Wear a Pocket Watch

Many years ago, pocket watches were common accessories in men's fashion. Pocket watches are still available for purchase, and many are handed down to family members as heirlooms. Still fashionable in today's world, here are some tips about how to wear a pocket watch.

Steps

Picking and Wearing a Watch

  1. Start with what you have. Many pocket watches are heirlooms or keepsakes. If you have one of these, you have a distinctive statement that combines your family history with a design that probably can't be found for sale anywhere. Consider using this watch as a functional, stylish accessory, the way it was meant to be used when it was created.
    • Be careful. Remember that heirloom watches are usually irreplaceable. Be sure you're willing to take the risk of carrying it around with you before you decide to wear it.
      • Properly securing the watch to a chain and hooking it onto a button or loop will help ensure that it does not become lost. This process is explained in greater detail below.
    • Get it fixed. Heirloom watches may not always work, or may work erratically. There is no reason you shouldn't take your watch in to a respected watch repair person if it isn't working perfectly. Just ask around online first to find a repair shop that will take good care of your watch.
      • It is all right to send your watch to a repair person by mail if you are absolutely sure he or she will do a good job.
      • Broken or irregular pocket watches can still be worn as accessories, but you're likely to feel silly pulling them out of your pocket to “check the time.”
    • Clean it up. Consider buying some metal polish and gently cleaning and polishing your heirloom pocket watch. Many of them have tarnish and scuffing around the edges that will clean right out with a soft cloth, a safe polish, and a bit of elbow grease.
      • If your heirloom watch has etching or engraving on it, be sure to gently clean out the grooves as well. This will remove any grime built up in them and can sometimes make a dramatic difference in a watch's appearance.
  2. Purchase a watch. If you don't have an heirloom pocket watch, you'll have to buy one for yourself. Pocket watches come in many materials and finishes, so pick whichever look you like.
    • Pick a metal. Silver is often preferred by modern buyers, as it goes well with all color combinations and has a lustrous finish. Other common materials include brass, gold, and steel.
    • Consider the level of detail. Pocket watch designs range from simple, plain surfaces to ornately finished covers. Watches with carved or engraved covers often have patterns, monograms or woodland scenes on them, and can add a unique look to your outfit.
    • Decide between new and used. Each has its advantages.
      • New watches are likely to work for a long time without trouble, and represent the latest in pocket watch design. They are likely to be more expensive than used watches.
      • Used pocket watches offer a great variety of designs, motifs, and finishes. Most used watches cost less than new ones, but prices can vary widely based on how collectible a given watch is.
        • Don't buy a used pocket watch over the Internet. There is no way to tell how well it will work or what its relative size is, in most cases.
  3. Get a chain. The watch chain serves two purposes: first, it secures your pocket watch to your clothing so that you can't drop it on the ground or misplace it; second, it completes the look of the watch.
    • Start with the standard type. Ordinarily, you should pick a watch chain that has the same finish as your watch; thus, if your watch is steel, pick a steel chain, and so on.
      • Chain weight and weave are up to each individual to decide. Consider a fine, thin chain for dressing to the nines; lean towards a thick, durable chain for a look that will survive hard labor and adventuring.
        • Be careful to pick a chain that is durable enough to keep your watch secure if you expect to wear it somewhere it might get hit or yanked.
    • Add a strap or fob. If you plan to wear your pocket watch in a pants pocket instead of on your chest, consider attaching a leather strap or watch fob to it instead. They're generally sturdier than watch chains, and suggest a rugged, casual look.
      • You can also purchase a leather holder, which attaches to a belt loop and holds the watch outside your pants for a bolder statement.
    • Mix up your collection. At the very least, a few different chain weights and lengths are recommended so that you can wear your watch on different outfits.
      • Consider bucking tradition and mismatching your chain. Like a fob, the different color will offset the finish of your pocket watch and make it pop.
        • Be careful to pick combinations that look premeditated, rather than thrown together. Your watch and chain should still look good no matter what.
  4. Choose a look. Pocket watches are an old-fashioned accessory, but there are as many ways to wear them as there are ideas you can come up with. Here are a few general looks you might consider:
    • The classic: Wear your pocket watch in a suit vest pocket for an old-fashioned look. The watch chain should be hooked to a button on your vest, and the watch should go in the vest pocket with the watch face toward your body so that you can check the time as soon as you pull it out.
      • If you are right-handed, the watch should go in your left vest pocket, and vice versa. This allows you to draw the watch while leaving your dominant hand free.
    • The casual: Wear your pocket watch in a pants pocket for a bit of flash that will go unnoticed until you pull it out. Hook the strap to a belt loop, and leave the watch face-in inside your dominant front pocket as usual.
      • This look works better with a watch that has a larger face, since you won't be able to look at it as closely without unhooking it.
    • The laborer: Pocket watches were never just the domain of the rich. Although that is how we perceive them today, there was a time when anyone whose job required them to know the time carried a pocket watch. Try an unusual retro look by wearing overalls with a pocket watch in the front bib pocket.
      • This look works better with a rugged, heavy chain, as it is a working man's outfit designed to take a lot of abuse.
      • Complete your ensemble with a loose-fit collared work shirt, a newsboy cap, and chunky construction boots.
    • The theatrical: Because a pocket watch is such a bold statement, it can be a useful accessory for themed outfits, such as costumes or ensembles that reflect your membership in a subculture.
      • Consider buying an unusual fob or chain to offset the watch and make it a coordinated part of your outfit.
      • Since pocket watches are associated with wealth and conservatism, try wearing one in the jeans vest of a punk outfit to make a contrarian statement.
      • Pocket watches are a classy and impressive accessory for a steampunk ensemble. Again, keep the watch hooked to a vest or shirt pocket to accentuate its old-fashioned touch.

Maintaining Your Watch

  1. Wind your watch every day. All but the newest pocket watches will run on time for between 26 and 30 hours per wind at most. Even the latest models only last about 46 hours. Regardless of what type of pocket watch you own, plan to give it a full wind every day.
    • The best time to wind your watch is in the morning. You can make it part of your daily routine, and the watch almost always gets wound at the same time each day, ensuring reliability.
  2. Clean your watch on a regular basis. A soft, dry chamois or microfiber cloth is suitable for gently lifting skin oil and dirt off of metal surfaces. Use a tiny bit of metal cleaner if needed. Clean your watch every time you are done wearing it.
    • If you wear your watch most days, clean it two to three times weekly, or as needed.
    • Don't forget to periodically wipe down the inside faces of the watch with your dry cloth.
  3. Polish your watch periodically. Use a polish designed for the metal of your watch to keep it shiny. Apply a bit of polish, per the directions on the package, every few months or as needed.
    • If you need to remove tarnish, avoid products that require submersion in liquid. This can damage or loosen the delicate inner pieces of a pocket watch.
    • Use the same polish on your chain, assuming it's made of a similar material.
  4. Don't lose your watch. Always make sure the watch fob or chain is securely attached to the watch at one end, and an item of clothing at the other.
    • Attach your chain to an item of clothing you don't plan to remove. Avoid jackets and other such layered coverings.



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