The Rise, Fall, And Return Of The Mens Pocket Watch

Initially a status symbol of power and authority

, the first mens pocket watches were developed as early as the 15th century. From the time of their inception, they were the most popular kind of time-telling device until being overtaken by the wristwatch following World War I.

Most mens pocket watches feature a chain, which allows them to be attached to the wearer, preventing them from being dropped. Additionally, attachments were often fastened to the chain for practical use, such as a winding key or cigar cutter.

Two main styles of mens pocket watches exist: the open-face watch and the hunter-case watch.

The open-face watch is appropriately named because it has no cover protecting the watch itself. After 1908, all railroad service watches were required to be this style of watch.

The hunter-case watch features a spring-hinged metal lid, intended to protect the dial from scratches, dust, and debris. A division of the hunter-case, called a half-hunter, features a watch with an outer lid containing a glass panel, offering a view of the hands, but not the time.

It was in the 17th century that clockmakers began to take artistic liberties with their creations, beginning the tradition of having watchmakers sign the dials. By the 18th century, oil began to be used to help smooth hand movement.

By the start of the 19th century, all new pocket watches were built with three hands, making telling time more accurate than it had ever been before. This century also represented the height of popularity for the pocket watch. As craftsmanship advanced further, watches began to be produced on an industrial scale, making the product more affordable and accessible to everybody. Additionally, this was also the century in which the crown winder was introduced.

In the 20th century, the attractiveness of mens pocket watches began to fade as wristwatches became more and more popular, especially gold watches for men. Initially considered feminine and unmanly, the wristwatch garnered more respect among the male community when soldiers in World War I began wearing them, realizing a watch worn on the wrist was more convenient during combat than a watch that had to be retrieved from a pocket.

However, despite this shift in popular opinion, mens pocket watches were still commonly used by railroaders. And in the 1970s and 1980s, despite the popularity of gold watches for men, the pocket watch became trendy again alongside the fashionable return of three-piece suits for men.

Three-piece suit wearing gentleman began using the vest pocket for its original purpose; to hold a pocket watch. Additionally, box-office hits Sherlock Holmes and Alice in Wonderland, both of which feature prominent characters using attractive pocket watches, have helped in making pocket watches the ideal retro fashion trend.

by: Mark Etinger

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