Remember a teacher who wore his watch like that. Didn’t understand it then and I don’t I understand it now!
So I’m watching John Wick and note he has his watch face on the inside of the wrist, which makes sense given his Dante-esque plot lines.
I was wondering if anyone else did it and why?
Maybe Rolex can start offering a fluted clasp with cyclops to aid brand recognition..
Remember a teacher who wore his watch like that. Didn’t understand it then and I don’t I understand it now!
Always seemed to be a military/special forces thing to me. Oh and wannabe military types too.
Only people I’ve ever seen do it are old guys, I’ve never understood it
It's a WW1 thing I believe - watch crystals then were Crown glass so relatively fragile,
less likely to get knocked when worn inside.
Sorry but...........
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
My grandfather (born 1916) wore his watch on the inside of his wrist. He was a minister and inside the wrist allowed him to check the time discretely during a sermon.
My grandfather wore his this way, on an expanding bracelet some way up his wrist. Those bracelets really pinch too (I have one of his old watches). I assumed it was to avoid damage when doing practical jobs about the house and garden.
I have this watch with an offset dial. It works well worn inside the wrist when driving, especially if your hands are lower on the steering wheel as people used to do.
This one was put together by someone, probably in the late 40s, but there are plenty of offset-dial ‘driving watches’ around.
My father will be 68 this year and he’s always wore the watch on the inside of his wrist,i never understood why until he told me it’s so he could check the time more discreetly during meetings at work years ago
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In a militay context is it not so that you can easily check the time when holding a weapon?
I've worn watches on the inside of my wrist for a number of reasons, namely:
Easier to check the time surreptitiously.
To avoid the crown rubbing on my wrist.
My dad always wore his watch this way when he was working as a marine engineer. Working in the engine room of a submarine, heat, sweat and slipping spanner’s wasn’t the best combo in combined spaces and he didn’t want to smash his watch crystal.
I have seen this many many times. They were mostly old ladies who did this
Was just about to post exact same memory!Sent from my CLT-L09 using TZ-UK mobile app
It's often worn on the inside of the wrist when attending meetings or being in the public eye. It is much easier to read the time much more discretely without it looking like you are clock watching.
My father also used to wear them that way, although it didn't seem to stop them getting bashed up.
I tried it many years ago with a Pulsar diver I owned at the time. Two large knocks and a bezel scuff later (within about 3 hours) and the watch was firmly back where it belonged.
Used to do it when playing cricket in school.
[Not so middle-class as it might sound, as it was a sink "comprehensive" (how they must have laughed when they came up with that one!), so the curriculum was pretty much 50 / 50 sport and basket-weaving... ]
A work colleague wears his Explorer II like that - only watch, and worn everyday for probably around 20 years.
It's just a matter of time...
easier to do on older vintage watches but less so with the big lumps we (i) wear today.
Was to time check when driving, and also in military to avoid reflection/lume light. My grandfather was ex navy and always had his on the inside. Think its generational.
I used to wear my watch on the inside of my wrist when a student. Useful for a quick look while at a boring seminar or 1:1 tutorial. Also, if I turned my wrist to check the time when holding a pint it was the OTHER guy who got it down their front - at least that was my excuse.
Now I am much more sober (not).
I think the Omega X-33 (MK1 and 2) are designed for a quick glance while flying a Space Shuttle
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 1st July 2020 at 20:19.
When I first started wearing a watch, about age 14, I wore it that way round as my dad told me it was best so it didn’t get knocked, he was in the RAF and always wore his like that. Did it for a couple years until I realised I was the only one in my group of friends who did so.
In the prone position at least while firing a long barrel rifle it will get in the way of the stock if worn LH..
when presenting arms you are going to destroy your watch with the final movement (though I expect with an SA80 it may be different).
not quite how we did it but certainly with a lot of flourish.
My dad always wore his watch like this. I always assumed it was just less likely to get damaged that way. He was a plumber and hardly what you’d call gentle with a hammer, blow torch or spanner.
Thinking about it though, my uncle, his older brother, was ex Merchant Navy and always wore his like this too.
Who knows, it might just be a family tradition that isn’t being carried forward with me! Like the plumbing and seafarer stuff....
We should have guessed John Towers, who infamously relieved BMW of the Rover Group for a tenner, was an absolute bounder, when he was photographed not only wearing his watch the wrong way round, but the wrong way round on the wrong wrist.
I don't know about generational but it was and maybe still is a military thing. My father used to, and sometimes still does, wear his watch on the inside of his wrist, in his case to avoid bashing the watch on the side of the cockpit.
I think it was also so with some drivers as it is easier to check the time without taking your hand off the wheel.
Lume - Snipers- etc.
If I'm wearing a GPS watch that doesn't show time of day on my left wrist while cycling, I sometimes wear a small Casio on the right wrist, turned inward.
A mature student I was at university with used to wear his watch on the inside of the wrist. He told me that he'd got used to wearing a watch like that as a shipbuilder, to protect it from being clattered by tools and metal surfaces.
I really don’t understand the premise that wearing a watch on the inside of ones wrist protects the face from damage. Personally I am much more likely to get scratches on a buckle or deployant than on a bezel or crystal...
Simon
I recall that whilst at secondary school a few of us did it for a while after seeing someone in a film so it. Cant recall the film - something like Where Eagles Dare.
It felt ackward and strange. A couple of weeks later and we were back to normal.
In general use I really cant see how there is much of a benefit as regards protection from damage.
In relation to checking the time unobtrusively then I'm not sure that it offers that much of an advantage.
In conclusion - I think that it is a silly thing.
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As soon a you put your arms on a chair it doesn’t make sense.
Or using a computer on a desk.
Lots of similar threads in the past have discussed this before as well. Perhaps it's making a comeback from how the operators wear their watches in call of duty? Although my local parish priest wears his watch like this too. Might ask him if he plays COD.
Reading this thread on phone whilst on the throne it makes perfect sense.
I think old fashioned 'discreet' versus the modern 'ostentatiousness' i.e. "look at my watch everyone!"
Therapists sometimes wear their watch this way so that they can discreetly glance at the time without doing the very obvious lift arm up, turn it towards themself, look at the watch, move and distracting the client.
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My father always wore it that way, as apparently it meant he didn't have to let go of the controls of his bi-plane,
I wear mine on the outside as I don't have a bi-plane.
Best of both -
https://www.sinn.de/en/Dual_Strap_Sy...thed%20buckle.
Last edited by Kingstepper; 4th July 2020 at 22:29.