What is the deal with wearing a watch upside down?

[Urban Sports]

What purpose does this achieve? My uncle used to do this and when I asked him he said it was stop his watch getting scratched!

Loads of people do it there must be a practical reason, not sure it's stopping it getting scratched.

[Paul Drawmer]

Do you mean inside the wrist?

[Urban Sports]

Paul Drawmer said:

Do you mean inside the wrist?

Yes that.

[Office_Monkey]

My dad does this, I think it's a habit from when he was working. You can check the time in boring meetings without being too obvious

[Pip1968]

Possibly a military edge to it to in that it prevents glare/shine/reflection when it catches the sun and therefore gives your position away.

Pip

[sad61t]

Agree with above about not catching the light.

Also when driving you can check the time (the Vacheron Constantin American series was designed to be worn on the inside of the wrist while driving so that the rotated 12 o'clock aligned at the top of the dial).

My father used to do this too, but his reason was so that he could respond to being asked the time without tipping his pint on himself. I can imagine that being a mess practical joke to catch the slightly tipsy

[madbadger]

sad61t said:

My father used to do this too, but his reason was so that he could respond to being asked the time without tipping his pint on himself. I can imagine that being a mess practical joke to catch the slightly tipsy

Wouldn't you just hold a pint in the right hand?

[marcgti6]

It's like wearing your watch on your right hand wrist (unless you're left handed) - it's just wrong, IMHO.

Whenever I see it, I just assume that the person is (rightly or wrongly) a bit of an oddball.

[sunnygym]

Edited by sunnygym on Thursday 16th October 12:42

[sunnygym]

marcgti6 said:

It's like wearing your watch on your right hand wrist (unless you're left handed) - it's just wrong, IMHO.

Whenever I see it, I just assume that the person is (rightly or wrongly) a bit of an oddball.

I'm a bit cack handed and wear my watch on my right...... Out of interest where does it say the left is correct ?

I also hold my fork in my right

[marcgti6]

sunnygym said:

I'm a bit cack handed and wear my watch on my right...... Out of interest where does it say the left is correct ?

I also hold my fork in my right

Each to their own. I don't think it's stated anywhere that left is correct but, for me, the crown should always face outwards (towards your fingers). Otherwise it just looks odd.

Don't tell me, your watch has the crown on the left?!

[bobbybee]

sunnygym said:

I'm a bit cack handed and wear my watch on my right...... Out of interest where does it say the left is correct ?

I also hold my fork in my right

It depends on where the crown is, no right or wrong specifically, but the design allows easy access with the other hand to make adjustments while still on the wrist.
right side crown left hand, left side crown right hand.

[Foliage]

marcgti6 said:

It's like wearing your watch on your right hand wrist (unless you're left handed) - it's just wrong, IMHO.

Whenever I see it, I just assume that the person is (rightly or wrongly) a bit of an oddball.

I wear my watch on my right wrist and im a bit of an oddball, so I think your generalisation has legs.

[marcgti6]

Foliage said:

I wear my watch on my right wrist and im a bit of an oddball, so I think your generalisation has legs.

Haha, that's good to know. Thanks!

[GCH]

A Vietnam veteran I know told me he wore it that way so the watch could be read with minimal movement when he was holed up in position to shoot (or shooting), and also for glare/reflection purposes.


For driving, you could always get an omega chronostop- it is sideways and was actually designed to be worn on the underside of the wrist

[Podie]

marcgti6 said:

sunnygym said:

I'm a bit cack handed and wear my watch on my right...... Out of interest where does it say the left is correct ?

I also hold my fork in my right

Each to their own. I don't think it's stated anywhere that left is correct but, for me, the crown should always face outwards (towards your fingers). Otherwise it just looks odd.

Don't tell me, your watch has the crown on the left?!

So I should wear my Heuer Daytona on my rigth wrist, due to the crown position..?

[grumbledoak]

Historically watches were quite fragile items. A watch is much less likely to get damaged on the inside of the unused left wrist than on either side of the right wrist. Remember, those sinister left handers were made to write with the right hand anyway!

[trumptriple]

I asked a teacher at school and he said it was to stop the reflection on the wall distracting the kids.

[nick s]

sunnygym said:

marcgti6 said:

It's like wearing your watch on your right hand wrist (unless you're left handed) - it's just wrong, IMHO.

Whenever I see it, I just assume that the person is (rightly or wrongly) a bit of an oddball.

I'm a bit cack handed and wear my watch on my right...... Out of interest where does it say the left is correct ?

I also hold my fork in my right

There is absolutely no excuse for holding your fork in your right hand and your knife in your left (Unless you are only using a fork with no knife, then right hand is acceptable). It is the mark of an utter uneducated pleb!

I also judge someone who wears their watch on their right wrist, but that one is more forgivable and can just be put down to ignorance.

[marcgti6]

Podie said:

So I should wear my Heuer Daytona on my rigth wrist, due to the crown position..?

No, please don't! A rare exception to my 'crown always facing out' rule.

Nice watch