Recent television programs and movies show men and women
going about life without wearing wrist watches.
This may not be the astounding news that I feel it is but,
being punctual has always been my “thing.”
As such, I sport a wrist watch all my waking hours.
It used to be that nearly all male actors had watches
adorning their wrists – even during those lurid bedroom scenes. How odd, I thought, that someone cavorting
with a beautiful woman needed to wear a timepiece. Was he afraid she might pilfer it, or was he
using it to time his best effort? In any
case, he had a chronograph.
Watches were hand made during the 18th and 19th
centuries, and came in the form of a pocket watch. Those watches were sometimes very ornate and
used primarily by people needing to keep a schedule – railroad and Pony Express
riders were some of the few ‘timely’ folks.
Bankers and shop owners of yore used them, too, to ensure no missed
business.
It wasn’t until World War I that wrist watches became
popular. Being away from a zone
scheduled to be bombed at a particular time, was important. Pocket watches were subject to damage, and
had to be fished out of a pocket to be read – difficult to do in a foxhole with
people shooting at anything that moved.
Hence, the wrist watch was popularized.
Throughout the decades, modifications and improvements have
made these time keepers evolve into more than just devices to tell time. Some tell the date, some tell the day of the
week, some tell the year.
I, personally, own a number of wrist watches and cherish
them all. Two, in particular, are tied
for my favorite. Both are Citizen brand,
and both are meaningful. One came as a
retirement gift from “my only friend,” and the other is from my
brother-in-law. Each has its own special
features and qualities, and each is handsome in its own unique way.
They possess the ability to be used as a stopwatch,
calendar, and can even tell the temperature in Cairo , Egypt
My first watch was a Timex I received as a First Communion
gift. I have not yet received my last
watch, though. I love them as not only
an effective means of telling time, but also as fashionable jewelry.
Making a full circle, it seems obvious that those without a
viable means of telling time need a way to do so. My associates who don’t wear watches tell me
they use their cell phones as time references.
But, remember the aforementioned pocket watches?
I think I’ll keep my watches and feel and look
fashionable. But, you won’t see me
wearing one in my lurid bedroom scenes.
