Watches – why?

 I never normally line up the watches I used most often like this but I was dusting and they just ended up in a row. From left to right – Champion Outlander, Jet Set San Remo, Fossil Dual Face and Regal. I tend to switch between these ones every few weeks or so.

I learned to tell the time when I was about 5 or 6 I think and have worn a watch on my left arm ever since then, apart from a period about 8 years ago when I used my pedometer instead. Many people nowadays use their phones or computers I suppose but I think most people still wear wristwatches. I wonder why that is? Habit? Fashion?

I use my watches for work. When I am teaching there is often no clock in the room so I need a way of knowing how to pace the lesson and when to start winding down the meeting without being seen looking at my arm (which often makes students feel they are boring me). So I take my watch off and stand it like this one the table so I can just glance and see time. Two of them are chronographs so I can time speeches – though I often use my phone for this.

I don’t tend to be a big watch buyer – the Jet Set I got very cheap when I complained about bad service at a shop, the Fossil I bought on sale when the Jet Set lost its crown in London and I could not find anywhere to fix it (I had it fixed upon return to Sweden). I need a watch with a second hand for work. The Champion I got 80% off on sale with a voucher that was about to expire. The Regal was bought during the sudden desire I have at the end of every winter to buy something bright to celebrate spring. I also have another nice chronograph that was given to me, a Bulova evening watch which my grandmother found in the street, and a wonderful cat watch that changes colour according to the temperature. I didn’t know that when I was given it as a gift and thought I had broken it when it suddenly turned into a rainbow!

So dear readers – do you use a watch? And what kind of watch do you like?