Less and Less People Wearing Watches These Days?

[timeisfathaoftruth]

For me not having a watch on my left wirist is like not having a wallet in my left back pocket...and not having a nice watch on my wirist is like having a empty wallet.

[Apatheticviews]

When I got out of the Corps I stopped wearing one for many years. I figured that I didn't need to be tied to time as much I had previously. I recently started wearing them again, because I really do love having a timepiece.

What got me back into it was prepwork for a marathon, and picking up a "el cheapo" running watch just to gauge my pace time. As soon as i tossed it on, I was back in the game.

[dalip]

Interesting post and observation....I always remember looking at my Dad's arm/wrist when I was a little boy...especially when he was driving and admiring his watch. I longed to have a strong arm/wrist like that..a lovely car...and a watch to boot. A watch became symbolic ....but I didn't get my 1st watch until later...and then it was all about the new LED (red light/press button!!) things....

It's only now when I look at my wrist and see my son sitting behind us that I realise and connect to the early memory of my Dad.

In fact I bought my Dad an Omega Seamaster in 1982 with my entire 1st pay packet when I was 16years old...he still has it. I guess I wanted to enhance that image~~~

So....I reckon our kids will all (one day) find a decent watch on their wrist...but not till later in their lives.

[Denver Dick]

I agree with much of what's been written here about people generally, and young folks in particular not wearing wrist watches. I love being semi-retired and not having to carry a cell phone around with me all the time. In fact, I keep my cell phone in the car and take it with me when I get out only when I'm definitely expecting to get or make a call.

When I was very young, in the late 50's/early 60s I could not wait to get a wrist watch (my dad, always had a wrist watch on). I started out as a kid with a Timex and moved up from there. I've never worn any jewelry other than a wrist watch, not even a wedding band, although I've been married for 33 years. My watch is the only "jewelry" I wear. In fact, I would wear one even if I had a bright digital display in front of me all day long. For instance, when I'm on the computer and the wife yells from her bathroom asking for the time, I always look at my left wrist, even though the time is clearly displayed in the lower right hand corner of my computer screen 24/7.

[at7724]

I wear a watch 24/7. But I keep telling myself that when I retire, the watch comes off!!!

[Denver Dick]

Originally Posted by timeisfathaoftruth

For me not having a watch on my left wirist is like not having a wallet in my left back pocket...and not having a nice watch on my wirist is like having a empty wallet.

I, too, really like having a very nice watch on my wrist, even it it means having an empty wallet.

[Widows Son]

I'm never without a watch. I even wear one to bed. I think it's more convenient to look at my wrist than opening up my cell. I'd be interested in seeing a real survey about the trends in watch usage. Most of the guys at work (Police Dept) wear G Shocks or Ironmen. Only one guy is into watches. He has several Rolexes and a Pam. There is hope with one guy though, he dug up several old Bulovas from his dad's desk drawer and he's sending them out for servicing.

[WatchlLover]

Telling the time is the last reason I wear my Rolex. I wear mine like many of you for the historic excellence, beauty, quality, history, class, love and interest in Herology. You'd first have to educate today's youth on all those qualities, class, history, good luck......
Paul

[Perdu]

My 18 year old daughter never wears a watch and my 17 year old son wears one for weddings and that's about it. I see many of their friends and very few wear a watch. Will they get to the age where they wear one? Don't know. We do indeed need more Kyles and Gabys.

[bobernet]

Originally Posted by 4 Ranges

Lastly, if I were Rolex, I wouldn't bother marketing towards the younger set that haven't achieved a particular station in life to understand the value of a Rolex. Rolex is a necessity in business climates. In that arena, a fossil watch just won't cut it.

Maybe this is an Eastern thing? Or a New York thing? I'm an executive in a west coast company, and I have been to many a board meeting where the nicest wristwatch was my own Rolex by an enormous margin. I see an awful lot of "fashion" quartz watches in the board room, as well as at convention meeting halls.

I'm not saying that nice watches don't "mean" anything to the non-WIS, but in my world, it's far from mandatory.

Current CEO wears large (44mm+) quartz fashion watches. Former CEO wore a relatively nondescript Seiko quartz.

[timetravel125]

I was at Southcoast Plaza Mall yesterday, and I had seen many Rolex watches. And, most of the people I have seen were wearing expensive watches.

[Bulltrapper]

I'm sure not many people buy Rolex just to tell time. It's a big boy toy!

[td1500]

Originally Posted by WatchlLover

Telling the time is the last reason I wear my Rolex. I wear mine like many of you for the historic excellence, beauty, quality, history, class, love and interest in Herology. You'd first have to educate today's youth on all those qualities, class, history, good luck......
Paul

those qualities aren't lost on all of us young guns!

[Watchdog]

Working with students everyday, I have seen that VERY few wear watches. And no, I don't agree that it has to do with the ability to appreciate with age.

I think this is a generational phenomenon--as far more of my generation (I'm in my late 30's) wore watches (at least 50% of men, I would guess--probably higher). My male students now, perhaps 15% and 0% of my current female students wear a watch. That is right . . . ZERO of the female students I have seen in my classes currently wear a watch.

To me, it's sad, as a timepiece is so much more than a horological instrument, and I fear this artistic acoutrement is rapidly disappearing.

[Blimms]

Funny that this thread is started. I am a High School Administrator and I have confiscated many cell phones (they aren't to be used during school). The students would come to my office to inquire when they can come and pick up their phones. I would say intentionally - at 2:35 p.m. I would then ask what time is it now - they would look at the analog clock and say "I don't know !! I don't have my phone !!" I would tell them the time and say pick up your phone at the end of the day. Kids these days are so digital ............... they learn how to tell analog time in grade school, but because they don't use it - they lose it.

[TheVTCGuy]

I think we all understand why we love fine timepieces so much, I don't think I'll ever be without one the rest of my life but the digital age definitely has an effect on the younger generation. Kids not being able to tell time on an analogue clock? I had no idea it was that bad.

Some day, I Do think mechanical watches will be a thing of the past, but that day is far far off in my opinion. When we are all plugged in to the internet with the implants in our brains, and get real time weather/time/directions/news etc (Don't laugh! I think that day will come!), wearing a device to tell the time will be redundant. Will they survive as a wrist ornament? Hmmm... I don't know, good question. I just am glad (hope) I'll be long gong before that era arrives.

[paverman]

Originally Posted by 4 Ranges

Watches as tools are optional nowadays. The smartphone will annihilate watches as a product that serves only one purpose.

However, it's watches that have brand equity as a LUXURY piece that will escape this fate. Owning a Rolex is less about valuing and utilizing its mechanical functions, but moreso about conveying a message about its owner. When I see the many people at my gym that wear Rolex, it conveys that they value reliability, precision, and self-pride. Rolex in particular offers carte Blanche into a unique club of individuals who earned their position in life...the hard way, then rewarded themselves with a watch that embodies value, luxury, and history.

As a businessman, I feel that I communicate better with clients who understand and own a Rolex. We both know it's not just a watch.

I believe this applies not only to Rolex, but any of the fine watch brands. When I see someone wearing a Patek Philippe, for example, one can assume that he has "earned his position in life", and if not, he's certainly gotten off the starting line in good fashion.

[vaq129e4]

I believe it is also how one is brought up/taught by their parents. I myself have always worn a watch since I was 8 years old and bought my first Timex wind up with my Birthday money. My father gave me an old Omega and a Hamilton when I got out of high school. Sadly I got my first Rolex when he passed away Along with his pride and Joy Universal and Patek watches. The fist nice watch I bought myself was the Bond Seamaster and then my GMT II. My father always hated quartz watches saying they had no soul. As a kid I saw him snear at those glowing digital watches. I gave my son when he turned 10 a Seko monster dive watch and he has worn It for the last 6 years without fail. His friends dont seem to wear watches accept for the Gshock or Nike two of his running buddies wear.

[steubi1]

One more comment: My uncle who is in his late sixties now has never in his life worn a watch!

He simply felt and still feels it as a great privilege to be able to live that way; it took me a long time to unerstand him, but now I do more and more.

Regards

[Gerardus]

Agree, my oldest son also uses only his cellphone for reading the time.

[motoface]

I always wear a watch and always will. A rolex like other top quality brands is jewelry - for me the only jewelry I wear. Many people use cell phones to tell time but a fine piece of jewelry is a fine piece of jewelry - no one buys a rolex just because they need to know what time it is. Even when everyone from age 6 to 96 carries a cell phone, people will be wearing their rolexes.

[aleiberman]

Watches are very trendy more so with women right now.

[stockrabbit]

Maybe I'm in the minority but to echo a previous comment here, the problem with cell phones for telling the time is that it is actually going back to the inconveniences of the days of pocket watches, which is the reason wristwatches were invented in the first place. There is still nothing more convenient or quicker than grabbing the time off of your wrist (be it digital, quartz, mechanical, etc.). I, for one, check my wrist very often -- nothing thus far is more PRACTICAL for me.

[Kapture1]

Im 24 and have always had a watch on... it wasnt until last year that it was a Rolex. Its part fasion for me, lets be honest, the SS DJ looks damn good, as do all other Rolex. But I have always wore a watch because if I dont, I find myself looking at my bare wrist 6-10 times a day to see the time... from Timex to Fossil to Gucci to Eco-Drive to Movado, back to Gucci, and now... Rolex, watches have been a lasting part of style and functionality for me for over a decade now.

My friends around my age, some a bit younger, none of them wear watches. Not a single one. Whatever tho, thats their choice/loss.

[JBat]

I love wearing watches. I have a cell phone, a couple of computers, but it's always a watch I use to tell time.

[TheVTCGuy]

You know one more point about this, and it sucks, but as I'm older, it's harder and harder to see my watch face without glasses on. The cell phone time (probably because they're bigger) is easier to read. Well, doesn't matter; I still love my Rolex and will be wearing it until I'm on the other side.

[matt.wu]

Doesn't matter - more watches for me. ;)

[Fozzy]

Phone is in my pocket, watch is on my wrist, far easier lifting my left arm up to look at the time, rather than fidding around in my pocket for my phone.

Plus I have a Rolex Submariner to look at now.

[Denver Dick]

Originally Posted by Blimms

Funny that this thread is started. I am a High School Administrator and I have confiscated many cell phones (they aren't to be used during school). The students would come to my office to inquire when they can come and pick up their phones. I would say intentionally - at 2:35 p.m. I would then ask what time is it now - they would look at the analog clock and say "I don't know !! I don't have my phone !!" I would tell them the time and say pick up your phone at the end of the day. Kids these days are so digital ............... they learn how to tell analog time in grade school, but because they don't use it - they lose it.

My wife teaches 8th grade honors English at a local middle school. I volunteer at the school on occasion so I visit her classroom several times a year. Although it may have been there earlier, about 7 years ago I noticed that the "official" clock on the wall of the classroom had large red digital numbers. An analog clock on any wall is getting to be a rare bird.

I personally do not like digital clocks or watches. I grew up looking at analog dials. I think an analog dial gives one a real sense of time. With a quick glance, it gives the wearer, not only the correct time, but puts it all in perspective. In a temporal way, it tells the wearer where he's been, where he is, where he's going and how it all fits in the day . . . all this with a mere glance.

I'm sorry, but digital displays on wrist watches and wall clocks are even more soulless than a simple quartz watch. Just my

Ah, the good old days at school in the 50s and 60s . . .

[TheVTCGuy]

I personally do not like digital clocks or watches. I grew up looking at analog dials. I think an analog dial gives one a real sense of time. With a quick glance, it gives the wearer, not only the correct time, but puts it all in perspective. In a temporal way, it tells the wearer where he's been, where he is, where he's going and how it all fits in the day . . . all this with a mere glance.

X 2 Wayne!