Wrist Watches from Women's Fashion to Men's Wear Because of a War.

A wrist watch is a piece of jewellery, a status

symbol and a functional device to let you know

when you should be somewhere or doing something

special like picking the children up from school.

As a piece of jewellery it can show your friends,

guests and acquaintances whether you are a person

of means or not. If you are wearing a $1,000

wrist watch then people will be able to tell

something about you, or at least if they knew

what your watch was worth then they would make an

opinion of you. It's not like a cell phone. No

one ever thinks that a person's cell phone is

expensive, unique or a status symbol. But a

watch is different.

Originally called wristlets, watches that were

worn on the wrist as opposed to the everyday

practice of wearing them in your pocket, they

were worn by women and spurned by men.

The Boer War changed all of that and the wrist

watch was found to be the ideal way of

coordinating military movements without the

awkwardness of carrying it in your pocket which

might be almost inaccessible at times of action

and in rough terrain.

Soldiers were actually equipped with these new

types of watches and found them very useful.

There could hardly be any going back to pocket

watches after this war, or to call them lady's

wear after battle hardened soldiers returned

wearing their wrist watches.

World war one was simply more of the same for

wrist watches and their wearing was often an

essential part of weaponry. When soldiers were

allowed to keep their wrist watches after service

they kept wearing them everyday and they became

more than just functional but a part of fashion.

Today watches have an unbelievable number of

functions, too many to count here and there are

special watches for almost every sport and for

many occupations. Even small children are taught

to tell the time and it is a mark of their

development at that age and they are often given

a wristwatch.

Wrist watches are an important part of fashion for

both men and women and they are affordable for

everyone as they can be bought for a couple of

dollars at your local supermarket or gas station

.