For centuries, telling the time meant reaching into a pocket. The move to the wrist was faster, more practical — and it changed watches forever.
The pocket era
Through the 1800s, the pocket watch was the mark of a gentleman. Beautiful, but slow to consult, and easy to drop.
War changes everything
Soldiers needed both hands free and time at a glance. Strapping watches to the wrist proved so useful that the wristwatch went from a novelty to standard issue within a generation.
The quartz revolution
The 1970s brought cheap, ultra-accurate quartz watches that upended the industry overnight. Mechanical watchmaking nearly vanished — then came roaring back as a symbol of craft.
The smart era
Today the wrist holds notifications, heart rates, and maps. Yet the classic mechanical watch endures, proof that some objects are about far more than function.
