A pocket watch is a timepieces designed stylishly for one to wear when attending a formal or black tie affair and For casual outdoor. As concerns how to wear a pocket watch, basically, it has to go hidden in the pocket while the fob and chain rest visible to the public eyes. As a matter of the matching the right outfit, I can say that it’s far easier to shop for an elegant pocket watch, and buy it at a reasonable price, than it is find a timepiece that offers a good match for a gentleman’s attire.
Pocket watches have come a long way through generations of the old, into this our modern times. As history tells the story, pocket watches were the first timepieces to be worn by human beings since 16th century in Europe. There is something that comes to mind when we talk about project watches. A pocket watch is a historic invention with some sophistication, compactness and vintage aesthetics. It lacks just the watch lugs to be a perfect wrist watch.
While a pocket watch may have been the luxury of the past, they are the vintage of today’s world, and luxury for watch collectors. A lot of people still hold pocket watches they didn’t buy. While theirs were passed down from dear parents, grand fathers and grand mothers, the timepieces are still popular. One cannot deny their charming designs, as a result, many best pocket watches still exist in the market today.
Your Pocket Watch is broken?
If you do not wear pocket watches because the one you own is broken, we can help you fix it. You can completely disassemble it, and bring it back in one piece. But first you must identify which pocket watch brand it is, and which type of case back it is designed to have.
So if you feel like opening your pocket watch to fix broken gear, replace battery we have another guide for you. Here is a useful guide how to open a pocket watch without losing or ruining any tiny piece of the watch components.
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History of pocket watches
A pocket watch is a simply a timepiece created and carried in pockets. They are not worn like the wristwatches, they are rather strapped across the wrist of the owner.
When were pocket watches invented?
While the trend of these pocket watches comes all the way from the 15th century, they famously became popular timepieces in the 19th century towards end off the World War I.
The invention of the very first pocket watch by Peter Henlein in Germany in 1500s changed the world’s first wearable technology. However, what we recognize as the design or shape of pocket watches today was actually honed and refined in the 17 century when King Charles II introduced waistcoats.
Since the pocket watch came round and flat shaped, they could slide easily into a small pocket without causing any damage to the fabric. Their design is very unique, with no bands/straps and no watch lugs.
Most pocket watches have chains attached to them, for easy wearing by sliding into the small pocket in a waistcoat(the popular and fashion clothing of the 19th century).
As a result, the name fob watch was born. Fob originated from a low German dialect appellation ‘fuppe’ for small pockets. In this our modem times, fob is a pocket that a watch slides into.
It also refers to the chain(ribbon) which is attached to a pocket watch. We also refer to the actual watch hanging off the chain, like you will often see from a nurses or doctors chest, as a fob watch.
You can call it fob or a pocket watch, the are the same timepieces with the same history.
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Types of Pocket Watches
Pocket watches had never quite disappear since many pieces have survived and have been passes down through generation. Time might have made pocket watches look practically obsolete, but they still remain favorite standard timepieces for classic men’s wear.
If your senior citizen handed you a pocket watch, it falls under one off these two types of pocket watches based on their distinctive designs.
Hunter case pocket watches
Hunting pocket watches as the name says, were originally used by hunters. These category of pocket watches feature a. spring-loaded metal lid over the watch glass, for protection against scratches and rugged beatings or damage. This is the basic style for a Demi hunter watch, to protect the crystal face from crack during hunting adventure. The protective lid has a hole that offers enough space through which users read time.
Open face pocket watches
This category has no cover or protective lid over the watch crystal glass. It was first used by the 19th century railroad workers as a pendant watch. It features a winding knob(crown) located almost at 12 o’clock and a second hand at 6 o’clock. To ease wearing, the pendant around the 12 o’clock marker can be made to hang from the neck, side or chest pocket. Additionally, the pocket watch features a sub dial closer to the 6 o’clock marker.
The design is such that you can get the case front and case back ” pop” off with a thin metal tool like like a butter or pocket knife.
Reputable Pocket Watch Brands
If you don’t have a pocket watch yet, here are pocket watch brands trusted by both men and women, due to their quality and craftsmanship.
Brand name | Founded | Location/Country |
| Elgin | 1863 | Elgin IL USA |
| Waltham | 1850 | Waltham MA USA |
| Danbury | 1969 | Norwalk CT USA |
| Geneva | 1974 | New York USA |
| Patek Philippe | 1839 | Plan-Les-Ouates Switzerland |
| Hamilton | 1892 | Lancaster PA USA |
| Tissot | 1853 | Le Locle Switzerland |
| Bulova | 1875 | New York NY USA |
Pocket watch Accessories – POCKET WATCH CHAINS
The pocket watch chains came ornamented with silver or jewel, with some pieces of instruments including tools like watch winding keys and cigar cutters, attached to them.
You know, ladies always have beauty accorded to them. Women pocket watches were more beautiful, and attractively decorated with silver, gold. Some even had gorgeous looking protective flaps on the watch face.
1. Albert T-Bar pocket watch Chain
Amazon : SIBOSUN Men’s Double Albert Chain Pocket Watch 3 Hooks Antique Shield Pendant with T-Chain Watch
This is a classic pocket watch chain that matches or is best paired with a waistcoat or jacket. The T-shaped bar has to pass through the button-hole of your vest, shirt. Only then can you fix your pocket watch at the other end of chain and store the watch in your nearest chest or side pocket.
2. Belt Bar pocket watch chain
Amazon : Iiniim 2 Pocket Watch Keychains, Retro Design, Metal Plated, for Men and Women
This chain comes with a belt loop so that it simply slides onto your belt as a modern style. You can also securely clip the belt bar onto the top of your pant, and then fit the watch inside your trouser pocket. This style of dressing has a more classic look.
3. Bolt Ring pocket watch chain
The bold ring chain can be attaches to your trouser belt loop, but you can also choose to attach it to buttonhole of your waistcoat, shirt or vest. Any of these styles allows you to store the timepiece in the trouser pocket.
Note that there pocket watch accessories like the double Albert chain, also offers space for hanging fobs. If you opt for a modern style of wearing the pocket watch, get the chain attached to leather straps or something like a thicker cloth ribbon.
Top Best Pocket Watches
1. Stuhrling Original Mens Vintage Mechanical Pocket Watch
It is a stainless steel pocket watch with chain, skeleton dial, analog watch hand. You can wind this mechanical pocket watch with clip and stainless steel chain
2. Tissot unisex-adult Savonnettes quartz Stainless Steel watch T83655313
This unisex-adult pocket watch has a Swiss quartz movement, a 316L stainless steel case, and a Roman dial
3. Bulova Men’s Stainless Steel Analog-Quartz Pocket Watch (Model: 96B270)
Here is a classic collection new hunter style pocket watch featuring a stainless steel case, a 3-hand analog quartz movement with calendar , tuning fork logo engraved on the case. It has water resistance to 30 meters, chain and clasps,
4. Pocket Clip Silver Digital Pocket watch for Sports – Hiking Watch
This timepiece is a professional digital sports pocket watch with Altimeter, Barometer and Compass. The rugged pocket watch is suitable for men and women. It is easy to hold during your outdoor activities. The carabiner watch is a go to watch for hiking, camping, cycling, running or outdoors survival. Besides the 24 hour military time, it has weather forecast, simple design and suitable for indoor and outdoor. It is heavy duty pocket watch.
5. SIBOSUN Steampunk Transparent Open Face Pocket Watch for Men Women – Antique pocket watch
This timepiece is a skeleton dial Antique pocket watch with attractive and eye-catching steampunk style design. It goes with suit, pants or dress. Uses no battery since it uses hand wind mechanical movement, so you are not going to worry
6. LYMFHCH Steampunk Blue Hands Scale Skeleton – Mechanical Pocket Watch
This skeleton pocket watch one comes with chain and it is designed for both men and women, for events like Christmas, Graduation, Birthday and Fathers Day.
7. Carrie Hughes Men’s Dragon Phoenix Engraving Pocket Watch – Mechanical pocket watch
Here is another Steampunk skeleton timepiece is a mechanical pocket watch of high quality and needs no battery. Powered by a mechanical hand-wound, it is likely that magnetic field / temperature changes can impact the accuracy of the watch.
Choosing the Right Style of wearing a pocket watch
Don’t think that a pocket watch only goes with fancy fashionable clothes and hats. Just a T shirt , jean and a pocket watch combination making a statement every time you pull it out. With the right way and the right pocket watch and chain, you can upgrade your personal style of dressing in the outdoor environment.
1.Traditional style
Most people wearing a pocket watch traditionally refers to the local customary styles. It is Far from it. From the time of invention off pocket watches, the fashionable way at the time was to rest the timepiece in the pocket of the waistcoat.
Remember, a waistcoat is a fashion and sleeveless upper-body garment. People don’t typically wear it alone. The proper way to dress in waistcoat is to wear it over a shirt and tie. For a classy formal style, the trouser must have same color with the waistcoat.
You will use a T bar chain to anchor the fob watch inside one of the waistcoat pockets. Antique pocket watches are a very good match here.
2.Casual style
A pocket watch can go with jeans related outfits if you don’t fit in the traditional waistcoat Industrial Age category. Remember too that cowboy would wear a waistcoat while riding on a horse.
So, a more perfect dressing mode is casual, which is the style that was favorite for rail road workers. Today, rugged dressing styles are gaining ground than before.
3. Formally – Job Style
When You’re on a collared work related job, a pocket watch is another option for timekeeping. The newsboy, the construction workers and engineers, and some office freaks can all wear pocket watches if they needed to know the time.
Most blue-collared professions prefer to keep the timepiece in the front bib of the overalls. In the medical field, nurses and doctors often wear their pocket or fob watches by hanging on their chest pocket.
This is the common style to wear a pocket watch during when doing a handy rugged job. It may be mandatory in some rough environments, where handling things isn’t possible wearing a wrist watch.
4. Around the Neck Style
Want to know how women wear pocket watches? Hanging a timepiece on the neck is how women wore pocket watches back in those days, like necklaces.
You want to know why? It’s Simple, ladies didn’t wear waistcoats. As a result, hanging pocket watch over the neck was a more charming way to maintain the style of wearing necklace jewelry.
Since necklaces look smaller and sleek, a pocket watch for a woman was designed slimmer with smaller watch cases and faces. However, the waistcoat-friendly watches for men were bigger, heavier and easy to be carried inside pockets.
Today, Men can also wear Men’s pocket watches around the neck. If you like the neck style, switch your pocket watch chain to a ribbon which looks similarly to a necklace.
Attractive Ways to How To Wear a Pocket Watch
let us explore different ways that you can wear a pocket timepieces rightly in different situations and with combination of variety of outfits.
How To Wear a Pocket Watch With a Waistcoat Or Vest
If you want a classic outfit, or don’t want to wear a full three-piece suit for a summer wedding, try a waistcoat with a pocket watch attached. This is the most traditional style for special occasions.
The right way to wear a pocket watch with a waistcoat is to use one off the chains above. A T-bar chain is the favorite for a waistcoat-friendly watch, but a bolt ring chain is good too.
Attach end of chain to your pocket watch, and let the other end go through your waistcoat buttonhole. Since it is a decorative style, put the timepiece into your waistcoat pocket and let the chain main hanging outside as a show.
Most waistcoats in the last centuries had a completely different watch hole but anew ear style just allows you to use the existing button- holes.
Which pocket you place the watch on is a matter of preference but the slowest pocket is the best. As a precaution, you need to fasten the chain first before you button up.
How To Wear a Pocket Watch With a Formal outfit
The design of pocket watches was to satisfy the needs of wearing for official purposes. In this case, you make use of the button and pocket placement in your suit or formal wear. It’s one great way of creating a powerful impression on friends at work parties, meetings or high-class events.
Ultimate to wearing the pocket watch with a 3-piece suit waistcoat, clip the chain to the button hole of the jacket and slip the watch into the jacket pocket. Formal dress code insists that lower buttons holes should be unbuttoned while you are standing.
However, The best button holes to wear a pocket watch in your suit are the ones lower. I if you have a belt bar chain, fasten it to your belt loop and store the watch in the closest side pocket of your suit’s pant or trouser.
I in formal dressing, it not proper for you to constantly check your smartphone. It is also marching, to wear casual watch bands like leather, nylons for formal events. Wearing a pocket watch is the ultimate convenience for timekeeping that is appropriate for formal events.
That is it, you can include pocket watch wearing in you wedding outfit style. In that case, your friends will be amazed at how a formal ensemble featuring rail way timepieces bring instant touch of class to the groom, groomsman and some dapper guests.
How to wear pocket watch with Jeans and Casual Wears
Looking for an eye-catching outfit for a stylish gentleman? A pocket watch is not just for formal wears. It also matches smart casual looks, where you wear your pocket watch informally.
Many people think that jeans and a pocket watch don’t combine well together. The right styling of jeans and a pocket watch, makes a fantastic impression on you.
So, there is just one extra accessory to cause friends gaze at you with jaw-dropping looks of their faces. It’s a pocket watch.
About How To Wear a Pocket Watch With Jeans, my Best recommendation is that black jean, grey or very dark blue jeans blend with pocket watch accessories. Also, a smarter slim jean trouser or a strait fit Jean plus shirt offer a smart casual lifestyle than baggy options.
Light and stonewashed jeans offer little contrast with pocket watch accessories. It’s good to go out with ultra casual jeans, but pocket watches would look too distinctive.
Just Redefine your smart casual appearance in jeans or button-down shirt by adding a pocket watch with the watch chain through the chest level button-hole. This casual style menswear has been in high trend for several years now. Perhaps, you haven’t impressed your girlfriend with appearance for some times, so you try this one out.
Attach a chain to your pocket watch and fasten it to the belt loop, then rest the watch in your side pocket. This gives you an instant touch of class.
I think to make her even go crazy with your styles, Featuring a distinctive touch, go for a longer, ornamental chain, or you opt for a a leather band rather than a traditional metal.
How To Wear a Pocket Watch Without a Waistcoat
There is a style how to wear pocket watch without a vest. You don’t need a waistcoat or suit jacket to wear a pocket watch to upgrade your looks, today. You have seen that jeans , and other style can go without century old waistcoat style. I prefer a more cuss all look than traditional approach.
Without a waistcoat, I believe a sharp looking white shirt that is paired with relaxed chinos and loafers is quite impressive and attractive. Just let your pocket watch stay attached to the buttonhole of your shirt or your pant’s belt loop.
By the time you pull out the timepiece that is stored in your trouser pocket, you girl friend is going to stand with jaw-dropping amazement at you relaxed, classic and handsome appearance.
Can you wear a pocket watch with a tuxedo?
There is plenty of debate as to What kind of watch goes with a tuxedo. Some men are of the opinion that there is no need to wear a watch with a tuxedo in this our modern age, because one can check time from the cell phone.
In my own view, and according to some expected behavior during formal events, it’s is not proper to pull out a phone. Watches are more convenient for timekeeping than phones, just by raising your wrist or holding a small pocket watch up.
If you want to wear a watch with tuxedo, wrist watches can be suitable. Even James Bond does wear a dive watch with tuxedo. Unfortunately, one core element when attending black tie events or ceremonies is to have a black waistcoat or cummerbund.
It is better to wear pocket watches instead of wrist watches because according to evening watch etiquette, never glance at your watch mid conversion. A pocket watch inside your waistcoat prevent frequent checking of time.
Also, To avoid distracting the audience, gentlemen watches should not produce sounds. So Pocket watches tend to be preferable, as they are quiet and don’t make noisy chimes.
Therefor where a tuxedo goes, a pocket watch can also go.
Amazon Img : EL Samuel 
One-Button Tuxedo
How do you wear a pocket watch with tuxedo( with a low cut waistcoat)
If you are wearing a tuxedo( which are gradually involving into dinner jackets) and a waistcoat, a pocket watch can go. You just need to pull the T-Bar chain through the button hole on the tuxedo waistcoat.
Hide the watch in the left pocket and the other end of the chain in the right pocket (particularly for double Albert ). Preferably, a black waistcoat or white Marcella waistcoat is a good match.
If you have the cummerbund, the style is a little different. You would have to store the watch in the chest pocket while the chain passes up your lapel. Only a single chain can fit this style and if it has a fob, place it under the lapel.
It is more difficult to pick an appropriate, elegant timepiece that pair harmoniously with a tuxedo suit.
how to wear a pocket watch peaky blinders
According to Birminghammail, the choice of wearing Peaky Blinders is leading to the shortage of pocket watches as men wear three-piece suits.
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Tips when wearing a pocket watch.
As I mentioned earlier in the article, selecting a pocket watch that matches your attire isn’t easy. If you want to maintain, or upgrade your personality, during black tie business meetings, follow these rules.
1. Let it be elegant and understated.
Open face pocket watches are perfect, unlike hunter watches which needs that you go through a separate process how to open the pocket watch case lid.
2. Many pocket watches are artistic timepieces.
They come with decoration featuring designs and art . The best recommendation is you wear a pocket watch that is simple and minimally built. Adorned or accented timepieces may outshine your dressing color.
3. Get a matching chain color.
When picking the metal chain for your picket watch, it’s color should match your other accessories, bracelets Orr jewelry in general. More so, the fob and chain should be understated.
4. Let the watch sleep in the pocket always.
It is good that you keep the watch off the chain, and slip it neatly into your pocket. Only take it out when it is vitally necessary.
5. Wear quiet pocket watches to formal occasions.
Some pocket watches have hourly chimes and audible alerts. If you are wearing a pocket watch with a dinner jacket for an important evening occasion, make sure it produces no audible alarms, tones or chimes, according to evening watch etiquette.
Just avoid wearing Vintage pocket watches to formal occasions as they tend to make audible sounds when the hands ticks. So before you enter for dinner, ensure that the watch is silent if possible because the ticking hands can disturb a quiet atmosphere in a theater Or formal meetings.
Which side do you wear a pocket watch?
If you are righ-handed, your pocket watch should be stored in the left pocket of your pants, waistcoat or vest. This allows you to pull out your watch with the less dominant left hand, while the right moves freely. I if you are one of the lefties people, your left hand always works, so place your pocket watch into the pocket on the right side of the waistcoat or jacket or trouser.
Wrap up
Choosing a Maximum Style to wear your pocket watch depends on your personal lifestyle and taste. Choosing more than One style and having a mix of these styles is preferable, to suit different situations. Pocket watches have endure several decades and they will still be relevant in many generations and decades to come. The way you wear it, the type of pocket watch you choose to buy, might become your family heirloom someday.
I found fun in watches especially when I started having difficult time select wearables for my skinny 5.5 inch wrists.
Because of the amazing toolds embedded inside trackers and smartwatches, I fell in love with fitness.
Today I love to go out for gym workouts with my friends. Now am part of a sizable fitness community and I feel lucky.
