamilton dial when I can see it. But I feel that the designers didn't do it any justice by hiding it behind that particular crystal.

Even the $40 Timex in the front there is doing a better job of blocking reflections. Maybe it's just mine?  I don't know.  It's relatively high up in their lineup (42mm titanium), but perhaps my crystal missed the AR coating step during construction? Whatever the cause, it's disappointing and has me concerned about other brands/models in the future. At least I know to look for it now.

Thanks. It ain't lookin' good, is it? 😜  I'm even more worried that in a metro area as large as yours, you didn't get a single response. That doesn't bode well for me.

Ah well. I figured I'd give it a shot. Based on some of the comments I've seen, it looks like there might be a lot of people who just aren't into getting together. Which is cool. I'm not trying to take anyone out of their comfort zone.

Maybe if I ever fly through O'hare you and I can set something up. 😂

Softer materials cannot scratch harder materials through friction, and I'm not aware of any wood that is harder than any common watch metal (maybe Ironwood vs Bronze?). So I don't think you'll have to worry about scratches if you decide not to add fabric or leather.

That being said, I think fabric lining makes for a more "upscale" finished appearance, and it will certainly be quieter.

So wait... am I the only one that spends a couple of minutes each morning to wind every watch that I'm not going to wear that day?  😮  Granted, I don't have dozens of watches, but still... I thought that was standard operating procedure.

Honestly, it's kind of a self-limiting throttle on the size of my collection. 😂

Thank you! This is helpful for sure. I'm waffling back and forth because some of the photos I see aren't very good, even the ones posted on Stowa's site!

For example, these two concern me:

There's a significant difference between how dark the shadow (near the 8) is relative to the reflection of the sky in each photo. It reminds me of my Hamilton, although the contrast between the dial and indices helps the Stowa quite a bit over my Khaki field.  I guess I'm spoiled by watches like the SWC Bunker and Sinn 856, which have nearly "invisible" crystals.

In any event, I do think your photo helps swing me back toward getting one. I suppose I'd know within the first few minutes whether or not it meets my (admittedly stringent) desires.  This is definitely a brand that I wish I could find at a local AD rather than only online. I guess I'm just being picky. 😕

Again, thank you! It's awesome to have another example photo.

Wow.  It really is a different list of restrictions compared to the US (which is the only country I'm familiar with in regards to shipping).  That is fascinating stuff.

I wonder if FedEx has the same rules as UPS and Parcelforce for the U.K.?  They used to be the "Premium" carrier, but I'm not sure that holds true any more.

That list is things that they won't cover for damage, but they will still cover it for complete loss (see the first paragraph of the answer section of your first screen shot).

What's interesting is that the list varies quite considerably by country.  My guess is that it all depends on who has sued whom for what over the course of history in that particular location.

I think what they're saying is: If you ship any of this stuff and it breaks while in transit, it's your own fault for not packing it correctly.