Wristwatch is becoming an important item for most people nowadays. If you look on the street, you’ll see a lot of people wearing a wristwatch despite the prominent use of smartphones.
So why should anyone wear a wristwatch? These are the 13 reasons why everyone should wear a wristwatch:
- Convenient to tell time
- A great fashion accessory
- Helps to be punctual and aware of time
- Give credibility and professionalism
- Stops from being too dependent on smartphone
- A functional tool
- To appreciate the craftsmanship on a watch
- Can be a conversation starter with fellow watch fans
- To casually show wealth
- Can be a handy personal compass
- Collecting wristwatch is a fun hobby
- A good investment
- Sign that you’ve reached adulthood
1. Convenient To Tell Time
The first and foremost reason why anyone should wear a wristwatch (at least according to me) is to tell time conveniently. True enough, smartphones are more useful than a watch because it has various other uses such as a communication device, connected to internet, apps, taking pictures and can also show us time.
So with all of these functions, why should anyone with smartphone wear a wristwatch?
The reason is that it’s much more convenient to tell time with a wristwatch compared to a smartphone. With a wristwatch worn on your wrist, you only need a simple flick to peek at the watch to tell time. This is a much easier compared to a smartphone, where you will need to unlock it first to see the watch.
And since smartphones are not always with us (usually on the desk or inside our pocket), the act of reaching out to it is another additional step. In terms of efficiency and convenience, a wristwatch is definitely a better choice to tell time.
Another thing that I want to highlight is that you can wear your wristwatch everywhere even to outdoor or water activities – with the right watch of course. Some watches are designed for outdoor activities with water resistance rating which means you can wear it and able to tell time even in the outdoors, which is quite impossible for a smartphone.
2. A Great Fashion Accessory
If you’ve seen a captivating poster ad about a watch featuring handsome/beautiful models, you’ll surely understand how stylish a watch can be. And this is definitely true because a wristwatch is a great fashion accessory that can easily elevate your style.
This is especially true for guys that don’t have much accessory choices in the first place. While there are many accessories that they can use (rings, ear rings, bracelet, etc.), an average guy might not have the inclination to wear it which is why a wristwatch is the perfect accessory for them.
With that being said, I must highlight that you still need to choose the correct wristwatch depending on the occasion or else you will be seen out of place. For instance, a dress watch (such as the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time) is perfect for occasions such as a wedding where you will want to dress up with your most good-looking watch. In comparison, simple yet stylish Seiko SARB033 can be the best companion for a corporate event where you will want to look dapper without attracting much attention to your wrist.
And personally, even though G-Shocks is a great value for money watch, I don’t think it’s a good wristwatch to be worn to an office work (though many people might disagree with me lol! Comment below if you think this is not true).
3. Helps To Be Punctual And Aware Of Time
I’ve started wearing a watch a few years after I’ve had a steady job and I can definitely say that it had helped me to become punctual and always aware of time (and apparently some study have shown that this is indeed the case with other people). Before I started wearing a watch, I mainly used my phone or wall clocks or my laptop to know what time it is. While this method is OK, I still found myself to be tardy for some of my meetings.
When I started wearing a watch, I realized that I’ve become more punctual and my tardiness reduced significantly. I’d say the reason for this is that wearing a wristwatch is a way more convenient method of telling time. It had helped me to always be wary about time and as a result, become more punctual in my daily lives.
4. Give Credibility And Professionalism
“Never trust a man who doesn’t wear a watch”
I’m sure you must have heard this saying before. While I don’t exactly agree with it (as people that don’t wear a watch can also be trustworthy, and there are many fraud cases involving people wearing watches), it is without a doubt a fact that wearing a wristwatch will help to give a sense of professionalism and credibility to you.
I’d like to believe that this is that that most of the professionals and high ranking people (either in private or public entities) all wears a watch and not wearing one will show that you’re not one of them and don’t have the necessary skills that they need. After all, birds of a feather flock together and wearing a watch will definitely help you in getting that prized promotion.
In addition, a work suit without a wristwatch on either hands is sorely lacking and seems incomplete. So guys, if you want to look more professional, consider getting a wristwatch. And no, you don’t need to buy an expensive Omega or Rolex. Just get one that is good enough to be used while still looks stylish and dapper (check out my list of the best affordable automatic watches for some inspiration).
5. Stops From Being Too Dependent On Smartphone
The next reason why you should get a wristwatch is to reduce dependency on smartphones. Phone addiction is a real thing and is negatively affecting the lives of millions of people in the world. This addiction stems from the prolonged usage of smartphones for whatever reason (social media, games, browsing internet, watching videos etc.) and is one of the things that I’m actively trying to avoid.
And here is where a wristwatch can help with phone addiction. When you wear a watch, you will have one less reason to look at your phone as you can easily tell time by looking at your wristwatch. If not, you will be looking at your phone all day long.
For me, I personally love the fact that I don’t have to check out my phone to tell time when doing work. Prior to wearing a watch, I used my phone as a watch and when I unlock it to see what time it is, I will be looking at all the notifications from various apps on my phone. This reduced my productivity as I found myself checking my phone all day long.
By the way, wearing a wristwatch also have the added advantage that you’re not at the mercy of your phone, specifically your phone’s battery. Most phones don’t have a good battery and if it turns off at the end of the day, there goes your watch with it. Thus, wearing a wristwatch will ensure that you can still tell what time it is even when your phone is not working.
6. A Functional Tool
Besides being a timekeeping tool, there are other types of watches that can do more than that. For instance, the dive watch is a classic watch that has water resistance and built more robust than normal watches to withstand forces impacted on it. These makes dive watches a good candidate if you want to wear your watch for diving or outdoor activities.
There’s also the chronograph which is a stopwatch. It’s a very useful watch whereby you can keep track of anything that you want to such as the time for a F1 sports car to finish a lap, how many minutes have elapsed since you started baking and others. The modern wristwatch with quartz based movement is more functional in which it has sophisticated functions such as alarm clock, timer, back light, time zones and others.
While most of the watches in the market only tells time, there are other watches out there with a wealth of functions that will make your life easier.
7. To Appreciate The Craftsmanship On A Watch
Although you can’t really appreciate anything from a cheap China-made watch, more expensive watches with stainless steel casing is usually a sight to behold, and to wear. A good watch is like a jewelry, in which it’s exquisitely built and looks majestic on your hand.
But in my opinion, nothing can beat automatic watch in terms of craftsmanship and this is the reason why I’m so hooked on it. As a watch that don’t have a battery but run entirely by using mechanical parts, automatic watch is most often that not always being accompanied with higher level of craftsmanship.
From the automatic movement, to the dial, to the metal casing and lastly the bracelet or strap, an automatic watch is the watch that you should get if you want the finer things in watches. And if you notice, most of the expensive watch brands usually have a large section of its models with automatic watches.
I’ve yet to own a higher end watch from the likes of Rolex etc., but as far as I can say, even the low to middle range of watches from the brands such as Seiko & Tissot is enough to have great craftsmanship on it and I thoroughly recommend these for those wanting to get into the world of watches.
8. Can Be A Conversation Starter With Fellow Watch Fans
Another reason to wear a wristwatch is it can be a conversation starter with fellow watch fans. I’ve started conversation with strangers over their watches and others have called up to me due to my watches- which is kinda like how guys complimenting their cars or bikes.
The advantage of this is you will be able to fit in into a new place faster than if you don’t have any similarity with them. People will usually spend some time to look at various watches before buying them which means they will be somewhat knowledgeable about watches. Wearing a watch yourself will open up this opportunity to connect with them and can lead to a greater social circle.
Besides, it’s definitely much better than just talking about the weather right?
Another advantage is you will be able to build some networking with high ranking people in your organization. Chances are, these high ranking officers will be wearing an expensive watch (most likely automatic) and by wearing one yourself (again, not necessarily the same expensive watch. There are good affordable automatic watch below $500 out there) you will be able to connect with them and built your own social network.
9. To Casually Show Wealth
The next reason is one of the reasons why many rich people wear wristwatches – that is to casually show their wealth. Although most watches are affordable, there are very expensive watches out there with eye-watering price tags of more than $100,000 each!
These watches are often times exclusive and small in number with gorgeous designs using precious metals on it. Rich people can wear these watches as a mean to show their watch without flaunting it openly. It’s a discreet way to show their wealth that only the equally rich or knowledgeable might be able to spot it.
10. Can Be A Handy Personal Compass
Wristwatch can also be used as a personal compass by using the hour and minutes hands. These makes it a good alternative when you don’t have an actual compass with you and desperately need to figure out the surrounding directions.
How you do it is by pointing the hour hand to the sun (yes, this method will only work during daytime). Then, draw an imaginary line that divides the angle between the hour hand and 12 o’clock marker equally. This line is the North-South line that you can use for your navigation.
There are a few things that you need to be aware of with this method such as your location (northern hemisphere or southern hemisphere) and time of the day (morning or afternoon) for it to work correctly. Check out this useful wikihow page to learn more about it.
11. Collecting Wristwatch Is A Fun Hobby
If you ask me a few years ago if I would like collect wristwatches, I’d say you’re crazy. But now, I’d say that collecting wristwatches is a fun hobby that I’ve enjoyed tremendously.
I thought that one wristwatch is all that I’ll need but boy, how wrong can I be! From my experience, there is never a one watch that can fit all. True enough, a silver stainless steel dive watch (such as the Rolex Submariner and other watches like it) is the closest to the one watch for every occasion but I beg to disagree. Dive watches are typically big and bulky, hence is not really a good option for an everyday watch for work.
From this, watch collection grew from my insistence of having different types of watches for specific purposes – dressy, work, swimming, etc – so that I’ll be able to wear the correct watch for the correct occasion. Bear in mind that I don’t buy all of my watches at the same time but I timed my purchases depending on the needs, availability and any discounts over the years. Sometimes it will take a few months before I purchase a watch just because I want to research everything about it.
While I admit that this is quite an expensive hobby, but if you’re a watch fan then this can be an entertaining and fun hobby. The effort put into researching a particular timepiece and checking it out physically at the boutique is enjoyable and helped to release stresses from work. And of course, the feeling of buying & wearing your well-researched watch is one of the best moments in this hobby =)
12. A Good Investment
Do you know that a wristwatch can be a good investment? If you look on eBay, there are many watches out there for sale that is being sold more than what it used to worth. In short, you can buy a wristwatch and not have it to lose value over the years!
But there are many caveats to this. For instance, buying a watch as investment will only work if you’re ensuring the watches will be been taken care of. Just like house, a bad watch will be valued far less than a watch in a good condition – even though both are from the same brand, same model and same year of production.
In this regard, watches made out of metal is a good choice as it’s durable. Plastic made watches are not as durable and won’t last as long as their metallic counterpart. Stainless steel watch is the best because it can be stored for years without any rust forming on it. Not to mention its ability to be re-polished in future which will increases its value.
13. Sign That You’ve Reached Adulthood
The last reason to wear a wristwatch is to signal that you’ve reached adulthood. Kids don’t wear a watch, only adults do that. Wearing a wristwatch will signify that you’re an adult and matured enough now. It will tell that you value your time and others time.
Are Watches Obsolete?
No, watches are not obsolete even in this world of smartphones. Although smartphone is a great invention that I personally love, wristwatch is undeniably have a part to play in our lives. The fact that there is a new type of watches called smartwatches lends credence to this – people really love having a watch strapped on their wrist because it’s convenient to be used. With this reason, I don’t see wristwatches going anywhere.
Related Questions
What wrist do you wear a watch on? Most people will wear watches on their non-dominant hand e.g if I’m right handed, I will wear my wristwatch on my left wrist. The reason for this is to ensure the wristwatch won’t restrict the movement of the dominant hand. In addition, you have the ability to reset the time of the watch by using your dominant hand.
I hope this article will be beneficial in telling you why you should wear a wristwatch. Do let me know if you have any comments or questions about this article by commenting below.
Cheers!
Thanks for sharing amazing post with us !!! Keep Posting ….I think watch is best option to give as a gift to someone….
Hi William. Thanks for the kind words. Without a doubt, watch is a great gift especially to those dear to you =)