Pocket watch conversions, a 20th Century Evolution

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World War I jump-started the shift from pocket to the wrist as soldiers needed a “hands-free” timepiece in combat conditions. The resulting trench watches were among the first mass-produced men’s wristwatches and soon trickled down to civilian life, eliminating the stigma of wristwatches being a women’s accessory. Although the inevitable decline of pocket watches had begun, they were often expensive, prized possessions. Heirlooms, in fact. Many owners just couldn’t relegate a thing of such value to a dusty drawer, while manufacturers and retailers scrambled to keep production models relevant.

What to do? Well, weld some lugs to the case and attach a strap,

et voilà.

Many early wristwatches were actually pocket watch conversions, existing alongside dedicated wristwatch manufacturing. It was a creative and experimental time as the industry was again evolving, and designs were all over the map.

Nowadays no longer considered a ladies watch, in fact ladies are now wearing the same!

Pocket watches were traditionally made in two configurations, open face and hunter. These configurations refer to the placement of the crown, which was determined during the manufacturing process based on the movement orientation. In open face pocket watches the crown is positioned at 12 o’clock. In contrast, hunter pocket watches feature the crown at 3 o’clock and include a protective cover over the dial, providing added durability and protection. The chosen configuration directly influences the overall design and the resulting configuration of the wristwatch conversion.

Pocket watch conversions, a 20th Century Evolution