I distinctly remember when I was in my 20’s and didn’t have a watch. I would flip open my phone to check the time and think, “who would wear a watch when you’ve got a sweet Motorola StarTac knock off.” Or something like that...
Now I generally put my watch on before much else in the morning and while I no longer have the best-selling flip phone of 2002 I do have a miniature computer in my pocket, but I let the watch tell the time. I’m not sure why I started wearing a watch, but the reason I keep wearing it is simple, I’ve got a completely different connection with time now and I like it. It’s all about the convenience a watch provides me.
A watch keeps me focused on getting the task I’m working on done, with a phone the temptation to pick it up and flip through Instagram or snapchat is too great. A watch can go in the water and tell me when I’ve got to get out, otherwise I’m sitting out on a board and wondering if I’ve got time for a few more waves before I’ve got to go. Usually without a watch I would come back in 10-15 minutes before I really had to because I just didn’t know.
I like my watch. I like the way it looks, I like the weight of it and the style that goes along with it. It is not an exaggeration to say that more than what you wear a watch more often is tied into one’s personality or lifestyle. You’d generally not see a mechanic wearing a thin faced dress watch or a lawyer wearing a digital watch. It’s not too hard to imagine why it’s a closer representation of your life, you wear it more often than you even wear your favorite shirt or lucky shoes. Chances are, the only thing you put on as often as your watch is your belt. That great leather band Chronograph you saw on someone may be the wrong size or style for you, same with the NATO band which is a very popular style right now. Spend some time, try some things on & find the perfect watch for you.
The benefits from wearing a watch are many, but just remember that with a watch to tell the time you’ll spend less time staring at your phone looking desperate and perpetually late for something. You’ll be wearing a genuine piece of functional art. It’s a thing you could potentially turn into an heirloom, making each minute today connect with your future in ways you will not be able to see, but a part of your life will be there, on their wrist.