In today’s issue of my Jewelry Business Success News ezine, I discuss the growing trend of relying on the clocks that are built into our cell phones and other electronic devices instead of wearing wristwatches.
You can read my article about it in my newsletter - A Timely Tip – Are Wristwatches Becoming Obsolete?
What are your thoughts or experiences regarding this trend?
Are wristwatches becoming obsolete as our electronic gadgets become a bigger part of our lives?
Please share your comments below.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree, I haven’t worn a watch in years either.
I LOVE wearing a watch on my wrist. It’s definitely a fashion statement for me.
I’m either old-school, or just too lazy to retrieve my cell phone to look at the time. I love my watch.
I also use my cell-phone/vehicle clock and never wear a watch, though you’ll never catch me without a bracelet!
agree. i don’t wear watch for many years!
I understand what you are saying. But, on the other hand, I’m 44. Not a bay boomer, but close. Every one is now focusing on the market of 40 and under. I think there may be a growing market. As the baby boomer’s age, eye sight isn’t as good/let’s face it staying healthy as one grows older is very difficult. You have to go to doctors etc.. A lot of times cell phones must be turned off. I myself have loved watches. But, now my vision has gotten so bad…I bought a digital watch so I could quickly see the day, date and time-fast.
As I look at my digital watch…I ask…what if I spruced this thing up a little. What if I made a fashionable digital watch for the over over 45 crowd. The same goes for Medic alert bracelets. Boring! But, I don’t want to give all my ideas away. Lol
I’d like to hear any thoughts on the ideas I have…the time may not be now…but it’s approaching where the baby boom generation is going to be retired and on line. That’s a lot of people.
I agree, many people do not wear wristwatches these days. I still do but most of friends (30+) do not, especially not the women. However, several of my friends have asked me to make other watch items. A nursing friend of mine wanted one on a necklace. As you can imagine, she washes her hands alot and has ruined many wristwatches and cellphones. For another friend, I dangled a working watch face on a charm bracelet. For myself, I made a chunky wood and crystal watch/bracelet on stretch cord. Most people have to look at it really well to tell it’s a watch, but it’s easy for me read because I can always “feel” where the watch rests on my arm.
I have not worn a wrist watch for years. No one in my family wears one either. I prefer to just use my cell phone as I always have it with me.
I dont think I would invest in one either since other gadgets work just as well and serve other purposes as well. I am sure there is still some market for it, not sure it’s worth pursuing, you could always try a few new designs and see how it goes. Personally I think they are fading in popularity.
gezzzzzzzzzz, you gals are making me feel weird!!!
I’m with moondog; I love all of my time pieces.
My purse is like a black hole, even if I thought about using my cell for time, I never can get my hands on it!
I love big, bold gold watches and I can see clearly now that I have glasses, LOL.
I personally have not worn a watch since becoming disbled. I was in nursing and used my watch constantly. Some of the units in hospitals do not allow cell phones at all. I now use my cell phone, because it is always with me. I would like find some watch faces that hang upside down. So you can lift the bottom edge and read the time. So many people making watch pins, rings and necklaces that show the time to eveyone else except the wearer. I guess I am more practicle than fashion forward.
Funny you should write about this, I notice it all the time, no one has watches on in meetings, and everyone is wanting to know what time it is. I haven’t worn a watch in a couple of years, and I’m noticing that more and more people aren’t, especially women for some reason.
Really? I never noticed. I don’t wear watches often because for some reason they stop working if I wear them! LOL!! I have no clue why! People around me wear watches all the time. I hope it doesn’t get obsolete…I love wrist watches, even if I can’t wear them.
I’m 54, and am reliant on my wristwatch. My watchface was broken for a while recently, and I was always looking at my bare wrist. I only have a cell phone for emergency use.
I don’t wear a traditional watch any more; however, I do wear my colorful and fun beaded watch bracelets. The watch face is really more of a decorative feature for me as I always forget to check it.
I guess I stopped wearing a watch as part of a little rebellious streak I have!
I haven’t worn a watch in years, but it has nothing to do with my cell phone! I just don’t care about the time.
Like Rena, I made a lot of beaded watch bands, sold a bunch, then sales dwindled, so I quit making them. Just last year, I started getting more requests for watches, so I concentrate on unique designs – no more simple stringing or colors. I primarily use copper faces and metal based designs, and they sell very well. I think it’s because they look more like a piece of jewelry than “just” a watch.
I haven’t worn a watch in years. I carry a cell with me at all times. In fact two. One for my family and one for work. What a pain! But, the reason for no watch isn’t so much that I check the time on the cell, but I can set alarms. I don’t have to worry about missing appointments because the alarm warns me with enough time to get where I need to go. Once I’m going, I have a clock in the car. I even set a time for my meetings to end so I have an excuse to say, “Oops, I need to tie this up and get going”. I like simple watches, if I were to wear one at all.
I wear a watch faithfully – I feel naked without it (I’m 41). However, as a 7th grade teacher, I can tell you that of my 160 students, only about 5 of them wear a watch – and they are all boys. My wife has noticed the same thing in her high school classes. I’ve also noticed that kids can’t tell time on an analog clock. And when I say, “we’ll get back together at 20 ’till,” they have absolutely NO idea what I’m saying!
I never really gave it much thought, but it’s true, I use my cel for the time too. Although, as a few people pointed out, people in the medical field may still need to have a watch of some sort. I’m sure there are other careers that need to use a watch as well. By making a watch more of an ornate jewelry piece, I think people will still want to wear them.
A big reason that I quit wearing a watch is like someone else pointed out…my eyesight is getting worse (yes…I’m a baby boomer). I have several very pretty little watches that I would have to get my reading glasses out just to read the time!
I do agree with parts of your article. Young people don’t usually want a watch as a tool or a fashion accessory. Men love watches but prefer them to be large, waterproof or full of gadgets.
Wrist watches are still an important part of our business. We have learned to market them a little differently to appeal to those that still want or need to wear them. The FamiLee Jewels, specifically my Mom Ella, make watches that are targeted to women over the age of 45 and to nurses and other health care professionals. We keep the designs pretty but simple and make sure that the watch faces are large enough to read easily and have a sweep second hand.
We have even had to add battery replacement to the list of jewelry repair services at our weekend kiosk because so many people have asked about it.
Bonus: People bring their old watches in that are beyond repair and give them to us for parts. I have learned to disassemble them and use the various cogs, wheels and components to make a line of jewelry that we call Salvaged Style,
That’s a great idea Bonnie Lee! What a great way to keep those old watches out of the garbage. If many of us aren’t wearing our watches anymore, we should bring them to someone like yourself to reuse them. Or take them apart and play with the parts ourselves!
I wear my Raymond Weil watch every day. I can’t imagine a day without it!
I would likely agree that the under 30 crowd doesn’t much wear watches. They are a group that loves their technologies. I personally wear a watch and always have. Especially because when at work (and in business) you can’t always simply pull out your cell phone or blackberry to check the time. I tend to see more professionals wearing watches. When I first introduced watches they didn’t really move too quickly, but in the last year or so, they have been quite popular.
If I look at a watch I see form and function. They are stylish and accessory AND they’ll serve the function of providing you the time. You get two features with one design!
-Stephanie
I have never thrown a watch out! I have all my watches. I have 2 Raymond Weil watches(need batteries/i can’t see the time 2 small)also less expensive watches. I’ve not thrown out one. I guess I have since I’m always thinking of what I could do with something…jewelry wise or otherwise…I’ve held on to them/other things. I just need focus.
A watch is a “time calculator”. As another said, people don’t know what “20 till” means. One glance at a watch tells you that you have 15 minutes to catch the train, or 5 minutes have elapsed, without doing arithmetic. Most people don’t think about it, but a watch tells you much more than the time. There’s no fear that they’ll vanish. Digital watches pretty much came and went for these very reasons….
I haven’t worn a watch in years though I always have at least one silver bracelet on. As far as time, well my Blackberry goes everywhere that I do and does so much more then a watch ever could. I can certainly use it in a business situation as I take notes on it.
I have never worn a watch, but I have friends who can’t leave the house without them. I think the younger generation does not wear them very much, but for those who have always wear them they don’t seem to be giving them up.
Sarah
(SuaVoce)
Hi.. i wear a wrist watch even if i have a facility in cell phone, latptop, computer everywhere. I need a watch which is more convenient. I prefer analog only as they are easy to estimate few hours from now. I keep on buying smart wrist watches and my collection is going up. Its a style accessory for me.