Why Do People Wear Watches On Their Left Hand?

Have you ever wondered why do people wear watches on their left hand? Keep reading.

As a watch enthusiast, or as someone looking to add a bit of class into their life - you may have noticed that the "traditionally correct" way of wearing a watch generally means wearing it on your left wrist. The dialogue behind why watches are worn on the left hand has been around for as long as watches themselves. And with so many varied opinions, it can be difficult to pinpoint why and how it all came to be.

However, there's rather logical and practical reasoning behind the time-kept tradition. And it all takes root in the history of watch culture.

In this blog post, we'll explore how this standard came to be and help you make sense of just which hand your watch should really go on.

Let's dive right in!

The History Behind Why Watches Are Worn On The Left Hand

This bit of history begins with men's watches in the early 20th century. At the time, pocket watches were the golden standard for a modern man. While wristwatches were actually reserved almost exclusively as a women's accessory.

These pocket watches were incredibly practical at the time, especially within the railroad industry, as well as the military. But they did have one significant downfall. Despite being rather stylish, they were obscenely large in comparison to a modern watch. This required them to be "holstered" in leather pouches that would generally be strapped to one's wrist.

In part, this was actually due to the fact that the horology of the time made use of incredibly delicate balancing wheels. These wheels would be offset at the lightest impact or too sharp a movement. And the leather pouches provided some degree of stability and protection.

To further protect the watch, it quickly became standard to wear it on one's less-dominant hand. And given that most people were right-handed, the left wrist took up that role and honor.

What Are The Benefits To Wearing Your Watch On Your Less-Dominant Hand?

Circling back to our brief history lesson - many people wear watches on their left wrists because they are right-handed. However, when posed the question "what hand do men's watches go on?" - the standard really has nothing to do with left vs. right. It's all about which hand is dominant and which one is not.

In fact, in today's modern world, many watchmakers are already adapting to the rapidly growing number of left-handed individuals entering the market. So, it's not uncommon to find brands on all ends of the spectrum, offering variants of their models that are geared to be worn on the right hand instead of the left.

There are a number of significant advantages to wearing your watch on your less-dominant hand, which shaped this standard, outside of the convenience mentioned above.

It Extends The Life-Span Of Your Watch

Let's face it - you naturally move your dominant hand quite a bit more than your less-dominant counterpart. Due to this fact, it's a given that a watch worn on your dominant hand will see quite a bit more action. And besides shaking up the movement, you can expect to see more bangs and scratches over time. Not to mention the risk of accidentally smashing it into something or breaking it all together!

This will naturally wear your timepiece down, inside and out, which means a shorter life-span and a whole lot more maintenance across the board.

It's Far More Comfortable And Practical

It's a given that in almost everything you do, your dominant hand takes the lead. Whether you're typing up some documents, cooking a meal, or working away in the shed - wearing your watch on your dominant hand's wrist will simply create a lot of discomforts.

It will significantly limit your range of movement and slow you down quite a bit, making even the simplest of tasks take up far more time. Which, in all honesty, will not only get in the way of getting the job done, but it will also ruin the whole experience of wearing a watch for you.

It's Better For Your The Movement Of Your Watch

Tying back in with an extended life-span, your watch more than likely has a fairly fragile movement. Despite the fact that most modern watches can actually take a fair bit of roughhousing - inevitably, any sort of shock will wear out the movement over time. This is especially true for hard shocks and any sort of impact or regularly occurring sudden motion.

For a practical example, imagine a situation where you're using a hammer, playing a sport like tennis, or even cooking while wearing your watch on the same hand. The rapid movement and constant impact-shock will do a lot of damage, which will absolutely ruin your watch in practically the blink of an eye.

It's Easier To See And Set The Time

Unless you choose a watch specially designed to be worn on the right hand, you'll find that the crown is generally positioned on the right side of the watch.

When worn on your left hand, this design choice creates an easy way to set the time without having to take your watch off. However, if the crown is faced towards your arm, changing the time while wearing your watch is practically next to impossible.

And if your watch is worn on your dominant hand, you can also forget about being able to check the time without dropping everything you're doing and interrupting the task at hand.

So, in which hand should I wear my watch on?

Watches are an incredibly stylish and practical accessory that can (and should, in our opinion) be worn by all. And there shouldn't be any superstition as to which side a man or woman is supposed to wear their watch on.

Despite a historical notion that the left hand is "traditionally correct," it's actually all about wearing your watch on your less-dominant hand. Whether that happens to be your left hand or your right. And outside of a sense of tradition - there are some very practical reasons as to why this became the common standard.

However, we believe that the experience of wearing a watch is all about you and your personal preference. So, if you're asking yourself which hand you should wear your watch on - we've got one piece of advice. Wear it in whatever way that brings you a sense of comfort, and makes your experience an enjoyable one!