Difference on actual product vs ad images

Why there is minute numbers around inside bezel on product pictures, but there aren't any on an actual product? That blank black space doesn't looks nice with a slimmer silver outside bezel. Display looks smaller that way and it just doesn't feel right. I rather see more rugged outside bezel, than unused space with already small display.

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  • If there for a function, why not visible in normal circumstances?

    Maybe there's 2 opposing design goals here:

    - the tick marks are there bc ppl want/expect them for their analog watchfaces, so they can eyeball exactly where the second hand is at any give moment. and also bc tick marks are seen as a normal thing to have on watches

    - the tick marks are subtle bc someone at Garmin thinks they look better that way

    My old 935 has tick marks that are maybe slightly fainter and smaller so I don't think it's anything new for Garmin.

    At first I thought my Forerunner 955 had no markings but they are faintly visible, only when the light is just exactly right.

    I can see the tick marks on my 955 in normal indoor light and they show up in normal photos too, although I admit they are pretty faint, and they do become harder to see when there's glare or when you look at the watch at the wrong angle.

    They don't seem to be quasi-invisible, as in some of the Fenix E pics in this thread.

    Here's a pic in normal lighting / no flash (tick marks clearly visible):

    And a pic in low light, no flash and night mode disabled (tick marks harder to see but still visible):

    I will say that the tick marks are very prominent (for the most part) in the outdoor pics from DCR's 955 review (in some of the pics, they're hard to see, even outdoors), and they're definitely more visible with brighter indoor lights.

    I'm kinda curious so I'll take a look when I run outdoors tomorrow. I have a feeling they'll be even more prominent in natural light.

    I don't have a Fenix E in my hands, but based on the OP's pic and the other pic in this thread, I don't think it's the same situation as 955 at all. Just taking a casual pic with my phone in regular indoor lighting (not too bright, no special light source, no zoom or macro), the 955's tick marks are clearly visible.

    (Yes, I realize a pic isn't the same as the subjective experience of looking at the watch, but since pics are being used to demonstrate the problem, I think it's fair to use pics to demonstrate that 955 doesn't seem to have the same problem, at least imo)

  • I can see the tick marks on my 955 in normal indoor light

    I didn't mean to say the 955 and Fenix E are the exact same in this respect, but thought the (seemingly absence of) tick marks on both looked the same in the pictures.

    This thread was the reason I started carefully looking for the marks on the 955 in the first place.

    But I do not have great eyes, so that must be it. For me the tick marks on the FR955 have too low contrast to see, unless under bright light at an angle. I think I will have to ask a younger co-worker if they can see them more easily.

    Edit: I took a picture of the watch and the marks are  visible, while I cannot see them at all myself. Must be some effect of the LED lighting although I cannot explain it. Outdoors I can see the marks in sun and shadow. 

  • I didn't mean to say the 955 and Fenix E are the exact same in this respect, but thought the (seemingly absence of) tick marks on both looked the same in the pictures.

    Sure I get it but my point was that not only could I see the tick marks on 955 (so my subjective experience is different than ppl's reports for Fenix E), the 955 tick marks are also visible in pictures (as you said) as opposed to Fenix E, where ppl have shown indoor and outdoor pics where the tick marks can't be seen.

    So clearly there's a problem with Fenix E, even based on the standards of 955 (and other watches), where the tick marks may be difficult to see in some conditions.

    I can also confirm that the tick marks are very easy to see in natural light, at various angles. Like MIP displays, I guess the tick marks are optimized for outdoor daytime usage.

  • It's a Fenix E, and as discussed in the thread, the logo and tick marks are only visible under bright light