Very insightful! Watch design is all about physics, and the horological (the study of time keeping) world is rather obsessed with over-complicated watches. An interesting side note: watches can display any information that varies linearly in response to time. For example, some watches have moon-phase complications, showing the current state of the moon, and some even keep track of constellations. Also, there is a very intricate watch complication known as a 'tourbillon' (French for "Whirlwind"), in which the balance-wheel/escapement assembly is mounted in a three axis rotating cage (think 3-axis gimbal), which reduces the effects of gravity on the period of oscillation of the balance wheel, creating a more accurate timepiece.
