Hi JGV
I reach my conclusions by looking at the ads I see in all the major watch magazines, word on the street, watch dealers, peoples wrists, etc. I must say formost however that liking how a watch looks, or anything for that matter is subjective and very personal and as such we all have different tastes. True, the watches auctoned off in Monaco were were one off unique pieces, but IMO reflect the general direction that the high end watch industry is going. Now whether or not the industry is pushing this on the public, or the public is clamouring for these products, I don't know. Time will be the judge of that. What I do know is that for me some of the watches do look rather ridiculous. On many it is hard to read the time and it seems the watch is meant as more of a fashion/status statement than as a timepiece. Years ago the Rolex Day-Date was considered a status symbol and was abhorred in some circles because of its heft and bulk. Today, though slightly changed, the watch has become more or less a classic superceded in size and girth by many of its brethren.
To clarify my earlier post, IMHO, either PP is catering to the crowd (for more market share), or to meet the demands put on it by its competition. It seems to me that they have also done that when they launched the Aquanaut and Neptune (in order target a new type of buyer). The current style changes and new entries in this case are being done to 'freshen' up their image/line among the new potential buyers. IMO, it is the person who already owns a few PP's, or has inherited a PP and knows the history of the brand that looks more towards the classicism of its products. Similar to Breguet.
With regard to the 5140, I do like the styling although I'm still wavering on the slightly larger lettering on the sub dials. On the otherhand, I do not like the overly large way in which the PP name is spelt on many of the new models, (similar to VC putting a large PT hallmark on their platinum dialed watches). Again, it is what the competition is also doing. Like others here though, I do consider the 5960P an abomination. Maybe it is a race among the watch companies as to who can be the most audacious. Maybe it is something that is short lived. Maybe I should begin that tradition which PP always talks about in their ads and hand down all my classic PP's to my son. In that way, clacissism can live on. Or can it? :>)
Don