Three Factors that Contributed to the Transitioned from Pocket to Wrist Watches

Shortly before WWII, they were three factors that led watch consumers massively switch from pocket to wrist: a growing cultural acceptance, miniaturization and improvements in shock resistance.

Image source: 100 Plus Years of Men’s Fashion, The Gentlemanual. Reproduced under Fair Use.

Cultural acceptance — Up until World War I, wrist watches were perceived as a “girly” thing. Gentlemen wore three-piece suits, and the watch was meant to be carried in the waistcoat. However, having to fiddle in your pockets on the war field might get you killed, so wearing it on the wrist was much more practical. When war heroes came back home wearing watches on their wrist, they somehow helped to turn the tables and make it look badass, if not bearable.

Image source: Wrist watches come of age in WW1, Kansas WW1. Reproduced under Fair Use.

Miniaturisation — Throughout the 19th century, the quality of metal alloys was inconsistent and precision tools had flaws, so making big watches allowed to compensate for these limitations. By the 1930’s however, significant advancements were made in metallurgy and precision, so it became possible to miniaturize movements that were once big. The Bulova chronograph pictured above was made around 1945 and was only 32 mm in diameter and was worn by men.

Image credit Bulova Watches. Reproduced under Fair Use.

Shock Resistance — A caveat of pocket watches was their vulnerability to shock. The steel pinions were held by diamond-hard rubies to prevent wear, but in case of shock, the rubies could easily break. Wearing them on the wrist drastically increased their exposure to shock.

Comparison of different designs aimed at protecting the balance wheel from shocks. Reproduced under Fair Use.

Watchmakers had been experimenting with various designs of “suspension” that would take the hit and prevent the ruby from breaking. This meant that movements could be miniaturized and made more shock-resistant at the same time. Combined with a growing cultural acceptance of wrist watches as a gender-neutral fashion accessory, the sales of wrist watches took over the sales of pocket watches around 1930.

Declining export of Swiss pocket watches and the rise and overtaking by wrist watches after 1930. Image credit Wristwatches. History of a Century’s Development. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. 1986. Reproduced under Fair Use.