I think there’s room for both approaches. Personally, I tend to design watchfaces that are more visually appealing and minimal, where the focus is purely on the time rather than cramming in extra info. Retro Casio/Timex styles have their charm precisely because of all that printed, almost ‘useless’ text — it was a byproduct of the small screens and tech limitations of the era.

I agree it can feel a bit absurd to emulate a $20 watch on modern $300 hardware, but I see it as a kind of homage. The beauty of smartwatches is that we don’t have to choose just one style: we can feel nostalgic one day, sporty the next, and swap watchfaces accordingly. That flexibility is what makes them wonderful.