Here's something to consider. Notice there's gradation on your background and also your subject. You go from lighter subject over lighter background to darker subject over darker background.
The convention when using a background with gradation is to reverse the two, place the lighter areas of the subject over the darker areas of the background and the darker areas of the subject over the lighter areas of the background. That helps with separation. Notice how the lighter areas of your watch are blending into the background.
I also find the background a little busy, competing for attention with the watch.
Karen ... diggin' the re-orientation.
Dmac, nice post ... your talkin' all 'analytical' to me ... diggin' it.
As to the light on light/dark on dark ... follows along with the fact that this was shot with the watch literally in contact with the "single" light source ... gridded/socked BD (sans reflecting plate) ... I was experimenting (as usual). The right side highlights are from a halogen shop lamp.
+1 @ blending vs. separation
+1 @ a touch busy BG
I thought about blurring the BG more, but I was kinda getting a "giant golf ball" vibe from it (mid-price watch/mid-price sport), so I left it a bit busier than I normally would. I could've kicked back some light onto the watch via reflector, but I was just "pushin' the envelope' to see how it would go.
One of my nits is the fact that while the grid is serving as the BG ... it is also showing up in the reflections on the bezel, etc.. I kinda dig the 'ripple' effect of it, but I'd still have to call it a "flaw" regarding control. Go figure, "who'da thunk it" @ direct contact with light source would have "issues".
