Why I Like To Wear a Watch

Since mobile phones came into our lives, there’s really no reason to wear a watch anymore. And when smartwatches hit the market, with Apple ultimately selling more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry, wearing an item whose sole function was to tell time became doubly redundant. 

And, yet, the item I look forward to putting on every day more than any other item I own is my very analog, totally manual, self-winding mechanical wristwatch.

Watches have always held a strong allure for me. Particularly steel diving watches. The Rolex Submariner, the Omega Seamaster, or the Tudor Black Bay (my current watch) are my absolute favorites. The stainless steel standards, if you will. There are other less expensive models from the likes of Seiko, Timex, and Naval Watch Co. that are equally beautiful.

What excites me about these technically obsolete accessories probably has something to do with the human ingenuity that goes into the mechanics of it all. I find the heritage, the precision, and the pursuit of excellence that goes into them, coupled with the creation of something so well-crafted and great-looking, to be thrilling. Considering the fact that they don’t require a battery or a connection to a power source or a wireless network, mechanical watches are bafflingly accurate. Amazing when you really think about it. And stainless steel, my preferred case and bracelet material, has always felt like a working man’s metal. Strong, durable, never flashy, yet elegant.

In regards to jewelry, there are some bits of bling that some men can pull off while others cannot. Think of a pinky ring, a necklace, or a bracelet. On some men, they work; on others, not so much. A well-chosen watch, though, is probably the only bit of jewelry that is universally wearable for every man, regardless of his confidence level, canceling out any element of elitism to it.

As a card carrying member of Generation X, I am a participating witness to the pre- and post-digital ages. I remember when phones required a cord, listening to music required records and a turntable (or just a radio), and seeing a movie required a trip to the cinema. In our highly digitized times, with so much tech in my own life, I do appreciate certain analog pleasures, as illogical and inefficient as they may seem. One is my nearly century old coffee making method (the Chemex), and another is the mechanical wristwatch. 

No, wearing a watch today doesn’t make much sense, and I don’t really care. As far as I’m concerned, my watch is a beautiful piece of mechanical ingenuity – a work of art – and I absolutely love wearing it.

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