I was meeting someone for lunch the other day when I reached into the breast pocket of my suit jacket and pulled out my BlackBerry only to check the time. There was a time (pun intended) when I felt naked without my wristwatch. Today, not so much. This made me wonder how many other people have stopped wearing a watch because they carry a handheld device?
Over the last decade, I can think of only two occasions when I went to work and forgot my watch. I wore my Raymond Weil “Tango” all the time. It was a gift from my in-laws when their daughter and I got engaged. Reliable. Beautiful and thin. I truly loved it. Today, I still have the watch but no longer have the wife. (Incidentally, it’s still nice to have something that I love which is reliable, beautiful and thin.)
But in my case I don’t think the BlackBerry was the cause. I think I stopped wearing my watch when I started using a laptop as I found the band was cutting into my wrist and was interfering with my typing. Coupled with some older shirts with French cuffs that were getting too tight in the wrist, and it was just plain uncomfortable.
And much in the same way as a new generation of kids only knows cameras with a screen on the back, downloading mp3s and not CDs (or 33s!) nor the sound of a Smith Corona, I wonder if they will stop wearing watches one day? If all they know are BlackBerry devices, iPhones and mobiles, and see the time on the digital tv box and the microwave, then why would they ever start wearing a watch?
Remarkable co-incidence as I have stopped wearing a watch recently, relying on my iPhone to tell the time.
Like you Trevor, I used to have that feeling of nakedness – with one exception. I never wore a watch when I was on holidays, that was part of the relaxation – not being disciplined with time.
Perhaps we shall become trend setters!
Amazing how things change, but I don’t see anybody passing down a Blackberry or an iPhone as a family heirloom.
Nice post…and coming to think of it, I wear my watch on and off myself, and go for days without a watch, without noticing and even without feeling naked, as there is always a watch somewhere around: laptop, mobile phone, office wall, car, radio…practically everywhere. Well, almost, because sometimes you are in a situation when every second counts, and I have usually found a wristwatch to be more accurate in those circumstances.
Anyway, speaking of watches, while I’ve had many different kinds and brands, over the years the only wristwatch I enjoy wearing is a Mondaine. Simple and beautiful
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Follow up 2015
I overheard some people talking about the new Apple watch which made me think of this post I wrote 4 1/2 years ago. Over the last couple of years I have become a bit of a fanboy when it comes to watches and now rotate daily about 5-6 from Seiko, Hamilton, Tissot and Citizen. and I have a long list of expensive watches I would love to own (Omega Speedmaster and no fashion watches please).