Wristwatch Etiquette

Hello Community,

Wristwatches have been popular since the 1920s and rules of etiquette have been developing for them ever since. Etiquette is a system of rules designed to make social interaction easier and more cordial. Courtesy and kindness are the goals of etiquette because this is a modern world, we are adding healthy to this system of rules.

Which Hand: Watches can be worn on either hand by both sexes. Most often, a right-handed person wears their watch on the left arm and the left-handed person wears theirs on the right. People may decide to ignore this right hand--left hand dynamic when wearing a special watch that will be seen more clearly on the opposite arm. Wristwatches are worn near the skin on the arm, never over the cuffs of a shirt or blouse.

Women's Watches as Jewelry: Women wear watches for different reasons. Telling time is easiest with a large faced, simply designed and comfortable watch. These larger watches are for sports, work or other daytime activities. Evening wear, and certainly formal dress, requires a dress watch. A dressy watch will have some sparkle and style, and can be part of the jewelry for the occasion. Wearing a watch and a bracelet on the same arm is not considered appropriate for most formal events. Designer watches, antique watches and theme watches have particular value and should be worn with appropriate clothing to enhance their appeal.

Men's Watches: Men's watches should be appropriate for their style of dress. A bulky sport watch works well with workout and casual clothes. A very slim and simple-faced watch is most appropriate for formal or semi-formal occasions. Slim watches will hug the wrist under the cuffs of formal dress shirts, including French cuffs with cuff links. Some true fashion experts claim that a wristwatch should never be worn with any formal attire because men should not need to know the time when you are in formal dress.


Best Regards,
Josh Jackson