Wristwatches

[doubleohfive]

I didn't wear my watch for a long time, mainly because the battery had died and my wrist had gotten a little fatter. Being that it was one of those chain-link wrist-watches, this meant I had to go to a watch store to get it fixed/expanded. I was just lazy about it for several years and kept the watch -- and the spare chain links -- in my desk drawer. Until this year. Now I wear it all the time, especially when I get dressed up for a fancy event or evening out on the town with the ladies. To answer the OP's question: Face out, left hand.

 

[scotpens]

Lately, I have discovered that most teens can't read my watch (they ask for the time and I hold up my wrist so they can see).

When I was growing up, by the time a child entered first grade, he or she had learned to tell time by looking at the big hand and the little hand. Are today's teenagers really clueless when they see a traditional clock face? If that's true, I weep for my country.

 

[Goliath]

Lately, I have discovered that most teens can't read my watch (they ask for the time and I hold up my wrist so they can see).

When I was growing up, by the time a child entered first grade, he or she had learned to tell time by looking at the big hand and the little hand. Are today's teenagers really clueless when they see a traditional clock face? If that's true, I weep for my country.

Don't trust anyone born after MCMXC, I always say.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Damn you and your archaic Roman Numerals.

 

[Omnius]

I stopped wearing my wristwatch when it died on me and I was too lazy to get it fixed. My cellphone served as a good timepiece anyway. That changed when I started my military training (last year). Being on time (military time = actual time -5 minutes) is very important apparently..
So I got a nice Pulsar watch for my birthday. But it was too nice and I didn't want it to get scratched, so I bought a cheap digital watch that I use when Im on duty and during military excercises etc. I wear the Pulsar on special/formal occassions (which hasn't been too often honestly). Ordinarily I wear my wristwatch on the outside on the left hand. However during field excercises I wear it on the inside to minimize accidental reflections. For some odd reason I keep automatically taking off my watch when I'm at home or at work sitting behind a desk. I rarely forget to take it off before I go to bed either.

 

[Goliath]

I wouldn't mind picking up an entry-level Rolex myself. Something like this:

And if I ever have three thousand dollars I don't need for anything more important--I will.

 

[Mary Ann]

Lately, I have discovered that most teens can't read my watch (they ask for the time and I hold up my wrist so they can see).

When I was growing up, by the time a child entered first grade, he or she had learned to tell time by looking at the big hand and the little hand. Are today's teenagers really clueless when they see a traditional clock face? If that's true, I weep for my country.

It's not so difficult to find analogue watches but 10 years ago I had a devil of a time finding a mantle clock with Arabic numerals. Most of them have Roman numerals, which wasn't going to help my kids learn to tell time.

I've worn a watch every day since I was 11, and I'd be lost without one despite having clocks in every room of my house. I started wearing it on my left wrist but, being left-handed, soon switched to my right wrist as I was forever knocking it. I've worn it faced-out for years. My mobile phone lives in my purse when I'm out and in my kitchen when I'm home, and I can't have it with me while I'm working, so it's no good to me as a watch substitute.

 

[Kirby]

Outside, but I am trying to stop wearing a wristwatch. I've been carrying a cell phone since 1998 and there is no need for a watch. I usually go sans-watch 3 or 4 days a week. Sometimes when you're dressed up though, a good watch just looks great.

 

[auntiehill]

Outside. The only people I've seen wearing it facing the inside were little old ladies, or nuns at my school.

 

[Mr Radioactive]

Wearing a good wristwatch is a necessary part of your outfit when you go out. It doesn't even matter if it works or not. I wear it outwards, like you should.

 

[Holdfast]

I've always worn it on the inside, facing inward: I picked this up from my Dad.

Was your father in the military, perchance? Or did some kind of potentially damaging manual work? The origins of wearing it facing inwards is a military habit, especially pilots, but also in other branches, partly due to ease of viewing when flying but also to reduce the risk of damage to the glass from accidental impacts.

I wear mine facing outwards.

Of course, the other reason to wear the watch facing inwards is if you're (IIRC) Stan Laurel in that glass of water sketch......

I wouldn't mind picking up an entry-level Rolex myself.

Regular (ie non-limited run) Rolexes look nice enough but are thought to be fairly poor value for money in wis-dom (wis = "watch idiot savant"; you know the kind of guy I mean). Buy it if you really like it, though.

I've sort of gone off watches a bit. I like my current two "daily wearers" (nothing particularly fancy; an Omega Seamaster for casual outfits, a Longines Conquest for dressy looks), and don't feel a particular need to upgrade.

I think it's because the next watches "up" that I'd like are in a different price league (Cartier Tank in rose gold, JLC reverso, some A. Lange & Sohne models) so I just can't be bothered to lay down that kind of dough on a watch. Yeah, yeah, it'll retain its value pretty well, and yeah, the cost is amoritized because you get use of it frequently, but still, I always find that I'd rather spend it on bespoke clothes or something like that.

 

[RandyS]

I haven't worn a watch since mine broke shortly after I got my first cell phone. That has served as my watch ever since. But, when I did wear one, I wore it facing inward.

 

[Goliath]

Was your father in the military, perchance? Or did some kind of potentially damaging manual work?

Yes: he was in the Royal Canadian Mechanical and Electrical Engineers.

 

[scotpens]

Outside. The only people I've seen wearing it facing the inside were little old ladies, or nuns at my school.

Did any of them fly airplanes?

 

[Goliath]

Outside. The only people I've seen wearing it facing the inside were little old ladies, or nuns at my school.

Did any of them fly airplanes?

Are you suggesting that the Flying Nun wore hers facing inward?

 

[Nardpuncher]

I have about 6 or 7 watches. I wear them on the outside.

If you don't have a watch, and have about 2 or 3 times a day where you need to ask what time it is I'll have to hit you with the ol' "It's time for you to get a watch."

 

[kes7]

Outward, on my right wrist because I'm left-hand dominant. And I love watches, cell phone or no. I prefer analog. It's jewelry to me -- useful jewelry, but still more of a fashion statement than anything else.

 

[Gaseous Anomaly]

I have a Casio G Shock I wear on my right wrist outwards; and I'm right handed!

 

[RJDiogenes]

I stopped wearing a watch in 1993 when I started carrying a beeper. Even though I haven't carried a beeper in about three years, I haven't gone back to wearing a watch. When I did, I wore it on my right wrist, face inward to protect it; given what I've read in this Thread, I probably got that from my Uncle Mike, who was in the Navy.

 

[Nardpuncher]

Whenever I see it on the inside of the wrist on somebody, it makes me think of Bruce Willis, as he always seems to have his watch on the inside too.