I have a steel one - pictured here from last week. There is also a Titanium version with black dial that is simply amazing - you can find a ton of photos and info in the archives using the search (magnifying glass in upper-right of screen) and search on GST Perpetual...
Actually, your perceived "downside" is one of the best, most technically advanced features if this perpetual calendar module. There are no recessed setting buttons because all of the complications are integrated, and mechanically pre-programmed. You simple advance the crown and all the functions - day, date, month, moon phase and year will all advance accordinging. You do not need to figure out what the phase of the moon is, or whether it's FRI the 27th or 26th? If you don't wear it for a while - just click
the crown forward until you reach the currrent date and you'll see all the the functions advance automatically.
My tip is to first ensure the watch's date is not advanced manually when the time is between 10:00pm and 2:00am because the perpetual calendar's date advance is engaged - so I will advance the time forward, past midnight - until the watch reads 3 or 4am and the date has advanced. Then I push the crow in to date advance mode and click it forward to the current date.
