8 REASONS WHY MEN WEAR WATCHES
Until the outbreak of World War I, wristwatches were considered a women’s accessory. However, in the heat of battle, soldiers found that they didn’t have time to look for pocket watches. Therefore, men’s watches became more prominent.
After the war, this new way of wearing a watch was adopted by civilians. Initially ridiculed by the public as a silly trend, men’s wristwatches soon became the norm, and their practicality made pocket watches obsolete.
Today, some might argue that wristwatches are out of fashion. After all, a cynic would ask why anyone needs a watch when they can easily check the time on their phone.
I disagree, and in this article I will list 8 reasons why you should wear a watch:
1. Watches are useful
2. Wristwatches are functional
3. Mechanical and quartz watches are reliable
4. Watches are a signal
5. They show your appreciation for craftsmanship
6. Watches are wonderful heirlooms
7. You can check the time while staying away from distractions
8. Watches give you a relationship with time
Watches Are Useful
Phones don’t keep you on time. Watches do.
“I don’t need a watch because I have a phone” is a common response from a generation that is now questioning the negative effects of constant cell phone use. The truth is, it seems hopeless to regularly reach for your phone in your pocket just to check the time.
A quick glance at your wrist during a meeting or gathering is a much more elegant way to check the time. Not to mention how rude it would look to your friends if you pulled out your phone during a conversation.
In other situations where it’s advisable to keep your phone hidden (like the beach, a funeral, or a wedding), checking the time is a much more subtle and useful way to do it.
Watches Are Functional
Some watches just tell the time, while others give you the day and date or allow you to set a timer. Every military-inspired product has a functional use. Wristwatches are no exception.
Wristwatches were first used by the military in the 19th century to synchronize maneuvers during wartime. Since then, specialized watches have been used by divers in the deep ocean and aviators high in the sky.
A complicated watch is designed with features beyond its basic function of showing the time. This type of functionality is called a complication. Two popular complications are the chronograph, which allows the watch to act as a stopwatch, and the moon phase, which shows where the moon is in the lunar cycle.
Watches Are Reliable
Whether you choose a mechanical or quartz watch, you can be sure it will work for years without needing maintenance.
The best watches don’t use the latest microchips. They are powered by innovative mechanical watchmaking technology that predates electricity. So when your phone battery dies – you can rely on the technology to keep working on your wrist.
One of the biggest advantages of a watch – especially over a smartphone – is how long it can last in the field. Many watches are built to be self-powered by movement or use a small amount of energy from a battery. Imagine years of maintenance-free timekeeping… compare that to the 8 hours of a smartphone!
When you need to keep track of something as important as time, you need a unique device to measure and manage it.
Watches Are Stylish
The range of acceptable jewelry for a man is limited. Many men will be seen with only three main accessories adorning their hands – a men’s watch, a stylish pair of cufflinks, and a simple wedding band if they’re married.
Wristwatches not only help users stay on schedule, they also make it easier to showcase their sense of style. They’re a form of self-expression; depending on the brand, they reflect hints of danger, adventure, and sport.
So how can a man get compliments on accessories? Watches can say a lot about the wearer’s personality. For those who prefer to avoid flashy flashiness on their wrists, purchasing a Rolex can be a way to accessorize with a simple, timeless, and incredibly masculine accessory.
As the saying goes – men look at their smartphones to find out what time it is, while men look at their watches.
Whatever you call it, one of the most important reasons to wear a watch is because a quality watch is like a man’s engagement ring.
Watches Represent Craftsmanship
A wristwatch is more than just a timekeeper. It is a symbol of tradition and history preserved in a piece of exquisite craftsmanship.
Many men are unaware that they are wearing a work of art on their wrist. In some watchmaking houses, four craftsmen work on a watch for months, creating intricate pieces of mechanical technology by hand.
A detailed work of art that is the pinnacle of human ingenuity and creativity.
An analog watch has a simple and consistent mechanism. The way it is expressed is where most of the creativity comes from. Watch design is inherently artistic. There are so many generic and uninspiring watch styles out there. The best things are beautiful, and how often do you call a tool beautiful?
The art on a watch can take many forms. The dial can be a literal painting, or the design of the device itself is pure art. For many, the watch mechanism is as fascinating as the dial and case.
Watches Make Great Legacies
A watch is not only the most basic gift, it is also the most basic legacy. No matter your philosophy on the end of life, we can all agree that people can live on through the memories of those who knew them.
Owning a watch from a different era is a way of remembering those who lived before you. Owning their timepieces makes you truly think of them. One of the best reasons to wear a watch is to continue a tradition. Take a watch from someone you know that has shown signs of use, care, and love, and wear it with pride.
A watch collection is also a legacy. It doesn’t have to be a mini-treasure — but passing on your watch(s) to someone you care about is essentially a way of passing on the values that are important to you to someone else.
Watches Prevent Distractions
The black dial and large hands of a pilot’s watch are designed to help the pilot focus and quickly access the information he or she needs.
When you look at your watch, you see the time — and nothing else. (If you’re wearing a pilot’s watch, you can see an extra time zone or two.) When you look at your phone, you see the time, a text message, Facebook notifications, a bunch of emails… and half an hour later you’re watching funny cat videos, completely defeating the purpose of checking the time. Don’t fall into this trap, guys. Check the time on a watch… not a time sink.
Also, you can check your watch without distracting other people. If you want to check the time in a meeting and you pull your phone out of your pocket in front of everyone… now the whole boardroom knows how bored you are. Not a good look in a professional setting, guys. You look pretty rude, not to mention disrespectful to the person speaking. A watch lets you discreetly check the time without signaling that you have better things to do.
Watches Help You Relate to Time
Since the days of the sundial (and probably before) – men have been obsessed with devices that measure time. They remind us that our time is limited.
Wearing a watch has had a positive effect on my attitude toward time. I am more mindful of how I spend my 24 hours each day.
Beyond the technical and mechanical intricacies of a watch, men are fascinated by these devices that claim to mark and control time.
There is a passionate community of watch enthusiasts who delve into the intricacies of watchmaking and collecting.
The only other obsession that matches this inanimate object is the male obsession with cars. A watch collection is much easier to maintain and less expensive as a hobby.