Open/See through caseback on Rolex...do you like it?

[MTdweller]

100% yes!

[Tridor]

Not a fan given the bland look of the movement. Also, I think a sapphire caseback likely is cheaper to produce than a full platinum one. Hence, Rolex cuts costs while making what appears to be an illusory "improvement."

[gnardex]

I like the see through caseback if there is something nice to see.
If below there is a 32XX caliber, I would not like it
but if below there is a 7140... it is really a good panorama to see!!!
so the answer is YES!

[pollux37]

Solid casebacks for me. It's nice being able to flip a watch over and admire the movement, but most of the time I'm looking at the opposite side. I've found that display backs tend to stick more on my wrist when it's sweaty too.

[S.Explorer]

Prefer the feel of metal casebacks too.

[kans86]

I prefer the feel of solid platinum. Not a fan of open caseback exceptnon dress watch.

[Jackie Daytona]

I don’t really like it on any sports model. I guess it doesn’t hurt necessarily, just a evolution of the brand from the more tool roots of many years past.

[sheldonsmith]

Like the exhibition caseback AND the engraved Geneva stripes to pretty up the movement. No other Rolex movement has engraved Geneva stripes other than this model (and movements on the Cellini line).

[destrodan]

I remember back in the day when collectors would argue about this topic just as see-thru case backs were coming into vogue. The introduction and stable mass production of sapphire glass made such case-back options feasible from a practical perspective. The younger forward-looking folks loved pulling out a loupe to check out the movement whereas older traditionalists thought see-thru case backs were gauche and for showing-off when quiet confidence was more apropos to haute horology.

A.Lange was one new manufacturer (with the help of IWC and JLC) that capitalized on see-thru case backs early on. Larger diameter watches were on the rise and A.Lange was generally starting from scratch since GUB and subsequently Glashutte Original were the true successors of the A.Lange of old that was merged into GUB shortly after WWII (although much of the A.Lange equipment was stripped and taken East or West after WWII).

Since A.Lange started almost from scratch, they took a risk and tooled their new movements to take advantage of trend by filling their watch cases with larger diameter calibers - beautifully decorated - and slapping on a sapphire case back. It's amazing now to think that the 38.5mm Lange 1 was thought 'large' back then. PP, VC and others generally weren't as keen in the early days - their movements, although tried and true and beautifully decorated - were often smaller in diameter to fit in the traditionally-sized 36mm or smaller watches. Retooling to produce moments to meet the fashionable larger diameter watch trend was a very expensive endeavor without knowing if the large-size watch trend was fashion, fad or here to stay. And a sapphire case-backs would show the smaller-diameter calibers. Even though these smaller calibers were still regularly superior to larger-diameter movements that started rolling out, it started to be considered 'lazy' watchmaking when there was this large 'spacer' in the watch to hold a tiny caliber - all to be seen with sapphire case backs.

Well, time proved the larger watch fashion was here to stay. And Lange did make a large splash in 1994 with collectors and with see-thru case backs.

The forward-looking (and larger diameter watch) crowd won the day as the older collectors dwindled out and more and more people wanted to see the movements that they paid so dearly for.

All of this said, I personally like the tradition of a solid case back for a mechanical watch and think it's great that Rolex has stayed true to tradition for so long, especially now that a see-thru case back can be had on the cheapest of mechanical watches. I plan to replace the sapphire case back on my 5320g when I (a) stop forgetting that I want to do this and (b) immediately afterward, have time to drive over to the AD to get it done. :)