From Women's Jewelry to Battlefield Essential: The Surprising Journey of the Wristwatch

When Wristwatches Were Only For Women:

In 1810, a Swiss watchmaker named Abraham-Louis Breguet created something special for Caroline Murat, the Queen of Naples. It was a timepiece designed to be worn on the wrist, not carried in a pocket. This invention became the first true wristwatch, but it was not meant for men. 

Throughout the 1800s, wristwatches were considered delicate pieces of jewelry that only women wore. They were often decorated with jewels and designed to look like bracelets. At royal courts across Europe, wealthy women showed off these fashionable timepieces as symbols of style and status.

Why Men Refused To Wear Them:

During this same period, men had a completely different approach to telling time. They carried pocket watches, which were seen as practical, masculine, and professional. Men thought wristwatches were too feminine and decorative for their tastes. 

Some men even made fun of wristwatches, calling them silly or inappropriate for anyone other than women. This attitude was so strong that most men would never consider strapping a watch to their wrist. The pocket watch remained the standard for gentlemen well into the early 1900s.

The Battlefield Changed Everything:

World War I transformed how men viewed wristwatches. Soldiers quickly discovered that reaching into a pocket for a watch during combat was difficult and dangerous. They needed to check the time while holding weapons, coordinating attacks, and moving through trenches. 

Military officers began wearing wristwatches because they could glance at their wrists while keeping their hands free. This practical advantage made wristwatches essential equipment rather than fashion accessories. Watchmakers started creating more rugged designs with protective cases and luminous dials that soldiers could read in the dark.

After The War Ended:

When soldiers returned home from World War I, they brought their wristwatches with them. The men who had served spread the habit throughout society. What had once been mocked as feminine suddenly became acceptable and even fashionable for all men. 

By 1930, wristwatches outsold pocket watches by an incredible ratio of 50 to 1. The complete reversal happened in less than two decades. Men now preferred the convenience and modernity of wristwatches, while pocket watches began to seem old-fashioned.

How War Created Modern Timekeeping:

The wristwatch story teaches us that practical needs can override social customs. What started as women's jewelry became universal because soldiers needed better tools. Today, billions of people wear wristwatches or smartwatches without thinking about this history. 

The next time you check your wrist for the time, remember that this simple action was once considered inappropriate for half the population. Wars often drive technological adoption in unexpected ways, and the wristwatch remains one of the clearest examples of how crisis can reshape everyday culture.